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Refueling
202
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. A mes-
sage will be displayed if the gas cap is loose or 
missing.<
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. 
     
        
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Mobility
 203Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels, follow the safety 
instructions provided at filling stations; 
otherwise, there is a risk of personal injury or 
property damage.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid lifting the filler 
nozzle while filling the tank, as that would lead 
to
>Premature pump shutoff
>Reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor recov-
ery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks 
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
Refuel as soon as possible once your 
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km; otherwise, engine functions are not 
ensured and damage can occur.<
Gasoline engine
Approx. 16.1 US gallons/61 liters, including the 
reserve capacity of 2.1 US gallons/8 liters.
Diesel engine
Approx. 16.1 US gallons/61 liters, including the 
reserve capacity of 1.7 US gallons/6.5 liters.
Fuel specifications
Gasoline engine: required fuel
Do not refuel with leaded fuel; otherwise, 
the catalytic converter will be damaged.
Do not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel containing 
85Ξ ethanol, nor with FlexFuel. Otherwise, the 
engine and fuel supply system will be dam-
aged.<
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less 
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
>323i, 328i/xDrive: 87
>335i/xDrive: 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 gasolines offered for sale 
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10Ξ ethanol or other 
oxygenates with up to 2.8Ξ oxygen by weight, 
that is, 15Ξ MTBE or 3Ξ methanol plus an 
equivalent amount of cosolvent, will not void the 
applicable warranties with respect to defects in 
materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in 
drivability, starting and stalling problems 
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and 
high altitude. 
Should you encounter drivability problems 
which you suspect could be related to the fuel 
y o u  a r e  u s i n g ,  w e  r e c o m m e n d  t h a t  y o u  r e s p o n d  
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 unscheduled maintenance.< 
     
        
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Refueling
204
BMW Advanced Diesel: required fuel
Ultra-low sulfur diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel 
with low sulfur content:
Ultra-low sulfur diesel ASTM D 975-07a.
Refuel with ultra-low sulfur diesel only. 
The percentage of biodiesel in the fuel 
m u s t  n o t  e x c e e d  5 % ;  t h i s  t y p e  o f  f u e l  i s  r e f e r r e d  
to as B5. Do not refuel with gasoline. If you have 
accidentally refueled with the wrong fuel, e.g. 
with gasoline, do not start the engine; other-
wise, engine damage may occur.<
If you have refueled with the wrong fuel, contact 
your BMW center.
The filler neck is designed for refueling at 
diesel fuel pumps.
If the filler nozzle cannot be inserted into your 
BMW's filler pipe, please ensure that you are 
refueling at a diesel fuel pump and that it is 
equipped with a diesel filler nozzle.<
In the event the Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel 
fuel cannot be fully inserted into the fuel 
filler neck, please contact BMW Roadside 
Assistance for instructions on how to add fuel. 
For more information on BMW Roadside Assis-
tance, refer to page246.<
Winter diesel
To ensure that the diesel engine remains oper-
ational in the winter, please use winter diesel, 
which is available at gas stations during winter 
months. The fuel filter heating system, included 
as a standard feature, prevents disruption of the 
fuel supply while driving.
Do not add additives, including gasoline; 
otherwise, engine damage may occur.<
BMW Advanced Diesel
The concept
BMW Advanced Diesel reduces nitrogen oxide 
in the diesel emissions of your vehicle by means 
of a mechanism that injects diesel exhaust fluid, 
a reduction agent, into the exhaust tract. 
A chemical reaction occurs in the catalytic 
converter that minimizes the nitrogen oxide 
content.
To be able to start the engine as usual, a suffi-
cient amount of diesel exhaust fluid must be 
present in a separate reservoir.
Warming the system
To warm the system to its operating tempera-
ture after starting with a cold engine, the auto-
matic transmission delays shifting to the next 
higher gear, if necessary.
Reserve display
A display in the instrument cluster informs you 
about the remaining distance you can drive with 
the fluid remaining in the reservoir.
The reserve display appears beginning at 
approx. 1,000 miles/1,600 km before the sup-
ply is used up.
When this reserve display appears in the 
instrument cluster, have diesel exhaust 
fluid refilled to avoid not being able to start the 
engine.<