Notes
6
For your own safety
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e. g. the use of
modern materials and high-performance
electronics, requires specially adapted mainte-
nance 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 cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If work is car-
ried out improperly there is a danger of conse-
quential damage and the related safety risks.<
California Proposition 65 warning
California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of CA to
cause cancer and birth defects or other repro-
ductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Batter-
ies also contain other chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer. Wash your
hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water.<
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use parts and acces-
sories 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 workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for damage
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made by other
manufacturers to verify if it can be used on a
BMW safely and without risk to either the vehi-
cle, 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 retailers.
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 transceiver
equipment, e.g. C.B., 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 trunk with anyone inside the vehicle. Refer to
the Owner's Manual for more details.<
Maintenance, replacement or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
13
Colors
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in
various colors and combinations.
>Red:
Stop the vehicle immediately
or
an important reminder
>Red and yellow:
Continue driving cautiously
>Yellow:
Have the system checked soon
or
for your information
>Green or blue:
For your information. Engine oil pressure/Engine oil level/
Engine oil sensor
+86
Brake system
+
Parking brake released88
Parking brake applied37
With other warning lamps51
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models
Antilock Brake System ABS/Driving
stability control systems
+50
Antilock Brake System ABS/Driving
stability control systems for Canadian
models
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC
+50
Dynamic Traction Control
DTC
+50
Flat Tire Monitor
+52
Automatic transmission/Sequential
manual gearbox SMG
+39, 41
Brake pads
+88
Add coolant87
Check gas cap
+76
Service engine soon
+90
Service engine soon indicator lamp for
Canadian models
Defective bulb56
Turn signal indicators42
Fog lamps57
Headlamp flasher/High beams42, 57
Electric Power Steering
+42
Doors or luggage compartment lid
open
Engine electronics
+
Malfunction in the engine electronics.
You can continue to drive with
reduced engine output or engine
speed. Please have the system
inspected by your BMW center.
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
47
Between the blue and red zones
Normal operating range. The needle may rise as
far as the edge of the red sector during normal
operation.
Red
When you switch on the ignition, warning
lamp1 comes on briefly to indicate an opera-
tional check.
Comes on while driving:
The engine has overheated. Stop and switch
the engine off immediately and allow it to cool
down.
For checking the coolant level, refer to page87.
Service interval display
Remaining distance to next service
The displays shown in the illustration appear for
a few seconds when the ignition key is in
position 1 or after the engine is started.
The next service due appears with the message
OIL SERVICE or INSPECTION, together with
the distance remaining in miles – in kilometers
in Canada – before the next scheduled service.
The computer bases its calculations of the
remaining distance on the preceding driving
style.
A flashing message and a minus sign in front of
the number mean that the service interval has
already been exceeded by the distance shown
on the display. Please contact your BMW center
for an appointment.
Outside temperature
If the vehicle is not equipped with a computer,
the display in the instrument cluster always
shows the outside temperature.
Clock
If you wish to have a permanent time display,
you can have it appear in the car radio display,
refer to the Owner's Manual for Radio.
You can set the clock and the time display in the
car radio as follows.
To set
Ignition key in position 1 or higher:
Hours
1.Keep button2 pressed for several seconds
until the hours are displayed and the colon
flashes
2.Press button1 repeatedly until the required
hour is set
Minutes
3.Press button2 to switch to the minutes dis-
play
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
85
Engine compartment
1Reservoir for the headlamp and windshield
washer system86
2Engine oil filler neck87
3Auxiliary terminal for jump-starting974Reservoir for brake fluid88
5Chassis ground, negative terminal
6Engine oil dipstick86
7Coolant expansion tank87
In the engine compartment
86
Washer fluids for washer
systems
Headlamp* and windshield washer
system
Capacity of windshield washer system: approx.
3.2 quarts/3 liters.
Capacity when equipped with headlamp
washer system: approx. 5.3 quarts/5 liters.
Fill with water and, if required, with an antifreeze
agent according to the manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
We recommend that you mix the washer
fluid before adding it to the reservoir.<
Antifreeze agents for the washing sys-
tems are highly flammable. For this rea-
son, keep them away from sources of flame and
store them only in their original containers.
Store them so that they are inaccessible to chil-
dren. Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainers.<
Engine oil
Oil consumption is directly influenced by your
driving style and vehicle operating conditions.
Warning lamp
Engine oil pressure
The warning lamp lights up in red:
The engine oil pressure is too low.
Stop the vehicle immediately and
switch off the engine. Check the engine oil level
and top up if necessary. If the oil level is correct,
please contact the nearest BMW center.Do not continue driving, as the engine
could sustain serious damage from inad-
equate lubrication.<
Engine oil level
The warning lamp lights up in yellow
while driving:
The oil level is at the absolute mini-
mum; refill as soon as possible. Do not drive
more than 30 miles/50 km before refilling.
The warning lamp lights up in yellow
after the engine has been switched off:
Add engine oil at the earliest opportu-
nity, e.g. when you stop to refuel.
Engine oil sensor
The warning lamp lights up in yellow
within 20 seconds after the engine is
started:
The oil level sensor is defective. Please have it
checked by a BMW center.
Checking the oil level
1.With the vehicle's engine at normal operat-
ing temperature, i.e. after uninterrupted
driving for at least 6 miles/10 km, park the
vehicle on a level surface
2.Switch off the engine
3.After approx. 5 minutes, pull the dipstick
out and wipe it off with a clean lint-free
cloth, paper towel, or similar material
4.Carefully push the dipstick all the way into
the guide tube and pull it out again
5.The oil level should be between the two
marks on the dipstick
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
87
6.Return the dipstick to the guide tube,
inserting it as far as it will go.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption is
directly influenced by your driving style and
vehicle operating conditions.
The oil volume between the two marks on the
dipstick corresponds to approx. 1.1 quarts/
1 liter.
Do not fill beyond the upper mark on the
dipstick. Excess oil will damage the
engine.<
Adding engine oil
Do not add oil until the oil level has dropped
almost to the lower mark on the dipstick, refer to
page86.
Add oil within the next 30 miles/50 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Continuous exposure to used oil has
caused cancer in laboratory tests. For this
reason, thoroughly wash any areas of skin that
come into contact with oil using soap and water.
Always store oils, grease and similar materials
so that they are inaccessible to children. Com-
ply with warning labels and the information on
the containers.<
Comply with the applicable environmen-
tal laws regulating the disposal of used
oil.<
Oil change
Have your oil changed only by a BMW center or
a workshop that works according to BMW
requirements with the appropriately trained
personnel.
Approved engine oils
The quality of the engine oil is extremely impor-
tant for the function and life of an engine. Based
on extensive testing, BMW has approved cer-
tain grades of engine oil.
Use approved High Performance Synthetic Oil.
If you are unable to obtain an approved High
Performance Synthetic Oil, you may use small
volumes of other synthetic oils for topping up
between oil changes. Use only oils with the
specification API SH or higher.
Ask your BMW center for details concern-
ing the specific High Performance Syn-
thetic Oil or synthetic oils that have been
approved.<
You can also call BMW of North America toll-
free at 1-800-831-1117 or visit this website:
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
BMW engines are designed to operate
without oil additives; the use of additives
could even lead to damage in some cases.<
Coolant
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up:
The coolant level is too low. Top up the
coolant as soon as possible.
Do not open the cooling system when the
engine is hot. If you do, escaping coolant
can cause burns.<
Coolant consists of water and coolant additives.
Not all commercially available additives are suit-
able for your BMW. Your BMW center knows
which additives are appropriate.
Use only approved additives, as the
engine could otherwise be damaged. The
additives are hazardous to health.<
Comply with the applicable environmen-
tal laws regulating the disposal of coolant
additives.<
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
89
Maintenance
The BMW Maintenance
System
The BMW Maintenance System helps maintain
the road safety and operating reliability of your
BMW.
Please keep in mind that regular maintenance is
not only necessary for the safety of your vehi-
cle, but also plays a significant role in maintain-
ing the resale value of your vehicle.
Service interval display
While conventional systems rely on distance
traveled alone to determine when a service is
due, the BMW Maintenance System has taken
the actual conditions under which the vehicle is
operated into consideration for years, because
miles can be traveled in many different ways:
From a maintenance point of view,
60,000 miles/100,000 km accumulated in
short-distance urban driving are not the same
as 60,000 miles/100,000 km accumulated at
moderate cruising speeds in long-distance
highway travel.
The BMW Maintenance System includes the
Engine Oil Service and Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals based
on the actual loads on the vehicle covers every
kind of operating situation. Minimal use drivers,
who drive fewer than about 6,200 miles/
10,000 km per year, should nevertheless have
the oil changed at least every 2 years since
engine oil deteriorates over time, regardless of
use.
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models, Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian
models
For additional information on required mainte-
nance intervals and procedures, please refer to
the Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models, or the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Depending on operating conditions, it may be
advisable to have the body checked for damage
from rocks or gravel as a precaution against cor-
rosion.
BMW recommends that you have your
BMW center perform the maintenance
and repair.
Be sure that all maintenance work is recorded in
the Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models, Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries will
serve as proof that the vehicle has received reg-
ular maintenance.<
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
105
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank
reserve gal./liters
gal./litersapprox. 14.5/55
approx. 2.1/8Fuel specifications: page76
Windshield washer system/
Headlamp washer systemquarts/liters
quarts/litersapprox. 3.2/3
approx. 5.3/5For details: page86
Cooling system including heating
circuit
with manual transm. or SMG
with automatic transmissionquarts/liters
quarts/liters8.8/8.3
9.3/8.8For details: page87
Engine with oil filter renewal quarts/liters 6.9/6.5 For details: page87