2009 BMW 3 SERIES oil level

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2 Indicator lamps for turn signals
3 Indicator and warning lamps 13
4 Displays for active cruise control
*61
5 Tachometer 67
6 Engine oil temperature
*68
Energy Control
*68
7 Display for
>Clock 67
> Outside temperature 67
> Indicator and warning lamps 758
Display for
>Position of automatic transmission
*55
> Computer 69
> Date of next scheduled service, and
remaining distance to be driven 71
> Odometer and trip odometer 67
> Checking engine oil level
*212
> Settings and information 70
> There is a Check Control
message 75
9 Fuel gauge 68
10 Resetting the trip odometer 67
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Everything under control
68
Coolant temperature
A warning lamp will come on if the coolant, and
therefore the engine, becomes too hot. In addi-
tion, a message will appear on the Control Dis-
play.
Check coolant level, refer to page215.
Energy Control*
Displays the current fu el consumption. This
allows you to see whether your current driving
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.
Engine oil temperature*
When the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature, the engine oil temperature is between
approx. 210 7/1006 and approx. 300 7/
150 6.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a mes-
sage appears on the Control Display.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 16.1 US gallons/
61 liters.
You can find information on refueling on
page 191.
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.
Reserve
Once the fuel level ha s fallen to the reserve
zone, a message briefly appears on the Control
Display and the cruising range for the remaining
amount of fuel is displayed on the computer.
Under a cruising range of approx. 30 miles/
50 km, the message remains in the Control Dis-
play.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur. <
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Controls
71Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Button for:
>Selecting display
> Setting values
2 Button for:
>Confirming selected display or set val-
ues
> Calling up computer information 693
When the lights are on: instrument lighting
brightness 92
4 Calling up Check Control 75
5 Checking engine oil level 212
6 Setting the time 73
7 Setting the date 74
8 Viewing service requirement display 71
Exiting displays
The outside-temperature reading and the time
reappear when you press button 2 or if you
make no entries within approx. 15 seconds. If
required, complete the current setting first.
Units of measure
Setting the units of measure
You can change the units for fuel consumption,
route/distance, temperature and pressure.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.
1. "Settings"
2. "Language/Units"
3. Select the desired menu item.
4. Select the desired unit.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Service requirements
The remaining driving dist ance and the date of
the next scheduled service are displayed briefly
immediately after you start the engine or switch
on the ignition.
The extent of service work required can
be read out from th e remote control by
your BMW Service Advisor. <
For certain maintenance operations, you can
view the respective distance remaining or due
date individually in the instrument cluster.
1. Switch on the ignition, refer to page 53.
2. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up
or down repeatedly until the appropriate
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the words "SERVICE-INFO".
3. Press button 2.
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Wheels and tires
210
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.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for winter roads
or at temperatures below +45°F/+7°C.
Although all-season M+ S tires provide better
winter traction than summer tires, they gener-
ally fail to provide the same levels of cold-
weather performance as 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 ti res, 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
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires agains t all contact with oil,
grease and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum
tire inflation pressure indicated on the sidewall
of the tire.
Swapping wheels between axles
BMW advises against swapping wheels
between the front and rear axles, even if all tires
have the same size, as th is could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels betwee n the axles is not per-
missible.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link sn ow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW center for
more information.
Snow chains must be mounted in pairs and on
the rear wheels only. Observe the manufac-
turer's instructions when mounting snow
chains. Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph or
50 km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted, otherwise the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DTC temporarily, refer to
page 81. <
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Under the hood
212
Important parts of the engine compartment
1Gasoline engine: expansion tank for cool-
ant, refer to page 215
Diesel engine: the expansion tank is located
on the other side of the vehicle
2 Washer fluid filler neck for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system, re-
fer to page 59 3
Jump-starting connection, refer to
page 231
4 Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding en-
gine oil
5 Diesel engine: dipstick for engine oil, refer
to Checking oil level
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and driving conditions.
Diesel engine: checking engine oil level
1.Park the vehicle on a level surface with the
engine at operating temperature, i.e. after
an uninterrupted drive of at least 6.5 miles/
10 km.
2. Switch off the engine.
3. After approx. 5 minutes, pull out the
dipstick 5 and wipe it off with a lint-free
cloth, paper towel or similar material.
4. Carefully push the dips tick all the way back
into the measuring tube and pull it out
again. The oil level must be between the two
markings on the dipstick.
The oil quantity betwee n the two markings on
the dipstick is equivale nt to approx. 1 US quart/
1 liter.
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Mobility
213Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
The oil level must not be above the upper
marking of the dipstick. Too much oil will
harm the engine. <
Gasoline engine: checking engine oil
level
Your car is equipped with an electronic oil-level
monitor.
For a precise measurement and display of the
oil level, it is necessary that the engine be at op-
erating temperature, i.e. after uninterrupted
driving for at least appr ox. 6.5 miles/10 km. You
can have the oil level displayed while you are
driving, or while the vehicle is at a standstill on a
level surface and the engine is running.
Display in the instrument cluster
1. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up
or down repeatedly until the appropriate
symbol is shown in the display, accompa-
nied by the word "OIL".
2. Press button 2 in the turn in dicator lever.
The oil level is checke d and the reading dis-
played.
Possible displays
1 Oil level OK
2 Oil level is being checked.
This can take about 3 minutes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface, or about
5 minutes while the ca r is on the move.
3 Oil level down to minimum:
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil on page 214.
4 Oil level is too high.
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without de-
lay. <
5 The oil level sensor is defective.
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page 71. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Display via iDrive
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
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Under the hood
214
1.
"Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Engine oil level"
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level OK."
> "Measurement not possible at this time."
> "Measuring engine oil level...":
This can take about 3 min utes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface and the engine
is running, and about 5 minutes while the
car is moving.
If engine oil was added, it may take up to
30 minutes to obtain an oil level reading.
> "Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil below.
If the oil level is below the minimum value,
add engine oil immediately to avoid engine
damage.
> "Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without de-
lay. < >
"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the ne xt oil service, refer
to page 71. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Add a maximum of 1 US quart/1 liter of engine
oil no earlier than wh en a corresponding mes-
sage appears on the Control Display or, if the
car has a diesel engine, when the oil level has
dropped to just above the lower marking on the
dipstick, refer to page 212.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the relevant
warnings on the containers. Otherwise, health
hazards may result. <
Oil change
Have oil changed only at your BMW center or at
a workshop that works according to BMW re-
pair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the oper ation and service life of
an engine. BMW continuously approves spe-
cific oils after testing them extensively.
Your BMW center will be glad to answer
any questions regarding the approved
oils. <
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Mobility
215Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.Do not use oil additives, as these may
cause engine damage. <
Alternative oil types
If exceptionally none of the approved oils hap-
pens to be available, sm all quantities of other
oils may be used when adding oil between oil
changes. However, the corresponding con-
tainer must be labeled with one of the following
oil specifications:
Gasoline engines
> Preferred: BMW Longlife-01,
BMW Longlife-01 FE or BMW Longlife-04
> Alternatively: BMW Longlife-98, API SM or
higher
Diesel engines
BMW Longlife-04
Viscosity ratings
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and
is categorized in SAE classes.
Selecting the appropriate SAE class depends
on the regional climatic conditions in which you
normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the 0W-40,
0W-30, 5W-40 and 5W-30 SAE
classes. <
These oils can be used fo r driving at all outside
temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns. <
Coolant consists of half water and half additive.
Not all commercially availa ble additives are suit-
able for your BMW. Ask your BMW center for
suitable additives. Only use suitable additives, otherwise en-
gine damage may re
sult. Because addi-
tives are harmful to your health, it is important to
follow the instructions on the containers. <
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives. <
Checking coolant level
1.Do not open the engine hood before the en-
gine has cooled down.
2. Turn the cap of the expansion tank a little
counterclockwise to allow any accumulated
pressure to escape, then continue turning
to open.
3. The coolant level is corr ect if it is between
the maximum and minimum marks in the
filler neck, refer also to the diagram next to
the filler neck.
4. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level; do not overfill.
5. Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6. Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.
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