2014 BMW 3 SERIES SEDAN Owner's Manual

The engine can only be stopped or started
via the Start/Stop button.▷LED goes out: Auto Start Stop function is
activated.
Switching off the vehicle during an
automatic engine stop
During an automatic engine stop, the vehicle
can be switched off permanently, e.g., when
leaving it.
1.Press the Start/Stop button. The ignition is
switched off. The Auto Start/Stop function
is deactivated.
Selector lever position P is engaged auto‐
matically.2.Set the parking brake.
Engine start as usual via Start/Stop button.
Automatic deactivation
In certain situations, the Auto Start/Stop func‐
tion is deactivated automatically for safety rea‐
sons, such as when the driver is detected to be
absent.
Malfunction
The Auto Start/Stop function no longer
switches of the engine automatically. A Check
Control message is displayed. It is possible to
continue driving. Have the system checked.
Parking brake
Applying The lever automatically engages after being
pulled up.
The indicator lamp lights up red. The
parking brake is set.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian
models
Releasing
Raise lever slightly, press the button and guide
the lever down.
Hints Use while driving
If on a rare occasion it is necessary to
use the parking brake while driving, do not use
excessive force when applying it. When using
it, keep the button on the lever depressed.
Otherwise, using excessive force when apply‐
ing the parking brake may cause the rear
wheels to lock, resulting in fishtailing.◀
To prevent corrosion and braking control on
one side only, lightly apply the parking brake
periodically while coasting, if traffic conditions
permit.
The brake lamps will not light up if the parking
brake is engaged.
Turn signal, high beams,
headlamp flasher
Turn signal Do not fold in the exterior mirrors
Do not fold in the exterior mirror while
driving and when the turn signals/warning
flashers are working, or else the additional
flasher lights in the exterior mirror will no lon‐
ger be in the prescribed position and will be
difficult to see.◀
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Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, press the lever to the
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator lamp
indicates that a turn signal bulb has failed.
Triple turn signal activation Press the lever to the resistance point.
The turn signal flashes three times.
The function can be activated or deactivated:
1."Settings"2."Lighting"3."Triple turn signal"
The setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Signaling briefly
Press the lever to the resistance point and hold
it there for as long as you want the turn signal
to flash.
High beams, headlamp flasher▷High beams, arrow 1.▷Headlamp flasher, arrow 2.
Washer/wiper system
Switching the wipers on/off and brief
wipe
Do not switch on the wipers if frozen
Do not switch on the wipers if they are
frozen onto the windshield; otherwise, the wiper blades and the windshield wiper motor
may be damaged.◀
No wiper operation on dry windshield
Do not use the windshield wipers if the
windshield is dry, as this may damage the
wiper blades or cause them to become worn
more quickly.◀
No wiper operation with wipers folded
away
Do not switch on the wipers if they are folded
away, otherwise the hood or the wipers may be
damaged.◀
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Switching on
Press the wiper levers up.
The lever automatically returns to its initial po‐
sition when released.
▷Normal wiping speed: press up once.
The wipers switch to intermittent operation
when the vehicle is stationary.▷Fast wiping speed: press up twice or press
once beyond the resistance point.
The wipers switch to normal speed when
the vehicle is stationary.
Switching off and brief wipe
Press the wiper levers down.
The lever automatically returns to its initial po‐
sition when released.
▷Brief wipe: press down once.▷To switch off normal wipe: press down
once.▷To switch off fast wipe: press down twice.Intermittent operation or rain sensor
The concept Without the rain sensor, the frequency of the
wiper operation is preset.
The rain sensor automatically controls the time
between wipes depending on the intensity of the rainfall. The sensor is located on the wind‐
shield, directly behind the interior rearview mir‐
ror.
Activating/deactivating
Press the button on the wiper lever.
The LED in the wiper lever lights up and a wip‐
ing operation is started. If there is frost, wiper
operation is not started.
Deactivate the rain sensor in car washes
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing
through an automatic car wash; otherwise,
damage could be caused by undesired wiper
activation.◀
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Setting the frequency or sensitivity of
the rain sensor
Turn the thumbwheel.
Clean the windshield, headlamps
Pull the wiper lever.
The system sprays washer fluid on the wind‐
shield and activates the wipers briefly.
In addition, the headlamps are cleaned at regu‐
lar intervals when the vehicle lights are
switched on.
Do not use the washer system at freezing
temperatures
Do not use the washers if there is any danger
that the fluid will freeze on the windshield; oth‐
erwise, your vision could be obscured. For this
reason, use antifreeze.
Avoid using the washer when the reservoir is
empty; otherwise, you could damage the
pump.◀
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are automati‐
cally heated while the ignition is switched on.
Fold-out position of the wipers
Required when changing the wiper blades or
under frosty conditions, for example.1.Switch the ignition on and off again.2.Under frosty conditions, ensure that the
wiper blades are not frozen onto the wind‐
shield.3.Press the wiper lever up beyond the point
of resistance and hold it for approx. 3 sec‐
onds, until the wiper remains in a nearly
vertical position.
After the wipers are folded back down, the
wiper system must be reactivated.
Fold the wipers back down
Before switching the ignition on, fold the
wipers back down to the windshield; other‐
wise, the wipers may become damaged when
they are switched on.◀
1.Switch on the ignition.2.Press the wiper levers down. The wipers
move to their resting position and are
ready for operation.
Washer fluid
General information Antifreeze for washer fluid
Antifreeze is flammable and can cause
injury if it is used incorrectly.
Therefore, keep it away from sources of igni‐
tion.
Only keep it in the closed original container
and inaccessible to children.
Follow the notes and instructions on the con‐
tainer.
United States: The washer fluid mixture ratio is
regulated by the U.S. EPA and many individual
states; do not exceed the allowable washer
fluid dilution ratios limits that apply. Follow the
usage instructions on the washer fluid con‐
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tainer. Use BMW’s Windshield Washer Con‐
centrate or the equivalent.◀
Washer fluid reservoir Adding washer fluid
Only add washer fluid when the engine is
cool, and then close the cover completely to
avoid contact between the washer fluid and
hot engine parts.
Otherwise, there is the danger of fire and a risk
to personal safety if the fluid is spilled.◀
All washer nozzles are supplied from one res‐
ervoir.
Fill with a mixture of windshield washer con‐
centrate and tap water and – if required – with a
washer antifreeze, according to the manufac‐
turer's recommendations.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to maintain
the correct mixing ratio.
Do not add windshield washer concentrate and
antifreeze undiluted and do not fill with pure
water; this could damage the wiper system.
Do not mix window washer concentrates of dif‐
ferent manufacturers, because otherwise it can
result in clogging of the windshield washer
nozzles.
Recommended minimum fill quantity: 0.2 US
gal/1 liter.
Manual transmission
Shifting Shifting into 5th or 6th gear
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, push
the gearshift lever to the right; otherwise inad‐
vertent shifting into the 3rd or 4th gear could
lead to engine damage.◀
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
To overcome the resistance move the selector
lever in a dynamic movement to the left and
engage the reverse gear.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
Selector lever positions
D Drive, automatic position
Gear position for normal vehicle operation. All
forward gears are available.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N is Neutral Use in automatic car washes, for example. The
vehicle can roll.
When the ignition is switched off, refer to
page 61, selector lever position P is engaged
automatically.
P Park Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
P is engaged automatically:▷After the engine is switched off when the
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off, refer to page 61, and when position R
or D is engaged.▷With the ignition off, if selector lever posi‐
tion N is engaged.▷If the safety belt is unbuckled, the driver's
door is opened, and the brake pedal is not
pressed while the vehicle is stationary and
position D or R is engaged.
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that se‐
lector lever position P of the automatic trans‐
mission is engaged. Otherwise, the vehicle
may begin to roll.
Kickdown Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Press on the accelerator pedal
beyond the resistance point at the full throttle
position.
Engaging selector lever positions
▷It is not possible to shift out of selector
lever position P until the engine is running
and the brake is applied.▷With the vehicle stationary, press on the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise, the shift command will not be
executed: shift lock.
Press on the brake pedal until you
start driving
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after
you select a gear, maintain pressure on the
brake pedal until you are ready to start.◀Engaging D, R and N
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired di‐
rection, beyond a resistance point if necessary.
After releasing the selector lever, it returns to
its center position.
Press unlock button, in order to:
▷Engage R.▷Shift out of P.
Engaging P
Press button P.
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Sport program and manual mode
Activating the sport program
Press the selector lever to the left out of selec‐
tor lever position D.
The sport program of the transmission is acti‐
vated.
Activating the M/S manual mode
1.Press the selector lever to the left out of
selector lever position D.2.Push the selector lever forward or pull it
backward.
Manual mode becomes active and the gear is
changed.
The engaged gear is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster, e.g., M1.
Once maximum engine speed is attained, M/S
manual mode is automatically upshifted as
needed.
Switching to manual mode
▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.▷To shift up: pull the selector lever rear‐
wards.
Gears will only be shifted at appropriate engine
and road speeds, e.g., downshifting is not pos‐
sible if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
Sport automatic transmission: prevent
automatic upshifting in M/S manual
mode
For vehicles with Sport automatic transmis‐
sions, automatic shift operations are not per‐
formed, at maximum engine speed for exam‐
ple, if one of the following conditions is met:▷DSC deactivated.▷TRACTION activated.▷SPORT+ activated.
In addition, the kickdown is deactivated.
Ending the sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shift paddles
The shift paddles on the steering wheel allow
you to shift gears quickly while keeping both
hands on the steering wheel.
If the shift paddles on the steering wheel are
used to shift gears in automatic mode, the
transmission temporarily switches to manual
mode.
If the shift paddles are not used and the vehicle
is not accelerated for a certain time, the sys‐
tem switches back into automatic mode if the
selector lever is in selector lever position D.
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Gears will only be shifted at appropriate engine
and road speeds, for example downshifting is
not possible if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
Displays in the instrument cluster The selector lever position is dis‐
played, e.g.: P.
Sport automatic transmission: Launch
Control
The concept
Launch Control enables optimum acceleration
on surfaces with good traction.
Hints Component wear
Do not use Launch Control too often;
otherwise, this may result in premature wear of
components due to the high stress placed on
the vehicle.◀
Did not use Launch Control during the break-
in, refer to page 162, period.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC
again as soon as possible.
An experienced driver may be able to achieve
better acceleration values in DSC OFF mode.
Requirements Launch Control is available when the engine is
warmed up, that is, after uninterrupted driving
of at least 6 miles/10 km.
To start with Launch Control do not steer the
steering wheel.Start with launch control
While the engine is running:1. Press button or select with the
Driving Dynamics Control Sport+.
TRACTION is displayed in the instrument
cluster and the indicator lamp for DSC OFF
lights up.2.Engage gear S.3.With the left foot, forcefully press down on
the brake.4.Press and hold down the accelerator pedal
beyond the resistance point at the full
throttle position.
A flag symbol appears in the instrument
cluster.5.The starting engine speed adjusts. Within
3 seconds, release the brake.
Before using Launch Control, allow the trans‐
mission to cool down for approx. 5 minutes.
Launch Control adjusts to the surrounding
conditions, e.g., wet pavement, when used
again.
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