instrument cluster BMW M3 2010 User Guide

Reference
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Mobility
57
Use good judgment to select the appro-
priate following distance given road con-
ditions, traffic, applicable laws and driving rec-
ommendations for safe following distance.
Otherwise, an accident risk could result.<
Deactivating cruise control
Press the lever upward or downward, arrow3.
The displays on the speedometer disappear.
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-
vated:
>When you brake the vehicle
>When the speed is reduced to below
20 mph or 30 km/h due to a traffic situation
>When you switch gears very slowly or shift
to neutral in cars with manual transmission
>When you select the automatic transmis-
sion's neutral position N
>When you activate the Dynamic Traction
Control DTC
>When you deactivate the Dynamic Stability
Control DSC
>When DSC or ABS is intervening
>When the system does not recognize any
objects for a longer period of time, e.g. on
infrequently traveled roads without a shoul-
der or guard rails, or if the radar sensor is
covered with dirt, refer to page58
>When you apply the parking brake
When the system is deactivated, you
must brake the vehicle yourself and/or
maneuver as necessary; otherwise, there is a
risk of accidents.<
Warning lamp
The warning lamp comes on when
active cruise control has been auto-
matically deactivated, for example
due to a driving speed below 20 mph or
30 km/h or a DSC intervention.
Resuming stored desired speed and
distance
Briefly press the button, arrow 4.
The stored speed and distance are regained
and maintained.
In the following instances, the stored speed is
deleted and can no longer be resumed:
>When driving stability control systems are
intervening
>In cars with manual transmission: when you
shift gears very slowly or shift to neutral
>In cars with automatic transmission: when
you engage selector lever position N
>When the ignition is switched off
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2Shows yellow: vehicle detected ahead
Flashes in red: system cannot maintain dis-
tance; driver must brake the vehicle
Flashes in yellow: driving stability control
systems are intervening; cruise control is
deactivated
3Selected distance to vehicle ahead
The indicator lights up as soon as the sys-
tem is activated.
4Selected desired speed is temporarily dis-
played

Driving
58 If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears
in the instrument cluster display, it is pos-
sible that the system prerequisites for operation
are currently not met. Calling up Check Control
messages, refer to page68.<
Warning lamps
The indicator2 flashes in red; a
signal sounds.
The system indicates that you
must brake and/or maneuver the
vehicle yourself. Active cruise con-
trol cannot automatically restore the distance to
the vehicle ahead.
This indicator does not release you from your
responsibility to adapt your desired speed and
driving style to prevailing driving conditions.
The indicator 2 flashes in yellow.
The prerequisites for operating
active cruise control are not met,
e.g. as a result of ABS or DSC
interventions. Active cruise control
is deactivated. You can reactivate the system, if
desired, by tapping or pulling the lever when
road and traffic conditions permit. It is not pos-
sible to resume a stored speed.
Radar sensor
The sensor's ability to detect vehicles ahead
may be restricted as a result of heavy rain, dirt,
snow or ice. If necessary, clean the radar sensor
located in the front bumper, see arrow. Be sure
to use particular care when removing any layers
of snow or ice from the sensor.
The system cannot be activated if the sensor is
incorrectly aligned.
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply with
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-
erned by the following:
FCC ID:
NF3 ACC2SCU 003YK04001 0000
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
>This device must not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could void the
user’s authority to operate this equipment.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp comes on when
the system has failed. More informa-
tion can be found beginning on
page160.

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61
Controls overview
Odometer, outside
temperature display, clock
1Knob in the instrument cluster
2Outside temperature display and clock
3Odometer and trip odometer
Knob in the instrument cluster
>To reset the trip odometer while the ignition
is switched on
>To display the time, outside temperature
and odometer briefly while the ignition is
switched off
Units of measure
T o s e l e c t t h e r e s p e c t i v e u n i t s o f m e a s u r e , m i l e s
or km for the odometer as well as 7 or 6 for
the outside temperature, refer to page64.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Time, outside temperature display
Setting the time, refer to page67.
Outside temperature warning
When the displayed temperature sinks to
approx. +377/+36, a signal sounds and a
warning lamp lights up. There is an increased
risk of black ice.
Black ice can also form at temperatures
above +377/+36. You should there-
fore drive carefully on bridges and shaded roads, for example; otherwise, there is an
increased risk of an accident.<
Odometer and trip odometer
Resetting the trip odometer:
With the ignition switched on, press button1 in
the instrument cluster.
When the vehicle is parked
If you still want to view the time, outside tem-
perature and odometer reading briefly after the
remote control has been taken out of the igni-
tion lock:
Press button 1 in the instrument cluster.
Tachometer
Never force the engine speed up into the red
warning field, see arrow. In this range, the fuel
supply is interrupted to protect the engine.

Controls overview
62
Coolant temperature
A warning lamp will come on if the coolant, and
therefore the engine, becomes too hot.
Check coolant level, refer to page140.
Energy Control*
Displays the current fuel consumption. This
allows you to see whether your current driving
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.
Engine oil temperature*
When the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature, the engine oil temperature is between
approx. 2107/1006 and approx. 3007/
1506.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a warn-
ing lamp comes on in the instrument cluster.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 16.1 gallons/
61 liters.
You can find information on refueling on
page115.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period,
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
Reserve
Once the fuel level has fallen to the reserve
zone of approx. 2.1 US gallons/8 liters for gaso-
line engines and approx. 1.7 US gallons/
6.5 liters for diesel engines, the indicator lamp
and the cruising range for the remaining
amount of fuel are displayed briefly. The indica-
tor lamp remains permanently on when the
remaining range is less than approx. 30 miles/
50 km.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km; otherwise, engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<

Reference
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63
Computer
Displays in the instrument cluster
Calling up information
Press the button in the turn indicator lever.
The following items of information are dis-
played in the order listed:
>Cruising range
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
>Current fuel consumption
*
>No information
To set the corresponding units of measure,
refer to Formats and units of measure on
page64.
Cruising range
Displays the estimated cruising range available
with the remaining fuel. The range is calculated
on the basis of the way the car has been driven
over the last 18 miles/30 km and the amount of
fuel currently in the tank.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km; otherwise, engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Average speed
Periods with the vehicle parked and the engine
switched off are not included in the calculations
of average speed.
To reset average speed: press the button in the
turn indicator lever for approx. 2 seconds.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for
the time during which the engine is running.
To reset average fuel consumption: press the
button in the turn indicator lever for approx.
2seconds.
Current fuel consumption*
Displays the current fuel consumption. This
allows you to see whether your current driving
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.

Controls overview
66 The extent of service work required can
be read out from the remote control by
your BMW Service Advisor.<
For certain maintenance operations, you can
view the respective distance remaining or due
date individually in the instrument cluster.
1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page46.
2.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up
or down repeatedly until the appropriate
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the words "SERVICE-INFO".
3.Press button 2.
4.Use button 1 to scroll through the individual
service items.
Possible displays
1Button for selecting functions
2Service requirements
3Engine oil
4Roadworthiness test
*
5Front brake pads
6Rear brake pads7Brake fluid
The sequence of displayed service items may
vary. The data for the next service appointment
is shown first.

Reference
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67
Clock
Setting the time
To set the 12h/24h mode, refer to Formats and
units of measure on page64.
1.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up
or down repeatedly until the appropriate
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the time and the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Use button 1 to set the hours.
4.Press button 2 to confirm the entry.
5.Use button 1 to set the minutes.
6.Press button 2 to confirm the entry.
7.Press button 2.
The system accepts the new time.
Date
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile on
page18.
Setting the date
To set the dd/mm or mm/dd date format, refer
to Formats and units of measure on page64.1.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up
or down repeatedly until the appropriate
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the date and the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Use button 1 to set the day of the month.
4.Press button 2 to confirm the entry.
5.Set the month and the year in the same way.
6.Press button 2.
The system stores the new date.
Check Control
The concept
The Check Control monitors vehicle functions
and alerts you to any malfunctions in the sys-
tems monitored. This type of Check Control
message includes indicator and warning lamps
in the instrument cluster and, in some cases, an
acoustic signal.
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a
variety of combinations and colors.
Several of the lamps are checked for proper
functioning and light up temporarily when the
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.

Reference
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Mobility
69
Technology for driving comfort and safety
Park Distance Control PDC*
The concept
The PDC assists you with maneuvering in tight
parking spaces. Acoustic signals warn you of
the presence of an object behind your vehicle.
To measure the distance, there are four ultra-
sonic sensors in either bumper.
An acoustic warning does not sound until an
object is closer than approx. 2 ft/60 cm to the
corner sensors, or closer than approx. 5 ft/
1.50 m to 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 or move the
automatic transmission selector lever to
position R. Wait this short period before driving.
Switching off automatically
After approx. 55 yd/50 m of driving or above
approx. 20 mph/approx. 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 remain 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. 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 1 ft/30 cm.
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstructions always remains
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind spot in which objects can
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those
encountered with trailer towbars and hitches,
thin or wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low objects
that have already been displayed, e.g. curbs,
can disappear again from the detection area of
the sensors before or after a continuous tone
sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g. ledges,
cannot be detected. Therefore, always drive
cautiously; otherwise, there is a risk of personal
injury or property damage.
Loud sound sources outside or inside the car
can drown out the PDC signal. Therefore,
always drive cautiously; otherwise, there is a
risk of personal injury or property damage.<

Technology for driving comfort and safety
70
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW has a number of systems that help
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in
adverse driving conditions.
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page108.
Electronic brake-force distribution
EBV
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. The system also recognizes unstable
driving conditions, for example if the rear of the
car is about to swerve or if momentum is acting
at an angle past the front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
output and through braking actions at the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style always remains the responsibility of the
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional
safety margin again by taking risks, as this could
result in an accident.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-
cator lamps for DSC in the instrument cluster
light up. Dynamic Traction Control DTC and
DSC have been simultaneously deactivated.
Stabilizing and drive-output promoting actions
are no longer executed.
In the same way as with a differential interlock
*,
even if DSC is deactivated, brake actions are
still performed to enhance drive output if the
drive wheels experience a significant loss of
traction.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button again; the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
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.
Dynamic Traction Control DTC
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions,
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC
under the following special circumstances:

Reference
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71
>When driving uphill on snow-covered roads,
in slush or on unplowed, snow-covered
roads
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow or on loose ground
>When driving with snow chains
Activating DTC
Press the button; the indicator lamps for DTC in
the instrument cluster come on.
For better control
If the indicator lamp flashes:
DTC is regulating the drive and brak-
ing forces.
If the indicator lamps are on:
DTC has been activated.
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
xDrive*
xDrive is your BMW's four-wheel-drive system.
The combined efforts of xDrive and DSC help to
further optimize traction and driving dynamics.
The xDrive four-wheel-drive system distributes
driving power variably to the front and rear axles
depending on the driving situation and road
conditions.
Hill Descent Control HDC*
HDC is a downhill driving assistant that controls
your speed on steep downhill gradients and
makes it even easier to control your BMW's
handling under these conditions. The vehicle then moves slightly faster than double walking
speed without the driver needing to intervene.
HDC can be activated as long as you are driving
under approx. 20 mph or 35 km/h. When driving
downhill at a speed of under approx. 20 mph or
35 km/h, the vehicle's speed is automatically
reduced to slightly more than double walking
speed and maintained.
Increasing or decreasing speed
By accelerating or braking you can change this
speed within a range from approx. 3 to 15 mph,
approx. 5 to 25 km/h.
You can specify a target speed within the same
range using the cruise control
* lever on the
steering column.
1To increase speed
2To decrease speed
Activating HDC
Press the button; the LED lights up.
When the vehicle is being braked automatically,
the LED flashes.
Deactivating HDC
Press the button again; the LED goes out.