2008 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE warning

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

Notes
6 to the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere
with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty. See your
BMW center for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash
your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water.<
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following only applies to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone 1-800-831-
1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Adminis-
trator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from http://www.safercar.gov

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer59
5Shift Lights
*52
6Engine oil temperature60
7Display for
>Clock59
>Outside temperature59
>Indicator and warning lamps65
>With dual clutch transmission:
Computer608Display for
>Gear display M dual clutch transmission
with Drivelogic
*49
>With manual transmission:
Computer60
>Date of next scheduled service, and
remaining distance to be driven63
>Odometer and trip odometer59
>Checking oil level117
>Settings and information61
> There is a Check Control
message65
9Fuel gauge60
10Resetting the trip odometer59

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
13
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a
variety of combinations and colors.
Some lamps are checked for proper functioning
and thus come on briefly when the engine is
started or the ignition is switched on.
What to do in case of a malfunction
A list of all indicator and warning lamps, as well
as notes on possible causes of malfunctions
and on how to respond, can be found starting
on page140.

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-

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
21
The luggage compartment lid swings
backwards and up when opened. Ensure
that there is sufficient clearance. To avoid lock-
ing yourself out by accident, do not place the
remote control in the cargo bay. A previously
locked luggage compartment lid is locked again
after closing.
Before and after each trip, check that the lug-
gage compartment lid has not been inadvert-
ently unlocked.<
Convertible: convenient loading*
Within a range of approx. 13ft/4m from the vehi-
cle you can use the remote control to half close
the retractable hardtop when it is open to ease
loading of the cargo bay.
1.Briefly press the button and, within one
second, press again and hold until the
retractable hardtop stops in an intermediate
position. The luggage compartment lid
opens slightly.
2.Open the luggage compartment lid, press
the cargo bay partition upward and stow the
cargo in the cargo bay.
3.Press down the cargo bay partition until it
engages on both sides and close the lug-
gage compartment lid.
4.Press the button for a longer period to
fold the retractable hardtop back in.
Setting confirmation signals
You can activate or deactivate the confirmation
signals.
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-bol appears in the display accompanied by
the word "SET".
3.Press button 2.
4.Lightly push button1 in the turn indicator
lever down repeatedly until the desired
symbol appears in the display.
> Confirmation signal during unlocking
> Confirmation signal during locking
5.Press button 2.
6.Use button 1 to select:
>
The hazard warning flashers light up
during unlocking/locking.
>
An acoustic signal
* sounds during
unlocking/locking.
>
The hazard warning flashers light up and
an acoustic signal
* sounds during
unlocking/locking.
>
The function is deactivated.
7.Press button 2.
The setting is stored.

Opening and closing
26 >An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the luggage compartment lid
using the button of the remote control even
if the alarm system is armed, refer to page20.
The lid is locked and monitored again as soon
as it is closed.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page19.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood or luggage compartment lid are
not properly closed. Even if you do not close
the alerted area, the system begins to mon-
itor the remaining areas, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after approx. 10 seconds. The interior motion sensor and
the tilt alarm sensor are not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted in the
ignition, but for no longer than approx.
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
Coupe
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must
be completely closed
*.
Convertible
The interior of the car is monitored up to the
height of the seat cushions. Thus the alarm sys-
tem is activated together with the interior
motion sensor even if the hardtop is open. The
alarm can be triggered unintentionally by falling
objects such as leaves, refer to Avoiding unin-
tentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains,
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote control
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.