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Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.
When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for winter roads
or at temperatures below +45°F/+76.
Although all-season M+S tires provide better
winter traction than summer tires, they gener-
ally fail to provide the same levels of cold-
weather performance as winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the
winter tires mounted on your car; failure
to do so could result in tire damage and acci-
dents.<
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum
tire inflation pressure indicated on the sidewall
of the tire.
Swapping wheels between axles
BMW advises against swapping wheels
between the front and rear axles, even if all tires
have the same size, as this could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels between the axles is not per-
missible.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link snow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW center for
more information.
Snow chains must be mounted in pairs and on
the rear wheels only. Observe the manufac-
turer's instructions when mounting snow
chains. Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph or
50 km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted; otherwise, the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DTC temporarily, refer to
page82.<
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Important parts of the engine compartment
1Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page215
2Washer fluid filler neck for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system,
refer to page613Jump-starting connection, refer to
page231
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.
For a precise measurement and display of the
oil level, 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.Push 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".
2.Press button 2 in the turn indicator lever.
The oil level is checked and the reading dis-
played.
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Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay.<
>"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page73. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Add up to 1 US quart/1 liter of engine oil only
after a corresponding message is shown on the
Control Display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, the engine could be dam-
aged.<
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.
Oil types
Do not use oil additives as this could
result in engine damage.<
Specified engine oils
Your service center can advise you on which
engine oils have been approved by the manu-
facturer of your vehicle.The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the
engine.
Only use approved High Performance oil.
Approved oils belong to the following viscosity
classes: SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40
and SAE 5W-30.
Alternative oil types
If the approved engine oils are not available, up
to 1 US quart/1 liter of another oil with the fol-
lowing specification may be used:
API SM or higher
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 additives; otherwise,
engine damage may result. Because
additives are harmful to your health, it is impor-
tant to follow the instructions on the contain-
ers.<
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.Do not open the engine hood before the
engine has cooled down.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank a little
counterclockwise to allow any accumulated
pressure to escape, then continue turning
to open.
3.The coolant level is correct if it is between
the maximum and minimum marks in the
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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 algorithms 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 requirements, the system builds
the basis for trouble-free driving.
On the Control Display, you can have the
remaining times or distances for selected main-
tenance tasks and any legally prescribed dates
displayed, refer to page73:
>Engine oil
>Brake pads: separately for front and rear
>Brake fluid
>Vehicle check
>Legally mandated inspections depending
on local regulations
Service data in the remote control
Your vehicle continuously stores service-
requirement information in the remote control
while you are driving. Your BMW Service Advi-
sor can read out this data 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 page76; otherwise, the
effectiveness of Condition 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.<
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Care
Care products
Regular cleaning and care contributes signifi-
cantly to the value retention of your BMW.
BMW recommends cleaning and caring for your
vehicle with products that are approved by
BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW center will be happy to advise you on
the products and services available for cleaning
and caring for your BMW.
Original BMW Care Products have been
material tested, laboratory checked and
proven in the field, and offer optimal care and
protection for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents as these may result in dam-
age.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or hazardous to your
health. Therefore, follow the warning and safety
instructions on the packaging. When cleaning
inside the vehicle, always open the doors or
windows of the vehicle. In enclosed areas, pro-
vide for sufficient ventilation. Only use products
designed for cleaning vehicles.<
Exterior care
Washing the vehicle
Especially during the winter months,
ensure that the vehicle is washed more
frequently. Heavy soiling and road salt can lead
to vehicle damage.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them; otherwise,
water can reduce braking efficiency over the
short term and the brake discs can corrode.<
Automatic car washes
Preference should be given to cloth car washes.Do not use high-pressure car washes;
otherwise, water may drip into the vehicle
around the windows.<
Before driving into a car wash, ensure that it is
suitable for your BMW. Check the following:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page239.
>If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,
refer to page50.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Avoid car washes with guide rail heights
over 4 in/10 cm; otherwise, there is the
danger of damaging chassis parts.<
Preparations before driving into an automatic
car wash:
>Unscrew the rod antenna
*.
>Deactivate the rain sensor
* to prevent unin-
tentional wiping.
>Remove additional add-on parts, e.g. spoil-
ers or phone antennas, if they could be
damaged.
Automatic transmission
Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-
form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-
cle can roll:
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2.Move the selector lever to position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Switch off the engine.
5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
Steam jets/high-pressure washers
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, ensure that you maintain suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure or
temperature can lead to component damage or
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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.<
Outside sensors/cameras
Keep the sensors and cameras on the
outside of the vehicle, e.g. those for Park
Distance Control, clean and free of ice to ensure
that they remain fully functional.<
Interior care
Upholstery fabrics/cloth trims/
Alcantara fabrics
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to
remove superficial dirt.
To remove severe spots such as stains from
beverages, use a soft sponge or lint-free
microfiber cloth and suitable interior cleaners.
Follow the instructions on the packaging.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams
using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong
rubbing.<
Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or
other articles of clothing can damage the
seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are
closed.<
Leather/leather trim
The leather used by BMW is a high quality
natural product. Slight irregularities in the
leather are a typical characteristic of natural
leather.<
Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the
leather have an abrasive effect, leading to
increased wear and causing the leather surface
to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-
quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or
vacuum cleaner.Clean light-colored leather more frequently as
dust and dirt are more noticeable.
Treat the leather at least once every two
months using a leather lotion as dirt and grease
will gradually attack the leather's protective
layer.
Carpets/cargo area
You can vacuum the carpets and floor mats or
clean them with interior cleaner if heavily soiled.
The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.
When replacing the mats, ensure that the seat
rails do not extend over the floor mats, as this
may damage the mats.
Lint on the floor mats occurs for technical rea-
sons and can be removed by vacuuming
repeatedly.
Interior plastic parts
>Imitation leather surfaces
>Lamp glasses
>Display pane of instrument cluster
>Matte parts
Clean with water and solvent-free plastic
cleaner if necessary.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with a
damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and
thus have a negative impact on safety.
Do not clean chemically, as this may
destroy the webbing.<
Interior sensors/cameras
To clean interior sensors and cameras, e.g. of
the high-beam assistant, use a lint-free cloth
moistened with glass cleaner.
Displays
To clean displays, e.g. of the radio or instrument
cluster, use a cleaning cloth for displays or a
soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth.
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Replacing components
Onboard vehicle tool kit
Coupe
The onboard vehicle tool kit is stored in a com-
partment on the right-hand side of the cargo
area. Remove the cover.
Convertible
The onboard vehicle tool kit is stored in a pouch
under the cargo area floor panel.
Wiper blades
1.Fold out the wiper arm and hold it.
2.Press together the locking spring, arrows1,
and fold out the wiper blade, arrow2.
3.Take the wiper blade out of the catch mech-
anism, pulling the blade toward the front.
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
Light-emitting diodes installed behind translu-
cent lenses serve as the light source for many of
the controls and displays in your vehicle. 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.
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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.
Turn signals, front
PY21W bulb, 21 watts
1.Release the cover in the wheel well, refer to
Access through the wheel well on
page224.
2.Rotate turn signal bulb socket 1 to the left
and remove.
3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Insert turn signal bulb socket 1.
5.Reattach the cover in the wheel well.
Tail lamps
Coupe
>Turn signal:
PY21W bulb, 21 watts>Brake lamp in the trunk lid:
H21W bulb, 21 watts
>Other lamps:
W16W bulb, 16 watts
The tail lamps are divided in two parts. One part
is in the trunk lid, the other is in the fender.
1Turn signal
2Roadside parking lamp/tail lamp, LED
3Backup lamp
4Brake lamp, consisting of two individual
bulbs
5Brake Force Display lamp
6Roadside parking lamp/tail lamp, LED
If one of the bulbs 2, 5 or 6 malfunctions, please
contact your BMW center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Convertible
>Turn signal:
PY21W bulb, 21 watts
>Brake lamp in the trunk lid:
H21W bulb, 21 watts
The tail lamps are divided in two parts. One part
is in the trunk lid, the other is in the fender.