2001 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE brake light

105n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Brakes: do not rest your foot on
the brake pedal while driving.
Even light but consistent pressure on
the brake pedal can lead to high
temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake system failure.
Aquaplaning: when driving on wet or
slushy roads, reduce vehicle speed. If
you do not, a wedge of water may form
between the tires and the road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as
aquaplaning, or hydroplaning, and can
lead to partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and road
surface, vehicle control and braking
ability.
Driving through water: do not drive
through water on the road if it is deeper
than 1 foot (30 cm), and then only at
walking speed at the most. Otherwise,
the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be
damaged.<
The catalytic converter reduces harmful
pollutants in the exhaust emissions.
It 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's oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and to avoid potential
damage:
>Be sure to comply with the required
scheduled maintenance work and
repair procedures.
>Fill the fuel tank well before it is
empty.
>Tow-start only when the engine is
cold, otherwise unburned, residual
fuel in the catalytic converter could
ignite and cause damage. It is better
to jump-start the vehicle with outside
assistance.
>Avoid other situations where the fuel
is not burned, or burns incompletely,
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 problem).
Never let the engine run with any of
the spark plug cables disconnected. Be sure to observe the instruc-
tions above to prevent unburned
fuel from reaching the catalytic
converter. Otherwise there is danger of
overheating and damage to the cata-
lytic converter.
High temperatures occur in any vehicle
equipped with a catalytic converter.
Heat shields are installed adjacent to
some sections of the exhaust system.
Never remove these shields; do not
apply undercoating to their surfaces.
When driving, standing at idle, and
parking the vehicle, take extra care to
avoid contact between the exhaust
system and flammable materials (grass,
hay, leaves, etc.). Such contact could
start a fire, resulting in personal injury
and property damage.<
Driving notes Catalytic converter

108n
Disc brakesDisc brakes furnish optimum decelera-
tion and braking control with greater
fade resistance under heavy use.
Using your vehicle only occasionally,
leaving your vehicle parked for
extended periods, and making only
minimal demands on your brakes
promotes brake disc corrosion and
brake pad contamination, because the
minimal loads required for your disc
brakes to self-clean have not been
reached.
If the brake discs are corroded, they will
tend to respond to braking with a
pulsating effect that even extended
brake applications will fail to cure.
For your own safety: use only
brake pads that BMW has
approved for your particular vehicle
model. BMW cannot evaluate non-
approved brake pads to determine if
they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of
the vehicle if they are installed.<
Driving notes When driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is effective to apply light
pressure to the brakes every few miles.
Be aware of traffic conditions to ensure
that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat which is
generated by the brake applications
helps to dry the brake pads and discs.
Maximum braking force is obtained
while the wheels are not locked, but
rather when they are still barely turning
immediately prior to locking. ABS main-
tains this state automatically. If the ABS
should ever fail, pump the brakes if
possible (refer to page 111).
Drive down long or steep descents in
the mountains using a gear that
requires the least amount of braking.
Doing this prevents putting excessive
loads on the brakes, which in turn
keeps the brake system from possibly
being damaged. Stay within the allow-
able engine speed range. For further
information, refer to page 73.
Braking effect on the engine can be
further increased by downshifting, into
first gear, if necessary. Should the braking effect from the
engine prove inadequate, you should
still avoid extended, continuous
braking. Instead, decelerate the vehicle
by stepping hard on the brake pedal
(while watching out for drivers behind
you), and, if necessary, continue to
decelerate by pumping the brakes
(staggered braking). This staggered
braking technique allows the brakes to
cool in the intervals between active
braking phases. This prevents over-
heating and ensures that full braking
capacity remains available at all times.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed, with the shift lever in
neutral or with the engine shut off. The
engine does not provide any braking
effect with the transmission in neutral or
with the engine shut off.
Do not allow floor mats, carpets or any
other objects to protrude into the area
around the brake pedal, the clutch or
the accelerator which could obstruct
their freedom of movement.<

132n
Washing your vehicle You can wash your BMW at an auto-
matic car wash, even when it is new.
Car wash systems that do not employ
brushes are preferable.
Wipe away tough dirt and loosen and
remove dead insects before washing
the vehicle.
In order to avoid spots, do not wash the
vehicle when the hood is warm, or
during or immediately after exposure to
strong sunlight.
When using an automatic car wash, be
sure that:
>The car wash system is suited for the
dimensions of your vehicle.
>No damage will occur on vehicles
with attached body accessories (such
as spoilers or antennas). Consult the
car wash operator if necessary.
>The wheels and tires of your vehicle
cannot be damaged by the convey-
ance devices of the car wash system.
>The vehicle is cleaned with minimum
brush pressure, and that plenty of
water is available for washing and
rinsing. Vehicles with rain sensor
*:
Clean the windshield regularly. Wax
from automatic car washes or insects
can cause malfunctions in the rain
sensor
* function.
Turn the rain sensor off (refer to
page 69) when going through an
automatic car wash, otherwise, damage
could occur from unintended wiper
activation.<
Parts of the vehicle that are inacces-
sible to the automatic washer – such as
door sills, door and hood edges, etc. –
should be cleaned by hand.
In the winter months, it is especially
important to be sure that the vehicle is
washed on a regular basis. Large quan-
tities of dirt and road salt are difficult to
remove, and they also damage the
vehicle.
If spray wands or high-pressure
washers are used, be sure to
maintain an adequate distance between
the spray source and the vehicle's
surface. Inadequate distance and
excessive pressure can damage or
weaken the finish, making it more
susceptible to subsequent attack. In
addition, moisture could penetrate to
vehicle components, leading to long-
term damage.<
When cleaning the headlamps,
please observe the following:
>Do not clean by wiping with a dry
cloth (this causes scratches). Never
use abrasives 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.<
After washing the vehicle, apply
the brakes briefly to dry them.
Braking efficiency might otherwise be
reduced by the moisture and the brake
discs could also corrode.<
Caring for your vehicle

133n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Caring for your vehicleExterior finish To provide effective corrosion protec-
tion, multilayer paintwork is applied at
the factory. Cataphoretic immersion
priming techniques are supplemented
with special body-cavity protectants
and application of specially developed
and extensively tested materials.
A layer of flexible PVC is first applied to
the undercarriage. Following this, a
comprehensive undercoating treat-
ment with a wax-based protectant is
applied. Regular maintenance makes
an important contribution to maintaining
the safety and value of your vehicle.
Increasing awareness of the effects of
harmful environmental factors on
vehicle finishes have led paint and
vehicle manufacturers to initiate
ongoing programs designed to further
improve the durability of their finishes.
Despite this, regional environmental
factors can have negative effects on
your vehicle's finish. Consider these
factors in determining the frequency
and extent of your efforts to maintain
the vehicle finish.
Depending upon material and type of
impact (perforation of paint layer), phys-
ical stresses from sand, road salt,
gravel, etc., can cause corrosion to start extending beneath the finish,
starting at the point of impact.
Road dirt, tar spots, dead insects,
animal droppings (strong alkali effect)
and tree excretions (resins and pollen)
all contain substances capable of
causing damage when allowed to
remain on the finish of your vehicle for
any period of time. This includes spots,
etching, flaking, and separations 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
vehicle's finish unless adequate care is
provided – even though this is generally
limited to the outside horizontal
surfaces.
In coastal regions, high levels of atmo-
spheric salt and humidity promote
corrosion.
In tropical zones, high humidity and
heavy ultraviolet radiation prevail, in
addition to temperatures of over 105 7
(+40 6) in the shade. Under these
conditions, light paints can reach
temperatures up to 175 7 (+80 6) and
dark ones up to 250 7 (+120 6).
Caring for the vehicle finish Regular washing is a preventive
measure against long-term effects from
substances that are harmful to the
vehicle's finish, especially if you drive
your vehicle in areas with high levels of
air pollution or aggressive natural
substances (tree resins, pollen).
Nevertheless, you should immediately
remove especially aggressive
substances. 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.
Any contamination remaining on the
surface of the vehicle will be especially
conspicuous after washing. Use
cleaning fluid or alcohol with a clean
cloth or cotton pad to remove these
stains. Remove tar spots with tar
remover. After cleaning, the affected
areas should be waxed to ensure
continued protection.
Use the cleaning and car-care
products available at your BMW
center.<

Everything from A to Z
187n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Car telephone96
Car wash132
Care
convertible top137
exterior133
interior134
upholstery135
wool velour135
Cargo loading100
Cassette operation, refer to
the radio Owner's Manual
Catalytic converter105
starting problems105
CBC (Cornering Brake
Control)107
warning lamp21
CD operation, refer to the
radio Owner's Manual
Cellular phone96, 112
refer also to the separate
Owner's Manual
Center armrest95
Center brake lamp151
Central locking system33
key38
Check Control76t
Checking brake fluid
level130t
Checking coolant
level129t
Checking engine oil
level127tChild restraint systems58
Child seat security60
Cigarette lighter97
Cleaning headlamps71
Cleaning windshield70
Clock76
refer to the "Radio and
Information Systems"
Owner's Manual or to the
"Onboard Computer"
Owner's Manual
Cockpit16
Code, refer also to the radio
Owner's Manual
Coin holder95
Combination switch69
Compression178
Computer77
refer to the "Onboard
Computer" Owner's
Manual
Configuring settings
car memory, key
memory55
Connecting portable vacuum
cleaner97
Consumption78
Consumption display74
Convertible top
compartment panel41
electrical defect162tfold down convertible top
compartment base41
operation45
Coolant110, 125t, 129
antifreeze110
temperature gauge74
Cooling system181
Copyright4
Cornering Brake Control
(CBC)107
warning lamp21
Cruise control71
Cruising range78
Cup holder, refer to
Beverage holder
Curb weight180
DDash panel lighting84
Dashboard16
Data
dimensions179
engine178
technical178
vehicle performance181
weights180
Data link connector for
onboard diagnosis142
Daylight driving lamps
switch84
Deep water105
Defrost position91tDefrostable rear window92
Defrosting, windows91t
Difficult steering112t
Digital clock76
Dimensions179
Dipstick127
Disarm tilt alarm
sensor43t
Disc brakes108
Displacement178
Display lighting84
Displays18
Disposal of used
batteries159t
Disposal of used engine
oil128t
Distance warning79
Diversity Antenna169
Door locks, care110
Doors
emergency lock
operation34t
keys32
manual opening and
closing34
opening and closing via
remote control35
unlocking and locking35
DOT Quality Grades116
Draft-free ventilation92
Drive belts182
Driving in winter110