Under the hood
196 1.5 liter. Do not fill beyond the upper mark
on the dipstick. Excess oil can damage the
engine.
Adding engine oil
Wait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark or a message
appears in the Check Control before add-
ing oil.
Store oil, grease etc., well out of the
reach of children; always observe all
warning labels on the containers.<
Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has
critical significance for the operation and
service life of an engine. BMW approves
only specific oils after confirming their suit-
ability for use in its vehicles with extensive
testing.
Use only approved BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil.
If you are unable to obtain BMW High Per-
formance Synthetic Oil, you can add small
amounts of another synthetic oil between
oil changes. Use only oils with the API SH
specification or higher.
Ask your BMW center for details con-
cerning the specific BMW High Per-
formance Synthetic Oil or synthetic oils
which have been approved.<
You can also call BMW of North America
at 1-800-831-1117 or visit this website:
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this informa-
tion.
BMW engines are designed to oper-
ate without additives, and their use
could even lead to damage in some
cases.<
Viscosity ratings
Viscosity is the oil flow rating as defined in
SAE classes.
The selection of the correct SAE class
depends on the climatic conditions in the
area where you typically drive your BMW.
Approved oils are in SAE classes
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils may be used for driving in all
ambient temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling sys-
tem when the engine is hot. Escaping
coolant can cause burns.<
Coolant consists of water and the addition
of antifreeze and anticorrosion agent. Not
all commercially available additives are
suitable for your BMW. Ask your BMW cen-
ter for suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, as other-
wise engine damage may result. The
additives present a health hazard; observe
the instructions on the containers.<
Always observe all applicable rules
and regulations for environmental
protection when disposing of used anti-
freeze and anticorrosion agents.<
Checking coolant level
1.The engine must be at ambient temper-
ature
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank
counterclockwise to allow any accumu-
lated pressure to escape, then continue
turning to open
3.The coolant level is correct when the
coolant extends to between the MIN
and MAX marks on the filler neck, refer
to the diagram adjacent to the filler neck
