
131n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Caring for your carExterior finish To provide effective corrosion protec-
tion, multilayer paintwork is applied at 
the factory. Cataphoretic immersion 
priming techniques are supplemented 
using special body-cavity protectants, 
with the application of specially-devel-
oped and extensively tested materials.
A layer of flexible PVC is first applied to 
the undercarriage. Following this, a 
comprehensive undercoating treatment 
with a wax-based protectant is applied. 
Regular maintenance makes an impor-
tant contribution to maintaining the 
safety and resale value of your vehicle.
Increasing awareness of the effects of 
harmful environmental factors on vehi-
cle finishes have led paint and vehicle 
manufacturers to initiate ongoing pro-
grams designed to further improve the 
durability of their finishes. Despite this, 
environmental factors that occur locally 
or regionally can have negative effects 
on the finish of your vehicle. These 
should guide you in determining the fre-
quency and extent of your efforts to 
maintain the vehicle finish.
Depending upon material and type 
of impact (perforation of paint layer), 
physical stresses from sand, road salt, 
gravel, etc., can cause corrosion to 
start extending beneath the finish, start-
ing at the point of impact.Road dirt, tar spots, dead insects, ani-
mal droppings (strong alkali concentra-
tion) and tree excretions (resins and 
pollen) all contain substances capable 
of causing damage when allowed to re-
main on the finish of your car for any 
period of time (spots, etching, flaking, 
separation in the top coat).
In industrial areas, deposits of flue dust, 
lime, oily soot, precipitation containing 
sulfur-dioxide (acid rain) and other envi-
ronmental pollutants will damage the 
car's finish unless adequate care is pro-
vided – even though this generally lim-
ited to the outside horizontal surfaces.
In coastal regions, high levels of atmo-
spheric salt and humidity promote cor-
rosion.
In tropical zones temperatures of over 
1007 (406) in the shade prevail, in 
addition to heavy ultraviolet radiation 
and high humidity. Under those circum-
stances light colored paints reach tem-
peratures of up to 1807 (806) and 
dark paints up to 2507 (1206).
Caring for the vehicle finish Regular washing is a preventive mea-
sure against long-term effects from 
substances that are harmful to the vehi-
cle's finish, especially if you drive your 
vehicle in areas with high levels of air 
pollution or aggressive natural sub-
stances (tree resins, pollen).
Nevertheless, you should immediately 
remove especially aggressive sub-
stances. Failure to do so can lead to 
changes in the paint's chemical struc-
ture or to discoloration. Gasoline spilled 
during refueling, oil, grease and brake 
fluid should always be cleaned away 
immediately, as should bird droppings. 
All of these substances cause damage 
to the finish.
Any contamination remaining on the 
surface of the vehicle will be especially 
conspicuous after washing. Use clean-
ing fluid or alcohol with a clean cloth or 
cotton pad to remove. Remove tar 
spots with tar remover. After cleaning, 
the affected areas should be waxed to 
ensure continued protection.
A full range of car-care products is 
available from your BMW center.< 

132n
Caring for your carWaxing your car Protect the finish using carnauba or 
synthetic-based waxes only.
The best way to determine when the 
finish needs to be waxed is by noting 
when water stops beading on the sur-
face.
You can use a glass cleaner to remove 
any wax or silicone that may have been 
left on the windows during waxing.
A full range of car-care products is 
available from your BMW center.<
Paint damageYou can touch up small areas of paint 
damage with a BMW spray paint or a 
BMW touch-up stick. 
The paint color code for your car is pro-
vided on a sticker located next to the 
type plate and on the first page of your 
Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet.
Damage caused by flying stones, 
scratches, etc., must be touched up 
without delay to prevent rust from form-
ing.
If corrosion has started to form in an 
area with paint damage, remove all rust 
and clean the area. Then prime the area 
with a BMW Primer Stick. Finally, apply 
the finish coat. Wait a few days, then 
polish the repaired area. Finish by ap-
plying a wax preservative.
More extensive paint damage should be 
professionally repaired in accordance 
with the manufacturer's instructions. 
Your BMW center uses original BMW 
finish materials in accordance with offi-
cial repair procedures.
Caring for other vehicle 
components and materials Light-alloy wheels should be treated 
with alloy wheel cleaner, especially dur-
ing the winter months. However, do not 
use aggressive products containing ac-
ids, strong alkalis or abrasives. Do not 
use steam cleaners operating at tem-
peratures above 1407 (606). Follow 
the manufacturer's instructions.
If your vehicle has chrome parts
* such 
as the window frames and door handles, 
be especially careful about cleaning 
them with plenty of water and possibly a 
shampoo supplement as well after the 
roads have been salted. Use chrome 
polish as an additional treatment.
You can use window and glass cleaner 
to clean inside window surfaces and 
mirrors without smearing and streaking. 
Never use polishing pastes or abrasive 
(quartz) cleansers on mirror lenses. 

133n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Caring for your carPlastic components, vinyl upholstery, 
headliners, lamp lenses, the clear cover 
of the instrument panel and compo-
nents with a sprayed dull black surface 
can be cleaned with water (add plastic 
shampoo as required). Do not allow 
moisture to soak through the seats or 
headliner. Never use solvents such as 
lacquer thinner, heavy-duty grease re-
mover, fuels, etc. 
Rubber components should be cleaned 
with water only; a rubber treatment or 
silicone spray may also be applied.
Clean the wiper blades with soapy wa-
ter. The wiper blades should be re-
placed twice a year, before and after 
the cold season. This especially impor-
tant for vehicles with a rain sensor.
Use only wiper blades approved 
by BMW.<
The safety belts should be cleaned with 
a mild soap and water solution without 
removing them from the car. Never at-
tempt chemical or dry cleaning, as 
damage to the belt fabric could result.
After cleaning, never allow the inertia 
reel to retract the belts until they are 
completely dry. Dirty safety belts pre-
vent the inertia reel mechanism from 
retracting the strap properly, and thus 
constitute a safety hazard. 
Heavily soiled floor carpets and mats
* 
can be cleaned with an interior cleaner. 
The floor mats can be removed from the 
vehicle for cleaning.
Please use only a damp cloth to clean 
wooden fascia panels and components. 
Follow up by drying with a soft cloth.
A full range of car-care products is 
available from your BMW center.<
Care of upholstery materials Depressions in the upholstered materi-
als resulting from everyday use can be 
brushed up by brushing "against the 
nap" with a lightly dampened brush.
The tendency of the pile to lie in a par-
ticular direction on velour upholstery is 
not a quality defect, and, just as on 
home textiles or clothing, cannot be 
avoided.
Lint on upholstery materials, textile or 
leather remnants that have been worn 
into the upholstery may be removed 
with a lint brush or a Velcro
â brush. A 
cleaning glove is available for particu-
larly "stubborn" lint. Stains and fairly 
large areas of dirt should be cleaned off 
without delay, using lukewarm water 
and an interior cleaner, stain remover or 
cleaning-grade benzene. Brush the fab-
ric afterwards to restore its appearance.
If the vehicle will be stored for an ex-
tended period, or if it is exposed to in-
tense sunlight, cover all seats or the 
windows to prevent fading.
A full range of car-care products is 
available from your BMW center.< 

134n
Caring for your carThe buildup of an electrostatic charge 
on the seat covers, particularly if atmo-
spheric humidity is low, can give the 
occupants an unpleasant electric shock 
if they touch metal body parts after leav-
ing the vehicle. Although this not dan-
gerous in any way, it can be avoided by 
touching a bare or polished metal part 
of the car while getting out.
Leather care The 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 
and 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 fre-
quent intervals.
For cleaning use BMW leather cleaning 
foam.Since dirt and grease gradually attack 
the protective layer of the leather, the 
cleaned surfaces should be treated with 
BMW leather care agent. This also acts 
as an antistatic agent.
To protect against moisture and water 
treat the leather with BMW Impregnat-
ing 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 in-
tense 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 full range of car-care products is 
available from your BMW center.< 

136n
Vehicle storage Technical modifications to the vehicleConsult your authorized BMW center 
regarding special procedures if you in-
tend to store the vehicle for more than 
three months. Any BMW center will gladly provide 
information on the value of technical 
modifications to the car, the legal posi-
tion and the manufacturer's recommen-
dations. For this purpose, the center re-
quires the Vehicle Identification Number 
and, in some cases, also the engine 
number. 
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)Light-emitting diodes installed behind 
translucent lenses serve as the light 
source for many of the controls and 
displays in your vehicle. These LEDs 
resemble conventional lasers and are 
classified by law as "Class 1 light-
emitting diodes".
Do not remove the protective lens 
and avoid staring directly at the 
unfiltered beam for extended periods 
(several hours), as inflammation of the 
iris could result.< 

137n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
OBD connector The Onboard Diagnostic (OBD) connec-
tor is on the driver's side, underneath 
the left-hand side of the instrument 
panel, under a cover. The cover has the 
letters "OBD" on it.
The purpose of the OBD system is to 
assure proper emission control system 
operation for the vehicle's lifetime by 
monitoring emission-related compo-
nents and systems for deterioration and 
malfunction.460us250
An illuminated indicator informs you of 
the need for service, not that you need 
to stop the vehicle. Your system should 
be checked, however, at the earliest 
possible opportunity.
If the indicator blinks or flashes, this 
indicates a high level of engine misfire. 
Reduce speed and contact your near-
est BMW center immediately. Severe 
engine misfire over only a short period 
of time can seriously damage emission 
control components, especially the cat-
alytic converter.
When the fuel filler cap is not properly 
tightened, the OBD system can detect 
the vapor leak and the indicator will 
light up. If the fuel filler cap is subse-
quently tightened, the indicator should 
extinguish after a short time. 

141n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Lamps and bulbsThe illustration shows the left-hand side 
of the engine compartment.1  Low beams H7, 55 watt bulb2  High beamsH7, 55 watt bulb 
The H7 bulb is pressurized. There-
fore, wear safety glasses and pro-
tective gloves. Failure to comply with 
this precaution could lead to injury if the 
bulb is accidentally damaged during re-
placement.<
1 Turn the bulb holder to the left and 
remove
2 Remove and replace the bulb.460de130
When cleaning the headlamps, 
please observe the following:
>Do not clean by wiping with a dry 
cloth (scratches). Never use abra-
sives or strong solvents to clean the 
covers
>Remove dirt and contamination 
(such as insects) by soaking with 
BMW Car Shampoo and then rinsing 
with plenty of water
>Always use a deicer spray to remove 
accumulated ice and snow – never 
use a scraper.<
Xenon lamp
* 
The service life of these bulbs is very 
long and the probability of a failure is 
very low, provided that they are not 
switched on and off an unusual number 
of times. If one of these bulbs should 
nevertheless fail, it is possible to con-
tinue driving with great caution using 
the fog lamps, provided traffic laws in 
your area do not prohibit this.
Because of the extremely high 
voltages involved, any work on the 
lighting system should be carried out by 
qualified personnel only.< 

142n
Lamps and bulbsThe illustration shows the left-hand side 
of the engine compartment.Parking lamp5 watt bulb 
1 Turn the bulb holder to the left (arrow) 
and remove
2 Remove and replace the bulb.460de171
Front turn signals 21 watt bulb 
1 Using a screwdriver, release the inner 
hook through the upper opening
2 Pull out the lamp toward the front
3 Applying light pressure, turn the bulb 
to the left. Remove and exchange the 
bulb462de261
4 Insert the 2 pins on the lamp into the 
guides on the vehicle
5 Push the lamp in. Carefully apply 
pressure until you hear it engage.462de262