air condition BMW 4 SERIES CONVERTIBLE 2015 F33 Owner's Manual

On right-hand drive vehicles, some controls
are arranged differently from what is shown in
the illustrations.
Status of the Owner's
Manual
Basic information
The manufacturer of your vehicle pursues a
policy of constant development that is con‐
ceived to ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety stan‐
dards. In rare cases, therefore, the features de‐
scribed in this Owner's Manual may differ from
those in your vehicle.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline
for the Owner's Manuals are found in the ap‐
pendix of the printed Quick Reference for the
vehicle.
For your own safety Warranty
Your vehicle is technically configured for the
operating conditions and registration require‐
ments applying in the country of first delivery -
homologation. If your vehicle is to be operated
in a different country it might be necessary to
adapt your vehicle to potentially differing oper‐
ating conditions and permit requirements. If
your vehicle does not comply with the homolo‐
gation requirements in a certain country you
cannot lodge warranty claims for your vehicle
there. Further information can be obtained
from your Service Centre.
Maintenance and repairs Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials and high-performance electronics,
requires suitable maintenance and repair work.Therefore, have this work performed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord‐
ing to BMW repair procedures with appropri‐
ately trained personnel.
If work is not carried out properly, there is a
danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.
Parts and accessories
BMW recommends using parts and accesso‐
ries approved by BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW center is the right contact for genu‐
ine BMW parts and accessories, other prod‐
ucts approved by BMW and related qualified
advice.
BMW has tested these products for safety and
suitability in relation to BMW vehicles.
BMW can assume responsibility for them.
However, we cannot assume any responsibility
whatsoever for parts and accessories that have
not been specifically approved by BMW.
BMW cannot evaluate whether each individual
product from another manufacturer can be
used with BMW vehicles without presenting a
safety hazard. This guarantee does not apply
when country-specific government approval
has been granted. Testing of this kind may fail
to embrace the entire range of potential oper‐
ating conditions to which components might
be exposed on BMW vehicles. Such products
could conceivably fail to comply with BMW's
own stringent quality standards.
California Proposition 65 Warning California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of automo‐
bile components and parts, including compo‐
nents found in the interior furnishings in a vehi‐
cle, 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 emitSeite 7Notes7
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chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other repro‐
ductive harm. Battery posts, terminals and re‐
lated accessories contain lead and lead com‐
pounds. 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 vehicle is covered by the fol‐
lowing warranties:▷New Vehicle Limited Warranty.▷Rust Perforation Limited Warranty.▷Federal Emissions System Defect War‐
ranty.▷Federal Emissions Performance Warranty.▷California Emission Control System Lim‐
ited 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.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con‐
ditions and homologation requirements in your
country and continental region in order to de‐
liver the full driving pleasure while the vehicle
is operated under those conditions. If you wish
to operate your vehicle in another country or
region, you may be required to adapt your ve‐
hicle to meet different prevailing operating
conditions and homologation requirements.
You should also be aware of any applicable
warranty limitations or exclusions for such
country or region. In such case, please contact
Customer Relations for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle regularly to sustain the
road safety, operational reliability and the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance meas‐
ures:▷BMW Maintenance system▷Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models▷Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
If the vehicle is not maintained according to
these specifications, this could result in seri‐
ous damage to the vehicle. Such damage is
not covered by the BMW New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
Data memory
Many electronic components on your vehicle
are equipped with data memories that tempo‐
rarily or permanently store technical informa‐
tion about the condition of the vehicle, events
and faults. This technical information generally
records the state of a component, a module, a system or the environment:
▷Operating mode of system components, fill
levels for instance.▷Status messages for the vehicle and from
its individual components, e.g., wheel rota‐
tion speed/vehicle speed, deceleration,
transverse acceleration.▷Malfunctions and faults in important sys‐
tem components, e.g., lights and brakes.▷Responses by the vehicle to special situa‐
tions such as airbag deployment or engag‐
ing the stability control system.▷Ambient conditions, such as temperature.
This data is purely technical in nature and is
used to detect and correct faults and to opti‐
mize vehicle functions. Motion profiles over
routes traveled cannot be created from this
data. When service offerings are used, e.g., re‐
pair services, service processes, warranty
claims, quality assurance, this technical infor‐
mation can be read out from the event and
fault memories by the service personnel, in‐
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cluding the manufacturer, using special diag‐
nostic tools. You can obtain further information
there if you need it. After an error is corrected,
the information in the fault memory is deleted
or overwritten on a continuous basis.
With the vehicle in use there are situations
where you can associate these technical data
with individuals if combined with other infor‐
mation, e.g., an accident report, damage to the
vehicle, eye witness accounts — possibly with
the assistance of an expert.
Additional functions that are contractually
agreed with the customer - such as vehicle
emergency locating - you can transmit certain
vehicle data from the vehicle.
Event Data Recorder EDR
This vehicle is equipped with an event data re‐
corder EDR. The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa‐
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting
a road obstacle, data that will assist in under‐
standing how a vehicle’s systems performed.
The EDR is designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a
short period of time, typically 30 seconds or
less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as:▷How various systems in your vehicle were
operating.▷Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were fastened.▷How far, if at all, the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal.▷How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better under‐
standing of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
nontrivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data, e.g., name,
gender, age, and crash location, are recorded.
However, other parties, such as law enforce‐
ment, could combine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data routinely ac‐
quired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the vehi‐
cle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the ve‐
hicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law
enforcement, that have the special equipment,
can read the information if they have access to
the vehicle or the EDR.
Vehicle identification
number
The vehicle identification number can be found
in the engine compartment.
The vehicle identification number can also be
found behind the windshield.
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 in‐
jury or death, you should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis‐
tration NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, West‐
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At a glance
Hardtop buttons
Functional requirements
The ignition or radio-ready state must be
switched on.
The following requirements must be fulfilled in
order to be able to move the hardtop.
▷The trunk partition is flipped down.▷The loading aid, refer to page 159, is shut
down.▷The trunk lid is closed.▷The external temperature is above
14 ℉/-10 ℃.▷The voltage of the vehicle electrical system
is sufficient.▷The hardtop drive is not overheating.▷The vehicle speed is not too high.▷The lateral tilt of the vehicle is not too
great.▷The windows can be lowered.
If this requirement is not met, a check control
message is displayed.
Safety information Note the swivel range of the hardtop
The hardtop pivots back and up during
opening and closing. When the hardtop is
moved, e.g., in garages, make sure that the
space at the top is at least 79 inches/2 meters
and the space at the rear is at least 20 in‐
ches/50 centimeters; otherwise, damages may
result.◀
Do not place objects on the hardtop
Do not place any objects on the hardtop,
otherwise, they could fall and cause damage or
injuries.◀
No hardtop movement when rollover pro‐
tection is activated
Do not move the hardtop when rollover protec‐
tion is activated; otherwise, it may result in
damage to the hardtop.◀
Open and close hardtop completely
Always open or close the hardtop com‐
pletely. Hardtop and hardtop well storage
cover are locked in the final positions. Driving
with the hardtop or hardtop well storage cover
unlocked can result in damage.◀
Do not reach into the hardtop mecha‐
nism
Do not reach into the hardtop mechanism dur‐
ing the opening and closing operation. Keep
children away from the opening path of the
hardtop, otherwise, there is a risk of injury.◀
Observe traffic during operation
When the hardtop is opened while driv‐
ing, be alert to traffic; otherwise, it may result in
an accident. If possible, do not move the hard‐
top while driving in reverse because rearward
vision is severely impaired while the hardtop is
in motion. During windy conditions, do not op‐
erate the hardtop while driving.◀
Do not attach any roof carrier systems to
the hardtop
Do not attach any roof carrier systems; other‐
wise, an accident may occur.◀
Do not move the hardtop with the bicycle
racks mounted
Do not open or close the hardtop with the bicy‐
cle rack mounted on the trailer hitch; otherwiseSeite 47Opening and closingControls47
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Auto Start/Stop function
The concept The Auto Start/Stop function helps save fuel.
The system switches off the engine during a
stop, e.g., in traffic congestion or at traffic lights. The ignition remains switched on. The
engine starts again automatically for driving
off.
Automatic mode After every start of the engine using the Start/
Stop button, the Auto Start/Stop function is in
the last selected state, refer to page 67.
When the Auto Start/Stop function is active, it
is available when the vehicle is traveling faster
than about 3 mph, approx. 5 km/h.
Engine stop
The engine is switched off automatically dur‐
ing a stop under the following conditions:
Steptronic transmission:▷The selector lever is in selector lever posi‐
tion D.▷Brake pedal remains depressed while the
vehicle is stopped.▷The driver's safety belt is buckled or the
driver's door is closed.
The air flow from the air conditioner is reduced
when the engine is switched off.
Displays in the instrument cluster The READY display in the tach‐
ometer signals that the Auto
Start/Stop function is ready to
start the engine automatically.
The display indicates that the
conditions for an automatic en‐
gine stop have not been met.
Functional limitations
The engine is not switched off automatically in
the following situations:▷External temperature too low.▷The external temperature is high and auto‐
matic climate control is running.▷The car's interior has not yet been heated
or cooled to the required level.▷The engine is not yet at operating temper‐
ature.▷The wheels are at a sharp angle or the
steering wheel is being turned.▷After driving in reverse.▷Fogging of the windows when the auto‐
matic climate control is switched on.▷Vehicle battery is heavily discharged.▷At higher elevations.▷The engine compartment lid is unlocked.▷The parking assistant is activated.▷Neck warmer is activated.▷Stop-and-go traffic.▷The selector lever is in position N, M/S or
R.▷Use of fuel with high ethanol content.
Starting the engine
The engine starts automatically under the fol‐
lowing conditions:
▷Steptronic transmission:
By releasing the brake pedal.
After the engine starts, accelerate as usual.
Safety mode
After the engine switches off automatically, it
will not start again automatically if any one of
the following conditions are met.
▷The driver's safety belt is unbuckled and
the driver's door is open.▷The hood was unlocked.Seite 66ControlsDriving66
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Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
A low tire inflation pressure might turn on DSC
Dynamic Stability Control.
Actions in the event of a flat tireNormal tires1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
The tire pressure gage of the Mobility Sys‐
tem, refer to page 194, can possibly be
used for this purpose.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is shown to be correct, it is possible that
the Tire Pressure Monitor did not perform
a reset. Then perform the reset.
If an identification is not possible, please
contact the service center.2.Fixing a flat tire, where applicable with the
Mobility System.
Use of tire sealant, e.g., the Mobility System,
may damage the TPM wheel electronics. In
this case, have the electronics checked at the
next opportunity and have them replaced if
needed.
Run-flat tires
Maximum speed
You may continue driving with a damaged tire
at speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at
the next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is shown to be correct, it is possible that
the Tire Pressure Monitor did not perform
a reset. In that case, carry out a reset.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on cargo load, driv‐
ing style and road conditions.
A vehicle with an average load has a possible
driving range of approx. 50 miles/80 km.
A vehicle with a damaged tire reacts differ‐
ently, e.g., it has reduced lane stability during
braking, a longer braking distance and different
self-steering properties. Adjust your driving
style accordingly. Avoid abrupt steering ma‐
neuvers or driving over obstacles, e.g., curbs,
potholes, etc.
Because the possible driving distance de‐
pends on how the vehicle is used during the
trip, the actual distance may be shorter or lon‐
ger depending on the driving speed, road con‐
ditions, external temperature, cargo load, etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
Your car handles differently when you lose tire
inflation pressure, e.g., your lane stability is re‐
duced when braking, braking distances are
longer and the self-steering properties will
change.◀
Final tire failure
Vibrations or loud noises while driving
can indicate the final failure of a tire. Reduce
speed and stop; otherwise, pieces of the tire
could come loose and cause an accident. Do
not continue driving and contact your service
center.◀
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When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if needed.
System limits Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external circumstances cannot be recognized
in advance.◀
A natural, even tire inflation pressure loss in all
four tires will not be recognized. Therefore,
check the tire inflation pressure regularly.
The system could be delayed or malfunction in
the following situations:▷When the system has not been initialized.▷When driving on a snowy or slippery road
surface.▷Sporty driving style: spinning traction
wheels, high lateral acceleration (drifting).▷When driving with snow chains.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
The tire pressure gage of the Mobility Sys‐
tem, refer to page 194, can possibly be
used for this purpose.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor may not
have been initialized. In this case, initialize
the system.
If an identification is not possible, please
contact the service center.2.Fix the flat tire where applicable using the
Mobility System, refer to page 194.Run-flat tires
Maximum speed
You may continue driving with a damaged tire
at speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at
the next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor may not
have been initialized. In this case, initialize
the system.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on cargo load, driv‐
ing style and road conditions.
A vehicle with an average load has a possible
driving range of approx. 50 miles/80 km.
A vehicle with a damaged tire reacts differ‐
ently, e.g., it has reduced lane stability during
braking, a longer braking distance and different
self-steering properties. Adjust your driving
style accordingly. Avoid abrupt steering ma‐
neuvers or driving over obstacles, e.g., curbs,
potholes, etc.
Because the possible driving distance de‐
pends on how the vehicle is used during the
trip, the actual distance may be shorter or lon‐
ger depending on the driving speed, road con‐
ditions, external temperature, cargo load, etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
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Climate control functions in detail
Manual air distribution Turn the wheel to select the de‐
sired program or the desired in‐
termediate setting.▷ Windows.▷ Upper body region.▷ Windows, upper body region, and foot‐
well.▷ Footwell.
Defrosts windows and removes
condensation
Direct the air distribution toward windows, in‐
crease the air flow and temperature, and, if
needed, use the cooling function.
Rear window defroster Press button.
The rear window defroster switches
off automatically after a certain period of time.
Air flow, manual Press the left or right side of the but‐
ton: decrease or increase air flow.
The air flow from the air conditioner may be re‐
duced automatically to save battery power.
AUTO program Press button.
Air flow, air distribution and tempera‐
ture are controlled automatically.
Depending on the selected temperature and
outside influences, the air is directed to the
windshield, side windows, upper body, and
into the footwell.
The cooling function, refer to page 146, is
switched on automatically with the AUTO pro‐
gram.
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 is increased as the vehicle
speed increases.
The efficiency of the convertible program can
be greatly enhanced by installing the wind de‐
flector.
Temperature Turn the ring to set the desired
temperature.
The automatic climate control reaches this
temperature as quickly as possible, if needed
by increasing the cooling or heating output,
and then keeps it constant.
Do not rapidly switch between different tem‐
perature settings. Otherwise, the automatic cli‐
mate control will not have sufficient time to ad‐
just the set temperature.
Cooling function
The car's interior can only be cooled with the
engine running.
Press button.
The air will be cooled and dehumidi‐
fied and, depending on the temperature set‐
ting, warmed again.
Depending on the weather, the windshield and
side windows may fog up briefly when the en‐
gine is started.
The cooling function is switched on automati‐
cally with the AUTO program.Seite 146ControlsClimate control146
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FuelVehicle features and optionsThis chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Fuel recommendation Note General fuel quality
Even fuels that conform to the specifica‐
tions can be of low quality. This may cause en‐
gine problems, for instance poor engine start-
up behavior, poor handling and/or poor
performance. Switch gas stations or use a
brand name fuel with a higher octane rating.◀
Gasoline For the best fuel efficiency, the gasoline
should be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur con‐
tent.
Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as con‐
taining metal must not be used.
Refuel only with unleaded gasoline with‐
out metallic additives.
Do not refuel with any leaded gasoline or gaso‐
line with metallic additives, e. g. manganese or
iron, as this can cause permanent damage to
the catalytic converter and other compo‐
nents.◀
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of
10 %, i. e., E10, may be used for refueling.Ethanol should satisfy the following quality
standards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
Do not use a fuel with a higher percent‐
age of ethanol
Do not use a fuel with a higher ethanol per‐
centage than recommended or one with other
types of alcohol, e.g. M5 to M100; otherwise
this could damage the engine and fuel supply
system.◀
Recommended fuel grade BMW recommends AKI 91.
Minimum fuel grade
BMW recommends AKI 89.
Minimum fuel grade
Do not use any gasoline below the mini‐
mum fuel grade as this may impair engine per‐
formance.◀
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Fuel quality
The use of poor-quality fuels may result
in harmful engine deposits or damage. Addi‐
tionally, problems relating to drivability, start‐
ing and stalling, especially under certain envi‐
ronmental conditions such as high ambient
temperature and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI num‐
ber — for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful en‐Seite 184MobilityFuel184
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MaintenanceVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
BMW maintenance system The maintenance system indicates required
maintenance measures, and thereby provides
support in maintaining road safety and the op‐
erational reliability of the vehicle.
In some cases scopes and intervals may vary
according to the country-specific version. Re‐
placement work, spare parts, fuels and lubri‐
cants and wear materials are calculated sepa‐
rately. Additional information is available from
the service center.
Condition Based Service
CBS
Sensors and special algorithms take into ac‐
count the driving conditions of your vehicle.
Based on this, Condition Based Service recog‐
nizes the maintenance requirements.
The system makes it possible to adapt the
amount of maintenance corresponding to your
user profile.
Detailed information on service requirements,
refer to page 82, can be displayed on the Con‐
trol Display.Service data in the remote control
Information on the required maintenance is
continuously stored in the remote control. Your service center will read out this data and
suggest the right array of service procedures for your vehicle.
Therefore, hand your service specialist the re‐
mote control with which the vehicle was driven
most recently.
Storage periods Storage periods during which the vehicle bat‐
tery was disconnected are not taken into ac‐
count.
If this occurs, have a service center update the
time-dependent maintenance procedures,
such as checking brake fluid and, if needed,
changing the engine oil and the microfilter/
activated-charcoal filter.
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models and Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty In‐
formation Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian mod‐
els for additional information on service re‐
quirements.
Maintenance and repair should be performed
by your service center. Make sure to have reg‐
ular maintenance procedures recorded in the
vehicle's Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models, and in the Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian mod‐
els. These entries are proof of regular mainte‐
nance.Seite 205MaintenanceMobility205
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