2012 BMW M3 Owners Manual

Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 333 - \251 08/11 BMW AG

This section provides you with informationuseful in dealing with specific driving and
operating conditions.
Driving tips
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 333 - \251 08/11 BMW AG

138
Driving tipsThings to remember when driving
Things to remember when driving
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all pr oduction, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. As a result, some equip-
ment described may not be available in a partic-
ular vehicle, for example due to the options or
national-market version selected. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. Please follo w the instructions below
in order to achieve the optimal service life and
economy of operation for your vehicle.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do
not exceed an engine speed of 4,500 rpm or a
road speed of 100 mph/160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode.
After driving 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Engine and vehicle speeds can be gradually
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do no t achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive cautiously during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The function of the clut ch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
The same break-in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewe d in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends
on several factors. You can lower fuel consump-
tion and the environmental impact by taking
certain measures, adjusting your driving style
and having the vehicl e serviced regularly.
Remove any unneeded cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove any mounted parts after you
have finished using them
Remove unneeded additional mirrors, the roof
rack and the rear luggage rack after use.
Mounted parts affect th e vehicle's aerodynam-
ics and increase fuel consumption.
Close the windows and glass roof
An open glass roof or window causes higher air
resistance and thus increases fuel consump-
tion.
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Things to remember when driving
Driving tips
Check tire inflation pressure regularly
Check the tire inflation pr
essure at least twice a
month and before embarking on a long journey,
and correct it if necessary.
Low tire inflation pressure causes higher rolling
resistance and thus increases fuel consumption
and tire wear.
Set off immediately
Do not let the engine wa rm up while the car is
still standing, but set off immediately at moder-
ate engine speed. This is the fastest way for the
cold engine to reach its operating temperature.
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance between you and th e 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, accele rate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelera ting, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desi red speed, shift into
the highest applicable ge ar 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 lig ht, 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.
4seconds.
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
your BMW center. Also note the BMW service
system, refer to page 264.
General driving notes
Close the trunk lid
Only drive with the trunk closed. Failure to
do so may endanger passengers or other
road users or may damage the vehicle in the
event of an accident or a braking and evasive
maneuver. In addition, exhaust gas may flow
into the passenger compartment. <
If special circumstances make it absolutely nec-
essary to drive with the trunk open:
1. Close all windows and the glass roof.
2. Greatly increase the ai r volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page 118.
3. Drive cautiously.
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Driving tipsThings to remember when driving
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 sect ions of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply un dercoating 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 le ad 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. <
Mobile phones in the vehicle
It is not advisable to use wireless devices
such as mobile phones inside the vehicle
without a direct connection to an external aerial.
Otherwise, it is not poss ible to exclude the pos-
sibility of a reciprocal interference occurring
between the vehicle electronics and the wire-
less device. Otherwise, there is no assurance
that the radiation genera ted by the radio trans-
mission will be conveyed out of the passenger
compartment. <
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form betw een 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 brak e be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page 256.
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 page 100.
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.
Objects in the movement range of the
pedals
Keep floor mats, carpet, and other objects
out of the movement range of the pedals;
otherwise, they may inhi bit the function of the
pedals during driving.
Do not place additional floor mats onto an exist-
ing one or onto other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be appropriately fastened.
Make sure that the floo r mats are securely fas-
tened again after they ha ve been removed, e.g.
for cleaning. <
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pre ssure 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.
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Things to remember when driving
Driving tips
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 br aking is required. Even
light but consistent brak e 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 he lps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page 65.
Sport automatic transm ission with double
clutch: never drive with the transmission
in neutral or with the en gine switched off; other-
wise, there will be no en gine braking action and
no power assistance to the brakes and steering.
Manual transmission: never drive with the
clutch held down, with the transmission in neu-
tral or with the engine switched off; otherwise,
there will be no engine braking action and no
power assistance to the brakes and 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 driv en only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are le ss frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminan ts 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.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms wh ile the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying ca pacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overlo ading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. In some situations,
this can result in sudden loss of tire pressure. <
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or
leak from their containers in the cargo
area, as this could result in damage to the vehi-
cle. <
Determining loading limit
1. Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and unstable driving conditions
may result. <
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds.
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Driving tipsThings to remember when driving
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lbs.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and lugga ge load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your tra iler will be transferred
to your vehicle. Co nsult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of the occupant s, the less cargo/lug-
gage can be transported.
Stowing cargo
> Position heavy objects as low and as far for-
ward as possible, ideally directly behind the
respective seat backrests.
> Cover sharp edges and corners.
> For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
opposite buckle.
Coupe
Convertible
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Things to remember when driving
Driving tips
Securing cargo
Coupe
Convertible
>
Secure smaller and lighter items using
retaining straps, a carg o 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 pro-
vided for attaching the cargo straps. Two
are located on the side walls of the cargo
area 1, two additional ones are located on
the inside wall of the cargo area 2.
Please note the information supplied with
the cargo straps.
Convertible: before opening the hardtop,
fold down the cargo ar ea partition. Make
sure the cargo area is loaded correctly; other-
wise parts of the hardto p can be damaged, refer
to page 130.<
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 page
287; otherwise, excessive loads can
pose a safety hazard and may also place you in
violation of traffic safety laws.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car, sinc e 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 st raps using the lashing
eyes shown in the illust ration. Do not secure
cargo with the anchors for tether straps, refer to
page 59; otherwise, these could be damaged. <
Coupe: 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.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
vehicle handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page 287.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 333 - \251 08/11 BMW AG