Battery Care
If your car is driven only for short distances of
less than 10 miles over a prolonged period of
time, without an occasional drive at highway
speeds, the engines charging system will not
maintain the battery. Insufficient use of the vehi-
cle could result in short term starting problems
and in the long term could damage the battery.
In case the car is not operated for several weeks
it is advisable to:
consider using a proper trickle charger, fol-
lowing the charger manufacturer’s instruc-
tions, to maintain the battery’s state of
charge; or
consult your BMW center regarding battery
removal. Once removed, the battery must be
charged and stored in a cool, dry place where
it can be protected from freezing. If the bat-
tery will be stored for over 3 months, it must
be recharged every 3 months, or else it will
become damaged and useless.
Please consult with your BMW center for further
guidance and information.
Corrosion Protection
Extensive corrosion protection measures imple-
mented by BMW now make it possible to offer a
twelve-year unlimited mileage anti-corrosion
warranty against rust perforation on your vehicle
provided that the vehicle is maintained in accor-
dance with the provisions of the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty as outlined in the Warranty
Section of this Booklet (page 32).
The major degree of corrosion protection is due
to the electrophoretic dip painting process
which cathodically deposits paint particles on all
body parts, attracting paint particles into the
minutest cavities or seams. Body parts are
designed to provide optimum corrosion
protection. During manufacture, exterior body parts receive
an additional corrosion protection coat. Hood,
trunk, doors and other body parts are coated
with PVC and sealed from the outside.
All floor panels receive a resilient coating of PVC
for maximum protection against damage due to
stones, etc.
Corrosion protection materials tested over many
years are applied to the surfaces of cavities and
to the entire underside of the vehicle during and
after assembly.
Requirements for maintaining the 12-year
unlimited mileage anti-corrosion warranty are
outlined in the Warranty Section of this Booklet
(page 34).
Restoring corrosion protection
Please take care that anti-corrosion material is
replaced when your car is repaired after body or
chassis damage.
BMW NA will not accept any liability for any
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
Underbody maintenance
The underbody has to be cleaned at least once
a year, in spring, with plain water in order to
remove mud, chemical sediments and other
deposits. If those materials are not removed,
corrosion (rust) will occur on metal components.
Your BMW center will do this anti-corrosion ser-
vice for you.
Do not apply additional undercoating or
rust-proofing on or near the exhaust
manifold, exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or
heat shields. During driving, the substance used
for undercoating could overheat and cause a
fire.
17
Getting Started
A temporary Roadside Assistance card can be
found inside your vehicle portfolio. It contains
the 24-hour toll-free number for Roadside
Assistance.
For your convenience a decal which shows the
same information as the Roadside Assistance
card, has been affixed to the tool kit cover on
the trunk lid.
In a few weeks you will receive a permanent
Roadside Assistance card by mail. The original
in-service date and vehicle identification number
(VIN) are embossed on the card.
This card should be carried by the driver of your
BMW.
Calling For Assistance
The toll-free BMW Roadside Assistance number
(1 800 332-4269) is answered by a BMW Road-
side Assistance service representative. In order
for you to receive quick and reliable services, it
is essential that you should provide detailed and
accurate information to the service
representative.
Be prepared to give:
Your name and address
Your complete Vehicle Identification Number
(found on your vehicle registration, your per-
manent Roadside Assistance card or on the
bottom drivers side of your windshield)
Model description of your vehicle
Original in-service date (located on your
Roadside Assistance card)
License plate number of your vehicle
Vehicle location (including nearby crossroads/
intersections, highway mile markers, street
numbers, landmarks, etc.)
Location you are calling from (including a
telephone number where you can be
reached). If you are calling from a public
phone wait there for the return call. Do not
leave this location without informing the
Roadside Assistance service representative
A description of your vehicles problem. Spe-
cific and accurate information will enable the
Roadside Assistance service representative to
provide the proper help
Emergency Valet service. Should there be a
need beyond BMW Roadside Assistance, Emer-
gency Valet service will provide a personal
assistant who will help in every way to get you
to your final destination. Emergency Valet ser-
vice will help you locate a rental car or taxi
agency, hotel or even help procure airline reser-
vations. In the event of an emergency, this ser-
vice will assist you in getting information out to
the proper party whether it is business or per-
sonal. If we are unable to contact one of yor
party, the message relay service will document
the information, and will make reasonable
efforts to deliver the message to the message
recipient.
Personal Trip Routing. Leave the planning to
us. Simply give one of our Roadside Assistance
service representatives a call, and we will pro-
vide you with detailed, easy to read, computer-
ized trip itinerary and companion map package.
Please allow up to two weeks to process your
request.
Services
From the information you provide, the BMW
Roadside Assistance service representative will
determine the type of help required.
Dispatch Service
A service provider will be dispatched to the site
of your disabled vehicle.
On-Site Assistance
On-site service for vehicle disablements such as
flat tires, dead batteries, and out of fuel condi-
tions is provided up to a maximum of $100.00
per incident by BMW Roadside Assistance.
The cost for parts and fuel, when used on-site,
are the responsibility of the owner/driver. The
New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not cover
any of the above on-site services.
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