2002 BMW M3 COUPE clutch

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Ignition key positions0 Steering locked
1 Steering unlocked
2 Ignition switched on
3 Starting engineSteering locked The key can be inserted or removed in
this position only.
After removing the key, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until you hear the lock engage.
If the key is not removed, an acoustic
signal is sounded after the driver's door
has been opened.
The sound system remains operational
for approx. 20 minutes after you switch
off the ignition (ignition key in position 0
or key removed). Simply switch it back
on.Steering unlocked You will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to posi-
tion 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the
lock.
Individual electrical accessories are
ready for operation. 1. Engage the parking brake
2. Gearshift lever in idling position
3. Press the clutch pedal at low
temperatures
4. Start the engine. Do not press the
accelerator pedal. Do not actuate the
starter for too short a time. Do not
turn it for more than approx.
20 seconds. Release the ignition key
immediately when the engine starts.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by
leaving it running while the vehicle
remains stationary. Instead, begin
driving immediately at a moderate
engine speed.
Vehicles with sequential M gearbox
*
SMG II: refer to the instructions on
page 60.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. The exhaust
gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless, but highly toxic
gas.
Breathing the exhaust gases poses an
extreme health risk, and can lead to
unconsciousness and death.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a potential safety hazard.<
Ignition lock Starting the engine

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Parking brake Manual transmission The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates against the rear
wheels. To engageThe lever engages automatically, the
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
comes on when the ignition key is in
position 2, refer to page 18.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button (arrow) and lower the lever.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully 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
or reverse gear 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.
Press the clutch pedal all the way down
each time you shift, pressing the
manual gearshift lever into its proper
end position.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the gearshift lever to the right in
order to prevent inadvertent selection
of a gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.<

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Manual transmission Sequential M gearbox
* SMG II
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Press the gearshift
lever to the left to overcome the slight
resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
come on automatically when the igni-
tion key is in position 2.
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.<
The conceptThe sequential M gearbox SMG II is an
automated manual gearbox with which
clutching and shifting is assumed by an
electro-hydraulic system.
The SMG II is operated via two shift
paddles on the steering wheel and the
selector lever in the center console.
It offers the following functions:
>Sequential and automated shifting
mode
>Ability to choose between different
driving programs (Drivelogic)
>Gradient assistance
>Upshift display (shift lights)
>Throttle blip
>Driving dependent functions:
The respective driving situation (e.g.
cornering, mountain driving, braking)
is detected by sensors and taken into
account accordingly for shifting, e.g.
to achieve optimum gear selection
during deceleration and subsequent
acceleration>Slip recognition at the rear axle for
increasing driving stability, e.g.
during downshifting on slippery road
surfaces
>Operating safety through protection
against misshifting.

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Sequential M gearbox* SMG IIThe warning stops after approx.
10 seconds. If you move the selector
lever into a forward or reverse position
during this time, a gear is automatically
engaged.
The SMG II has no park position
for securing the vehicle against
rolling.
The ignition key can be removed in any
selector lever position.<
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on downhill roads.
Engaging a gear may not sufficiently
secure the vehicle against rolling.<
Display in instrument clusterThe selector lever position, currently
engaged gear and selected driving
program are displayed in the instrument
cluster.
1 Engaged gear
2 Selected driving program
(corresponds to the number of illumi-
nated fields), refer to page 64
3 Tapping the selector lever to the right
switches over into the displayed shift
mode
4 "A" indicates an activated automated
mode.
R Ð Reverse positionOnly engage with the vehicle stopped
or at low speed, e.g. for "rocking free"
in deep snow.0 Ð Position 0Always engage before starting the
engine.
If the driving situation requires, e.g.
when downshifting on slippery roads,
the SMG II automatically disengages
and reengages the clutch, i.e. it is not
necessary to manually engage
position 0. S Ð Sequential modeIn the sequential mode all forward
gears are to be shifted by the driver.
Changeover from automated to
sequential mode:
>Tap the selector lever to the right
toward "S"
or
>change gears with the selector lever
or the shift paddles on the steering
wheel.
You do not need to reduce the throttle
for shifting.

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Sequential M gearbox* SMG II
Indicator/Headlamp ßasher
SMG II must "become familiar" with the
changed condition.
Reinitialize the system afterwards:
1. Move the selector lever into
position 0 on a straight stretch of
road at a speed of over 20 mph
(30 km/h)
2. Pull both shift paddles for approx.
2 seconds.
If you do not carry out the initialization,
the system automatically "learns" the
changed condition gradually during
driving. This can become apparent due
to brief opening and closing of the
clutch. 1 High beams (blue indicator lamp)
2 Headlamp flasher (blue indicator
lamp)
3 Turn signal indicator (green indicator
lamp accompanied by periodic
clicking sound from the relay)
To signal brieflyPress the lever up to but not beyond
the resistance point. It then returns to
the center position when released.
If the indicator lamp of the turn
signal indicators and the clicking
from the relay are both faster than
normal, one of the turn signal indicators
has failed.<

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Cruise control To deceleratePress button (Ð) briefly:
When cruise control is active, every tap
of the button reduces the speed by
approx. 0.6 mph (1 km/h).
Press and hold button (Ð):
With the cruise control active, the
system automatically reduces the
throttle opening to slow the vehicle.
When you release the button, the
system maintains and stores the
current speed.
To interrupt the cruise controlWhen the system is activated, press the
button. The indicator lamp stays on.
You can use the cruise control again
whenever you want by calling up the
speed that was stored last.
In addition, cruise control is interrupted
automatically:
>When the brakes are applied
>When pressing down the clutch pedal
>If you exceed or fall below the
programmed speed for an extended
period (by depressing the acceler-
ator, for example)
>When shifting in the sequential mode,
refer to sequential M gearbox
*
SMG II on page 59.
To recall the stored speedPress button:
The vehicle accelerates to and main-
tains the last speed stored.

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To ensure that your vehicle provides
maximum economy throughout a long
service life, we request that you
observe the following instructions.
Because of its engineering design,
the BMW M3 is an especially high-
quality vehicle. It is in your best interest
to follow the break-in instructions very
closely. Doing this, you will create the
basis for a long, optimum service life.<
Engine and differential>Until a km reading of 1,200 miles
(2,000 km): drive at varying engine
and road speeds, but do not exceed
the following rpms or road speeds:
5,500 rpm or 105 mph (170 km/h)
Obey your local and state maximum
speed limits.
Do not depress the accelerator pedal to
the full-throttle position.
Vehicles with SMG II
* (refer to
page 59): refrain from using driving
program 6 in the sequential mode
during the break-in period.
>After you have monitored the break-
in period for 1,200 miles (2,000 km),
you can begin to gradually increase
both engine and road speed.
Please remember to observe the same
break-in procedures if either the engine
or the differential is replaced later in the
course of the vehicle's service life.TiresOwing to technical factors associated
with their manufacture, tires do not
achieve their full traction potential until
an initial break-in period has elapsed.
Thus drive with extra care during the
initial 200 miles (300 km).
Obey your local and state maximum
speed limits.
When the vehicle is operated on
wet or slushy roads, a wedge of
water may form between the tire and
the road surface. This phenomenon is
referred to as aquaplaning, or hydro-
planing, and can lead to partial or
complete loss of traction, vehicle
control and braking effectiveness.
Reduce your speed on wet roads.<
Brake systemApprox. 300 miles (500 km) must
elapse before the brake pads and
rotors achieve the optimal pad-surface
and wear patterns required for trouble-
free operation and long service life later
on.
To break-in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly
when coasting to a standstill (at a traffic
signal, for instance), provided that
traffic conditions allow you to do so. To
avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure
from time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on
when the parking brake is
engaged.
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the
vehicle with the engine off Ð when
towing, for example Ð substantially
higher levels of pedal force will be
required to brake the vehicle. optimally after about 300 miles
(500 km). Drive cautiously during this
break-in period and do not shift at high
engine speeds.
Break-in procedures

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Brake system Brake fluid level Low brake fluid level in the reservoir
combined with longer than usual pedal
travel may indicate a defect in one of
the brake system's hydraulic circuits.
Proceed to the nearest BMW
center. Higher brake application
pressure may be necessary when stop-
ping, and the vehicle may exhibit a
slight tendency to pull to one side.
Brake distances may even be longer.
Please remember to adapt your driving
style accordingly.<
Disc brakesWhen 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
rotors 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
rotors by brake applications is not
reached.
Corrosion on brake rotors is signaled by
a pulsation during braking; even
extended subsequent braking will not
cure this phenomenon.
It is a good idea to periodically dry the
brakes with a gentle brake application
when driving in rain and on wet roads.
Monitor traffic conditions to ensure that
this maneuver does not endanger other
road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors
to ensure that your brake system will
respond with undiminished efficiency
when you need it.Extended or steep mountain descents
should be driven in the gear in which
only minimal periodic brake applica-
tions are required. This helps avoid
placing excessive loads on the brake
system. Stay within the allowable rpm
range. For additional information, refer
to page 70.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed or with the gearshift
lever in idle. Do not coast with the
engine switched off. If you do so the
engine provides no braking effect and
there is no power assist for braking or
steering when the engine is not
running.<
Brake pads
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.<