2015 BMW Z4 technical

Z4Owner's Manual for Vehicle
Thank you for choosing a BMW.
The more familiar you are with your vehicle, the better control
you will have on the road. We therefore strongly suggest:
Read this Owner's Manual before starting off in your new BMW.
It contains important information on vehicle operation that will
help you make full use of the technical features available in your
BMW. The manual also contains information designed to en‐
hance operating reliability and road safety, and to contribute to
maintaining the value of your BMW.
Supplementary information can be found in the additional bro‐
chures in the onboard literature.
We wish you a safe and enjoyable drive.
BMW AG
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

ContentsThe fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 274.6Notes
At a glance
14Cockpit20iDrive27Voice activation system
Controls
32Opening and closing48Adjusting55Transporting children safely57Driving73Displays87Lamps92Safety101Driving stability control systems105Driving comfort109Climate116Interior equipment124Storage compartments
Driving tips
130Things to remember when driving
Navigation
140Navigation system142Destination entry151Destination guidance159What to do if...
Entertainment
162Tone164Radio172CD/multimediaCommunication194Telephone205Office214Contacts217ConnectedDrive
Mobility
224Refueling226Fuel recommendation228Wheels and tires237Engine compartment243Maintenance245Replacing components251Breakdown assistance257Care
Reference
264Technical data266Short commands of the voice activation
system274Everything from A to Z
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

For your own safetyWarranty
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 oper‐
ated in a different country it might be neces‐
sary to adapt your vehicle to potentially differ‐
ing operating conditions and permit
requirements. If your vehicle does not comply
with the homologation requirements in a cer‐
tain country you cannot lodge warranty claims
for your vehicle there. Further information can
be obtained from your Service Center.
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 For your own safety, it is recommended that
you use genuine parts and accessories ap‐
proved by BMW. When you purchase accesso‐
ries tested and approved by BMW and Genu‐
ine BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been thoroughly
tested by BMW to ensure optimum perform‐
ance when installed on your vehicle. BMW
warrants these parts to be free from defects in
material and workmanship. BMW will not ac‐
cept any liability for damage resulting from in‐
stallation of parts and accessories not ap‐
proved by BMW. BMW cannot test every
product made by other manufacturers to verify
if it can be used on a BMW safely and withoutrisk to either the vehicle, its operation, or its
occupants. Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Acces‐
sories and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on using
these items, are available from all BMW cen‐
ters. Installation and operation of non BMW
approved accessories such as alarms, radios,
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension
components, brake dust shields, telephones,
including operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment,
for instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radios or
similar accessories, may cause extensive dam‐
age to the vehicle, compromise its safety, in‐
terfere with the vehicle's electrical system or
affect the validity of the BMW Limited War‐
ranty. See your BMW center for additional in‐
formation. Maintenance, replacement, or repair
of the emission control devices and systems
may be performed by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using any certified
automotive part.
California Proposition 65 WarningCalifornia 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.Seite 7Notes7
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

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▷Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
If the vehicle is not maintained according to
these specifications, this could result in seri‐
ous damage to the vehicle. Such damage is
not covered by the BMW New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
Data memory
Numerous electronic components in your vehi‐
cle contain data memories that store technical
information on the vehicle condition, events and faults, either temporarily or permanently.
This technical information generally docu‐
ments the state of a component, a module, a
system or the environment.▷Operating conditions of system compo‐
nents, such as filling levels.▷Status messages from the vehicle and its
individual components, such as wheel rpm/
speed, motion delay, transverse accelera‐
tion.▷Malfunctions and defects in important sys‐
tem components, such as lights and
brakes.▷Vehicle responses to special driving situa‐
tions, such as airbag deployment, use of
the stability control systems.▷Ambient conditions, such as the tempera‐
ture.
These data are of a technical nature only and
are used to detect and eliminate faults and to
optimize vehicle functions. Travel profiles of
routes driven with the vehicle cannot be cre‐
ated from these data. If services are used, for
instance in the event of repairs, service proc‐
esses, warranty cases, quality assurance, etc.,
this technical information can be read out from
the event and fault data memories by service
personnel, including the manufacturer, using
special diagnosis tools. This service personnel
can provide you with more information if
needed. After troubleshooting, the information
in the fault memory is cleared or overwritten
continuously.
Situations are conceivable during the use of
the vehicle in which these technical data could
Seite 8Notes8
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

Folding down the cargo area partition
Before opening the hardtop, close the cargo
area partition, arrow, and make sure it engages
on both sides.
Opening and closing In the radio ready state or beyond, refer to
page 58, and when the vehicle is stationary:
If possible, conserve the battery by only oper‐
ating the retractable hardtop when the engine
is running.
Before closing the retractable hardtop, remove
all foreign objects from the windshield frame
as these could prevent the hardtop from clos‐
ing properly.
1Press and hold button 1:
The retractable hardtop closes.2Press and hold button 2:
The retractable hardtop opens.3LEDs
The side windows move down when the hard‐
top is opened or closed.
If the windows pause briefly as they move, this
is for technical reasons and is not a malfunc‐
tion.
Operation while driving
The hardtop can be opened or closed at vehi‐
cle speeds up to approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
The procedure stops if the vehicle speed ex‐
ceeds approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Operation while driving
When operating the hardtop while driv‐
ing, pay extra attention to the traffic to avoid an
accident. If possible, do not move the hardtop
while driving in reverse because your view to
the rear is severely limited during the proce‐
dure. Do not drive faster than 25 mph/40 km/h,
or else damage to the vehicle may occur. Do
not operate the hardtop while the vehicle is
moving through curves, on uneven road surfa‐
ces, or in wind.◀
LEDs
In the following situations, a message appears
on the Control Display or an acoustic signal
sounds in addition to the LED lighting up:▷While the hardtop is being operated, the
green LED lights up. It goes out as soon as
the top is fully opened or closed.▷If the red LED flashes when you release the
switch, the opening or closing action has
not yet finished.▷If the red LED lights up when the switch is
pressed, the cargo area partition is folded
up, the trunk lid is not closed, the vehicle is
standing on a strong incline or there is a
malfunction. The retractable hardtop can‐
not be moved.
Interruption
The automatic sequence of movements is in‐
terrupted if the switch for hardtop operation is
released. The sequence can be continued in
Seite 45Opening and closingControls45
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

that the system prerequisites for operation are
currently not met.
Call up Check Control messages, refer to
page 85.
Malfunction The warning light comes on when the
system has failed.
A message appears on the Control
Display. More information, refer to page 84.
Park Distance Control PDC
The concept PDC supports you when parking.
You are alerted that you are slowly approach‐
ing an object behind the vehicle and, if equip‐
ped accordingly, in front of the vehicle by:▷Signal tones.▷A visual display.
Measurement
Measurements are made by ultrasound sen‐
sors in the bumpers.
The range is approx. 6 ft/2 m.
An acoustic warning is first given:
▷By the front sensors and two rear corner
sensors at approx. 24 in/60 cm.▷By the rear middle sensors at approx.
5 ft/1.50 m.
System limits
Check the traffic situation as well
PDC cannot serve as a substitute for the
driver's personal judgment of the traffic situa‐
tion. Check the traffic situation around the ve‐
hicle with your own eyes. Otherwise, an acci‐
dent could result from road users or objects
located outside of the PDC detection range.
Loud noises from outside and inside the vehi‐
cle may prevent you from hearing the PDC's
signal tone.◀
Avoid driving quickly with PDC
Avoid approaching an object quickly.
Avoid driving away quickly while PDC is not yet
active.
For technical reasons, the system may other‐
wise be too late in issuing a warning.◀
Limits of ultrasonic measurement
The detection of objects can reach the physi‐
cal limits of ultrasonic measurement, for in‐
stance:▷With tow bars and trailer hitches.▷With thin or wedge-shaped objects.▷With low objects.▷With objects with corners and sharp edges.
Low objects already displayed, e.g., curbs, can
move into the blind area of the sensors before
or after a continuous tone sounds.
High, protruding objects such as ledges may
not be detected.
False warnings
PDC may issue a warning under the following
conditions even though there is no obstacle
within the detection range:
▷In heavy rain.▷When sensors are very dirty or covered in
ice.▷When sensors are covered in snow.▷On rough road surfaces.▷In large buildings with right angles and
smooth walls, e.g., in underground ga‐
rages.▷In heavy exhaust.▷Due to other ultrasound sources, e.g.,
sweeping machines, high pressure steam
cleaners or neon lights.Seite 107Driving comfortControls107
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

Things to remember when drivingVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series. Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems.
When using the features and systems descri‐
bed here, adhere to local regulations.
Breaking-in period General information Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
Engine and differential
Always obey the official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speeds:▷4,500 rpm and 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not drive with full-throttle operation, and do
not use the transmission's kickdown mode or
Launch Control.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
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.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads and discs. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The clutch requires an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to function at an op‐
timal level.
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacement
The same breaking in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Ground clearance Limited ground clearance
Note that the Z4 sDrive35 has limited
ground clearance, for instance when driving
into underground parking garages or over ob‐
stacles. Otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀Seite 130Driving tipsThings to remember when driving130
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15

To check when your service partner was noti‐
fied:1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3.Open "Options".4."Last Service Request"
TeleService Report
Transmits technical data when needed from
your vehicle to BMW at regular intervals; these
are evaluated for the continued development
of BMW products.
TeleService Report is activated in vehicles that
meet certain technical conditions and that
have a current ConnectedDrive subscription; it
is free of charge.
Neither personal nor position data are trans‐
mitted.
To check when your service partner was noti‐
fied:
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3."Options"4."Last Teleservice Info"
Services status
Displaying available services Display of all services available in the vehicle.
1."BMW Assist" or "ConnectedDrive"2."Service Status"3."Available services"
Updating BMW Assist
Manual update of TeleService.
1."BMW Assist" or "ConnectedDrive"2."Service Status"3."Update BMW Assist"
Data transfer
During the updating of BMW services, display
the status of the data transfer.
1."BMW Assist" or "ConnectedDrive"2.Open "Options".3."Data transfer"
Apps
At a glance Certain software applications of a suitable mo‐
bile phone can be integrated in the vehicle.
These software applications are displayed on
the Control Display.
They are operated via iDrive.
Requirements
▷The mobile phone is suitable.▷The mobile phone operating system sup‐
ports the software applications of Apps.▷Software applications are installed on the
mobile phone and ready to use.Seite 220CommunicationConnectedDrive220
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 954 104 - II/15