2001 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE headlamp

84n
Parking lamps/Side marker lamps
With the switch in this position,
vehicle lighting is illuminated on
both sides. You can use the side
lamps for parking. Refer to page 85 for
one-sided lighting as an additional
possibility for parking.
Low beam headlamps
When you switch the ignition off
with the low beam headlamps
on, only the side lamps will
remain on.
"Follow-me-home lamps":
If you turn the headlamp flasher
on after you have parked the vehicle,
the low beam headlamps will remain on
for a short period of time. You can also
have this function deactivated.<
"LAMPS ON" warningWhenever you open the driver's door,
after having turned the ignition key to
position 0, you will hear a buzzing
sound for a few seconds to remind you
that the lamps have not been switched
off.Daylight driving lamps
*
If you desire, the lamp switch can be
left in the second position. When the
ignition is switched off, the external
lighting is also switched off.
In order to spare the battery, all of
the lamps in the vehicle are
switched off automatically approx.
15 minutes after the ignition key has
been turned to position 0.<
Turn the rotary dial to control the
lighting when the side lamps or low
beam headlamps are on.
Side lamps/Low beam headlamps Instrument lighting

85n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
High beams/Side marker lamps Fog lamps

1 High beams (blue indicator lamp)
2 Headlamp flasher (blue indicator
lamp)
3 Parking lampsSide marker lamps, left or rightAs an additional feature, you can illumi-
nate your vehicle on either side for
parking, if you wish to do so:
With the ignition key in position 0,
engage the lever in the appropriate turn
signal position.
Front fog lamps
A green indicator lamp appears
in the instrument cluster to indi-
cate that the front fog lamps are
on.

122n
Hood To closeLower the hood and then allow it to fall
the last few inches. You should hear the
lock mechanism engage. Then attempt
to move the hood above the left and
right headlamps to ensure that the lock
has engaged securely.
To avoid injuries, be sure that the
travel path of the hood is clear
when it is closed, as with all closing
procedures. If it is determined that the
hood is not completely closed while
driving, stop immediately and close
it securely.<

125n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Engine compartment 1 Filler neck for headlamp and
wind-
shield washer system126
2 Coolant expansion tank129
3 Auxiliary terminal for jump-starting –
positive terminal164
4 Engine oil filler cap127
5 Engine oil dipstick127
6 Brake fluid reservoir130

126n
Washer fluids Washer nozzlesHeadlamp
* and windshield
washer system
Capacity: approx. 5.6 US quarts
(5.3 liters).
Fill with water and – if required – with a
washer antifreeze (according to manu-
facturer's recommendations).
It is more convenient to mix the
washer fluid before adding it to
the reservoir.<
Antifreeze for the washer systems
is flammable. For this reason,
keep it away from sources of flame and
store it in its original container. Store it
out of reach of children. Comply with
the instructions on the containers.<
Headlamp washer systemHave this system adjusted by your
BMW center as required.Windshield washer systemThe spray nozzles are not adjustable.

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

147n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Lamps and bulbsLow beam headlamps and high
beam headlamps

>Low beam headlamps: H7 bulb,
55 watts
>High beam headlamps: H7 bulb,
55 watts
The H7 bulb is pressurized. There-
fore, wear safety glasses and
protective gloves. Failure to comply
with this precaution could lead to injury
if the bulb is damaged during replace-
ment.<
Please contact a BMW center in case of
a malfunction.
Parking lamps5 watt bulb
Please contact a BMW center in case of
a malfunction.
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 lamps
*
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
continue 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
xenon lighting system should be carried
out by technically-qualified personnel
only. Otherwise, there is a risk of fatal
injury.<

149n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Lamps and bulbsFog lamps HB4 bulb, 51 watt
The bulb is pressurized. There-
fore, wear safety glasses and
protective gloves. Failure to comply
with this precaution could lead to injury
if the bulb is accidentally damaged
during replacement.<
1 Pull the headlamp cover forward to
remove.
2 Loosen the screw (arrow) and pivot
the headlamp outward.
3 Release the spring on the rear of the
headlamp and swivel the cover to the
left.
4 Release the clip, pull off the terminal
caps and replace the bulb.
Tail lamp assemblyTail lamp 4: bulbs 21/4 watts
Remaining bulbs: 21 watts
1 Turn signal yellow
2 Backup lamp white
3 Tail lamp red
4 Tail lamp/Brake lamp red
The illustration shows the right-hand
luggage compartment opening.Bulbs in the fenderAll of the bulbs are integrated in a
central bulb holder.
1 Release the bulb holder (arrow).