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>The compass direction shown does not 
change although the direction of travel 
does.
>Not all compass directions are shown.
Procedure
1.Make sure that no large metal objects or 
overhead power lines are in the vicinity of 
your vehicle and that you have enough 
space to drive in a circle.
2.Set the currently valid compass zone.
3.Press the adjustment button for approx. 
6-7 seconds to call up C. Then drive in at 
least one full circle at a speed of no more 
than 4mph or 7km/h.
If calibration is successful, the display 
changes from C to a compass direction.
Setting right-hand/left-hand steering
Your digital compass is factory-set to right-
hand or left-hand steering, in accordance with 
your vehicle.
Setting the language
You can set the language of the display:
Press the adjustment button for approx. 
12-13 seconds. Briefly press the adjustment 
button again to switch between English, "E", 
and German, "O".
The setting is automatically saved after approx. 
10 seconds.
Roller sun blinds*
Rear window blind
Tap the button in the center console to raise or 
lower the roller sun blind.
Roller sun blinds for rear side windows
Pull loop of roller sun blind and hook onto 
bracket.
Do not open the window when the roller 
sun blind has been pulled up, otherwise 
there is a risk of damage at high speeds that 
may result in personal injury.<
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle. 
The light in the glove compartment comes on.
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-
dent while the vehicle is being driven, 
close the glove compartment immediately after 
use.<
Closing
Fold cover up.
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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 
center armrest.Press the front of the armrest.
Ashtray, front
Opening
Push the ridge on the cover.
Emptying
Lift out the insert.
Lighter
With the engine running or the ignition switched 
on, press in the cigarette lighter.
The lighter can be pulled out as soon as it pops 
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by 
the knob only. Holding or touching it in 
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3.Push the corresponding head restraint 
down as far as it will go, refer to page39.
4.To release the rear seat backrest, pull the 
corresponding lever in the cargo bay.
5.The unlocked rear seat backrest moves for-
ward slightly. Fold the backrest forward by 
the head restraint.
Closing
1.Return the rear seat backrest to its upright 
position and engage it.
When returning the backrest into its 
seating position, make sure that the 
seat's locking mechanism engages prop-
erly. Otherwise, cargo could be thrown 
around in the event of sharp braking or 
swerving and endanger the occupants.<2.Release the latch plate from the fixture on 
the rear window shelf and insert it into the 
belt lock of the center safety belt. Make sure 
you hear the latch plate engage in the belt 
buckle.
The lashing eyes in the cargo bay provide you 
with a way to attach cargo bay nets
* or draw 
straps for securing suitcases and luggage, refer 
to page109.
Storage compartments inside 
the cargo bay
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the 
following storage spaces can be found in the 
cargo bay:
>Left storage compartment, e.g. for storing a 
box of cleaning tissues or up to 12 CD jack-
ets, depending on vehicle equipment ver-
sion
>Net
* for securing smaller objects, to be 
attached to the fixtures on the floor panel
>Hooks for hanging up, e.g. shopping bags 
or tote bags
>Rubber strap on the left trim panel for 
securing small objects such as a folding 
umbrella
>Net for small objects on the right trim panel 
of the cargo bay
Folding up the floor panel
Do not exceed the maximum permissible 
load of 55 lbs/25 kg for the storage com-
partment under the floor panel, otherwise dam-
age could result.<
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3.Pull out the insert, arrow 2.
For more information on the various 
inserts available, contact your BMW cen-
ter.<
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ing, take care to avoid possible contact 
between the hot exhaust system and any highly 
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass, 
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, with the 
risk of serious personal injuries and property 
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust pipes, e. g. 
when loading the cargo bay, otherwise there is a 
risk of burn injuries.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge 
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning, 
means that the tire can completely 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 page189.
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.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a 
lengthy period using the clutch; use the 
parking brake instead. Otherwise greater clutch 
wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page78.
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 of the brake pedal, combined with 
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that 
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, 
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal 
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to 
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger 
other road users. The heat generated in this 
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure 
that full braking efficiency will then be available 
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting 
reduced efficiency of the brake system, 
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the 
gear in which the least braking is required. Even 
light but consistent brake 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.
M dual clutch transmission: never drive 
with the transmission in neutral 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.
Manual transmission: never drive with the 
clutch held down, with the transmission in neu-
tral 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
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally, 
during extended periods when the vehicle is not 
used at all, and in operating conditions where 
brake applications are less frequent, there is an 
increased tendency for corrosion to form on 
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the 
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum 
pressure which must be exerted by the pads 
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Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of 
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the 
weight of the occupants, the less cargo/lug-
gage can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Position heavy objects as low and as far for-
ward as possible, ideally directly behind the 
respective seat backrests.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is 
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the 
opposite buckle.
Securing cargo
>Secure smaller and lighter items using 
retaining straps, a cargo bay net
* or draw 
straps
*.>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing 
larger and heavier objects are available at 
your BMW center. Four lashing eyes are 
provided for attaching the cargo straps. 
Two are located on the cargo bay 
sidewalls1, two more are on the rear cargo 
bay panel2.
Please comply with the information sup-
plied with the cargo straps.
Position and secure the cargo as 
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden 
braking or swerving is necessary. 
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle 
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer 
to page220, as excessive loads can pose a 
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 
page47, otherwise these could be damaged.<
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.
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BMW M3 engineering
High performance V8 engine
The high-revving V8 engine draws a maximum 
power of 420 hp/309 kW and a peak torque of 
295 lb ft/400 Nm from a displacement of 
244 cu in/4 liters. Its spontaneous response 
results in a very wide effective rpm range. The 
maximum engine speed lies at 8,400 rpm and is 
electronically controlled. Due to the high engine 
dynamics, the maximum engine speed is lim-
ited to 7,000 rpm when the vehicle is standing.
Warming up the engine
During the warm-up phase, the high-perfor-
mance V8 engine runs a little more roughly due 
to its emissions control system.
For technical reasons, the exhaust system 
sounds slightly metallic when the engine is 
cold.
For further information on warming up the 
engine, refer to Tachometer on page62 and 
Engine oil temperature on page63.
Compound brake
Your BMW M3 is equipped with a high-perfor-
mance brake system with perforated com-
pound brake discs.
Due to special design features of the perforated 
compound brake discs, operating noise is audi-
ble during braking. However, this does not 
affect the brake's performance, safe operation 
or stability under load.
Braking correctly
To keep the brake system in optimal condition, 
it is advisable to apply the brakes at regular 
intervals as appropriate for the character of the 
vehicle.
Refer also to Corrosion on brake rotors on 
page107.
Drive train
In your BMW M3, special emphasis was placed 
on the direct connection between the engine 
and drive. The torsionally rigid execution of the 
drive train results in acoustic feedback of the 
torque, as is typical in sports cars. Clacking 
sounds can arise during load changes. They do 
not impair functionality or shorten the lifespan 
of any component.
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