
Controls
 87Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Malfunction
The LED next to the symbol for automatic head-
lamp control flashes. Adaptive Head Light is 
malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system 
checked as soon as possible.
High beams/roadside parking 
lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right
There is an additional option of switching on the 
lamps on the side of the car facing the road 
when parked.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or 
down beyond the pressure point for a longer 
period, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for 
unduly long periods of time, otherwise the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the 
engine.<
Switching off
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the 
pressure point, arrow 3.
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument 
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low 
beams are switched on.
1.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up 
or down repeatedly until the appropriate 
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the brightness level and the word 
"SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Push button 1 up or down to select the 
desired brightness level.
4.Press button 2.
The display again shows the outside tem-
perature and the time.
Interior lamps
The interior lamps, footwell lamps*, entry 
lamps
*, cargo bay lamp and courtesy lamps* 
are controlled automatically.
The LEDs for the courtesy lamps
 are set in the 
door handles and illuminate the ground in front 
of the doors.
To avoid draining the battery, all lamps 
inside the car are switched off about 
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Mobility
 193Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Important parts of the engine compartment
1Expansion tank for coolant, refer to 
page196
2Washer fluid filler neck for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system, 
refer to page603Jump-starting connection, refer to 
page211
4Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding 
engine oil
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on 
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking oil level
Your car is equipped with an electronic oil-level 
monitor.
The oil level can be displayed when the engine 
is warm. Continuous short distance travel or a 
very sporty driving style may make measure-
ment impossible.
Display in the instrument cluster
1Oil level
2Maximum mark
3Minimum mark
4Computer button
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Care
200
Manual car wash
When washing the vehicle by hand, use large 
quantities of water and car shampoo if neces-
sary. Clean the vehicle with a sponge or wash-
ing brush, applying light pressure only.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unintentional activation of the 
wipers.<
Observe local regulations pertaining to 
washing vehicles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub them dry and do not use abrasive or 
corrosive cleaning agents.
Remove contamination, such as insects, by 
soaking with shampoo or insect remover and 
then rinsing with plenty of water.
Thaw ice with a windshield de-icer and do not 
use an ice scraper.
Windows
Clean the inside and outside surfaces of the 
windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.
Do not clean the mirrors with cleaners 
containing quartz.<
Wiper blades
Clean with soapy water and replace regularly to 
avoid streaking.
Wax and preservative residue and con-
tamination on the window can lead to 
streaking when operating the windshield wip-
ers, leading to premature wear of the wiper 
blades and causing the rain sensor to malfunc-
tion.<
Paintwork care
Regular care contributes to value retention and 
protects the paintwork against the long-term 
effects of damaging substances.
Region-specific environmental influences can 
damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is 
important to adapt the frequency and scope of 
car care accordingly.Immediately remove very aggressive sub-
stances, e.g. spilled fuel, oil, grease, tree 
resin or bird droppings, to prevent damage to 
the paintwork.<
Repairing paintwork damage
Immediately repair scratches or similar 
damage, such as that caused by stones 
hitting the vehicle, where necessary to prevent 
rusting.<
BMW recommends having paintwork damage 
repaired by a professional paint repair work-
shop according to BMW specifications using 
original BMW paint materials.
Preservation
A preservation treatment is necessary when 
water no longer beads off of the clean paintwork 
surface. Only use products for paintwork pres-
ervation that contain carnauba or synthetic 
waxes.
Rubber seals
Treat only with water or rubber care products.
Do not use silicon-containing care prod-
ucts on rubber seals, otherwise noise and 
damage could occur.<
Chrome parts
Carefully clean vehicle parts, such as the radia-
tor grill, door handles or window frames, with 
copious quantities of water and a shampoo 
additive. For additional treatment, use a chrome 
polish.
Light-alloy wheels
For technical reasons, dust is generated during 
braking that is deposited on the light-alloy 
wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-
free rim cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly 
alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or 
steam jets over 1407/606, otherwise dam-
age may occur.<
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Mobility
 203Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Replacing components
Onboard tool kit
The onboard tool kit is stored in a compartment 
on the right-hand side of the cargo bay. 
Remove the cover.
Wiper blades
1.Fold up the wiper arm.
2.Remove the cover. To do so, press the hook 
on the bottom, see arrow.
3.Fold the wiper blade upwards.
4.Remove the wiper blade in the direction of 
the windshield, see arrow.To avoid damage, make sure that the 
wiper arms are against the windshield 
before you open the engine compartment.<
Lamps and bulbs
Lamps and bulbs make an essential contribu-
tion to vehicle safety. They should, therefore, 
be handled carefully. BMW recommends hav-
ing your BMW center perform any work that you 
do not feel competent to perform yourself or 
that is not described here.
Never touch the glass of new bulbs with 
your bare fingers, as even minute 
amounts of contamination will burn into the 
bulb's surface and reduce its service life. Use a 
clean tissue, cloth or something similar, or hold 
the bulb by its base.<
You can obtain a selection of replacement bulbs 
at your BMW center.
Only change bulbs while they are cool to 
the touch, otherwise you could suffer 
burns.<
When working on electrical systems, 
always begin by switching off the con-
sumer in question, otherwise short-circuits 
could result. To avoid possible injury or equip-
ment damage when replacing bulbs, observe 
any instructions provided by the bulb manufac-
turer.<
For care of the headlamps, please follow the 
instructions in the chapter entitled 'Care'.
If the routine for changing a particular 
bulb is not described here, please contact 
your BMW center or a workshop that works 
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.<
Light-emitting diodes LED
Control elements, display components, part of 
the exterior lighting and other interior equip-
ment in your vehicle are equipped with covered 
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Replacing components
204 light-emitting diodes as light sources. These 
light-emitting diodes, which operate using a 
concept similar to that applied in conventional 
lasers, are officially designated as Class 1 light-
emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers or expose the 
eyes directly to the unfiltered light source 
for several hours, otherwise this could cause 
irritation to the retina.<
Xenon lamps
These bulbs have a very long service life and are 
highly unlikely to fail.
Have any work on the xenon lamp system, 
including bulb replacements, performed 
only by a BMW center or a workshop that works 
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise, if 
such work is carried out improperly, the high 
voltage in the system presents the danger of 
fatal injuries.<
Accessing the bulbs
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote 
control out of the ignition lock.
2.Remove the upper cover from the head-
lamp. To do so, use a screwdriver to press 
the catches towards the rear, see arrows, 
and pull the cover forward and out.
Follow the same steps in reverse order to reat-
tach the cover.
Be careful when installing the cover, oth-
erwise leaks could occur and cause dam-
age to the headlamp system.<
Parking lamps and roadside parking 
lamps, daytime running lamps
H8 bulb, 35 watts
1.Remove the cover, refer to Accessing the 
bulbs.
2.Turn the bulb approx. 90°, see arrow, and 
take it out.
3.Disconnect the plug, change the bulb and 
reconnect the plug.
4.Insert the bulb and turn it until it stops.
5.Reattach the cover.
Corner-illuminating lamp*
H3 bulb, 55 watts
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote 
control out of the ignition lock.
2.Remove the cover, refer to Accessing the 
bulbs.
3.Push the wire bracket out of the anchor 
towards the right and fold it up.
4.Disconnect the plug, change the bulb and 
reconnect the plug.
5.Insert the bulb.
6.Fold the wire bracket down and engage it.
7.Reattach the cover.
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Mobility
 213Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
headlamps, tail lamps, turn signal indicators and 
windshield wipers may be unavailable.
Power steering assistance is not available when 
the engine is not running. Thus, braking and 
steering will require increased effort.<
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
M dual clutch transmission with 
Drivelogic
Ensure that the parking lock P is not 
engaged as the rear wheels will otherwise 
be blocked. 
When using the car wash function, refer to 
page51, note that the parking lock P is 
engaged automatically after approx. 30 min-
utes, blocking the rear wheels.
If an electrical malfunction occurs or if towing 
takes longer than approx. 20 minutes, manually 
release the parking lock, refer to page54.<
When towing, do not exceed a maximum 
speed of 30 mph/50 km/h and a maxi-
mum distance of 30 miles/50 km, otherwise the 
transmission can be damaged.<
BMW recommends transporting the vehicle on 
a tow truck with a flat bed.
Towing methods
Do not lift the vehicle by a tow fitting or 
body and chassis parts, otherwise dam-
age may result.<
With a tow bar
The towing vehicle must not be lighter 
than the towed vehicle, otherwise it may 
be impossible to maintain control.<
The tow fittings used should be on the same 
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an angle, 
please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will 
be sharply limited during cornering.
>The tow bar will generate lateral forces if it is 
attached offset.Attach the tow bar to the tow fittings only, 
as attaching it to other parts of the vehicle 
could result in damage.<
With a tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make 
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated 
stresses on vehicle components when 
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps. 
Attach the tow rope to the tow fittings only, as 
attaching it to other parts of the vehicle could 
result in damage.<
With a tow truck
Manual transmission:
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck 
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Do not tow the vehicle with just the rear axle 
raised as this may cause the steering to turn.
M dual clutch transmission:
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck 
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Tow-starting
If possible, do not tow-start the vehicle but 
jump-start the engine, refer to page211. Vehi-
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Technical data
220
Weights
Never exceed either the approved axle loads or 
the gross vehicle weight.
Capacities
M3
Approved gross weight lbs/kg 4,740/2,150
Load lbs/kg 1,014/460
Approved front axle load  lbs/kg 2,249/1,020
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 2,624/1,190
Approved roof load capacity lbs/kg 165/75
Cargo bay capacity cu ft/liters 15.9/450
Notes
Fuel tank US gal/liters approx. 16.6/63 Fuel grade: page185
including reserve of US gal/liters approx. 3.3/12.5
Window washer system For more details: page60
including headlamp washers  US qt/liters approx. 4.8/4.5
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Everything from A - Z
228
Everything from A - Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display 
texts used to select 
individual functions and 
refers you to the page where 
these texts can be found.
A
ABS Antilock Brake 
System76
Acceleration assistant, refer to 
Launch Control57
Accident, refer to Sending an 
Emergency Request210
Activated-charcoal filter for 
automatic climate control92
Adaptive brake light
– brake force display82
Adaptive Head Light86
Additives
– coolant196
Address, entering117,123
Address for navigation
– entering117,123
Adjusting temperature inside 
the car, refer to Automatic 
climate control90
Adjusting the thigh support38
Adjusting the tone during 
audio operation, refer to 
Tone control136
Airbags82
– indicator/warning lamp84
– sitting safely37
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control90
– ventilation92
Air distribution
– automatic90
Air flow rate91
Airing, refer to Ventilation92
Air pressure, refer to Tire 
inflation pressure186Air recirculation, refer to 
Recirculated-air mode91
Air supply
– automatic climate control90
– ventilation92
Air vents89
AKI, refer to Fuel 
specifications184
Alarm system31
– avoiding unintentional 
alarms32
– interior motion sensor32
– switching off an alarm32
– tilt alarm sensor32
Album information for 
music153
Albums of music 
collection153
All-season tires, refer to 
Winter tires190
AM, waveband139
Ambient air, refer to 
Recirculated-air mode91
Antenna for mobile phone162
Antifreeze
– coolant196
– washer fluid60
Antilock Brake System 
ABS
76
Anti-theft alarm system, refer 
to Alarm system31
Anti-theft system27
Approved axle loads, refer to 
Weights220
Approved gross vehicle 
weight, refer to Weights220
Armrest, refer to Center 
armrest98
Arrival time, refer to 
Computer64
Ashtray
– front99
– rear100Assistance systems, refer to 
Driving stability control 
systems76
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control91
Audio136
– controls136
– switching on/off136
– tone control136
– volume136
Audio device, external98
Automatic
– air distribution90
– air flow rate90
– cruise control60
– headlamp control85
Automatic car washes199
Automatic climate control89
– automatic air distribution90
Automatic curb monitor43
Automatic recirculated-air 
control AUC91
Automatic Service 
Request179
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic
– towing212
– tow-starting212
AUTO program for automatic 
climate control90
AUX-IN port155
Average fuel consumption64
– setting the units65
Avoid highways in 
navigation127
Avoiding unintentional 
alarms32
Axle loads, refer to 
Weights220
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