display BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2003 E46 Owner's Manual

Contents

9

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags57
Transporting children safely59
Rollover protection system63
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory65

Driving:

Ignition lock66
Starting engine and driving
off67
Switching off the engine69
Parking brake69
Manual transmission70
Sequential M gearbox
SMG II*71
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher76
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*77
Cruise control78

Everything under control:

Odometer80
Tachometer80
Temperature gauge80
Fuel gauge81
Engine coolant temperature
gauge81
Service interval display82
Check Control82
Clock83
Computer84

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*86
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)87
Flat Tire Monitor88
M Engine dynamics control91

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams92
Instrument lighting93
High beams/Standing lamps93
Fog lamps94
Interior lamps94
Reading lamps94

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control96

Interior conveniences:

Glove compartment101
Storage compartments101
Cellular phone*102
Ashtray, front*102
Ashtray, rear*103

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag*104
Cargo loading106
Roof-mounted luggage rack for
the hardtop*107

Operation, maintenance

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures110
Driving notes111
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)111
Brake system112
Hardtop*113

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure115
Tire condition115
Tire replacement116
Wheel and tire
combinations118
Winter tires118
Snow chains*119

In the engine compartment:

Hood120
Engine compartment
essentials122
Washer fluids124
Engine oil124
Coolant126
Brake fluid127

Maintenance:

The BMW Maintenance
System128

Laws and regulations:

California Proposition 65
warning130
OBD interface socket130

Controls and features

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17
1Fuel gauge81
2Turn signal indicator20
3Speedometer
4Indicator and warning lamps18
to 21
5Tachometer and engine oil
temperature gauge80
6Engine coolant temperature
gauge81
7Indicator and warning lamps18
to 21
8Clock reset

>

Clock83

>

Unit of measure of outside
temperature display84
9Display for sequential M gearbox
SMG II72
10 Indicator lamp for Dynamic Stability
Control (DSC)87
11 Display for

>

Trip odometer80

>

Clock83

>

Service interval82

>

Computer84
12 Check Control82
13 Trip odometer, reset to zero80
14 Indicator and warning lamps18
to 21

Instrument cluster

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39
Indicator lamp displays>The indicator lamp below the interior
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when it is
armed: the door(s), the hood or lug-
gage compartment lid are not com-
pletely closed. Even if you do not
close the alerted area, the remaining
areas are deadlocked, and the indi-
cator lamp flashes continuously after
ten seconds. However, the interior
motion sensor is not activated
>If the indicator lamp goes out when
the system is disarmed: no manipula-
tion or attempted intrusions have
been detected in the period since the
system was armed
>If the indicator lamp flashes for
ten seconds when the system is dis-
armed: an attempted entry has been
detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Avoiding unintentional alarmsThe tilt alarm sensor and interior motion
sensor may be deactivated at the same
time. You can do this to prevent a false
alarm from being triggered in garages
with elevator ramps, for instance, or
when the vehicle is transported by train:
Lock the vehicle twice to arm the sys-
tem. Press button on the remote control
twice in succession or lock the vehicle
twice with the key.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm
sensor and the interior motion sensor
are deactivated as long as the system is
armed.Interior motion sensor*Deactivate the interior motion sensor –
see Avoiding unintentional alarms – if
persons or animals are left in the vehi-
cle.
The tilt and interior motion sen-
sors are inadvertently switched off
when convenience closing of the win-
dows is interrupted within the first
10 seconds and then started again. If
this happens, they must be disarmed
and reactivated.<
Alarm system*
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64
3. Keep pressing down on the protec-
tive bar from on top – see arrow 1 –
until you hear it click into place
4. Put the cover panel back in place
and press down firmly
5. Push the back panel of the head
restraint closed – see arrow 2.
Do the same for the second protective
bar. If you are not familiar with any of
the procedures, consult your BMW
center.
Have the rollover protection system
checked out by your BMW center after
it has been inadvertently triggered.
Do not move the convertible top
under any circumstances if the
rollover protection system has
extended.
Do not use the rear head restraints as
storage shelves.
Absolutely no modifications are to be
made to any of the rollover protection
system's individual components or any
of its wiring.
Only your BMW center is to carry out
any work on the rollover protection sys-
tem.
Work done on the system that is carried
out improperly could lead to failure in
an emergency or accidental airbag acti-
vation.
Regarding having the system checked
to ensure long-term operation: be scru-
pulous in adhering to the Service Inter-
val Display for maintenance intervals.
Every two years at the latest, the roll-
over protection system must be
inspected by a BMW center.<
Rollover protection system
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65
Vehicle Memory, Key MemoryHow the system functionsYou have probably frequently wished
that you could configure individual
functions of your vehicles to reflect your
own personal requirements. In engi-
neering your vehicle, BMW has pro-
vided for a number of options for per-
sonal adjustment that can be
programmed into your vehicle at your
BMW center.
The available configuration data fall into
two categories, according to whether
their primary orientation is the vehicle –
Vehicle Memory – or the individual –
Key Memory. You can have up to four
different basic settings adjusted for four
different persons. The only require-
ment is that each person uses his or her
own remote control key.
When your vehicle is unlocked with the
remote control, the vehicle recognizes
the individual user by means of a data
exchange with the key, and makes
adjustments accordingly.
In order for you to distinguish between
different keys, colored decals are sup-
plied together with the keys.What the system can doYour BMW center can provide you with
details on the possibilities that the Vehi-
cle and Key Memory systems offer.
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various signals that can serve as
acknowledgment for locking and
unlocking the vehicle, refer to
page 31
>Activates/deactivates the Follow me
home lamps function, refer to
page 92
>Activates/deactivates daytime driv-
ing lamps, refer to page92
>Sets the units of measure for display-
ing time, outside temperature, dis-
tance traveled and fuel consumption
in the instrument cluster.
>Indicates via an acoustic tone that
PDC has been activated, refer to
page 86>Switches on rear window defroster
automatically, refer to page 99
>After giving an ice warning, the dis-
play returns to the previous setting,
refer to page 84.
Examples for Key Memory:
>Locks the vehicle automatically after
you start off, refer to page 34
>Automatically moves the seat and
outside mirror into position for the
programmed driver when unlocking
the vehicle, refer to page 53
>Automatic tilting of the passenger-
side mirror, refer to page 54
>After the engine is started, calls up
the last selected driving program for
each shifting mode, refer to page 74.
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to
remind you at appropriate places of the
settings that are available to you.<
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67
Starting engine and driving off
Do not allow the engine to warm
up by leaving it running while the
vehicle remains stationary. Instead,
drive off immediately at a moderate
engine speed.<
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. Otherwise,
breathing the exhaust fumes can lead
to unconsciousness and death. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monox-
ide, an odorless and colorless, but
highly toxic gas. Do not leave the vehi-
cle unattended with the engine running.
An unattended vehicle with a running
engine represents a safety hazard.<
If the engine does not start on the first
attempt, such as when it is very hot or
cold:
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at very low temperatures
below about 57/–156 and at high
altitudes above 3,300 ft/1,000 m:
>On the first start attempt, it may be
necessary to engage the starter for a
longer period, but no longer than
20 seconds.
Extended starting attempts, char-
acterized by excessively frequent
or long periods with the starter
engaged, can damage the catalytic
converter.<
When driving, standing at idle,
and parking the vehicle, take care
to avoid contact between the hot
exhaust system and flammable materi-
als – grass, hay, leaves, etc. Such con-
tact could lead to a fire, resulting in
serious personal injury and property
damage.<
Manual transmission1. Engage the parking brake
2. Gearshift lever in idling position
3. Press the clutch pedal at low tem-
peratures
4. Start the engine. Do not press the
accelerator pedal. Do not actuate the
starter for too short a time. Do not
turn it for more than approx.
20 seconds. Release the ignition key
immediately when the engine starts.Sequential M gearbox SMG II1. Depress footbrake
2. Move selector lever into position 0
3. Start the engine. Do not actuate the
starter for too short a time. Do not
turn it for more than approx.
20 seconds. Release the ignition key
immediately when the engine starts
4. Engage a driving position
5. Release footbrake and slowly
depress accelerator pedal.
With the engine running, the gear
indicator in the SMG display
flashes to indicate that a driving posi-
tion is engaged with the driver's door
open or if the hood is not closed prop-
erly, refer to page 72.
If none of the pedals is actuated, then
the gearbox is automatically taken out
of gear after approx. 4 seconds. Then
the desired direction of travel must be
selected again with the selector lever in
position 0. Driving off is not possible
with the hood open.<
Before exiting the vehicle with the
engine running, move the selector
lever into position 0 and apply the park-
ing brake.
Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a safety hazard.<
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69
Switching off the engine
You should never remove the igni-
tion key when the vehicle is in
motion, as the steering lock could
engage.
When you leave the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key and engage the
steering lock.<
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on downhill roads.
Engaging a gear may not sufficiently
secure the vehicle against rolling.<
Manual transmissionTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.Sequential M gearbox SMG IIIf you turn the ignition key to position 1
or 0 with the selector lever in the for-
ward or reverse position, a gear auto-
matically remains engaged.
If you turn the ignition key to position 1
or 0 with the selector lever in position 0,
a warning tone and the flashing gear
indicator in the SMG display remind you
that the vehicle is not secured against
rolling.
The warning stops after approx. ten
seconds. If you move the selector lever
into a forward or reverse position dur-
ing this time, a gear is automatically
engaged.
Parking brakeThe parking brake is designed primarily
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
it is parked. It operates against the rear
wheels.To engageThe detent engages automatically, and
the indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when the ignition key
is in position 2, refer to page 18.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button – see arrow – and lower the
lever.
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71
Sequential M gearbox SMG II*The conceptThe sequential M gearbox SMG II is an
automated manual gearbox with which
clutching and shifting is assumed by an
electro-hydraulic system.
The SMG II is operated via two shift
paddles on the steering wheel and the
selector lever in the center console.
It offers the following functions:
>Sequential and automated shifting
mode
>Ability to choose between different
driving programs, Drivelogic
>Gradient assistance, refer to page 74
>Upshift display and shift lights, refer
to page 75
>RPM matching on downshifts
>Driving dependent functions:
The respective driving situation, e.g.
cornering, mountain driving or brak-
ing, is detected by sensors and taken
into account for shifting, e.g. to
achieve optimum gear selection dur-
ing deceleration and subsequent
acceleration
>Slip recognition at the rear axle for
increasing driving stability, e.g. dur-
ing downshifting on slippery road
surfaces
>Operating safety through protection
against misshifting.Under normal operating conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
the first driving program of the auto-
mated shifting mode.
Selector lever positionR: Reverse position
0: Position 0 (Neutral)
Forward position with one-touch mode:
>S: sequential mode
>A: automated mode
>+: upshifting in sequential mode
>–: downshifting in sequential mode.
The SMG II is ready for operation from
ignition key position two or higher.
For your safety, it is only possible to
engage a driving position with the vehi-
cle stopped approx. 2 seconds after
engaging position 0 with the footbrake
depressed – Shiftlock function.
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72
Display in instrument clusterThe selector lever position, currently
engaged gear and selected driving pro-
gram are displayed in the instrument
cluster.
1Engaged gear
2Selected driving program, corre-
sponds to the number of illuminated
fields, refer to page 74
3Tapping the selector lever to the right
switches over into the displayed shift
mode
4"A" indicates an activated automated
shift mode
R – Reverse positionOnly engage with the vehicle stopped
or at low speed, e.g. for rocking free in
deep snow.
An intermittent signal tone indi-
cates that the reverse position has
been engaged.<0 – Position 0 (Neutral)Always engage before starting the
engine.
If the driving situation requires, e.g.
when downshifting on slippery roads,
the SMG II automatically disengages
and reengages the clutch, i.e. it is not
necessary to manually engage
position 0.S – Sequential modeIn the sequential mode all forward
gears are to be shifted by the driver.
Changeover from automated to
sequential mode:
>Tap the selector lever to the right
toward S or
>Change gears with the selector lever
or the shift paddles on the steering
wheel.
You do not need to reduce the throttle
for shifting.
Sequential M gearbox SMG II*
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73
Shifting gears with shift paddles on
steering wheel:
>To upshift, briefly pull the right pad-
dle +
>To downshift, briefly pull the left pad-
dle –.
Shift paddles with various widths
matched to the shape of your
hand are available from your BMW cen-
ter.<
Shifting gears with selector lever:
>To upshift, pull the selector lever
backward +
>To downshift, push the selector lever
forward toward –.
No automatic upshifting is carried out in
the sequential mode.
You accelerate from higher gears, e.g.
during passing, by manually downshift-
ing.
In the following situations the SMG II
helps you think in the sequential mode:
>Upshifts and downshifts are only exe-
cuted when the new gear will provide
a suitable combination of vehicle and
engine speed, i.e., downshifts that
would cause the engine to overrev
will not be executed
>During a stop the gearbox is auto-
matically downshifted into the first
gear so that, e.g. before a traffic light,
it is only necessary to accelerate to
continue driving
>When the speed is reduced, the
gearbox is automatically down-
shifted shortly before a gear-depen-
dent minimum speed is reached with-
out you taking any action.A – Automated modeEach time the engine is started, the
automated mode is activated as soon
as you move the selector lever into the
forward driving position.
In the automated mode all forward
gears are automatically shifted.Changeover from sequential to auto-
mated mode: tap the selector lever to
the right toward A. Watch the display in
the instrument cluster, refer to page 72.
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during
passing, depress the accelerator pedal
completely – kickdown. The gearbox
now downshifts in dependence on the
selected driving program.
Even in the automated mode, you can
help specify the shifting point: if a gear-
dependent minimum speed is
exceeded, you can upshift by slowly
reducing pressure on the accelerator
pedal. In the process, the respective
driving situation is detected by sensors
and taken into account.
Sequential M gearbox SMG II*
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