park assist BMW M3 2008 Owners Manual

At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the
average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In port, USB-audio interface* for
external audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>M settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central
locking system
>Display of service requirements and dates
for statutory inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
As of radio readiness, the following message
appears on the Control Display:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
The start menu is displayed.
The message is automatically hidden after
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
All iDrive functions can be called up via five
menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.

Controls
81Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Technology for driving comfort and safety
Park Distance Control PDC*
The concept
The PDC assists you with maneuvering in tight
parking spaces. Acoustic signals and a visual
indicator
warn you of the presence of an object
behind your vehicle. To measure the distance,
there are four ultrasonic sensors in the
bumpers.
These sensors have a range of approx. 6.5 ft/
2 m. However, an acoustic warning does not
sound until an object is approx. 24 in/60 cm
from the corner sensors, or approx. 5 ft/1.50 m
from the center sensors.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.
Avoid approaching an object at high speed, oth-
erwise physical circumstances may lead to the
system warning being issued too late.<
Switching on automatically
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, the system is activated after approx. 1 sec-
ond when you engage reverse gear. Wait this
short period before driving.
Switching off automatically
After approx. 165 ft/50 m of driving or over
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system switches
off and the LED goes out.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, its position is indicated
correspondingly by an interval tone. As the dis-
tance between vehicle and object decreases,
the intervals between the tones become
shorter. If the distance to the nearest object
falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a contin-
uous tone sounds.
An interval tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds>if you stop in front of an object that has been
detected by only one of the corner sensors
>if you are driving parallel to a wall.
Malfunction
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on. PDC is malfunc-
tioning. A message appears on the
Control Display. Have the system checked.
To avoid this problem, keep the sensors clean
and free of ice or snow in order to ensure that
they will continue to operate effectively. When
using a high-pressure cleaner, do not spray the
sensors for extended periods of time and only
from a distance of at least 4 in/10 cm.
PDC with visual warning
You can also have the system show distances
to objects on the Control Display. The contours
of distant objects are shown on the Control Dis-
play even before the acoustic signal sounds.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
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 "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller

Technology for driving comfort and safety
84
For better control
If the indicator lamp flashes:
DSC is regulating the drive and brak-
ing forces.
If the indicator lamps are on:
DSC is deactivated.
Electronic Damper Control
EDC*
The concept
Whenever there is a change in any significant
parameter such as road surface quality or in an
operating condition such as steering, braking,
etc., the damping automatically adjusts to the
new conditions in fractions of a second.
You can select between three programs.
"Comfort" program
Select the "Comfort" program if you want com-
fort-oriented control of the shock absorbers.
"Normal" program
The "Normal" program offers control that is bal-
anced between comfort and sportiness.
"Sport" program
Select the "Sport" program if you want consis-
tently sporty control of the shock absorbers.
Selecting a program
Press the EDC button repeatedly:
>"Comfort": LED off:
>"Normal": one LED lights up.>"Sport": both LEDs light up.
Each time the engine is started, the program set
for the remote control in use is active, refer to
Key-dependent settings on page49.
You can also set and call up your preferred
program via MDrive, refer to page48.
Drive-off assistant
The drive-off assistant enables you to drive off
smoothly on uphill gradients. It is not necessary
to use the parking brake for this.
1.Hold the car in place by depressing the
brake.
2.Release the brake and drive off without
delay.
The drive-off assistant holds the car in
place for approx. 2 seconds after the
brake is released. Drive off without delay after
releasing the brake. Otherwise, the drive-off
assistant will no longer hold the car in place
after approx. 2 seconds and the car will start to
roll backwards.<
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects pressure loss in a
tire by comparing the rotating speeds of the
individual tires while moving.
In the event of pressure loss, the rolling circum-
ference changes and, thus, the rotating speed
of the affected wheel. This change is detected
and is reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.
The system must be reinitialized each
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<

Controls
89Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Servotronic
The concept
"Servotronic" varies the steering force required
to turn the wheels depending on the speed at
which you are driving.
At low speeds, steering is assisted strongly, i. e.
less effort is required to turn the vehicle. Steer-
ing assistance lessens with increasing speed.
You can select between two programs
*.
"Normal" program
Select the "Normal" program if you want com-
fort-oriented steering, e. g. in city traffic or when
parking.
"Sport" program
Select the "Sport" program if you want consis-
tently sporty steering.
Selecting a program
You can set and call up your preferred pro-
gram via MDrive, refer to page48.
Brake Force Display
On the left: normal braking.
On the right: sharp braking.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags in the seat backrestsProtective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page40 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

Driving tips
115Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
ing, take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, with the
risk of serious personal injuries and property
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust pipes, e. g.
when loading the cargo bay, otherwise there is a
risk of burn injuries.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning,
means that the tire can completely lose contact
with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page209.
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 page84.
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.
M dual clutch transmission: never drive
with the transmission in neutral 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.
Manual transmission: never drive with the
clutch held down, with the transmission in neu-
tral 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

Care
216
Outside sensors / cameras
Keep the sensors and cameras on the
outside of the vehicle, e.g. Park Distance
Control, clean and free of ice to ensure that they
remain fully functional.<
Interior care
Upholstery / cloth trim
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to
remove superficial dirt.
To treat severe stains, e.g. from beverages, use
a soft sponge or lint-free microfiber cloth in
combination with suitable interior cleaners. Fol-
low the instructions on the packaging.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams
using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong
rubbing.<
Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or
other articles of clothing can damage the
seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are
closed.<
Leather / leather trim
The leather used by BMW is a high quality
natural product. Slight irregularities in the
leather are a typical characteristic of natural
leather.<
Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the
leather have an abrasive effect, leading to
increased wear and causing the leather surface
to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-
quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or
vacuum cleaner.
In particular, ensure that light-colored leather is
cleaned regularly as it has a tendency to soil
more easily.
Treat the leather twice a year using a leather
lotion as dirt and grease will gradually attack the
leather's protective layer.
Carpets / cargo bay
You can vacuum the carpets and floor mats or
clean them with interior cleaner if heavily soiled.The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.
When replacing the mats, ensure that the seat
rails do not extend over the floor mats, as this
may damage the mats.
Lint on the floor mats occurs for technical rea-
sons and can be removed by vacuuming
repeatedly.
Interior plastic parts
>Imitation leather surfaces
>Lamp glasses
>Display pane of instrument cluster
>Matt parts
Clean with water and solvent-free plastic
cleaner if necessary.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with a
damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Do not clean with cleaning agents as
these may destroy the fabric.<
Interior sensors / cameras
To clean interior sensors and cameras, e.g. of
the High-Beam Assistant, use a lint-free cloth
moistened with glass cleaner.
Displays
To clean the displays, e.g. of the radio or instru-
ment cluster, use a display cleaning cloth or a
soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth.
Avoid applying excessive pressure when
cleaning the displays, otherwise damage
may occur.<
Do not use chemical or abrasive house-
hold cleaning agents. Keep all types of
fluid away from the device. Otherwise, surfaces
or electrical components may be corroded or
damaged.<
CD/DVD drives
Do not use a cleaning CD, as it may dam-
age parts of the drive.<

Mobility
231Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
First aid pouch*
Some of the articles contained in the first aid
pouch have a limited service life. Therefore,
check the expiration dates of the contents reg-
ularly and replace any items in good time, if nec-
essary.
The first aid pouch is located on the right-hand
side of the cargo bay in a storage area.
Warning triangle*
The warning triangle is located on the left-hand
side of the cargo bay. Press the tab to take it
out.
Jump starting
If the car's own battery is flat, your BMW's
engine can be started by connecting two
jumper cables to another vehicle's battery. You
can also use the same method to help start
another vehicle. Only use jumper cables with
fully-insulated clamp handles.
Do not touch any electrically live parts
when the engine is running, or a fatal acci-
dent may occur. Carefully adhere to the follow-ing sequence, both to prevent damage to one or
both vehicles, and to guard against possible
personal injuries.<
Preparation
1.Check whether the battery of the other
vehicle has a voltage of 12 volts and
approximately the same capacitance in Ah.
This information can be found on the bat-
tery.
2.Switch off the engine of the assisting vehi-
cle.
3.Switch off any consumers in both vehicles.
There must not be any contact between
the bodies of the two vehicles, otherwise
there is a danger of shorting.<
Connecting jumper cables
Connect the jumper cables in the correct
order, so that no sparks which could
cause injury occur.<
Your BMW has a jump-starting connection in
the engine compartment which acts as the bat-
tery's positive terminal, refer also to the Engine
compartment overview on page219. The cap is
marked with +.
1.Pull the cap of the BMW jump-starting con-
nection up to remove.
2.Attach one terminal clamp of the plus/+
jumper cable to the positive terminal of the
battery or a starting-aid terminal of the vehi-
cle providing assistance.
3.Attach the second terminal clamp of the
plus/+ jumper cable to the positive terminal
of the battery or a starting-aid terminal of
the vehicle to be started.

Mobility
233Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
headlamps, tail lamps, turn signal indicators and
windshield wipers may be unavailable.
Power steering assistance is not available when
the engine is not running. Thus, braking and
steering will require increased effort.<
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
Ensure that the parking lock P is not
engaged as the rear wheels will otherwise
be blocked.
When using the car wash function, refer to
page56, note that the parking lock P is
engaged automatically after approx. 30 min-
utes, blocking the rear wheels.
If an electrical malfunction occurs or if towing
takes longer than approx. 20 minutes, manually
release the parking lock, refer to page59.<
When towing, do not exceed a maximum
speed of 30 mph/50 km/h and a maxi-
mum distance of 30 miles/50 km, otherwise the
transmission can be damaged.<
BMW recommends transporting the vehicle on
a tow truck with a flat bed.
Towing methods
Do not lift the vehicle by a tow fitting or
body and chassis parts, otherwise dam-
age may result.<
With a tow bar
The towing vehicle must not be lighter
than the towed vehicle, otherwise it may
be impossible to maintain control.<
The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an angle,
please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be sharply limited during cornering.
>The tow bar will generate lateral forces if it is
attached offset.Attach the tow bar to the tow fittings only,
as attaching it to other parts of the vehicle
could result in damage.<
With a tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Attach the tow rope to the tow fittings only, as
attaching it to other parts of the vehicle could
result in damage.<
With a tow truck
Manual transmission:
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Do not tow the vehicle with just the rear axle
raised as this may cause the steering to turn.
M dual clutch transmission:
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Tow-starting
If possible, do not tow-start the vehicle but
jump-start the engine, refer to page231. Vehi-

Reference 247
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Automatic climate control96
– automatic air distribution98
– settings via iDrive97
Automatic curb monitor46
"Automatic programs" with
automatic climate control98
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC98
Automatic station search157
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
– towing232
– tow-starting232
"Automatic ventilation"100
AUTO program for automatic
climate control98
"Auto Request"195
"Autostore"
– on the radio158
"AUX"152,171,173
– AUX-In port171
– USB-audio interface172
AUX-In port171
Average fuel consumption69
– setting the units71
"Avoid ferries" in
navigation137
"Avoid highways" in
navigation137
Avoid highways in
navigation137
Avoiding unintentional
alarms35
"Avoid tollroads" in
navigation137
Axle loads, refer to
Weights240
"A - Z"185,186
B
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support41
Backrests, refer to Seat
adjustment41
Backrest width adjustment42
Back seats
– refer to Rear seats42Backup lamps
– replacing bulb225,226
Backup lamps, refer to Tail
lamps225
Balance, tone control153
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
pouch231
Bar, refer to Towing
methods233
Base plate for telephone or
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter in
the center armrest storage
compartment106
Bass, tone control153
Bass sounds, refer to Treble
and bass153
Battery228
– charging228
– disposal37,228
– jump starting231
– remote control28
– temporary power failure228
Battery renewal
– remote control37
– remote control for vehicle36
Being towed232
Belts, refer to Safety belts44
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety
belts44
Beverage holders, refer to
Cup holders107
Blower, refer to Air flow
rate98
Bluetooth, refer to separate
Owner's Manual
BMW
– car shampoo216
"BMW
Assist"194,195,196,197
BMW Assist
– activating198
– Concierge service197
– contacting BMW Customer
Relations196
– Roadside Assistance194
– services offered193
– TeleServices195
"BMW Contact"188"BMW Contact
Numbers"188
BMW Homepage4
BMW Maintenance
System212
"BMW Service settings"199
BMW Teleservice Call
– automatic195
– manual195
BMW TeleServices195
– displaying196
– updating196
BMW webpage4
Bottle holders, refer to Cup
holders107
Brake assist82
Brake fluid, refer to Service
requirements72
Brake Force Display89
Brake lamps
– replacing bulb225,226
– two-stage89
Brake pads114
– breaking in114
Brake rotors115
– brakes114
– breaking in114
Brakes
– ABS82
– BMW Maintenance
System212
– breaking in114
– parking brake56
– service requirements72
Brakes, refer to Braking
safely115
Brake system114
– BMW Maintenance
System212
– breaking in114
– disc brakes115
Breakdown services, refer to
Roadside Assistance230
Breaking in the clutch114
Breaking in the differential,
refer to Engine and
differential114
Break-in period114

Everything from A - Z
250 Data, technical238
– dimensions239
– engine238
– weights240
"Date"76
Date
– setting76
– setting format76
"Date format"76
"Daytime running lamps"93
Daytime running lamps93
"Deactivated"44
Deactivating front passenger
airbags90
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking30
Defect
– door lock32
– fuel filler door204
– glass roof39
"Delete address book" in
navigation136
"Delete all numbers" on the
mobile phone187
"Delete data" in
navigation136
"Delete" for mobile
phone187
Destination address
– deleting136
– entering126,130
Destination for navigation
– destination list133
– entry126
– home address136
– manual entry126,130
– selecting from address
book135
– selecting using
information132
– selecting via language130
– selecting via map131
– storing134Destination guidance139
– canceling voice
instructions47
– changing specified
route137
– displaying route140
– distance and arrival139
– starting139
– terminating/continuing139
– voice instructions142
– volume of voice
instructions143
Destination list for navigation
system133
Destinations recently driven
to133
"Details" for audio mode173
"Dial" for mobile phone185
"Dial number"185
Digital clock67
Digital compass104
Digital radio, refer to High
Definition Radio159
Digital Versatile Disc, refer to
– Drive for navigation DVD152
Dimensions239
Directional indicators, refer to
Turn signals63
Direction instructions, refer to
Voice instructions142
Directory for navigation, refer
to Address book134
Displacement, refer to Engine
data238
Display, refer to iDrive
controls16
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting94
"Display off"21
Displays
– on the Control Display16
Displays, refer to Instrument
cluster12
Displays and controls10
Disposal
– coolant222
– remote control battery37
– vehicle battery228Distance remaining to service,
refer to Service
requirements72
"Distance to dest."70
Distance warning, refer to
Park Distance Control
PDC81
Door key, refer to Remote
control28
Door lock31
"Door locks"30,31,32,73
Doors, emergency
operation32
DOT Quality Grades208
Draft-free ventilation99
Drinks holders, refer to Cup
holders107
Drive for navigation DVD152
Drivelogic60
Drive mode58
Drive-off assistance, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC82
Drive-off assistant84
Drive position, engaging, refer
to Selector lever
positions57
Drive programs, refer to
Drivelogic60
Driving around a traffic
congestion146
Driving lamps, refer to Parking
lamps/low beams92
Driving notes114
Driving off on hills, refer to
Drive-off assistant84
Driving route, refer to
Displaying route140
Driving stability control
systems82
Driving through water115
Driving tips, refer to Driving
notes114
Dry air, refer to Cooling
function99
"DSC"48,83
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control82