maintenance BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2004 E46 Owner's Manual

Thank you for deciding on a BMW M3 Convertible.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with enhanced control and
security when you drive it. Therefore, we have one request:
Read the information contained in this Owner's Manual before driving your new
BMW M3 Convertible for the first time. It contains important information on vehicle
operation that will enable you to make full use of the advanced technical equipment
of your BMW M3 Convertible. In addition, you will receive information on vehicle
maintenance to help ensure operating and traffic safety as well as the best possible
value retention of your BMW. For more detailed information refer to the supplemen-
tal manuals.
BMW M also makes decisive contributions toward greater safety in traffic through
its BMW driver training.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle. It
should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide the next owner with important
operating, safety and maintenance information.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW M

5

Notes

Your individual vehicle

On purchasing your BMW, you have
decided in favor of a model with individ-
ualized equipment and features. This
Owner's Manual will describe all of the
equipment that the BMW M3 Convert-
ible has to offer you.
We hope you will understand that
equipment and features are included
that you might not have chosen for your
vehicle. You can easily identify any dif-
ferences with the aid of the asterisk
used to identify all optional equipment
and accessories.
If your BMW features equipment that is
not described in this Owner's Manual,
such as a car radio or telephone, we
have enclosed Supplementary Owner's
Manuals. We ask you to read these
manuals as well.

Status at time of printing

BMW pursues a policy of continuous,
ongoing development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety
standards combined with advanced,
state-of-the-art technology. For this
reason, the features described in this
Owner's Manual could differ from those
on your vehicle. Nor can errors and
omissions be entirely ruled out. You are
therefore asked to appreciate that no
claims can be recognized on the basis
of the data, illustrations or descriptions
in this Owner's Manual.

For your own safety
Fuels

Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight – that is,
15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent – will
not void the applicable warranties
respecting defects in materials or work-
manship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel
quality – volatility, composition, addi-
tives, etc. – among gasolines offered for
sale in the United States and Canada.
The use of poor quality fuels may result
in driveability, starting and stalling
problems especially under certain envi-
ronmental conditions, such as high
ambient temperature and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be
related to the fuel you are using, we
recommend that you respond by
switching to a recognized high-quality
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Obey pertinent safety rules when you
are handling gasoline.

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6

Notes

Maintenance and repair

Advanced technology, e.g. the
use of modern materials and high-
performance electronics, requires spe-
cially adapted maintenance and repair
methods. Therefore, only have corre-
sponding work on your BMW carried
out by a BMW center or a workshop
that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly
trained personnel. If work is carried out
improperly there is a danger of conse-
quential damage and the related safety
risks.

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Parts and accessories

Important safety information!
For your own safety, use genuine
parts and accessories approved by
BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by BMW to ensure opti-
mum performance when installed on
your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damages resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to verify if it can
be used on a BMW safely and without
risk to either the vehicle, its operation,
or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on
using these items, are available from all
BMW centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,

wheels, suspension components, brake
dust shields, telephones – including
operation of any portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna – or trans-
ceiver equipment, such as CB, walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar, may cause
extensive damage to the vehicle, com-
promise its safety, interfere with the
vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty.
Contact your BMW center for additional
information.
Do not use key or remote control to
lock doors or luggage compartment
with anyone inside the car. Refer to the
Owner’s Manual for more details.

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Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of the emission control
devices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.

<

Symbol on vehicle parts

Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this
Owner's Manual for information on a
particular part or assembly.

Contents

9

Driving:

Ignition lock65
Starting the engine and driving
off66
Switching off the engine68
Parking brake68
Manual transmission69
Sequential M gearbox with
Drivelogic*70
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher75
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*76
Cruise control77

Everything under control:

Odometer79
Tachometer79
Engine oil temperature79
Fuel gauge80
Engine coolant temperature
gauge80
Service interval display81
Check Control81
Clock82
Computer83

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*85
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC86
Flat Tire Monitor87
M Engine dynamics control90
Brake force display90

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams91
Instrument lighting92
High beams/Standing lamps92
Fog lamps93
Interior lamps93
Reading lamps93

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control96

Interior conveniences:

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

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag*104
Cargo loading106
Roof-mounted luggage rack for
the hardtop*108

Operation, maintenance

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures112
General driving notes113
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)114
Brake system114
Hardtop*115

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure118
Tire condition118
Tire replacement119
Wheel and tire
combinations121
Winter tires122
Snow chains*122

In the engine compartment:

Hood123
Engine compartment
essentials124
Washer fluids126
Engine oil126
Coolant128
Brake fluid129

Maintenance:

The BMW Maintenance
System130

Laws and regulations:

California Proposition 65
warning132
OBD interface socket132

Controls and features

13

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

15
1Parking lamps/Low beams91
2

>

Turn signal indicators75

>

Standing lamps92

>

High beams92

>

Headlamp flasher75

>

Computer83
3Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor76
4Hazard warning flashers
5Rear window defroster99
6

>

Initiating an emergency call146

>

Mobile Service146
7Central locking system30
8Horn: the entire surface
9Steering wheel adjustment53
10 Fog lamps93

Cockpit

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

17
1Fuel gauge80
2Turn signal indicator20
3Speedometer
4Indicator and warning lamps18
to 21
5Tachometer and engine oil
temperature gauge79
6Engine coolant temperature
gauge80
7Indicator and warning lamps18
to 21
8Control button for

>

Clock82

>

Unit of measure of outside
temperature display83
9Display for sequential M gearbox
with Drivelogic 71
10 Indicator lamp for Dynamic Stability
Control (DSC)86
11 Display for

>

Trip odometer79

>

Clock82

>

Service interval81

>

Computer83
12 Check Control81
13 Trip odometer, reset to zero79
14 Indicator and warning lamps18
to 21

Instrument cluster

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

19

Red and yellow: continue driving
cautiously

The brake warning lamp comes
on together with the yellow indi-
cator lamps for ABS

●

and
DSC:
The entire ABS, CBC and DSC
control system has failed. Con-
tinue to drive; drive cautiously
and defensively and avoid full
brake applications. Please have the
system checked by your BMW center
as soon as possible.
For additional information: refer to
pages 86, 114
Indicator and warning lamps
CBC, ABS and DSC for Cana-
dian models.

Orange: consult the nearest BMW
center

Sequential M gearbox with
Drivelogic
If the indicator lamp fails to go
out after the engine is started, or if it
comes on during normal driving: this
indicates a malfunction in the system.
Please consult the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
Indicator lamp flashes: a system over-
load has occurred.
For additional information: refer to
page 74

Yellow: check as soon as possible

Engine oil level
Comes on while driving and is
accompanied by an alarm: the
engine oil level has fallen to the abso-
lute minimum; refill as soon as possible.
Do not drive more than 30 miles/50 km
before refilling.
For additional information: refer to
page 126

Engine oil level
Comes on after the engine has
been shut off and is accompa-
nied by an alarm: add engine oil at your
earliest opportunity such as when you
stop to refuel
For additional information: refer to
page 126
Brake pads

●

Have the brake pads checked.
For additional information: refer
to page 114
Flat Tire Monitor

●

The Flat Tire Monitor has been
deactivated, either at the button
or in response to a system malfunction.
In the event of a malfunction, have the
system checked by your BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
page 87
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC

●

The indicator lamp flashes and
an acoustic signal sounds: the system
is active and governs drive and braking
force.
If the indicator lamp fails to go out after
the engine is started, or if it comes on
during normal driving and stays on:
DSC has been deactivated, either at the

Indicator and warning lamps
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

21

Blue: for your information

High beams
Comes on when the high beams
are on or the headlamp flasher
is actuated.
For additional information: refer to
pages 75, 92

Indicator and warning lamps

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

23
Hazard warning triangle*The hazard warning triangle is stored
ready to use in the luggage compart-
ment lid inside the toolbox for the
onboard tool kit.
To open the container, loosen the wing
nut.
Always observe all legal regula-
tions requiring a warning triangle
to be carried in the vehicle.<
First-aid kit*The first-aid kit is located under the
front passenger's seat.
To open: pull the handle and fold the
cover down.
To fasten: fold the cover up and press it
until the tab engages.
Several of the items contained in
the first-aid kit have a limited ser-
vice life. For this reason, check the
expiration dates of each of the items
regularly, and replace any with passed
dates. You can acquire replacements in
any drugstore or pharmacy.
Always observe all legal regulations
requiring a first-aid kit to be carried in
the vehicle.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex