2000 BMW Z8 tire pressure

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Fasten your safety belt at the beginning
of every trip.
To fasten:
Make sure you hear the lock engage in
the belt buckle.
To release:
Press the red button in the buckle. Hold
the belt and guide it back into its reel.
520de020
For your safety, please comply
with the following instructions for
wearing safety belts. Otherwise, your
personal safety will be diminished, and
the safety belts' protective function im-
paired. The following information also
applies to your passengers:
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Infants or
small children should never be held on
the lap of a passenger.
Avoid twisting the belt while routing it
firmly across the hips and shoulder. Do
not allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects in your pockets. Never
route the belt across your neck, do not
run it across sharp edges, and ensure
that the belt does not become caught
or jammed.
Be sure that the safety belt fits snugly
against your body at all times. You
should avoid wearing bulky clothing
that prevents it from doing so. Pull the
belt periodically to re-tension it across
your shoulder. In the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over
your hips, leading to abdominal injury.
In addition, the safety belt's restraint
effectiveness is reduced if the belt is
worn loosely.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips,
where it will not exert pressure against
the abdominal area.<
For care instructions, refer to "Caring
for your vehicle," page 119.
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses in-
volved in an accident or damaged in
any other way, replace the entire safety
belt mechanism through your BMW
center, including the safety belt ten-
sioner. If a child restraint system was in
the vehicle during an accident, consult
the manufacturer's instructions regard-
ing replacement. *
Because of the front passenger
airbag, do not use any rear-facing
child restraint system in the front pas-
senger seat of your vehicle. If you do so,
the child could be injured in an accident
when the airbag is triggered.
Do not modify the child restraint system
in any way. If you do so, it will not provide
your child with maximum protection.<
Safety belts

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Tire Pressure Warning (RDW)The conceptThe RDW monitors the tire pressure in
all four wheels while driving. The sys-
tem provides an alert whenever the in-
flation pressure drops significantly in
one of the tires.
For RDW to "learn" the correct tire infla-
tion pressure, check the inflation pres-
sure in all tires, comparing them with
the values in the inflation pressure table
(refer to page 25), and make correc-
tions as necessary. Then activate the
system.
This indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will flash to inform
you if the inflation pressure in
one of the tires has dropped signifi-
cantly.
To activate the system 1 Turn the ignition key to position 2
2 Press the switch long enough for the
indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter to light up red for a few seconds
3 The RDW undergoes an automatic
"learning" process while you are driv-
ing, and stores this data to aim for op-
timal conditions. This one-time "learn-
ing" process lasts at least 10 minutes,
after which the RDW is able to detect
and report any tire failure.
Repeat this process after any changes
in tire inflation pressure, tire rotation or
replacement.
Once the pressures have been adjusted
to the reference values used in the
"learning" process, do not activate the
system a further time.520de117
Tire failureThe red indicator lamp will flash in the
event of a tire failure.
A supplementary gong is also heard.
Carefully reduce speed to less than
50 mph (80 km/h), avoiding any hard
braking or steering maneuvers while
doing so.
For additional details, refer to page 135.
The RDW cannot alert you to
severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors.
Nor can it detect the gradual loss of
pressure at all four tires that normally
occurs over a period of time.<

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Tire Pressure Warning (RDW)
Check tire pressure on a regular
basis and correct it if you need to.
Refer to page 24.
Do not carry out any system activation
while driving with snow chains or while
driving on curves. Malfunction warnings
and undetected losses are possible
while driving under these types of
conditions.
In certain circumstances, there could
be a delayed detection of any loss in in-
flation pressure while driving on snow-
covered or slippery road surfaces.
A sporty driving style can also cause
delayed RDW alerts (e. g. slippage in
the drive wheels, high lateral accelera-
tion).<
System interferenceThe red indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster will stay on for as long as there
is a malfunction.
The indicator lamp will come on if the
system malfunctions.
Please contact your BMW center for
additional information.

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Car care Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures84
Driving notes85
Catalytic converter85
Antilock Brake System (ABS)86
Dynamic Brake Control
(DBC)88
Disc brakes88
Brake system89
Winter operation90
Power steering92
Cellular phone92
Radio reception92
Wind protection93
Hardtop94
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure96
Tire condition97
Tire replacement98
Tire rotation100
Wheel and tire
combinations101
Winter tires102
Snow chains102
Approved wheel and tire
specifications103Under the hood:
Hood104
Engine compartment106
Washer fluids108
Washer nozzles108
Engine oil109
Coolant111
Brake fluid112
Vehicle Identification
Number113
Maintenance and care:
The BMW Maintenance
System114
Caring for your vehicle115
Airbags121
Storing your vehicle122
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications123
California Proposition 65
Warning123
OBD interface socket124

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Brakes:
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. Even light but con-
sistent pressure on the brake pedal
could lead to high temperatures, brake
wear, and possibly, to brake system
failure.
Aquaplaning:
Reduce speed while driving on wet or
slushy roads, otherwise, a wedge of
water can form between the tires and
the road surface. This phenomenon is
referred to as "aquaplaning" or "hydro-
planing." It is characterized by a partial
or complete loss of contact between
the tires and the road surface. The ulti-
mate results are loss of steering and
braking control.
Driving through water:
When there is water on the roads, do
not drive in it if it is deeper than 1 ft
(30 cm), and even then, only at walking
speed, otherwise the vehicle can sus-
tain damage to the engine, the electri-
cal systems and the transmission.<
The catalytic converter reduces harmful
exhaust emissions, and is designed for
use with unleaded fuel only. Even
minute quantities of lead would be
enough to permanently damage both
the catalytic converter and the system
oxygen sensor.To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and to avoid potential damage:>Be sure to comply with the scheduled
maintenance requirements
>Fill the fuel tank well before it is empty
>Tow-start only when the engine is
cold. If you attempt to tow-start with
a warm engine, unburned residual
fuel in the catalytic converter could
ignite and cause damage. It is better
to start the vehicle with an outside
starting aid
>Avoid other situations where the fuel
is either not burned or burns incom-
pletely, such as engaging the starter
frequently or for extended periods, or
repeated start attempts in which the
engine does not start (stopping and
restarting an engine which is running
properly does not present a prob-
lem). Never allow the engine to run
with any of the spark plug cables dis-
connected.Be sure to comply with the in-
structions above to prevent un-
burned fuel from reaching the catalytic
converter. Otherwise, there is the dan-
ger of overheating and damage to the
catalytic converter.
Extreme temperatures are present with
the catalytic converter both on this and
every catalytic converter-equipped ve-
hicle. Heat shields are installed adja-
cent to some sections of the exhaust
system. Never remove these shields;
do not apply undercoating to their sur-
faces. When driving, standing at idle,
and parking the vehicle, take care to
avoid contact between the exhaust sys-
tem and flammable materials (grass,
hay, leaves etc.). Such contact could
start a fire, resulting in serious personal
injury and property damage.<
Driving notes Catalytic converter

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Brake system Winter operationBrake pads
The warning lamp for the brake
pads comes on:
The brake pads have reached
their minimum pad thickness. Proceed
to the nearest BMW center as soon as
possible to have the pads replaced.
For your own safety: use only
brake pads which BMW has ap-
proved for your specific vehicle model.
BMW cannot evaluate non-approved
brake pads to determine if they are
suited for use, and therefore cannot en-
sure the operating safety of the vehicle
if they are installed.<
Winter is often accompanied by rapid
changes in weather, requiring not only
a different driving style, but also certain
preparations to the vehicle itself to en-
sure that your vehicle operates safely
and trouble-free throughout the winter
months. CoolantBe sure that the coolant mixture con-
tains the year-round ratio of 50:50 water
and antifreeze/corrosion protection.
This mixture provides protection against
freezing down to approx. Ð 34 7
(Ð 37 6). LocksBMW door lock deicer can be used to
free doors if frozen. This deicer also
contains lubricant.
After using the deicer, treatment with
BMW lock cylinder grease is recom-
mended.
Rubber seals and components To prevent the weather-stripping from
freezing, apply a spray-on rubber treat-
ment or silicone spray to the door, hood
and luggage compartment lid seals.
A full range of car care products is
available from your BMW center. * only in pairs
on the rear wheels with approved winter
tires. Always follow the manufacturer's
safety precautions. Do not exceed a
maximum speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
Do not activate the RDW system while
using snow chains. Malfunction warn-
ings and undetected losses in pressure
are possible when driving with snow
chains.
Starting offWhen starting off in deep snow or when
"rocking" the vehicle to free it, it may be
advisable to temporarily deactivate the
DSC system. Refer to page 63.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the system
switched on whenever possible.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Winter operationDriving on low-traction road
surfacesDo not activate the Sport Mode (refer to
page 64). Use smooth, gentle pressure
to control the accelerator pedal. Avoid
excessive engine speeds and shift to
the next higher gear at an early point.
Shift down into the next lowest gear
when approaching uphill or downhill
grades. Maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the vehicle
ahead.BrakesWinter road conditions substantially
reduce the amount of traction available
between the tires and the road surface.
The resulting increases in braking dis-
tance are considerable and should be
kept in mind at all times.
ABS is intended to prevent the wheels
from locking during brake applications,
thus helping to maintain vehicle stability
and steering response.If the ABS does not respond in a critical
braking situation and the wheels lock,
reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
until the wheels just start to roll again
while still maintaining enough force to
continue braking.
Then increase the pressure, reduce the
pressure when the wheels lock, reapply
pressure etc.
This staggered braking procedure will
reduce braking distances while helping
you maintain steering control.
You can always then attempt to steer
around hazards after you have reduced
pressure on the brake pedal.
Do not shift down on slick road
surfaces if you want to decelerate.
Doing so could cause the wheels to
lose traction and skid, thus resulting in
the loss of vehicle control.<
Depress the clutch during hard
braking on road surfaces that pro-
vide only poor or uneven traction.<
Skid control Depress the clutch and release the
accelerator pedal. Countersteer care-
fully and attempt to regain control of the
vehicle.ParkingEngage first or reverse gear. Depending
on the steepness of the incline, you can
apply the parking brake as well. In order
to prevent the parking brake pads from
locking due to frost or corrosion, dry
them by gently applying the parking
brake as the vehicle is coming to a stop.
Make sure that following traffic is not
endangered.
The brake lamps do not come
on when the parking brake is
engaged.<

96n
Information for your safetyFactory-approved steel-belted radials
with emergency driving characteristics
are meant for your vehicle, offering
optimum driving safety as well as the
driving comfort you desire.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and Ð above all else
Ð driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure.
Incorrect inflation pressure is a frequent
cause of tire damage. It also signifi-
cantly influences the roadholding ability
of your BMW.
Check tire inflation pressures reg-
ularly (refer to page 24), at least
every two weeks and before beginning
a longer trip. If this is not done, incor-
rect tire pressures can cause driving
instability and tire damage, ultimately
resulting in accidents.<
Safety tiresYour BMW Z8 roadster is equipped
with safety tires.
The safety tires are made of self-sup-
porting tires and customized wheel
rims. Reinforcing the tires makes sure
that they remain upright and still drive-
able to a limited degree even in the
event of loss of pressure. Your vehicle
is equipped with a tire pressure monitor
that signals you in case of a flat tire.
For further information, refer to
pages 65, 135.
Tire inflation pressure