2013 BMW 3 SERIES CONVERTIBLE Control

251
Wheels and tires
Mobility
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahe
ad braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics. <
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the ti re's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under 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 whee l 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 exce ssive loading, either
separately or in combin ation, 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 page252.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better wint er properties than
summer tires.
XL
Designation for specia lly 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 example, 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 be come perceptibly less
suitable for winter condit ions. In the interest of
safety, new tires sh ould be installed.
Wear indicators in the base 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. On ce 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.

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258
MobilityEngine compartment
>"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
distance remaining to the next oil service,
refer to page 88. 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 message is shown on the
Control Display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, the engine could be
damaged. <
If the engine oil is too high, have the
vehicle 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 malfunctions or engine
damage. <
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.
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.
Gasoline engine
BMW High Performance SAE 5W-30
BMW Longlife-01
BMW Longlife-01 FE
Diesel engine
BMW Longlife-04
Gasoline engine
API SM or higher
Diesel engine
API ILSAC GF-5

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259
Engine compartment
Mobility
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
important to follow the instructions on the
containers. <
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when
disposing 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, then continue turning
to open.
3. The level indicator 1 in the coolant filler
neck indicates the le vel of coolant. The
coolant level is correct when it is between
the arrows of the resp ective inscription on
the reservoir 2. 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
eliminated as soon as possible.

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260
MobilityMaintenance
Maintenance
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all pr oduction, 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.
BMW Maintenance System
The BMW Maintenance System advises you of
necessary maintenance measures and helps
you maintain the traffic and operating safety of
the vehicle.
Condition Based Service CBS
Sensors and special al gorithms take the
different driving conditions of your BMW into
account. Condition Based Service uses this to
determine the current and future service
requirements. By letting you define a service
and maintenance regimen that reflects your
own individual requirem ents, the system builds
the basis for trouble-free driving.
On the Control Display, you can have the
remaining times or distances for selected main-
tenance tasks and any legally prescribed dates
displayed, refer to page 88: >
Engine oil
> Brake pads: separately for front and rear
> Brake fluid
> Vehicle check
> Legally mandated in spections depending
on local regulations
Service data in the remote control
Your vehicle continuously stores service-
requirement information in the remote control
while you are driving. Your dealership Service
Advisor can read out this data from the remote
control unit, and propose an optimized mainte-
nance approach. Whenever you take your car in
for servicing you should therefore give your
dealership Service Advisor the remote control
unit that you last used.
Make sure that the date is always set
correctly, refer to page 92; otherwise, the
effectiveness of Condit ion Based Service CBS
is not assured. <
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service
and repair operations performed at your
BMW center.
Take the time to ensu re that these service
procedures are confirmed by entries in your
vehicle's Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models and Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide Booklet for Canadian models. These
entries verify that your vehicle has received the
specified regula r maintenance.<

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262
MobilityCare
Care
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all pr oduction, 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.
Washing the vehicle
Notes
When using steam cleaners or high-pres-
sure cleaning jets, ma ke sure to maintain
a sufficient distance and stay below a maximum
temperature of 140 °F/60 6.
Too close a distance, too high a pressure, or too
high a temperature may cause damage or pre-
liminary damage that can then lead to long-term
damage.
Follow the operating instructions for the steam
jet or high-pressure washer. <
When using high-pressure washers, do
not spray the sensors, e.g. of the Park
Distance Control, for an extended period and
maintain a distance of at least 1 ft/30 cm from
them. <
Regularly remove foreign objects, e.g. leaves, in
the vicinity of the windshield when the hood is
open.
Wash the vehicle more frequently, particularly
in winter.
Heavy soiling and road salt can lead to vehicle
damage.
Automatic car washes
Notes
In car washes with high pressures and
nozzle positions, wate r may drip into the
vehicle around the windows. <
Please note the following:
> Give preference to car washes that use
cloth or soft brushes in order to avoid paint
damage.
> Wheels and tires must not be damaged by
transport devices.
> Fold in exterior mirror, refer to page 55; oth-
erwise, they can be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
> Deactivate the rain sensor, refer to page 73,
to prevent undesired wiper operation.
> Remove additional add-on parts, e.g. spoil-
ers or phone antennas, if they could be
damaged.
> Unscrew the rod antenna.
> Leave the remote control in the ignition
lock.
Avoid car washes with guide rail heights
over 4 in/10 cm, otherwise there is
danger of damaging chassis parts. <
Convertible: retractable hardtop
Proceed as you would in a normal car wash.
When you open a wet hardtop, water
drops may run into the trunk. If necessary,
remove items from the trunk beforehand to
avoid water stains or soiling. <

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263
Care
Mobility
Driving into an automatic car wash
Perform the following steps to ensure that the
vehicle can roll:
Manual transmission:
1.
Shift into neutral.
2. Release parking brake, refer to page 64.
3. Switch off the engine.
4. Leave the remote cont rol in the ignition
lock.
Automatic transmission:
1. Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2. Shift selector lever into position N.
3. Release parking brake, refer to page 64.
4. Switch off the engine.
5. Leave the remote cont rol in the ignition
lock.
Sport automatic transmission with double
clutch:
Before driving into an automatic car wash,
perform the following steps to ensure that the
vehicle can roll:
1. Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2. Engage transmission position N.
3. Release parking brake, refer to page 64.
4. Switch off the engine.
5. Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
The transmission is switched into position P:
> Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
> If you remove the infrared remote control
from the ignition lock
Headlamps
After washing the vehicle
After washing the ve hicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them; otherwise,
water can reduce braking efficiency over the
short term and the brake discs can corrode. order to prevent impaired vision due to smear
formation and to reduce wiper noise and wiper
blade wear.
Vehicle care
Care products
BMW recommends using BMW cleaning and
care products since they have been tested and
approved for this purpose.
Follow the instructions on the packaging.
When cleaning inside the vehicle, always
open the doors and windows. Only use prod-
ucts designed for cleaning vehicles. Cleaning
agents can contain substances that are danger-
ous or hazardous to your health. <
Vehicle paintwork
Regular care contributes to driving safety and
value retention. Enviro nmental influences in
regions with elevated leve ls of air pollution or
natural contaminants such as tree sap or pollen
can impact vehicle paintwork. The frequency
and scope of car care should be adapted
accordingly.
Immediately remove particularly corrosive sub-
stances such as spilled fuel , oil, grease, or bird
droppings to prevent damage to the paintwork.
Leather care
Frequently remove dust from the leather using
a cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Otherwise, dust and road grit in the pores and
folds of the leather will otherwise have an abra-
sive effect, resulting in increased wear and
causing the leather surface to become brittle
prematurely.
In order to prevent staining, e.g due to clothing,
clean the leather approximately every two
months.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently as it
shows dust and dirt more noticeably.

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267
Replacing components
Mobility
When working on electrical systems,
always begin by switching off the con-
sumer in question; otherwise, short-circuits
could result. To avoid possible injury or equip-
ment damage when replacing bulbs, observe
any instructions provided by the bulb
manufacturer. <
For care of the headla mps, please follow the
instructions in the ch apter entitled 'Care'.
To replace lamps not described here,
please contact your BMW center. <
Light-emitting diodes LED
Light-emitting diodes installed behind translu-
cent lenses serve as the light source for many of
the controls, displays, and equipment in your
vehicle. These light-emitting diodes, which
operate using a concept similar to that applied
in conventional lasers, are officially designated
as Class 1 light-emitting diodes.
Do not remove the co vers or expose the
eyes directly to the unfiltered light source
for several hours; otherw ise, this could cause
irritation of the retina. <
Headlight lenses
In cool or humid weather, condensation may
form on the interior of outside lamps. The con-
densation will disappear after a short time when
driving with the headlamps switched on. The
headlamp glasses do not need to be changed.
If the headlamps do not defrost despite driving
with the headlamps switch ed on, and additional
moisture builds up, for example water droplets
in the lamps, have them checked by your BMW
center.
Xenon lamps
These bulbs have a very lo ng service life and are
highly unlikely to fail. If a xenon lamp fails never-
theless, switch on the fog lamps and continue
the journey with great ca re, provided that local
legislation does not prohibit this. Have all work on the xenon lamp system,
including bulb replacements, performed
only by your BMW center . Due to high voltage,
there is a risk of fatal injury if work on the xenon
lamps is carried out improperly. <
Access to the lamps
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote
control out of the ignition lock.
2. Remove the upper co ver from the head-
lamp. To do so, use a screwdriver to press
the catches towards the rear, see arrows,
and pull the cover forward and out.
Follow the same steps in reverse order to
reattach the cover. Be careful when installing the cover;
otherwise, leaks co uld occur and cause
damage to the headlamp system. <
Parking lamps and roadside parking
lamps, daytime running lights
These lamps use LED technology for operation.
If they malfunction, please contact your BMW
center.
Corner-illuminating lamps
H3 bulb, 55 watts
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote
control out of the ignition lock.
2. Remove the cover, re fer to Access to the
lamps.

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276
MobilityGiving and receiving assistance
Do not exceed a towing speed of 45 mph
or 70 km/h and a towing distance of
90 miles/150 km; otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged. <
Sport automatic transmission with
double clutch
Make sure that the parking lock P is not
engaged; otherwise, the rear wheels are
immobilized.
When using the car wash function, refer to
page 263, note that the parking lock P is
engaged automatically after approx.
30 minutes, blocking the rear wheels.
In the event of an electrical malfunction or if the
vehicle must be towed for more than approx.
20 minutes, unlock the parking lock manually,
refer to page 70.<
When towing, do not exceed a maximum
speed of 30 mph or 50 km/h and a maxi-
mum distance traveled of 30 miles/50 km; oth-
erwise, the transmission may be damaged. <
Towing methods
Do not lift the vehicle by a tow fitting or
body and chassis parts; otherwise,
damage may result. <
With a tow bar
The towing vehicle must not be lighter
than the towed vehicle; otherwise, it may
be impossible to maintain control. <
The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an angle,
please observe the following:
> Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be sharply limited during cornering.
> The tow bar will generate la teral forces if it is
attached offset.
Attach the tow bar to the tow fittings only,
as attaching it to othe r parts of the vehicle
could result in damage.<
With a tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Attach the tow rope to the tow fittings only, as
attaching it to other parts of the vehicle could
result in damage. <
With a tow truck: vehicle without xDrive
Manual and automatic transmission:
Sport automatic transmission with
double clutch:
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar, or on a flatbed.
Do not tow the vehicle with just the rear axle
raised as this may cause the steering to turn.

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