9n
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
Your individual vehicle
In selecting your BMW you have
decided to purchase a specific model
with its own individual range of equip-
ment. This Owner's Manual will
describe all of the equipment that the
BMW M3 has to offer you.
We therefore request your under-
standing for the fact that this manual
describes equipment and features that
you might not have chosen for your
vehicle. You can easily identify any
differences with the aid of the asterisk
*
used to identify all optional equipment
and accessories.
If your BMW features equipment that is
not described in this Owner's Manual (a
car radio or telephone, for instance), we
have enclosed Supplementary Owner's
Manuals. We ask you to read these
manuals as well.
Status at time of printing
BMW pursues a policy of continuous,
ongoing development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety
standards combined with advanced,
state-of-the-art technology. It is there-
fore possible that some of your own
vehicle's equipment and features may
vary from those described in this
manual. Nor can errors and omissions
be entirely ruled out. We must therefore
request your understanding for the fact
that we are unable to recognize legal
claims based on discrepancies
between the data, descriptions and
illustrations in this manual and your own
vehicle's equipment.
Status at time of printing
For your own safety
10n
For your own safety
Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2,8 % oxygen by weight (i.e.
15 % MTBE or 3% methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent) will
not void the applicable warranties
respecting defects in materials or work-
manship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel
quality (volatility, composition, addi-
tives, for example) among gasolines
offered for sale in the United States and
Canada. The use of poor quality fuels
may result in drivability, starting and
stalling problems especially under
certain environmental conditions, such
as high ambient temperature and high
altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be
related to the fuel you are using, we
recommend that you respond by
switching to a recognized high-quality
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Obey all applicable safety rules when
you are handling gasoline.
<
Important safety information!
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been
thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed
on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damage resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to ascertain
whether it can be used on a BMW
safely and without risk to either the
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on
using these items, are available from all
BMW centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake
dust shields, telephones (including
operation of any portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna) or trans-
ceiver equipment (such as CB, walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar) may cause
extensive damage to the vehicle,
compromise its safety, interfere with
the vehicle's electrical system or affect
the validity of the BMW Limited
Warranty. See your BMW center for
additional information.
Do not use key or remote control to
lock doors or luggage compartment
with anyone inside the vehicle. Refer to
page 33 for more details.
<
Symbol on vehicle parts
Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this
Owner's Manual for information on a
particular part or assembly.
21n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Steering wheel with multifunction buttons
The buttons integrated in the multi-
function steering wheel (MFL) are
provided so that you can operate a
number of accessories quickly and
without being distracted from traffic
conditions. You may operate:
>
selected radio functions
>
the cruise control
>
selected cellular phone functions
*
>the voice entry system
*.
The buttons are active only when
the corresponding systems and
accessories are switched on.<
Press briefly:
Receive a phone call, initiate dialing,
terminate a call.
Extended pressure:
Activate/deactivate voice entry.
Switch between phone and radio,
cassette, CD or MD.
Forward:
>Radio
Press briefly: station search in FM
band
Extended pressure: search function
>CD/MD
Press briefly: jump to next track
Extended pressure: search function
in track
>Cassette
Press briefly: stop jump to next track
or fast forward
Extended pressure: fast forward
>Phone
Scan personal phone book.
Rewind: functions as forward.
Volume
Cruise control: to select a stored
setting.
Cruise control: store and accelerate (+)
or decelerate and store (Ð).
Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deac-
tivate.
72n
DisplayThe following information or conditions
are displayed from ignition key posi-
tion 2 on, until the cause has been
corrected:
1 Inspect the low beams and the high
beams, as well as the parking lamps
2 Door open
3 Luggage compartment lid open
4 Check brake and tail lamps.
After completion of a trip and upon
opening the driver's door, an acoustic
signal will sound yet not be displayed,
as a reminder that the low beam head-
lamps have not been turned off.
Mode selectionWith the ignition key in position 1 and
higher, you can use the button in the
turn signal lever to retrieve information
from the computer for display in the
instrument cluster. By pressing the
button briefly in the direction of the
steering column, you can call up a new
function for display.
The displays appear in the following
order:
Time of day, outside temperature,
average fuel consumption, cruising
range, average vehicle speed.
From ignition key position 1, the last
active setting is displayed.
ClockIf you wish to have a permanent time
display, you can make this adjustment
in the car radio display (refer to the
Radio Owner's Manual).
You can set the time of day, and the
display for the car radio, as follows:
Check Control
Computer
75n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
The conceptPDC provides extra safety and conve-
nience during parking maneuvers by
providing an acoustic signal to indicate
the distance to an object. To do this,
four ultrasonic sensors in the rear
bumper measure the distance to the
nearest object.The monitoring range for
the two rear sensors extends outward
roughly 2 ft (60 cm). The range for the
two center sensors is approx. 4.9 ft
(1.50 m) wide.
The system starts to operate automati-
cally about one second after you select
reverse with the ignition key in
position 2. PDC is deactivated when
you shift back out of reverse.
Acoustic signalsThe distance to the nearest object is
indicated by a tone sounding at various
intervals. As the distance between
vehicle and object decreases, the inter-
vals between the tones become
shorter. A continuous tone indicates the
presence of an object less than 1 ft
(30 cm) away.
The warning signal is canceled after
approx. three seconds if the distance to
the obstacle remains constant during
this time (if you are moving parallel to a
wall, for instance).
System malfunctions will be indicated
by a continuous high-pitched tone
when the system is activated the first
time. Please have your BMW center
resolve the problem.The PDC does not remove the
driver's personal responsibility
for evaluating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstacles. Even when
sensors are involved, there is a blind
spot in which objects cannot be
detected. This applies especially in
those cases where the system
approaches the physical limits of ultra-
sonic measurement, as occurs with tow
bars and trailer couplings, and in the
vicinity of thin or wedge-shaped
objects.
Certain sources of sound, such as a
loud radio, could drown the PDC signal
tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free
of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they continue to operate effec-
tively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Always maintain a distance of more
than 4 in (10 cm).<
Park Distance Control (PDC)
*
Everything from A to Z
143n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Caring for headlamp covers,
refer to the "Caring for your
vehicle" manual
Caring for your vehicle's
paintwork, refer to the
"Caring for your vehicle"
manual
CBC (Cornering Brake
Control)101
warning lamp18
Cellular phone92
refer also to the separate
Owner's Manual
Center (high-mount) brake
lamp125
Center armrest91
Central locking system28
key33
Check Control72
Checking
engine coolant112t
engine oil level110t
tire inflation
pressures24t
Child seat security54
Child-restraint systems52
Cigarette lighter93
Clean the headlamps67 Clean the windshield67
Clock72
also refer to the "Radio
Owner's Manual"
Clothes hooks93
Cockpit14
Coin box91
Combination switch65
Compression136
Computer72
refer also to the "Onboard
Computer Owner's
Manual"
Configuring individual
settings with Vehicle and
Key Memory55
Connecting car vacuum
cleaner93
Consumption74
Consumption display71
Control elements14
Coolant112
Coolant system,
capacity139
Coolant temperature
gauge71
Copyright4 Cornering Brake Control
(CBC)101
warning lamp18
Cover, sun blinds89
Cruise control68
Cruising range74
Curb weight138
D
Data
dimensions137
engine136
technical136
weights138
Daytime driving lamps80
DBC (Dynamic Brake
Control)77
Deep water101
Defrostable rear window88
Defroster, rear window84
Defrosting windows87
Dimensions137
Dipstick, engine oil110
Disc brakes102
Displacement136
Display lighting81
Distance warning75
Divided rear backrest94
Door key28 Doors
electrical
malfunction29t
manual operation29t
operating manually29
remote control30
unlocking and
locking29, 30
Draft-free ventilation85, 88
Driving notes
aquaplaning101
brakes101
DSC (Dynamic Stability
Control)76
indicator lamp19
Dynamic Brake Control
(DBC)77
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)76
indicator lamp19
E
Electric power windows39
Electrical malfunction
doors29t
fuel filler door22t
luggage compartment
lid34
sliding/tilt sunroof41t
Everything from A to ZOil change intervals, see the
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet (US
models) or the Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet
(Canadian models).
Oil consumption110
Oil filter change139
Oil level, indicator lamp19
OILSERVICE71
Onboard computer72
refer to the "Onboard
Computer Owner's
Manual"
Onboard tool kit120
Opening and closing
from inside33
via remote control30
via the door lock29
Operating vehicle at low
ambient
temperatures111
Outside temperature
display73
P
Park Distance Control
(PDC)75
Parking brake58
Parking help75
Parking lamps80
PDC (Park Distance
Control)75
Performance136
Pollen filter85, 89
Power windows39 R
Radiator139
Radio navigation system,
refer to the "Radio Owner's
Manual"
Radio, refer to the separate
Owner's Manual
Rain sensor66
Reading lamps82
Rear backrest, folding94
Rear lamps, refer to tail
lamps123t
Rear view mirror48
Rear window
defroster84, 88
Rear-entry assist45 Recirculated-air
mode84, 88
Reclining seat42
Refueling22
Releasing
fuel filler door following an
electrical
malfunction22t
Remote control30
Removing condensation
from the windows87
Repairing a flat tire126
Replace windshield wiper
blades120t
Replacement key28t
Replacing bulbs120t
Reporting safety defects11
Roller sun blind89
Roof load capacity138
Roof-mounted luggage
rack97
S
Safety belts45
height adjustment45
three-point safety belt94
Safety buttons33
Safety feature39
Seat heating47
Seat memory46
Seats, adjusting42
Securing cargo96
Securing loads96
Self-defrosting mirrors48
Sequential M gearbox SMG
II59
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet114
Service Interval
Display71, 114
Side airbags49
Side impact Head Protection
System49
Side turn signals
bulb replacement122t
Ski bag95