service BMW CONVERTIBLE 1998 User Guide

53
At a glanceControls Car careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Following an unforeseen, automatic
extension, the rollover protection sys-
tem can be lowered again.
To do this, remove the screwdriver han-
dle and the special tool (stored on the
socket wrench) from the onboard tool
kit and push them together.
dPull out the head restraint upward.
dRemove the protective cap upward
from the protective bar.dPush the special tool into the guide
of the click-and-pawl mechanism as
far as possible (handle rests on the
backrest) and hold in place.
dGently press down the protective bar
until the special tool is loose.
dPull out the special tool and press
down the protective bar completely
until it audibly engages.
dRemount the protective cap on the
protective bar and push on Þrmly.
dPush in the head restraint again.Follow the same procedure for the sec-
ond protective bar.
Have the rollover protection system
checked by a BMW Retailer.
a
The opened convertible top can not
be closed with the rollover protection
system extended.c
Notes on safetyNo changes should be made to the indi-
vidual components of the rollover pro-
tection system or to its wiring.
All work on the rollover protection sys-
tem must be carried out by a BMW
Retailer.
Work carried out incorrectly may lead to
the failure or an accidental triggering of
the system.
To check the system and to ensure its
long-term operation, it is imperative that
you observe the maintenance intervals
of the Service Interval Display. The roll-
over protection system must be in-
spected every 2 years at the latest by a
BMW Retailer.
36cde016
36cde017
Rollover protection system* Ð Convertible

64
When you switch on the ignition, the
indicator lamp comes on briefly to indi-
cate that the system is operational.
If the indicator lamp comes on and
stays on, there are approx. 2.1 gallons
(8 liters) of fuel in the tank.
Tank volume: Page 166.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies, e.g.,
when you are driving in mountainous
areas, this may cause the needle to
fluctuate slightly.
a
Please refuel early, as driving
to the last drop of fuel can result in
damage to the engine and/or catalytic
converter.c
BlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at moder-
ate engine and vehicle speeds.RedIndicator lamp comes on, the warning
"COOLANT TEMPERATURE" appears
in Check Control
*: engine overheated.
Switch off the engine immediately and
allow it to cool down.
Between the blue and red sectorsNormal operating range. It is not un-
usual for the needle to rise as far as the
edge of the red sector in response to
high outside temperatures or severe
operating conditions.
Checking coolant level: Page 127.
Green lampsThe number of illuminated lamps
decreases as the time for your next
maintenance visit approaches.Yellow lamp This field appears together with
OILSERVICE or INSPECTION.
Maintenance is due. Please contact
your BMW Retailer for an appointment.Red lampMaintenance overdue.
F
R
12
UNLEADED GASOLINE
ONLY
360us032
360de007
360us009
Fuel gauge Coolant temperature Service Interval Display

65
At a glanceControls Car careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
b
Have your BMW Retailer carry out
the maintenance and repair. Your BMW
Retailer is always informed on the latest
maintenance work and repair tech-
niques and equipped with the required
special tools. In addition, the testing of
parts known from experience to be sub-
ject to wear is a permanent part of the
maintenance specifications.c
Service Interval Display

At a glance
Controls and featuresCare and maintenanceAdvanced technology
Technical data
Owner service procedure
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Index
99
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures100
Driving notes100
Catalytic converter102
Antilock Brake System (ABS)103
Disc brakes104
Brake system105
Winter driving105
Roof-mounted luggage rack107
Radio reception108
Cellular phones108
Hardtop Ð Convertible109
Technical modifications to
the vehicle110
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressures111
Tire tread111
Tire replacement112
Interaxle tire changes112
The right choice113
Winter tires114
Approved wheels and tires115Under the hood:
Hood118
Engine compartment 120
Washer fluids124
Engine oil124
Coolant127
Brake fluid128
Power steering fluid128
Vehicle Identification Number118
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System130
Caring for your car131
Cleaning and care of the
convertible top136
Vehicle storage137

10 0
To ensure that your vehicle provides
maximum economy throughout a long
service life, we request that you
observe the following.
Engine and differentialUp to 1,250 miles (2,000 km):
Drive at different engine speeds and
vehicle speeds, but be careful not to
exceed the following engine speed:
4,500 rpm
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid
pressing the accelerator beyond the
kickdown point.
After 1,250 miles (2,000 km) you can
gradually increase the number of revo-
lutions or the speed.
You should also observe these break-in
procedures if the engine or differential
is replaced later in the course of the
vehicle service life.
TiresDue to technical factors associated with
their manufacture, tires do not achieve
their full traction potential until an initial
break-in period has elapsed. This
means that you should drive with addi-
tional caution for the first 200 miles
(300 km).Brake systemBrake pads and disks attain their opti-
mal wear patterns only after approx.
300 miles (500 km).
EngineDo not allow the engine to warm to its
normal operating temperature by leav-
ing it idling with the vehicle parked.
However, when starting in extremely
cold weather it is a good idea to allow
the engine to run at fast idle for about
30 seconds before getting underway;
this precaution ensures adequate lubri-
cation.
Avoid high engine speeds while the
engine is still cold; this helps avoid pre-
mature wear and reduced service life.
When driving under high engine loads
(acceleration, steep hills), try to keep
the engine running above 1,500 rpm.
We recommend downshifting into a
more suitable range, especially when
driving up extended inclines.
It is a good idea to follow extended
periods of low-speed operation (dense
urban traffic, stop-and-go driving) by
maintaining an engine speed consis-
tently above 3,000 rpm for several
miles. This procedure helps prevent
deposits from accumulating in the
engine.
Break-in procedures Driving notes

10 2
The catalytic converter reduces harmful
exhaust emissions.
It is designed for use with unleaded fuel
only.
Even minute quantities of lead would be
enough to permanently damage both
the catalytic converter and the system's
oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and avoid potential damage:
dAlways have your car serviced in
accordance with maintenance
instructions.
dNever continue driving until the fuel
tank is empty.
dRespond to engine miss by switching
off the engine at once.
dNever tow-start the car unless the
engine is cold, or else unburned fuel
may reach the catalytic converter.
Better yet: use jumper cables!
dAvoid other situations in which the
fuel would not be (completely)
burned, for instance:
Frequent, extended, or repeated
starting attempts during which the
engine fails to start. (Switching off
and restarting a healthy engine
causes no damage).
Never let the engine run with any of
the spark-plug cables disconnected.
a
Always observe the above points
to prevent unburned mixture from
entering the catalytic converter. This
could result in overheating, leading to
serious damage.
High temperatures occur on all vehicles
equipped with a catalytic converter.
Heat shields are installed adjacent to
some sections of the exhaust system.
Never remove these shields; do not
apply undercoating to their surfaces.
When driving, standing at idle or park-
ing the vehicle, take care to avoid con-
tact between the exhaust system and
flammable materials (e.g., grass, hay,
leaves, etc.). Such contact could lead to
a fire, resulting in personal injury and
property damage.c
Traveling abroadAlways make sure that unleaded fuel
meeting your engineÕs octane require-
ments will be available when planning
trips outside the country. The use of
fuel failing to meet the official octane
requirements could result in engine
damage.
If you are considering traveling to a
country in which unleaded fuel is not
readily available, please remember that
leaded fuel will destroy the lambda oxy-
gen sensor and the catalytic converter
on your BMW. After operation on
leaded fuel, your vehicle will no longer
meet American and Canadian exhaust
emission standards, and there will also
be a loss of fuel economy. Upon your
return to the US or Canada, you will be
expected to comply with legal ordi-
nances requiring that you replace both
the oxygen sensor and the catalytic
converter, and to have the fuel system
flushed to remove any traces of leaded
fuel.
Catalytic converter

10 3
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
ABS enhances active safety by helping
to prevent the wheels from locking under
braking. When the front wheels slide, the
driver loses steering control over the
vehicle. Traction loss at the rear wheels
can cause the rear end to break into
uncontrolled oversteer.
ABS is designed to meet two essential
requirements during every application:
dto help provide vehicle stability on all
types of road surface (asphalt,
cement, dirt, moisture, snow and ice).
dto help to retain steering and maneu-
vering capability under the same con-
ditions.
However, certain important consider-
ations must be borne in mind in connec-
tion with these requirements:
Not even ABS can suspend the normal
laws of physics. ABS alone can not pre-
vent accidents when the brakes are
applied without an adequate safety
interval between vehicles, when the car
reaches excessive rates of lateral accel-
eration in curves, or if aquaplaning
occurs. Responsibility for these types of
situations remains in the hands (and feet)
of the driver. You should never allow the
added safety of ABS to lull you into a
false sense of security, or mislead you
into taking increased risks that could
affect your own safety and that of others.
Driving with ABSThe yellow ABS warning in the instru-
ment panel goes out as soon as the
engine is started.
The system becomes operative once the
vehicle exceeds a speed of 5 mph
(8 km/h). The ABS is deactivated when-
ever the vehicle's speed drops below
approx. 2 mph (3 km/h). This means that
the wheels can lock in the Þnal phase of
a braking action - a factor of no signiÞ-
cance in actual practice.
The ABS system closed-loop control cir-
cuit cycles in fractions of a second. A
pulsation at the brake pedal indicates to
the driver that ABS is active, that is, that
the car is within its maximum braking
range. In addition, the audible pulsation
that accompanies the control operation
calls your attention to the reduced trac-
tion between tires and road surface
(marginal adhesion), and reminds you
that the vehicle's speed should be
reduced to adapt to road conditions.On road surfaces featuring a loose top
layer on a Þrmer substratum, e.g., on
gravel or snow, the braking distances
with ABS may be longer than with the
wheels locked. However, ABS continues
to provide enhanced vehicle and steer-
ing control under these conditions.
a
To ensure that the system remains
completely operational, never modify the
ABS. Service procedures on ABS are to
be performed by authorized technicians
only.c
ABS may fail to function with maximum
efÞciency when tires of different sizes
are mounted (e.g., winter tires/spare tire;
remount the correct tires at all wheels as
soon as possible).
In the event of a fault, the ABS warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up,
refer to page 18. The braking system
then reverts to conventional operation as
on a vehicle without ABS. However,
have the brake system checked by your
BMW Retailer as soon as possible. To
prevent undetected defects and cumu-
lative faults from adversely affecting the
brake system, refer any problems to
your authorized BMW Retailer at the
earliest opportunity.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)

11 0
a
Do not lift the hardtop by the seals.
Accidentally shifted or pulled-out seals
cause leaks.c
RemoveProceed as for mounting, however in
the reverse order.Any BMW Service station will gladly
provide information on the purpose of
technical modifications to the car, the
legal position and the manufacturer's
recommendations. For this purpose,
the Retailer requires the Vehicle Identi-
fication Number and, in some cases,
also the engine number.
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)Control units, displays and other interior
equipment of your vehicle have LED's
behind protective lenses as a light
source. These LEDs resemble conven-
tional lasers and are classified by law as
"Class 1 light-emitting diodes".a
Do not remove the protective
lens and avoid staring directly at the
unfiltered beam for extended periods
(several hours), as inflammation of the
iris could result.c
Hardtop* Ð Convertible Technical modifications to the vehicle

11 4
We recommend winter tires (M+S radial
tires) for operation under inclement win-
ter driving conditions. Although all-sea-
son M+S tires provide better winter
traction than standard summer tires
with H, V, W and ZR speed ratings, they
generally fail to provide the same levels
of performance as standard snow tires
in winter driving.
If you fit winter tires, install radial tires
of the same tread configuration and
from a single manufacturer on all four
wheels (better still: on all five wheels).
This ensures safe tracking and steering
response.
Fit BMW-approved winter tires only.
Any BMW Retailer will be glad to pro-
vide you with information on the best
winter tires for your particular driving
conditions.Winter tires display a perceptible loss in
their ability to cope with winter driving
conditions once the tread wears to
below 0.16 in (4 mm), and should thus
be replaced.
Observe the specified tire inflation
pressures - and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assemblies balanced
every time you change the tires!
a
Never exceed the maximum speed
for which the tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and ac-
cidents.
Have this work performed by skilled pro-
fessionals only. Your BMW Retailer will
be glad to assist you.c
Store tires in a cool, dry place, away
from light whenever possible. Protect
the tires from contact with oil, grease
and fuel.
Winter tires

11 8
Unlocking Pull the lever located under the left-
hand side of the instrument panel.a
Do not work on your vehicle with-
out appropriate skills. Always switch off
the engine and allow it to cool down be-
fore working in the engine compart-
ment.
Always disconnect the battery before
working on the electrical system. When
working on the vehicle, follow the rele-
vant instructions and information. When
you are not familiar with the relevant
specifications, have service operations
performed by your authorized BMW Re-
tailer. Failure to proceed in an informed,
professional manner when servicing
components and materials constitutes a
safety hazard for yourself and other us-
ers of the public roads.c
To openPush the release handle Ð at the front
left under the hood Ð upward and open
the hood.
To closeSimultaneously press down both sides
of the hood; continue pressing until you
hear the latches engage.a
Should you determine that the
hood is not completely closed while
driving, stop immediately and close it
securely.c
360de085
BMW360de307
BMW
360de308
Hood