tow BMW M3 2011 Owner's Guide

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What to do if …
What to do if …
>The current position cannot be displayed?
The position is in an unrecognized region, in
a poor reception area, or the system is in the
process of determining the position.
Reception is generally available when you
are in the open.
>The destination guidance does not accept
an address without the street name?
A downtown area cannot be determined for
the town or city that has been entered. Input
any street in the selected town/city and
start destination guidance.
>The destination guidance does not accept a
destination?
The destination data is not contained in the
navigation data. Choose a destination as
close as possible to the original one.
>The letters for a destination cannot be
selected during destination entry?
The stored data do not contain the data of
the destination. Select a destination that is
as close as possible to the original.
>The map view is displayed in grayscale?
When the traffic bulletin map is activated,
the Control Display changes to a grayscale
display. This enables a better view of the
traffic bulletins.
>Voice instructions are no longer issued
before intersections during destination
guidance?
The area has not been fully recorded yet, or
you have left the recommended route and
the system requires a few seconds to calcu-
late a new route suggestion.

195
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Inserting/removing the
snap-in adapter*
1.Press button1 and remove the cover.
2.Insert the snap-in adapter in the front and
press it downward until it engages.
To remove the snap-in adapter:
Press button 1.
Inserting mobile phone
1.If applicable, remove the protective cap
from the mobile phone's antenna connector
so that the mobile phone can engage in the
snap-in adapter.
2.With its buttons facing upward, slide the
mobile phone up towards the electrical con-
tact points and press it downward until it
engages.
The mobile phone's battery is charged as soon
as the vehicle is in radio readiness or the steer-
ing is unlocked.
To conserve vehicle battery power, you
should avoid using the mobile phone
when the ignition is switched off.<
Removing mobile phone
Press the button.

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heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either sep-
arately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.<
RSC – run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page220.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Designation for specially reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 0.12 in/
3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 in/
3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small amounts of
water are present on the road surface.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter conditions. In the interest of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove
are distributed around the tire's circumference;
the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. Once the tire tread has
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has
worn to a depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazard and consequential dam-
ages.
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by driving over curbs. The same
applies to any other abnormal road behavior,
such as pulling severely to the right or left.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so, drive carefully to the
nearest BMW center or tire shop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If necessary,
have the vehicle towed there.
Otherwise, tire damage can pose a lethal hazard
to vehicle occupants and other road users.<

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Replacing components
Onboard vehicle tool kit
Coupe
The onboard vehicle tool kit is stored in a com-
partment on the right-hand side of the cargo
area. Remove the cover.
Convertible
The onboard vehicle tool kit is stored in a pouch
under the cargo area floor panel.
Wiper blades
1.Fold out the wiper arm and hold it.
2.Press together the locking spring, arrows1,
and fold out the wiper blade, arrow2.
3.Take the wiper blade out of the catch mech-
anism, pulling the blade toward the front.
To avoid damage, make sure that the
wiper arms are against the windshield
before you open the engine compartment.<
Lamps and bulbs
Lamps and bulbs make an essential contribu-
tion to vehicle safety. They should, therefore,
be handled carefully. BMW recommends hav-
ing your BMW center perform any work that you
do not feel competent to perform yourself or
that is not described here.
Never touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare fingers, as even minute
amounts of contamination will burn into the
bulb's surface and reduce its service life. Use a
clean tissue, cloth or something similar, or hold
the bulb by its base.<
You can obtain a selection of replacement bulbs
at your BMW center.
Only change bulbs while they are cool to
the touch; otherwise, you could suffer
burns.<
When working on electrical systems,
always begin by switching off the con-
sumer in question; otherwise, short-circuits
could result. To avoid possible injury or equip-
ment damage when replacing bulbs, observe
any instructions provided by the bulb manu-
facturer.<
For care of the headlamps, please follow the
instructions in the chapter entitled 'Care'.
If the routine for changing a particular
bulb is not described here, please contact
your BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.<
Light-emitting diodes LED
Light-emitting diodes installed behind translu-
c e n t l e n s e s s e r v e a s t h e l i g h t s o u r c e f o r m a n y o f
the controls, displays, and equipment in your
vehicle. These light-emitting diodes, which
operate using a concept similar to that applied
in conventional lasers, are officially designated
as Class 1 light-emitting diodes.

Replacing components
234 Do not remove the covers or expose the
eyes directly to the unfiltered light source
for several hours; otherwise, this could cause
irritation of the retina.<
Headlight lenses
In cool or humid weather, condensation may
form on the interior of outside lamps. When the
light is switched on, the condensation will dis-
appear after a short time. The headlight lenses
do not need to be replaced.
At high humidities, e.g. water droplets may form
in the lights; have these checked by your BMW
center.,
Xenon lamps
These bulbs have a very long service life and are
highly unlikely to fail. If a xenon lamp fails never-
theless, switch on the fog lamps and continue
the journey with great care, provided that local
legislation does not prohibit this.
Have any work on the xenon lamp system,
including bulb replacements, performed
only by a BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise, if
such work is carried out improperly, the high
voltage in the system presents the danger of
fatal injuries.<
Access to the lamps
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote
control out of the ignition lock.
2.Remove the upper cover from the head-
lamp. To do so, use a screwdriver to press
the catches towards the rear, see arrows,
and pull the cover forward and out.Follow the same steps in reverse order to reat-
tach the cover.
Be careful when installing the cover; oth-
erwise, leaks could occur and cause dam-
age to the headlamp system.<
Parking lamps and roadside parking
lamps, daytime running lights*
These lamps use LED technology for operation.
If they malfunction, please contact your BMW
center.
Corner-illuminating lamp*
H3 bulb, 55 watts
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote
control out of the ignition lock.
2.Remove the cover, refer to Access to the
lamps.
3.Push the wire bracket out of the anchor
towards the right and fold it up.
4.Disconnect the plug, change the bulb and
reconnect the plug.
5.Insert the bulb.
6.Fold the wire bracket down and engage it.
7.Reattach the cover.
Turn signals, front
These lamps use LED technology for operation.
If they malfunction, please contact your BMW
center.

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Side turn signals
W5W bulb, 5 watts
1.Press the front edge of the lamp toward the
rear with your fingertip, arrow1 and pivot it
out, arrow2.
2.While simultaneously lifting the retaining
tab, rotate bulb holder to the left and
remove.
3.Remove lamp and replace it.
To install, insert rear end of the lamp and press
into place at the front.
Tail lamps
Coupe: at a glance
The tail lamps are divided in two parts. One part
is in the trunk lid, the other is in the fender.
1Backup lamp
2Brake lamp
3Parking/tail lamps
4Turn signal
5Brake Force Display lamp
6Parking/tail lamps
Convertible: at a glance
The tail lamps are divided in two parts. One part
is in the trunk lid, the other is in the fender.
1Backup lamp
2Brake lamp
3Parking/tail lamps
4Turn signal
5Brake Force Display lamp
6Parking/tail lamps
Backup lamp
If these lamps malfunction, please contact your
BMW center.
Turn signal, brake, license plate,
parking, and tail lamps
These lamps use LED technology for operation.
If they malfunction, please contact your BMW
center.
Coupe: two-stage brake light in the
trunk lid
H21W bulb, 21 watts

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Tow-starting, towing away
Observe the applicable laws and
regulations for tow-starting and towing
vehicles.<
Do not transport any passengers other
than the driver in a vehicle that is being
towed.<
Using a tow fitting
The screw-in tow fitting must always be carried
in the car. It can be screwed in at the front or
rear of the BMW.
Coupe: it is stored in the onboard vehicle tool kit
underneath the cover on the right-hand side of
the cargo area, refer to page233.
Convertible: it is stored in the onboard vehicle
tool kit underneath the cargo area floor, refer to
page233.
Use only the tow fitting provided with the
vehicle and screw it all the way in. Use the
tow fitting for towing on paved roads only. Avoid
lateral loading of the tow fitting, e.g. do not lift
the vehicle by the tow fitting. Otherwise, the
tow fitting and the vehicle could be damaged.<
Access to screw thread
Release the cover panel in the bumper:
Press on the upper part of the cover panel.
Front
Rear
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on,
refer to page55; otherwise, the low-beam
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. Active
steering is not active and it will be necessary to
turn the steering wheel further.<
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
Automatic transmission
Selector lever in position N.
Changing selector lever positions, refer to
page58.
Do not exceed a towing speed of 45 mph
or 70 km/h and a towing distance of
90 miles/150 km; otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged.<

Giving and receiving assistance
242
Sports automatic transmission with
double clutch
Make sure that the parking lock P is not
engaged; otherwise, the rear wheels are
immobilized.
When using the car wash function, refer to
page230, make sure that after approx.
30 minutes, the parking lock P is automatically
engaged and thus immobilizes the rear wheels.
In the event of an electrical malfunction or if the
vehicle must be towed for more than approx.
20 minutes, unlock the parking lock manually,
refer to page63.<
When towing, do not exceed a maximum
speed of 30 mph or 50 km/h and a maxi-
mum distance traveled of 30 miles/50 km; oth-
erwise, the transmission may be damaged.<
BMW recommends transporting the vehicle on
a tow truck with a flatbed or towing with the rear
axle raised.
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: vehicle without xDrive
Manual and automatic transmission:
Sports automatic transmission with
double clutch:
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar, or on a flatbed.
Do not tow the vehicle with just the rear axle
raised as this may cause the steering to turn.

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With a tow truck: vehicle with xDrive
Do not tow a BMW with xDrive with just
the front or rear axle raised; otherwise, the
wheels could lock up and the transfer case
could be damaged.<
Have the BMW transported on a flatbed surface
only.
Tow-starting
Avoid tow-starting the vehicle whenever possi-
ble; instead, jump-start the engine, refer to
page239Vehicles with a catalytic converter
should only be tow-started when the engine is
cold; vehicles with an automatic transmission or
Sports automatic transmission with double
clutch cannot be tow-started at all.
1.Switch on hazard warning flashers, comply
with local regulations.
2.Switch on the ignition, refer to page55.
3.Shift into 3rd gear.
4.Have the vehicle tow-started with the clutch
depressed and slowly release the clutch.
After the engine starts, immediately
depress the clutch completely again.
5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope and switch off the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
6.Have the vehicle checked.
With xDrive: do not activate Hill Descent
Control HDC when the vehicle is being
tow-started, page91.<

Everything from A to Z
258
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System89
ACC, refer to Active cruise
control68
Acceleration assistant, refer to
Launch Control64
Accident, refer to Sending an
Emergency Request238
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate
control109
Active Cruise Control
– indicator lamp71
– malfunction72
– selecting distance70
– sensor72
Active cruise control68
Active steering96
Adaptive brake light
– Brake Force Display97
Adaptive light control102
Additives
– coolant226
Address, entering135,141
Address for navigation
– entering135
Adjusting temperature inside
the car, refer to Automatic
climate control107
Adjusting the thigh support43
Airbags98
– indicator/warning lamp99
– sitting safely42
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate
control107
– ventilation109
Air distribution
– automatic107
Airing, refer to Ventilation109Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure208
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode108
Air supply
– automatic climate
control107
– ventilation109
Air vents106
Air volume108
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications207
Alarm system32
– avoiding unintentional
alarms33
– interior motion sensor33
– switching off an alarm32
– tilt alarm sensor33
Albums of music
collection174
ALL program108
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires221
All-wheel drive, refer to
xDrive90
AM, waveband157
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode108
Antenna for mobile phone184
Antifreeze
– coolant226
– washer fluid66
Antilock Brake System
ABS89
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system32
Anti-theft system27
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights249
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights249
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest115Arrival time, refer to
Computer77
Ashtray117
Assist systems, refer to
Driving stability control89
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control108
Audible instructions, refer to
Spoken instructions146
Audio154
– controls154
– switching on/off154
– tone control154
– volume154
Audio device, external115
Automatic
– air distribution107
– air volume107
– cruise control66,68
– headlamp control101
Automatic car washes229
Automatic climate control106
Automatic curb monitor50
Automatic high beams and
low beams, refer to High-
beam assistant103
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC108
Automatic Service
Request202
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic58
– interlock58
– overriding selector lever
lock59
– shiftlock, refer to Changing
selector lever position58
– sport program59
– towing
241
– tow-starting241
AUTO program for automatic
climate control107