BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2003 E46 Owner's Manual

Owner's Manual
for Vehicle

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M3 convertible
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Thank you for deciding on a BMW M3 convertible.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with enhanced control and
security when you drive it. Therefore, we have one request:
Read the information contained in this Owner's Manual before driving your new
BMW M3 convertible for the first time. It contains important information on vehicle
operation that will enable you to make full use of the advanced technical equipment
of your BMW M3 convertible. In addition, you will receive information on vehicle
maintenance to help ensure operating and traffic safety as well as the best possible
value retention of your BMW.
For more detailed information refer to the Supplemental Manuals.
BMW M also makes decisive contributions toward greater safety in traffic through
its BMW driver training.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle. It
should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide the next owner with important
operating, safety and maintenance information.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW M

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4

Notes

© 2002 BMW M GmbH
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW M GmbH, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 854
US English VIII/02
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper –
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.
About this Owner's Manual

We have made every effort to ensure
that you are able to find what you need
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as
possible. The fastest way to find certain
topics is by using the detailed index at
the end. If you wish to gain an initial
overview of your vehicle, you will find
this in the first chapter.
Should you wish to sell your BMW at
some time in the future, please remem-
ber to hand over this Owner's Manual
to the new owner; it is an important part
of the vehicle.
Should you have any further questions,
your BMW center will be glad to assist
at any time.

Symbols used

Indicates precautions that must
be followed precisely in order to
avoid the possibility of personal injury
and serious damage to the vehicle.
Contains information that will
assist you in gaining the optimum
benefit from your vehicle and enable
you to care more effectively for your
vehicle.
Refers to measures that can be
taken to help protect the environ-
ment.
Marks the end of a specific item of
information.
Indicates special equipment, coun-
try-specific equipment and optional
extras.
Identifies systems or components
which can be activated or adapted
to suit an individual driver's require-
ments – Vehicle Memory, Key Memory.
Refer to page 65. Activation and adjust-
ments on some of these systems can
be performed at your BMW center.

<

Your individual vehicle

On purchasing your BMW, you have
decided in favor of a model with individ-
ualized equipment and features. This
Owner's Manual will describe all of the
equipment that the BMW M3 convert-
ible has to offer you.
We hope you will understand that
equipment and features are included
that you might not have chosen for your
vehicle. You can easily identify any dif-
ferences with the aid of the asterisk
used to identify all optional equipment
and accessories.
If your BMW features equipment that is
not described in this Owner's Manual,
such as a car radio or telephone, we
have enclosed Supplementary Owner's
Manuals. We ask you to read these
manuals as well.

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5

Notes

Status at time of printing

BMW pursues a policy of continuous,
ongoing development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety
standards combined with advanced,
state-of-the-art technology. For this
reason, the features described in this
Owner's Manual could differ from those
on your vehicle. Nor can errors and
omissions be entirely ruled out. You are
therefore asked to appreciate that no
claims can be recognized on the basis
of the data, illustrations or descriptions
in this Owner's Manual.

For your own safety

Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight – that is,
15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent – will
not void the applicable warranties
respecting defects in materials or work-
manship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel
quality – volatility, composition, addi-
tives, etc. – among gasolines offered for
sale in the United States and Canada.
The use of poor quality fuels may result
in driveability, starting and stalling
problems especially under certain envi-
ronmental conditions, such as high
ambient temperature and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be
related to the fuel you are using, we
recommend that you respond by
switching to a recognized high-quality
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Obey pertinent safety rules when you
are handling gasoline.

<

Important safety information!
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by BMW to ensure opti-
mum performance when installed on
your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damages resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to verify if it can
be used on a BMW safely and without
risk to either the vehicle, its operation,
or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on
using these items, are available from all
BMW centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake

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6

Notes

dust shields, telephones – including
operation of any portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna – or trans-
ceiver equipment, such as CB, walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar, may cause
extensive damage to the vehicle, com-
promise its safety, interfere with the
vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty.
Contact your BMW center for additional
information. Do not use key or remote
control to lock doors or luggage com-
partment with anyone inside the vehi-
cle. Refer to the Owner's Manual for
more details.

<

Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of the emission control
devices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.

<

Symbol on vehicle parts

Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this
Owner's Manual for information on a
particular part or assembly.

Service and warranty

This manual is supplemented by a Ser-
vice and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models or a Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide Booklet for Canadian mod-
els.
We recommend that you read this pub-
lication thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following
warranties:

>

New Vehicle Limited Warranty

>

Rust Perforation Limited Warranty

>

Federal Emissions System Defect
Warranty

>

Federal Emissions Performance War-
ranty

>

California Emission Control System
Limited Warranty.
Detailed information about these war-
ranties is listed in the Service and War-
ranty Information Booklet for US mod-
els or in the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models.

Reporting safety defects

The following only applies to vehicles
owned and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227,
Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227,
Telephone toll-free 1-800-831-1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it
finds that a safety defect exists in a
group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in indi-
vidual problems between you, your
dealer, or BMW of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call
the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-800-424-9393 or 366-0123 in the
Washington, D.C. area, or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transpor-
tation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You
can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.

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7

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Contents

Notes

About this Owner's Manual4
Symbols used4
Your individual vehicle4
Status at time of printing5
For your own safety5
Symbol on vehicle parts6
Service and warranty6
Reporting safety defects6

Overview

Cockpit14
Instrument cluster16
Indicator and warning lamps18
Steering wheel with multifunction
buttons22
Hazard warning triangle*23
First-aid kit*23
Refueling24
Fuel specifications25
Tire inflation pressure25

Controls and features

Opening and closing:

Keys30
Central locking system30
Opening and closing – via the
remote control31
Opening and closing – via the
door lock33
Opening and closing – from the
inside34
Luggage compartment lid35
Luggage compartment37
Alarm system*38
Electric power windows40
Convertible top41
Wind deflector*46

To adjust:

Safe seating position48
Seats49
Power seat adjustment49
Head restraints50
Entering the rear51
Safety belts52
Seat and mirror memory53
Seat heating*54
Steering wheel55
Mirrors55

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Contents

9

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags57
Transporting children safely59
Rollover protection system63
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory65

Driving:

Ignition lock66
Starting engine and driving
off67
Switching off the engine69
Parking brake69
Manual transmission70
Sequential M gearbox
SMG II*71
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher76
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*77
Cruise control78

Everything under control:

Odometer80
Tachometer80
Temperature gauge80
Fuel gauge81
Engine coolant temperature
gauge81
Service interval display82
Check Control82
Clock83
Computer84

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*86
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)87
Flat Tire Monitor88
M Engine dynamics control91

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams92
Instrument lighting93
High beams/Standing lamps93
Fog lamps94
Interior lamps94
Reading lamps94

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control96

Interior conveniences:

Glove compartment101
Storage compartments101
Cellular phone*102
Ashtray, front*102
Ashtray, rear*103

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag*104
Cargo loading106
Roof-mounted luggage rack for
the hardtop*107

Operation, maintenance

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures110
Driving notes111
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)111
Brake system112
Hardtop*113

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure115
Tire condition115
Tire replacement116
Wheel and tire
combinations118
Winter tires118
Snow chains*119

In the engine compartment:

Hood120
Engine compartment
essentials122
Washer fluids124
Engine oil124
Coolant126
Brake fluid127

Maintenance:

The BMW Maintenance
System128

Laws and regulations:

California Proposition 65
warning130
OBD interface socket130

Controls and features

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Contents

Owner service procedures

Replacement procedures:

Onboard tool kit134
Windshield wiper blades134
Lamps and bulbs135
Repairing a flat tire139
Battery143
Fuses144

Giving and receiving
assistance:

Jump-starting145
Towing the vehicle146
Technical data
Engine data150
Dimensions151
Weights152
Capacities153
Index

Everything from A to Z156

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