2013 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE Owner's Manual

252
MobilityWheels and tires
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate 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.
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 p o s e a l e t h a l h a z a r d
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 ... 1013 means that the tire was manufac-
tured in week 10 of 2013.
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 casing 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 offi cial 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
combination 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. Af ter a tire has been
damaged, mount the previous wheel and tire
combination 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 page 102. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you.

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253
Wheels and tires
Mobility
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.
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 the 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
accidents. <
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter ti res, 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 th is could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels between the axles is not
permissible.
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-
supporting tire and a special 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 Indication of a flat tire, page 101.

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254
MobilityWheels and tires
Snow chains
Only certain fine-link sn ow chains have been
tested by BMW, classifi ed 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 DTC temporarily, refer to
page 98.<

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255
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 259
2 Washer fluid filler neck for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system,
refer to page 74 3
Jump-starting conne ction, refer to
page 274
4 Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil
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. <

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256
MobilityEngine compartment
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; otherwise, 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
General information
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and operating conditions; for
example, the engine oil consumption is signifi-
cantly higher with a very sporty driving style.
For this reason, regularly check the oil level
after each time you refuel.
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.
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 chec ked and the reading
displayed.

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257
Engine compartment
Mobility
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 258.
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 ne xt oil service, refer
to page 88. 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."
> "Measuring engine oil level...":
This can take about 3 minutes 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.

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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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