2011 BMW M3 COUPE shift lights

Driving
60 3.Using the screwdriver from the onboard
vehicle tool kit, refer to page233, press the
red lever while moving the selector lever to
the desired position.
7-gear Sports automatic
transmission with double
clutch*
The concept
The 7-gear Sports automatic transmission with
double clutch is an automated manual trans-
mission with two clutches and secondary gear
sets in which the clutching and shifting is han-
dled by an electrohydraulic system.
With the 7-gear Sports automatic transmission
with double clutch, the gears are shifted without
an interruption in driving power.
You operate the 7-gear Sports automatic trans-
mission with double clutch using the selector
lever and two shift paddles on the steering
wheel.
It offers you the following functions:
>either manual or automatic mode: sequen-
tial mode or drive mode
>automatic downshifting and protection
against incorrect gear selection, even in
sequential mode
>Launch Control, refer to page64
>Automatic throttle blip
System limitations
The 7-gear Sports automatic transmission with
double clutch has an overheating protection
that protects the clutch from extreme loads.
The indicator lamp lights up in yellow if
the transmission becomes too warm.
Avoid high engine loads and frequent
accelerations from zero. If the transmission is
overheated, the indicator lamp lights up in red
and the power flow to the motor is interrupted.
It is only possible to continue driving once the
transmission has cooled down.
Avoid frequent powerful accelerations from
zero and do not hold the vehicle on inclines by
pressing lightly on the accelerator while letting
the clutch slip, as this may cause the transmis-
sion to overheat.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
The selector lever position and the engaged
gear are displayed, e.g. M4.
Engaging selector lever positions
>The selector lever can be moved out of
position P only with the engine running:
interlock.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise, the desired shift will not
be executed: shiftlock.

Driving
62 In the following situations, the 7-gear Sports
automatic transmission with double clutch
does the thinking for you:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that could cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
>At a stop, the transmission is automatically
shifted down to the first gear.
>Shortly before the speed falls below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the transmis-
sion automatically downshifts without your
intervention.
Quick downshifting: Even in sequential mode,
you can skip over several gears in order to
achieve an optimum acceleration. To do so,
depress the accelerator past the resistance
point.
To return to automatic mode, push the selector
lever to the right.
Gear shifting
Upshift or downshift using the selector lever or
the shift paddles. You do not need to lift your
foot off the accelerator when doing so.
Using the selector lever
>To upshift, pull the selector lever toward the
rear.
>To downshift, push it toward the front.
Using the shift paddles on the steering
wheel
You can also shift manually using two shift pad-
dles on the steering wheel. The shift paddles
allow you to shift gears quickly since both
hands can remain on the steering wheel.
>When you use the shift paddles on the
steering wheel to shift gears in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to manual
mode.>If you do not accelerate or shift gears using
the shift paddles for a certain amount of
time, the transmission switches back to
automatic mode if the selector lever is in
position D.
>To upshift, briefly pull the right shift
paddle +.
>To downshift, briefly pull the left shift pad-
dle –.
Driving dynamics control
The driving dynamics control permits you, at
the push of a button, to have your BMW react in
an even more sporty fashion when driving:
>Optimal use is made of the engine's speed
range.
>Gear changes occur more quickly.
>The engine reacts more spontaneously to
accelerator pedal movements.
Activating the system
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT
appears in the info display.

Driving
68
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up when
cruise control is deactivated due
to control intervention by the DSC,
for example. A message appears on the
Control Display.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press the button, arrow4. The last stored
speed is resumed and maintained.
In the following instances, the stored speed is
deleted and can no longer be resumed:
>When driving stability control systems are
intervening
>In cars with manual transmission: when you
shift gears very slowly or shift to neutral
>In cars with automatic transmission: when
you engage selector lever position N
>In cars with Sports automatic transmission
with double clutch: when you engage selec-
tor lever position N
>When the ignition is switched off
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored speed
2Selected speed is displayed briefly
If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears
in the instrument cluster display, it is pos-
sible that the system prerequisites for operation
are currently not met.
Calling up Check Control messages, refer to
page85.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp comes on when
the system has failed. A message
appears on the Control Display.
More information can be found beginning on
page84.
Active cruise control*
The concept
With active cruise control, you can select a
desired speed which is not only automatically
maintained when driving on open roadways, but
also varied to maintain a selected distance set-
ting as slower traffic is encountered.
Active cruise control is a technological advance
over the familiar cruise control and is a welcome
relief from the constant adjustment of speed
that can accompany driving in traffic on high-
ways or other high-speed thoroughfares. Espe-
cially on longer trips, the system can reduce
fatigue and tension, while increasing your
enjoyment of driving. Please use it safely and
responsibly.
Within the limits of its capability, the system
automatically adapts the car's speed to that of a
slower vehicle in front of you. You can specify
the distance to be maintained from the vehicle
in front in four stages. For safety reasons, the
distance is speed-dependent. Based on your
selected distance setting, the system automat-
ically decreases the throttle setting and lightly
applies the brakes if necessary. The vehicle
brake lamps will automatically illuminate to sig-
nal a following driver to take action. In addition,
it may be necessary for the vehicle or the driver
to downshift, depending on the kind of trans-
mission your vehicle is equipped with, to main-
tain the distance setting selected. If the vehicle
ahead speeds up or when the lane ahead
becomes clear, your vehicle will accelerate to
the speed you have selected by increasing the
throttle setting and shifting gears automatically
or by the driver as needed. Your selected speed
will be held when driving downhill, too.

Controls
71Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>When you select the automatic transmis-
sion's neutral position N
>When you select the neutral position N with
the Sports automatic transmission with
double clutch
>When you activate the Dynamic Traction
Control DTC
>When you deactivate the Dynamic Stability
Control DSC
>When DSC or ABS is intervening
>When the system does not recognize any
objects for a longer period of time, e.g. on
infrequently traveled roads without a shoul-
der or guard rails, or if the radar sensor is
covered with dirt, refer to page72
>When you apply the parking brake
When the system is deactivated, you
must brake the vehicle yourself and/or
maneuver as necessary; otherwise, there is a
risk of accidents.<
Warning lamp
The warning lamp comes on when
active cruise control has been auto-
matically deactivated, for example
due to a driving speed below 20 mph or 30 km/
h or a DSC intervention. A message appears on
the Control Display.
Resuming stored desired speed and
distance
Briefly press the button, arrow 4.
The stored speed and distance are regained
and maintained.
In the following instances, the stored speed is
deleted and can no longer be resumed:
>When driving stability control systems are
intervening
>In cars with manual transmission: when you
shift gears very slowly or shift to neutral
>In cars with automatic transmission: when
you engage selector lever position N>In cars with Sports automatic transmission
with double clutch: when you engage selec-
tor lever position N
>When the ignition is switched off
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2Shows yellow: vehicle detected ahead
Flashes in red: system cannot maintain dis-
tance; driver must brake the vehicle
Flashes in yellow: driving stability control
systems are intervening; cruise control is
deactivated
3Selected distance to vehicle ahead
The indicator lights up as soon as the sys-
tem is activated.
4Selected desired speed is temporarily dis-
played
If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears
in the instrument cluster display, it is pos-
sible that the system prerequisites for operation
are currently not met. Calling up Check Control
messages, refer to page85.<

Technology for driving comfort and safety
88
Technology for driving comfort and safety
Park Distance Control PDC*
The concept
The PDC assists you with maneuvering in tight
parking spaces. Acoustic signals and a visual
indicator
warn you of the presence of an object
in front of
* or behind your vehicle. To measure
the distance, there are four ultrasonic sensors
in either bumper.
These sensors have a range of approx. 6.5 ft/
2 m. However, an acoustic warning does not
sound until the sensors at the front
* and at the
two rear corners are approx. 24 in/60 cm away
from the object and the middle rear sensors are
approx. 5 ft/1,50 m away from it.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.
Avoid approaching an object at high speed; oth-
erwise, physical circumstances may lead to the
system warning being issued too late.<
Switching on automatically
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, the system is activated after approx. one
second when you shift into reverse or move the
automatic transmission selector lever to
position R. Wait this short period before driving.
Switching off automatically
After approx. 55 yd/50 m of driving or above
approx. 20 mph/approx. 30 km/h, the system
switches off and the LED goes out.
Switching on manually*
Press the button; the LED lights up.
Switching off manually*
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, its position is indicated
correspondingly by an interval tone. For exam-
ple, if an object is detected behind the vehicle,
the signal tone sounds from the rear. As the dis-
tance between vehicle and object decreases,
the intervals between the tones become
shorter. If the distance to the nearest object
falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a contin-
uous tone sounds.
An interval tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds
>If you remain in front of an object that has
been detected by only one of the corner
sensors
>If you are driving parallel to a wall.

Driving tips
127Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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.
On a downhill slope, take your foot off the accel-
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 page227.
General driving notes
Close the trunk lid
Operate the vehicle only when the trunk
lid is closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes
could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid
open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page108.
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.<
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 page219.