2008 BMW M3 language

At a glance
23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Voice command system
The concept
The voice command system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary to use the controller.
The voice command system transforms your
oral commands into control signals for the
selected systems and provides support in the
form of instructions or questions.
The voice command system uses a special
microphone located in the area of the interior
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, select the language in which the
voice command system is operating, so that the
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting
the language for iDrive, refer to page79.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the button on the steering wheel. This symbol on the Control Display and
an acoustic signal indicate that the voice
command system is ready to receive spo-
ken commands.
2.Say the command.
The command appears on the Control Dis-
play.
This symbol appears on the Control Display
when you can enter additional commands.
If no further commands are possible, continue
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice
command system
Press the button on the steering wheel
or
Commands
Having the possible commands read
aloud
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands related to the selected menu
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for
word.
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice
command system.
{Cancel}

At a glance
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5.Press the button on the steering wheel.
Notes
For information on voice control of the
telephone, refer also to the separate
Owner's Manual.<
For voice commands, bear in mind the follow-
ing:
>Pronounce the commands and digits
smoothly and at normal volume, avoiding
excessive emphases and pauses. The same
applies to spelling when entering a destina-
tion for navigation.
>Always speak the commands in the lan-
guage of the voice command system.
>When selecting a radio station, use the
standard pronunciation of the station name.
>For entries in the voice-activated phone
book, only use names in the language of the
voice command system and no abbrevia-
tions.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass roof
closed to prevent interference from outside
noise.
>Avoid ambient noise in the vehicle while
speaking.6.Select a track, e.g.:
{Track 1}
The system says:
{{Track 1}}

Controls
29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Calling up the preferred program of the M
Engine Dynamics Control POWER and
Electronic Damper Control EDC
* when
starting the vehicle, refer to Key-dependent
settings on page49
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page63
>Settings for the displays on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to
page76
>Date format, refer to page76
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer
to page80
>Language on the Control Display, refer
to page79
>Units of measure for fuel consumption,
distance covered/remaining distances,
and temperature, refer to page71
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page81
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page92
>Pathway lighting, refer to page93
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page93
>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 page97 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page153
>Tone control, refer to page153
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer
to page153
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
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 doors
The 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
page34.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer
to page32.
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.<
Unlocking
Press the button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the
welcome lamps come on.

Controls
71Reference
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Mobility
Settings and information
Operating principle
1Button for:
>Selecting display
>Setting values
2Button for:
>Confirming selected display or set val-
ues
>Calling up computer information683When the lights are on: instrument lighting
brightness94
4Calling up Check Control77
5Setting the time74
6Setting the date76
7Viewing service requirement display72
8Switching Shift Lights
* on/off61
Exiting displays
The outside-temperature reading and the time
reappear when you press button2 or if you
make no entries within approx. 15 seconds. If
required, complete the current setting first.
Units of measure
You can set units of measure.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.4.Select "Language / Units" and press the
controller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "Units" is selected and press the con-
troller.

Controls
79Reference
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receive warnings if you exceed a speed limit in
an urban area.
After the warning, you are only alerted to reach-
ing this speed a second time if your vehicle
speed falls below it again by at least 3 mph or
5km/h.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Call up "Navigation".
3.Select "Car Data" and press the controller.
4.Select "Limit" and press the controller.
Setting or changing the limit
1.Select speed value and press the controller.
2.Turn the controller to set the limit.
3.Press the controller to apply the setting.
Applying your current speed as limit
Select "Select current speed" and press the
controller. The system adopts your current
speed as the limit.
Activating the limit
Select "On" and press the controller.
Limit is activated.
Stopwatch
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Call up "Navigation".
3.Select "Car Data" and press the controller.4.Select "Stopwatch" and press the control-
ler.
Starting, stopping or resetting
>Select "Start" and press the controller.
The stopwatch starts at the displayed time.
>Select "Reset" and press the controller.
The stopwatch is reset and restarts if it was
running beforehand.
>Select "Stop" and press the controller.
This stops the timer.
Taking an interim time reading
Select "Interim time" and press the controller.
The interim time appears below the ongoing
primary stopwatch count.
All of the remaining functions remain
available at all times while the stopwatch
is running. The stopwatch continues operation
in the background.<
Altering settings
Language on the Control Display
The language of the Control Display can be set.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller

Everything under control
80 until "Language" is selected and press the
controller.
5.Select "Text language" and press the con-
troller. You can switch to another language
for the display texts and navigation mes-
sages.
6.Select and activate the desired language by
pressing the controller.
Brightness of the Control Display
The brightness is automatically adapted to the
ambient lighting conditions. Note, however,
that you can change the basic setting while the
low beams are switched on. The setting is
stored for the remote control currently in use.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "Brightness" is selected and press the
controller.
5.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached.

Practical interior accessories
104
Digital compass*
1Adjustment button
2Display
The display shows you the main or secondary
compass direction in which you are driving.
Operating principle
You can call up various functions by pressing
the adjustment button with a pointed object such as a pen or similar item. The following
adjustment options are displayed one after the
other, depending on how long you keep the
adjustment button pressed:
>Press briefly: switch display on/off
>3 to 6 seconds: set the compass zone
>6 to 9 seconds: calibrate the compass
>9 to 12 seconds: set left-hand/right-hand
steering
>12 to 15 seconds: set the language
Setting compass zones
Set the compass zone corresponding to your
vehicle's geographic location so that the com-
pass can function correctly; refer to the world
map with compass zones.
To set the compass zone, press the adjustment
button for approx. 3-4 seconds. The number of
the compass zone set is shown in the display.
To change the zone setting, briefly press the
adjustment button repeatedly until the display
shows the number of the compass zone corre-
sponding to your current location.The compass is operational again after approx.
10 seconds.
Calibrating the digital compass
The digital compass must be calibrated in the
following situations:
>An incorrect compass direction is shown.

Controls
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>The compass direction shown does not
change although the direction of travel
does.
>Not all compass directions are shown.
Procedure
1.Make sure that no large metal objects or
overhead power lines are in the vicinity of
your vehicle and that you have enough
space to drive in a circle.
2.Set the currently valid compass zone.
3.Press the adjustment button for approx.
6-7 seconds to call up C. Then drive in at
least one full circle at a speed of no more
than 4 mph or 7 km/h.
If calibration is successful, the display
changes from C to a compass direction.
Setting right-hand/left-hand steering
Your digital compass is factory-set to right-
hand or left-hand steering, in accordance with
your vehicle.
Setting the language
You can set the language of the display:
Press the adjustment button for approx.
12-13 seconds. Briefly press the adjustment
button again to switch between English, "E",
and German, "O".
The setting is automatically saved after approx.
10 seconds.
Roller sun blinds*
Rear window blind
Tap the button in the center console to raise or
lower the roller sun blind.
Roller sun blinds for rear side windows
Pull loop of roller sun blind and hook onto
bracket.
Do not open the window when the roller
sun blind has been pulled up, otherwise
there is a risk of damage at high speeds that
may result in personal injury.<
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle.
The light in the glove compartment comes on.
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-
dent while the vehicle is being driven,
close the glove compartment immediately after
use.<
Closing
Fold cover up.