2008 BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE width

Controls
47Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Longitudinal direction
2Height
3Angle
4Backrest
The head restraints are adjusted manually, refer
to Head restraints on page47.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: press the
switch at the front or rear, respectively.>Shift curvature up or down: press the switch
at the top or bottom, respectively.
Backrest width*
You can change the width of the backrest to suit
your individual preferences by adjusting the lat-
eral-support pads.
Press the front or rear end of the switch.
Backrest width decreases or increases accord-
ingly.
To move the front seats forward or backward
from outside or from one of the rear seats: with
the door open, press the front end 1 or rear end
2 of the switch.
Head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident. Only remove a head
restraint if no one will be sitting on the seat in
question. Reinstall the head restraint before
transporting anyone on that seat. Otherwise,

Adjustments
50 Settings for the backrest width and lumbar sup-
port are not stored in memory.
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or the ignition,
refer to page58.
2.Adjust the seat and exterior mirrors to the
desired positions.
3.Press the button.
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button 1 or 2: the
LED goes out.
Call-up
Do not call up memory while you are driv-
ing, otherwise unexpected seat move-
ment could result in an accident.<
Convenience mode
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or switch
on radio readiness, refer to page58.
2.Lightly push the desired memory button1
or 2.
The adjusting procedure is halted when you
touch a seat adjustment switch or one of
the memory buttons.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off, refer to page58.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2
and keep it pressed until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed accidentally:
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Call-up with the remote control
The driver's seat position last stored is stored
for the remote control currently in use.
You can select the occasion on which the seat is
reset to that position.
>Call-up when the vehicle is unlocked.
>Call-up when the driver's door is opened.
When this Personal Profile function is
used, first make sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is free of obstacles.
Failure to do so could cause injury to persons or
damage to objects as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
The adjusting procedure is halted when you
touch a seat adjustment switch or one of the
memory buttons.
Selecting automatic call-up
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "Door locks" is selected and press the
controller.
6.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select "Last seat pos." and press the con-
troller.

Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening
the doors, for example.<
Children always in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Children under the age of 13 or smaller
than 5 ft/150 cm may be transported only
in the rear in suitable child-restraint systems
appropriate for their age, weight and size. Oth-
erwise there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child-restraint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger must be deactivated. Otherwise, a child
traveling on that seat will face a significant risk
of injury if the airbags are triggered off, even
with a child-restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags refer to page89.
Installing child-restraint
systems
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using child-restraint systems.
Otherwise the protective effect may be dimin-
ished. <
Standard child-restraint systems are designed
to be secured with a lap belt or with the lap-belt
section of a lap-and-shoulder belt. Incorrectly or improperly installed child-restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to children.
Always follow the installation instructions for
the system with the greatest care.
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated, otherwise there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the front passen-
ger's seat must be at its widest possible
setting. Do not change the setting after install-
ing the child seat. Otherwise the child seat's
stability on the front passenger's seat is lim-
ited.<
1.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page47.
2.Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger's
safety belt can be prevented from being pulled
out in order to fasten child-restraint systems.
To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child-restraint system with the
belt.
2.Pull the belt strap all the way out.

Wheels and tires
208
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed code letter
Q = up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph or 300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT … 0708 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 7 of 2008.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last
for 10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1γ) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteris-
tics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test sur-
faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.<
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter, in
front of the R on ZR tires
225/45 R1791 V
e.g.
Manufacturer's
code for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 0708

Mobility
219Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Care
Care products
Regular cleaning and care contributes signifi-
cantly to the value retention of your BMW.
BMW recommends cleaning and caring for your
vehicle with products that are approved by
BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW center will be happy to advise you on
the products and services available for cleaning
and caring for your BMW.
Original BMW CareProducts have been
material tested, laboratory checked and
proven in the field, and offer optimal care and
protection for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents as these may result in dam-
age.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or hazardous to your
health. Therefore, follow the warning and safety
instructions on the packaging. When cleaning
inside the vehicle, always open the doors or
windows of the vehicle. In enclosed areas, pro-
vide for sufficient ventilation. Only use products
designed for cleaning vehicles.<
Exterior care
Washing the vehicle
Especially during the winter months,
ensure that the vehicle is washed more
frequently. Heavy soiling and road salt can lead
to vehicle damage.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them, otherwise
water can reduce braking efficiency over the
short term and brake discs can corrode.<
Automatic car washes
Preference should be given to cloth car washes.Do not use high-pressure car washes,
otherwise water may drip into the vehicle
around the windows.<
Before driving into a car wash, ensure that it is
suitable for your BMW. Check the following:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page237.
>If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,
refer to page52
>Maximum permissible tire width
>In convertibles, do not treat the convertible
top with wax. Ensure that a program is avail-
able that does not apply wax or is designed
specifically for convertibles.
Preparations before driving into an automatic
car wash:
>Unscrew rod antenna
*
>Deactivate the rain sensor* to avoid unin-
tentional activation of the wipers.
>Remove additional attachments, e.g.
spoiler or telephone antennas, if there is a
possibility that they could be damaged.
Automatic transmission
Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-
form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-
cle can roll:
1.Insert the remote control, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2.Engage transmission position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Switch off the engine.
5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
Steam jets / high-pressure washers
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, ensure that you maintain suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure or

Reference 245
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic60
– interlock61
– selector lever lock61
– shiftlock61
– towing231
– tow-starting231
"Automatic ventilation" for
parked car ventilation101
AUTO program for automatic
climate control99
"Auto Request"193
"Autostore"
– on the radio156
"AUX"150,169,171
– AUX-In port169
– USB-audio interface170
AUX-In port169
Average fuel consumption69
– setting the units71
Average speed69
"Avoid ferries" in
navigation134
"Avoid highways" in
navigation134
Avoid highways in
navigation134
Avoiding unintentional
alarms35
"Avoid tollroads" in
navigation134
Axle loads, refer to
Weights239
"A - Z"183,184
B
Backrests, refer to Seats46
Backrest width adjustment47
Back seats, refer to Rear seats
– adjusting head restraints48
Backup lamp, replacing
bulb226
Bag for skis, refer to Ski
bag109
Balance, tone control151
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
pouch230Bar, refer to Tow-starting,
towing away232
Bass, tone control151
Bass sounds, refer to Treble
and bass151
Battery227
– charging227
– disposal37,227
– jump starting230
– temporary power failure227
Battery renewal
– remote control for vehicle37
Being towed231
Belts, refer to Safety belts51
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety
belts51
Beverage holders, refer to
Cup holders107
Blower, refer to Air flow
rate99
BMW
– car shampoo222
"BMW
Assist"192,193,194,195
BMW Assist
– activating196
– concierge service195
– contacting BMW Customer
Relations194
– Roadside Assistance192
– services offered191
– TeleServices193
"BMW Contact"186
"BMW Contact
Numbers"186
BMW Maintenance
System217
"BMW Service settings"197
BMW Teleservice Call
– automatic193
– manual193
BMW TeleServices193
– displaying194
– updating194
Bottle holders, refer to Cup
holders107
Brake assist, refer to Dynamic
Brake Control82Brake fluid
– service requirements72
Brake Force Display88
Brake lamps
– Brake Force Display88
– replacing bulb226
Brake pads, breaking in114
Brake rotors116
– brakes114
– breaking in114
Brakes
– ABS82
– BMW Maintenance
System217
– braking safely116
– breaking in114
– parking brake59
– service requirements72
Brake system114
– BMW Maintenance
System217
– breaking in114
– disc brakes116
Breakdown services, refer to
Roadside Assistance229
Breaking in the clutch114
Break-in period114
"Brightness"80
Bulb changing, refer to Lamps
and bulbs223
Bulbs, changing223
Button for starting the
engine58
Buttons on the steering
wheel11
C
California Proposition 65
warning6
"Call"184,195
Call
– accepting182
– displaying accepted184
– ending183
– missed184
– starting183

Everything from A - Z
258 Turn, indicating
– triple turn signal63
Turning circle, refer to
Dimensions237
Turn signals62
– indicator lamp12
– replacing bulbs225
Tying down loads, refer to
Cargo loading118
U
Underbody protection, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
Uniform Tire Quality Grading/
UTQR208
"Units"71
Units of measure
– average fuel
consumption71
– temperature71
Universal garage door opener,
refer to Integrated universal
remote control103
Universal remote control103
Unlatching, refer to
Unlocking29
"Unlock button"30
Unlocking
– from inside33
– from outside29
– luggage compartment lid37
– without remote control, refer
to Convenient access36
Unlocking without a key, refer
to Convenient access36
"Update services"194,196
USB-audio interface170
"USB" for audio
mode169,171
V
Vehicle
– battery227
– breaking in114
– cargo loading117
– decommissioning, refer to
Vehicle storage
– dimensions237
– Identification Number, refer
to Engine compartment213
– parking59
– weight239
"Vehicle / Tires" for
unlocking30
Vehicle jack227
Vehicle position, refer to
Displaying current
position144
Vehicle storage222
Ventilation100
– draft-free100
Ventilation when parked, refer
to Parked car ventilation101
Vents, refer to Ventilation100
"Vent settings"98
Voice commands
– overview23
– short commands240
Voice instructions from
navigation system140
– muting54,140
– repeating54,140
– switching on/off54,140
– volume140
Voice phone book188
Volume150
– audio sources150
– fuel tank, refer to
Capacities239
– mobile phone181
– speed-dependent
control151
– voice instructions140
Volume distribution
– front/rear151
– left/right151
W
Warning and indicator
lamps13
Warning messages, refer to
Check Control77
Warning triangle230
Washer fluid64
– content of the reservoir64
Washer fluid filler neck64
Waste tray, refer to
Ashtray107
Water on roads, refer to
Driving through water116
Water penetration219,220
Waveband with the radio154
Wear indicators in tires, refer
to Minimum tread depth209
Weights239
Welcome lamps92
Wheelbase, refer to
Dimensions237
Wheels, new210
Wheels and tires204
Width, refer to
Dimensions237
Windows38
– convenient operation30
– convenient operation with
convenient access36
– opening, closing38
– pinch protection system39
Windows, defrosting and
removing condensation100
Windshield
– cleaning64
– defrosting and removing
condensation100
Windshield wash
– filling capacity, reservoir239
Windshield washer reservoir,
refer to Washer fluid filler
neck64
Windshield washer system63
– washer fluid64
– washer nozzles64
Windshield wiper blades,
changing223