2004 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE tow

Thank you for deciding on a BMW M3 Convertible.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with enhanced control and
security when you drive it. Therefore, we have one request:
Read the information contained in this Owner's Manual before driving your new
BMW M3 Convertible for the first time. It contains important information on vehicle
operation that will enable you to make full use of the advanced technical equipment
of your BMW M3 Convertible. In addition, you will receive information on vehicle
maintenance to help ensure operating and traffic safety as well as the best possible
value retention of your BMW. For more detailed information refer to the supplemen-
tal manuals.
BMW M also makes decisive contributions toward greater safety in traffic through
its BMW driver training.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle. It
should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide the next owner with important
operating, safety and maintenance information.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW M

Contents

Owner service procedures

Replacement procedures:

Onboard tool kit136
Windshield wiper blades136
Lamps and bulbs137
Repairing a flat tire140
Battery144
Fuses145

Giving and receiving
assistance:

Receiving assistance146
Jump-starting147
Towing the vehicle148

Technical data
Engine data154
Dimensions155
Weights156
Capacities157
Index

Everything from A to Z160

37
Luggage compartmentTo fold up and secure the floor
panel1. Pull up at the handle and fold the
panel up
2. Press the button to release the
hanger from the handle
3. Hook the handle into the rubber seal
of the drip rail.
Carefully replace the hanger in its
holder when lowering the floor
panel back down.<
The fittings at the corners of the lug-
gage compartment provide you with a
convenient means of attaching luggage
nets* and flexible straps for securing
luggage.
Refer also to Cargo loading on
page 106.
Enlarging luggage compartmentWith the convertible top closed, you
can enlarge the luggage compartment.
To do this, flip the handle outward and
press it down and toward the front of
the vehicle. The convertible top com-
partment panel is now raised and
secured.To fold down the convertible top
compartment panelTo open the convertible top, the con-
vertible top compartment panel must
be lowered. To do this, fold out the
handle and pull opposite the direction
of travel.
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41
2. Ensure that the convertible top com-
partment panel in the luggage com-
partment is folded down, see
page 37; otherwise, it will not be
possible to open the convertible top
3. Make sure that the luggage compart-
ment lid is closed
4. Press and hold the corresponding
button for convertible top operation.
The luggage compartment lid can-
not be opened while the convert-
ible top is in motion.<
During convertible top operation
the rear window moves toward the
passenger compartment. To prevent
injuries, make sure that the closing path
of the convertible top is unobstructed.<
After having been stored for an
extended period of time in the
convertible top compartment, e.g. dur-
ing the winter months because the
hardtop was being used, you may have
to support the convertible top by hand
when closing it for the first time.
If the convertible top should halt right
before the closing phase is completed,
press against the front part of the con-
vertible top frame from the outside to
help the closing process along. Keep
pressing the button while doing so until
the top starts up again on its own.<
Indicator lamps>The red indicator lamp is lit whenever
the convertible top is in motion. It
goes out as soon as the opening or
closing operation has been com-
pleted
>If the red indicator lamp flashes after
the button is released, the convertible
top has not yet been opened or
closed completely. You can resume
operation in the desired direction by
pressing the button again
>If the yellow indicator lamp lights up
continuously with the button pressed,
the convertible top compartment
panel has been raised and the top
cannot be moved.
The side windows move down slightly
whenever the button for operating the
convertible top is pressed.
They will go back up if you keep holding
the button down for more than
2 seconds after the opening or closing
process has been completed and the
indicator lamp has gone out.InterruptionThe convertible top stops moving
immediately when the button is
released. You can resume operation in
the desired direction by pressing the
button again
Do not close the side windows
using the power window switches
if the convertible top has not been
closed completely. Otherwise, the side
windows may not seal properly with the
rubber seals of the convertible top.<
If the opening or closing operation is
interrupted by releasing the buttons,
the convertible top remains in the
respective position for 15 minutes
before it slowly moves into a stable
position. The operation can be contin-
ued by pressing the buttons.
Convertible top
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45
3. Hold the wind deflector so that the
smaller half points toward the front
and guide the mounting pin for the
side piece into the proper opening
4. Pull back on the mounting pin for the
other side piece by using a slide, so
that the mounting pin can be guided
into the opening provided
5. Unlock the convertible top compart-
ment lid via the convertible top con-
trol button, refer to page 40, and
open the convertible top compart-
ment lid
6. Flip the back half of the wind deflec-
tor backward, so that the mounts are
lying on the vehicle
7. Close the convertible top compart-
ment lid via the convertible top con-
trol button. The wind deflector is now
attached so that it is theft-proof.
Operate the convertible top com-
partment lid from above only in
order to avoid any pinching.
With the wind deflector in place: to
avoid damaging the wind deflector
never push the front seats all the way
back. installing, just reverse the steps.
Wind deflector*
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62
Rollover protection system In the event of an accident or some
other critical driving situation – extreme
tilting in the longitudinal or transverse
axis, loss of contact with the ground –
the rollover protection system will be
automatically activated. The protective
bars located in the rear head restraints
extend within fractions of a second.
In addition to the integrated rollover bar
in the windshield frame, the rollover
protection system affords all the vehicle
occupants necessary headroom.
Always keep the travel path for the
rollover protection system free
and clear. Under no circumstances
should you cover the head restraints.
In the event of less serious accidents,
the safety belt will protect you and,
depending on the severity of the acci-
dent, so will the safety belt tensioner
and the multi-stage airbag restraint sys-
tem as well.<
If, after being automatically triggered,
the protective function is not needed,
then the rollover protection system can
be lowered back into place. No special
tool is needed for this.
1. Using a screwdriver from the
onboard tool kit, remove the cover
panel; to do this, position the screw-
driver under the notch
2. Push the lever toward the front of the
vehicle and keep it in this position

71
Display in instrument clusterThe selector lever position, currently
engaged gear and selected driving pro-
gram are displayed in the instrument
cluster.
1Engaged gear
2Selected driving program, corre-
sponds to the number of illuminated
fields, refer to page 73
3Tapping the selector lever to the right
switches over into the displayed shift
mode
4'D' indicates an activated automated
shift mode
R – Reverse position Only engage with the vehicle stopped
or at low speed, e.g. for rocking free in
deep snow.
An intermittent signal tone indi-
cates that the reverse position has
been engaged. engine.
If the driving situation requires, e.g.
when downshifting on slippery roads,
the SMG Drivelogic automatically dis-
engages and reengages the clutch, i.e.
it is not necessary to manually engage
position N.S – Sequential modeIn the sequential mode all forward
gears are to be shifted by the driver.
To switch 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.
Sequential M gearbox with Drivelogic*
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72
Shifting gears with shift paddles on
steering wheel:
>To upshift, briefly pull the right pad-
dle +
>To downshift, briefly pull the left pad-
dle –.
Shift paddles with various widths
matched to the shape of your
hand are available from your BMW cen-
ter.<
Shifting gears with selector lever:
>To upshift, pull the selector lever
backward in the '+' direction
>To downshift, push the selector lever
in the '–' direction.
No automatic upshifting is carried out in
the sequential mode.
You accelerate from higher gears, e.g.
during passing, by manually downshift-
ing.
In the following situations the
SMG Drivelogic anticipates your
actions in the sequential mode:
>Upshifts and downshifts are only exe-
cuted at appropriate combinations of
engine rpm and vehicle speed. For
instance, downshifts that would
result in excessive engine speed are
not executed
>During a stop the gearbox is auto-
matically downshifted into the first
gear so that, e.g. before a traffic light,
it is only necessary to accelerate to
continue driving
>As speed diminishes, the gearbox
downshifts automatically, without you
taking any action, just before the
vehicle slows to below each gear's
minimum speed.D - Automated modeEach time the engine is started, the
automated mode is activated as soon
as you move the selector lever into the
forward driving position.
In the automated mode all forward
gears are shifted automatically.To switch from sequential to automated
mode: tap the selector lever to the right
toward 'D'. Watch the display in the
instrument cluster, refer to page 71.
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during
passing, depress the accelerator pedal
completely – kickdown. The gearbox
now downshifts depending on the
selected driving program.
Even in the automated mode, you can
help specify the shifting point: if a gear-
dependent minimum speed is
exceeded, you can upshift by slowly
reducing pressure on the accelerator
pedal. In the process, the respective
driving situation is detected by sensors
and taken into account.
Sequential M gearbox with Drivelogic*