2014 BMW I8 Owner's Manual

Addendum
ADDENDUM TO BMW i8 OWNER’S
MANUAL 1402957072
We wanted to provide you with some
updates and clarifications with respect to
the printed BMW Owner’s Manual.
These updates and clarifications will
supersede the materials contained in
that document.
1.Where the terms “service center,”
“the service center,” “your service
center,” “service specialist,’ or
“service” are used in the Owner’s
Manual, we wanted to clarify that
the terms refer to a 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.
2.Where the text of the Owner’s
Manual contains an affirmative
instruction to contact a “service
center” or “your service center,” we
wanted to clarify that BMW
recommends that, if you are faced
with one of the situations addressed
by that text, you contact or seek the
assistance of a 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.
While BMW of North America LLC,
at no cost to you, will pay for repairs
required by the limited warranties
provided with respect to your
vehicle and for maintenance under
the Maintenance Program during
the applicable warranty and
maintenance coverage periods, you
are free to elect, both during those
periods and thereafter, to have
maintenance and repair work
provided by other service centers or
repair shops.
3.Where the Owner’s Manual makes
reference to parts and accessories
having been approved by BMW,
those references are intended to
reflect that those parts and
accessories are recommended by
BMW of North America LLC. You
may elect to use other parts and
accessories, but, if you do, we
recommend that you make sure that
any such parts and/or accessories
are appropriate for use on your
vehicle.
4.At page 7, under the warranty
section’s discussion of
homologation, where it states that
you “cannot lodge warranty claims
for your vehicle there,” the text
should read that you “may not be
able to lodge warranty claims for
your vehicle there.”
5.At page 7, under the heading “Body
work and working on the high-
voltage system,” the text of that
section should be disregarded and
the following text should be read in
lieu thereof: “BMW recommends to
have modifications and work on the

Addendum
vehicle only be carried out by an
authorized BMW i service center or
one that operates according to
BMW i specifications with personnel
trained accordingly. If work is not
carried out properly, there is the risk
of fire and fatal injury from
electrocution due to the high-
voltage system's high voltage.”
6.At page 8, under the “Parts and
Accessories” section, in the sixth
sentence, the word “cannot” should
read “does not.”
7.At page 51, in the “Check and
replace safety belts” section, the
text beginning, “This should only be
done by your service center . . .”
should be disregarded and the
following text should be read in lieu
thereof: “BMW recommends having
this work performed by a service
center as it is important that this
safety feature functions properly.”
8.At page 88, under the heading:
“Special windshield,” the paragraph
beginning, “Therefore, have the
special windshield . . .” should be
disregarded and the following text
should be read in lieu thereof:
“BMW recommends that you have
the special windshield replaced by
the service center.”
9.At page 137 under the heading:
“Objects in the range of movement
of the pedals” and at page 182 and
page 183 under the heading:
“Carpets and floor mats,” the
paragraph that begins: “Only use
floor mats . . .” should be
disregarded and the following
language should be read in lieu
thereof: “The manufacturer of your
vehicle recommends that you use
floor mats that have been identified
by it as appropriate for use in your
vehicle and that can be properly
fixed in place.”
10.At page 141, under the heading:
“Have maintenance carried out,” the
sentence beginning, “The
maintenance should be carried out .
. .” should be disregarded and the
following text should be read in lieu
thereof: “BMW recommends that
you have the maintenance carried
out by your service center.”
11.At page 147, under the heading
“Make sure that the charging device
is in flawless operating condition,”
the word “flawless” should read
“proper.”
12.At page 159, under the heading
“Tire inflation pressure
specifications,” the sentence
beginning, “Tire inflation pressure
specifications apply to approved tire
sizes . . . .” should be disregarded.
13.At page 163, under the heading:
“Mounting,” the paragraph
beginning, “Have mounting and
balancing . . .” should be
disregarded and the following text
should be read in lieu thereof:
“BMW recommends that you have
mounting and balancing performed
by your service center or a tire
mounting specialist.”
14.At page 163, under the heading:
“Approved wheels and tires,” the

Addendum
term “Approved” should be
disregarded and in lieu thereof, the
term “Recommended” should be
read in its place. In addition, the
text of that section should be
disregarded and the following text
should be read in lieu thereof:
The manufacturer of your vehicle
strongly suggests that you use
wheels and tires that have been
recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer 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
does not evaluate non-
recommended wheels and tires to
determine if they are suitable for
use on your vehicle.
15.At page 164, under the heading:
“Snow Chains,” the text should be
disregarded and the following text
should be read in lieu thereof:
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.
16.At page 166, under the heading
“Engine compartment access,” the
sentence beginning, “If you are
unfamiliar” should be disregarded.
17.At page 167, under the heading:
“Approved oil types,” the references
to “Approved” should be read as
“Suitable.” Where it reads: “You
can add oils with the following
specifications,” that text should be
disregarded, and the following text
read in lieu thereof: “Add engine
oils that meet the following oil rating
standards: . . .”
18.At page 168, 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 reference to “specification”
should be read as “rating.”
19.At page 168, 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.
20.At page 170 and page 171, under
the heading: “Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US models
and Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models,” the

Addendum
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.
21.At page 173 where it reads: “Have
any work on the lighting system . . .
,” the following words should be
read as preceding that passage: “It
is strongly suggested that you . . . .”
22.At page 173, under the “Battery
replacement” 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.

ContentsThe fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 190.6Notes
At a glance
14Cockpit18iDrive26Voice activation system29Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle31BMW eDRIVE
Controls
36Opening and closing48Adjusting54Transporting children safely58Driving72Displays89Lights93Safety105Driving stability control systems109Driving comfort120Climate control125Interior equipment130Storage compartments
Driving tips
134Things to remember when driving138Loading140Increase rangeMobility146Charging vehicle154Refueling157Fuel159Wheels and tires165Engine oil169Coolant170Maintenance172Replacing components175Breakdown assistance180Care
Reference
186Technical data188Appendix190Everything from A to Z
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NotesThe special features of your
BMW i
High-voltage system
Your BMW i is a hybrid vehicle. In addition to
the combustion engine, your vehicle features a
high-voltage system that consists of an elec‐
tric motor and a high-voltage battery among
other things.
Carbon body The vehicle consists of two different functional
units: the drive module made from aluminum
and the life module made from carbon fiber re‐
inforced plastic (carbon).
Using this Owner's Manual
Orientation
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic is by using the index.
An initial overview of the vehicle is provided in
the first chapter.
Updates made after the editorialdeadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline
can be found in the appendix of the printed
Owner's Handbook for Vehicle.
User's manual for Navigation,
Entertainment, Communication
The topics Navigation, Entertainment, Com‐
munication and the short commands of the
voice activation system can be retrieved on the
Control Display via the Integrated Owner's
Handbook.Symbols
Indicates precautions that must be followed
precisely in order to avoid the possibility of
personal injury and serious damage to the
vehicle.
◄ Marks the end of a specific item of
information.
Refers to measures that can be taken to
help protect the environment.
"..." Identifies display texts in vehicle used to
select individual functions.
›...‹ Verbal instructions to use with the voice
activation system.
››...‹‹ Identifies the answers generated by the
voice activation system.
Symbols on vehicle components
Indicates that you should consult the
relevant section of this Owner's Manual for
information on a particular part or assembly.
Indicates, on certain parts or assemblies, that
incorrect use of high-voltage equipment or of
orange-colored high-voltage components re‐
sults in the risk of life-threatening injury from
electric shock.
Vehicle features and options
This Owner's Manual describes all models and
all standard, country-specific and optional
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equipment that is offered in the model series.
Therefore, in this Owner's Manual, we also de‐
scribe and illustrate features that are not avail‐
able in your vehicle, e.g., because of the se‐
lected optional features or the country-specific
version.
This also applies to safety-related functions
and systems.
On right-hand drive vehicles, some controls
are arranged differently from what is shown in
the illustrations.
Status of the Owner's
Manual
Basic information
The manufacturer of your vehicle pursues a
policy of constant development that is con‐
ceived to ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety stan‐
dards. In rare cases, therefore, the features de‐
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
can be found in the appendix of the printed
Owner's Handbook for Vehicle.
For 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 potentially differing oper‐
ating conditions and permit requirements. If
your vehicle does not comply 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 Centre.
Working on the vehicle, maintenance
and repairs
Advanced technology, especially the use of
high-performance high-voltage electronics
and modern materials such as carbon, requires
special knowledge when making modifications
to and working on the vehicle, as well as cus‐
tomized maintenance and repair work.
Modifications and work on the vehicle, espe‐
cially maintenance and repairs to the high-volt‐
age system and carbon body as well as the ret‐
rofitting of accessories, may only be carried
out by an authorized BMW i service center or
one that operates according to BMW i specifi‐
cations with personnel trained accordingly.
Body work and working on the high-volt‐
age system
Do not perform any modifications or work on
the vehicle, especially maintenance and repair
work on the high-voltage system and the car‐
bon body and avoid retrofitting accessories.
If work is not carried out properly, there is the
risk of fire and fatal injury from electrocution
due to the high-voltage system's high voltage.
Modifications and work on the vehicle may
only be carried out by an authorized BMW i
service center or one that operates according
to BMW i specifications with personnel trained
accordingly.◀

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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:
▷New Vehicle Limited Warranty.▷Rust Perforation Limited Warranty.▷Federal Emissions System Defect War‐
ranty.
▷Federal Emissions Performance Warranty.▷California Emission Control System Lim‐
ited Warranty.
Detailed information about 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 specifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con‐
ditions and homologation requirements in your
country and continental region in order to de‐
liver the full driving pleasure while the vehicle
is operated under those conditions. If you wish
to operate your vehicle in another country or
region, you may be required to adapt your ve‐
hicle to meet different prevailing operating
conditions and homologation requirements.
You should also be aware of any applicable
warranty limitations or exclusions for such
country or region. In such case, please contact
Customer Relations for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle regularly to sustain the
road safety, operational reliability and the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance meas‐
ures:
▷BMW Maintenance system▷Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models
Parts and accessories
BMW recommends using parts and accesso‐
ries approved by BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW center is the right contact for genu‐
ine BMW parts and accessories, other prod‐
ucts 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 appli‐
cable when country-specific government ap‐
proval has been granted. Testing of this kind
may fail to embrace the entire range of poten‐
tial 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.