2008 BMW Z4 3.0SI COUPE air condition

Things to remember when driving
76 pletely lose contact with the road surface, so
that neither the car can be steered nor the brake
be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page87.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Moisture inside the vehicle
Make sure that the passenger compart-
ment does not become wet and that liq-
uids are transported in closed containers. Oth-
erwise, moisture could penetrate and damage
electronic components inside the vehicle.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, keep the vehicle from rolling
by using the parking brake rather than by
slipping the clutch, which would lead to a high
degree of clutch wear.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indicate to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Wet roads
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Watch traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The resulting heat dries the
brake rotors and brake pads. Immediate braking
force is then available if necessary.
Inclines
To prevent overheating and, as a result,
diminished braking effectiveness, drive
down long or steep downhill grades in the gear
that requires the least braking. Otherwise, even
light but consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page43.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in idle or with the
engine switched off; otherwise, engine braking
action will not be present or there will be no
power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be
impaired.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
Limited vehicle use, extended periods with the
vehicle parked or in storage, and operating con-
ditions in which braking is restricted to gentle,
low-pressure applications will all increase the
tendency for corrosion to form on the rotors and
contamination to accumulate on the brake
pads. This occurs because the minimal pres-
sure which must be exerted by the pads to
clean the rotors by brake applications is not
reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they will tend to
respond to braking with a pulsating effect which
even extended application will fail to cure.
Brake pads
The warning lamp lights up. The brake
pads have worn down to the minimum
safe limit. Have the brake pads
replaced as soon as possible.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
77
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the air conditioning
or automatic climate control is in operation, and
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath the
vehicle are thus normal.
Before driving into a car wash
For general information about taking care of
your BMW, refer to the Caring for your vehicle
brochure.
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that the
permissible carrying capacity of the tires
is not exceeded. Otherwise, overheating and
inner damage to the tires may result. The ulti-
m a t e r e s u l t c a n a s s u m e t h e f o r m o f a s u d d e n a i r
loss.<
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or
leak from their containers in the cargo
bay, as this could result in damage to the vehi-
cle.<
Determining the maximum load
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading
can result in damage to the vehicle and
unstable driving conditions.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passenger that will be riding in
your vehicle.3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passenger from XXX kilograms or
YYY pounds.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
551 lbs and there will be two 150 lbs occu-
pants in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
251 lbs.
551lbs minus 300lbs = 251lbs
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the occu-
pants' weights and the weight of the cargo. The
greater the weight of the occupants, the less
cargo can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward as possi-
ble, directly behind the cargo bay partition,
and as low as possible.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.

Wheels and tires
84
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but also
driving safety and driving comfort that largely
depend on the condition of the tires and the
maintenance of the specified tire pressure.
Check tire inflation pressures regularly
and correct them if necessary: at least
every two weeks and before every extended
journey. If you fail to observe this precaution
you may be driving on tires with incorrect tire
pressures, a condition that can not only com-
promise your vehicle's driving stability, but also
lead to tire damage and the risk of an accident.
Do not drive with deflated, i.e. flat tires, except
when using Run-Flat Tires. A flat tire will seri-
ously impair your vehicle's handling and braking
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can
lead to loss of control over the vehicle.<
Checking pressure
Check the tire inflation pressures only when the
tires are cold. This means after a maximum of
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours. Warm tires
have higher inflation pressures.
Inflation pressure specifications
The specified inflation pressures for your stan-
dard tires are provided on the placard on the
B-pillar and are visible when the driver's door is
open.After the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rected, initialize the Flat Tire Monitor
*,
refer to page53, or reset the Tire Pressure
Monitor
*, refer to page54.<
The following tire inflation pressure tables show
the inflation pressures for the specified tire
sizes at ambient temperature.
The inflation pressures in the table apply
to BMW-approved tire sizes and recom-
mended tire brands. Your BMW center will be
glad to supply this information.<
To determine the correct tire inflation pressure
for your tires, refer to the following tables.
Tire size
The inflation pressures in the table apply to
BMW-approved tire sizes and recommended
tire brands. Your BMW center will be glad to
supply this information.

Wheels and tires
88 the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. Once the tire tread has
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has
worn to a depth of 1/16 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Due to low-profile tires, please note that
wheels, tires and suspension parts are
more susceptible to road hazards and conse-
quential damages.<
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle malfunction. This can, for
example, be caused by driving over curbs. The
same applies to any other abnormal road
behavior, such as pulling severely to the right or
left.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so, drive carefully to the
nearest BMW center or tire shop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If necessary,
have the vehicle towed there.
Tire damage can be extremely dangerous for
vehicle occupants and other road users.<
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of
the actual wear of the tires.
The date on which the tire was manufactured is
indicated by the code on the sidewall:
DOT … 5005 indicates that the tire was manu-
factured in week 50 of the year 2005.
Run-Flat Tires
The symbol identifying Run-Flat Tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-Flat Tires comprise a conditionally self-
supporting tire and a special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can
continue to be used subject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>If the vehicle is equipped with the Flat Tire
Monitor, refer to Flat tire warning on
page53.
>If the vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pres-
sure Monitor, refer to Warning of low tire
inflation pressure on page54.
Wheel and tire replacement
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW center or tire shop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel. Work
that is improperly carried out could result in
consequential damage and pose safety haz-
ards. Make sure that the new wheels are bal-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW advises against using retreaded
tires, since driving safety may be
impaired. The causes for this include potentially
different tire casing structures and often wide
variations in tire age, which can result in a lim-
ited service life.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
89
Correct wheels and tires
BMW recommends using only wheels
and tires that have been approved by
BMW for your particular vehicle model, other-
wise body contact and serious accidents can
result despite the use of the same nominal size,
e.g. due to manufacturing tolerances. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used, BMW can-
not evaluate their suitability, and therefore can-
not be held liable for driving safety.<
You can inquire about the correct wheel/tire
combination at your BMW center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS and DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, only use tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, for instance, mount the original wheel and
tire combination again as soon as possible.
Wheels with electronics for the Tire
Pressure Monitor TPM
When mounting new tires or changing from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPMS electronics; otherwise the
Tire Pressure Monitor would not be able to
detect a flat tire, refer to page54. Your BMW
center will be glad to provide you with more
information.
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.
Run-Flat Tires
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, moreover, no spare wheel is
available. Your BMW BMW center will be glad to
provide you with more information.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends
that damaged Run-Flat Tires be replaced
rather than repaired.<
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends the use of winter tires for
operation under winter road conditions. While
all-season tires with M+S designation provide
better winter traction than summer tires, they
generally do not achieve the full performance of
winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the
winter tires mounted on your car; failure
to do so could result in tire damage and acci-
dents.<
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Store tires in a cool, dry place, protecting them
against light whenever possible. Protect the
tires from contact with oil, grease and fuel. Do
not exceed the maximum tire inflation pressure
indicated on the sidewall of the tire.
Swapping wheels between the axles
BMW advises against moving the front wheels
to the rear wheel positions and vice versa, as
this may impair vehicle handling characteristics.

Under the hood
92
Important parts in the engine compartment
1Washer fluid reservoir for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system,
refer to page46
2Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil3Jump-starting connection, refer to
page104
4Reservoir for brake fluid, refer to page95
5Body ground, negative terminal, refer to
page105
6Expansion tank for coolant, refer to page94
Engine oil
Oil consumption is directly influenced by your
driving style and vehicle operating conditions.
Warning lamp
Engine oil pressure
The warning lamp lights up in red:
The engine oil pressure is too low.
Stop the vehicle immediately and
switch off the engine. Check the engine oil level
and top up if necessary. If the oil level is correct,
please contact your nearest BMW center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.Do not continue driving, otherwise the
engine could sustain serious damage
from inadequate lubrication.<
Engine oil level
The warning lamp lights up in yellow
while you are driving. In addition, a sig-
nal sounds and "+1.0" appears in the
instrument cluster, refer to page93.
The oil level is at the absolute minimum; refill as
soon as possible. Do not drive more than
125 miles/200 km before refilling.
The warning lamp comes on in yellow
after the engine is switched off. A signal
also sounds.

Maintenance
96
Maintenance
BMW Maintenance System
The BMW Maintenance System helps maintain
the road safety and operating reliability of your
BMW.
Regular maintenance is not only necessary for
the safety of your vehicle, but also plays a sig-
nificant role in maintaining the resale value of
your vehicle.
Service interval display
The BMW Maintenance System takes the vehi-
cle's operating conditions into account for the
service intervals:
From a maintenance point of view,
62,100 miles/100,000 km accumulated in
short-distance urban driving are not the same
as 62,100 miles/100,000 km accumulated at
moderate cruising speeds in long-distance
highway travel.
The BMW Maintenance System includes the
Engine Oil Service and Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals based
on the actual loads on the vehicle covers every
kind of operating situation. Minimal use drivers,
who drive fewer than about 6,210 miles/
10,000 km per year, should nevertheless have
the oil changed at least every 2 years since
engine oil deteriorates over time, regardless of
use.
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service
and repair operations performed at your
BMW center.
Take the time to ensure that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by entries in your vehi-
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance.<
Socket for On-Board
Diagnosis OBD
Vehicle components that are relevant to the
composition of exhaust emissions can be
checked with a device via the OBD socket.
This socket is located on the driver's side to the
left, on the bottom of the instrument panel
underneath a cover.

Replacing components
102
Jacking points
The jacking points are located at the positions
indicated in the illustration.
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is completely maintenance-free.
This means that the original electrolyte will nor-
mally last for the service life of the battery under
moderate climatic conditions. Your BMW cen-
ter will be happy to advise you if you have any
questions concerning the battery.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up:
The battery is no longer being charged.
The alternator drive belt is defective or
there is a malfunction in the charging circuit of
the alternator. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
If the drive belt is defective, pull over and
switch off the engine immediately to pre-
vent overheating and serious engine damage.
If the onboard supply voltage drops to a very
low level, increased steering effort may also be
necessary.<
Charging the battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only when the
engine has been switched off. Connections,
refer to Jump-starting on page104.
Battery disposal
After changing a battery, have the used
battery disposed of by your BMW center or bring it to a recycling point. Maintain the bat-
tery in an upright position for transport and stor-
age. Secure the battery against tilting when
transporting.<
Power loss
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require ini-
tialization. Individual settings are also lost and
must be reset:
>Seat memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page32.
>Clock must be reset, refer to page49.
Fuses
Do not attempt to repair a burned fuse or
replace it with a fuse having a different
color or amperage rating. To do this could
cause a fire in the vehicle as a result of circuit
overload.<
You will find the fuses and information on their
respective allocation behind the glove compart-
ment.
1.Open the glove compartment.
2.Press the lock on the left, arrow1.
3.Press the lock on the right, arrow2.
4.Swing the glove compartment down.
Spare fuses and plastic tweezers for grasping
the fuses are found in the onboard tool kit; refer
to page98.