Controls
89Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
objects not specifically approved for seats with
integral side airbags to the front seats. Do not
hang items of clothing such as coats or jackets
over the backrests. Do not attempt to remove
the airbag retention system from the vehicle. Do
not modify the individual components of the
system or its wiring in any way. This includes
the upholstered covers on the steering wheel,
instrument panel, seats and roof posts, as well
as the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to
remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center
or a workshop that works according to repair
procedures of BMW with correspondingly
trained personnel and that has the required
explosives licenses. Unprofessional attempts to
work on the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or to undesired airbag activation,
either of which could result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior
rearview mirror shows the current status
of the front passenger airbags, deactivated or
activated, refer to Status of front passenger air-
bags below.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page53.
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-
vated by adolescents and adults sitting in cer-
tain positions; the indicator lamp for the front
passenger airbags comes on. In such cases, the passenger should change his or her sitting
position so that the front passenger airbags are
activated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the
desired airbag status cannot be achieved by
changing the sitting position, transport the rele-
vant passenger on a rear seat. Do not attach
seat covers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or
other items to the front passenger seat unless
they are specifically recommended by BMW.
Do not place any items under the seat which
could press against the seat from below. Other-
wise a correct analysis of the seat cushion is not
ensured.<
Status of front passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags shows the functional status of the front
passenger's front and side airbags in accor-
dance with whether and how the front passen-
ger seat is occupied. The indicator lamp shows
whether the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated or deactivated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a specially designated child-restraint sys-
tem is detected, as intended, on the seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.
Most child seats are detected by the
system, especially child seats
required by the NHTSA at the time of vehi-
cle production. After mounting a child seat,
ensure that the indicator lamp for the front
passenger airbag is lit. It indicates that the
child seat has been detected and that the
front passenger airbags are deactivated.<
>The indicator lamp does not come on as
long as a person of sufficient size and in a
correct sitting position is detected on the
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Practical interior accessories
106 >Storage compartment with cover
>Cup holders
Coupe: clothes hooks
Press the upper edge to flip open.
Items of clothing hung from the hooks
must not obstruct the driver's view. Do
not hang heavy objects from the hooks, other-
wise they could endanger the car's occupants,
e.g. in case of heavy braking or sudden swerv-
ing.<
Cup holders
Use lightweight and shatterproof contain-
ers and do not transport hot beverages,
otherwise there is an increased risk of injury in
the event of the accident. Do not force contain-
ers that are too large into the cup holders, oth-
erwise damage could result.<
Front
Opening
Briefly press the center of the cover.
Closing
Briefly press the cover in the center and push in
the cup holder.
Rear*
There are two additional cup holders in the rear
console.
Press the button to open.
Before folding down the rear seat back-
rest or using the transport bag, remove all
containers from the cup holder and close it. Do
not place objects into the cup holder and do not
use force to close it. Do not use the cup holder
as a grab handle.<
Ashtray, front
Opening
Push the ridge on the cover.
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Things to remember when driving
116
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. Please follow the instructions below
in order to achieve the optimal service life and
economy of operation for your vehicle.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do
not exceed an engine speed of 5,500 rpm and a
road speed of 105 mph/170 km/h.
Do not depress the accelerator all the way.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km to
3,000 miles/5,000 km
Engine and road speeds can be increased grad-
ually up to a traveling speed of 135 mph/
220 km/h. Use the maximum speed only for
brief intervals, e. g. when passing.
Transmission
The transmission begins functioning at an opti-
mal level only after a distance of approx.
300 miles/500 km. Do not exceed engine
speeds of 5,500 rpm during this period.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive cautiously during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
The same break-in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Clearance
Mind the limited clearance of the BMW
M3, e. g. when driving into underground
parking garages or over obstacles. If equipped
with EDC
*, select the "Sport" program, refer to
page83, when driving off curbs to keep clear-
ance as even as possible. Otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged.<
Close the luggage compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is closed. Other-
wise, exhaust fumes could enter the interior of
the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage
compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page98.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them.
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
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Things to remember when driving
120 safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car, since they could be thrown
around, for example as a result of heavy braking,
sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-
pants.
Only attach the cargo straps using the lashing
eyes shown in the illustration. Do not secure
cargo with the anchors for tether straps, refer to
page54, otherwise these could be damaged.<
Coupe: roof-mounted
luggage rack*
A luggage rack mounted on the roof
changes vehicle aerodynamics and han-
dling. Exercise restraint when driving with a
roof-mounted luggage rack to avoid the risk of
an accident.<
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Comply with the directions given
in the installation instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are located in the roof.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
vehicle handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page231.The roof load must be distributed uniformly and
should not be too large in area. Heavy items
should always be placed at the bottom. Be sure
that adequate clearance is maintained for rais-
ing the glass roof, and that objects do not
project into the opening path of the luggage
compartment lid.
Fasten roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid taking corners rapidly
and sudden acceleration and braking maneu-
vers.
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181
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Selecting an entry
The connection to the phone number of the
selected entry is established.
Redialing
To redial the phone number dialed last:
Notes
Important for voice commands
For voice commands, bear in mind the follow-
ing:
>Pronounce the commands smoothly and at
normal volume, avoiding excessive empha-
ses and pauses.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass roof
closed to prevent interference from outside
noise.
>Avoid ambient noise in the vehicle while
speaking.
Inserting/removing the snap-
in adapter
1.Press button1 and remove the cover.2.Insert the snap-in adapter in the front and
press it downward until it engages.
To remove the snap-in adapter:
Press button 1.
Inserting mobile phone
1.If applicable, remove the protective cap
from the mobile phone's antenna connector
so that the mobile phone can engage in the
snap-in adapter.
2.With its buttons facing upward, slide the
mobile phone up towards the electrical con-
tact points and press it downward until it
engages.
The mobile phone's battery is charged as soon
as the vehicle is in radio readiness or the steer-
ing is unlocked. 1.{Choose name}.
The dialog for selecting an entry is
opened.
2.Say the name when prompted.
3.Confirm the query with {Yes}.
{Redial}
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Replacing components
220 secure the battery against tipping over during
transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require
reinitialization. Individual settings may likewise
have been lost and will have to be programmed:
>Time and date
These values must be updated, refer to
page74.
>Radio
In some cases, stations may have to be
stored again, refer to page149.
>Navigation system
Operability must be waited for, refer to
page126.
>Glass roof
It may happen that the roof can only be
raised. The system must be initialized.
Please contact your BMW center.
>Seat and mirror memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page46.
>Inside rearview mirror with digital compass
The system must be calibrated, refer to
page103.
Fuses
Never attempt to repair a blown fuse and
do not replace a defective fuse with a sub-
stitute of another color or amperage rating, oth-
erwise this could lead to a circuit overload, ulti-
mately resulting in a fire in the vehicle.
Spare fuses and a pair of plastic forceps are set
in holders on the distributor box.
See the rear of the cover for information on fuse
assignment.
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Reference 231
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Weights
Coupe
Convertible
Capacities
M3
Approved gross weight lbs/kg 4,586/2,080
Load lbs/kg 882/400
Approved front axle load lbs/kg 2,249/1,020
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 2,469/1,120
Approved roof load capacity lbs/kg 165/75
Cargo bay capacity cu ft/liters 15.2/430
M3
Approved gross weight lbs/kg 5,027/2,280
Load lbs/kg 882/400
Approved front axle load lbs/kg 2,337/1,060
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 2,800/1,270
Cargo bay capacity cu ft/liters 7.4-12.4/210-350
Notes
Fuel tank US gal/liters approx. 16.6/63 Fuel grade: page195
including reserve of US gal/liters approx. 3.3/12.5
Window washer systemFor more details: page66
including headlamp washers US qt/liters approx. 4.8/4.5
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Reference 241
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Condition Based Service
CBS207
Configuring settings, refer to
Personal Profile26
Confirmation signals for
locking/unlocking the
vehicle29
Congestion
– refer to Route, bypassing
sections138
Connecting vacuum cleaner,
refer to Connecting
electrical appliances107
Consumption, refer to
Average consumption70
Consumption indicator, refer
to Average consumption70
Control Center, refer to
iDrive16
Control Display
– brightness79
– changing the language79
– switching off/on19
Control Display, refer to
iDrive16
Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls and displays10
Control unit, refer to iDrive16
Convenient access34
– replacing the battery35
Convenient loading in
convertible28
Convenient operation
– glass roof28
– glass roof with convenient
access34
– retractable hardtop28
– windows28
– windows with convenient
access34Convertible
– bag holder109
– convenient loading28
– enlarging cargo bay108
– folding down rear
backrest109
– retractable hardtop38
– rollover protection
system90
– securing cargo119
Coolant206
– checking level206
Coolant temperature69
Cooling, maximum97
Cooling fluid, refer to
Coolant206
Cooling system, refer to
Coolant206
Copyright2
Corner-illuminating lamps,
refer to Adaptive Head
Light93
Cornering lamps, refer to
Adaptive Head Light93
Correct tires200
Country codes DVD156
Courtesy lamps, refer to
Interior lamps94
Criteria for route137
Cross-hairs in navigation132
Cruise control66
Cruising range70
Cup holders106
Curb weight, refer to
Weights231
Current playback of music
collection162
Current position
– displaying143
Customer Relations189
D
Dashboard, refer to
Cockpit10
Dashboard, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Dashboard lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting94Data, technical228
– dimensions229
– engine228
– weights231
Data transfer190
Date
– date format76
– setting75
Daytime running lamps93
Deactivating front passenger
airbags89
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking28
Defect
– door lock30
– fuel filler door194
– glass roof37
Destination, entering by town/
city name127
Destination address
– entering127,133
Destination for navigation
– entering by voice133
– entering via map132
– entry127
– home address130
– manual entry127
Destination guidance137
– bypassing a route
section138
– changing specified
route137
– continuing137
– starting137
– voice instructions138
– volume of voice
instructions139
Digital clock68
Digital compass103
Digital radio, refer to High
Definition Radio150
Dimensions229
Directional indicators, refer to
Turn signals64
Direction instructions, refer to
Voice instructions138
Directory for navigation, refer
to Address book129
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