1998 BMW CONVERTIBLE ECU

11 8
Unlocking Pull the lever located under the left-
hand side of the instrument panel.a
Do not work on your vehicle with-
out appropriate skills. Always switch off
the engine and allow it to cool down be-
fore working in the engine compart-
ment.
Always disconnect the battery before
working on the electrical system. When
working on the vehicle, follow the rele-
vant instructions and information. When
you are not familiar with the relevant
specifications, have service operations
performed by your authorized BMW Re-
tailer. Failure to proceed in an informed,
professional manner when servicing
components and materials constitutes a
safety hazard for yourself and other us-
ers of the public roads.c
To openPush the release handle Ð at the front
left under the hood Ð upward and open
the hood.
To closeSimultaneously press down both sides
of the hood; continue pressing until you
hear the latches engage.a
Should you determine that the
hood is not completely closed while
driving, stop immediately and close it
securely.c
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Hood

13 0
The BMW Maintenance System has
been designed as a reliable means of
providing the customer with maximum
vehicle safety and reliability with mini-
mum complication and expense.
Please remember that regular periodic
maintenance plays an essential part in
ensuring continued vehicle security. It
also helps maintain the resale value of
the vehicle.
Service Interval DisplayAdvanced technology is employed to
calculate the optimal maintenance
intervals, which are then indicated in
the Service Interval Display. While con-
ventional maintenance systems rely on
mileage alone to determine when ser-
vice is due, the BMW Maintenance Sys-
tem reflects the actual conditions under
which the vehicle is operated, because
mileage is not simply mileage:
From the point of view of maintenance,
62,000 miles (100,000 km) accumulated
in short-distance driving are not the
equivalent of the same distance cov-
ered in long-distance highway travel.
The BMW Maintenance System
includes the Engine Oil Service as well
as Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals
according to the actual loads on the car
covers every kind of operating situation.
However, drivers who cover only
extremely short distances - substantially
less than 6,200 miles (10,000 km) annu-
ally - should have the engine oil changed
at least once a year, as it continues to
age whether or not the car is used on a
regular basis.
Service and Warranty Information
bookletPlease refer to the Service and War-
ranty Information booklet for additional
information on maintenance intervals
and procedures.
Depending on operating conditions, as
a precaution against rust it may be a
good idea to have the body checked for
stone damage and chips at the same
time.
Please ensure that all maintenance
operations are entered in the Service
and Warranty Information booklet upon
completion. These entries will consti-
tute your proof that the vehicle has
received regular maintenance. They
are also required for warranty claims.b
Have your BMW Retailer carry out
the maintenance and repair. Your BMW
Retailer is always informed on the latest
maintenance work and repair tech-
niques and equipped with the required
special tools. In addition, the testing of
parts known from experience to be sub-
ject to wear is a permanent part of the
maintenance specifications.c
360us009The BMW Maintenance System

13 5
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Leather careThe leather upholstery
* used by BMW
is a natural product of the highest qual-
ity, processed using state-of-the-art
methods to ensure that it will maintain
its high quality for years to come, pro-
vided that it is properly cared for.
Because this product is manufactured
using natural materials, you must make
allowance for its special characteristics
as well as for the peculiarities of its use
and care.
Regular periodic cleaning and care are
essential, as dust and road dirt act as
abrasives in the pores and creases of
the material. This leads to wear spots
and premature brittleness on the sur-
face of the leather. We therefore sug-
gest that you clean the leather with a
vacuum cleaner or dust cloth at frequent
intervals.
For cleaning, use BMW leather cleaning
foam.
As dirt and grease can slowly attack the
protective layer of the leather, the
cleaned leather surfaces must be
treated with BMW Leather Care. This
serves also as an anti-static agent.
To protect against moisture and water
you can treat the leather with BMW
Impregnating Agent.We recommend that you perform this
procedure twice a year on leather ex-
posed to normal use.
Spills should be wiped up immediately.
Remove grease and oil stains without
rubbing, but rather by dabbing with
spot remover.
If the upholstery is to be exposed to
intense sunlight or if the vehicle is to be
stored for an extended period, cover all
leather surfaces (or, better yet, the win-
dows) to prevent fading.
a
Cleaning agents can contain dan-
gerous or unhealthy ingredients. There-
fore always observe the warnings and
danger notices on the package.
Open the doors or windows on your ve-
hicle when cleaning the interior.
Never clean your vehicle with solvents
or other materials not specifically in-
tended for this application.c
Caring for your car

14 7
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Procedure1 Wheel bolt cover
* removal.
Steel disk wheel: remove wheel cover
by hand. Light-alloy wheel with lug
cap in the shape of a large hexagon
nut: position the hexagon adapter on
the lug bolt cover, apply the lug
wrench and turn it to the left.2 Loosen lug bolts 1/2 turn.
3 Remove the respective cover cap
from the jacking point. Depending on
the vehicle version, remove the pro-
tective cap either by inserting the
screwdriver into the slot and turning
to the left (arrow in left illustration) or
by pressing in the cap on the bottom
(arrow in illustration above).4 Insert the jack all the way into the
support while ensuring that the base
of the jack is securely positioned on
the road surface. Always chock the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from
rolling.
5 Turn the handle to raise the jack until
the wheel is free of the ground.
a
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing tires only. Never use it to raise
another vehicle model or a load of an-
other kind, since that could result in ac-
cidents and personal injury.
Never lie beneath the vehicle when it is
supported by the jack Ð risk of fatal inju-
ry!c
6 Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
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Changing tires

14 8
7 Lift the new or spare tire into posi-
tion, secure by screwing at least two
lug bolts into opposite sockets and
remove the alignment tool.
8 Screw in the remaining lug bolts,
then tighten down all the lug bolts,
working in a cross pattern.
9 Lower the vehicle, remove the jack
and screw the cover back into the
jack opening with the screwdriver.
10 Tighten the lug bolts, working in a
cross pattern.
a
To ensure safety, have the lug
bolts tested with a calibrated torque
wrench (torque specification is 72 lbs-ft/
100 Nm) at the earliest opportunity. If
you have mounted a new wheel
(e.g., the spare tire) for the first time,
check the lug nut torque after approx.
600 miles (1,000 km).c
11 Mount wheel cover. Position the
wheel cover with the valve opening
over the valve stem in the rim and
press with both hands starting from
the valve stem and moving around
the entire circumference of the
wheel cover.When storing the wheel, ensure that
you do not damage the retaining pin in
the spare tire recess.
When light-alloy wheels other than
Original BMW light-alloy wheels are fit-
ted to the car, it may be necessary to
use different lug bolts.
Have the defective tire repaired and
balanced at the earliest opportunity.
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Changing tires

15 0
Removal and installationa
Do not disconnect the battery
cable from its terminal while the engine
is running, as the resulting voltage surge
would destroy the vehicle's electronic
systems.c
When disconnecting, start with the neg-
ative terminal, then proceed to the pos-
itive side. Unscrew the battery retaining
clamp.
When installing the battery, connect the
positive terminal first, then proceed to
the negative pole.
a
When installing, always ensure that
the battery is properly mounted.
Otherwise it will not be sufficiently
secured in an accident.c
Charging the battery Always ensure that the engine is off
before recharging an installed battery. a
To avoid short circuits, always
disconnect the cable from the battery's
negative terminal before working on the
electrical system.cOn vehicles with a connecting point in
the engine compartment, it is easiest to
charge the battery by using this con-
necting point (positive pole), and a
ground in the engine compartment
(refer to "Jump-starting" on page 15 3).
If you are planning to remove the vehi-
cle from service for more than four
weeks, you should disconnect the bat-
tery at the negative terminal.
If you intend to store your car for longer
than six weeks: remove the battery,
charge it and store it in a cool (but frost-
free) room. Recharge the battery after
three months at the latest, as it will oth-
erwise be damaged beyond use. Every
time the battery is discharged, espe-
cially over extended periods, its service
life is reduced.
A
Bring used batteries to an autho-
rized collection point or a BMW Re-
tailer. Always maintain the battery in an
upright position for transport and stor-
age. Secure the battery against tilting
when transporting.c
a
Storage periods during which the
battery is disconnected are not taken
into consideration by the Service Inter-
val Display for changing the brake fluid.
Therefore, make sure that the brake fluid
is changed every two years at the latest,
regardless of the display. Additional
notes: refer to page 128.c
Battery