2008 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE climate control

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page156.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
Controls
18Opening and closing
35Adjustments
44Transporting children safely
46Driving
59Everything under control
67Technology for driving comfort and
safety
76Lamps
80Climate
84Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
98Things to remember when driving
103BMW M3 engineering
Mobility
108Refueling
110Wheels and tires
116Under the hood
121Maintenance
123Care
127Replacing components
135Giving and receiving assistance
140Indicator and warning lamps
Reference
152Technical data
156Everything from A to Z

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
15
1Microphone for voice command system*
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request
call
*135
3Reading lamps79
4Coupe: glass roof, electric
*30
5Interior lamps79
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*73
7Hazard warning flashers
8Flat Tire Monitor FTM
*69
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
*70
9Central locking system23
10Radio, refer to separate Owner's Manual
11Automatic climate control14Dynamic Stability Control DSC68
15Electronic Damper Control EDC
*68
16M Engine Dynamics Control POWER54
Air distribution to the
windshield81
Air distribution to the upper body
area81
Air distribution to the footwell81
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate81
Cooling function82
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC82
Recirculated-air mode82
Maximum cooling81
Residual heat mode82
Air flow rate81
Defrosting windows82
Rear window defroster82
12
Heated seats*38
Coupe:
Roller sun blind
*87
13Convertible:
Opening and closing retractable
hardtop32

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
19
>Settings for the display in the instrument
cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to
page62
>Date format, refer to page62
>Units of measure for fuel consumption,
distance covered/remaining distances,
and temperature, refer to page62
>Light settings:
>Pathway lighting, refer to page76
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page77
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air flow rate and distribu-
tion, refer to page81 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to separate Owner's
Manual
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer
to separate Owner's Manual
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid
>Fuel filler door
>Convertible: center armrest and glove com-
partment
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, via the
handles on the driver's and front passen-
ger's doorsThe anti-theft system is also operated at the
same time. It prevents the doors from being
unlocked using the lock buttons or door han-
dles. In addition, if the remote control is used,
the welcome lamps, interior lamps and the
door's courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off.
The alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system,
refer to
page25.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer
to page23.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the
central locking system unlocks automatically. In
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle
could lock the doors from the inside. You
should therefore take the remote control with
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter
can be opened from outside.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable
hardtop with the remote control, the
doors and luggage compartment lid must be
closed and the cargo bay partition must be
folded down and engaged on both sides. Refer
also to page32.<
Unlocking
Press the button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the
welcome lamps come on.
Setting unlocking characteristics
You can set whether only the driver's door or
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the
button is pressed for the first time.
For operating principle, refer to page61.
1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page46.
2.Lightly push button1 in the turn indicator
lever up or down repeatedly until the sym-

Climate
80
Climate
1Airflow directed toward the windshield and
side windows
2Air to the upper body area
Draft-free ventilation83
3Air to the footwell
4Air distribution, manual
5Temperature adjustment, left-hand side of
passenger compartment
6Maximum cooling
7AUTO program
8Air flow rate, manual
9Automatic recirculated-air control AUC/
Recirculated-air mode10Temperature adjustment, right-hand side
of passenger compartment
11Residual heat
12Defrosting windows and removing conden-
sation
13Switching cooling function on/off manually
14Rear window defroster
15Air grill for interior temperature sensor –
please keep clear and unobstructed

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
81
Automatic climate control
Comfortable interior climate
AUTO program7 offers the ideal air distribution
and air flow rate for almost all conditions, refer
to AUTO program below. All you need to do is
select an interior temperature which is comfort-
able for you.
The following sections inform you in detail
about how to adjust the settings.
Most settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile
settings on page18.
Adjusting air distribution manually
The air distribution can be
switched on and off manually. The
air is directed to the windshield, to
the upper body area and to the
footwell. Automatic air distribution adjustment
is deactivated.
You can switch the automatic air distribution
back on by pressing the AUTO button. This
automatically switches on the cooling function
as well.
Temperature
Set the desired temperatures indi-
vidually for the driver's and front
passenger's sides.
The automatic climate control
achieves this temperature as quickly as possi-
ble regardless of the season, using maximum
cooling or heating power if necessary, and then
maintains it.
When you switch between different tem-
perature settings in quick succession, the
automatic climate control does not have
enough time to achieve the set temperature.<
You can achieve maximum heating power with
the highest setting, regardless of the outside
temperature.
The lowest setting effects continuous cooling.
Maximum cooling
At outside temperatures above
327/06 and when the engine is
running, you obtain a maximum
cooling effect as soon as possible.
The automatic climate control goes into recir-
culated-air mode at the lowest temperature. Air
flows at maximum rate from the vents for the
upper body area. You should therefore open
them for maximum cooling.
AUTO program
The AUTO program adjusts the air
distribution to the windshield and
side windows, towards the upper
body area and into the footwell for you. The air
flow rate and your temperature specifications
will be adapted to outside influences as a result
of seasonal changes, e.g. sunlight or window
condensation.
The cooling is switched on automatically with
the AUTO program.
Adjusting air flow rate manually
Press the left side of the button to
reduce airflow. Press the right side
of the button to increase it.
You can reactivate the automatic mode for the
air flow rate with the AUTO button.
The air flow rate may be reduced or the blower
may be switched off entirely to save on battery
power. The display remains the same.
Switching the system on/off
With the blower at its lowest setting, press the
left side of the button to switch off the auto-
matic climate control. All displays are cleared
except for the rear window defroster if it is
switched on.
Press any button except REST or rear window
defroster to reactivate the automatic climate
control.

Climate
82
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC/Recirculated-air mode
Switch on the desired operating
mode by pressing this button
repeatedly:
>LED off: outside air flows in continuously.
>Left-hand LED on, AUC mode: a sensor
detects pollutants in the outside air. If nec-
essary, the system blocks the supply of out-
side air and recirculates the inside air. As
soon as the concentration of pollutants in
the outside air has decreased sufficiently,
the system automatically switches back to
outside air supply.
>Right-hand LED on, recirculated-air mode:
the supply of outside air is permanently
shut off. The system then recirculates the
air currently within the vehicle.
If condensation starts to form on the
inside window surfaces during operation
in the recirculated-air mode, you should switch
it off while also increasing the air flow rate as
required.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
continuously for lengthy periods, otherwise the
quality of the air inside the car will gradually
deteriorate.<
Via the button on the steering wheel
You can switch quickly between the recircu-
lated-air mode and the previous mode using a
button
on the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Residual heat
The heat stored in the engine is
used to heat the passenger com-
partment, e.g. while stopped at a
school to pick up a child.
The function can be switched on when the fol-
lowing conditions are met:
>Up to 15 minutes after the engine has been
switched off
>While the engine is at operating tempera-
ture
>As long as battery voltage is sufficient>At an outside temperature below 777/
256
The LED is lit when the function is on.
As of radio readiness, you can set the interior
temperature, the air flow rate and the air distri-
bution.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
Quickly removes ice and conden-
sation from the windshield and
front side windows.
Switch on the cooling function as well.
Switching cooling function on/off
The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air
before reheating it as required,
according to the temperature setting. This
function is only available while the engine is
running.
The cooling function helps prevent condensa-
tion on the windows or removes it quickly.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is automatically switched
on along with the AUTO program.
Rear window defroster
The defroster is switched off auto-
matically after a certain time.
Depending on your vehicle's
equipment, the upper wires serve as an antenna
and are not part of the rear window defroster.

Things to remember when driving
98
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. Please follow the instructions below
in order to achieve the optimal service life and
economy of operation for your vehicle.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do
not exceed an engine speed of 5,500 rpm or a
road speed of 105 mph/170 km/h.
Do not depress the accelerator all the way.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km to
3,000 miles/5,000 km
Engine and road speeds can be increased grad-
ually up to a traveling speed of 135 mph/
220 km/h. Use the maximum speed only for
brief intervals, e. g. when passing.
Transmission
The transmission begins functioning at an opti-
mal level only after a distance of approx.
300 miles/500 km. Do not exceed engine
speeds of 5,500 rpm during this period.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive cautiously during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
The same break-in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Clearance
Mind the limited clearance of the BMW
M3, e. g. when driving into underground
parking garages or over obstacles. If equipped
with EDC
*, select the "Sport" program, refer to
page68, when driving off curbs to keep clear-
ance as even as possible. Otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged.<
Close the luggage compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is closed. Other-
wise, exhaust fumes could enter the interior of
the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage
compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page81.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them.
When driving, standing at idle and while park-

Wheels and tires
112
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/160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph/190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph/210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph/240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph/270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph/300 km/h
Z = over 150 mph/240 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.< 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
235/40 R18100 V
245/35 ZR19
e.g.
Manufacturer's code
for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 4607