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
ba8_E9293M3_cic.book Seite 6 Dienstag, 19. August 2008 12:01 12
Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer68
5Shift Lights
*62
6Engine oil temperature69
7Display for
>Clock68
>Outside temperature68
>Indicator and warning lamps76
>With dual clutch transmission:
Computer698Display for
>Gear display M dual clutch transmission
with Drivelogic
*58
>With manual transmission:
Computer69
>Date of next scheduled service, and
remaining distance to be driven72
>Odometer and trip odometer68
>Checking oil level203
>Settings and information71
> There is a Check Control
message76
9Fuel gauge69
10Resetting the trip odometer68
ba8_E9293M3_cic.book Seite 12 Dienstag, 19. August 2008 12:01 12
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 top edge of the Control
Display describe the meanings of the 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 page76.
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 applied57
MDrive
*50
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 emissions208
Canada: engine malfunction with
adverse effect on exhaust
emissions208
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At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice activation system*
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request
call
*221
3Reading lamps95
4Coupe: glass roof, electric
*37
5Interior lamps94
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*89
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Flat Tire Monitor FTM
*84
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
*85
10Central locking system30
11Automatic climate control
12CD/DVD drive146
13Changing the audio and entertainment
sources14Selecting AM or FM waveband
15Changing
>Radio station149
>Track154
17Controller16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four
directions
18Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Dynamic Stability Control DSC82
21Electronic Damper Control EDC
*83
22M Engine Dynamics Control POWER64
23Programmable memory keys20
24Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume146
25Ejecting CD/DVD146 Air distribution to the
windshield97
Air distribution to the upper body
area97
Air distribution to the footwell97
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate97
Cooling function99
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC98
Recirculated-air mode98
Maximum cooling97
Residual heat mode98
Air flow rate98
Defrosting windows99
Rear window defroster99
16
Heated seats*46
Coupe:
Roller sun blind
*104
19Convertible:
Opening and closing retractable
hardtop39
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Controls
27Reference
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 Configuring
settings on page50
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page64
>Settings for the displays on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to
page75
>Date format, refer to page76
>Brightness of Control Display, refer to
page79
>Language on the Control Display, refer
to page79
>Units of measure, 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 page146
>Tone control, refer to page146
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer
to page147
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
>Convertible: glove compartment
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
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
page32.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer
to page30.
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.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable
hardtop with the remote control, the
doors and luggage compartment lid must be
closed and the cargo bay partition must be
folded down and engaged on both sides. Refer
also to page39.<
Unlocking
Press the button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the
welcome lamps come on.
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Opening and closing
32
Locking separately
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 1.
The luggage compartment lid is locked and
cannot be unlocked using the central locking
system.
If you give the remote control without the inte-
grated key to someone else while the glove
compartment is locked, the luggage compart-
ment lid cannot be opened. This is an advan-
tage when valet parking, for example. Locking
the glove compartment, refer to page104.
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.<
Coupe
Convertible
To close the luggage compartment lid,
press it down lightly. The lid is closed
automatically.<
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 page33
>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
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Controls
35Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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 page55.
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 lock, refer to page55.
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 lock.
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 lock.
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.
1.Take the integrated key out of the remote
control, refer to page26.
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.<
Coupe: opening, closing
>Press the switch to the resistance point:
The window opens as long as you press the
switch.
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Controls
45Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Convertible front seats
Height adjustment
>To raise: press the button upward.
>To lower: press the button downward.
Adjusting the distance to the back of
the head
>Forward: pull up.
>Back: press the button and push the head
cushion toward the rear.
Do not insert objects behind the head
cushion; otherwise, the head restraint
may not function properly.<
Coupe: rear seats
Height adjustment
>To raise: pull up.
>To lower: press the button, arrow1, and
slide the head restraint down.
Removing
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2.Press the button, arrow 1, tilt the rear seat
backrest slightly forward and pull the head
restraint all the way out.
Only remove the head restraints if no pas-
sengers will be sitting in the rear. Reinstall
head restraints before transporting passengers
in the rear.<
Entering the rear seats
Coupe
Convertible
Seat backrest warning lamp:
Comes on when a seat backrest is not
engaged. In addition, a message
appears on the Control Display.
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