ignition BMW M3 2008 User Guide

Adjustments
46 Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors by hand or with
button3, to prevent them from being damaged
due to the width of the vehicle.<
Automatic heating*
Depending on the outside temperature, both
exterior mirrors are heated automatically when
the engine is running or the ignition is switched
on.
Passenger-side mirror tilt function –
automatic curb monitor*
Activating
1.Push the switch to the position for the
driver's-side mirror, arrow 1.
2.Engage reverse gear or transmission posi-
tion R.
The glass of the mirror on the passenger
side tilts slightly down. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adjacent
to the vehicle, e.g. a curb, when backing into
a parking space.
Deactivating
Push the switch to the position for the passen-
ger-side mirror, arrow 2.
Interior and exterior mirrors*,
automatic dimming feature
The automatic dimming feature of the interior
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo
cells in the interior rearview mirror. One photo
cell is in the mirror frame, see arrow; the other is
on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions
correctly, keep the photo cells clean, do not
cover the area between the interior rearview
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield
directly in front of the mirror.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position
while the car is in motion, otherwise there
i s a ri s k o f a c c id e n t d u e t o a n u n ex p e c t ed m o v e -
ment.<
1.Fold the lever down.
2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred
height and angle to suit your seated posi-
tion.
3.Swing the lever back up.

Adjustments
48
MDrive*
With MDrive you can configure several individ-
ual settings for your vehicle on the Control Dis-
play and activate them using the button on
the steering wheel.
Configuring settings
You can set MDrive on the Control Display
when the ignition is switched on.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "M settings" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "MDrive" and press the controller.
The functions contained in MDrive are dis-
played:
>"M DKG Drivelogic"
M dual clutch transmission with Drivel-ogic: shift modes and Drivelogic drive
programs, refer to page60
>"EDC"
Programs of the Electronic Damper
Control EDC
*, refer to page84
>"DSC"
Dynamic Stability Control and
M Dynamic Mode, refer to page82
>"POWER"
Programs of the M Engine Dynamics
Control, refer to page63
>"Servotronic"
Programs of the Servotronic, refer to
page89
>"Shift lights"
Shift Lights, refer to page61
You can reset all MDrive settings to their
default values:
>"Reset to default"
5.Select the desired function.
6.Press the controller.
7.Turn the controller to select the desired set-
ting.
"Unchanged" retains the current setting
made outside of MDrive.
8.Press the controller.

Driving
54
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the
ignition lock
Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
>Radio readiness is switched on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Convenient access*
If the car is equipped with convenient access,
only insert the remote control into the ignition
lock under special circumstances, refer to
page35.
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out
of the ignition lock as this may cause
damage.<
Before removing the remote control, push it all
the way in to release the locking mechanism.
>The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Start/stop button
Pressing the start/stop button switches radio
readiness or the ignition on or off.
Manual transmission: when you press the
start/stop button while the clutch is
depressed, the engine starts.
M dual clutch transmission: when you press the
start/stop button while the brake is depressed,
the engine starts.<
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>When the remote control is removed from
the ignition lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, by touch-
ing the surface above the door lock, refer to
Locking on page36
Ignition on
All electrical consumers can operate. The
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
When the engine is off, please switch off
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-
cal consumers in order to preserve the bat-
tery.<

Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, otherwise such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
place the transmission in neutral and forcefully
apply the parking brake to prevent the car from
moving.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeated start attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter.<
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page35.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch and shift to neutral.
3.Press the start/stop button.The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
To stop the starting procedure: press the start/
stop button again.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page35.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Press the start/stop button.
The engine starts with the selector level in any
position. Driving off: with the engine running,
move the selector level from the middle position
Β in the desired direction.
Every time you start the engine, sequential
mode is activated in program S3 if you lightly
press the selector lever to the right to position
D/S with the brake pedal depressed.
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you
when you leave the vehicle.
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully, otherwise the vehicle could begin to roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Forcefully apply the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page54.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
1.Press the start/stop button.
If N is engaged when you switch off the
engine, you are notified visually and acous-
tically.
2.Forcefully apply the parking brake.

Driving
56 3.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page54. This automati-
cally engages transmission position P.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when you perform the
following steps:
1.Insert the remote control, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Engage transmission position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Transmission position P is engaged:
>Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>When you remove the remote control from
the ignition lock
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off an acoustic signal sounds in
addition. The parking brake is still
applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake
lever.
Otherwise, excessive force on the parking
brake can lock up the rear wheels and cause the
rear of the car to swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the parking
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-
ing brake is applied.<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<

Driving
58 >Β: middle position
>N: neutral
>+: shift up manually
>–: shift down manually
>D/S: change between drive mode and
sequential mode
The selector lever locks in position R. In other
transmission positions, it stays in the middle
position; the gear positions are engaged by
pressing lightly in the desired direction.
The gear position currently engaged is indi-
cated by LEDs in the selector lever.
Shiftlock
When the vehicle is stationary, press the brake
pedal before shifting out of N, otherwise the
desired gear will not be engaged.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
If the driving situation demands, e.g. when
downshifting on a slippery road, the M dual
clutch transmission automatically disengages
and engages the clutch, i.e. it is not necessary
to manually engage the neutral position.
N engages when you open the driver's
door while the engine is running, your
safety belt is not fastened and you activate nei-
ther the brake pedal nor the accelerator. To
drive off after closing the driver's door and fas-
tening your safety belt, move the selector lever
to position N first and then to the desired drive
position.<
N remains engaged even after the engine
is switched off if you leave the remote
control in the ignition lock. Use this function in
an automatic car wash, for example, refer to
page56.<
S sequential mode
Shift up or down using the shift paddles or the
selector lever. You do not need to lift your foot
off the accelerator when doing so.Shift from sequential mode to drive mode:
Press the selector lever to the right in the D/S
direction.
Shift back to sequential mode: shift using the
shift paddles or the selector lever, or press the
selector level to the right in the D/S direction
again.
On a level road, you can drive off in second gear,
e.g. on slippery roads.
The M dual clutch transmission assists you in
the following situations:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
>When the vehicle stops, the transmission
automatically shifts down to first gear.
>Shortly before the vehicle slows down to
below the minimum speed of the gear cur-
rently engaged, the transmission automati-
cally shifts down without requiring your
intervention.
Rapid downshifting: in sequential mode, you
can skip several gears to achieve optimal accel-
eration. To do so, press the accelerator past the
resistance point and pull the left shift paddle
once or press the selector lever forward once.
D drive mode
In drive mode, all forward gears are shifted auto-
matically.
Shift from drive mode to sequential mode: shift
using the shift paddles or the selector lever, or
press the selector level to the right in the D/S
direction.
Shift back to drive mode: press the selector
lever to the right in the D/S direction again.
Kick-down: to accelerate rapidly, e.g. when
passing, press the accelerator down past the
resistance point. This provides maximum accel-
eration.

Controls
59Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
P Park
P engages automatically when you switch
off the engine unless N is engaged and
the remote control remains in the ignition lock,
refer to page54. As soon as you remove the
remote control from the ignition lock, P
engages regardless of the position of the selec-
tor lever.<
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Engaged gear 1 to 7, R, N, P
2Selected drive program,
corresponds to the number of illuminated
fields, refer to Drivelogic, page60
3The gear currently engaged is displayed
together with a D in drive mode
At very low outside temperatures, this display
may not be functional. The engaged driving
direction is indicated by the LEDs on the selec-
tor lever.
Changing gears
Via the selector lever
>To shift up, pull back the selector lever.
>To shift down, push it forward.
Via the shift paddles on the steering
wheel
>To shift up, pull the right-hand shift paddle
+ briefly.
>To shift down, pull the left-hand shift paddle
– briefly.
Unlocking the transmission lock
manually
If a power failure occurs, e.g. if the battery
is discharged or disconnected, the trans-
mission lock must be released manually, other-
wise the rear wheels are blocked and the vehi-
cle cannot be towed.<
Release the transmission lock manually for tow-
ing only and forcefully apply the parking brake
beforehand to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
After parking the vehicle, lock the transmission
lock again.
Releasing
1.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.
3.Push the black cover forward using the
screwdriver from the onboard tool kit, refer
to page223.

Driving
60 4.Insert the screwdriver into the opening of
the white lever, arrow 1.
5.Pull the screwdriver back all the way, arrow
2. The transmission lock is released.
6.Carefully remove the screwdriver, for exam-
ple to avoid accidentally engaging the
transmission lock during towing.
After parking the vehicle, lock the trans-
mission lock again. Otherwise there is a
danger of the vehicle rolling.<
Locking
1.Insert the screwdriver into the opening of
the white lever and press forward.
The transmission lock is locked again.
2.Fold back the black cover until it engages
audibly.
3.Clip the sleeve of the selector lever back
into place.
Jump-starting and towing, refer to page232.
Drivelogic
Various drive programs are available to you via
Drivelogic.
After every change between sequential and
drive mode, the program selected last in each
case is active. Exception: after the first change from sequential to drive mode, drive program 3
is active.
In drive mode
Five drive programs are available for selection,
from winter program/balanced 1 to sporting and
highly dynamic 5.
In sequential mode
You can choose between six drive programs,
from winter program/balanced 1 to sporty
puristic 6.
Program 6 is available when Dynamic Stability
Control is deactivated, refer to page82. If DSC
is activated, the program changes from 6 to 5.
To maintain driving stability, activate DSC
whenever possible.<
Selecting the drive program via the
button in the center console
Press the button repeatedly until the desired
drive program is displayed in the instrument
cluster, refer to page59.
Selecting the drive program via the
button on the steering wheel
You can also activate your preferred drive pro-
gram via the button on the steering wheel,
refer to MDrive on page48.
You can set MDrive on the Control Display
when the ignition is switched on.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.

Controls
61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
3.Select "M settings" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "MDrive" and press the controller.
5.Select "M DKG Drivelogic" and press the
controller. The first setting is highlighted.
6.Turn the controller to set the drive mode or
sequential mode.
"Unchanged" retains the current settings
made outside of MDrive.
7.Press the controller to select the drive pro-
grams.
8.Turn the controller to set the drive program.
9.Press the controller.
Shift Lights
To achieve the best possible acceleration in
sequential mode when using a sporty driving
style, the Shift Lights in the instrument cluster
indicate the best shift point just before the max-
imum engine speed is reached.1.As the vehicle approaches its maximum
engine speed, the yellow LEDs1 light up
consecutively to indicate the impending
shift point.
2.At the latest, shift when the red LEDs2 light
up.
The LEDs flash when the maximum allowable
engine speed is reached. When the maximum
engine speed is exceeded, the fuel supply is cut
off to protect the engine. Avoid engine speeds
in this range at all costs.
Switching the Shift Lights on/off
For operating principle, refer to page71.
1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page54.
2.Lightly push button1 in the turn indicator
lever up or down repeatedly until the sym-
bol appears in the display accompanied by
the word "SET".

Driving
62 3.Press button 2.
4.Use button 1 to select:
>
Shift Lights activated.
>
Shift Lights deactivated.
5.Press button 2.
After the ignition is switched off and the engine
is restarted, the status set for the remote con-
trol in use is active, refer to Key-dependent set-
tings on page49.
You can set and call up the preferred status
of the Shift Lights via the MDrive, refer to
page48.
Brightness of Shift Lights
The brightness of the Shift Lights can be set
using the brightness level of the instrument
cluster, refer to Instrument lighting on page94.
Launch Control
Launch Control enables you to drive off with an
optimal vehicle acceleration on a high grip road
surface.
Do not use Launch Control too often, as
the higher loads on the vehicle lead to
premature component wear. at operating temperature, i.e. after driving con-
tinuously for at least 6 miles/10 km.
1.Press the brake while the engine is running.
2.Deactivate Dynamic Stability Control DSC,
refer to page83.
3.Select sequential mode with Drivelogic
drive program 6.
4.With the vehicle stationary, press the selec-
tor lever forward and hold. A flag symbol
appears in the instrument cluster.
5.Press the accelerator down all the way. The
engine speed when driving off is controlled.
6.If you wish, you can adjust the drive-off
engine speed by up to approx. 500 rpm:
>Increase the drive-off engine speed by
approx. 100 rpm: press the lever beyond
the resistance point, arrow1.
>Decrease the drive-off engine speed by
approx. 100 rpm: pull the lever beyond
the resistance point, arrow2.
>Reset the drive-off engine speed: press
the lever upward or downward, arrows3.
7.The vehicle accelerates when you release
the selector lever. Keep the accelerator
pressed all the way down.
8.The transmission shifts up automatically as
long as the accelerator is pressed all the
way down.
Launch Control only becomes available again
after a certain distance has been driven.
Do not use Launch Control during the vehicle
break-in period, refer to page114.
To maintain driving stability, activate DSC
whenever possible.<