2008 BMW Z4 3.0I COUPE ignition

Adjustments
34
Damaged safety belts
When the belt system has absorbed an
accident or has been damaged, have the
system and its belt tensioners replaced and the
b e l t a n c h o r s c h e c k e d . H a v e t h i s w o r k d o n e o n l y
by your BMW center or at a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel. Other-
wise, it is not guaranteed that the safety devices
will function properly.<
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The passenger's mirror is more convex
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; other-
wise there is an increased risk of an accident.<
1Adjustments
2To switch from one mirror to the other
3To fold the mirrors in or out
*
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
press on the edges of the lens.
Folding mirrors in or out*
The mirrors can be folded in or out up to a road
speed of approx. 6 mph/10 km/h by pressing
button3. This can be useful on narrow roads,
for example, or to reset the mirrors to their cor-
rect positions after they were folded in.
Automatic heating*
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
when the engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
Interior rearview mirror
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.
Interior and exterior mirrors with
automatic dimming feature*
The automatic dimming feature of the interior
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo
cells in the interior rearview mirror. In the Road-
ster, one is located in the top of the mirror
frame, see arrow. In the Coupe, it is located at
the bottom of the mirror frame. The other photo
cell is on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions
correctly, keep the photocells 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.

Driving
40
Driving
Ignition lock
0Steering locked
1Steering unlocked
2Ignition switched on
3Starting the engine
Steering locked
This is the only position in which the ignition key
can be inserted or removed.
After removing the key, turn the steering wheel
slightly to the left or right until the lock engages.
Interlock with automatic transmission
The key can only be turned back to position 0 or
removed if the selector lever is in position P:
interlock.
Steering unlocked
You will find that it is often easier to turn the
ignition key from position0 to 1 if yo u m ove the
steering wheel slightly to help disengage the
detent.
Individual electrical equipment and accessories
are available for use.
Ignition switched on
All systems are operational.
Starting the engine
Engine idle speed is controlled by the engine
computer system. Increased speeds at start-up
are normal and should decrease as the engine
warms up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from discharging, always
deactivate electrical devices that are not in use.
Switch the ignition off when the vehicle is not
being driven.
Do not leave the engine running in
enclosed spaces. Otherwise, inhalation of
the hazardous exhaust gases could lead to
unconsciousness and death. The exhaust
gases contain carbon monoxide, an odorless
and colorless, but highly toxic gas. Do not leave
the vehicle unattended with the engine running.
An unattended vehicle with a running engine
poses a safety hazard.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
place the transmission in idle or move the
selector lever to position P and apply the park-
ing brake to prevent the car from moving.<
When starting the engine, do not press the
accelerator pedal.
Do not end the starting procedure too early, but
do not continue it for more than 20 seconds.
Release the key immediately when the engine
starts.
Do not let the engine warm up in idling position.
Instead, begin to drive at moderate engine
speeds.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Step on the clutch when starting the vehi-
cle. A lockout prevents the engine from starting
if the clutch is not depressed.<
Manual transmission
1.Apply the parking brake.
2.Depress the clutch and shift to idle position.
3.Start the engine.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
41
Automatic transmission
1.Depress the brake.
2.Start the engine.
Special starting conditions
In the following situations, press the accelerator
pedal halfway down when starting the engine:
>If the engine does not start on the first
attempt, for instance when it is extremely
hot or cold.
>If the engine is started at very low tempera-
tures, below approx. +57/–156, at high
altitudes above approx. 3,300 ft/1,000 m.
Avoid frequent starting attempts in quick
succession or repeated starting attempts
during which the engine does not start. Other-
wise, the fuel is not burned or inadequately
burned; there is a danger of overheating and
damaging the catalytic converter.<
Switching off the engine
Do not remove the key while the vehicle is
still moving. Otherwise, the steering lock
would engage when the steering wheel is
turned.
When you leave the vehicle, always remove the
key and engage the steering lock.
Apply the parking brake when parking on steep
gradients, otherwise the vehicle could start to
roll.<
You can have an acoustic signal set as a
reminder that the key is still in the ignition
switch after the driver's door has been
opened.<
Manual transmission
1.Turn the key to position 1 or 0.
2.Engage first gear or reverse gear.
3.Apply the parking brake.
Automatic transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2.Turn the key to position 1 or 0.
Parking brake
The parking brake is designed primarily to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling when parked. It
operates against the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off a signal sounds in addition.
The parking brake is still applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it should
be necessary to engage the parking brake
while the vehicle is in motion, do not pull it with
excessive pressure. In doing so, continuously
press the button of the parking brake lever. Oth-
erwise, too violent an application of the parking
brake can overbrake the rear axle and cause the
rear of the car to swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the parking
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-
ing brake is applied.<

Driving
42
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise,
the engine could be damaged by accidentally
engaging 3rd or 4th gear.<
Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to operating the Steptronic as a fully
automatic transmission, you can also shift
gears manually with it, refer to page43.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select position P before leaving
the vehicle with the engine running.<
Removing the key
To turn the key in the ignition lock back to posi-
tion 0 or to remove it, first engage selector lever
position P and switch off the engine: interlock.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D SD M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed; in the
manual mode, the gear currently engaged is
shown.
Range selection
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P: interlock.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
depress the brake until you are ready to
start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the button on the front of the
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
transmission locks to prevent the rear wheels
from turning.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
45
Washer/wiper system/
Rain sensor*
0Wipers retracted
1Intermittent or rain sensor mode
2Normal wiper speed
3Fast wiper speed
4Brief wipe
5Selecting speed for intermittent mode or
setting sensitivity of the rain sensor
Intermittent mode
Not in vehicles with a rain sensor.
Rotary dial 5 is used to set the wipe interval to
one of four levels.
In addition, the wipe interval is varied automati-
cally depending on road speed.
Rain sensor*
On vehicles with a rain sensor, the wipe interval
is automatically controlled according to rain
intensity. The sensor is mounted on the wind-
shield, directly in front of the interior rearview
mirror.
Deactivate the rain sensor before enter-
ing an automatic car wash. Failure to do
so could result in damage caused by undesired
wiper activation.<
Activating
With the ignition key in position 1 or higher,
move the lever to position 1.
In any case, the wipers will move once across
the windshield.
You can leave the lever continuously in
position1. Then, as long as the ignition key is in position 1 or higher, you only need to activate
the rain sensor.
To do so:
>Turn rotary dial 5 briefly or
>Clean the windshield, refer to Cleaning
windshield and headlamps* below
Adjusting sensitivity
Turn the rotary wheel 5.
Deactivating
Flip the lever to position 0.
Normal wiper speed
When the vehicle is stopped the wipers auto-
matically switch to intermittent wipe, except in
vehicles with a rain sensor.
Fast wiper speed
When the vehicle is stopped the wipers operate
at normal wiping speed, except in vehicles with
a rain sensor.
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
0Wipers retracted
1Cleaning windshield and headlamps
*
Do not use the washers if there is any
danger that the fluid will freeze on the
windshield, otherwise vision could be
obscured. Antifreeze should therefore be
added to the fluid, refer to Washer fluid on
page46.
Do not operate washing mechanisms when the
washer fluid reservoir is empty, otherwise you
will damage the washer pump.<

Driving
46
Cleaning windshield
The system sprays washer fluid against the
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief
period.
The windshield washer nozzles are automati-
cally heated
* when the engine is running or the
ignition is on.
Cleaning headlamps*
When the vehicle lighting system is switched
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and
appropriate intervals.
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable. For
this reason, keep it away from sources of
flame and store it only in its original container.
Store it so that it is inaccessible to children.
Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainer.<
Washer fluid reservoir
Fill with water and, if required, with antifreeze
according to its manufacturer's recommenda-
tions.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling
the washer fluid reservoir to make sure
the correct concentration is maintained.<
Capacity
Approx. 5.3 US quarts/5 liters.
Cruise control*
The concept
Cruise control is available at speeds of at least
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. The car stores and
maintains the speed that you specify with the
lever on the steering column.
Do not use cruise control if conditions are
unfavorable for driving at a constant
speed, e.g. due to winding roads, dense traffic,
or poor road conditions such as snow, rain, ice,
loose surface, etc. Otherwise, you could lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident.<
One lever for all functions
1Storing and maintaining speed or accelerat-
ing
2Storing and maintaining speed or deceler-
ating
3To recall the stored speed
4Deactivating cruise control
To maintain current speed
Tap the lever, arrow 1, or pull it briefly, arrow 2.
The car's current speed is stored and main-
tained. If, on downhill grades, the engine brak-
ing effect is not sufficient, the controlled speed
can be exceeded. Speed can drop on uphill
grades if the engine output is insufficient.
To increase speed
Tap the lever repeatedly, arrow 1, until the
desired speed is reached.
Every time you tap the lever, the speed
increases by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.

Everything under control
48
Everything under control
Odometer
1Odometer
2Trip odometer
3Resetting trip odometer
4Outside temperature or computer dis-
plays
*
Trip odometer
Resetting trip odometer:
While the ignition is switched on, press button 3
in the instrument cluster until the trip odometer
is set to zero.
Outside temperature display, clock*
Setting the clock, refer to page50.
Outside temperature warning
If the outside temperature drops to approx.
377/+36, the computer automatically
switches to the outside temperature display.
A signal also sounds and the display flashes for
a short time. There is an increased risk of black
ice.
After an outside temperature warning has
been issued, the computer switches back
to its previous screen. You can have this acti-
vated/deactivated.<
Black ice can also form at temperatures
above 377/+36. You should therefore
drive carefully on bridges and shaded roads, for
example, otherwise there is an increased risk of
an accident.<
When the vehicle is parked
If you still want to view the time and odometer
reading briefly after the ignition has been
switched off or the key has been removed:
Press button 3 in the instrument cluster.
Tachometer
Never allow the engine to operate with the nee-
dle in the red overspeed sector of the gauge.
To protect the engine, the fuel supply is inter-
rupted when speed reaches this sector.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 14.5 US gallons/
55 liters. You can find information on refueling
on page82.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period,
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
49
Reserve
Once the fuel level has fallen to the reserve
zone of approx. 2.1 US gallons/8 liters, indicator
lamp 1 lights up continuously.
Do not drive until the fuel tank is empty
and refill it well in advance. Otherwise the
engine may not operate properly and damage
could result.<
When you switch on the ignition, the indicator
lamp comes on briefly to indicate an operational
check.
Engine coolant temperature
gauge
Blue
The engine is still cold. Drive at moderate
engine and vehicle speeds.
Between the blue and red zones
Normal operating range. The needle may rise as
far as the edge of the red sector during normal
operation.
Red
When you switch on the ignition, warning
lamp1 comes on briefly to indicate an opera-
tional check.
Comes on while driving:
The engine has overheated. Stop and switch
the engine off immediately and allow it to cool
down.
For checking the coolant level, refer to page94.
Service interval display
The remaining driving distance in miles/km until
the next scheduled service is displayed briefly
immediately after you start the engine or switch
on the ignition.
The words OILSERVICE or INSPECTION indi-
cate the type of service due next. The computer
bases its calculations of the remaining driving
distance on the preceding driving style.
A flashing message and a minus sign in front of
the number mean that the service interval has
already been exceeded by the number of miles/
kilometers shown on the display. Please sched-
ule an appointment with your BMW center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.
The extent of service work required can
be read out from the remote control by
your BMW Service Advisor.<
Clock
If you wish to have a permanent time display,
you can have it appear in the car radio display,
refer to the Owner's Manual for Radio.
You can set the time and the time display in the
car radio as follows.