Window BMW Z4 2015 E89 User Guide
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Washer fluid
General information Antifreeze for washer fluid
Antifreeze is flammable and can cause
injuries if used improperly.
Therefore, keep it away from sources of igni‐
tion.
Only keep it in the closed original container
and inaccessible to children.
Follow the notes and instructions on the con‐
tainer.
United States: The washer fluid mixture ratio is
regulated by the U.S. EPA and many individual
states; do not exceed the allowable washer
fluid dilution ratios limits that apply. Follow the
usage instructions on the washer fluid con‐
tainer. Use BMW's Windshield Washer Con‐
centrate or the equivalent.◀
Washer fluid reservoir Adding washer fluid
Only add washer fluid when the engine is
cool, and then close the cover completely to
avoid contact between the washer fluid and
hot engine parts.
Otherwise, there is the danger of fire and a risk
to personal safety if the fluid is spilled.◀
All washer nozzles are supplied from one res‐
ervoir.
The recommended minimum filling quantity is
0.2 US gal/1 liter.
Fill with a mixture of window washing concen‐
trate and tap water; if needed, add antifreeze
according to the manufacturer instructions.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to maintain
the correct mixing ratio.
Do not fill in undiluted window washing con‐
centrate and antifreeze and do not fill in pure
water; this could damage the washer system.
Do not mix window washing concentrate from
different manufacturers; this could cause the
washer nozzles to clog.
Manual transmission
Pay attention to the shift plane
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, push
the gearshift lever to the right; otherwise inad‐
vertent shifting into the 3rd or 4th gear could
lead to engine damage.◀
Reverse gear Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left,
a slight resistance needs to be overcome.
Malfunction The warning lamp lights up yellow. A
message appears on the Control Dis‐
play.In addition, a signal sounds.
The clutch temperature is too high.
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SafetyVehicle 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.
Airbags The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:1Front airbags2Side airbags in the seat backrests3Knee airbag
Front airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and pas‐
senger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag protects the
side of the body in the chest area.
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.
Even when all instructions are followed 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.
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 danger of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible if the airbag is trig‐
gered.▷There should be no people, 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.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e., do not
cover with adhesive labels or coverings,
and do not attach holders such as for navi‐
gation instruments and 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
can occur if the front airbag is triggered.Seite 92ControlsSafety92
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ClimateVehicle equipmentThis 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 selectedspecial 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.
Overview
1Equipment variant: air conditioner 1102Equipment variant: automatic climate con‐
trol 1123Air vent: the airflow is directed toward the
windshield and side windowsSeite 109ClimateControls109
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4Air vent: air for the upper body area. The
thumbwheels increase and decrease theair supply continuously; the levers change
the direction of the airflow.5Air vent: air for the knee area, footwell
Air conditioner
1Vent settings2Recirculated air mode3Cooling function4Temperature5Air volume6Rear window defrosterNote
Sufficient ventilation
When remaining in the vehicle for an ex‐
tended period of time, ensure sufficient exter‐
nal ventilation. Do not continuously use recir‐
culated-air mode; otherwise the air quality in
the interior continuously worsens.◀
Climate control functions in detail
Switching the system on/off Press and hold the left button or,
with the blower at its lowest set‐
ting, press the left button. The
blower and air conditioner are completely
switched off and the air supply is cut off.
To switch on the air conditioner, set the de‐
sired air flow rate.Temperature
To increase the temperature, turn
the rotary switch clockwise to‐
wards red. For a lower tempera‐
ture, turn the rotary switch coun‐
terclockwise towards blue.
Switching cooling function on/off The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air be‐
fore reheating it as required, according to the
temperature setting. This function is only avail‐
able while the engine is running.
The cooling function helps to prevent conden‐
sation on the windows or to remove it quickly.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
Recirculated air mode If the air outside the car has an un‐
pleasant odor or contains pollu‐Seite 110ControlsClimate110
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tants, shut off the supply to the interior of the
car temporarily. The system then recirculates
the air currently within the vehicle.
The recirculated air mode can also be acti‐
vated/deactivated, refer to page 14, via a but‐
ton on the steering wheel.
Air volume Press the corresponding button.
The higher the rate, the more ef‐
fective the heating or cooling will
be.
The air flow rate may be reduced or the blower
may be switched off entirely to save on battery
power.
Vent settings Direct the flow of air to the win‐
dows
, to the upper body area
, or to the knee area and foot‐
well
. Intermediate positions
are possible. In the 6 o'clock posi‐
tion, a small amount of air is also directed to‐
ward the windows to keep them from fogging
over.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
1Air distribution 1 in position .2Deactivate recirculated air mode 2.3Switch on cooling function 3.4Temperature 4 to the right, red.5Set the air flow rate 5 to the maximum
level.6Switch on the rear window defroster 6 to
defrost the rear window
.
Rear window defroster
The defroster switches off auto‐
matically after a certain time or
when the hardtop is opened.
Microfilter
The microfilter removes dust and pollen from
the incoming air. The microfilter is changed by
your service center during routine mainte‐
nance work.
Ventilation
1Use the lever to change the direction of the
air flow2Use the thumbwheels to smoothly open
and close the air vents
Ventilation for cooling
Adjust the vents to direct the flow of cool air in
your direction, for instance if the interior has
become too warm.
Draft-free ventilation
Adjust the vents to let the air flow past you.
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Automatic climate control1Temperature, left side of passenger com‐
partment2Maximum cooling3Rear window defroster4Defrosting windows and removing conden‐
sation5Automatic recirculated air control/recircu‐
lated air mode6Manual air distribution7AUTO program8Air flow rate, manual, climate level9Temperature, right side of passenger com‐
partment10Switching cooling function on/off manuallyNote
Sufficient ventilation
When remaining in the vehicle for an ex‐
tended period of time, ensure sufficient exter‐
nal ventilation. Do not continuously use recir‐
culated-air mode; otherwise the air quality in
the interior continuously worsens.◀
Comfortable interior climate For almost all conditions, the AUTO program 7
offers the optimum air distribution and air flow
rate, refer to AUTO programs below. Select a
comfortable interior temperature only.
The following sections contain more detailed
information on the available setting options.
Most of these settings are stored for the re‐
mote control currently in use, Personal Profile
settings, refer to page 33.Climate control functions in detail
Switching the system on/off
Press and hold the left button or, with the
blower at its lowest setting, press the left but‐
ton to switch off the automatic climate control
completely. All displays are cleared except for
the rear window defroster if it is switched on.
Press any button except the rear window de‐
froster to reactivate the automatic climate con‐
trol.
Temperature Set the desired temperatures indi‐
vidually for the driver's and pas‐
senger sides.
The automatic climate control
achieves this temperature as quickly as possi‐
ble regardless of the season, using maximum
cooling or heating power if necessary, and
then maintains it.Seite 112ControlsClimate112
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To give the automatic climate control enough
time to achieve the set temperature, do not
switch between different temperature settings
in quick succession.
Maximum heating power can be obtained with
the highest setting, regardless of the external
temperature.
The lowest setting effects continuous cooling.
Switching the cooling function on and
off
The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air be‐
fore reheating it as required, ac‐ cording to the temperature set‐
ting. This function is only available
while the engine is running.
The cooling function helps to prevent conden‐
sation on the windows or to remove it quickly.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is switched on automati‐
cally with the AUTO program.
Maximum cooling The air is cooled as quickly as
possible with the engine running.
The automatic climate control goes into recir‐
culated air mode at the lowest temperature. Air
flows at maximum rate from the vents for the
upper body area. You should therefore open
the vents for maximum cooling.
AUTO program
The AUTO program automatically adjusts the
air distribution to the windshield and side win‐
dows, toward the upper body area, and into the
footwell and knee area.
The air flow rate and air distribution, in addition
to your temperature specifications, will be
adapted to outside influences as a result ofseasonal changes, e.g., sunlight or window
condensation.
The cooling function is switched on automati‐
cally with the AUTO program.
Switching on/off Press the button.
Manual air distribution and air flow
rate are activated when the AUTO program is
deactivated.
AUTO program climate level
The climate levels can be used to vary the in‐
tensity when the AUTO program is switched
on. For example, air flow is adjusted automati‐
cally to optimize climate control.
When the AUTO program is
switched on, the climate level of
the AUTO program can be se‐
lected using the buttons for controlling the
manual air flow rate.
The selected climate level is displayed by an
LED.
Convertible program
When the hardtop is open, the convertible pro‐
gram is activated as well. In the convertible
program, the automatic climate control is opti‐
mized for driving with the hardtop open. In ad‐
dition, the air flow rate is increased as vehicle
speed increases.
The effectiveness of the convertible program
can be enhanced considerably by installing the
wind deflector.
Automatic recirculated air mode/
recirculated air mode
Switch on the desired operating
mode by pressing this button re‐
peatedly:▷LED off: outside air flows in
continuously.Seite 113ClimateControls113
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▷Left LED on, automatic recirculated air
control: a sensor detects pollutants in the
outside air. If necessary, the system blocks
the supply of outside air and recirculates
the inside air. As soon as the concentration
of pollutants in the outside air has de‐
creased sufficiently, the system automati‐
cally switches back to outside air supply.▷Right LED on, recirculated air mode: the
supply of outside air into the vehicle is per‐
manently blocked. The system then recir‐
culates the air currently within the vehicle.
Adjusting air flow rate manually
Press the left side of the button to
reduce air flow. Press the right
side of the button to increase it.
The air volume may be reduced automatically
to save battery power. The display remains the
same.
Air distribution, manual
Depending on the selected setting, the air is
directed to the windshield, to the upper body
area, to the knee area and into the footwell.
Adjusting air distribution manually Press the button repeatedly until
the air distribution is set as re‐
quired. The corresponding LED lights up.
The manual air distribution is also switched on
when the AUTO program is deactivated.
Residual heat
The heat stored in the engine is used to heat
the interior.
This function can be switched on
using the right-hand button under
the following conditions:
▷Up to 15 minutes after switching off the
engine.▷When the engine is warm.▷With sufficient battery voltage.▷At an external temperature under
77 ℉/25 ℃.
The middle LED is lit when the function is on.
Defrosting and defogging windows Quickly removes ice and conden‐
sation from the windshield and
front side windows.
For this purpose, also switch on the cooling
function.
Rear window defroster The defroster switches off auto‐
matically after a certain time or
when the hardtop is opened.
Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter
The microfilter traps dust and pollen in the in‐
coming air. The activated-charcoal filter pro‐
vides additional protection by filtering gaseous
pollutants from the outside air. Your service
center replaces this combined filter during rou‐
tine maintenance.
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Closing the trunk lidDrive with the trunk lid closed
Only operate the vehicle with the trunk
lid closed; otherwise, exhaust fumes could en‐
ter the passenger compartment.◀
If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid
open:1.Close all windows.2.Greatly increase the air flow rate of the air
conditioner or automatic climate control.
Hot exhaust system
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that flammable materials, e. g. hay, leaves,
grass, etc. do not come in contact with the hot
exhaust system during driving, while in idle po‐
sition mode, or when parked. Such contact
could lead to a fire, and with it the risk of seri‐
ous personal injury as well as property dam‐
age.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise,
there is the danger of getting burned.◀
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is not recommended to use mobile phones,
such as mobile phones without a direct con‐
nection to an external aerial in the vehicle's
passenger compartment. Otherwise, the vehi‐
cle electronics and mobile communication de‐
vices can interfere with each other. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation gener‐
ated during transmission will be discharged
from the vehicle interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It 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.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀
Driving through water Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 9.8 inches/25 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to
6 mph/10 km/h.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the
electrical systems and the transmission may
be damaged.◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stand‐
ard feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsive‐
ness. You can still avoid any obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.Seite 131Things to remember when drivingDriving tips131
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Remove attached parts following use
Remove auxiliary mirrors or rear-mounted lug‐
gage racks after use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.
Close both windows
An open window causes higher air resistance
and thus increases fuel consumption.
Tires
General information
Tires can have varying effects on fuel con‐
sumption; for example, fuel consumption can
be influenced by the tire size.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct the tire infla‐
tion pressure, refer to page 228, at least twice
a month and before starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
Drive away without delay Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving
right away, but at moderate engine speeds.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
Look well ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehi‐ cle driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and looking ahead reduces
fuel consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds Use 1st gear to get the vehicle in motion. Be‐
ginning with 2nd gear, accelerate rapidly.When accelerating, shift up before reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con‐
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Use coasting conditions When approaching a red light, take your foot
off the accelerator and coast to a halt in the
highest applicable gear.
On a downhill slope, take your foot off the ac‐
celerator and coast in a suitable gear.
The flow of fuel is interrupted while coasting.
Switch off the engine during longer
stops
Switch off the engine during longer stops, e.g.,
at traffic lights, railroad crossings or in traffic
congestion.
Automatic Engine Start/Stop Function The Automatic Engine Start/Stop Function au‐
tomatically switches the engine off during a
stop.
If the engine is stopped and then started again,
fuel consumption and emissions drop com‐
pared to an engine that runs permanently.
Stopping the engine even for just a few sec‐
onds can result in savings.
Use of this system can cause premature wear
on certain vehicle components.
In addition, fuel consumption depends on
other factors as well, such as driving style, road
conditions, maintenance, and environmental
factors.
Additional information on the Automatic En‐
gine Start/Stop Function, refer to page 59.Seite 135Things to remember when drivingDriving tips135
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