2014 BMW 3 SERIES SEDAN Owner's Manual

Tire treadSummer tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 in/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.
Winter tires Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 in/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are
less suitable for winter operation.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the
tire's circumference and have the legally re‐
quired minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
They are marked on the side of the tire with
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.
Tire damage
General information
Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Notes
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can cause serious damage to wheels, tires and
suspension parts. This is more likely to occur
with low-profile tires, which provide less cush‐
ioning between the wheel and the road. Be
careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your
speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped
with low-profile tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle de‐
fects:▷Unusual vibrations during driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
In case of tire damage
If there are indications of tire damage, re‐
duce your speed immediately and have the
wheels and tires checked right away; other‐
wise, there is the increased risk of an accident.
Drive carefully to the nearest service center.
Have the vehicle towed or transported there.
Otherwise, tire damage can become life threat‐
ening for vehicle occupants and also other
road users.◀
Repair of tire damage
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends that you do not have
damaged tires repaired; they should be re‐
placed. Otherwise, damage can occur as a re‐
sult.◀
Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Information on mounting tires
Have mounting and balancing 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 193Wheels and tiresMobility193
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

Wheel and tire combination
You can ask the service center about the right
wheel/tire combination and wheel rim versions
for the vehicle.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair
the function of a variety of systems such as
ABS or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
Approved wheels and tires
You should only use wheels and tires
that have been approved by the vehicle manu‐
facturer for your vehicle type; otherwise, for
example, despite having the same official size
ratings, variations can lead to body contact and
with it, the risk of severe accidents
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot eval‐
uate non-approved wheels and tires to deter‐
mine if they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of the vehi‐
cle if they are mounted.◀
Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your ve‐
hicle recommends certain tire brands. These
can be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.
With proper use, these tires meet the highest
standards for safety and handling.
New tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full
traction potential until after an initial breaking-
in period.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
Retreaded tires
Possibly substantial variations in the de‐
sign and age of the tire casing structures can
limit service life and have a negative impact on
road safety.◀
Winter tires
Winter tires are recommended for operating on
winter roads.
Although so-called all-season M+S tires do
provide better winter traction than summer
tires, they do not provide the same level of per‐
formance as winter tires.
Maximum speed of winter tires If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,
then display a corresponding sign in the field
of vision. You can obtain this sign from the tire
specialist or from your service center.
Maximum speed for winter tires
Do not exceed the maximum speed for
the respective winter tires; otherwise, tire dam‐
age and accidents can occur.◀
Run-flat tires If you are already using run-flat tires, for your
own safety you should replace them only with
the same kind. No spare tire is available in the
case of a flat tire. Your service center will be
glad to advise you.Seite 194MobilityWheels and tires194
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

Rotating wheels between axlesDifferent wear patterns can occur on the frontand rear axles depending on individual driving
conditions. The tires can be rotated between
the axles to achieve even wear. Your service
center will be glad to advise you. After rotating,
check the tire pressure and correct if neces‐
sary.
Rotating the tires is not permissible on vehi‐
cles with different tire sizes on the front and
rear axles, i.e. when using different types of
tires.
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres‐
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.
Run-flat tires
Label
RSC label on the tire sidewall.
The wheels are composed of special rims and
tires that are self-supporting, to a limited de‐
gree.
The support of the sidewall allows the tire to
remain drivable to a restricted degree in the
event of a pressure loss.
FTM: continued driving with a damaged tire,
refer to page 102.
TPM: continued driving with a damaged tire,
refer to page 99.
Changing run-flat tires
For your own safety, only use run-flat tires. No
spare tire is available in the case of a flat tire.
Your service center will be glad to advise you.
Snow chains
Fine-link snow chains
Only certain types of fine-link snow chains
have been tested by the manufacturer of the
vehicle, classified as road-safe and approved.
Information about the approved snow chains
are available from the service center.
Use
Use only in pairs on the rear wheels, equipped
with the tires of the following size:▷205/60 R 16.▷225/55 R 16.▷225/50 R 17.▷225/45 R 18.
Follow the chain manufacturer's instructions.
Make sure that the snow chains are always
sufficiently tight. Retighten as needed accord‐
ing to the chain manufacturer's instructions.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after
mounting snow chains, as doing so may result
in incorrect readings.
Do not initialize the Tire Pressure Monitor after
mounting snow chains, as doing so may result
in incorrect readings.
When driving with snow chains, briefly activate
Dynamic Traction Control if necessary.
Maximum speed with snow chains Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph/50 km/h
when using snow chains.
Seite 195Wheels and tiresMobility195
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

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
1Jump-starting, negative terminal2Vehicle identification number3Washer fluid reservoir4Jump-starting, positive terminal5Engine compartment fuse box6Oil filler neck7Coolant reservoir
The coolant reservoir for 6-cylinder and
diesel engines is located on the opposite
side of the engine compartment.Seite 196MobilityEngine compartment196
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

Hood
Hints 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.◀
Never reach into the engine compart‐
ment
Never reach into the intermediate spaces or
gaps in the engine compartment. Otherwise,
there is risk of injury, e.g., from rotating or hot
parts.◀
Fold down wiper arm
Before opening the hood, ensure that the
wiper arms are against the windshield, or this
may result in damage.◀
Opening the hood1.Pull lever in the interior:
Engine is released, arrow 1.2.After the lever is released, pull the lever
again:
Hood can be opened, arrow 2.Indicator/warning lamps
When the hood is opened, a Check Control
message is displayed.
Closing the hood
Let the hood drop from a height of approx. 16
in/40 cm and push down on it to lock it fully.
The hood must audibly engage on both sides.
Hood open when driving
If you see any signs that the hood is not
completely closed while driving, pull over im‐
mediately and close it securely.◀
Danger of pinching
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear; otherwise, injuries may result.◀
Seite 197Engine compartmentMobility197
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

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.
Depending on its engine, the vehicle is equip‐
ped with electronic oil measurement or meas‐
uring is done with a dipstick.
The electronic oil measurement has two meas‐
uring principles.▷Status display▷Detailed measurement
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
A current measured value is available after ap‐
prox. 30 minutes of driving. During a shorter
trip, the status of the last, sufficiently long trip
is displayed.
With frequent short-distance trips, regularly
perform a detailed measurement.
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 the engine oil level is too low, within the next
125 miles/200 km Add oil, refer to page 199.
Engine oil level too low
Add oil immediately; otherwise, an insuf‐
ficient amount of engine oil could result in en‐
gine damage.◀
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.
Seite 198MobilityEngine oil198
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

General information
A detailed measurement is only possible with
certain engines.
Requirements▷Vehicle is on level road.▷Manual transmission: shift lever in neutral
position, clutch and accelerator pedals not
depressed.▷Automatic transmission: selector lever in
selector lever position N or P and accelera‐
tor pedal not depressed.▷Engine is running and is at operating tem‐
perature.
Performing a detailed measurement
In order to perform a detailed measurement of
the engine oil level:
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Measure engine oil level"4."Start measurement"
The oil level is checked and displayed via a
scale.
Duration: approx. 1 minute.
Adding engine oil General information
Switch off the ignition and safely park the vehi‐
cle before engine oil is added.
Filler neck
Only add 1 US quart/liter of oil when the mes‐
sage is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Adding oil
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km.
Otherwise, the engine may be damaged.◀
Do not add too much engine oil
When too much engine oil is added, im‐
mediately have the vehicle checked, otherwise,
this may cause engine damage.◀
Protect children
Keep oil, grease, etc., out of reach of chil‐
dren and heed the warnings on the containers
to prevent health risks.◀
Oil types for refilling
Hints No oil additives
Oil additives may lead to engine dam‐
age.◀
Viscosity grades for engine oils
When selecting an engine oil, ensure that
the engine oil belongs to one of the viscosity
grades SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40,
and SAE 5W-30 or malfunctions or engine
damage may occur.◀
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of
the engine.
Seite 199Engine oilMobility199
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

Approved oil typesYou can add oils with the following specifica‐
tions:Gasoline engineBMW Longlife-01.BMW Longlife-01 FE.Diesel engineBMW Longlife-04.
Additional information about the approved
types of oils can be requested from the service
center.
Alternative oil types If the approved engine oils are not available, up
to 1 US quart/liter of an oil with the following
specification can be added:
Gasoline engineAPI SM or superior grade specification.Diesel engineAPI ILSAC GF-5.
Engine oil change:
The vehicle manufacturer recommends that
you let the service center change the motor oil.
Seite 200MobilityEngine oil200
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14