2012 BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE fuel

Mobility
This section helps you maintain your car's
mobility by supplying important information
on vital topics including fuels and lubricants,
wheels and tires, service, maintenance and
Roadside Assistance.
Mobility

Refueling
206
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 fuel cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the fuel 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 fuel 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:
1.Remove the cover from the right-hand side-
wall of the cargo area.
2.Pull the button with the fuel pump symbol
down.
The fuel filler flap is released.
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
Approx. 14 US gal/53 liters, including the
reserve capacity of 2.1 US gal/8 liters.
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.<

Mobility
207Reference
At a glance
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Fuel specifications
Never use fuels labeled at the fuel pump as
metal-containing.
Do not use leaded gasoline or gasoline
with metal-containing additives such as
manganese or iron; doing so can cause perma-
nent damage to the catalytic converter or other
components.<
Do not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel con-
taining 85Ξ ethanol, nor with FlexFuel.
Otherwise, the engine and fuel supply system
will be damaged.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
>128i: 87
>135i: 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 containing up to and including 10Ξ eth-
anol or other oxygenates with up to 2.8Ξ oxy-
gen by weight, that is, 15Ξ MTB E or 3Ξ meth-
anol 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.<

Mobility
215Reference
At a glance
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Navigation
Entertainment
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 +457/+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
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 pres-
sure 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 manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with chains.
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
page83.<

Maintenance
222
Socket for Onboard
Diagnosis OBD
On the driver's side is an OBD socket for check-
ing components relevant to the composition of
the vehicle's emissions.
Emissions
The warning lamp lights up:
The vehicle is producing higher emis-
sions. The trip can be continued. Have
the car checked as soon as possible.
Canadian models display this warning
lamp.
The lamp flashes under certain condi-
tions. This indicates excessive misfiring in the
engine. If this happens, you should reduce your
speed and visit your nearest BMW center as
soon as possible. Severe engine misfiring can
quickly lead to serious damage of emissions-
related components, especially the catalytic
converter.
The warning lamp comes on if the fuel
cap is not properly tightened and the
OBD system assumes that fuel vapor
is escaping. Make sure that the fuel cap is cor-
rectly positioned and close it until it audibly
clicks.
Data memory
Your vehicle records data about the operation,
faults, and user settings. These data are stored
in the vehicle and in extract form, in the remote
control, and can be read out using suitable
devices at your BMW center. The data that are
read out are used to support service proce-
dures and repairs or to optimize and expand
vehicle functions. If you have a BMW Assist
contract, certain vehicle data can also be trans-
mitted directly from the vehicle in order to
enable the desired services.

Mobility
225Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions.
After washing the convertible top three to five
times, treat it with an impregnating agent.
Paintwork care
Regular care contributes to value retention and
protects the paintwork against the long-term
effects of damaging substances.
Region-specific environmental influences can
damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is
important to adapt the frequency and scope of
car care accordingly.
Immediately remove aggressive materials such
as spilled fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid, tree sap or
bird droppings to prevent damage to the paint-
work.
Repairing paintwork damage
Immediately repair scratches or similar
damage, such as that caused by stones
hitting the vehicle, where necessary to prevent
rusting.<
BMW recommends having paintwork damage
repaired by a professional paint repair work-
shop according to BMW specifications using
original BMW paint materials.
Preservation
A preservation treatment is necessary when
water no longer beads off the clean paintwork
surface. Only use products for paintwork pres-
ervation that contain carnauba or synthetic
waxes.
Rubber seals
Treat only with water or rubber care products.
Do not use silicon-containing care prod-
ucts on rubber seals; otherwise, noise
and damage could occur.<
Chrome parts
Carefully clean vehicle parts such as the radia-
tor grill, door handles or window frames with
copious quantities of water and a shampoo
additive, especially when roads are treated with deicing salt. For additional treatment, use a
chrome polish.
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, or abrasive cleaning agents and
do not use steam jets hotter than of 1407/
606; otherwise, damage 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

Technical data
246
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank: US gal/liters approx. 14.0/53 Fuel grade: page207
including reserve of US gal/liters approx. 2.1/8.0
Window washer system For more details:
page68
including headlamp washers US quarts/liters approx. 6.3/6.0

Everything from A to Z
254
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System83
Acceleration assistant, refer to
Launch Control66
Accessories, refer to Your
individual vehicle5
Accident, reporting, refer to
Emergency Request234
Activated-charcoal filter102
Active steering89
Adaptive Light Control95
Additives
– coolant219
– engine oil219
Address, entering125,131
Address for navigation
– entering125
Adjusting temperature100
Airbags90
– sitting safely45
– warning lamp92
Air conditioner99
Air distribution
– automatic100
Airing, refer to Ventilation102
Air outlets, refer to Air
vents99
Air pressure, checking, refer
to Tire inflation
pressure208
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated air mode101
Air vents99
Air volume101
AKI, refer to Fuel grade207
Alarm system34
– avoiding unintentional
alarms35
– interior motion sensor35
– switching off an alarm34
– tilt alarm sensor35Albums of music
collection163
ALL program101
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires215
AM, waveband147
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated air mode101
Antifreeze
– coolant219
– washer fluid68
Antilock Brake System
ABS83
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system34
Anti-theft system29
Appointments, refer to
Calendar193
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights245
Approved engine oils219
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights245
Apps202
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest108
Arrival time
– computer72
Ashtray109
Assistance systems, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC83
AUC Automatic recirculated
air control101
Audible instructions, refer to
Voice instructions136
Audio144
– controls144
– switching on/off144
– tone control144
– volume144Automatic
– air distribution100
– air volume100
– cruise control68
– headlamp control94
Automatic car washes223
Automatic climate control99
Automatic curb monitor52
Automatic high beams and
low beams, refer to High-
beam Assistant96
Automatic lamps
– refer to Welcome lamps94
Automatic recirculated air
control AUC101
Automatic Service
Request202
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic59
– selector lever lock60
– shiftlock60
– towing236
– tow-starting236
AUTO program for automatic
climate control100
AUX-IN port166
Available services202
Average fuel consumption72
– setting the units74
Average speed72
Avoid highways in
navigation134
Avoiding unintentional
alarms35
Axle loads, refer to
Weights245
B
Backrests, refer to Seats46
Backrest width adjustment47
Back seats, refer to Rear seats
– adjusting head restraints48