2008 BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE air condition

Wheels and tires
210
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of
the actual wear of the tires.
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT ... 0708 means that the tire was manufac-
tured in week 7 of 2008.
Run-Flat Tires
The symbol identifying Run-Flat Tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-Flat Tires comprise a conditionally self-
supporting tire and a special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can
continue to be used subject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire on page85.
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW center or tire shop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel. If this
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
h a z a r d s . M a k e s u re t h a t t h e n e w w h ee l s a r e b a l-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW recommends that you do not use
retreaded tires, since driving safety may be impaired. The causes for this include poten-
tially different tire casing structures and often
wide variations in tire age, which can result in a
limited service life.<
Correct wheels and tires
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you.
BMW recommends that you use only
wheel and tire combinations that BMW
has tested and approved for your particular
vehicle. Variations in factors such as manufac-
turing tolerances mean that even wheels and
tires with identical official size ratings could
actually have different dimensions, which could
lead to body contact and thus to severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot guarantee their driving
safety.<
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination at your BMW center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS, DSC or
FTM.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-
nation again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM electronics
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only
use wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise the
Tire Pressure Monitor may not be able to detect
a puncture, refer to page87. Your BMW center
will be glad to advise you.

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Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.
When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in cold
winter driving conditions. Although all-season
M+S tires provide better winter traction than
summer tires, they generally fail to provide the
same levels of cold-weather performance as
winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the
winter tires mounted on your car; failure
to do so could result in tire damage and acci-
dents.<
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible. Always
protect tires against all contact with oil, grease
and fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres-
sure indicated on the sidewall of the tire.
Swapping wheels between axles
BMW advises against swapping wheels
between the front and rear axles, even if all tires
have the same size, as this could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels between the axles is not per-
missible.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link snow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW center for
more information. Snow chains must be
mounted in pairs and on the rear wheels only.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with chains.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted, otherwise the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DTC temporarily, refer to
page82.<

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Possible messages
>"Engine oil level O.K."
>"No measurement available: Updating
engine oil level measurement..."
The engine oil level is measured. This can
take about 3 minutes if the car is at a stand-
still on a level surface and the engine is run-
ning, and about 5 minutes while the car is on
the move.
>"Oil level at the minimum! Refill with 1 quart
of engine oil."
Add 1 US quart/1 liter of engine oil at the
next opportunity, but no more than that,
refer also to Adding engine oil below.
>"Engine oil level too high"
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay.<
>"Please observe recalculated service inter-
val for engine oil"
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page217. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Do not add 1 US quart/1 liter of engine oil until a
corresponding message is shown on the Con-
trol Display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the relevant
warnings on the containers. Otherwise, health
hazards may result.<
Oil change
Have oil changed only at your BMW center or at
a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the operation and service life of
an engine. BMW continuously approves spe-
cific oils after confirming their suitability for use
in its vehicles with extensive testing.
Do not use oil additives as these may
cause engine damage.<
Only use approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.
If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is not
available, you can add small quantities of other
synthetic oils in between oil changes. Only use
oils with the API SM specification or higher.
Your BMW center will be glad to answer
any questions regarding BMW High Per-
formance Synthetic Oil or approved synthetic
oils.<
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
Viscosity ratings
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and
is categorized in SAE classes.
Selecting the appropriate SAE class depends
on the regional climatic conditions in which you
normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the 5W-40 and
5W-30 classes.<
These oils can be used for driving at all outside
temperatures.

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Maintenance
BMW Maintenance System
The BMW Maintenance System supports the
preservation of the traffic and operating safety
of your BMW. The objective is to optimize
efforts with respect to minimal vehicle mainte-
nance costs.
If and when you come to sell your BMW, a com-
prehensive record of servicing will prove a sig-
nificant benefit.
Condition Based Service CBS
Sensors and special algorithms take the differ-
ent driving conditions of your BMW into
account. Condition Based Service uses this to
determine the current and future service
requirements. By letting you define a service
and maintenance regimen that reflects your
own individual requirements, the system builds
the basis for trouble-free driving.
On the Control Display, you can have the
remaining times or distances for selected main-
tenance tasks and any legally prescribed dates
displayed, refer to page72:
>Engine oil
>Brake pads: separately for front and rear
>Brake fluid
>Vehicle check
>Legally mandated inspections depending
on local regulations
Service data in the remote control
Your vehicle continuously stores service-
requirement information in the remote control
while you are driving. Your BMW Service Advi-
sor can read out this data from the remote con-
trol unit, and propose an optimized mainte-
nance approach. Whenever you take your car in
for servicing you should therefore hand your
BMW Service Advisor the remote control unit
that you last used.
Make sure that the date is always set cor-
rectly, refer to page76; otherwise the
effectiveness of Condition Based Service CBS
is not assured.<
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service
and repair operations performed at your
BMW center.
Take the time to ensure that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by entries in your vehi-
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance.<

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Giving and receiving assistance
Emergency Request*
Conditions for an Emergency Request:
>Full preparation package mobile phone: this
equipment makes it possible to send an
Emergency Request even if no mobile
phone is paired with the vehicle.
>BMW Assist is activated. Activating
BMW Assist, refer to page196.
>Radio readiness is on.
>The BMW Assist system is logged on to a
mobile phone network.
>The Emergency Request system is opera-
ble.
Once your service contract for BMW Assist
expires, the BMW Assist system can be deacti-
vated by a BMW center without you having to
visit a workshop. Once the BMW Assist system
has been deactivated, Emergency Requests
are not possible. The BMW Assist system can
be reactivated by a BMW center after a new
contract has been signed.
Sending an Emergency Request
1.Briefly press the cover flap to open.
2.Press the SOS button for at least
2seconds.
The LED in the button lights up. As soon as the
voice connection to the BMW Assist Response
Center has been established, the LED flashes.
Once the BMW Assist Response Center has
received your Emergency Request, the
BMW Assist Response Center contacts you and takes further steps to help you. Even if you
are unable to respond, the BMW Assist
Response Center will be able to initiate further
steps to assist you under certain conditions.
If the circumstances allow this, remain in the
vehicle until the connection has been estab-
lished. You will then be able to provide a
detailed description of the situation.
If the current location of your vehicle can be
determined, it will be transmitted to the BMW
Assist Response Center.
If the LED is flashing but the BMW Assist
Response Center cannot be heard over the
hands-free system, it is possible that the
hands-free system is malfunctioning. You may
still be heard by the BMW Assist Response
Center, however.
Under certain conditions, an Emergency
Request is sent automatically immediately after
a severe accident. This Automatic Collision
Notification is not affected by the button being
pressed.
For technical reasons, the Emergency
Request service cannot be guaranteed
for the most unfavorable conditions.<
Roadside Assistance
The BMW Roadside Assistance is there to
assist you around the clock in the event of a
breakdown, including on weekends and public
holidays.
The phone numbers of the Roadside Assis-
tance in your home country can be found in the
Contact brochure.
In vehicles equipped with BMW Assist, you can
establish contact with BMW Roadside Assis-
tance for breakdown assistance directly via
iDrive, refer to page192.

Everything from A - Z
244
Everything from A - Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display
texts used to select
individual functions and
refers you to the page where
these texts can be found.
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System82
Accessories, refer to The
individual vehicle5
Accident, reporting, refer to
Emergency Request229
Activated-charcoal filter101
"Activation time" for parked
car ventilation101
Active steering88
Adaptive Head Light94
"Add digits" on the mobile
phone184
Additives
– coolant216
– engine oil215
"Address book" in
navigation131
Address for navigation
– deleting133
– entering123,131
– selecting132
– storing131
– storing current position132
"Add to destination list"126
Airbags89
– sitting safely45
– warning lamp90
Air conditioner97
Air distribution
– automatic99
Air flow rate99
Airing, refer to Ventilation100
Air outlets, refer to Air
vents97Air pressure, checking, refer
to Tire inflation
pressure204
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode99
"Air recirculation on / off"53
Air vents97
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications202
Alarm system34
– avoiding unintentional
alarms35
– interior motion sensor35
– switching off an alarm35
– tilt alarm sensor35
"All channels" for satellite
radio161
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires211
"All stations", displaying with
the radio154
"AM", waveband150,154
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode
99
Antenna for mobile phone176
Antifreeze
– coolant216
– washer fluid64
Antilock Brake System
ABS82
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system34
Anti-theft system29
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights239
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights239
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest107
Arrival time
– computer69
Arrival time, refer to Starting
destination guidance136Arrow display for
navigation137
"Arrow display" in
navigation137
Ashtray107
Assist191
Assistance systems, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC82
"Assist profile"197
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control99
"Audio"153,157
Audio150
– controls150
– switching on/off150
– tone control151
– volume151
"Audio", refer to Tone
control151
Automatic
– air distribution99
– air flow rate99
– BMW Teleservice Call193
– cruise control65
– headlamp control92
– storing of stations155
Automatic car wash, refer to
Car wash116
Automatic car washes219
Automatic climate control97
– automatic air distribution99
– settings via iDrive98
Automatic curb monitor52
Automatic lamps
– refer to Welcome lamps92
"Automatic programs" with
automatic climate control99
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC99
Automatic station search155

Reference 247
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
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Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Clock67
– 12h/24h format76
– setting time75
Closing
– from inside32
– from outside29
Clothes hooks107
Cold start, refer to Starting the
engine59
Combination instrument, refer
to Instrument cluster12
Comfort access, refer to
Convenient access36
Comfort area, refer to Around
the center console14
"Communication"182,192,1
93,194,195
Compact disc, refer to
– CD changer163
– CD player163
Compartment for remote
control, refer to Ignition
lock58
Compass105
Computer68
– displays on Control
Display69
– hour signal76
Computer, refer to iDrive16
"Concert hall" for Tone
control152
"Concierge"195
Concierge service195
Condensation, refer to When
the vehicle is parked116
Condition Based Service
CBS217
Configuring settings, refer to
Personal Profile28
Confirmation signals for
locking/unlocking the
vehicle31
Connecting vacuum cleaner,
refer to Connecting
electrical appliances108
Consumption, refer to
Average fuel
consumption69"Continue guidance to
destination?"137
Control Center, refer to
iDrive16
Control Display16
Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls and displays10
Convenient access36
– replacing the battery37
Convenient operation
– windows30
– windows with convenient
access36
– with convenient access36
Convenient starting, refer to
Starting the engine59
Convertible
– rollover protection
system90
– top40
– wind deflector44
Convertible top
– convenient opening30
Convertible top care220
Coolant216
– checking level216
– filling216
Coolant temperature68
Cooling, maximum98
Cooling fluid, refer to
Coolant216
Copyright2
Corner-illuminating lamps94
Corner-illuminating lamps,
refer to Adaptive Head
Light94
Cornering lamps, refer to
Adaptive Head Light94
Courtesy lamps95
Cross-hairs in navigation128
Cruise control65
Cruising range69
Cup holders107
Curb weight, refer to
Weights239
Current fuel consumption69
"Current position"144Current position
– displaying144
– entering132
– storing132
"Customer
Relations"186,194
D
Dashboard, refer to
Cockpit10
Dashboard lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting95
Data
– dimensions237
– sizes237
Data, technical236
– capacities239
– engine236
– weights239
"Date"76
Date
– setting76
– setting format77
"Date format"77
"Daytime running lamps"94
Daytime running lamps,
switch positions93
DBC Dynamic Brake
Control82
"Deactivated"51
Deactivating front passenger
airbags89
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking30
Decommissioning the vehicle,
refer to Caring for your
vehicle
Defect
– door lock32
– fuel filler door202
– glass roof40
– luggage compartment lid33
Defogging windows100
Defrosting the windows100
Defrosting windshield, refer to
Defrosting windows100
Defrost position, refer to
Defrosting windows100

Reference 249
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Electronic Stability Program
ESP, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control DSC82
Emergency operation, refer to
Manual operation
– door lock32
– fuel filler door202
– glass roof40
– transmission lock, automatic
transmission62
Emergency release, luggage
compartment lid34
Emergency Request229
Emergency services, refer to
Roadside Assistance229
"Enabled services"196
"Enabled TeleServices"194
"End call"183
Energy, saving
– saving fuel114
Engine
– breaking in114
– data236
– speed236
– starting59
– starting, convenient
access36
– switching off59
Engine compartment213
Engine coolant, refer to
Coolant216
Engine oil
– adding215
– additives215
– BMW Maintenance
System217
– checking level213
– intervals between changes,
refer to Service
requirements72
– specified engine oils215
"Engine oil level"214
Engine output, refer to Engine
data236
Engine speed, refer to Engine
data236
Engine starting, refer to
Starting the engine59
"Enter address"124Entering a destination124
Entering a destination
country124
Entering a house number or
intersection126
Entering an intersection125
Entering a street125
"Entertainment"150
"Equalizer", refer to Tone
control152
Equalizer, refer to Tone
control152
"ESN"160
ESP Electronic Stability
Program, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control DSC82
Event data recorders218
Exhaust system, refer to Hot
exhaust system115
Exterior mirrors51
– adjusting51
– automatic dimming
feature53
– automatic heating52
– folding in and out52
External audio device, refer to
AUX-In port169
Eyes
– for tow-starting and towing
away231
– for tying down loads118
F
Fader, tone control151
Failure messages, refer to
Check Control77
Failure of an electrical
consumer227
False alarm, refer to Avoiding
unintentional alarms35
Fastening safety belts, refer to
Safety belts51
Fastest route for
navigation134
Fast forward
– CD changer167
– CD player167
"Fast route" in navigation134Filter of automatic climate
control, refer to Microfilter/
activated charcoal filter101
First aid pouch230
Fixture for remote control,
refer to Ignition lock58
Flash when locking/
unlocking31
Flat tire
– Run-Flat Tires210
– Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM85
Flat Tire Monitor FTM84
– indicating a flat tire85
– initializing the system84
– malfunction85
– system limits84
Flat tires, refer to Tire
condition209
"FM", waveband150,154
FM, waveband154
Fog lamps95
– indicator lamp13,95
Footbrake, refer to Braking
safely116
Footwell lamps95
For your own safety5
Frequency, selecting
manually155
Front airbags89
Front seat setting45
Frost, removing from
windows, refer to Defrosting
windows100
FTM, refer to Flat Tire
Monitor84
Fuel202
– gauge68
– high-quality brands202
– quality202
– specifications202
– tank contents, refer to
Capacities239
Fuel clock, refer to Fuel
gauge68
Fuel consumption display,
refer to Average fuel
consumption69