2011 BMW 3 SERIES service

Notes
Using this Owner's Manual
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic is by using the index.
An initial overview of the vehicle is provided in
the first chapter.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for
the Owner's Manuals are located in the appen‐
dix of the printed quick reference for the vehicle.
Additional sources of information
Should you have any questions, your service
center will be glad to advise you at any time.
Information on BMW, e.g., on technology, is
available on the Internet: bmwusa.com.
Symbols
Indicates precautions that must be followed
precisely in order to avoid the possibility of per‐
sonal injury and serious damage to the vehicle.
◄ Marks the end of a specific item of informa‐
tion.
"..." Identifies Control Display texts used to se‐
lect individual functions.
›...‹ Verbal instructions to use with the voice ac‐
tivation system.
››...‹‹ Identifies the answers generated by the
voice activation system.
Refers to measures that can be taken to help
protect the environment.
Symbols on vehicle components
Indicates that you should consult the rele‐
vant section of this Owner's Manual for infor‐
mation on a particular part or assembly.
Vehicle equipment
This Owner's Manual describes all models and
all standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series.
Therefore, in this Owner's Manual, equipment is
also described and illustrated that is not availa‐
ble in your vehicle, e.g. because of the selected
optional equipment or the country-specific var‐
iants.
This also applies for safety-related functions
and systems.
For options and equipment not described in this
Owner's Manual, please refer to the Supple‐
mentary Owner's Manuals.
On right-hand drive vehicles, some controls are
arranged differently than shown in the illustra‐
tions.
Status of the Owner's Manual
The manufacturer of your vehicle pursues a pol‐
icy of constant development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to embody
the highest quality and safety standards. In rare
cases, therefore, the features described in this
Owner's Manual may differ from those in your
vehicle.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for
the Owner's Manuals are located in the appen‐
dix of the printed quick reference for the vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials and high-performance electronics, re‐
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Notes
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quires suitable maintenance and repair meth‐
ods.
Therefore, have this work performed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord‐
ing to BMW repair procedures with appropri‐
ately trained personnel.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.
Parts and Accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts and ac‐
cessories approved by BMW. When you pur‐
chase accessories tested and approved by
BMW and Genuine BMW Parts, you simultane‐
ously acquire the assurance that they have been
thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure optimum
performance when installed on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from de‐
fects in material and workmanship. BMW will not
accept any liability for damage resulting from in‐
stallation of parts and accessories not approved
by BMW. BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to verify if it can be used
on a BMW safely and without risk to either the
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants. Genuine
BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and other prod‐
ucts approved by BMW, together with profes‐
sional advice on using these items, are available
from all BMW centers. Installation and operation
of non-BMW approved accessories such as
alarms, radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake dust
shields, telephones, including operation of any
mobile phone from within the vehicle without
using an externally mounted antenna, or trans‐
ceiver equipment, for instance, CBs, walkie-
talkies, ham radios or similar accessories, may
cause extensive damage to the vehicle, com‐
promise its safety, interfere with the vehicle's
electrical system or affect the validity of the
BMW Limited Warranty. See your BMW center
for additional information. Maintenance, re‐
placement, or repair of the emission control de‐
vices and systems may be performed by any au‐
tomotive repair establishment or individual
using any certified automotive part.
California Proposition 65 Warning
California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of automobile
components and parts, including components
found in the interior furnishings in a vehicle, con‐
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cal‐
ifornia to cause cancer and birth defects and re‐
productive harm. In addition, certain fluids
contained in vehicles and certain products of
component wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash your
hands after handling. Used engine oil contains
chemicals that have caused cancer in laboratory
animals. Always protect your skin by washing
thoroughly with soap and water.
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly. Your vehicle is covered by the fol‐
lowing warranties:
▷New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
▷Rust Perforation Limited Warranty.
▷Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty.
▷Federal Emissions Performance Warranty.
▷California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty.
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con‐
ditions and homologation requirements in your
country and continental region in order to deliver
the full driving pleasure while the vehicle is op‐
erated under those conditions. If you wish to op‐
erate your vehicle in another country or region,
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Notes
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you may be required to adapt your vehicle to
meet different prevailing operating conditions
and homologation requirements. You should
also be aware of any applicable warranty limita‐
tions or exclusions for such country or region. In
such case, please contact Customer Relations
for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle regularly to sustain the road
safety, operational reliability and the New Vehi‐
cle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance meas‐
ures:
▷BMW Maintenance system
▷Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models
▷Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
If the vehicle is not maintained according to
these specifications, this could result in serious
damage to the vehicle. Such damage is not cov‐
ered by the BMW New Vehicle Limited War‐
ranty.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following only applies to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the Na‐
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone
1-800-831-1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your dealer,
or BMW of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safe‐
rcar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about mo‐
tor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada, De‐
fect Investigations and Recalls, may telephone
the toll-free hotline 1-800-333-0510. You can
also obtain other information about motor vehi‐
cle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety.
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Notes
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Opening and closing
Vehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Remote control/key
Buttons on the remote control
1Unlocking
2Locking
3Opening the trunk lid
4Panic mode in alarm system
General information
The vehicle is supplied with two remote controls
with keys.
Every remote control contains a replaceable
battery.
The settings called up and implemented when
the vehicle is unlocked depend on which remote
control is used to unlock the vehicle, Personal
Profile, refer to page 31.
In addition, information about service require‐
ments is stored in the remote control, Service
data in the remote control, refer to page 277.
Integrated key
Press the button on the back of the remote con‐
trol, arrow 1, and pull out the key, arrow 2.
The integrated key fits the following locks:
▷Driver's door.
▷Glove compartment on the front passenger
side.
The front passenger glove compartment con‐
tains a switch for separately securing the trunk
lid, refer to page 38.
Replacing the battery
1.Take the integrated key out of the remote
control.
2.Push in the catch with the key, arrow 1.
3.Remove the cover of the battery compart‐
ment; see arrow 2.
4.Insert a battery of the same type with the
positive side facing upwards.
5.Press the cover closed.
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Take the used battery to a recycling cen‐
ter or to your service center.
New remote controls
You can obtain new remote controls from your
service center.
Loss of the remote controls
Lost remote controls can be blocked by your
service center.
Emergency detection of remote control
It is possible to switch on the ignition or start the
engine in situations such as the following:
▷Interference of radio transmission to remote
control by external sources.
▷Discharged battery in the remote control.
▷Interference of radio transmission by mobile
devices in close proximity to the remote
control.
▷Interference of radio transmission by
charger while charging items such as mobile
devices in the vehicle.
A Check Control message is displayed if an at‐
tempt is made to switch on the ignition or start
the engine.
Starting the engine in case of
emergency detection of remote control
Automatic transmission: if a corresponding
Check Control message appears, hold the re‐
mote control, as shown, against the marked area
on the steering column and press the Start/Stop
button within 10 seconds while pressing the
brake.
Manual transmission: if a corresponding Check
Control message appears, hold the remote con‐
trol, as shown, against the marked area on the
steering column and press the Start/Stop button
within 10 seconds while pressing the clutch.
Personal Profile
The concept
Personal Profile concept
You can set several of your vehicle's functions
to suit your personal needs and preferences.
▷The settings are automatically saved in the
profile currently activated.
▷When the vehicle is unlocked, the profile that
was last detected and called up with the re‐
mote control is used.
▷Your personal settings will be recognized
and called up again even if the vehicle has
been used in the meantime by someone else
with another remote control.
The individual settings are stored for three Per‐
sonal Profiles and one guest profile.
Transmitting the settings
Your personal settings can be taken with you to
another vehicle equipped with the Personal Pro‐
file function. For more information, contact your
service center.
Transmission takes place via:
▷The USB interface in the glove compart‐
ment or the center console on a USB me‐
dium.
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Opening from the inside
Push the button in the driver's footwell.
If the vehicle is stationary, the trunk lid opens if
it is not locked.
Closing
Recessed grips in the interior trim of the trunk
lid make it easier to pull down the lid.
Danger of pinching
Make sure that the closing path of the
trunk lid is clear; otherwise, injuries may result.◀
Do not place the remote control in the
cargo area
Take the remote control with you and do not
leave it in the cargo area; otherwise, the remote
control is locked inside the vehicle when the
trunk lid is closed.◀
Locking separately
The trunk lid can be locked separately with the
switch in the front passenger glove compart‐
ment.
▷Trunk lid secured, arrow 1.
▷Trunk lid not secured, ar‐
row 2.
Slide the switch into the arrow 1 position. This
secures the trunk lid and disconnects it from the
central locking system.
When the front passenger glove compartment
is locked, the tailgate cannot be accessed.
This is beneficial when the vehicle is parked us‐
ing valet service. The infrared remote control
can be handed out without the key.
Emergency unlocking
Pull the handle inside the cargo area.
The trunk lid unlocks.
Comfort Access
The concept
The vehicle can be accessed without activating
the remote control.
All you need to do is to have the remote control
with you, e.g., in your jacket pocket.
The vehicle automatically detects the remote
control when it is nearby or in the passenger
compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following func‐
tions:
▷Unlocking/locking of the vehicle.
▷Unlocking of the trunk lid separately.
▷Open trunk lid with no-touch activation.
▷Starting the engine.
Functional requirements
▷There are no external sources of interfer‐
ence nearby.
▷To lock the vehicle, the remote control must
be located outside of the vehicle.
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Buckling the belt
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in the
belt buckle.
Unbuckling the belt
1.Hold the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the belt buckle.
3.Guide the belt back into its reel.
Safety belt reminder for the driver's and
front passenger seat
The indicator lamp flashes or lights up
and a signal sounds. Make sure that the
safety belts are positioned correctly.
The safety belt reminder is active at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be ac‐
tivated if objects are placed on the front pas‐
senger seat.
Damage to safety belts
In the case of strain caused by accidents or
damage:
Have the safety belts, including the safety belt
tensioners, replaced and have the belt anchors
checked.
Checking and replacing safety belts
Have the work performed only by your
service center; otherwise, it cannot be ensured
that this safety feature will function properly.◀
Front head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event of
an accident.
Adjusting the head restraint
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occupied seats; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury in an accident.◀
Height
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is ap‐
proximately at ear level.
Distance
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint is
as close as possible to the back of the head.
If necessary, adjust the distance by adjusting
the tilt of the backrest.
Adjusting the height
▷To raise: pull.
▷To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and
push the head restraint down.
Tilt
Three different tilt positions are available.
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Electronic displays
Overview, instrument cluster
1Messages, e.g. Check Control  73
Time  76
Date  76
External temperature  76
Selection lists  80
Service requirements  77
Miles/trip miles  76
Computer  81
2Transmission display  69
Gear shift indicator  78
3Status, Driving Experience Switch  106
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