2001 BMW M3 COUPE transmission

Contents

Overview
Controls and features

Cockpit16
Instrument cluster18
Indicator and warning lamps20
Multifunction steering wheel
(MFL)23
Hazard warning flashers24
Warning triangle24
First-aid kit24
Refueling25
Fuel specifications26
Tire inflation pressure26

Opening and closing:

Keys30
Electronic vehicle
immobilizer31
Central locking system31
Opening and closing Ð
via the door lock32
Opening and closing Ð
via the remote control33
Opening and closing Ð
from the inside36
Luggage compartment lid37
Luggage compartment39
Alarm system40
Electric power windows42
Sliding/tilt sunroof43

Adjustments:

Seats45
Mirrors49
Seat and mirror memory51
Steering wheel52
Car Memory, Key Memory52

Passenger safety systems:

Safety belts54
Airbags56
Transporting children safely59

Driving:

Steering/Ignition lock62
Starting the engine62
Switching off the engine63
Parking brake63
Manual transmission64
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher65
Washer/Wiper system/Rain
sensor65
Rear window defroster67
Cruise control67

Everything under control:

Odometer69
Tachometer69
Engine oil temperature gauge69
Fuel gauge70
Coolant temperature gauge70
Service Interval Display71
Check Control72
Computer72

Technology for driving comfort
and safety:

Park Distance Control (PDC)75
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)76
Tire Pressure Warning (RDW)78
M Engine dynamics control80

Contents

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
29n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Driving:
Steering/Ignition lock62
Starting the engine62
Switching off the engine63
Parking brake63
Manual transmission64
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher65
Wiper/Washer system/Rain
sensor65
Rear window defroster67
Cruise control67
Everything under control:
Odometer69
Tachometer69
Engine oil temperature gauge69
Fuel gauge70
Coolant temperature gauge70
Service Interval Display71
Check Control72
Computer72
Technology for driving comfort
and safety:
Park Distance Control (PDC)75
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)76
Tire Pressure Warning (RDW)78
M Engine dynamics control80Lamps:
Side lamps/Low beams81
Instrument lighting81
High beams/Parking lamp82
Fog lamps82
Interior lamps82
Reading lamps83
Controlling the climate
for pleasant driving:
Automatic climate control84
Heated seats89
Roller sun blind89
Interior conveniences:
HiFi system90
Glove compartment90
Storage compartments91
Cellular phone92
Ashtray, front92
Cigarette lighter93
Ashtray rear 93
Clothes hooks94
Loading and transporting
cargo:
Through-loading system95
Ski bag96
Cargo loading97
Roof-mounted luggage rack98

64n
Parking brake Manual transmission
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull the lever with
excessive pressure. Keep your thumb
pressed against the release button
while carefully pulling the lever up to
apply moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is engaged.
Set the parking brake when parking on
steep hills, because under certain
conditions, putting the vehicle into first
gear or reverse may not be enough to
prevent it from rolling away.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake lightly
from time to time when coasting to a
standstill (at a traffic signal, for
instance), provided that it is safe to do
so.
The shift lever's neutral plane is located
between 3rd and 4th gear.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever automatically
springs back to the gear lever's home
position.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the gear lever to the right in order
to prevent inadvertent selection of a
gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the clutch.
Use the parking brake instead. Riding
the clutch causes the clutch assembly
to wear out sooner.<
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is
stationary. Press the shift lever to the
left to overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.

103n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Brakes: do not drive with your foot
resting on the brake pedal. Even
light but consistent pedal pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear
and possibly even brake 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 aqua-
planing, or hydroplaning, and can lead
to partial or complete loss of traction,
vehicle control and braking effective-
ness.
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. Otherwise,
the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be
damaged.
Rear window shelf:
Never use it to store heavy or hard
objects, otherwise, occupants could be
injured if the vehicle is braked hard.<
The catalytic converter reduces harmful
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 oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and 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 in which the
fuel is not burned or burns incom-
pletely such as frequent or extended
starter engagement 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
allow the engine to 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.
Extreme temperatures occur at the
catalytic converter on this and every
catalyst-equipped vehicle. Heat shields
are installed adjacent to some sections
of the exhaust system. Never remove
these shields; do not apply under-
coating to their surfaces. When driving,
standing at idle or when parking, take
precautions to avoid contact between
the hot exhaust system and easily flam-
mable materials (grass, hay or leaves,
for example). Such contact could lead
to a fire, resulting in personal injury and
property damage.<
Driving notes Catalytic converter

106n
Disk brakesDisk brakes furnish optimum decelera-
tion and braking control and greater
fade resistance under heavy use.
When the vehicle is driven only occa-
sionally, during extended periods when
the vehicle is not used at all, and in
operating conditions where brake appli-
cations are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion of the
disks and accumulation of contamina-
tion on the brake pads. This occurs
because the minimal pressure that must
be exerted by the pads to clean the
disks by brake applications is not
reached.
If the brake disks are corroded, they will
tend to respond to braking with a
pulsating effect which even extended
application will fail to cure.
For your own safety: use only
brake pads which BMW has
approved for your specific 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 While driving on wet roads or in heavy
rain, it is a good idea to apply light
pressure to the brake pedal every few
miles or kilometers. Watch traffic condi-
tions 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 disks.
Maximum braking force is obtained
while the wheels continue to rotate,
peaking when the wheels remain on the
verge of locking without actually doing
so. ABS maintains this state automati-
cally. If the ABS should ever fail, pump
the brakes if possible (refer to
page 109).
Extended or steep mountain descents
should be driven in the gear in which
only minimal periodic brake application
is required. This avoids excessive strain
on the brakes and possible
impairment of the braking effect. Stay
within the allowable engine speed
range. For further information, refer to
page 69.
The braking effect of the engine can be
further increased by downshifting, into
first gear, if necessary. Should engine braking prove inade-
quate, you should still avoid extended,
continuous braking. Instead of main-
taining low to moderate pressure over
an extended period of time, you should
decelerate the vehicle by applying more
substantial force on the pedal (watch
for following traffic). Pause before
repeating the brake application. This
staggered braking technique allows the
brakes to cool in the intervals between
active braking phases, preventing over-
heating and ensuring 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.<

123n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Engine oilChecking the oil level 1 Park the vehicle on a level surface
2 Shut the engine off after it has
reached normal operating tempera-
ture
3 After approx. 5 minutes, pull the
dipstick out and wipe it off with a
clean lint-free cloth, paper towel or
similar material
4 Carefully push the dipstick all the way
into the guide tube and pull it out
again
5 The oil level should be between the
two marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption
is directly influenced by your driving
style and vehicle operating conditions.
The oil quantity between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts (1 liter).
To add oil Wait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark before adding oil.
However, never let the oil drop below
the lower mark.
Do not fill beyond the upper mark on
the dipstick. Excess oil will damage the
engine.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This is also true for the
manual transmission, the differential,
and the power steering system.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed
by your BMW center only.

169n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank
Reserve gal. (liters)
gal. (liters)approx. 16.6 (approx. 63)
approx. 2.1 (approx. 8)Fuel specification: page 26
Windshield washer system/
Headlamp washer system quarts (liters) approx. 5.6 (approx. 5.3)For details: page 122
Cooling system including heater
circuitquarts (liters) approx. 6.3 (approx. 6.0) For details: page 125
Engine oil and filter change quarts (liters) approx. 6.9 (approx. 6.5) BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil
For details: page 124
Manual transmission and differential Ð Ð Changing the oil during the
breaking-in inspection, after which
it is considered permanently filled
and not changed again

Everything from A to Z
177n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
JJump-starting154KKey30
with remote control30
Key Memory52LLamps
fog lamps82
footwell lamps82
interior lamps82
reading lamps83
LAMPS ON warning81
Lashing eyes98
LATCH attachment of the
child seat60
Leather care132
Length167
License plate lamp, bulb
replacement143t
Light switch81
Light-alloy wheels116
Lighter93
Load-securing devices98
Louvers84
Low beam headlamps81
bulb replacement139tLuggage compartment37
capacity168
emergency release37t
floor mat39
floor panel39
lid37
lighting37
locking separately37
remote control34
Luggage compartment
lamps, bulb
replacement144t
Luggage rack98
Lumbar support48
MM Engine dynamics
control80
M Mobility system145
components146
using146
Maintenance71, 127t
Make-up mirror50
Malfunction displays72t
Manual transmission64
Manual-shift gear lever64
Master key30
Mechanical seat45
Memory51
MFL (Multifunction steering
wheel)23Microfilter/Activated-
charcoal filter88
changing152t
Mirror memory51
Mirrors49
automatic curb
monitor49
with automatic dimming
feature161
Mobile phone110
Modifications,
technical6, 134
Motion sensor, interior40
Multifunction steering wheel
(MFL)23
M+S radial tires115
NNavigation system, refer to
the separate Owner's
Manual
Neckrest46OOBD interface socket135
Obstruction protection42
Odometer69
Oil
additives123
capacity169
consumption123Oil change intervals, see the
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet (US
models)/Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet
(Canadian models)
Oil filter change169
Oil level, indicator lamp21
Oil pressure, indicator
lamp20
OILSERVICE71
Onboard computer, refer to
computer72
Onboard monitor, refer to
the separate Owner's
Manual
Onboard tool kit138t
Opening and closing
from inside36
via remote control33
via the door lock32
Outside temperature
display73
PPaint blemishes129
Paintwork
minor repairs130
waxing130
Paint, care129
Panic mode35