Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
5
Your individual vehicle
On buying your BMW, you have decided in
favor of a model with individualized equip-
ment and features. This Owner's Manual
describes all models and equipment that
BMW offers within the same group.
We hope you will understand that equip-
ment and features are included which you
might not have chosen for your vehicle. Any
differences can easily be identified since all
optional accessories and special equip-
ment are marked with an asterisk
*
.
If your BMW features equipment not
described in this Owner's Manual, for
example a car radio or telephone, supple-
mentary Owner's Manuals are enclosed.
We ask that you read these manuals as
well.
Status of the Owner's
Manual
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. For this reason, the
features described in this Owner's Manual
could differ from those on your vehicle. Nor
can errors and omissions be entirely ruled
out. You are therefore asked to appreciate
that no claims can be entertained on the
basis of the data, illustrations or descrip-
tions in this manual.
For your own safety
Fuels
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 war-
ranties respecting defects in materials or
workmanship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel quality,
i.e. volatility, composition, additives, etc.,
among gasolines offered for sale in the
United States and Canada. The use of poor
quality fuels may result in driveability, start-
ing and stalling problems especially under
certain environmental conditions, such as
high ambient temperature and high alti-
tude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems that 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 recommenda-
tions may result in unscheduled mainte-
nance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when you
are handling gasoline.
<
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e. g. the use of
modern materials and high-perfor-
mance electronics, requires specially
adapted maintenance and repair methods.
Therefore, only have corresponding work
on your BMW carried out by a BMW center
or a workshop that works according to
BMW repair procedures with correspond-
ingly trained personnel. If work is carried
out improperly there is a danger of conse-
quential damage and the related safety
risks.
<
Adjustments
28
Seats
Before adjusting your seat, always
observe the following precautions
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat could
respond with an unexpected movement,
and the ensuing loss of vehicle control
could result in an accident.
Never ride with the backrest inclined to an
extreme angle – this also applies to the
passenger seat. If you do so, there is a risk
that you will slide under the safety belt in
the event of an accident, thus reducing the
protection provided by the safety belt.<
In addition, observe the instructions
regarding damaged safety belts on
page 30.
Seat adjustment
1Backward/forward
Pull lever 1 and slide the seat into the
desired position.
After releasing the lever, move the seat
backwards or forwards slightly to ensure
that the latch engages securely
2Height
Pull lever 2 and apply weight to or remove
weight from the seat as required
3Backrest
Pull lever 3 and apply weight to or remove
weight from the backrest as required.
Head restraints
Adjustments
Height: pull or push.
In order to move to the lowest positions,
press button 1.
Adjust the head restraint so that its
center is approximately at the height
of your ears. Otherwise, there is a higher
risk of injury to the cervical vertebra in the
event of an accident.<
Removal
Pull the head restraint upward until it stops.
Press button 1 and remove the head
restraint.
Installation
Insert the head restraint into the guides.
Technology for safety and driving convenience
56
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags for driver and passenger
2Side airbags for driver and passenger
3Knee airbags for driver and passenger
Protective effect
The front airbags help protect the driver
and passenger in the event of a head-on
collision where the protection provided by
the safety belt alone would not be ade-
quate. The side airbags help provide pro-
tection in the event of a collision from the
side. Each of the side airbags is designed
to help support the seat occupant's upper
body. The knee airbags help provide addi-
tional protection in the event of a head-on
collision.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered
in every impact situation, e. g. less severe
accidents, certain roll-over conditions, or
rear-end collisions.
For information on the correct seating posi-
tion, refer to page 27.
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags, cover
them or modify them in any other way. Do
not attempt to remove the airbag retention
system from the vehicle. Never modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the individ-
ual components in the airbag system. This
category includes the upholstery in the
center of the steering wheel, on the instru-
ment panel, the side trim panels on the
doors. Do not attempt to remove or dis-
mantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components directly after the system has been trig-
gered, because there is a danger of burns.
If you note any indication of system mal-
function, if you desire to have an airbag
deactivated, or if the airbag retention sys-
tem is triggered in response to an accident,
you should always entrust all inspection,
repair and dismantling operations to your
BMW center.
Unprofessional attempts to service the sys-
tem could lead to failure in an emergency
or undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury.
To ensure compliance with official safety
regulations, please also entrust disposal of
airbag generators to a BMW center.<
Airbag warning information is also provided
on the sun visors.Automatic deactivation of the
passenger airbags
Before transporting a child on the
passenger seat be sure to observe
the information/instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page 33.<
Your BMW has a seat occupation detection
system. By evaluating the weight on the
passenger's seat, the system detects
whether or not the seat is occupied by a
child in the child-restraint system or an
adult.
>When a child is seated in the child-
restraint system, the front, side and
knee airbags are automatically deacti-
vated on the passenger's side.
>When an adult is traveling in the front
seat or it is unoccupied, the front, side
and knee airbags remain active on the
passenger's side.
Although not desired, it can occur in
the case of heavier children that the
passenger airbags remain active or, in the
case of very light adults or young persons,
that the passenger airbags are deactivated.
The condition of the passenger airbag sys-
tem is shown by the indicator lamp in the
central console, refer to Indicator lamps
below. If the indicator lamp signals that the
passenger airbags are active and you wish
Special operating instructions
70 Do not coast with the clutch
depressed or with the transmission or
selector lever in Neutral. Do not coast with
the engine switched off. Otherwise the
engine provides no braking effect and there
is no power-assist for braking or steering
when the engine is off.<
Brake pads
The yellow indicator lamp for the
brake pads lights up:
Have the condition of the brake
pads inspected.
For your own safety: use brake pads
which the manufacturer has approved
for your specific vehicle model. The manu-
facturer cannot evaluate non-approved
brake pads to determine if they are suitable
for use, and therefore cannot ensure the
operating safety of the vehicle in the event
of their use.<
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that
the permitted load on the tires is not
exceeded. Otherwise, overheating and
inner damage to the tires may result. The
ultimate result can assume the form of a
sudden air loss.<
Determining the maximum load
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or YYY lbs; otherwise
damage to the vehicle and unstable
driving conditions could result.<2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passenger that will be riding
in your vehicle
3.Substract the combined weight of the
driver and passenger from XXX kilo-
grams or YYY pounds
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
551 lbs. and there will be two 150 lbs.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 251 lbs.
551 lbs. minus 300 lbs. = 251 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the
occupants' weights and the weight of the
cargo. The greater the weight of the occu-
pants, the less cargo can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible, directly behind the luggage
compartment partition, and as low as
possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
To avoid damaging the rear of the
backrest or the rear interior trim
panel, do not stow heavy cargo or cargo
with sharp edges and corners behind the
seats.
In addition, large and bulky cargo stowed
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
71
behind the seats may prevent the backrest
from engaging properly. Ensure that the
backrest is securely locked by moving the
seat forward if necessary. Refer to
page 28.<
Always position and secure the load
correctly. If you do not, it can endan-
ger the passengers during braking or eva-
sive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the approved gross vehicle
weight or the specified maximum axle
loads. Refer to page 101. Otherwise the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer
assured and you are in violation of the law.
Do not stow heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment without first
securing them. Otherwise they would be
thrown around during braking and evasive
maneuvers and would endanger the occu-
pants.<
Convertible top compartment
With the convertible top closed, you
can enlarge the luggage compart-
ment, refer to page 20.
It is recommended that you always fold the
convertible top compartment panel down
as soon as you have removed cargo from
the luggage compartment. This way, you
can be sure that you can always operate
the convertible top at any time.
Conversely, when the convertible top is
closed, raise the convertible top compart-
ment panel before stowing your cargo in
the luggage compartment to avoid any
damage to the convertible top compart-
ment or your load.<
If you stow cargo behind the seats of your
BMW:
>Only stow light objects such as cloth-
ing, etc.
>Do not pile objects higher than the top
edge of the backrests.
Hardtop preparation*
Pull covers off, see arrow 1.
The brackets for attaching the hardtop
are located underneath the covers; see
arrow 2.
For instructions on how to install the
hardtop, please read the accompany-
ing assembly information.<
The hardtop is available from your
BMW center as a special option.<
Wheels and tires
76
Z4 2.5i
Z4 3.0i
TiresPressure specifications in psi/kPa
Tires
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires,
cold = ambient temperature
225/50 R 16 92 V
225/45 R 17 91 W30/210 33/230
225/40 R 18 88 W 30/210 –
245/40 R 17 91 W
255/35 R 18 90 W–33/230
All winter tires 30/210 33/230
You will find more information about permissible loads and weights on page 101.
TiresPressure specifications in psi/kPa
Tires
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires,
cold = ambient temperature
225/45 R 17 91 W 33/230 36/250
225/40 R 18 88 W 33/230 –
245/40 R 17 91 W
255/35 R 18 90 W–36/250
All winter tires 33/230 36/250
You will find more information about permissible loads and weights on page 101.
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
101
Weights
Z4 2.5iZ4 3.0i
Curb weight
with manual transmission
with SMG
with automatic transmissionlbs/kg
lbs/kg
lbs/kg2,932/1,330
2,976/1,350
2,998/1,3602,998/1,360
3,020/1,370
3,042/1,380
Approved gross vehicle weight
with manual transmission
with SMG
with automatic transmissionlbs/kg
lbs/kg
lbs/kg3,483/1,580
3,527/1,600
3,549/1,6103,549/1,610
3,571/1,620
3,593/1,630
Load lbs/kg 551/250 551/250
Approved front axle load lbs/kg 1,720/780 1,742/790
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 1,841/835 1,863/845
Luggage compartment capacity
with the convertible top compartment raisedcu ft/l
cu ft/l8.5/240
9.2/2608.5/240
9.3/260
Never exceed either the approved axle loads or the approved gross vehicle weight.
Everything from A to Z
104
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System 54
– indicator lamp 13
Accessories, refer to
– For your own safety 5
– Your individual vehicle 5
Accident, refer to
Emergency call 93
Activated-charcoal filter 63
Adaptive Transmission
Control ATC 40
Air, drying,
refer to Air conditioning
mode 59, 62
Airbags 56
– deactivation 33
– indicator lamp 13
– passenger airbags
indicator lamp 34
– reactivation 33
– safe seating position 27
Airbag switch 33
Air conditioning 58
Air conditioning mode
– air conditioning 59
– automatic climate
control 62
Air conditioning mode
switching on/off
manually 59, 62
Air distribution
– air conditioning 59
– automatic climate
control 62
Airing out, refer to
Ventilation 59, 63
Air outlets,
refer to Ventilation 59, 63
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure 75
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air
mode 59, 63Air supply/blower
– air conditioning 59
– automatic climate
control 62
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications 74
Alarm system
– avoiding unintentional
alarms 26
Antenna, refer to the
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Antifreeze 83, 84
– coolant 84
– washing fluids 83
Antilock Brake System
ABS 54
– indicator lamp 13
Anti-theft alarm system,
refer to Alarm system 25
Anti-theft protection 25
Approved axle load, refer to
Weights 101
Approved engine oils 84
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to
Weights 101
Artificial leather, refer to the
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Ashtray 65
Assistant systems, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC 52
ATC Adaptive Transmission
Control 40
AUC Automatic
recirculated-air
control 63Automatic
– air distribution 62
– air supply/blower 62
– cruise control 45
– headlamp control 46
– luggage compartment lid
operation 19
Automatic car wash, refer
to the Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Automatic climate
control 61
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC 63
Automatic transmission
with Steptronic 39
– ignition 36
– indicator lamp 13
– interlock 36
– selector lever lock 39
– shiftlock 39
AUTO program,
refer to Automatic air
distribution 62
Average fuel
consumption 51
– setting units of
measure 50
Average speed 51
– setting units of
measure 50
Axle loads, refer to
Weights 101
B
Backrest, refer to Seat
adjustment 28
Backup lamps 38
– bulb replacement 90
Bandages, refer to First-aid
kit 94
Everything from A to Z
Index