2008 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE sensor

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
121
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.
In the instrument cluster, you can have the
remaining times or distances for selected main-
tenance tasks and any legally prescribed dates
displayed, refer to page63:
>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 in the instrument
cluster is always set correctly, refer to
page64; otherwise the effectiveness of Condi-
tion 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.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
123
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 the 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
page153.
>If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,
refer to page41.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Preparations before driving into an automatic
car wash:
>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.
M dual clutch 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 a suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure or
temperature can lead to component damage or
water penetration. Follow the operating instruc-
tions of the high-pressure washer.<
When using high-pressure washers, do
not spray against the sensors and cam-

Care
124 eras, e.g. Park Distance Control, for an
extended period and maintain a distance of at
least 12 in/30 cm.<
Washing the car manually
When washing the vehicle by hand, use large
quantities of water and car shampoo if neces-
sary. Clean the vehicle with a sponge or wash-
ing brush, applying light pressure only.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unintentional activation of the
wipers.<
Observe local regulations pertaining to
washing vehicles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub them dry and do not use abrasive or
corrosive cleaning agents.
Remove contamination, such as insects, by
soaking with shampoo or insect remover and
then rinsing with plenty of water.
Thaw ice with a windshield de-icer and do not
use an ice scraper.
Windows
Clean the inside and outside surfaces of the
windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.
Do not clean the mirrors with cleaners
containing quartz.<
Wiper blades
Clean with soapy water and replace regularly to
avoid streaking.
Wax and preservative residue and con-
tamination on the window can lead to
streaking when operating the windshield wip-
ers, leading to premature wear of the wiper
blades and causing the rain sensor to malfunc-
tion.<
Convertible: retractable hardtop
Proceed as you would in a normal car wash.
When you open a wet hardtop, water
drops may run into the cargo bay. If nec-essary, remove items from the cargo bay
beforehand to avoid water stains or soiling.<
Paintwork care
Regular care contributes to value retention and
protects the paintwork against the long-term
effects of damaging substances.
Region-specific environmental influences can
damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is
important to adapt the frequency and scope of
car care accordingly.
Immediately remove very aggressive sub-
stances, e.g. spilled fuel, oil, grease, tree resin
or bird droppings, to prevent damage to the
paintwork.
Repairing paintwork damage
Immediately repair scratches or similar
damage, such as that caused by stones
hitting the vehicle, where necessary to prevent
rusting.<
BMW recommends having paintwork damage
repaired by a professional paint repair work-
shop according to BMW specifications using
original BMW paint materials.
Preservation
A preservation treatment is necessary when
water no longer beads off of the clean paintwork
surface. Only use products for paintwork pres-
ervation that contain carnauba or synthetic
waxes.
Rubber seals
Treat only with water or rubber care products.
Do not use silicon-containing care prod-
ucts on rubber seals, otherwise noise and
damage could occur.<
Chrome parts
Carefully clean vehicle parts, such as the radia-
tor grill, door handles or window frames, with
copious quantities of water and a shampoo
additive. For additional treatment, use a chrome
polish.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
125
Light-alloy wheels
For technical reasons, dust is generated during
braking that is deposited on the light-alloy
wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-
free rim cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly
alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or
steam jets over 1407/606, otherwise dam-
age may occur.<
Outside sensors / cameras
Keep the sensors and cameras on the
outside of the vehicle, e.g. Park Distance
Control, clean and free of ice to ensure that they
remain fully functional.<
Interior care
Upholstery / cloth trim
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to
remove superficial dirt.
To treat severe stains, e.g. from beverages, use
a soft sponge or lint-free microfiber cloth in
combination with suitable interior cleaners. Fol-
low the instructions on the packaging.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams
using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong
rubbing.<
Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or
other articles of clothing can damage the
seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are
closed.<
Leather / leather trim
The leather used by BMW is a high quality
natural product. Slight irregularities in the
leather are a typical characteristic of natural
leather.<
Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the
leather have an abrasive effect, leading to
increased wear and causing the leather surface
to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-
quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or
vacuum cleaner.In particular, ensure that light-colored leather is
cleaned regularly as it has a tendency to soil
more easily.
Treat the leather twice a year using a leather
lotion as dirt and grease will gradually attack the
leather's protective layer.
Carpets / cargo bay
You can vacuum the carpets and floor mats or
clean them with interior cleaner if heavily soiled.
The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.
When replacing the mats, ensure that the seat
rails do not extend over the floor mats, as this
may damage the mats.
Lint on the floor mats occurs for technical rea-
sons and can be removed by vacuuming
repeatedly.
Interior plastic parts
>Imitation leather surfaces
>Lamp glasses
>Display pane of instrument cluster
>Matt parts
Clean with water and solvent-free plastic
cleaner if necessary.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with a
damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Do not clean with cleaning agents as
these may destroy the fabric.<
Interior sensors / cameras
To clean interior sensors and cameras, e.g. of
the High-Beam Assistant, use a lint-free cloth
moistened with glass cleaner.
Displays
To clean the displays, e.g. of the radio or instru-
ment cluster, use a display cleaning cloth or a
soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth.

Everything from A to Z
156
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System67
Acceleration assistant, refer to
Launch Control53
Accident, refer to Sending an
Emergency Request135
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate control83
Adaptive Head Light77
Additives
– coolant119
Adjusting temperature inside
the car, refer to Automatic
climate control81
Adjusting the thigh support36
Airbags72
– indicator/warning lamp74
– sitting safely35
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control81
– ventilation83
Air distribution
– automatic81
Air flow rate81
Airing, refer to Ventilation83
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure110
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode82
Air supply
– automatic climate control81
– ventilation83
Air vents80
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications109
Alarm system25
– avoiding unintentional
alarms26
– interior motion sensor26
– switching off an alarm26
– tilt alarm sensor26All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires114
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode82
Antifreeze
– coolant119
– washer fluid57
Antilock Brake System
ABS67
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system25
Anti-theft system19
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights155
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights155
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest88
Ashtray
– front90
– rear90
Assistance systems, refer to
Driving stability control
systems67
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control82
Audio device, external88
Automatic
– air distribution81
– air flow rate81
– cruise control57
– headlamp control76
Automatic car washes123
Automatic climate control80
– automatic air distribution81
Automatic curb monitor42
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC82
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
– towing137
– tow-starting137AUTO program for automatic
climate control81
AUX-In port88
Average fuel consumption61
– setting the units62
Avoiding unintentional
alarms26
Axle loads, refer to
Weights155
B
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support36
Backrests, refer to Seat
adjustment36
Backrest width adjustment37
Back seats
– refer to Rear seats38
Backup lamps
– replacing bulb129
Backup lamps, refer to Tail
lamps129
Bag holder92
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
pouch136
Bar, refer to Towing
methods138
Base plate for telephone or
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter in
the center armrest storage
compartment88
Battery133
– charging133
– disposal28,133
– jump starting136
– remote control18
– temporary power failure133
Battery renewal
– remote control28
– remote control for vehicle28
Being towed138

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
157
Belt hand-over41
Belts, refer to Safety belts40
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety
belts40
Beverage holders, refer to
Cup holders89
Blinds, refer to Roller sun
blinds87
Blower, refer to Air flow
rate81
Bluetooth, refer to separate
Owner's Manual
BMW
– car shampoo125
BMW Homepage4
BMW Maintenance
System121
BMW webpage4
Bottle holders, refer to Cup
holders89
Brake assist68
Brake fluid, refer to Service
requirements63
Brake Force Display72
– bulb change130
Brake lamps
– replacing bulb129
– two-stage72
Brake pads98
– breaking in98
Brake rotors99
– brakes98
– breaking in98
Brakes
– ABS68
– BMW Maintenance
System121
– breaking in98
– parking brake48
– service requirements63
Brakes, refer to Braking
safely99
Brake system98
– BMW Maintenance
System121
– breaking in98
– disc brakes99
Breakdown services, refer to
Roadside Assistance135Breaking in the clutch98
Breaking in the differential,
refer to Engine and
differential98
Break-in period98
Bulb changing, refer to Lamps
and bulbs127
Button for starting the engine,
refer to Start/stop button46
Buttons on the steering
wheel11
C
California Proposition 65
warning6
Can holders, refer to Cup
holders89
Capacities155
Capacity of the cargo bay155
Car battery, refer to Vehicle
battery133
Car care, refer to Care123
Care123
– automatic car washes123
– care products123
– carpets125
– CD/DVD drives126
– chrome parts124
– displays125
– exterior123
– fine wood parts125
– headlamps124
– high-pressure washer123
– interior125
– leather125
– light-alloy wheels125
– paintwork124
– plastic parts125
– retractable hardtop124
– rubber seals124
– safety belts125
– sensors and cameras125
– upholstery and cloth
trim125
– washing the car
manually124
– windows124
– wiper blades124Cargo, securing101
Cargo bay
– capacity155
– convenient access27
– folding up the floor panel93
– lamp, refer to Interior
lamps79
– opening from inside24
– opening from outside24
Cargo loading
– securing cargo101
– stowing cargo101
– vehicle100
Car jack
– jacking points133
Car key, refer to Remote
control18
Car phone
– installation location, refer to
Center armrest88
– refer to separate Owner's
Manual
Car shampoo125
Car wash
– before driving into48
Catalytic converter, refer to
Hot exhaust system98
CBS Condition Based
Service121
Center armrest88
Center brake lamp
– replacing bulb131
Center console, refer to
Around the center
console14
Central locking
– from inside23
– from outside19
Central locking system19
– convenient access27
– hotel function25
Changes, technical, refer to
For your own safety5
Changing bulbs, refer to
Lamps and bulbs127
Changing wheels133
Chassis number, refer to
Engine compartment117
Check Control65

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
161
Holders for cups89
Homepage BMW4
Hood116
Hooks for shopping bags92
Horn10,11
Hotel function25
Hot exhaust system98
Hydraulic brake assist, refer to
Brake assist68
Hydroplaning99
I
Ice warning, refer to Outside
temperature warning59
Identification marks, tire
coding112
Ignition46
– switched off47
– switched on46
Ignition key, refer to Remote
control18
Ignition key position 1, refer to
Radio readiness46
Ignition key position 2, refer to
Ignition on46
Ignition lock46
Imprint2
Indicator and warning
lamps13
– Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM71
Indicator and warning lamps,
overview140
Inflation pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure110
Inflation pressure monitoring,
refer to Tire Pressure
Monitor TPM70
Initializing
– after power failure133
– compass, refer to Digital
compass, calibrating86
– Flat Tire Monitor FTM69
– glass roof30
Installation location
– telephone88
Instrument cluster12
Instrument lighting78Instrument panel, refer to
Cockpit10
Integrated key18
Integrated universal remote
control84
Interior lamps79
– remote control20
Interior motion sensor26
Interior rearview mirror42
– automatic dimming
feature42
– compass86
Intermittent mode of the
wipers56
J
Jacking points133
Jumpering, refer to Jump
starting136
Jump starting136
K
Key, refer to Remote
control18
Keyless go, refer to
Convenient access27
Keyless opening and closing,
refer to Convenient
access27
Key Memory, refer to Personal
Profile18
Knock control109
L
Lamps
– automatic headlamp
control76
– parking lamps/low beams76
Lamps and bulbs, replacing
bulbs127
Lap-and-shoulder belt, refer
to Safety belts40
Lashing eyes, refer to
Securing cargo101
LATCH child-restraint fixing
system45Launch Control53
Leather care125
LED hand lamp88
LED light-emitting diodes128
Length, refer to
Dimensions153
License plate lamp, replacing
bulb131
Light-alloy wheels125
Light-emitting diodes
LED128
Lighter90
– connecting electrical
appliances90
Lighting
– instruments78
– lamps and bulbs127
– vehicle, refer to Lamps76
Light switch76
Load securing equipment,
refer to Securing cargo101
Lock buttons, doors, refer to
Locking24
Locking
– adjusting confirmation
signal21
– from inside24
– from outside20
– without remote control, refer
to Convenient access27
Locking and unlocking doors
– confirmation signals21
– from inside23
– from outside19
Low-beam headlamps76
– automatic76
– indicator lamp, defective
bulb147
Lower back support, refer to
Lumbar support36

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
163
Outlets
– refer to Ventilation83
Output, refer to Engine
data152
Outside-air mode
– automatic climate control82
Outside temperature
display59
– changing units of
measure62
– in computer62
Outside temperature
warning59
Overheated engine, refer to
Coolant temperature60
P
Paintwork care124
Park assistant, refer to Park
Distance Control67
Park Distance Control PDC67
Parking
– vehicle47
Parking aid, refer to Park
Distance Control PDC67
Parking brake48
– indicator lamp48
Parking lamps76
Parking lamps/low beams76
Passenger-side mirror tilt
function42
Pathway lighting76
Personal Profile18
Pinch protection system
– glass roof, electric30
– windows29
Placing a call, refer to
telephone owner's manual
Polish125
Pollen
– refer to Microfilter/activated-
charcoal filter for automatic
climate control83
Power failure133
Power windows28
Power windows, refer to
Windows28
Pressure, tires110Pressure monitoring, tires69
– Flat Tire Monitor69
Pressure monitoring of tires,
refer to Tire Pressure
Monitor TPM70
Programmable buttons on the
steering wheel11
Protection function, refer to
Pinch protection system
– glass roof, electric30
– windows29
Providing medical assistance,
refer to First aid pouch136
Puncture
– Flat Tire Monitor69
R
Radio
– refer to separate Owner's
Manual
Radio-operated key, refer to
Remote control18
Radio position, refer to Radio
readiness46
Radio readiness46
– switched off47
– switched on46
Rain sensor56
Reading lamps79
Rear lamps, refer to Tail
lamps129
– replacing bulb129
Rear seats
– adjusting head restraints38
– folding down backrests91
Rear turn signals
– replacing bulb129
Rear ventilation83
Rearview mirror, refer to
Mirrors41
Rear window defroster82
Rear window roller blind, refer
to Roller sun blinds87
Recirculated-air mode82
Recirculation of air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode82
Reclining seat, refer to
Backrest36Refueling108
Releasing
– hood116
Remaining distance, refer to
Cruising range61
Remote control18
– battery renewal28
– convenient access27
– garage door opener84
– luggage compartment lid20
– malfunction22,28
– removing from the ignition
lock46
– service data121
Replacement remote
control18
Replacing bulbs, refer to
Lamps and bulbs127
Replacing tires113
Replacing tires, refer to New
wheels and tires113
Reporting safety defects6
Reserve warning, refer to Fuel
gauge60
Residual heat82
Restraint systems
– for children44
– refer to Safety belts40
Retractable hardtop31
– convenient operation
20
– opening and closing32
– remote control20
Reverse gear50
– manual transmission49
Roadside Assistance135
Roadside parking lamps78
Roadworthiness test, refer to
Service requirements63
Roller sun blinds87
Rollover protection system,
convertible74
– resetting74
Roof load capacity155
Roof-mounted luggage
rack102
Rope, refer to Tow-starting,
towing away139