2006 BMW M3 COUPE Owner's Manual

97
Rear center armrestYou will find a beverage holder in the
rear center armrest.
Opening the beverage holder: press.
Storage package*For your convenience, there are:
>Two flip-out sockets on the rear cen-
ter console
>An eyeglasses storage compart-
ment*, not shown, in the center con-
sole.
Microphone*Hands-free systemIn vehicles with telephone provisions*
or the voice command system*, the
cover for the hands-free microphone is
located in the roof lining near the inte-
rior lamp.
For additional information on using your
car phone, cellular phone or voice com-
mand system, refer to the respective
separate Owner's Manual.
Storage compartments
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

98
Ashtray, front*To emptyPress on the edge of the open cover.
you can now pull the ashtray upward for
removal.Extinguishing cigarettesTap off the ash and gently press the tip
into the funnel.Cigarette lighter
Hold or touch the hot cigarette
lighter by the knob only. Holding
or touching it in other areas could result
in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains opera-
tional when the ignition key has been
removed. For this reason, children
should never be left in the vehicle unat-
tended.<
Press lighter 1 in. As soon as the lighter
jumps back out, it can be removed.Power socketThe cigarette lighter socket can be
used as a power socket for a flashlight,
car vacuum cleaner, etc., up to a rating
of approx. 200 watts at 12 volts. Do not
damage the socket by inserting plugs of
the wrong shape or size. In vehicles
with a non-smoker's equipment pack-
age, the socket is covered by a remov-
able cap.
Ashtray, rear*To emptyPress on the edge of the open cover in
the opening direction: you can now pull
the ashtray upward for removal.

99
Clothes hooksTo open, press on the upper edge.
When hanging clothing on the
hooks, be sure that it will not
obstruct the driver's vision. Do not hang
heavy objects on the hooks. If you do,
they could injure occupants, for exam-
ple during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

100Loading and transporting
Through-loading systemFolding the rear backrest1. Pull the corresponding lever to
release
2. The backrest moves forward slightly
when released. Reach into the gap
and fold it down.
When folding the backrest back
into its original position always
ensure that the detent engages
securely. A loose backrest might fail to
prevent cargo from entering the pas-
senger compartment during sudden
braking or evasive maneuvers, posing a
potential hazard to occupants.<
Rear center 3-point safety belt*You can roll up the rear 3-point belt
before folding back the through-loading
system:
>Retracting the 3-point-safety belt:
Loosen the safety belt and insert the
buckle latch into the support mount
provided on the rear window shelf.

101
Ski bag*The ski bag allows the safe and clean
transport of up to 4 pairs of standard
skis or up to two snowboards.
The length of the ski bag and the addi-
tional space provided in the luggage
compartment make it possible to carry
skis up to 6 ft 10 in / 2.10 m long.
Because of the tapered shape of the
bag, only two pairs of skis longer than
6 ft 10 in / 2.10 m can be carried.
Loading1. Fold the center armrest outward.
Loosen the trim from the upper
Velcro® fastener and place it on the
armrest
2. Press the button downward – see
arrow 1 – and fold the cover forward
3. Extend the ski bag between the front
seats. The zipper provides conve-
nient access to stored items. It may
be opened to allow the ski bag to dry
4. Press the button – see arrow 2: this
releases the cover panel in the lug-
gage compartment.
To store the ski bag, perform the above
steps in reverse sequence.
Securing cargoAfter loading, secure the ski bag and its
contents. To do so, tighten the retaining
strap at the tensioning buckle.
Be sure to secure the ski bag in
this way, as it could otherwise
injure occupants, for example during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Be sure that the skis are clean before
loading them into the bag. Be careful to
avoid damage from sharp edges.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

102
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so
that the permitted load on the tires
is not exceeded. Overloading can lead
to overheating and internal tire damage.
This can result in a sudden loss of tire
inflation pressure.<
Determining the maximum load1. 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., as this
could otherwise result in damage to the
vehicle or unstable driving conditions.<
2. Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle
3. Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or YYY pounds
4. The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount
equals 1,000 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lbs. passengers in your vehi-
cle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 250
lbs.:
1,000 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 250 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
fered to your vehicle. Consult the
manual for transporting a trailer to
determine how this may reduce the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.

103
LoadThe permissible load is the sum of the
occupants' weights and the weight of
the cargo. The greater the weight of the
occupants, the less cargo can be trans-
ported.
Stowing cargo>Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible – directly behind the back-
rests – and as low as possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners
>Do not pile objects higher than the
top edge of the backrest
>For very heavy loads when the rear
seat is not occupied, secure each
safety belt in the opposite buckle,
see illustration.
Cargo loading
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

104
Securing the cargo in the luggage
compartment >For small, light items, use the rubber-
lined, non-skid side of the floor mat
or secure using the luggage compart-
ment net* or elastic straps, refer to
page 36
>For large, heavy pieces, see your
BMW center for load-securing
devices*. Four anchorages located in
the luggage compartment can be
used for fastening these load-secur-
ing devices.
Comply with the information enclosed
with the load-securing devices.
Always position and secure the
load correctly. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers during brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the approved gross
vehicle weight or the approved axle
loads, refer to page 152. Otherwise the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer
assured and the vehicle will not be in
compliance with the certification regu-
lations.
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 endanger
the occupants.<
Cargo loading