2016 BMW M3 Instrument cluster warning light

DrivingVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Start/Stop button The concept Pressing the Start/Stop button
switches the ignition on or off
and starts the engine.
M Double-clutch transmission:
The engine starts if the brakes
are stepped on while pressing the Start/Stop
button.
Manual transmission: The engine starts with
the clutch pedal pressed when the Start/Stop
button is pressed.
Ignition onM double-clutch transmission: Press the Start/
Stop button without stepping on the brake.
Manual transmission: Press the Start/Stop but‐
ton without stepping on the clutch pedal.
All vehicle systems are ready for operation.
Most of the indicator and warning lights in the
instrument cluster light up for a varied length
of time.
To save battery power when the engine is off,
switch off the ignition and any unnecessary
electronic systems/power consumers.Ignition off
M double-clutch transmission: Press the Start/
Stop button again without stepping on the
brake.
Manual transmission: Press the Start/Stop but‐
ton again without stepping on the clutch pedal.
All indicator lights in the instrument cluster go
out.
To save battery power when the engine is off,
switch off the ignition and any unnecessary
electronic systems/power consumers.
P when the ignition is switched off
P is engaged automatically when the ig‐
nition is switched off. When in an automatic car
wash, e.g., ensure that the ignition is not
switched off accidentally.◀
The ignition automatically cuts off while the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is stopped:▷When locking the vehicle, and when the
low beams are activated.▷Shortly before the battery is discharged
completely, so that the engine can still be
started. This function is only available
when the low beams are turned off.▷When opening or closing the driver door, if
the driver's safety belt is unbuckled and
the low beams are turned off.▷While the driver's safety belt is unbuckled
with driver's door open and low beams off.
The low beams switch to parking lights after
approx. 15 minutes of no use.
Radio ready state
Activate radio-ready state:
▷When the engine is running: press the
Start/Stop button.
Some electronic systems/power consumers
remain ready for operation.
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▷Energy recovery, refer to page 82.▷Gear display with Drivelogic, refer to
page 82.▷Miles/trip miles, refer to page 81.▷Messages, e.g. Check Control, refer to
page 77.▷Current fuel consumption, refer to
page 82.▷Navigation display, see User's manual for
Navigation, Entertainment and Communi‐
cation.▷Range, refer to page 82.▷Service requirements, refer to page 83.▷Speed limit detection, refer to page 85.▷System states of driving dynamics, refer to
page 83.▷Time, refer to page 81.
Check Control
The concept The Check Control system monitors functions
in the vehicle and notifies you of malfunctions
in the monitored systems.
A Check Control message is displayed as a
combination of indicator or warning lights and
text messages in the instrument cluster and in
the Head-up Display.
In addition, an acoustic signal may sound and a text message may appear on the Control Dis‐
play.
Indicator/warning lights
General information
The indicator and warning lights in the instru‐
ment cluster can light up in a variety of combi‐
nations and colors.
Several of the lights are checked for proper
functioning and light up temporarily when the
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.
Red lights
Safety belt reminder Flashing or illuminated: safety belt on
the driver or passenger side is not
buckled. The safety belt reminder can
also be activated if objects are placed on the
front passenger seat.
Make sure that the safety belts are positioned
correctly.
Airbag system Airbag system and belt tensioner are
defective.
Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐
ice center immediately.
Parking brake, brake system For additional information, refer to Re‐
lease parking brake, refer to page 66.
Front-end collision warning Illuminated: advance warning is issued,
e.g., when there is the impending dan‐
ger of a collision or the distance to the
vehicle ahead is too small.
Increase distance.
Flashing: acute warning of the imminent dan‐
ger of a collision when the vehicle approaches
another vehicle at a relatively high differential
speed.
Intervention by braking or make an evasive ma‐
neuver.
Pedestrian warning Symbol in the instrument cluster.Seite 77DisplaysControls77
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Lane departure warningSystem is switched on and under cer‐
tain circumstances warns if a detected
lane is left without flashing beforehand.
For additional information, refer to Lane depar‐
ture warning, refer to page 110.
Green lights Turn signal Turn signal on.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb
has failed.
For additional information, refer to Turn signal,
refer to page 67.
Parking lights, headlight control Parking lights or headlights are acti‐
vated.
For additional information, refer to
Parking lights/low beams, headlight control, re‐
fer to page 93.
High-beam Assistant High-beam Assistant is switched on.
High beams are activated and off auto‐
matically as a function of the traffic sit‐
uation.
For additional information, refer to High-beam
Assistant, refer to page 95.
Cruise control The system is switched on. It maintains
the speed that was set using the con‐
trol elements on the steering wheel.Blue lights
High beams High beams are activated.
For additional information, refer to High
beams, refer to page 67.
General lamps Check Control At least one Check Control message is
displayed or is stored. The symbol is
shown in the display of the instrument
cluster.
M Drive M Drive 1 is activated.
M Drive 2 is activated.
Text messages
Text messages in combination with a symbol
in the instrument cluster explain a Check Con‐
trol message and the meaning of the indicator
and warning lights.
Supplementary text messages
Additional information, such as on the cause of
an error or the required action, can be called up via Check Control.
With urgent messages the added text will be
automatically displayed on the Control Display.
Symbols
Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.▷ "Owner's Manual"Seite 79DisplaysControls79
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Ejection MitigationThe head airbag system is designed as an
ejection mitigation countermeasure to reduce
the likelihood of ejections of vehicle occupants
through side windows during rollovers or side
impact events.
Knee airbag The knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact.
Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
keep the risk of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible when the airbag is
triggered.▷There should be no person, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Dashboard and windshield on the front
passenger side must stay clear - do not at‐
tach adhesive labels or coverings and do
not attach brackets or cables, e. g., for GPS
devices or' mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sit‐
ting correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and
legs in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries
might occur when front airbag is activated.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as
jackets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
might occur when airbag is activated.▷Do not remove the airbag system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, do not cover them or
modify them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system.
This also applies to steering wheel covers,
the dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars
and the sides of the roofliner.◀
Even when you follow all instructions very
closely, injury from contact with the airbags
cannot be ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary
hearing impairment in sensitive individuals.
Malfunction, deactivation and after de‐
ploying the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered;
otherwise, you may risk burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
the service center or an authorized repair shop
for handling explosives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or
unintentional activation of the airbag - both
may lead to injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are also found on the sun visors.
Functional readiness of the airbag
system
When the ignition is reel on, the warn‐
ing lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up briefly and thereby indicates the op‐
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Switching on/off
Switching on automatically The system is automatically active after every
driving-off.
Switch off Press button: the systems are turned
off. The LED goes out.
Press button: the systems are turned on. The
LED lights up.
Warning with braking function
Display
If a collision with a person detected in this way
is imminent, a warning symbol appears on the
instrument cluster and in the Head-up Display.
The red symbol is displayed and a sig‐
nal sounds.
Intervene immediately by braking or make an
evasive maneuver.
Braking intervention
The warning prompts the driver himself/herself
to react. During a warning, the maximum brak‐
ing force is used. Premise for the brake boos‐
ter is sufficiently quick and hard stepping on
the brake pedal. The system can assist with
some braking intervention if there is risk of a
collision. At low speeds vehicles may thus
come to a complete stop.
Manual transmission: During a braking inter‐
vention up to a complete stop, the engine may
be shut down.
The braking intervention is executed only if
DSC Dynamic Stability Control is switched on
and M Dynamic mode MDM is not activated.
The braking intervention can be interrupted by
stepping on the accelerator pedal or by ac‐
tively moving the steering wheel.Object detection can be restricted. Limitations
of the detection range and functional restric‐
tions are to be considered.
System limits
Detection range
The detection potential of the camera is lim‐
ited.
Thus a warning might not be issued or be is‐
sued late.
E. g. the following situations may not be de‐
tected:▷Partially covered pedestrians.▷Pedestrians that are not detected as such
because of the viewing angle or contour.▷Pedestrians outside of the detection range.▷Pedestrians having a body size less than
32 in/80 cm.
Functional limitations
The system may not be fully functional or may
not be available in the following situations:
▷In heavy fog, rain, sprayed water or snow‐
fall.▷In tight curves.▷If the driving stability control systems are
deactivated, e.g. DSC OFF.▷If the camera viewing field or the front
windshield are dirty or covered.▷Up to 10 seconds after the start of the en‐
gine, via the Start/Stop knob.▷During calibration of the camera immedi‐
ately after vehicle shipment.▷If there is constant blinding effects be‐
cause of oncoming light, e. g., from the sun
low in the sky.▷When it is dark outside.Seite 109SafetyControls109
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Lane departure warningThe concept Starting at a specific speed, this system alerts
you when the vehicle on streets with lane
markings is about to leave the lane. This
speed, depending on the country version, is
between 35 mph/55 km/h and
45 mph/70 km/h.
When switching on the system below this
speed, a message is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster.
The steering wheel begins vibrating gently in
the event of warnings. The time of the warning
may vary depending on the current driving sit‐
uation.
The system does not provide a warning if the
turn signal is set before leaving the lane.
Hints Personal responsibility
The system cannot serve as a substitute
for the driver's personal judgment of the
course of the road and the traffic situation.
In the event of a warning, do not jerk the steer‐
ing wheel, as you may lose control of the vehi‐
cle.◀
At a glance
Button in the vehicle
Lane departure warning
Camera
The camera is found near the interior rearview
mirror.
Keep the windshield in the area behind the in‐
terior rearview mirror clean and clear.
Switching on/off Press button.
▷On: the LED lights up.▷Off: the LED goes out.
Settings are stored for the profile currently in
use.
Display in the instrument cluster
▷Lines: system is activated.▷Arrows: at least one lane marking
was detected and warnings can be
issued.
Issued warning
If you leave the lane and if a lane marking has
been detected, the steering wheel begins vi‐
brating.
If the turn signal is set before changing the
lane, a warning is not issued.
End of warning
The warning ends:
▷Automatically after approx. 3 seconds.▷When returning to your own lane.▷When braking hard.Seite 110ControlsSafety110
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Do not deactivate DSC when driving with
roof load
Do not deactivate Dynamic Stability Control
DSC when driving with roof load, e.g. roof-
mounted luggage rack.
Otherwise, driving safety is not given in driv‐
ing-critical situation due to the elevated center
of gravity.◀
Overview
Button in the vehicle
DSC OFF button
Indicator/warning lights The indicator lamp flashes: DSC con‐
trols the drive and braking forces.
The indicator lamp lights up: DSC has
failed.
Deactivating DSC: DSC OFF
When DSC is deactivated, driving stability is
reduced during acceleration and when driving
in curves.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC
again as soon as possible.
Deactivating DSC Press and hold this button but not longer
than approx. 10 seconds, until the indica‐
tor lamp for DSC OFF lights up in the instru‐
ment cluster and displays DSC OFF.
The DSC system is switched off.
Activating DSC Press button.
DSC OFF and the DSC OFF indicator
lamp go out.
Indicator/warning lights
When DSC is deactivated, DSC OFF is dis‐
played in the instrument cluster.
The indicator lamp lights up: DSC is
deactivated.
M Dynamic Mode MDM
M Dynamic Mode makes it possible to drive on
a dry roadway with high longitudinal and trans‐
verse acceleration but with limited driving sta‐
bility.
Only in the absolute limit area does the system
intervene for stabilization by reducing the en‐
gine power and by braking interventions on the
wheels. In this driving condition, additional
steering corrections may be necessary.
Limited stabilizing interventions
When M Dynamic Mode is activated, sta‐
bilizing interventions are carried out only to a
reduced extent. You must react yourself; oth‐
erwise, there is the risk of an accident.◀
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC
again as soon as possible.
Activating MDM Press button briefly.
The MDM and DSC OFF indicator lights
on the instrument cluster light up.
Deactivating MDM Press button.Seite 116ControlsDriving stability control systems116
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The MDM and DSC OFF indicator lights go
out.
Via M Drive On the Control Display:1."Settings"2."M Drive 1" or "M Drive 2"3. Select the symbol.4."MDM"
To open M Drive with the selected settings,
press the corresponding button on the steer‐
ing wheel:
▷▷
A message appears in the instrument cluster.
This message is confirmed by pressing the
button again.
Deactivating MDM
Press the appropriate button 1 or button 2 on
the steering wheel again.
M Dynamic Mode and the settings selected
under M Drive are deactivated.
Indicator/warning lights Indicator lights light up:
M Dynamic Mode is activated.
DSC indicator lamp also flashes:
M Dynamic Mode controls the drive
forces and brake forces.
Indicator lights light up:
M Dynamic Mode or DSC has failed.
Active M differential
The concept The active M differential assures continuously
variable locking of the rear axle differential de‐
pending on the driving situation. This prevents
individual rear wheels from spinning even
when DSC is switched off and in M Dynamic
Mode, so that optimum traction is always as‐
sured in all driving situations.
The driver is responsible adapting his or her
driving behavior to the situation.
Adaptive M chassis The conceptThis system reduces undesirable vehicle mo‐
tion when using a dynamic driving style or trav‐
eling on uneven road surfaces.
The system enhances driving dynamics and
comfort fitting road surface and driving style.
Programs Setting options for calibrating the shock ab‐
sorbers:▷"Comfort": comfort-oriented.▷"Sport": balanced out.▷"Sport Plus": consistently sporty.
Selecting a channel
Via M Drive
1."Settings"2."M Drive 1" or "M Drive 2"3. Select the symbol.4.Select the desired channel.
When M Drive is active, setting is immedi‐
ately applied.
To activate M Drive with the selected settings,
press the corresponding button on the steer‐
ing wheel:
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