2008 BMW M3 SEDAN ignition

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
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Mobility
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.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the lower edge of the Control
Display explain the meaning of the displayed
indicator and warning lamps.
You can call up more information, e.g. on the
cause of a malfunction and on how to respond,
via Check Control, refer to page77.
In urgent cases, this information will be shown
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that
certain functions are active:
Parking lamps/low beams92
High beams/headlamp flasher94
Parking brake applied56
MDrive
*48
M Dynamic Mode
*82
Lamp flashes:
DSC is regulating the drive forces in
order to maintain driving stability82
Engine malfunction with adverse
effect on exhaust emissions213
Canada: engine malfunction with
adverse effect on exhaust
emissions213

Opening and closing
28
Opening and closing
Remote control
Each remote control contains a rechargeable
battery that is automatically recharged when it
is in the ignition lock while the car is being
driven. Use each remote control at least twice a
year for longer road trips in order to maintain the
batteries' charge status. In cars with convenient
access
*, the remote control contains a replace-
able battery, refer to page36.
The settings called up and implemented when
the car is unlocked depend on which remote
control is used to unlock the car, refer to Per-
sonal Profile below.
In addition, information about service require-
ments is stored in the remote control, refer to
Service data in the remote control, page212.
Integrated key
Press button1 to release the key.
The integrated key fits the following locks:
>Glove compartment, refer to page105
>Driver's door, refer to page31
>Luggage compartment lid, refer to page33
New remote controls
Your BMW center can supply new remote con-
trols with integrated keys as additional units or
as replacements in the event of loss.
Personal Profile
The concept
You can set many of your BMW's functions to
suit your personal needs and preferences.
Without any action on your part, Personal Pro-
file ensures that most of these settings are
stored for the remote control currently in use.
When you unlock the car, the remote control
used for the purpose is recognized and the set-
tings stored for it are called up and imple-
mented.
This means that your personal settings will be
activated for you, even if in the meantime your
car was used by someone else with another
remote control and the corresponding settings.
The individual settings are stored for a maxi-
mum of four remote controls. They are stored
for two remote controls if convenient access
* is
in use.
Personal Profile settings
For more information on specific settings, refer
to the specified pages.
>Assignment of programmable memory
keys, refer to page21
>Response of the central locking system
when the car is unlocked, refer to page29
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to
page32
>Automatic call-up of the driver's seat posi-
tion after unlocking, refer to page43
>Programming buttons on the steering
wheel, refer to page47
>MDrive
*, refer to page48

Opening and closing
34
Unlocking separately
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 2.
Emergency release
Pull the lever in the cargo bay. The luggage
compartment lid is unlocked.
Closing
The handle recesses on the interior trim of the
luggage compartment lid make it easier to pull
down.
Make sure that the closing path of the
luggage compartment lid is clear, other-
wise injuries may result.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the luggage com-
partment lid is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior
motion sensor, refer to page35
>When the car's inclination changes, for
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to
towing away
>When there is an interruption in the power
supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry
attempts for a short time by means of:
>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 page30.
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 page29.
>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.

Controls
35Reference
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Mobility
>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
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must
be completely closed
*.
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.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are switched off until
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Convenient access*
Convenient access enables you to enter your
vehicle without needing to hold the remote con-
trol in your hand. All you need to do is wear the
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Convenient access supports the following
functions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the luggage compartment lid
separately
>Starting the engine
>Convenient closure
Functional requirement
>The vehicle or the luggage compartment lid
can only be locked when the vehicle detects
that the remote control currently in use is
outside of the vehicle.
>The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked
again until after approx. 2 seconds.
>The engine can only be started when the
vehicle detects that the remote control cur-
rently in use is inside the vehicle.
Comparison to the standard remote
control
In general, there is no difference between using
convenient access or pressing the buttons on
the remote control to carry out the functions
mentioned above. You should therefore first
familiarize yourself with the instructions on
opening and closing starting on page28.
Special features regarding the use of conve-
nient access are described below.
If you notice a brief delay while opening or
closing windows or the glass roof, the
system is checking whether a remote control is
inside the vehicle. Please repeat the opening or
closing procedure, if necessary.<

Opening and closing
36
Unlocking
Grasp the handle on the driver's or front pas-
senger's door completely, arrow 1. This corre-
sponds to pressing the button.
Locking
Touch the surface, arrow 2, with your finger for
approx. 1 second. This corresponds to pressing
the button.
To preserve the battery, please make
sure that the ignition and all electrical
consumers are switched off before locking the
vehicle.<
Convenient closure
For convenient closure, keep your finger on the
surface, arrow 2.
Unlocking the luggage compartment
lid separately
Press the button on the outside of the luggage
compartment lid. This corresponds to pressing
the button.
If the vehicle detects that a remote con-
trol has been accidentally left inside the
locked vehicle's cargo bay after the luggage
compartment lid is closed, the lid will reopen.
The hazard warning flashers flash and an
acoustic signal
* sounds.<
Switching on radio readiness
Radio readiness is switched on by pressing the
start/stop button, refer to page54.
Do not depress the brake or the clutch,
otherwise the engine will start.<
Starting the engine
You can start the engine or switch on the igni-
tion when a remote control is inside the vehicle.
It is not necessary to insert a remote control into
the ignition switch, refer to page54.
Malfunction
Convenient access may malfunction due to
local radio waves. If this happens, open or close
the vehicle via the buttons on the remote con-
trol or using the integrated key. To start the
engine afterward, insert the remote control into
the ignition switch.
Warning lamps
The warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when you attempt to
start the engine: the engine cannot
be started. The remote control is not inside the
vehicle or is malfunctioning. Take the remote
control with you inside the vehicle or have it
checked. If necessary, insert another remote
control into the ignition switch.
The warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up while the engine is
running: the remote control is no
longer inside the vehicle. After the engine is
switched off, the engine can only be restarted
within approx. 10 seconds.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on and a message
appears on the Control Display:
replace the battery in the remote control.
Replacing the battery
The remote control for convenient access con-
tains a battery that will need to be replaced from
time to time.

Controls
37Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
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Navigation
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Mobility
1.Take the integrated key out of the remote
control, refer to page28.
2.Remove the cover.
3.Insert the new battery with the plus side fac-
ing up.
4.Press the cover on to close.
Take the old battery to a battery collec-
tion point or to your BMW center.<
Windows
To prevent injuries, watch the windows
while closing them.
Take the remote control with you when you
leave the car, otherwise children could operate
the electric windows and possibly injure them-
selves.<
Opening, closing
>Press the switch to the resistance point:
The window opens as long as you press the
switch.
>Press the switch beyond the resistance
point:
The window opens automatically. Press the
switch again to stop the opening move-
ment.You can close the windows in the same manner
by pulling the switch.
There are separate switches in the rear seat
armrests.
After switching off the ignition
When the remote control is removed or the igni-
tion is switched off, you can still operate the
windows for approx. 1 minute as long as no
door is opened.
Convenient operation
For information on convenient operation via the
remote control or the door lock, refer to page29
or31. For information on closing with conve-
nient access, refer to Locking on page30.
Pinch protection system
If the closing force exceeds a specific value as a
window closes, the closing action is interrupted
and the window reopens slightly.
Despite the pinch protection system
check and clear the window's travel path
prior to closing it, otherwise the safety system
might fail to detect certain kinds of obstruc-
tions, such as thin objects, and the window
would continue closing.
Do not install any accessories that might inter-
fere with window movement. Otherwise the
pinch protection system could be impaired.<
Closing without pinch protection
If there is an external danger, or if ice on the win-
dows, etc., prevents you from closing the win-
dows normally, proceed as follows:
1.Pull the switch past the resistance point and
hold it there. Pinch protection is limited and
the window reopens slightly if the closing
force exceeds a certain value.
2.Pull the switch again past the resistance
point within approx. 4 seconds and hold it
there. The window closes without pinch
protection.

Opening and closing
38
Safety switch
With the safety switch, you can prevent the rear
windows from being opened or closed via the
switches in the rear passenger area, by chil-
dren, for example. When the safety function is
switched on, the LED comes on.
Always press the safety switch when chil-
dren ride in the rear, otherwise
unchecked closing of the windows could lead to
injuries.<
Glass roof*, electric
To prevent injuries, watch the glass roof
while closing it.
Take the remote control with you when you
leave the car, otherwise children could operate
the roof and possibly injure themselves.<
Raising
Press the switch.
>The closed glass roof is raised and the slid-
ing visor opens slightly.
>The open glass roof automatically travels
into the raised position. The sliding visor
remains completely open.
Opening, closing
>Press the switch backwards to the resis-
tance point.
The glass roof and the sliding visor open
together as long as you hold the switch in
this position.
>Press the switch backwards past the resis-
tance point.
The glass roof and the sliding visor open
automatically. Briefly press the switch again
to stop the opening movement.
You can close the glass roof in a similar manner
by pressing the switch forwards. The sliding
visor remains open and can be closed by hand.
For information on convenient operation via the
remote control or door lock, refer to page29
or31.
After switching off the ignition
When the remote control is removed or the igni-
tion is switched off, you can still operate the roof
for approx. 1 minute as long as no door has
been opened.
Pinch protection system
If the glass roof encounters an obstruction dur-
ing closing from approximately the middle of
the opening in the roof, or during closing from
the raised position, the closing movement is
interrupted and the glass roof is opened again
slightly.
Despite the pinch protection system
check and clear the roof's travel path prior
to closing it, otherwise the safety system might
fail to detect certain kinds of obstructions, such
as very thin objects, and the roof would con-
tinue closing.<
Closing without pinch protection
If there is an external danger, press the switch
forward past the resistance point. The roof
closes without pinch protection.