2012 BMW Z4 SDRIVE28I Owners Manual

SafetyVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:1Front airbags2Side airbags in the seat backrests3Knee airbag
Front airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and pas‐
senger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag protects the
side of the body in the chest area.
Knee airbag
The knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact.
Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary hear‐
ing impairment in sensitive individuals.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to keep
the danger of injury to your hands or arms as
low as possible if the airbag is triggered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e., do not cover
with adhesive labels or coverings, and do not
attach holders such as for navigation instru‐
ments and mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sitting
correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and legs
in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.Seite 73SafetyControls73
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▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as jack‐
ets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that passengers do not lean their
heads against the side airbag; otherwise, se‐
rious injuries could result if the airbag sud‐
denly deployed.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system. This
also applies to the covers of the steering
wheel, the dashboard and the seats.◀
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered; oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explosives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or un‐
desired triggering of the airbag, either of which
could result in injury.◀
Warning notices and information about the air‐
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the
passenger airbags
The system determines whether the front pas‐
senger seat is occupied by measuring the re‐
sistance of the human body. The front and side
airbags on the front passenger side are acti‐
vated or deactivated accordingly by the system.
The indicator lamp above the interior rearview
mirror shows the current status of the passen‐
ger airbags, deactivated or activated, refer to
Status of passenger airbags below.
Passenger feet in the footwell
Make sure that the front passenger keeps
his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise, the front
passenger airbags may not function properly.◀
Child restraint fixing system in the front
passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the passenger
seat, read the safety and operating instructions
under Transporting children safely, refer to
page 43.◀
Malfunction of the automatic
deactivation system
The front passenger airbags may be deactivated
if adolescents and adults sit in certain positions;
the indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags comes on. In this case, change the sitting
position so that the front passenger airbags are
activated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the
desired airbag status cannot be achieved by
changing the sitting position, do not transport
the passenger in the vehicle.
To make sure that occupation of the seat cush‐
ion can be detected correctly:▷Do not attach seat covers, seat cushion pad‐
ding, ball mats or other items to the passen‐
ger seat unless they are specifically recom‐
mended by BMW.▷Do not place any objects on the front pas‐
senger seat.▷Do not place objects under the seat that
could press against the seat from below.
Status of passenger airbags
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The indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags indicates the operating status of the front
and side airbags on the front passenger side de‐
pending on the seat occupation. The indicator
lamp shows whether the passenger airbags are
activated or deactivated.▷The indicator lamp lights up when a child
who is properly seated in a child restraint
system intended for that purpose is de‐
tected on the seat or the seat is empty. The
front and side airbags on the front passen‐
ger side are not activated. Most child seats
are detected by the system, Especially the
child seats required by NHTSA at the time
that the vehicle was manufactured. After in‐
stalling a child seat, make sure that the indi‐
cator lamp for the front passenger airbags
lights up. This indicates that the child seat
has been detected and the front passenger
airbags are not activated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a person of sufficient size and
in a correct sitting position is detected on
the seat. The front and front passenger air‐
bags on the front passenger side are acti‐
vated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
When the ignition, refer to page 46, is switched
on, the warning lamp comes on briefly to indi‐
cate that the entire airbag system and the belt
tensioners are operational.
Airbag system malfunction▷The warning lamp does not light up when the
ignition is switched on.▷Warning lamp remains permanently on.
Have the airbag system checked without
delay if there is a malfunction
In the event of a malfunction in the airbag sys‐
tem, have it checked without delay; otherwise,
there is the risk that the system will not function
as intended even if a sufficiently severe accident
occurs.◀
Flat Tire Monitor FTM
The concept
The system detects a pressure loss in a tire on
the basis of speed differences between the in‐
dividual wheels during a trip.
In the event of pressure loss, the rolling circum‐
ference changes and, thus, the rotating speed
of the affected wheel. This change is detected
and is reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirements
The system must have been initialized when the
tire inflation pressure was correct; otherwise,
reliable signaling of a flat tire is not ensured. In‐
itialize the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
System limits Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
A natural, even pressure loss in all four tires can‐
not be detected.
The system could be delayed or malfunction in
the following situations:
▷When the system has not been initialized.Seite 75SafetyControls75
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▷When driving on a snowy or slippery road
surface.▷Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels,
high lateral acceleration.▷When driving with snow chains.
Initialization
The initialization process adopts the set inflation
tire pressures as reference values for the detec‐
tion of a flat tire. Initialization is started by con‐
firming the inflation pressures.
Do not initialize the system when driving with
snow chains.
Operating principle, refer to page 62.
1.Start the engine immediately before pulling
away, but do not drive off yet.2.Lightly push button 1 in the turn indicator
lever up or down repeatedly until the appro‐
priate symbol appears in the display, ac‐
companied by the word "RESET".3.Press button 2 to confirm your choice of the
Flat Tire Monitor.4.Press button 2 for approx. 5 seconds until
the display appears:5.Drive away.
Initialization is completed while the car is on
the move without providing feedback.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. In addition, a signal sounds.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire
inflation pressure.
1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with reg‐
ular tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 161, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the tire sidewall.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if necessary.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.Seite 76ControlsSafety76
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If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Flat Tire Monitor may not have
been initialized. In this case, initialize the
system.
If an identification is not possible, please
contact the service center.2.Rectify the flat tire.
Run-flat tires
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at the
next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Flat Tire Monitor may not have
been initialized. In this case, initialize the
system.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on the cargo load
and the driving style and conditions.
For a vehicle containing an average load, the
possible driving distance is approx. 50 miles/
80 km.
When the vehicle is driven with a damaged tire,
its handling characteristics change, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance, and altered self-steering
properties. Adjust your driving style accord‐
ingly. Avoid abrupt steering maneuvers or driv‐
ing over obstacles, e. g., curbs, potholes, etc.
Because the possible driving distance depends
on how the vehicle is used during the trip, the
actual distance may be smaller or greater de‐
pending on the driving speed, road conditions,
external temperature, cargo load, etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering prop‐
erties.◀
Final tire failure
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate the final failure of the tire. Reduce speed
and stop; otherwise, pieces of the tire could
come loose and cause an accident. Do not con‐
tinue driving, and contact your service center. ◀
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
The concept
TPM checks the inflation pressures of the four
mounted tires. The system notifies you if there
is a significant loss of pressure in one or more
tires.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be reset while all tire infla‐
tion pressures are correct.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics. Oth‐
erwise, the system may malfunction.
Reset the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
System limits Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
The system does not function properly if it has
not been reset, e.g., it may identify a tire as flatSeite 77SafetyControls77
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in spite of the fact that the tire is filled to the cor‐
rect inflation pressure.
The system is deactivated and is unable to de‐
tect flat tires if a wheel not equipped with TPM
electronics has been mounted, e.g., a compact
wheel, or if TPM is experiencing temporary in‐
terference from other systems or devices that
use the same frequency.
Resetting the system
Reset the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
Operating principle, refer to page 62.1.Start the engine, but do not start driving.2.Lightly push button 1 in the turn indicator
lever up or down repeatedly until the appro‐
priate symbol appears in the display, ac‐
companied by the word "RESET".3.Press button 2 to confirm your choice of the
Tire Pressure Monitor.
The following display appears:4.Press button 2 for approx. 5 seconds until
the small warning lamp lights up yellow and
the following display appears:5.Drive away.
After driving a few minutes, the set inflation
pressures in the tires are accepted as the
target values to be monitored. The system
reset is completed during your drive, and
can be interrupted at any time. When driving
resumes, the reset is continued automati‐
cally. The indicator lamp goes out after the
system reset is completed.
Low tire pressure message
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. In addition, a signal sounds.
▷There is a flat tire or a major loss in
tire inflation pressure.▷The system was not reset after a wheel
change and thus issues warnings based on
the inflation pressures initialized last.1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with reg‐
ular tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires , refer to page 160, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the tire sidewall.Seite 78ControlsSafety78
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Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if necessary.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been initialized. In this case, initialize
the system.
If an identification is not possible, please
contact the service center.2.Rectify the flat tire.
The use of tire sealant can damage the TPM
electronics. In this case, have the electron‐
ics checked at the next opportunity and have
them replaced if necessary.
Run-flat tires
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at the
next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been initialized. In this case, initialize
the system.Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on the cargo load
and the driving style and conditions.
For a vehicle containing an average load, the
possible driving distance is approx. 50 miles/
80 km.
When the vehicle is driven with a damaged tire,
its handling characteristics change, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance, and altered self-steering
properties. Adjust your driving style accord‐
ingly. Avoid abrupt steering maneuvers or driv‐
ing over obstacles, e. g., curbs, potholes, etc.
Because the possible driving distance depends
on how the vehicle is used during the trip, the
actual distance may be smaller or greater de‐
pending on the driving speed, road conditions,
external temperature, cargo load, etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering prop‐
erties.◀
Final tire failure
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate the final failure of the tire. Reduce speed
and stop; otherwise, pieces of the tire could
come loose and cause an accident. Do not con‐
tinue driving, and contact your service center. ◀
Malfunction The small warning lamp flashes in yel‐
low and then lights up continuously;
the larger warning lamp comes on in
yellow. No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:Seite 79SafetyControls79
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▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if necessary.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.▷TPM could not be fully reset. Reset the sys‐
tem again.
The small warning lamp flashes in yel‐
low and then lights up continuously;
the larger warning lamp comes on in
yellow. No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:
▷Disturbance by systems or devices with the
same radio frequency. After leaving the area
of the disturbance, the system automatically
becomes active again.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire, including the spare (if provided)
should be checked monthly when cold and in‐
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la‐
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla‐
tion pressure for those tires.).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres‐
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres‐
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi‐
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the ve‐
hicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's re‐
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres‐
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low
tire pressure telltale. When the system detects
a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi‐
mately one minute and then remain continu‐
ously illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pressure as in‐
tended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a va‐
riety of reasons, including the installation of re‐
placement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the re‐
placement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Brake force display
The concept▷During normal brake application, the brake
lamps light up.▷During heavy brake application, the turn sig‐
nals light up in addition.
The brake force display is not activated if the
turn signal function is switched on.
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