2003 BMW Z4 2.5I tow

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
Everything under control
47Odometer
47Tachometer
47Fuel gauge
47Coolant temperature gauge
48Service interval display
48Outside temperature
48Clock
49Computer*
Technology for safety and driving
convenience
51Dynamic Stability Control DSC
52Brake Force Display
53Antilock Brake System ABS
53Flat Tire Monitor
Controlling the climate for pleasant
driving
55Air conditioning
57Automatic climate control*
Interior conveniences
60Glove compartment
60Storage compartments
61Beverage holder
61Preparations for the cellular phone*
61Ashtray*
Special operating instructions
64Break-in procedures
65Driving notes
65Brake system
66Cargo loading
67Hardtop preparation*
Refueling
70Fuel filler door
70Fuel specifications
Wheels and tires
71Tire inflation pressure
73Tire condition
73Tire replacement
74Wheel and tire combinations
75Run Flat tires
76Winter tires
76Snow chains*
In the engine compartment
77Hood
78Engine compartment
79Washer fluids for washer systems
79Engine oil
80Coolant
81Brake fluid
Maintenance
82The BMW Maintenance System
82Care
Laws and regulations
83California Proposition 65 warning
83OBD interface socket
Replacement procedures
84Onboard tool kit
84Windshield wiper blades
84Lamps and bulbs
87Changing a wheel
87Battery
Giving and receiving assistance
89Warning triangle*
89First-aid kit*
89Jump-starting
90Towing and tow-starting the vehicle
Technical data
94Engine data
94Weights
95Dimensions
96Capacities
Everything from A - Z
97Index

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
23
Manual convertible top
The fabric top offers perfect protection
against the weather and it can be opened
easily and quickly by one person alone.
Here are a few tips so that you get the most
out of your Z4 roadster:
>It is advisable to close the convertible
top when the vehicle is parked.
The closed convertible top not only pro-
tects the passenger compartment from
unforeseeable damage from the
weather, but also provides a certain
degree of theft protection
>In addition, only keep valuables in the
locked luggage compartment, even
with the convertible top closed
>When the convertible top is open, the
central locking system also locks the
release button for the convertible top.
The convertible top cannot be oper-
ated. This provides better theft protec-
tion for valuables stored in the luggage
compartment
>Never mount a roof-mounted luggage
rack system on the convertible top.
To open the convertible top
Operate the convertible top only
when the vehicle is stationary.
Never store the convertible top for longer
than one day while it is wet to avoid perma-
nent damage from moisture.<
Before opening the convertible top,
make sure that the convertible top
compartment panel in the luggage com-
partment is lowered to avoid any possible
damage; refer to page 22.<1.Flip the handle out and turn it to the end
stop
2.Open the convertible top and push it
toward the rear of the vehicle
3.Gently swing the convertible top down-
ward and press until it engages audibly.
To close the convertible top

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
27
Installation
Insert the wind deflector in the guides pro-
vided on the rollover bars.
The wind deflector panels inserted in the
rollover bars cannot be removed.
Clothes hooks
Located on the wind deflector panel in the
rollover bars.
Do not hang heavy objects on the
hooks. If you do so, personal injury
could result during braking or evasive
maneuvers, for example.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the luggage
compartment lid is opened
>When attempts are made to start the
vehicle
>To movement inside the vehicle – inte-
rior motion sensor
>To alterations in the vehicle tilt, e.g. as
would occur during attempts to steal
the wheels or tow the vehicle
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The alarm produced by the system in the
event of unauthorized vehicle entry and
attempted theft depends on the country
version:
>Sounding of an acoustical alarm for
30 seconds
>Activation of the hazard warning flash-
ers for approx. five minutes.
Arming and disarming the alarm sys-
tem
When the vehicle is locked or unlocked
either via the driver's door lock or with the
remote control, the alarm system is simul-
taneously armed or disarmed.The hazard warning flashers blink once
when the alarm system has been properly
armed.
You can have different acknowledg-
ment signals set to confirm arming
and disarming.<
You can open the luggage compartment lid
when the system is armed by pressing the
remote control button. Refer to page 19.
When it is closed, the lid is once again
secured.
Manual operation of the luggage
compartment lid triggers the alarm.
Refer to page 21.<
To cancel an alarm:
Press the button on the remote control,
refer to page 18, or turn the ignition key to
position 1. Refer to page 38.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp beneath the interior
mirror flashes continuously:
The system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when it is
being armed:
A door, the hood or luggage compart-
ment lid is not completely closed. Even
if you do not close the area causing the
alert, the remaining areas are secured
and the indicator lamp flashes continu-
ously after 10 seconds.
However, the interior motion sensor is
not activated

Adjustments
34 gered in every type of collision, e.g. in the
event of minor accidents, certain vehicle
roll-over situations or collisions from the
rear. In these instances, the safety belt pro-
vides sufficient protection.
Adjust your seat to a position that provides
maximum distance between you and the
steering wheel and the instrument panel
while still allowing comfortable and safe
access to all vehicle controls.
To minimize the risk of sustaining hand and
arm injuries, always hold the steering wheel
on the rim with the hands at or near the
9 and 3 o'clock positions. Do not place
your hands on the center pad.
Never allow any objects to obstruct the
area between the airbags and an occupant.
Do not use the cover panel above the pas-
senger side airbags as a storage area.
Never allow front passengers to lean
against or rest their feet or legs on the air-
bag cover panel.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Never install a rear-facing child-restraint
system in the passenger seat of this vehi-
cle, unless the passenger airbags have
been turned off and the indicator lamp in
the center console indicates that the pas-
senger airbags are deactivated.
If you transport children, carefully read and
comply with the instructions in the follow-
ing section.
Be sure that child-restraints are mounted
correctly and as far as possible towards the
rear and in the lowest position. <
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual risk
of injuries resulting from contact with
deploying airbags in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise from the air-
bags may induce a mild temporary hearing
loss in sensitive individuals.
Transporting children safely
Deactivating/reactivating passenger
airbags
The passenger airbags must be deac-
tivated before using a rear-facing
child-restraint system on the passenger
seat, refer also to page 36 for explanation.
BMW also recommends that the passenger
airbags be deactivated if a child is trans-
ported in a front-facing child-restraint sys-
tem, regardless of the age of the child. If
you transport a child in the passenger seat
– not an infant in a rear-facing seat – who is
properly seated and seat-belted at all
times, the potential benefits of airbags
deploying in an accident generally out-
weigh the risks of the child being injured by
the force of a deploying airbag.
Therefore, you should deactivate the pas-
senger airbags only if you find it difficult to
ensure that the child will remain properly
seated and seat-belted at all times.
Always position the passenger seat as far
back as possible and at the lowest level.
The above warning and recommendations
are compatible with regulations estab-
lished by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration – NHTSA – permitting
the deactivation of front passenger airbags
by means of an on-off switch for members
of certain "at risk" groups.
Specifically, the 'at risk' groups are:
>Infants in rear-facing infant seats
>Persons with certain medical conditions
>Children aged 12 and under in the front
passenger seat.
NHTSA provides this information via their
website – www.nhtsa.dot.gov – or via their
Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-
9393 or 366-0123 in Washington, D.C.
area.<

Driving
42 positions, however, the vehicle will be
operating in the fourth gear only.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine loads
and consult the nearest BMW center.
Never work in the engine compart-
ment when a drive gear – forward or
reverse – is engaged. If you do so, the vehi-
cle could move.<
For towing, tow-starting and jump-starting:
refer to the information beginning on
page 89.
Electric Power Steering EPS
The concept
The electric power steering is a direct,
sporting steering system that is speed-sen-
sitive.
Power support is reduced with an increase
in driving speed.
Indicator lamp
Electric Power Steering
The indicator lamp stays lit:
The system has malfunctioned or is
faulty.
Please have the system inspected by the
nearest BMW center.
Steering remains operational.
Drivelogic*
The Drivelogic feature lets you select
between the standard and sport program.
The sport program is recommended for
performance-oriented driving.
Activating Drivelogic
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the key lights up.
The sport program of the automatic
transmission is enabled by activating
the Drivelogic system. Thus, the selector
lever does not have to be shifted from D to
M/S; refer also to page 41.
The electric power steering switches from
standard mode to sport mode. Power sup-
port is reduced for a more sporting driving
style.<
Turn signal indicators/
Headlamp flasher
1High beams – blue indicator lamp
2Headlamp flasher – blue indicator lamp
3Turn signal indicator – green indicator
lamps accompanied by a periodic click-
ing sound from the relay
To signal briefly
Press the lever up to but not beyond the
detent. It then returns to the center position
when released.
If the flashing indicator lamp and the
clicking from the relay are both faster
than normal, one of the turn signal indica-
tors has failed.<

Controlling the climate for pleasant driving
56
Air distribution
You can direct airflow onto the
windows , toward the upper
body and into the footwell .
All intermediate settings are pos-
sible.
Air supply/blower
You can set the blower to 8 differ-
ent levels. Both heating and ven-
tilation become more effective as
the air supply rate is increased.
Temperature
In order to increase the tempera-
ture of the passenger compart-
ment, turn to the right – red zone.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the tem-
perature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the
windshield may fog over briefly when the
engine is started.
Condensation forms during operation
of the air conditioning system, which
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath
the vehicle are thus normal.<
Outside-air/recirculated-air mode
If there are unpleasant odors in
the outside air, you can tempo-
rarily block the supply of incom-
ing air. The system then recircu-
lates the air currently within the vehicle.
If the windows fog over in the recircu-
lated air mode, switch this mode off
and increase the air supply as required.<
Rear window defroster
The indicator lamp lights up when
the rear window defroster is
active. The rear window defroster
switches off automatically.
Ventilation
You can adjust the blower controls for the
upper body area to obtain the optimum air-
flow rates and directions for your personal
requirements:
1Rotary dials for opening and closing the
vents at any setting desired
2Lever for adjusting airflow direction
Particle filter
The built-in particle filter removes dust and
pollen from the incoming air and in the
recirculated air mode. Your BMW center
will replace this filter during the regularly
scheduled maintenance. A substantial
reduction in airflow indicates that the filter
needs to be replaced earlier.
To defrost windows and remove
condensation
1Turn the rotary control to
2Turn the rotary blower control for the air
supply completely to the right
3Turn the rotary temperature control
completely to the right
4To defrost the rear window, switch on
the rear window defroster

Controlling the climate for pleasant driving
58
Tips for pleasant driving
Use the automatic system – switch on with
AUTO button 6. Select the desired interior
temperature.
Detailed setting options are described for
you below.
Automatic air distribution and
supply
The AUTO program assumes the
adjustment of the air distribution
and air supply for you and in addi-
tion adapts the temperature to
external influences – summer, winter – to
meet preferences you can specify.
Individual air distribution
You can also direct air flow onto
the windows , toward the
upper body and into the foot-
well as you require. The arrow
lights up. The automatic air supply remains
unchanged. All intermediate settings are
possible. By pressing the AUTO button,
you can reactivate the air distribution.
Temperature
The interior temperature that
appears on the display panel is a
general figure intended for refer-
ence purposes. When you start
the vehicle, the system ensures that the
selected temperature is reached as quickly
as possible. It then maintains this tempera-
ture, regardless of the season.
Air supply/blower
You can set the blower through
an infinitely variable range of
speeds. This shuts off the auto-
matic air supply. The arrow lights
up. The automatic air distribution remains
unchanged. You can reactivate the auto-
matic air supply by pressing the AUTO but-
ton.
When you turn the rotary control toward
zero: the blower, heating and air condi-
tioner are switched off, and the air supply is stopped. You can reactivate the system by
turning the control toward the right again.
To defrost windows and remove
condensation
This program quickly removes ice
and condensation from the wind-
shield and the side windows.
Maximum cooling
This program gives you maximum
cooling within a short period of
time.
The temperature is set to the lowest possi-
ble value. The system switches into the
recirculated air mode and air flows at max-
imum blower speed from the air outlets
only. Therefore, the air outlets must always
be open when you select this program.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the tem-
perature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the
windshield may fog over briefly when the
engine is started.
The air conditioning system is automati-
cally switched on when you use the AUTO
program.
Condensation forms during operation
of the air conditioning system, which
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath
the vehicle are thus normal.<
Outside air/Automatic recirculated
air control AUC/recirculated air
mode
You can respond to unpleasant
external odors or pollutants by
temporarily stopping the flow of
outside air. The system then
recirculates the air currently within the
vehicle.
By repeatedly pressing the button, you can
select one of three different operating
modes.

Special operating instructions
64
Special operating instructions
Break-in procedures
To ensure that your vehicle provides maxi-
mum economy throughout a long service
life, we request that you observe the fol-
lowing:
Engine and differential
Up to 1,250 miles / 2,000 km:
Drive at varying engine and road speeds,
but do not exceed the following engine or
road speed:
4,500/min or 100 mph / 160 km/h:
Obey your local and state maximum speed
limits.
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid
pressing the accelerator beyond the kick-
down point.
After you have driven 1,250 miles /
2,000 km, you can gradually increase the
engine or road speeds.
You should also comply with these break-in
procedures if the engine or differential is
replaced later in the course of the vehicle's
service life.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with
their manufacture, tires do not achieve their
full traction potential until an initial break-in
period has elapsed. You should therefore
drive with extra caution during the first
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
hydroplaning and can lead to partial or
complete loss of traction, vehicle control
and braking effectiveness. Reduce your
speed on wet roads.<
Brake system
Approx. 300 miles / 500 km must elapse
before the brake pads and rotors achieve
their optimal surface and wear pattern.
To break in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly when
coasting to a standstill – at a traffic signal,
for instance; use caution to avoid posing a
danger to other road users.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure
from time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on when the
parking brake is set.
Vacuum for the brake system servo
unit on your BMW is available only
when the engine is running. When you
move the car with the engine off – e.g., by
towing – substantially higher levels of pedal
force will be required to brake the vehicle.<
Clutch
The clutch will achieve its optimal function-
ality after approx. 300 miles / 500 km. Shift
gears carefully during the break-in period.