high beam BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2011 Owners Manual
Page 9 of 174
Contents
9
Passenger safety systems:
Airbags55
Transporting children safely58
Rollover protection system62
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory64
Driving:
Ignition lock65
Starting the engine and driving
off66
Switching off the engine68
Parking brake68
Manual transmission69
Sequential M gearbox with
Drivelogic*70
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher75
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*76
Cruise control77
Everything under control:
Odometer79
Tachometer79
Engine oil temperature79
Fuel gauge80
Engine coolant temperature
gauge80
Service interval display81
Check Control81
Clock82
Computer83
Technology for safety and
driving convenience:
Park Distance Control (PDC)*85
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC86
Flat Tire Monitor87
M Engine dynamics control89
Brake force display89
Lamps:
Parking lamps/Low beams90
Instrument lighting91
High beams/Standing lamps91
Front fog lamps92
Interior lamps92
Reading lamps92
Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:
Automatic climate control94
Interior conveniences:
Glove compartment99
Storage compartments99
Microphone*100
Ashtray, front*100
Ashtray, rear*101
Loading and transporting:
Ski bag*102
Cargo loading104
Roof-mounted luggage rack for
the hardtop*107
Operation, maintenance
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures110
General driving notes111
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)113
Hardtop*113
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure116
Tire code118
Tire condition119
New wheels and tires120
Snow chains*122
In the engine compartment:
Hood123
Engine compartment
essentials124
Washer fluids126
Engine oil126
Coolant128
Brake fluid129
Maintenance:
BMW Maintenance System130
OBD interface socket132
Controls and features
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15
1Parking lamps/Low beams90
2
>
Turn signal indicators75
>
Standing lamps91
>
High beams91
>
Headlamp flasher75
>
Computer83
3Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor76
4Hazard warning flashers
5Rear window defroster97
6
>
Initiating an emergency call146
>
Mobile Service147
7Central locking system28
8Horn: the entire surface
9Steering wheel adjustment54
10 Fog lamps92
Cockpit
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
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Cruise control
Lights up when the cruise con-
trol is activated. Ready for oper-
ation via the buttons in the steering
wheel.
For additional information, refer to
page 77.
Front fog lamps
Lights up whenever the fog
lamps are on.
For additional information, refer to
page 92.
Blue: for your information
High beams
Comes on when the high beams
are on or the headlamp flasher
is actuated.
For additional information, refer to
pages 75, 91.
Indicator and warning lamps
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
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36
When opening the convertible top,
refer to page 39, make sure that
the convertible top compartment panel
is folded down in the luggage compart-
ment; otherwise you may damage
something.<
Alarm system*The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid are opened
>To movement inside the vehicle –
interior motion sensor
>To variations in the vehicle's tilt angle
such as those occurring during
attempts to steal the wheels or tow
the vehicle – tilt alarm sensor
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
simultaneously activating the following:
>The acoustic alarm sounds for
30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>Flashing the high beams on and off in
rhythm with the hazard warning flash-
ers.To arm and disarm the alarm
systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked
via the remote control or the driver's
door lock, the alarm system is also
simultaneously armed or disarmed.You can have a signal set as con-
firmation that the alarm system
has been armed or disarmed.<
You can also open the luggage com-
partment lid when the system is armed
by pressing the button of the remote
control. When it is closed, the lid is
once again secured.
Extended pressure on the button sets
off the alarm – Panic mode, refer to
page 30.
Luggage compartment
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75
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp flasher1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signal indicatorsTo signal brieflyPress the lever up to the detent but not
beyond. It then returns to the center
position when released.
If the flashing of the indicator lamp
and the clicking from the relay are
both faster than usual, one of the turn
signal indicators has failed.<
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Service interval displayRemaining distance to next
serviceThe displays shown in the illustration
appear for a few seconds when the
ignition key is in position 1 or higher or
after the engine is started.
The next service due appears with the
message OIL SERVICE or
INSPECTION, together with the dis-
tance remaining in miles – in kilometers
in Canada – before the next scheduled
service.
The computer bases its calculations of
the remaining distance on the preced-
ing driving style.
A flashing message and a '–' in front of
the number mean that the service inter-
val has already been exceeded by the
distance shown on the display. Please
contact your BMW center for an
appointment.
Check ControlDisplayWhen the ignition key is in position 2,
the following information and/or condi-
tions are indicated using symbols until
the conditions have been corrected.
1Inspect the low-beam and high-beam
headlamps, as well as the parking
lamps
2Door open
3Luggage compartment lid open
4Check brake and tail lamps
When you open the driver's door after
having turned the ignition key to posi-
tion 0, you will hear an acoustic signal
for a few seconds to remind you that
the lamps have not been switched off.
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Instrument lightingTurn the rotary dial to control the light-
ing when the parking or low beam
lamps are on.
High beams/Standing lamps1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Standing lampsStanding lamps, left or rightAs an additional feature, you can illumi-
nate your vehicle on either side for
parking, if you wish to do so:
With the ignition key in position 0, push
the lever in the appropriate direction.
The lever engages in the turn signal
position.
The standing lamps discharge the
battery. Avoid using them for
longer periods of time; otherwise, you
may not be able to start the engine.<
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Lamps and bulbsThe lamps and bulbs make essential
contributions to the safety of your vehi-
cle. Therefore, proceed carefully when
handling bulbs. BMW recommends that
you have such work performed by your
BMW center if you are not familiar with
the procedures.
Do not touch the glass portion of
a new bulb with your bare hands
since even small amounts of impurities
burn in to the surface and reduce the
service life of the bulb. Use a clean
cloth, paper napkin, or a similar mate-
rial, or hold the bulb by its metallic
base.<
A replacement bulb set is available from
your BMW center.
Before working on the electrical
system, switch off the electrical
accessory you are working on or dis-
connect the cable from the negative
terminal of the battery. Failure to
observe this precaution could result in
short circuits.
To prevent injuries and damage when
changing a bulb, be sure to comply with
any instructions provided by the bulb
manufacturer.<
Low beams and high beams>Low beams: H7 bulb, 55 watts
>High beams: H7 bulb, 55 watts
The H7 bulb is pressurized. There-
fore, wear safety glasses and pro-
tective gloves. Failure to comply with
this precaution could lead to injury if the
bulb is damaged.<
Please contact a BMW center in case of
a malfunction.Parking lamps5 watt bulb
Please contact a BMW center in case of
a malfunction.
When cleaning the headlamps, please
follow the instructions in the Caring for
your vehicle brochure.Xenon lamps*The service life of these bulbs is very
long and the probability of a failure is
very low, provided that they are not
switched on and off an unusual number
of times. If one of these bulbs should
nevertheless fail, it is possible to con-
tinue driving with great caution using
the fog lamps, provided traffic laws in
your area do not prohibit this.
Because of the extremely high
voltages involved, any work on the
xenon lighting system, including bulb-
changing, should be carried out by
technically qualified personnel only.
Otherwise, there is a risk of fatal
injury.<
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Center high-mount brake lampLED strip in luggage compartment lid.
Please contact a BMW center in case of
a malfunction.
License plate lamps5 watt bulb
1. Place a screwdriver in the slot and
press toward the left to release the
lens
2. Replace the bulb.Light-emitting diodesLight-emitting diodes (LEDs) installed
behind translucent lenses serve as the
light sources for many of the controls
and displays in your vehicle. These
light-emitting diodes are related to con-
ventional lasers, and legislation defines
them as light-emitting diodes, Class 1.
Do not remove the protective lens,
and avoid staring directly at the
unfiltered beam for several hours, as
inflammation of the retina could
result.<
Lamps and bulbs
Page 164 of 174
Everything from A to ZFuel reserve indicator, refer
to Fuel gauge 80
Fuel tank capacity 157
Fuses 145
G
Gasoline consumption, refer
to Average fuel consump-
tion 84
Gasoline, refer to Fuel spec-
ifications 25
Gear indicator 71
Gearbox
manual transmission 69
Gearbox malfunction
sequential M gearbox with
Drivelogic 74
Gearbox, sequential 70
Gearshift lever
manual transmission 69
sequential M gearbox with
Drivelogic 70
General driving notes 111
Glove compartment 99
Gradient assistance 73
Grills, refer to Ventilation 94
Gross weight, refer to
Weights 156
H
Handbrake, refer to Parking
brake 68Hands-free system 100
Hardtop 113
Hardtop preparation 113
Hardtop, refer to the sepa-
rate Owner's Manual 113
Hazard warning flashers 14
Hazard warning triangle 23
Head restraints 48
Headlamp cleaning system
cleaning headlamps 77
washer fluid 126, 157
Headlamp control, auto-
matic 90
Headlamp flasher 91
indicator lamp 21
Headlamps
bulb replacement 137
care, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Heated mirrors 53
Heated rear window
automatic climate
control 97
Heated seats 52
Heating
exterior mirrors 53
rear window 97
seats 52
Heating and ventilation 94
Heavy loads, refer to Cargo
loading 105Height adjustment
seats 47
steering wheel 54
Height, refer to
Dimensions 155
High beams 75, 91
bulb replacement 137
headlamp flasher 91
indicator lamp 21
Holder for beverages 100
Hood release 123
Horn 14
Hydraulic brake assistant,
refer to DBC 113
Hydroplaning 111
I
Ice warning 83
Ignition 65
Ignition key 28
positions 65
Ignition lock 65
Imprint 4
Indicator lamps 18Indicator/warning lamp
airbags 18
alarm system 37
brakes 18, 19
Check Gas Cap 19
convertible top 41
coolant 19, 80
DSC 19
Flat Tire Monitor
18, 19, 88
fog lamps 20
Please fasten safety
belts 18
reserve 80
rollover protection
system 19
Service Engine Soon 19
Individual air distribution 96
Individual settings, refer to
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory 64
Inflation pressure monitor-
ing, refer to Flat Tire Moni-
tor 87
Inflation pressure, tires 116
INSPECTION 81
Instrument cluster 16
Instrument lighting 91
Instrument panel 14
Interface socket for onboard
diagnostics (OBD) 132
event data recorders 132