2009 BMW Z4 SDRIVE30I Owners Manual

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47Reference
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Do not use force to swing the lever
back up, otherwise the mechanism
will be damaged. <
Steering wheel heating*
To switch on or off, press the button.

Transporting children safely
48
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening
the doors, for example. <
Children on the passenger seat
Always transport children under the age
of 13 or smaller than 5 ft/150 cm in a
child-restraint system suitable for their age,
weight and size, and with the passenger airbag
deactivated. Otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury in the event of an accident or if the
airbags deploy. <
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child-restr aint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the passenger airbags refer to page 86.
Installing child-restraint
systems
After installing a child-restraint system on
the passenger seat, make sure that the
front and side airbags for the passenger are
deactivated; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury if the airbags deploy.
Observe the child-restraint system manufac-
turer's instructions when selecting, installing
and using child-restraint systems. Otherwise
the protective effect may be diminished. <
Standard child-restraint systems are designed
to be secured with a lap be lt or with the lap-belt
section of a lap-and-shou lder belt. Incorrectly
or improperly installed child-restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to children.
Always follow the installa tion instructions for
the system with the greatest care.
On the passenger seat
After installing a child-restraint system on
the passenger seat, make sure that the
front and side airbags for the passenger are
deactivated, otherwise there is an increased
risk of injury if the airbags deploy. <
Seat position
Before installing a child-restraint system, move
the passenger seat as far back and up
* as pos-
sible to obtain the best possible position for
the belt.
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the passenger's
seat must be at its widest possible set-
ting. Do not change the setting after installing
the child seat. Otherwise the child seat's stabil-
ity on the passenger's seat is limited. <
1. Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page 43.
2. Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The safety belt for the passenger can be locked
to prevent it from being pulled out when it is
used to secure child-restraint systems.

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To Locking the safety belt
1.Secure the child-restraint system with
the belt.
2. Pull the belt strap all the way out.
3. Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut
against the child-restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To Unlocking the safety belt
1. Open the belt buckle.
2. Remove the child-restraint system.
3. Allow the safety belt strap to retract all
the way.

Driving
50
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the
ignition lock
Inserting the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
>Radio readiness is switched on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Convenient access*
If the car is equipped wi th convenient access,
only insert the remote control into the ignition
lock under special circ umstances, refer to
page 35.
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out
of the ignition lock as this may cause
damage. <
Before removing the remote control, push it all
the way in to release the locking mechanism.
> The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Automatic transmission
You can only take out the remote control if
transmission position P is engaged: Interlock
Start/stop button
Pressing the start/stop button switches radio
readiness or the ignition on or off.
The engine is started when you press the
start/stop button and depress the clutch if
the car has manual transmission, or the brake if
the car has automatic transmission. <
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
> When the remote cont rol is removed from
the ignition lock
> In cars with convenient access
*, by touch-
ing the surface above th e door lock, refer to
Locking on page 35
Ignition on
All electrical consumers can operate. The
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
When the engine is off, please switch off
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-
cal consumers in order to preserve the
battery. <
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warnin g lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.

Controls
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Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, otherwis e such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car wi th the engine running,
place the transmission in neutral or move the
selector lever to position P and set the parking
brake to prevent the car from moving. <
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeat ed start attempts in
which the engine does no t start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter. <
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 35.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Depress the clutch and shift to neutral
position.
3. Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
Automatic transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 35.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Move the selector lever to position P.
3. Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 35.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Press the start/stop button.
The engine starts, regardless of the current
selector lever position.

Driving
52
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you
when you leave the vehicle.
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll. <
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2. Shift into first gear or reverse.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50.
Automatic transmission
1. With the car at a stan dstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2. Press the start/stop button.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50.
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
1. With the car at a stan dstill, engage trans-
mission position P.
2. Press the start/stop button.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50.
Parking brake
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with an electromechan-
ical parking brake that can be set and released
by using a button.
The parking brake is primarily used to prevent
the vehicle from rolling when it is parked.
When the vehicle is stationary, the parking
brake acts on the rear wheels via an electrome-
chanical mechanism. When the vehicle is rolling
or being driven, the parking brake acts on the disc brakes of the front and rear wheels via the
hydraulic brake system.
Setting the brake
Pull the button. The parking brake is set.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster and the LED on the button light
up red. The parking brake is set.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
To set the parking brake, the remote control
does not need to be in the ignition lock.
While driving
In the rare case that the parking brake needs to
be used while driving, pull the button for a
lengthy period:
The vehicle brakes hard while the button is
being pulled. The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up red, a sound is issued
and the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
As soon as you brake the vehicle almost to a
standstill, approx. 2 mph/3 km/h, the parking
brake remains set.
Releasing
Take the remote cont rol with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for
example, cannot release the parking brake. <

Controls
53Reference
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Communications
Navigation
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Mobility
The parking brake can only be released while
the ignition is switched on or the engine is
running.
With manual transmission
Press the button of the parking brake. Depress
the brake and clutch pedals while doing so.
With automatic transmission or 7-gear
sport automatic transmission with dual
clutch
Press the parking brake button while the brake
is depressed or transmission position P is
engaged.
Indicator lamps
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against rolling
using a wheel chock, for example, if you leave
the vehicle.
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be da maged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear. <
Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to
page 54.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select position P and set the park-
ing brake before leavin g the vehicle with the
engine running. <
Disengaging the remote control
In order to remove the remote control from the
ignition lock, you must first move the selector
lever to position P and switch off the engine:
interlock. Removing th e remote control from
the ignition lock, refer to page 50.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –

Driving
54
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P
> Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
depress the brake until you are ready to
start. <
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the butto n on the front of the
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you are driving in posi-
tion D.
Kick-down
Kick-down enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual
operation M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The sport program is activated and DS is dis-
played in the instrument cl uster. This position is
recommended for a performance-oriented driv-
ing style.
To deactivate the spor t program or manual
mode M/S, move the sele ctor lever to the right
into position D.
Shifting gears via the selector lever
When you press the select or lever forwards or
backwards, the manual mode is activated and
Steptronic changes gear. M1 through M6 are
displayed in the instrument cluster.