2008 BMW M3 COUPE Owner's Manual

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
39
To switch off:
Press button longer.
If you continue driving within approx.
15 minutes, the seat heating is automatically
activated at the previously set temperature.
The temperature is lowered or the heating is
switched off entirely to save on battery power.
The LEDs stay lit.
Seat and mirror memory
You can store and call up two different combi-
nations of driver's-seat and exterior-mirror
positions.
Settings for the backrest width and lumbar sup-
port are not stored in memory.
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or the ignition,
refer to page46.
2.Adjust the seat and exterior mirrors to the
desired positions.
3.Press the button.
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button 1 or 2: the
LED goes out.
The driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions are stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Call-up
Do not call up memory while you are driv-
ing, otherwise unexpected seat move-
ment could result in an accident.<
Convenience mode
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or switch
on radio readiness, refer to page46.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1
or 2.
The adjusting procedure is halted immediately
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or
one of the memory buttons.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off, refer to page46.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2
and keep it pressed until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed accidentally:
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Call-up with the remote control
The driver's seat position last stored is stored
for the remote control currently in use.
You can select the occasion on which the seat is
reset to that position.
>Call-up when the vehicle is unlocked.
>Call-up when the driver's door is opened.
When this Personal Profile function is
used, first make sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is free of obstacles.
Failure to do so could cause injury to persons or
damage to objects as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
The adjusting procedure is halted immediately
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or
one of the memory buttons.
Activating/deactivating automatic call-
up
For operating principle refer to page61.
1.Lightly push button1 in the turn indicator
lever up or down repeatedly until the sym-

Adjustments
40 bol appears in the display accompanied by
the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Lightly push button1 in the turn indicator
lever down repeatedly until the symbol
appears in the display.
4.Press button 2.
5.Use button 1 to select:
>
Call-up when the vehicle is unlocked.
>
Call-up when the driver's door is
opened.
>
Switch off automatic function.
6.Press button 2.
The setting is stored.
Safety belts
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page35 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the safety belt as an additional safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Closing
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page35.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
'Fasten safety belts' reminder for front
seats
The indicator lamps come on and an
acoustic signal sounds. Check
whether the safety belt has been fas-
tened correctly.
The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is issued as
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-
tened. The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is also
activated at road speeds above approx. 5 mph
or 8 km/h if the front passenger's safety belt is
not fastened, if objects are placed on the front
passenger seat, or if driver or front passenger
unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or
stressed in an accident: have the belt sys-
tem, including any belt tensioners or child-
restraint systems, replaced and the belt
anchors checked. Have this work done only by
your BMW center or at a workshop that works

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41
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise, it is
not guaranteed that the safety devices will func-
tion properly.<
Coupe: belt hand-over
The concept
The belt hand-over makes it easier for you to
fasten your safety belt. When you close the
door and switch on radio readiness or the igni-
tion, the belt hand-over extends automatically
and presents the safety belt in a position that is
convenient for fastening it around you. After
you have fastened your safety belt, the belt
hand-over retracts to its original position.
Even if you have not yet fastened your safety
belt, the belt hand-over will retract if you:
>Wait for more than approx. one minute
>Open the corresponding door
>Start to drive.
Closing the respective door reactivates the belt
hand-over if the ignition or radio-readiness is
on.
Front passenger's seat
The belt hand-over will extend only if the seat is
occupied and after the front passenger's door is
closed.
Pinch protection system
If the belt hand-over encounters resistance on
moving in or out, it moves back slightly in the
opposite direction and stops in this position. To
reactivate the belt hand-over: open and close
the door or switch the ignition off and on.Although there is a pinch protection sys-
tem, always check that the maneuvering
area of the belt hand-over is clear. Otherwise it
cannot be ensured that the system will stop
moving in certain extreme situations.<
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The front passenger's mirror is more con-
vex than the driver's mirror. The objects
seen in the mirror are closer than they appear.
Do not gauge your distance from traffic behind
you on the basis of what you see in the mirror;
otherwise there is an increased risk of an acci-
dent.<
1Adjustments
2Switching to the other mirror or automatic
curb monitor
*
3Folding mirrors in and out*
The setting for the exterior mirrors is stored for
the remote control currently in use. The stored
position is called up automatically when the
vehicle is unlocked.
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
press the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
At driving speeds up to approx. 12 mph/
20 km/h, you can fold the mirrors in and out by
pressing button3. This can be beneficial in nar-
row streets, for example, or for moving mirrors
that were folded in by hand back out into their
correct positions. Mirrors that were folded in are

Adjustments
42 folded out automatically at a speed of approx.
25 mph/40 km/h.
Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors by hand or with
button3, to prevent them from being damaged
due to the width of the vehicle.<
Automatic heating
Depending on the outside temperature, both
exterior mirrors are heated automatically when
the engine is running or the ignition is switched
on.
Passenger-side mirror tilt function –
automatic curb monitor*
Activating
1.Push the switch to the position for the
driver's-side mirror, arrow 1.
2.Engage reverse gear or transmission posi-
tion R.
The glass of the mirror on the passenger
side tilts slightly down. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adjacent
to the vehicle, e.g. a curb, when backing into
a parking space.
Deactivating
Push the switch to the position for the passen-
ger-side mirror, arrow 2.
Interior and exterior mirrors*,
automatic dimming feature
The automatic dimming feature of the interior
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo
cells in the interior rearview mirror. One photo
cell is in the mirror frame, see arrow; the other is
on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions
correctly, keep the photo cells clean, do not
cover the area between the interior rearview
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield
directly in front of the mirror.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position
while the car is in motion, otherwise there
i s a ri s k o f a c c id e n t d u e t o a n u n ex p e c t ed m o v e -
ment.<
1.Fold the lever down.
2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred
height and angle to suit your seated posi-
tion.
3.Swing the lever back up.

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43
Do not use force to swing the lever
back up, otherwise the mechanism
will be damaged.<

Transporting children safely
44
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening
the doors, for example.<
Children always in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Children under the age of 13 or smaller
than 5 ft/150 cm may be transported only
in the rear in suitable child-restraint systems
appropriate for their age, weight and size. Oth-
erwise there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child-restraint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger must be deactivated. Otherwise, a child
traveling on that seat will face a significant risk
of injury if the airbags are triggered off, even
with a child-restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags refer to page73.
Installing child-restraint
systems
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using child-restraint systems.
Otherwise the protective effect may be dimin-
ished.<
Standard child-restraint systems are designed
to be secured with a lap belt or with the lap-belt
section of a lap-and-shoulder belt. Incorrectly or improperly installed child-restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to children.
Always follow the installation instructions for
the system with the greatest care.
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated, otherwise there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the front passen-
ger's seat must be at its widest possible
setting. Do not change the setting after install-
ing the child seat. Otherwise the child seat's
stability on the front passenger's seat is lim-
ited.<
1.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page37.
2.Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger's
safety belt can be prevented from being pulled
out in order to fasten child-restraint systems.
To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child-restraint system with the
belt.
2.Pull the belt strap all the way out.

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45
3.Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut
against the child-restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To unlock the safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child-restraint system.
3.Allow the safety belt strap to retract all the
way.
LATCH child-restraint fixing
system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
To install and use the LATCH child
restraint system, follow the operating and
safety instructions provided by the manufac-
turer of the system, otherwise the protective
function of the seat may be compromised.<
Before installing the child seat, pull the belt out
of the area for the child-restraint fixing system.
Ensure that both lower LATCH anchors
are correctly engaged and that the child
restraint system is resting firmly against the
backrest, otherwise the protective function of
the seat may be compromised.<
The anchor points for the lower LATCH
anchors are located behind the labeled protec-
tive caps.
Coupe: child-restraint system with
tether strap
Use the top tether anchors to secure
child-restraint systems only, otherwise
the anchors could be damaged. there are two additional anchors, see arrows.
Coupe: placement of the tether strap
Make sure the upper retaining strap does
not run over sharp edges and is not
twisted as it passes to the top anchor. Other-
wise the strap will not properly secure the child-
restraint system in the event of an accident.<
1Direction of travel
2Head restraint
3Hook for upper retaining strap
4Anchor
5Rear window shelf
6Seat backrest
7Upper retaining strap of child-restraint sys-
tem
1.Push the head restraint upward.
2.Guide the upper retaining strap between
the head restraint holders.
3.Use the hook to clip the retaining strap to
the anchor.
4.Push the head restraint into its lowermost
position.
5.Pull the retaining strap taut.

Driving
46
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the
ignition lock
Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
>Radio readiness is switched on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Convenient access*
If the car is equipped with convenient access,
only insert the remote control into the ignition
lock under special circumstances, refer to
page27.
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out
of the ignition lock as this may cause
damage.<
Before removing the remote control, push it all
the way in to release the locking mechanism.
>The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Start/stop button
Pressing the start/stop button switches radio
readiness or the ignition on or off.
Manual transmission: when you press the
start/stop button while the clutch is
depressed, the engine starts.
M dual clutch transmission: when you press the
start/stop button while the brake is depressed,
the engine starts.<
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>When the remote control is removed from
the ignition lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, by touch-
ing the surface above the door lock, refer to
Locking on page27
Ignition on
All electrical consumers can operate. The
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
When the engine is off, please switch off
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-
cal consumers in order to preserve the bat-
tery.<