2010 BMW M3 light

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
97
Cigarette lighter socket*
To access the socket: take the cigarette lighter
out of the socket.
Socket* in the front passenger footwell
A socket is located under the glove compart-
ment on the left.
Socket in the center armrest
External audio device, refer to page95.
Sockets in the rear center console*
Remove corresponding cover.
Socket in the cargo area*
Sedan
Sports Wagon
Open the cap.
Sedan:
Through-loading system*
Opening
1.Open the belt lock of the rear center safety
belt. To do so, press the red button in the
belt lock2 using the latch plate1.

Practical interior accessories
98 2.Insert the latch plate at the end of the belt
into the specially designated fixture on the
rear window shelf.
3.Push the corresponding head restraint
down as far as it will go, refer to page36.
4.To release the rear seat backrest, pull the
corresponding lever in the cargo area.
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 to 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 area provide you
with a way to attach cargo area nets
* or draw
straps for securing suitcases and luggage, refer
to page110.
Sports Wagon:
Cargo area
Roller cover
Pull out the cover and hook it into the retaining
fixtures.
Do not place objects on the cover; other-
wise, they could endanger the car's occu-
pants, e.g. in the case of braking or sudden
swerving.
Do not let the cover retract; otherwise, it could
be damaged.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
107
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance between you and the vehicle in front of
you. A defensive and smooth driving style
keeps fuel consumption down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second
and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot off
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
O n a d o w n h il l s lo p e , t a k e y o u r f o o t o f f t h e a c c el -
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx.
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner, seat
heating or rear window defroster draw large
amounts of power and consume additional fuel.
Especially in city traffic and in stop and go driv-
ing they have a considerable impact. Therefore,
switch these functions off when they are not
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page141.
General driving notes
Close the trunk lid/tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the trunk
lid/tailgate and rear window are closed.
Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter the inte-
rior of the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid/
tailgate open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the air
conditioner or automatic climate control
system, refer to page85 or88.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them.
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
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 tail pipes.
Otherwise, there is a risk of burns.<
Diesel particulate filter*
The diesel particulate filter collects soot parti-
cles and burns them periodically at high tem-
peratures. This cleaning process takes several
minutes. During cleaning, you may notice that
the engine temporarily runs less smoothly and
that a somewhat higher engine speed is neces-
sary to achieve the accustomed performance.
Also, noises may be heard and a slight amount
of smoke may emerge from the exhaust, even

Things to remember when driving
108 for a short period after the engine is switched
off.
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 page133.
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 page72.
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. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page49.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
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.
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
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.

Things to remember when driving
110
Sedan
Sports Wagon
>Use the partition net to protect passengers,
refer to page99. Make sure that objects
cannot penetrate the partition net.
>Do not stack cargo higher than the upper
edge of the backrests.
>Place protective material around any
objects which could bump against the rear
window while the vehicle is in motion.
Securing cargo
>Secure smaller and lighter items using
retaining straps, a cargo area 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 area
sidewalls1, two more are on the rear cargo
area panel2.
Please comply with the information sup-
plied with the cargo straps.
Always 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 page177, 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
page43; otherwise, these could be damaged.<
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
f o r y o u r B M W . C o m p l y w i t h t h e d i r e c t i o n s g i v e n
in the installation instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are located in the roof/
along the roof rails
*.

Refueling
114
Refueling
Always switch off the engine before refu-
eling; otherwise, fuel cannot be added to
the tank and a message will be displayed.<
Take all precautionary measures and
observe all applicable regulations when
handling fuel. Do not carry any spare fuel con-
tainers in your vehicle. They can develop a leak
and cause an explosion or cause a fire in the
event of an accident.<
Fuel filler flap
Opening
1.Open the fuel filler flap. To do so, lightly
press the rear edge.
2.Turn the gas cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the gas cap in the bracket attached to
the fuel filler flap.
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Do not pinch the band attached to the
cap; otherwise, the cap cannot be closed
properly and fuel vapors can escape.<
Manually releasing the fuel filler flap
In the event of a malfunction, you can release
the fuel filler flap manually:
Sedan
1.Remove the cover from the right-hand side-
wall of the cargo area.
2.Pull the knob with the fuel pump symbol.
The fuel filler flap is released.
Sports Wagon
1.Fold up the cargo area floor panel.
2.Remove the cover from the right-hand side-
wall of the cargo area. To do so, turn the
screws, arrows 1, 90° and take out the
cover, arrow 2.
3.Pull the knob with the fuel pump symbol.
The fuel filler flap is released.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
117
Wrong fluid
A warning lamp lights up:
The wrong fluid was filled into the res-
ervoir.
Please contact your BMW center.
Having the diesel exhaust fluid refilled
Diesel exhaust fluid is refilled by your BMW
center during regular service. If the service
intervals are adhered to, it generally does not
need to be refilled between service appoint-
ments.
Under certain conditions, e.g. especially fre-
quent accelerations or operation of the vehicle
at high altitudes, it may become necessary to
refill the fluid between service appointments.
When this reserve display appears in the instru-
ment cluster, have diesel exhaust fluid refilled to
avoid not being able to start the engine.
You can have the fluid refilled by a BMW center.
Diesel exhaust fluid at low
temperatures
Because of its physical properties, it may
be necessary to refill diesel exhaust fluid
between regular service appointments at tem-
peratures below +237/-56.
The need to add fluid is indicated by the reserve
display in the instrument cluster, refer to
page116.<
Refilling diesel exhaust fluid in
exceptional cases
To be able to reach the next BMW center, you
can refill diesel exhaust fluid yourself while
adhering to the following warnings.
Do not come into contact with diesel
exhaust fluid as it can lead to skin or eye
irritations. Wear goggles and gloves, if neces-
sary. Follow the safety instructions on the bot-
tle.
Vapors with a sharp odor can escape from the
bottle or container when it is opened. Before
refilling, completely close the windows and
doors of the vehicle to prevent the vapors from
intruding into the interior. If handling diesel exhaust fluid in an enclosed area, ensure that
the room is well ventilated.
After handling diesel exhaust fluid, wash your
hands thoroughly; otherwise, for example, inad-
vertently touching your eyes may lead to eye
irritations.
If eye irritations occur, rinse the eyes thoroughly
with water and consult a physician if necessary.
If diesel exhaust fluid comes into contact with
the surface of your vehicle, rinse the affected
areas with water to prevent surface damage.
Keep diesel exhaust fluid away from children.<
Suitable diesel exhaust fluid
>Preferred: BMW Diesel Exhaust Fluid.
Diesel exhaust fluid can be refilled conve-
niently with this bottle and its special
adapter.
>Alternatively: NOx reduction agent AUS 32
You can obtain diesel exhaust fluid from your
BMW center.
Refilling quantity
Refilling quantity when the reserve display first
appears:
Approx. 1 US gallon/3.7 liters
Opening the diesel exhaust fluid
reservoir
1.Remove the cover in the bumper by press-
ing on it, see arrow.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
135
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
page70.<