Pair BMW 328I COUPE 2008 E92 Owner's Manual

5Reference
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Mobility
The individual vehicle
When you ordered your BMW, you chose vari-
ous items of equipment. This Owner's Manual
describes the entire array of options and equip-
ment available with a specific BMW model.
Please bear in mind that the manual may con-
tain information on accessories and equipment
that you have not specified for your own vehicle.
Sections describing options and special equip-
ment are marked by asterisks
* to assist you in
identifying possible differences between the
descriptions in this manual and your own vehi-
cle's equipment.
If equipment in your BMW is not described in
this Owner's Manual, please refer to the accom-
panying Supplementary Owner's Manuals.
Editorial notice
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, it is possible in exceptional cases that
features described in this Owner's Manual
could differ from those on your vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of
modern materials and powerful electron-
ics, requires specially adapted maintenance
and repair methods. You should therefore have
the corresponding work on your vehicle per-
formed only by your BMW center or at a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair pro-
cedures with correspondingly trained
personnel. If this work is not carried out prop-
erly, there is a danger of subsequent damage
and related safety hazards.<
Parts and accessories
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 thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed on your
vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for damage
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries 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 vehi-
cle, 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 dust shields, telephones,
including operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radio or sim-
ilar accessories, may cause extensive damage

Notes
6 to the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere
with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty. See your
BMW center for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash
your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water.<
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
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 Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone 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 individual
problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Adminis-
trator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from http://www.safercar.gov

iDrive
20
Status information
1Display for:
>Entertainment:
Radio, CD or
>Telephone
* in "Communication":
Name of the connected mobile phone,
network search or no network
>"BMW Assist"
*:
Active voice connection with a
BMW Assist service
2Entertainment audio output off
3Display for traffic information
*:
"TI":
Traffic information for the navigation sys-
tem can be received and transmission is
switched on
4Display for:
> New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
> Roaming active
5 It is possible to make calls
* if the mobile
phone is paired with the vehicle
Reception strength of mobile phone
network, display depending on mobile
phone
6Time
Other displays:
Status information is temporarily hidden during
Check Control message displays or entries via
the voice command system
*.
Assistance window*
Additional information can be displayed in the
assistance window:
>The computer or the trip computer
*
>The arrow or map view in vehicles with nav-
igation system
*
>The current position*
Selecting display
1.Move the controller to the right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select a menu item.
3.Press the controller.

Controls
39Reference
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Convertible: jointly
>Press the switch to the resistance point:
All windows open as long as you press the
switch.
>Press the switch beyond the resistance
point:
All windows open automatically. Press the
switch again to stop the opening move-
ment.
>Pull the switch:
All windows close as long as you pull the
switch.
After switching off the ignition
When the remote control is removed or the igni-
tion is switched off, you can still operate the
windows for approx. 1 minute as long as no
door is opened.
For information on convenient operation via the
remote control or the door lock, refer to page29
or32. For information on closing with conve-
nient access, refer to Locking on page30.
Pinch protection system
If the closing force exceeds a specific value as a
window closes, the closing action is interrupted
and the window reopens slightly.
Despite the pinch protection system
check and clear the window's travel path
prior to closing it, otherwise the safety system
might fail to detect certain kinds of obstruc-
tions, such as thin objects, and the window
would continue closing.
Do not install any accessories that might inter-
fere with window movement. Otherwise the
pinch protection system could be impaired.
Convertible: the rear windows are not equipped with pinch protection. Therefore, watch them
closely when closing to avoid personal injury.<
Closing without pinch protection
If there is an external danger, or if ice on the win-
dows, etc., prevents you from closing the win-
dows normally, proceed as follows:
1.Pull the switch past the resistance point and
hold it there. Pinch protection is limited and
the window reopens slightly if the closing
force exceeds a certain value.
2.Pull the switch again past the resistance
point within approx. 4 seconds and hold it
there. The window closes without pinch
protection.
Coupe: glass roof*, electric
To prevent injuries, watch the glass roof
while closing it.
Take the remote control with you when you
leave the car, otherwise children could operate
the roof and possibly injure themselves.<
Raising
Press the switch.
>The closed glass roof is raised and the slid-
ing visor opens slightly.
>The open glass roof automatically travels
into the raised position. The sliding visor
remains completely open.
Opening, closing
>Press the switch backwards to the resis-
tance point.
The glass roof and the sliding visor open

Controls
45Reference
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Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seated position
has a major influence on your safety in the event
of an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instructions
contained in the following section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page56.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions,
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered
off.
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Make
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly,
e.g. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard,
otherwise leg injuries can occur if the front air-
bag is triggered.
Make sure that passengers do not lean their
heads against the side or head airbags, other-
wise serious injuries could result if the airbags
suddenly deployed.<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page97.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page47.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additional safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has four seats, each of which is
equipped with a safety belt.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's
lap. Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits
low across the hips and does not press against
the abdomen.
The safety belt must not rest against the throat,
run across sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt
so that it sits as snugly as possible against the
lap and shoulder without being twisted. Other-
wise the belt could slide over your hips and
injure your abdomen in the event of a frontal
collision.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing and regularly pull
the belt in the upper-body area taut, otherwise
its restraining effect could be impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page51.
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an

Controls
51Reference
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Mobility
until "Door locks" is selected and press the
controller.
6.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select "Last seat pos." and press the con-
troller.
8.Select "After unlocking" or "After door
opened".
9.Press the controller.
Switching off automatic call-up
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
Safety belts
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page45 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additional safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Closing
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page45.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
'Fasten safety belts' reminder for front
seats
The indicator lamp comes on and an
acoustic signal sounds. In addition, a
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. Check whether the safety belt
has been fastened correctly.
The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is issued as
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-
tened. The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is also
activated at road speeds above approx. 5 mph
or 8 km/h if the front passenger's safety belt is
not fastened, if objects are placed on the front
passenger seat, or if driver or front passenger
unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or
stressed in an accident: have the belt sys-
tem, including any belt tensioners or child-
restraint systems, replaced and the belt
anchors checked. Have this work done only by
your BMW center or at a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-

Controls
97Reference
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Mobility
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Coupe: head airbags, front and rear
3Side airbags in the seat backrests
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page45 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags have been designed to not be trig-
gered in every collision situation, e.g. not in
minor accidents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way. Do not attach
seat covers, cushions or other objects not spe-
cifically approved for seats with integral side air-
bags to the front seats. Do not hang items of
clothing such as coats or jackets over the back-
rests. Do not attempt to remove the airbag
retention system from the vehicle. Do not mod-
ify the individual components of the system or
its wiring in any way. This includes the uphol-
stered covers on the steering wheel, instrument
panel, seats and roof posts, as well as the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to remove or
dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center
or a workshop that works according to repair
procedures of BMW with correspondingly
trained personnel and that has the required
explosives licenses. Unprofessional attempts to
work on the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or to undesired airbag activation,
either of which could result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior
rearview mirror shows the current status
of the front passenger airbags, deactivated or
activated, refer to Status of front passenger air-
bags below.
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page56.

Controls
119Reference
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Communications
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Mobility
Convertible
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the
following storage spaces can be found in the
cargo bay:
>Storage compartment on the left side of the
cargo bay. To open turn handle by 90°
>Net
* for securing smaller objects, to be
attached to the fixtures on the floor panel
>Rubber band
* to be attached to the lateral
lashing eyes
>Stowage compartment under the floor
panel
Folding up the floor panel
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
load of 55 lbs/25 kg for the storage com-
partment under the floor panel, otherwise dam-
age could result.<
Coupe
Press the floor panel up and secure it with the
catch.
Convertible
To lift, grab hold of the floor panel at the open-
ing at the rear of the panel.
Lashing eyes
You will find lashing eyelets in the cargo bay for
securing luggage items with nets or tensioning
straps, refer to page128.
Coupe: ski bag*
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport
of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up to
2snowboards.
With the ski bag you can stow skis with a length
of up to 6ft 10in/2.10m. When skis of 6ft 10in/
2.10 m length are loaded, the overall capacity of
the ski bag is reduced due to its tapered design.
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest.
2.Press the button, reach into the recess and
fold down the cover.
3.Open the Velcro fastener, spread the ski
bag between the front seats and insert the
skis or snowboards.
The zip fastener makes objects in the ski
bag easier to reach.
4.Clip the hooks of the ski bag retaining strap
into the eyelet.
Only place clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges to prevent damage.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.

Practical interior accessories
120 Secure the ski bag in the manner
described, otherwise it could endanger
the car's occupants, e.g. in case of heavy brak-
ing or sudden swerving.<
To store the ski bag, perform the steps
described for loading in reverse order.
Removing the ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for
faster drying or to allow you to use other inserts.
1.Fold down the center panel in the rear seat
backrest.
2.Pull the handle, arrow1.
3.Pull out the insert, arrow 2.
For more information on the various
inserts available, contact your BMW cen-
ter.<
Convertible: through-loading
opening with integrated
transport bag*
The transport bag is designed for safe, clean
transport of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up
to 2 snowboards.
When the rear seat backrest is folded up, you
can remove the insert and use the transport bag
with the regular through-loading opening. To
transport larger objects, you can fold down the
rear seat backrest to create an expanded
through-loading opening.
With the transport bag you can stow skis with a
length of up to 6 ft 2 in/1.90 m. When skis of 6 ft
2 in/1.90 m length are loaded, the overall capac-
ity of the transport bag is reduced due to its
tapered design.
Loading
1.For loading using the regular through-load-
ing opening:
Press the button down and remove the
insert from the front.
For loading with the through-loading open-
ing expanded:
Fold down the rear seat backrest, refer to
page118.
2.Front cover: press the two recesses
together and fold the cover down until it
engages.
3.In the cargo bay: press the two recesses
together and fold down the cover.
4.Undo the Velcro fastener and spread out
the transport bag between the front seats.

Things to remember when driving
126 The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page221.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise greater clutch
wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page91.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
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 the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page62.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in idle or with the
engine switched off; otherwise, engine braking
action will not be present or there will be no
power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be
impaired.<
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 the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
For general information about taking care of
your BMW, refer to the Caring for your vehicle
brochure.