2008 BMW M3 radio controls

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page246.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
23Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
40Adjustments
51Transporting children safely
54Driving
67Everything under control
81Technology for driving comfort and
safety
92Lamps
96Climate
102Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
114Things to remember when driving
119BMW M3 engineering
Navigation
124Starting the navigation system
126Destination entry
139Destination guidance
148What to do if …
Entertainment
152On/off and settings
156Radio
162Satellite radio
165CD player and CD changer
171AUX-In port
172USB-audio interface
Communications
178Telephoning
193BMW Assist
Mobility
204Refueling
206Wheels and tires
212Maintenance
214Care
218Under the hood
223Replacing components
230Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
238Technical data
242Short commands for the voice command
system
246Everything from A - Z

5Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The individual vehicle
When you ordered your BMW, you chose vari-
ous items of equipment. This Owner's Manual
describes the entire array of options and equip-
ment available with a specific BMW model.
Please bear in mind that the manual may con-
tain information on accessories and equipment
that you have not specified for your own vehicle.
Sections describing options and special equip-
ment are marked by asterisks
* to assist you in
identifying possible differences between the
descriptions in this manual and your own vehi-
cle's equipment.
If equipment in your BMW is not described in
this Owner's Manual, please refer to the accom-
panying Supplementary Owner's Manuals.
Editorial notice
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, ongoing
development that is conceived to ensure that
our vehicles continue to embody the highest
quality and safety standards combined with
advanced, state-of-the-art technology. For this
reason, it is possible in exceptional cases that
features described in this Owner's Manual
could differ from those on your vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of
modern materials and powerful electron-
ics, requires specially adapted maintenance
and repair methods. You should therefore have
the corresponding work on your vehicle per-
formed only by your BMW center or at a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair pro-
cedures with correspondingly trained
personnel. If this work is not carried out prop-
erly, there is a danger of subsequent damage
and related safety hazards.<
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested and
approved by BMW and Original BMW Parts, you
simultaneously acquire the assurance that they
have been thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed on your
vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for damage
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made by other
manufacturers to verify if it can be used on a
BMW safely and without risk to either the vehi-
cle, its operation, or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and
other products approved by BMW, together
with professional advice on using these items,
are available from all BMW centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms, radios,
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension
components, brake dust shields, telephones,
including operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radio or sim-
ilar accessories, may cause extensive damage

At a glance
11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7Instrument cluster12
10Ignition lock54
11Buttons on the steering wheel12Horn: the entire surface
13Adjusting the steering wheel46
15Releasing the hood218
16Opening the luggage compartment lid33 6
Turn signals63
High beams, headlamp flasher94
Roadside parking lamps
*94
Computer68
Settings and information about the
vehicle71
Instrument lighting94
8
Windshield wipers64
Rain sensor
*64
9Switching the ignition on/off and
starting/stopping the engine54
Telephone
*:
>Press: accepting and ending a
call, starting dialing
* selected
phone numbers. Redialing if
no phone number is selected
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice com-
mand system
*23
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and
lists with stored phone numbers
MDrive*, calling up individual
settings47
Individually programmable
*47
Individually programmable47
14
Cruise control65

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice command system*
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request
call
*230
3Reading lamps95
4Glass roof, electric
*38
5Interior lamps95
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*90
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Flat Tire Monitor FTM
*84
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
*86
10Central locking system32
11Automatic climate control
12Ejecting audio CD15213Changing
>Radio station156
>Track166
14Selecting radio, CD and CD changer
15Selecting AM or FM waveband
16Ejecting navigation DVD124
18Controller16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved horizon-
tally in four directions
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Dynamic Stability Control DSC82
21Electronic Damper Control EDC
*84
22M Engine Dynamics Control POWER63
23Drive for navigation DVD124
24Programmable memory keys21
25Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume152
26Drive for audio CD152 Air distribution to the
windshield97
Air distribution to the upper body
area97
Air distribution to the footwell97
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate98
Cooling function99
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC98
Recirculated-air mode98
Maximum cooling98
Residual heat mode99
Air flow rate98
Defrosting windows99
Rear window defroster99
17
Heated seats*43
Roller sun blind
*105

At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the
average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In port, USB-audio interface* for
external audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>M settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central
locking system
>Display of service requirements and dates
for statutory inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
As of radio readiness, the following message
appears on the Control Display:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
The start menu is displayed.
The message is automatically hidden after
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
All iDrive functions can be called up via five
menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.

At a glance
21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window on/off
1.Move the controller to the right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Assist. window off" and press the
controller.
To turn back on, switch to the assistance win-
dow and press the controller.
Switching Control Display
off/on
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
Press the controller to switch on.
Programmable memory keys
Using the programmable memory keys, you can
store and execute certain iDrive functions:
>Navigation
* destinations>Entertainment:
>Radio stations
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
>AUX
>Telephone: phone numbers
The assignment of the programmable memory
keys is stored for the remote control currently in
use.
Storing functions
Navigation* destinations
1.Select the navigation destination, e.g. in the
destination list or address book.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
Special features:
>If destination guidance and the map view
have been started, the current destination is
stored.
>If the destination is entered via map, the
coordinates in the cross-hairs are stored,
not the current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select the num-
ber from a list of stored phone numbers, e.g.
the A-Z list.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
If the phone number is associated with a name,
the name is also stored.
Entertainment
The item stored in the Entertainment menu is
the source that is playing at the time of storage,
e.g. a radio station, irrespective of what was
selected on the Control Display.
1.Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.

At a glance
25Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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
31Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
gage compartment lid has not been inadvert-
ently unlocked.<
Setting confirmation signals
You can activate or deactivate the confirmation
signals.
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 "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "Door locks" is selected and press the
controller.
6.Select "Confirmation" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select the desired signal
*.
8.Press the controller.
The signal is activated.
Malfunctions
The remote control may malfunction due to
local radio waves. If this occurs, unlock and lock
the car at the door lock with the integrated key.
If the car can no longer be locked with a remote
control, the battery in the remote control is dis-
charged. Use the remote control on an
extended trip to recharge the battery, refer to
page28. The remote control for convenient
access
* contains a battery that may have to be
changed, refer to page36.
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply with
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-
erned by the following:
FCC ID:
LX8766S
LX8766E
LX8CAS
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
>This device must not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could void the
user's authority to operate this equipment.<
Opening and closing:
Using the door lock
You can set the way in which the car is
unlocked, refer to page29.
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if
persons are inside the vehicle because it
cannot be unlocked from the inside without
special knowledge.<
Convenient operation
You can operate the windows and the glass
roof
* via the door lock.