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Fuel specifications
Do not fill the tank with leaded fuel as this
would cause permanent damage to the
catalytic converter.
Do not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel containing
85 % ethanol, nor with Fl exFuel. Otherwise, the
engine and fuel suppl y system will be dam-
aged. <
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is hi ghly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
> Z4 sDrive30i: 87
> Z4 sDrive35i: 89
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Do not use any gasoline below the speci-
fied minimum fuel grade. Otherwise the
engine could be damaged. <
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among ga solines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void
the applicable warranti es with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
driveability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certai n environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand such as gasoline
that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in un scheduled maintenance. <
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Under the hood
Do not work on the car unless you pos-
sess the necessary technical knowledge.
If you are unfamiliar with the statutory guide-
lines, have any work on the vehicle performed
only by a BMW center or by a workshop that
work according to BMW repair procedures with
correspondingly trained pe rsonnel. If this work
is not carried out properly, there is a danger of
subsequent damage and related safety
hazards. <
Hood
Releasing
Pull the lever.
Opening
To avoid damage, make sure that the
wiper arms are against the windshield
before you open the en gine compartment. Do
not open the engine hood before the engine has
cooled down, otherwise injuries may result. <
Push the release lever to the right and open
the hood.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear, otherwise injuries may
result.
If you see any signs while driving your vehicle
that the hood is not comp letely closed, stop at
once and close it securely. <
Under the hood
198
Important parts of the engine compartment
1Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page 200
2 Jump-starting connection, negative termi-
nal, refer to page 214
3 Washer fluid filler neck for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system,
refer to page 61 4
Fluid filler neck for engine oil, refer to
page 200
5 Jump-starting connection, positive termi-
nal, refer to page 214
6 Vehicle identification number
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking engine oil level
Your car is equipped with an electronic oil-level
monitor.
For the oil level to be measured and displayed
correctly, it is necessary that the engine be at
operating temperature, i.e. after uninterrupted
driving for at least approx. 6.5 miles/10 km. You
can have the oil level displayed while you are
driving, or while the vehicle is at a standstill on a
level surface and the engine is running.
Display in the instrument cluster
1.Press button 1 in the turn indicator lever up
or down repeatedly until the appropriate
symbol is shown in the display, accompa-
nied by the word "OIL".
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2.Press button 2 in the turn in dicator lever.
The oil level is checke d and the reading dis-
played.
Possible displays
1 Oil level OK
2 Oil level is being checked.
This can take about 3 minutes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface, or about
5 minutes while the car is on the move.
3 Oil level down to minimum:
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil on page 200.
4 Oil level is too high.
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay. <
5 The oil level sensor is defective.
Do not add engine o il. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page 69. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Display via iDrive
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. "Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Engine oil level"
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level OK"
> "Measurement not possi ble at this time."
> "Measuring engine oil level...":
This can take about 3 minutes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface and the engine
is running, and about 5 minutes while the
car is moving.
If engine oil was added, it may take up to
30 minutes to obtain an oil level reading.
> "Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil below.
> "Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay. <
Under the hood
200
>
"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the ne xt oil service, refer
to page 69. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Do not add 1 US quart/1 liter of engine oil until a
corresponding message is shown on the Con-
trol Display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, the engine damage could
occur. <
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the relevant
warnings on the containers. Otherwise, health
hazards may result. <
Oil change
Have oil changed only at your BMW center or at
a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the oper ation and service life of
an engine. BMW continuously approves spe-
cific oils after confirming their suitability for use
in its vehicles with extensive testing.
Do not use oil additives as these may
cause engine damage. <
Only use approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil. If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is not
available, you can add small quantities of other
synthetic oils in betwee
n oil changes. Only use
oils with the API SM sp ecification or higher.
Your BMW center will be glad to answer
any questions regarding BMW High
Performance Synthetic Oil or approved syn-
thetic oils. <
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
Viscosity ratings
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and
is categorized in SAE classes.
Selecting the appropri ate SAE class depends
on the regional climatic conditions in which you
normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the 0W-40,
0W-30, 5W-40 and 5W-30 SAE
classes. <
These oils can be used fo r driving at all outside
temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns. <
Coolant consists of half water and half additive.
Not all commercially available additives are suit-
able for your BMW. Ask your BMW center for
suitable additives.
Only use suitable ad ditives, otherwise
engine damage may result. Because
additives are harmful to your health, it is impor-
tant to follow the instructions on the con-
tainers. <
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives. <
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Checking coolant level
1.Do not open the engine hood before the
engine has cooled down.
2. Turn the expansion tank cap counterclock-
wise slightly to allo w any accumulated pres-
sure to escape, then continue turning
to open.
3. The coolant level is correct if it is between
the maximum and minimum marks in the
filler neck, refer also to the diagram next to
the filler neck.
4. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level; do not overfill.
5. Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6. Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.
Maintenance
202
Maintenance
BMW Maintenance System
The BMW Maintenance System supports the
preservation of the traffic and operating safety
of your BMW. The objective is to optimize
efforts with respect to minimal vehicle mainte-
nance costs.
If and when you come to sell your BMW, a com-
prehensive record of servicing will prove a sig-
nificant benefit.
Condition Based Service CBS
Sensors and special algo rithms take the differ-
ent driving conditions of your BMW into
account. Condition Based Service uses this to
determine the current and future service
requirements. By letting you define a service
and maintenance regimen that reflects your
own individual requirem ents, the system builds
the basis for trouble-free driving.
On the Control Displa y, you can have the
remaining times or distan ces for selected main-
tenance tasks and any le gally prescribed dates
displayed, refer to page 69:
> Engine oil
> Brake pads, separately for the front
and back
> Brake fluid
> Vehicle check
> Legally mandated in spections depending
on local regulations
Service data in the remote control
Your vehicle continuo usly stores service-
requirement information in the remote control
while you are driving. Your BMW Service Advi-
sor can read out this da ta from the remote con-
trol unit, and propose an optimized mainte-
nance approach. Whenever you take your car in
for servicing you should therefore hand your
BMW Service Advisor the remote control unit
that you last used.
Make sure that the date is always set cor-
rectly, refer to page 72; otherwise the
effectiveness of Condit ion Based Service CBS
is not assured. <
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service
and repair operations performed at your
BMW center.
Take the time to ensure that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by entries in your vehi-
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance. <
Socket for On-Board
Diagnosis OBD
Primary components that make up exhaust
emissions can be checked by a device via the
OBD socket.
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This socket is located on the driver's side to the
left, on the bottom of the instrument panel
underneath a cover.
Exhaust emission values
The warning lamp lights up:
The vehicle emissions are raised. The
trip can be continued. Have the car
checked as soon as possible.
Canadian models display this
warning lamp.
The lamp flashes under certain condi-
tions. This indicates excessive misfiring in the
engine. If this happens, you should reduce your
speed and visit your nearest BMW center as
soon as possible. Severe engine misfiring can
quickly lead to serious damage of emissions-
related components, espe cially the catalytic
converter.
The warning lamp comes on if the gas
cap is not properly tightened and the
OBD system assumes that fuel vapor
is escaping. If the gas ca p is then tightened, the
warning lamp should go out within a few days.
Data recorders
Your vehicle may be equipped with one or sev-
eral measuring or diagnostic modules or a
device for recording or sending certain vehicle
data or information. In addition, if you have
signed a service contract for BMW Assist, cer-
tain vehicle data may be transmitted or
recorded in order to fa cilitate the corresponding
services.