tow BMW M3 2010 Owners Manual

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
7
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your center, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Adminis-
trator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada,
Defect Investigations and Recalls, may call
1-800-333-0510 toll-free from anywhere in
Canada or 1-613-993-9851 from the Ottawa
region and from other countries, or contact
Transport Canada by mail at: Transport Can-
ada, ASFAD, Place de Ville, Tower C,
330 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0N5.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
25
Make sure that the closing path of the
trunk lid/tailgate is clear; otherwise, inju-
ries may result.<
Sedan
Sports Wagon
Sports Wagon: opening and closing the
rear window
Small items can be loaded and unloaded
quickly when the rear window is opened sepa-
rately.
When the button on the roller cover is
pressed, refer to page99, the roller cover
is raised. Before closing the rear window, press
the roller cover downward until it engages.<
Press the button: the rear window opens
slightly. It can now be swung upwards.Press the window shut to close it.
Make sure that the corners of any pointed
or sharp-edged cargo are padded if they
could bump against the rear window while the
vehicle is in motion; otherwise, the heating ele-
ments of the rear window could be damaged.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the trunk lid/tail-
gate is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior
motion sensor, refer to page26
>When the car's inclination changes, for
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to
towing away
>When there has been an interruption of
power supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry
attempts for a short time by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the trunk lid/tailgate even when
the alarm system is armed, by pressing the
button on the remote control, refer to page20.
The lid is locked and monitored again as soon
as you close it.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.

Opening and closing
26
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page19.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood, trunk lid/tailgate or rear win-
dow are not properly closed. Even if you do
not close the alerted area, the system
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and
the indicator lamp flashes continuously
after approx. 10 seconds. The interior
motion sensor and the tilt alarm sensor are
not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted in the
ignition, but for no longer than approx.
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must
be completely closed
*.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains,
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote control
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are switched off until
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-
cle without needing to hold the remote control
in your hand. All you need to do is wear the
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the trunk lid/tailgate separately
>Engine starting
>Convenient closing
Functional requirement
>The vehicle or the trunk lid/tailgate can only
be locked when the vehicle detects that the
remote control currently in use is outside of
the vehicle.
>The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked
again until after approx. 2 seconds.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
49
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
depress the brake until you are ready to
start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the button on the front of the
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you are driving in posi-
tion D.
Kickdown
Kickdown enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual operation
M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The sport program is activated and DS is dis-
played on the instrument cluster. This position
is recommended for a performance-oriented
driving style.
To deactivate the sport program or manual
mode M/S, move the selector lever to the right
into position D.
Shifting gears via the selector lever
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
When you press the selector lever forwards or
backwards, the manual mode is activated and

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
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
76
Active steering*
The concept
Active steering varies the turning angle of the
front wheels in relation to steering wheel move-
ments. It also varies the steering force required
to turn the wheels depending on the speed at
which you are driving.
When you are driving in the low road speed
range, e.g. in a town or when parking, the steer-
ing angle is increased, i.e. steering becomes
very direct and less effort is required to turn the
wheels. In the higher speed range, on the other
hand, the steering angle is reduced as the
speed increases. This improves the handling of
your BMW over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar-
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes. This stabilizing
intervention is simultaneously deactivated
when DSC is switched off, refer to page70.
Malfunction
The warning lamps come on. Active
steering is malfunctioning or is tem-
porarily deactivated. At low speeds,
greater steering wheel movements
are required, whereas at higher speeds the
vehicle reacts more sensitively to steering
wheel movements. The stability-enhancing
feature may also be deactivated. Drive cau-
tiously and think well ahead.
Deactivation
Active steering is deactivated to perform an ini-
tialization. A message indicates that the feature
is deactivated. Initialization may take several
minutes.
If the message does not disappear during the
current trip, have the system checked.
Defect
If there is a defect, a corresponding message
appears. Have the system checked.
Servotronic*
The concept
The Servotronic varies the steering force
required to turn the wheels relative to the vehi-
cle speed.
At low speeds, the steering force is strongly
assisted, i.e. less force is needed for steering.
As the vehicle speed increases, the steering
assisting power is reduced.
Malfunction
Malfunctions are displayed via Check Control,
refer to page67.
Brake Force Display
On the left: normal braking.
On the right: sharp braking.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
81
Adaptive light control*
The concept
Adaptive light control is a variable headlamp
control system that enables better illumination
of the road surface. Depending on the steering
angle and other parameters, the light from the
headlamp follows the course of the road.
Activating Adaptive Light Control
With the ignition switched on, turn the light
switch to position 3, refer to page79.
Standstill function
*: to avoid blinding oncoming
traffic, the adaptive light control directs light
towards the front passenger side when the
vehicle is at a standstill.
Adaptive light control is not active when revers-
ing.
Malfunction
The LED next to the symbol for automatic head-
lamp control flashes. Adaptive light control is
malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
High beams/roadside parking
lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
There is an additional option of switching on the
lamps on the side of the car facing the road
when parked.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the pressure point for a longer
period, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for
unduly long periods of time; otherwise, the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the
engine.<
Switching off
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the
pressure point, arrow 3.
High-beam assistant*
The concept
This system automatically switches the high
beams on and off. The procedure is controlled
by a sensor on the front of the interior rearview
mirror. The assistant ensures that the high
beams are switched on whenever the traffic sit-
uation allows. It handles this task for you and
gives you the benefit of the best possible view.
You can intervene at any time and switch the
high beams on and off as usual.
Activating the system
1.Turn the light switch to position3, refer to
page79.
2.With the low beams switched on, briefly
push the turn indicator lever in the direction
of the high beam.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the high beams
are activated. The system automati-
cally switches from high beams to low beams
and vice versa in response to oncoming traffic,
traffic ahead of you, and adequate ambient
lighting, e.g. on city streets.
Switching the high beams on and off
manually
Whenever you wish, or when the situation
requires, you can intervene:

Lamps
82 >If the high-beam assistant switches on the
high beams, but you would like to drive with
the low beams, simply switch off the high
beams using the turn indicator lever. This
deactivates the high-beam assistant.
To reactivate the system, briefly push the
turn indicator lever toward the high beams
again.
>If the high-beam assistant switches on the
low beams, but you would like to drive with
the high beams, switch on the high beams
as usual. This deactivates the system and
the high beams need to be switched off
manually, if necessary.
To reactivate the system, briefly push the
turn indicator lever toward the high beams
again.
>Use the headlamp flasher as usual with the
low beams switched on.
System limitations
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as
a substitute for the driver's personal judg-
ment of when to use the high beams. Therefore,
manually switch off the high beams in situations
where this is required to avoid a safety risk.<
The system is not fully functional in situations
such as the following, and driver intervention
may be necessary:
>In very unfavorable weather conditions,
such as fog or heavy precipitation
>In detecting poorly-lit road users, such as
pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and
wagons; when driving close to train or ship
traffic; and at animal crossings
>In tight curves, on hilltops or in depressions,
in cross traffic or half-obscured oncoming
traffic on highways
>In poorly lit towns and cities and in the pres-
ence of highly reflective signs
>At low speeds
>When the windshield in front of the interior
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov-
ered with stickers, etc.
>If the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor on
the front of the interior rearview mirror using a cloth moistened with a small amount of
glass cleaner.
Fog lamps
The parking lamps or low beams must
be switched on for the fog lamps to
operate. The green indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up whenever the
fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps are switched off while you acti-
vate the headlamp flasher or switch on the high
beams.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low
beams are switched on.
1.Push button 1 up or down repeatedly until
the appropriate symbol appears in the dis-
play, accompanied by the brightness set-
ting and scale the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.

Climate
84
Climate
Equipment versions
Depending on the equipment version, your car
has an air conditioner or an automatic climate
control system.
1Air conditioner85
2Automatic climate control
*87
Air vents
3Airflow directed toward the windshield and
side windows
4Air to the upper body area.
The thumbwheels smoothly open and close
the air supply. The levers alter the direction
of the airflow. For further details of draft-
free ventilation refer to page89.
5Air to the footwell

Climate
86
Rear window defroster
The defroster is switched off auto-
matically after a certain time.
Depending on your vehicle's
equipment, the upper wires serve
as an antenna and are not part of the rear win-
dow defroster.
Temperature
To increase the temperature, turn
the rotary switch clockwise
towards red.
For a lower temperature, turn the
rotary switch counterclockwise towards blue.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
1.Air distribution1 in position .
2.Deactivate recirculated-air mode 2.
3.Air volume control3 all the way to the right.
4.Switch on cooling function 4.
5.Temperature5 to the right, red.
6.Switch on rear window defroster 6 to
defrost the rear window .
Ventilation
1Use the thumbwheels to smoothly open
and close the air vents
2Use the lever to change the direction of the
airflow
Ventilation for cooling
Adjust the vent outlets to direct the flow of cool
air in your direction, for instance if it has become
too hot in the car.
Draft-free ventilation
Adjust the vents to let the air flow past you.
Microfilter
The microfilter removes dust and pollen from
the incoming air. The microfilter is changed by
your BMW center during routine maintenance
work.