2012 BMW M3 Owners Manual

256
MobilityWheels and tires
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested unde r controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessi ve loading, either sep-
arately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure. <
RSC – run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page 257.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Designation for specially reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 0.12 in/
3 mm, although, for exam ple, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 in/
3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small amounts of
water are present on the road surface.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth
of 0.16 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter condit ions. In the interest of
safety, new tires sh ould be installed.
Wear indicators in the ba se of the tread groove
are distributed around th e tire's circumference;
the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. Once the tire tread has
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has
worn to a depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires, and sus-
pension parts. This is more likely to occur with
low-profile tires, which provide less cushioning
between the wheel and th e road. Be careful to
avoid road hazards and reduce your speed,
especially if your vehi cle is equipped with low-
profile tires.
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indi cate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by driving over curbs. The same
applies to any other abnormal road behavior,
such as pulling severely to the right or left.
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257
Wheels and tires
Mobility
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so , drive carefully to the
nearest BMW center or tire dealer. If necessary,
have the vehicle towed there.
O t h e r w i s e , t i r e d a m a g e c a n pose a lethal hazard
to vehicle occupants and other road users. <
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of
the actual wear of the tires.
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT... 3010 means that the tire was manufac-
tured in week 30 of 2010.
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires mounted only
by your BMW center or by a tire dealer. If
this work is not carried out properly, there is a
danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards. Make sure that the new wheels
are balanced. <
Retreaded tires
BMW recommends that you do not use
retreaded tires, since driving safety may
be impaired. The causes for this include poten-
tially different tire casi ng structures and often
wide variations in tire ag e, which can result in a
limited service life. <
Correct wheels and tires
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount run-flat tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you.
BMW recommends that you use only
wheel and tire combinations that BMW
has tested and approved for your particular
vehicle. Variations in factors such as manufac- turing tolerances mean
that even wheels and
tires with identical official size ratings could
actually have different dimensions, which could
lead to body contact an d thus to severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot guarantee their driving
safety.<
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination at your BMW center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS, DSC or
FTM.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-
nation again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM electronics
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only
use wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise,
the Tire Pressure Monito r may not be able to
detect a puncture , refer to page102. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you.
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.
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258
MobilityWheels and tires
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 driving on
winter roads or at temperatures below +45 7/
+7 6. Although all-season M+S tires provide
better winter traction th an summer tires, they
generally fail to provide th e 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
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires agains t all contact with oil,
grease and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum
tire inflation pressure 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 betwee n the axles is not per-
missible.
Run-flat tires
The symbol identifying run- flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-flat tires comprise a conditionally self-sup-
porting tire and a spec ial rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls en sures that the tire can
continue to be used su bject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to In dication of a flat tire, page 101.
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 manufac-
turer's instructions when mounting snow
chains. Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph or
50 km/h.
Do not initialize the Fl at 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 DT C temporarily, refer to
page 98.<
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259
Engine compartment
Mobility
Engine compartment
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. For this reason, descrip-
tions will be given of some equipment that may
not be available in a vehi
cle, for example due to
the special options or national-market version
selected. This also app lies to safety related
functions and systems.
Important parts of th e engine compartment
1Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page 263
2 Washer fluid filler neck for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system,
refer to page 72
3 Jump-starting conne ction, refer to
page 278
4 Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil
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260
MobilityEngine compartment
Hood
Do not work on the car unless you pos-
sess the necessary technical knowledge.
If you are not familiar with the regulations to be
followed, have the necessary work on the vehi-
cle carried out only by your BMW center; if this
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent dama ge and related safety
hazards. <
Releasing
Pull the lever.
Opening
In order to avoid damage, make sure that
the wiper arms are against the windshield
before you open the hood. Do not open the
engine hood before the engine has cooled
down; otherwise, injuries may result. <
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of approx. 10 in/
25 cm. It must be clearly heard to engage. Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear; othe rwise, injuries may
result.
If you see any signs while driving your vehicle
that the hood is not comp letely closed, stop at
once and close it securely. <
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking oil level
Your car is equipped with an electronic oil-level
monitor.
For a precise measurement and display of the
oil level, it is necessar y that the engine be at
operating temperature, i.e. after uninterrupted
driving for at least approx. 6.2 miles/10 km. You
can have the oil level displayed while you are
driving, or while the vehicle is at a standstill on a
level surface and the engine is running.
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261
Engine compartment
Mobility
Display in the instrument cluster
1.
Push button 1 in the turn signal/high beam
lever up or down repe atedly until the appro-
priate symbol is shown in the display,
accompanied by the word "OIL".
2. Press button 2 in the turn signal/high beam
lever.
The oil level is checked and the reading dis-
played.
Possible displays
1 Oil level OK
2 Oil level is being checked.
This can take about 3 min utes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface, or about
5 minutes while the car is on the move. 3
Oil level down to minimum:
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil on page 262.
4 Oil level is too high.
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay. <
5 The oil level sens or is defective.
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page 87. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Display via iDrive
1. "Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Engine oil level"
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level OK"
> "Measurement not possible at this time."
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262
MobilityEngine compartment
>"Measuring engine oil level...":
This can take about 3 min utes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface and the engine
is running, and about 5 minutes while the
car is moving.
If engine oil was added, it may take up to
30 minutes to obtain an oil level reading.
> "Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil below.
If the oil level is below the minimum value,
add engine oil immediately to avoid engine
damage.
> "Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay. <
> "Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the ne xt oil service, refer
to page 87. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Add up to 1 US quart/1 liter of engine oil only
after a corresponding me ssage is shown on the
Control Display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, the engine could be dam-
aged.< If the engine oil is to
o high, have the vehi-
cle checked immediately; failure to do so
may result in engine damage.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the relevant
warnings on the containers. Otherwise, health
hazards may result. <
Oil grades to add
Do not use oil additives as this could
result in engine damage.<
When selecting an engi ne oil, make sure
to use one from the SAE viscosity classes
0W-40, 0W-30, 5W-40 or 5W-30; failure to do
so may result in malfun ctions or engine dam-
age.<
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the
engine.
Some oil grades may no t be available in all
countries.
Approved oil grades
Additional information about approved oil
grades is available at your BMW center.
Gasoline engine
BMW High Performance SAE 5W-30
BMW Longlife-01
BMW Longlife-01 FE
Diesel engine
BMW Longlife-04
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Engine compartment
Mobility
Alternative oil types
If approved oils are not available, you can add
quantities of up to 1 US quart/1 liter of another
oil with the following specifications:
Oil change
Oil changes should only be performed by a
BMW center.
Coolant
Coolant consists of half water and half additive.
Not all commercially availa
ble additives are suit-
able for your BMW. Ask your BMW center about
suitable additives.
Only use suitable a dditives; otherwise,
engine damage may result. Because
additives are harmful to your health, it is impor-
tant to follow the instructions on the contain-
ers. <
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives. <
Coolant temperature
If the coolant and therefore the engine over-
heats, a warning lamp lights up. A message
appears on the Control Display.
Checking coolant level
Do not add coolant to the cooling system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns. <
1. Do not open the engine hood before the
engine has cooled down.
2. Turn the cap of the expansion tank a little
counterclockwise to allow any accumulated
pressure to escape, th en continue turning
to open.
3. The coolant level is correct if it is between
the maximum and minimum marks in the
filler neck, refer also to the diagram next to
the filler neck.
4. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level; do not overfill.
5. Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6. Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.
Gasoline engine
API SM or higher
Diesel engine
API ILSAC GF-5
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