maintenance BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2003 E46 Workshop Manual

101 Interior conveniences
Glove compartmentTo openPull the handle. The glove compartment
will light up.To closeFold up cover.
To prevent injury in the event of an
accident, close the glove com-
partment immediately after use. master key can also be used for unlock-
ing.
If – for example for valet parking –
you turn over only your door and
ignition key, refer to page 30, then
access to the glove compartment and
the luggage compartment is not possi-
ble.<
Storage compartmentsFront center armrestTo open: press the button and lift
upward – see arrow.Other compartments and netsYou will find additional storage areas in
the doors and in the center console
above the ashtray. Storage nets are
located on the backrests of the front
seats.
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Press lighter 1 in. As soon as the lighter
jumps back out, it can be removed.Cigarette lighter socketIt can be used for attaching power sup-
plies for flashlights, car vacuum clean-
ers and other similar appliances up to a
rating of approx. 200 watts at 12 volts.
Avoid damaging the socket due to
inserting plugs of different shapes or
sizes.
Ashtray, rear*To emptyPress on the edge of the raised cover in
the opening direction – see arrow. You
can now pull the ashtray upward for
removal.
Ashtray, front*
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105
5. Secure the cover panel with the
magnetic retainer on the rear wall
and pull out the ski bag.
Securing cargo
Secure skis and any other objects
stored in the bag by tightening the
retaining strap at the buckle.<
Please be sure that the skis are
clean before loading them into the
bag. Be careful to avoid damage from
sharp edges.<
Storing the ski bagTo store the ski bag, perform the above
steps in reverse sequence.
When reattaching the center
piece, guide both bars into the
guide and press the center piece back
into place. Secure the safety belts in
their holders again.<
Ski bag*
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107
Securing the cargo in the luggage
compartment >For small, light items, use the rubber-
lined non-skid side of the floor mat or
secure with a luggage compartment
net* or elastic straps, refer to page 37
>For large, heavy pieces, see your
BMW center for load-securing
devices*. Lashing fittings located in
the luggage compartment can be
used for fastening the load-securing
devices.
Comply with the information enclosed
with the load-securing devices.
Roof-mounted luggage rack for the hardtop*A special roof-rack system is available
as an optional extra for your BMW.
Please observe the precautions
included with the installation instruc-
tions.AnchoragesAccess to the mounting points:
To fold up the cover – see arrow –
please use the tool which is provided
with the luggage system.Loading and driving notesBecause roof racks raise the center of
gravity of the vehicle when loaded, they
exercise a major effect on its handling
and steering response.
When loading, be sure to remember not
to exceed the approved roof weight or
the approved gross vehicle weight or
the axle loads. You will find the specifi-
cations under Technical data on
page 152.
Make sure that the load is not too bulky,
and attempt to distribute it evenly.
Always load the heaviest pieces first so
that they are at the bottom. Make sure
that no objects get in the way when the
luggage compartment lid is opening or
closing.
Secure the roof-mounted luggage cor-
rectly and safely to prevent it from shift-
ing or being lost during driving.
Drive smoothly and avoid sudden
acceleration or braking. Do not corner
at high speeds.
Cargo loading
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109
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index
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111
Driving notes
Brakes: do not rest your foot on
the brake pedal while driving.
Even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.
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 surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and can lead to partial or com-
plete loss of traction, vehicle control
and braking effectiveness.
Driving through water: do not drive
through water on the road if it is deeper
than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at walk-
ing speed. Otherwise, the vehicle's
engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Antilock Brake System (ABS)The conceptThe Antilock Brake System (ABS) keeps
the wheels from locking during braking,
thereby enhancing active driving safety.Braking with ABSIf you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply maxi-
mum pedal pressure, panic stop. Since
the vehicle maintains steering respon-
siveness, you can avoid possible obsta-
cles with a minimum of steering effort,
despite the full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
to indicate to the driver that ABS is in
its active mode.Cornering Brake Control (CBC)CBC is an advanced engineering
design of the ABS. When braking while
cornering at high speed or braking dur-
ing high lateral acceleration, or when
braking during a lane change, vehicle
stability is improved and steering
response is enhanced.
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113
Hardtop*It is not necessary to remove the fabric
top even in the winter, when the hard-
top is generally in constant use. But you
can also remove it at any time with no
problem. Before the fabric top is stored
in the convertible top compartment, it
must be absolutely dry in order to avoid
water spot and mildew from forming.
The hardtop offers reading lamps and
clothing hooks that can be used just by
pressing. In addition, a roof-rack
assembly is possible. In this regard,
please contact your BMW center.
When suspending articles of
clothing from the hooks, be sure
that they will not obstruct the driver's
vision. Do not hang heavy objects on
the hooks. If you do so, they could
cause personal injury during braking or
evasive maneuvers.<
Two people are required for installation
or removal. Work with extreme caution
in order to avoid paint damage and
damage to the body or hardtop.
To facilitate hardtop installation or
removal, you can obtain a specially
designed hardtop lift* or hardtop rack*
at your BMW center.
Storage
Storing the hardtop on the floor:
slide the styrofoam block that
came with the hardtop forward to its
center. The arrow on top of the styro-
foam block has to be pointing upward
when you are doing this.<
Installation1. Lower the side windows completely
and flip the sun visors down. If nec-
essary, remove the antenna rod to
avoid any damage
2. Open the convertible top compart-
ment lid slightly by pressing the but-
ton for the convertible top operation,
refer to page 42
3. Remove the trim pieces on both
sides by pulling them off toward the
back – see arrow – and reclose the
convertible top compartment lid
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115 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressureInformation for your safetyThe factory-approved tires are matched
to your vehicle and have been selected
to provide optimum safety and driving
comfort when used properly.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and – above all else
– driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure.
Incorrect tire inflation pressure is
a frequent cause of tire damage. It
also significantly influences the road-
holding ability of your BMW. Check tire
inflation pressures on a regular basis,
refer to page 25, at least every two
weeks and before beginning a longer
trip. Incorrect tire pressure can other-
wise lead to driving instability, tire dam-
age and accidents.<
Tire conditionTire tread – tire damageInspect your tires frequently for tread
wear, signs of damage and for foreign
objects lodged in the tread. Check the
tread depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though
the legally specified minimum tread
depth is only 1/16 in / 1.6 mm.
Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at
relatively moderate speeds and with
only small amounts of water on the
road. Tread wear indicators in the
tread-groove base – see arrow – are
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-
wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At
a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the
indicators signal that the legally permis-
sible wear limit has been reached.
Do not drive on a deflated – flat –
tire. A flat tire greatly impairs
steering and braking response, and can
lead to complete loss of control over
the vehicle.
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that
the permitted load on the tires is not
exceeded. Overloading can lead to
overheating and internal tire damage.
You could have a blowout as a result.
Unusual vibrations encountered during
normal vehicle operation can indicate
tire failure or some other vehicle defect.
This type of problem can be caused by
contact with curbs, etc. This is also true
for irregularities in the vehicle's han-
dling characteristics, such as a pro-
nounced tendency to pull to the left or
right. Should this occur, respond by
immediately reducing your speed. Pro-
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117
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, under-inflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure. applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature ATire ageThe date on which the tire was manu-
factured is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT ... 3502 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in week 35 of the year
2002.
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires when the tires are no more than
6 years old, even if a tire life of 10 years
is possible.Following wheel/tire changesFollowing wheel and/or tire changes
you will need to reinitialize both the Flat
Tire Monitor and the sequential M gear-
box SMG II, refer to pages 75, 89.
Tire replacement
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119
Do not exceed specified
maximum speeds
Never exceed the maximum
speed for which the winter tires
are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. Your BMW center
will be glad to assist you with both their
expertise and the proper equipment for
your vehicle.<
Tire condition, tire pressureAt tread depth below approx. 3/16 in /
4 mm, their performance under winter
driving conditions deteriorates notice-
ably. Worn tires should therefore be
replaced for safety considerations.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures – and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assembly balanced
every time you change a tire or wheel.
Snow chains*Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and determined and
approved as roadworthy. Consult your
BMW center for more information.
BMW recommends using only these
approved fine-link snow chains. Use
them in pairs on winter tires, but only on
both rear wheels.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph /
50 km/h with snow chains.
After mounting or removing snow
chains, always reinitialize the sequential
M gearbox SMG II, refer to page 89.
It is not possible to mount snow
chains on tires with 18- and 19-
inch wheels.
Deactivate the Flat Tire Monitor when
using snow chains. Malfunction warn-
ings and undetected losses in pressure
are a possibility when driving with snow
chains.
For additional information, refer to
page 88.<
Winter tires
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