oil type BMW CONVERTIBLE 1998 Owners Manual

12 9
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
High steering effort:
Check oil level, refer to previous page.
High steering effort during sudden tran-
sitions:
Please contact your BMW Retailer for
an immediate inspection.a
If the power steering fails, in-
creased effort will be required to steer
the vehicle.c
In the engine compartment on the right-
hand side of the heater partition panel
(arrow).
The information on the type plate and
the Vehicle Identification Number must
match those contained in the vehicle
papers.
These data are essential for processing
inquiries, expediting service procedures
and when ordering replacement parts.
360de310
Power steering fluid Vehicle Identification Number

13 2
Exterior finishTo provide effective corrosion protec-
tion, multilayer paintwork is applied at
the factory. Cataphoretic immersion
priming techniques are supplemented
using special body-cavity protectants,
with the application of specially-devel-
oped and extensively tested materials.
The entire underbody is sprayed with a
flexible PVC layer before final compre-
hensive application of a wax-based
protectant.
Regular maintenance makes an impor-
tant contribution to maintaining the
safety and value of your vehicle.
Increasing awareness of the effects of
harmful environmental factors on vehi-
cle finishes have led paint and vehicle
manufacturers to initiate ongoing pro-
grams designed to further improve the
durability of their finishes. Despite the
high quality of the resulting products,
local and regional factors can still have
a negative effect on your car's paint-
work. These should guide you in deter-
mining the frequency and extent of your
efforts to maintain the vehicle finish.
Depending upon material and type of
impact (perforation of paint layer), phys-
ical stresses from sand, road salt,
gravel, etc. can cause corrosion to start extending beneath the finish, starting at
the point of impact.
Road dirt, tar spots, dead insects, ani-
mal droppings (strong alkali effect) and
tree excretions (resins and pollen) all
contain substances capable of causing
damage when allowed to remain on
your car's finish for any period of time
(spots, etching, flaking, separation in
the top coat).
In industrial areas, deposits from ßy ash,
lime, oily soot, sulphur dioxide in pre-
cipitation (acid rain) and other environ-
mental pollutants will damage the car's
surface (usually limited to the external
horizontal surfaces) unless adequate
protection is provided.
In coastal regions, high levels of atmo-
spheric salt and humidity promote cor-
rosion.
In tropical zones, temperatures of over
100 5F (approx. 406) in the shade pre-
vail, in addition to heavy ultraviolet radi-
ation and high humidity. Under those
circumstances, light-colored paints
reach temperatures of up to 175 5F
(approx. 806) and dark paints up to
250 5F (approx. 1206).
Caring for the vehicle finishAs a precaution against damage result-
ing from exposure to aggressive sub-
stances, we recommend that you wash
the car weekly when it is used in an
area with high levels of air pollution or
aggressive natural substances (tree
resin, pollen).
Remove particularly aggressive sub-
stances immediately in order to prevent
changes to, and discoloration of, the
paint. Such substances are e.g., gaso-
line spilled during refueling, oil, grease,
brake fluid and bird droppings.
Any contamination remaining on the
surface of the vehicle will be especially
conspicuous after washing. Use clean-
ing fluid or alcohol with a clean cloth or
cotton pad to remove. You can use tar
remover to remove any spots on the fin-
ish of the vehicle, but should never
apply it or any other aggressive
cleanser to lenses or headlamp covers.
These areas should then be waxed to
maintain protection.b
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW Retailer.c
Caring for your car