Addendum
Only certain types of fine-link snow
chains have been tested by the
manufacturer of your vehicle and
are determined by the manufacturer
of your vehicle to be road safe and
are recommended by the
manufacturer of your vehicle.
Information about recommended
snow chains is available from a
service center.
13.At page 170, under the heading
“Hood,” the sentence beginning, “If
you are unfamiliar” should be
disregarded.
14.At page 173, under the heading:
“Approved oil types,” the references
to “Approved” should be read as
“Suitable.” The references to
“Specification” should be read as
“Rating.” Immediately preceding
the “Specification” chart, the
following sentence should be
inserted: “Add engine oils that meet
the following oil rating
standards: . . .”
15.At page 173, under the heading:
“Alternative oil types,” the text
preceding the chart should be
disregarded, and in lieu thereof
should be read as follows: “If an
engine oil suitable for continuous
use is not available, up to 1 US
quart/liter of an engine oil with the
following oil rating can be
added: . . .” The references to
“Specification” should be read as
“Rating.”
16.At page 174, under the heading:
“Engine oil change,” the text should
be disregarded and in lieu thereof
should be read as follows:
BMW recommends that you have
the oil changed at your BMW
dealer’s service center or at another
service center that has trained
personnel that can perform the work
in accordance with BMW
specifications
17.At page 176, under the heading:
“Service and Warranty Information
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.
18.At page 179, where it reads: “Do not
perform work/bulb replacement on
xenon headlamps,” that text should
be disregarded and in lieu thereof
the following text should be read:
“Xenon headlamp work or
replacement can cause serious and
fatal injuries.” In the text that
ContentsThe fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 200.6Notes
At a glance
12Cockpit16iDrive22Voice activation system25Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
30Opening and closing45Adjusting55Transporting children safely59Driving74Displays88Lamps93Safety113Driving stability control systems117Driving comfort130Climate control135Interior equipment140Storage compartments
Driving tips
146BMW M6 technology148Things to remember when driving152Loading154Saving fuelMobility158Refueling160Fuel161Wheels and tires170Engine compartment172Engine oil175Coolant176Maintenance178Replacing components184Breakdown assistance190Care
Reference
196Technical data200Everything from A to Z
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scribed in this Owner's Manual may differ from
those in your vehicle.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline
for the Owner's Manuals are located in the ap‐
pendix of the printed quick reference for the
vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials and high-performance electronics,
requires suitable maintenance and repair
methods.
Therefore, have this work performed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord‐
ing to BMW repair procedures with appropri‐
ately trained personnel.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.
Parts and Accessories
Seite 7Notes7
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California Proposition 65 Warning
California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of automo‐
bile components and parts, including compo‐
nents found in the interior furnishings in a vehi‐
cle, 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 repro‐
ductive harm. Battery posts, terminals and re‐
lated accessories contain lead and lead com‐
pounds. Wash your hands after handling. Used
engine oil contains chemicals that have caused
cancer in laboratory animals. Always protect
your skin by washing thoroughly with soap and
water.
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly. Your vehicle is covered by the fol‐
lowing warranties:
BMW recommends using parts and
accessories approved by BMW for this
Your BMW center is the right contact for
genuine BMW parts and accessories, other
products approved by BMW and related
qualified advice.
BMW has tested these products for safety and
suitability in relation to BMW vehicles.
BMW can assume responsibility for them.
However, we cannot assume any responsibility
whatsoever for parts and accessories that have
not been specifically approved by BMW.
BMW cannot evaluate whether each individual
product from another manufacturer can be
used with BMW vehicles without presenting a
safety hazard. This guarantee is also not
applicable when country-specific government
approval has been granted. Testing of this kind
may fail to embrace the entire range of
potential operating conditions to which
components might be exposed on BMW
vehicles. Such products could conceivably fail
to comply with BMW's own stringent quality
standards.
purpose.
The supplementary text of urgent messages is
automatically displayed on the Control Display.
Symbols
Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.▷ "Owner's Manual"
Display additional information about the
Check Control message in the Integrated
Owner's Manual.▷ "Service request"
Contact the service partner.▷ "Roadside Assistance"
Contact Roadside Assistance.
Hiding Check Control messages
Press the computer button on the turn signal
lever.
▷Some Check Control messages are dis‐
played continuously and are not cleared
until the malfunction is eliminated. If sev‐
eral malfunctions occur at once, the mes‐
sages are displayed consecutively.
These messages can be hidden for approx.
8 seconds. After this time, they are dis‐
played again automatically.▷Other Check Control messages are hidden
automatically after approx. 20 seconds.
They are stored and can be displayed
again later.Displaying stored Check Control
messages1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Check Control"4.Select the text message.
Messages after trip completion
Special messages that are displayed during
driving are displayed again after the ignition is
switched off.
Fuel gauge The vehicle inclination may
cause the display to vary.
US models: the arrow beside the
fuel pump symbol shows which
side of the vehicle the fuel filler
flap is on.
Hints on refueling, refer to page 158.
Tachometer Always avoid engine speeds inthe red warning field. In this
range, the fuel supply is inter‐
rupted to protect the engine.
Engine oil temperature
▷Cold engine: the pointer is at
the low temperature end.
Drive at moderate engine
and vehicle speeds.▷Normal operating tempera‐
ture: the pointer is in the
middle or in the left half of
the temperature display.Seite 77DisplaysControls77
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BMW M6 technologyVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐
ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
V8 high-performance engine
The high-performance V8 engine gets maxi‐
mum power of 412 kW and maximum torque of
680 Nm from a displacement of 4.4 liters. With
its spontaneous response behavior, a speed
range of wide utility results. The maximum en‐
gine speed is at 7,200 rpm and it electronically
controlled. Because of the high engine dynam‐
ics, the maximum engine speed with the vehi‐
cle stationary is progressively deactivated after
a short time.
Warmup
During the engine warmup phase, the V8 high-
performance engine has a somewhat rougher
running behavior because of the emission con‐
trols.
When the engine is cold, the exhaust system
has a slightly metallic undertone due to the na‐
ture of the system.
For more information about the warmup proce‐
dure: Engine speed, refer to page 77, and en‐
gine oil temperature, refer to page 77.
Compound brake
The vehicle has a high-performance brake sys‐
tem with perforated compound brake discs.
Because of particular structural characteristics,
there may be operation-related noises during
braking. However, this has no effect on per‐
formance, operational reliability and reliability
of the brake.
Correct braking
To keep the brake system in optimum condi‐
tion, it is expedient to apply them at regular in‐
tervals corresponding to the vehicle character.
M carbon ceramic brake
The vehicle is fitted with a high-performance
braking system with perforated carbon ce‐
Seite 146Driving tipsBMW M6 technology146
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ramic brake discs designed for use on race‐
tracks.
Due to properties of the materials used, brak‐
ing may be associated with louder function
noises, particularly in wet conditions, just be‐
fore the vehicle comes to a stop. However, this
has no effect on the performance, operational
reliability and durability of the brake.
The effects of moisture and road salt, from us‐
ing a carwash or dew formation overnight for
example, may render the braking effect com‐
parable to that of a conventional braking sys‐
tem. This may be perceived as reduced brak‐
ing effect and can be compensated for if
necessary by pressing the brake pedal harder.
Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
carwash or wash tunnel, clean the brake discs
and brake calipers with a steam jet or high-
pressure washer as well, to prevent encrusta‐
tions and dirt build-ups, caused by salt crys‐
tals, for example, if the car is immobile
afterwards. The cleaning effect of automatic
carwashes or wash tunnels is usually not ade‐
quate for this in the area around the wheels.
To do this, also follow the instructions in
Washing the vehicle, refer to page 190, and
Braking safely, refer to page 150.
Drive train With this vehicle, particular value was placed
on the direct connection from engine to the
drive train. Due to the torsionally rigid design of
the drive train, as is typical in a sports car, the
transmission of the torque also gives acoustic
feedback.
When there are load changes, this may result
in clacker noises. They do not cause any im‐
pairment of the operation or the service life of
the components.Driving on racetracks
Requirements Before driving on a racetrack:▷Participation in the BMW Driver Training.▷Check engine oil fill level and replenish as
necessary.▷Have vehicle checked at a service center.
Hints
Racetrack operation leads to increased wear.
The vehicle is not designed for motorsports
competitive use. This wear is not covered by
the warranty.
The standard brake linings and the wear indi‐
cators are not designed for racetrack opera‐
tion. For more information and advice, contact
your service center.
Seite 147BMW M6 technologyDriving tips147
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Engine compartmentVehicle equipmentAll standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
Important features in the engine compartment
1Vehicle identification number2Jump-starting, negative terminal3Washer fluid reservoir4Jump-starting, positive terminal5Oil filler neck.6Coolant reservoirHood
Opening the hood Working in the engine compartment
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without the necessary professional technical training.If you are unfamiliar with the statutory guide‐
lines, have any work on the vehicle performed
only by a service center.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.◀Seite 170MobilityEngine compartment170
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Engine oilVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐
ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
General information The engine oil consumption is dependent on
the driving style and driving conditions. When
a sporty driving style is used, the engine oil
consumption, for example, is clearly higher.
Therefore, regularly check the engine oil level
after refueling.
When a dynamic driving style is used, such as
when cornering quickly, the system is unable
to measure the engine oil level. With this driv‐
ing style, measure the engine oil level using a
detailed measurement, refer to page 172.
Checking the oil level
electronically
Status display
The concept The oil level is monitored electronically during
driving and shown on the Control Display.
If the oil level reaches the minimum level, a
check control message is displayed.
Requirements
Depending on the previous displays, the status
display is displayed when the engine is running
or after the vehicle has been driven for at least
30 minutes.Displaying the oil level1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Engine oil level"
Oil level display messages
Different messages appear on the display de‐
pending on the oil level. Pay attention to these
messages.
If oil level is too low, immediately add 1 US
quart/liter of oil.
Take care not to add too much engine oil.
Too much engine oil
Have the vehicle checked immediately;
otherwise, surplus oil can lead to engine dam‐
age.◀
Detailed measurement
The concept
In the detailed measurement the oil level is
checked and displayed via a scale.
During the measurement, the idle speed is in‐
creased somewhat.
General information
A detailed measurement is only possible with
certain engines.
Requirements
▷Selector lever in transmission position N
and accelerator not depressed.▷Vehicle is on a level road and the engine is
running at operating temperature.Seite 172MobilityEngine oil172
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