2008 BMW M3 COUPE ignition

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
47
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, otherwise such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
place the transmission in neutral and forcefully
apply the parking brake to prevent the car from
moving.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeated start attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter.<
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page27.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch and shift to neutral.
3.Press the start/stop button.The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
To stop the starting procedure: press the start/
stop button again.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page27.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Press the start/stop button.
The engine starts with the selector level in any
position. Driving off: with the engine running,
move the selector level from the middle position
Β in the desired direction.
Every time you start the engine, sequential
mode is activated in program S3 if you lightly
press the selector lever to the right to position
D/S with the brake pedal depressed.
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you
when you leave the vehicle.
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully, otherwise the vehicle could begin to roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Forcefully apply the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page46.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
1.Press the start/stop button.
If N is engaged when you switch off the
engine, you are notified visually and acous-
tically.
2.Forcefully apply the parking brake.

Driving
48 3.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page46. This automati-
cally engages transmission position P.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when you perform the
following steps:
1.Insert the remote control, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Engage transmission position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Transmission position P is engaged:
>Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>When you remove the remote control from
the ignition lock
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off an acoustic signal sounds in
addition. The parking brake is still
applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake
lever.
Otherwise, excessive force on the parking
brake can lock up the rear wheels and cause the
rear of the car to swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the parking
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-
ing brake is applied.<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<

Driving
50 >Β: middle position
>N: neutral
>+: shift up manually
>–: shift down manually
>D/S: change between drive mode and
sequential mode
The selector lever locks in position R. In other
transmission positions, it stays in the middle
position; the gear positions are engaged by
pressing lightly in the desired direction.
The gear position currently engaged is indi-
cated by LEDs in the selector lever.
Shiftlock
When the vehicle is stationary, press the brake
pedal before shifting out of N, otherwise the
desired gear will not be engaged.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
If the driving situation demands, e.g. when
downshifting on a slippery road, the M dual
clutch transmission automatically disengages
and engages the clutch, i.e. it is not necessary
to manually engage the neutral position.
N engages when you open the driver's
door while the engine is running, your
safety belt is not fastened and you activate nei-
ther the brake pedal nor the accelerator. To
drive off after closing the driver's door and fas-
tening your safety belt, move the selector lever
to position N first and then to the desired drive
position.<
N remains engaged even after the engine
is switched off if you leave the remote
control in the ignition lock. Use this function in
an automatic car wash, for example, refer to
page48.<
S sequential mode
Shift up or down using the shift paddles or the
selector lever. You do not need to lift your foot
off the accelerator when doing so.Shift from sequential mode to drive mode:
Press the selector lever to the right in the D/S
direction.
Shift back to sequential mode: shift using the
shift paddles or the selector lever, or press the
selector level to the right in the D/S direction
again.
On a level road, you can drive off in second gear,
e.g. on slippery roads.
The M dual clutch transmission assists you in
the following situations:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
>When the vehicle stops, the transmission
automatically shifts down to first gear.
>Shortly before the vehicle slows down to
below the minimum speed of the gear cur-
rently engaged, the transmission automati-
cally shifts down without requiring your
intervention.
Rapid downshifting: in sequential mode, you
can skip several gears to achieve optimal accel-
eration. To do so, press the accelerator past the
resistance point and pull the left shift paddle
once or press the selector lever forward once.
D drive mode
In drive mode, all forward gears are shifted auto-
matically.
Shift from drive mode to sequential mode: shift
using the shift paddles or the selector lever, or
press the selector level to the right in the D/S
direction.
Shift back to drive mode: press the selector
lever to the right in the D/S direction again.
Kick-down: to accelerate rapidly, e.g. when
passing, press the accelerator down past the
resistance point. This provides maximum accel-
eration.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
51
P Park
P engages automatically when you switch
off the engine unless N is engaged and
the remote control remains in the ignition lock,
refer to page46. As soon as you remove the
remote control from the ignition lock, P
engages regardless of the position of the selec-
tor lever.<
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Engaged gear 1 to 7, R, N, P
2Selected drive program,
corresponds to the number of illuminated
fields, refer to Drivelogic, page52
3The gear currently engaged is displayed
together with a D in drive mode
At very low outside temperatures, this display
may not be functional. The engaged driving
direction is indicated by the LEDs on the selec-
tor lever.
Changing gears
Via the selector lever
>To shift up, pull back the selector lever.
>To shift down, push it forward.
Via the shift paddles on the steering
wheel
>To shift up, pull the right-hand shift paddle
+ briefly.
>To shift down, pull the left-hand shift paddle
– briefly.
Unlocking the transmission lock
manually
If a power failure occurs, e.g. if the battery
is discharged or disconnected, the trans-
mission lock must be released manually, other-
wise the rear wheels are blocked and the vehi-
cle cannot be towed.<
Release the transmission lock manually for tow-
ing only and forcefully apply the parking brake
beforehand to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
After parking the vehicle, lock the transmission
lock again.
Releasing
1.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.
3.Push the black cover forward using the
screwdriver from the onboard tool kit, refer
to page127.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
53
1.As the vehicle approaches its maximum
engine speed, the yellow LEDs1 light up
consecutively to indicate the impending
shift point.
2.At the latest, shift when the red LEDs2 light
up.
The LEDs flash when the maximum allowable
engine speed is reached. When the maximum
engine speed is exceeded, the fuel supply is cut
off to protect the engine. Avoid engine speeds
in this range at all costs.
Switching the Shift Lights on/off
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.Use button 1 to select:
>
Shift Lights activated.
>
Shift Lights deactivated.
5.Press button 2.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Brightness of Shift Lights
The brightness of the Shift Lights can be set
using the brightness level of the instrument
cluster, refer to Instrument lighting on page78.
Launch Control
Launch Control enables you to drive off with an
optimal vehicle acceleration on a high grip road
surface.
Do not use Launch Control too often, as
the higher loads on the vehicle lead to
premature component wear.<
Launch Control is available when the engine is
at operating temperature, i.e. after driving con-
tinuously for at least 6 miles/10 km.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
55
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal indicator
has failed.<
Indicating a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
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 symbol
appears in the display.
5.Press button 2.
6.Use button 1 to select:
>
Turn signals flash once.
>
Triple turn signal.
7.Press button 2.
The setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
57
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are heated
automatically while the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on.
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable.
Therefore, keep it away from ignition
sources and only store it in the closed original
container that is kept out of reach of children,
otherwise there is a risk of personal injury.
Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainer.<
Washer fluid filler neck
Only refill washer fluid when the engine is
cool to avoid contact with hot engine
parts. Otherwise, fluid spills constitute a fire
hazard and a risk to personal safety.<
All washer nozzles are supplied with washer
fluid by the same reservoir.
Fill with water and, if required, with a washer
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling
the washer fluid reservoir to make sure
the correct concentration is maintained.<
Capacity
Approx. 4.8USquarts/4.5liters.
Cruise control
The concept
Cruise control is available for use at speeds of
approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h. The car then stores
and maintains the speed that you specify using
the lever on the steering column.
Do not use cruise control when driving at
constant speed is prevented by adverse
conditions, e.g. winding roads, dense traffic or
poor road conditions due to, e.g., snow, rain, ice
or loose surfaces. Otherwise you could lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result.<
One lever for all functions
1Storing and maintaining speed or accelerat-
ing
2Storing and maintaining speed or deceler-
ating
3Deactivating cruise control
4Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Maintaining current speed
Tap the lever, arrow 1, or pull it briefly, arrow 2.
The car's current speed is stored and main-
tained. It is displayed on the speedometer and
briefly in the instrument cluster. This function is
not available when DSC is switched off.
On uphill gradients, it may prove impossible to
maintain the set speed if current engine power
output is insufficient. If engine braking power is
insufficient on a downhill grade, the stored
speed may be exceeded.

Driving
58
Increasing desired speed
Repeatedly press the lever to the resistance
point or beyond, arrow1, until the desired
speed is reached.
>Each time the lever is pressed lightly to the
resistance point, the desired speed is
increased by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
>Each time the lever is pressed beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is
increased by up to 5 mph or 10 km/h.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Accelerating using the lever
Accelerate slightly, increase speed steadily:
Press the lever to the resistance point, arrow 1,
until the desired speed is reached.
Accelerate strongly, increase speed in intervals
of 10:
Press the lever beyond the resistance point,
arrow 1, until the desired speed is reached.
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system stores and
maintains the speed.
Decreasing speed
Repeatedly pull the lever to the resistance point
or beyond, arrow 2, until the desired speed is
displayed.
>Each time the lever is pulled to the resis-
tance point, the desired speed is decreased
by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
>Each time the lever is pulled beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is
reduced by up to 5 mph or 10 km/h until the
minimum speed of 20 mph or 30 km/h is
achieved.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Deactivating cruise control
Tap the lever upwards or downwards, arrow3.
The displays on the speedometer disappear.
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-
vated:
>When you brake the vehicle>When you shift or depress the clutch
>When you deactivate DSC
>When DSC or ABS is intervening
Cruise control is not deactivated by depressing
the accelerator pedal. Once the accelerator
pedal is released, the stored speed is achieved
again and maintained.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press the button, arrow4.
The stored speed is resumed and maintained.
When the ignition is switched off, the stored
speed value is cleared and can no longer be
called up.
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored speed
2Selected speed is displayed briefly