BMW M6 CONVERTIBLE 2007 E64 Owner's Manual

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The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
Always take along the remote control when you
leave the vehicle; otherwise, children could, for
example, use the lighter and burn themselves.<
Connecting electrical devices
Socket
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, the cigarette lighter socket can be used as a
power outlet for hand flashlights, car vacuum
cleaners, etc., with power ratings of up to
approx. 200 W at 12 V. Avoid damaging the
socket by inserting plugs of different shapes or
sizes.
In front passenger footwell
Access to the socket:
Fold open the cover.
Ski bag*
It permits safe and clean transport of up to two
pairs of standard skis or one snowboard.
You can use the ski bag to stow skis up to 6.9 ft/
2.10 m long.
Loading
1.Press the button downward and pull the
filler element forward.
2.Extend the ski bag between the front seats.
The zipper gives you easy access to stowed
items and facilitates drying of the ski bag.
3.Press the button in the luggage compart-
ment.
4.Open the loading flap and use the magnetic
holder to secure it to the rear panel.
To stow the ski bag, perform the above steps in
reverse order.
Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges so that no damage occurs.

Practical interior accessories
110
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. To do so, tighten the retaining belt at the
buckle.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you fail to
do so, it could move around and endanger
occupants during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.
To refit the filler element, insert the two tabs at
the bottom into the strip and press the filler ele-
m e n t b a c k i n t o p l a c e . M a k e s u r e t h a t y o u d o n o t
damage the rear seat upholstery.<

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Driving tips
This section is designed to provide you
with extra support by supplying information
useful in dealing with specific driving
and operating conditions.
Driving tips

Things to remember when driving
114
Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in
Moving parts need time to adjust to one
another. To ensure that your vehicle continues
to provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Do not use the driving programs 5 and 6, refer
to Drivelogic on page62, during break-in.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds,
however do not exceed 5,500 rpm or 105 mph/
170 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during these
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km to
3,000 miles/5,000 km
The engine and driving speeds can gradually be
increased up to a continuous vehicle speed of
135 mph/220 km/h. Only drive at top speed
briefly, e.g. when passing.
Transmission
The function of the transmission is only at its
optimized level after driving a distance of
approx. 300 miles/500 km. Do not exceed
engine speeds of 5,500 rpm during this time.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. With manual transmission:
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced
after subsequent driving operation.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Only drive with the luggage compartment
lid completely closed, otherwise exhaust
can penetrate into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
luggage compartment lid open:
1.Coupe: close both windows.
Convertible: with closed top, close all win-
dows.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page101.

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Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking, take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury. Do not touch hot exhaust tail
pipes. Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Mobile communications devices in
vehicle
BMW advises against using mobile com-
munications devices, e.g. mobile phones,
inside the vehicle without a direct connection to
an external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle
electronics and mobile communications device
can interfere with each other. In addition, there
is no assurance that the radiation emitted dur-
ing transmission will be conveyed out of the
vehicle interior.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, also refer to Mini-
mum tire tread on page199.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at
walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Starting off
On slopes
The starting assistant enables starting off on
slopes virtually without rolling back.
1.Hold the vehicle with the footbrake.
2.Make sure that the handbrake is released.
3.Release the footbrake and drive off quickly.
The starting assistant holds the vehicle
for approx. 1 second after releasing the
footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle
may also roll back slightly during this time.
After releasing the footbrake, drive off quickly,
otherwise the starting assistant no longer holds
the vehicle after approx. 1 second and it begins
to roll back.<
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold
the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accel-
erator, but apply the footbrake or handbrake
instead. Otherwise, overheating and heavy
wear can result in the area of the Sequential
Manual Transmission.<
To protect the clutch of the Sequential Manual
Transmission from overheating, the starting-off
behavior is changed under heavy loading, e.g. a
rapid succession of starts on slopes. This can
be noticed from shaking during starting off.
On a slippery surface
1.Select "P 400" program of M Engine
Dynamic Control, refer to page64.
2.Gently press accelerator pedal to prevent
wheels from spinning when starting off.
Clutch protection with manual
transmission
Be sure to avoid riding the clutch for longer peri-
ods.
Your BMW M6 is equipped with an overload
protection for the clutch. Riding the clutch for
longer periods is detected and the engine man-
agement system limits the engine speed to pro-
tect the clutch. This can result in the vehicle fail-
ing to accelerate when the clutch pedal is
partially depressed.

Things to remember when driving
116
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
The pulsing of he brake pedal indicates that the
ABS is controlling braking.
In certain braking situations the perforated
brake rotors can cause operating noises which,
however, have not effect on the performance
and operating safety of the brake system.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When driving on wet roads or in heavy rain, it is
a good idea to apply light pressure to the brake
pedal every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions
to ensure that this maneuver does not endan-
ger other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and thus reduced
efficiency of the brake system, downshift
to a gear in which only minimal brake applica-
tions are needed when descending long or
steep downhill stretches. Even light but consis-
tent pressure on the brake pedal can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
Sequential Manual Transmission: do not
drive in idle or with the engine switched
off, otherwise there will be no engine braking
action or support of the braking force and steer-
ing.
Manual transmission: do not drive with the
clutch depressed, in idle or with the engine
switched off, otherwise there will be no engine
braking action or support of the braking force
and steering.Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the automatic climate
control during operation, and then exits under
the vehicle. Traces of condensed water under
the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page52,
otherwise they could be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
General information on the care and mainte-
nance of your BMW is contained in the Caring
for your vehicle brochure.
Ground clearance
Ensure that sufficient ground clearance
is available. To drive down curbs, select
the "Sport" program of the EDC Electronic
Damping Control, refer to page84, to keep the
ground clearance as uniform as possible. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle may be damaged.<

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Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
YYY lbs. or XXX kg, as otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
800 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
200 lbs.:
800lbs. minus 600lbs. = 200lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage
can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Place heavy cargo as far forward and as low
as possible, placing it directly behind the
bulkhead behind the rear seats.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.

Things to remember when driving
118
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net* or securing straps to
hold down small and lightweight luggage
and cargo.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. Four lashing eyes
mounted in the luggage compartment are
used to secure these heavy-duty cargo
straps, refer to arrows.
>Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the heavy-duty cargo straps.
Position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the vehicle's occupants, for example if sud-
den braking or evasive maneuvers are neces-
sary.
When fastening lashings, use only the lashing
eyes, refer to illustration; otherwise, the lash-
ings could come loose or you could damage the
vehicle.
Never exceed the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page228, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard, and may also put you in violation
of freeway safety laws.
You should never transport unsecured heavy or
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as
they could fly around and pose a safety hazard
to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.<
Pad on base of luggage compartment
You can use the pad as needed, for example to
transport soiled objects. The rubberized side is
washable and has an anti-skid effect.