2008 BMW M3 SEDAN warning

Notes
6 to the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere
with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty. See your
BMW center for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash
your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water.<
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following only applies to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone 1-800-831-
1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Adminis-
trator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from http://www.safercar.gov

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer67
5Shift Lights
*61
6Engine oil temperature68
7Display for
>Clock67
>Outside temperature67
>Indicator and warning lamps77
>With dual clutch transmission:
Computer688Display for
>Gear display M dual clutch transmission
with Drivelogic
*57
>With manual transmission:
Computer68
>Date of next scheduled service, and
remaining distance to be driven72
>Odometer and trip odometer67
>Checking oil level219
>Settings and information71
> There is a Check Control
message77
9Fuel gauge68
10Resetting the trip odometer67

At a glance
13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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

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

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.

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.

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
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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
page35.
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
page35.
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 page54.
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.