2008 BMW 6 SERIES Owners Manual

Mobility
215Reference
At a glance
Controls
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Navigation
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Recommended tire brands
BMW recommends particular tire brands for
each tire size. You can recognize these from the
clearly visible BMW marking on the tire sidewall.
With proper use, these tires meet the highest
standards for safety and handling characteris-
tics.
Run-flat tires
When installing new tires or when changing
from summer tires to winter tires, for your own
safety, use run-flat tires. No spare wheel is pro-
vided in the event of a flat. Your BMW center will
be glad to advise you.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends
that you do not have damaged run-flat
tires repaired; they should be replaced. Other-
wise it is not possible to rule out occurrences of
consequential damage.<
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.
Watch speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
tire damage may occur, which can result in acci-
dents.<
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 pressure indicated on the side wall of
the tire.
Rotating wheels between axles
BMW does not recommend moving the front
wheels to the rear or vice versa, as otherwise
the handling characteristics may be impaired.
With tires of different makes and types
* such a
change is not permissible.
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Consult your BMW center for more infor-
mation.
These snow chains are approved exclusively for
use in pairs on the rear wheels with the tire size:
>245/50 R 17 Y
>245/45 R 18 Y
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after
installing snow chains as this could cause
the Flat Tire Monitor to malfunction.
When driving with snow chains, it may be prac-
tical to briefly activate DTC, refer to page88.<

Under the hood
216
Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without
the required professional technical training. If
you are unfamiliar with the specifications to be
observed, only have work carried out on your
vehicle by a BMW center or a repair shop that
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and
uses appropriately trained personnel. Other-
wise, there is a danger of damage and associ-
ated safety risks if this work is performed
improperly.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull lever.
Opening
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear; otherwise, injuries may
result.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while you are driving your vehicle,
you should stop at once and close it securely.<

Mobility
217Reference
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Engine compartment
1Filler spout for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil
2Jump-starting terminal, refer to page228
3Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp
and windshield cleaning systems, refer to
page65
4Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page219.

Under the hood
218
Engine oil
Engine oil consumption depends on driving
style and driving conditions.
Checking engine oil level
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic oil
level check.
The condition for the most accurate indication
of the oil level possible is measurement with the
engine at operating temperature, i.e. following
an uninterrupted drive of at least 6 miles/10 km.
You can display the oil level on the Control Dis-
play while driving or when stopped on a level
surface with the engine running.
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.Turn the controller until "Info sources" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Turn the controller until "Service" is
selected and press the controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Service requirements" is
selected and press the controller.6.Change to the second field from the top if
necessary. Turn the controller until "Engine
oil level" is selected and press the control-
ler. The oil level is displayed.
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level O.K."
>"No measurement available: Updating
engine oil level measurement...":
Engine oil level is being measured. This
process can take approx. 1 minute when
stopped on a level surface with the engine
running and approx. 5 minutes while driv-
ing.
If the engine oil has been topped off, the
measurement of the oil level can take up to
30 minutes.
>"Oil level at the minimum! Refill with 1 quart
of engine oil.":
Add a maximum of 1 US quart/1 liter of
engine oil at the next opportunity, refer to
Adding engine oil below. Add at least
0.5 US quart/0.5 liter. Otherwise the oil
level control may not display the new value
correctly.
If the oil level displayed is below minimum,
add engine oil immediately. Failure to do so
may lead to engine damage.
>"Engine oil level too high":
Have the vehicle checked immedi-
ately; otherwise, engine damage may
result if too much oil has been added.<
>"Please observe recalculated service inter-
val for engine oil":
Do not add engine oil. Before continuing to
drive, note the recalculated remaining mile-
age until the next oil change service, refer to
Service requirements on page77. Have the
system checked as soon as possible.

Mobility
219Reference
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Adding engine oil
Do not add 1 US quart/liter of oil until a corre-
sponding message is shown on the Control Dis-
play.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Continuous exposure to used oil has
caused cancer in laboratory testing.
For this reason, thoroughly wash exposed areas
of skin with soap and water after such work.
Keep oil, grease, etc. out of reach of children
and observe warnings on containers. Failure to
do so could pose health risks.<
Oil change
Have oil changes carried out only by a BMW
center or a repair shop that works in accordance
with BMW guidelines and uses appropriately
trained personnel.
Approved 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.
Only use approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.
If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is
unavailable, you can add small quantities of
other synthetic oils between oil changes. Only
use oils of the specification API SM or higher.Your BMW center will be happy to answer
detailed questions on BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil or approved synthetic
oils.<
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website at
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
Do not use oil additives; under some cir-
cumstances, they can damage your
engine.<
Viscosity grades
The viscosity is a measure of the thickness of
the oil and is specified in SAE grades.
The choice of the right SAE grade is based on
the climatic conditions in the region in which
you normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the SAE grades
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils can be used at all temperatures.
Coolant
Do not open the cooling system when the
engine is hot. Escaping coolant can cause
burns.<
Coolant is composed of equal parts water and a
coolant additive. Not all commercially available
additives are suitable for your BMW. Ask your
BMW center for suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, otherwise
engine damage may result. The additives
present a health hazard.<
Always observe all applicable environ-
mental laws and regulations when dis-
posing of used coolant additives.<

Under the hood
220
Checking coolant level
1.Do not open the hood until the engine has
cooled down.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank counter-
clockwise to allow any accumulated pres-
sure to escape, then continue turning to
open.
3.The coolant level is correct when it lies
between the MIN and MAX mark, also refer
to the drawing next to the filler neck.
4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level – do not overfill.
5.Turn the cap until it clicks.
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.

Mobility
221Reference
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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 service schedule also
includes operations related to the vehicle's
comfort and convenience features, such as
replacement of the filters for the inside air.
The ultimate objective is to ensure economical
maintenance by providing the ideal service for
your vehicle.
Should the day come when you decide to sell
your BMW, you will find that a complete dealer
service history is an asset of inestimable value.
CBS Condition Based Service
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.
You can set the Control Display to show
remaining distances and times of selected
maintenance intervals and legally mandated
deadlines, refer to page77:
>Engine oil
>Brake pads, front and rear separately
>Brake fluid>Vehicle check
>Legally required tests depending on local
regulations
Service data in remote control
Your vehicle stores the information required for
maintenance continuously in the remote con-
trol during driving. After accessing the data
stored in the remote control, your BMW Service
Advisor can suggest precisely the right array of
service procedures for your own individual vehi-
cle. For this reason, when you take your vehicle
in for service, you should give the BMW Service
Advisor the remote control last used to drive it.
Make sure the date is set correctly, refer
to page83, otherwise the effectiveness
of CBS Condition Based Service is not
ensured.<
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.<

Maintenance
222
Socket for OBD Onboard
Diagnostics interface
Components which are decisive for the
exhaust-gas composition can be checked via
the OBD socket with a device.
This socket is located under a cover on the left
side of the driver's footwell, directly under the
instrument panel.
Exhaust-gas values
The warning lamp lights up. The
exhaust-gas values are deteriorating.
Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible.
Display of the previously described
malfunction on Canadian models.
The lamp flashes under certain conditions. This
is a sign of excessive misfiring of the engine. In
this case, you should reduce speed and drive to
the nearest BMW center as soon as possible.
Heavy engine misfiring causes serious damage
to the emission-relevant components, espe-
cially the catalytic converter, within a short time.
If the fuel filler cap is not properly tight-
ened, the OBD system can detect the
escape of fuel vapor. This causes a display to
light up. If the cap is then tightened, the display
should go out within a few days.<
Event data recorders
Your vehicle may be equipped with one or sev-
eral measuring and diagnosis modules, or with a
device for recording or transmitting certain
vehicle data or information. If you have also sub-
scribed to BMW Assist, then certain vehicle
data can be transmitted or recorded to enable
corresponding services.
Care
Important information on care and maintenance
of your BMW is contained in the Caring for your
vehicle brochure.