3 SeriesM3Owner's Manual for Vehicle
Congratulations, and than k you for choosing a BMW.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with
enhanced control and security when you drive it. We therefore
have this request:
Please take the time to read this Owner's Manual and familiarize
yourself with the information that we have compiled for you
before starting off in your new ve hicle. It contains important data
and instructions intended to a ssist you in gaining maximum use
and satisfaction from your BMW' s unique range of technical fea-
tures. The manual also contai ns information on maintenance
designed to enhance operating sa fety and contribute to main-
taining the value of your BMW th roughout an extended service
life.
This manual is supplemented by a Service and Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet for US models or a Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models.
Please also read the other booklets of vehicle literature, e.g. the
Supplementary Owner's Handbook for the BMW M3.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW AG
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Addendum
Booklet for US models and
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models,” the
second paragraph should be
disregarded and the following text
read in lieu thereof:
The manufacturer of your vehicle
recommends that you have
maintenance and repair performed
by your BMW dealer’s service
center or another service center or
repair shop that employs trained
personnel that can perform
maintenance and repair work on
your vehicle in accordance with
BMW specifications. The
manufacturer of your vehicle
recommends that you maintain
records of all maintenance and
repair work performed on your
vehicle.
17.At page 267, under the heading
“Xenon lamps,” where it reads:
“[h]ave all work on the xenon lamp
system . . . ,” the following words
should be read as preceding that
passage: “It is strongly suggested
that you . . . .”
18.At page 270, under the “Battery
replacing” section, the text should
be disregarded and in lieu thereof
the following text should be read:
Use of recommended vehicle
batteries
The manufacturer of your vehicle
recommends that you use vehicle
batteries that it has tested and
recommends for use in your vehicle;
otherwise the vehicle could be
damaged and systems or functions
may not be fully available.
After a battery replacement, the
manufacturer of your vehicle
recommends that you have the
battery registered on your vehicle
by a service center to ensure that all
comfort functions are fully available,
and that any “check control”
messages of these comfort
functions are no longer displayed.
5
Notes
Vehicle equipment
This Owner's Manual de
scribes all models and
all series-specific equipm ent, country-specific
equipment, and optional equipment that is
offered in the series. For this reason, this
Owner's Manual also de scribes and illustrates
some equipment that may not be available in
your vehicle, for example due to the special
options or national-market version selected.
This also applies to safety related functions and
systems.
If equipment and models are not described in
this Owner's Manual, please consult the
accompanying Supplementary Owner's
Handbooks.
Status of this Owner's Manual
at time of printing
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, ongoing
development that is conceived to ensure that
our vehicles continue to embody the highest
quality and safety standards combined with
advanced, state-of-the-art technology. For this
reason, it is possible in exceptional cases that
features described in this Owner's Manual
could differ from those on your vehicle.
Updates after press date
Updates after press date for the Owner's Man-
uals, when necessary, are issued as appendices
to the printed Quick Reference Guide for the
vehicle.
Your own safety
Warranty
Your vehicle is technically configured for the
operating conditions and registration require-
ments applying in the country of first delivery –
homologation. If your vehicle is to be operated
in a different country it might be necessary to
adapt your vehicle to po tentially differing oper- ating conditions and permit requirements. If
your vehicle does not co
mply with the homolo-
gation requirements in a certain country you
cannot lodge warranty claims for your vehicle
there.
Further information can be obtained from your
service center.
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of
modern materials and powerful electron-
ics, requires specially adapted maintenance
and repair methods. You should therefore have
the corresponding work on your vehicle
performed only by your BMW center or at a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with corres pondingly trained per-
sonnel. If this work is not carried out properly,
there is a danger of subsequent damage and
related safety hazards. <
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested and
approved by BMW and Or iginal BMW Parts, you
simultaneously acquire the assurance that they
have been thoroughly te sted by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed on your
vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for damage
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every pr oduct made by other
manufacturers to verify if it can be used on a
BMW safely and without risk to either the
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and
other products approved by BMW, together
with professional advice on using these items,
are available from all BMW centers.
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6
Notes
Installation and operation of accessories not
approved by BMW, such as alarms, radios,
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension
components, brake dust shields, telephones,
including operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radio or sim-
ilar accessories, may ca use extensive damage
to the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere
with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limi ted Warranty. See your
BMW center for additional information. <
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual using any
certified automotive part. <
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components foun d in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminal s and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash
your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in labora tory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water. <
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following
warranties:
> New Vehicle Limited Warranty
> Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
> Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
> Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
> California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information abou t these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been sp ecifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con-
ditions and registration requirements in your
country and continental region in order to
deliver the full driving pl easure while the vehicle
is operated under those conditions. If you wish
to operate your vehicle in another country or
region, you may be requir ed to adapt your vehi-
cle to meet different prevailing operating condi-
tions and registration re quirements. You should
also be aware of any a pplicable warranty limita-
tions or exclusions for such country or region. In
such case, please contact Customer Relations
for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle re gularly to sustain the
road safety, operationa l reliability and the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance
measures:
> BMW Maintenance system
> Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models
> Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
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At a glanceDashboard
Dashboard
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.
Around the steering wheel : controls and displays
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Dashboard
At a glance
4
Exterior mirrors fo lding in and out55
5 Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb
monitor 55
9 Instrument cluster 14 12
Ignition lock 62
13 Buttons on the steering wheel
15 Horn, entire surface
16 Adjusting the steering wheel 56
18 Releasing the hood 256
19 OBD socket 261
20 Opening the trunk lid 37
1
Convertible: opening and closing
windows jointly
41
2 Convertible: opening and closing
rear windows
41
3 Opening and closing front
windows
41
6 Parking lamps 110
Low beams 110
Automatic head lamp control110
Adaptive Light Control 111
High-beam Assistant 112
7 Fog lamps 113
8 Turn signals 72
High beams, headlamp
flasher 112
High-beam Assistant 112
Roadside parking lamps 112
Computer 85
Settings and information about the
vehicle 87
10 Windshield wipers 72
Rain sensor 73
11Switching the ignition on/off and
starting/stopping the engine
62
Telephone: accepting and ending
a call; dialing the selected phone
number; redialing if no phone
number is selected
Convertible: microphone on
steering column
Volume
Activating/deactivating the voice
activation system 27
Convertible: microphone on
steering column
Changing the radio station
Interrupting a traffic bulletin
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
Next entertainment source
Recirculated air mode 117
14 Steering wheel heating 57
17 Cruise control 76
Active Cruise Control 76
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Dashboard
At a glance
6
CD/DVD drive 178
7 Changing
>Radio station 169
> Track 178
9 Controller 20
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four
directions
10 Buttons on the controller 20
Selecting menus directly
12 Programmable memory keys 25
13 Switching entertainment audio sources on/
off and adjusting volume 166
14 Ejecting a CD/DVD 178
Automatic recirculated air control
AUC and recirculated air
mode
117
Maximum cooling 116
ALL program 117
Air volume 117
Defrosting windows 118
Rear window defroster 118
Seat heating 53
8 Park Distance Control PDC 96
Coupe:
Roller sunblinds 124
Coupe:
Hill Descent Control HDC 99
11 Convertible:
Opening and closing retractable
hardtop
44
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At a glanceDashboard
Around the roofliner
Coupe
1Microphone for voice activation system and
for telephone in hands-free mode
2 SOS: sending an Emergency
Request
272
3 Reading lamps 114
4 Glass sunroof 43
5 Interior lamps 114
6 Passenger airbag status lamp 108
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