wheel BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2011 Owners Manual

7

Notes

wheels, suspension components, brake
dust shields, telephones, including
operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna, or trans-
ceiver equipment, for instance, CBs,
walkie-talkie, ham radio or similar
accessories, may cause extensive dam-
age to the vehicle, compromise its
safety, interfere with the vehicle’s elec-
trical 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.

<

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.

<

Service and warranty

This manual is supplemented by a Ser-
vice and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models or a Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide Booklet for Canadian mod-
els.
We recommend that you read this pub-
lication thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following
warranties:

>

New Vehicle Limited Warranty

>

Rust Perforation Limited Warranty

>

Federal Emissions System Defect
Warranty

>

Federal Emissions Performance War-
ranty

>

California Emission Control System
Limited Warranty.
Detailed information about these war-
ranties is listed in the Service and War-
ranty Information Booklet for US mod-
els or in the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models.

Reporting safety defects

The following only applies to vehicles
owned and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227,
Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227,
telephone toll-free 1-800-831-1117.
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 indi-
vidual problems between you, your
dealer, or BMW of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call
the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-800-424-9393 or 366-0123 in the
Washington, D.C. area, or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transpor-
tation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You
can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.

Contents

Notes

About this Owner's Manual4
Additional sources of
information4
Symbols used4
Your individual vehicle5
Status at time of printing5
For your own safety6
Service and warranty7
Reporting safety defects7

Overview

Cockpit14
Instrument cluster16
Indicator and warning lamps18
Buttons in steering wheel22
Hazard warning triangle*23
First-aid kit*23
Refueling24
Fuel specifications25

Controls and features

Opening and closing:

Keys28
Central locking system28
Opening and closing – via the
remote control29
Opening and closing – via the
door lock31
Opening and closing – from the
inside32
Luggage compartment lid33
Luggage compartment35
Alarm system*36
Electric power windows38
Convertible top39
Wind deflector*44

To adjust:

Safe seating position46
Seats47
Power seat adjustment47
Head restraints48
Entering the rear49
Safety belts50
Seat and mirror memory51
Seat heating*52
Mirrors53
Steering wheel54

Contents

9

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags55
Transporting children safely58
Rollover protection system62
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory64

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 control89
Brake force display89

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams90
Instrument lighting91
High beams/Standing lamps91
Front fog lamps92
Interior lamps92
Reading lamps92

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control94

Interior conveniences:

Glove compartment99
Storage compartments99
Microphone*100
Ashtray, front*100
Ashtray, rear*101

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag*102
Cargo loading104
Roof-mounted luggage rack for
the hardtop*107

Operation, maintenance

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures110
General driving notes111
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)113
Hardtop*113

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure116
Tire code118
Tire condition119
New wheels and tires120
Snow chains*122

In the engine compartment:

Hood123
Engine compartment
essentials124
Washer fluids126
Engine oil126
Coolant128
Brake fluid129

Maintenance:

BMW Maintenance System130
OBD interface socket132

Controls and features

15
1Parking lamps/Low beams90
2

>

Turn signal indicators75

>

Standing lamps91

>

High beams91

>

Headlamp flasher75

>

Computer83
3Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor76
4Hazard warning flashers
5Rear window defroster97
6

>

Initiating an emergency call146

>

Mobile Service147
7Central locking system28
8Horn: the entire surface
9Steering wheel adjustment54
10 Fog lamps92

Cockpit

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

21
Cruise control
Lights up when the cruise con-
trol is activated. Ready for oper-
ation via the buttons in the steering
wheel.
For additional information, refer to
page 77.
Front fog lamps
Lights up whenever the fog
lamps are on.
For additional information, refer to
page 92.

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, 91.

Indicator and warning lamps

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

22

Buttons in steering wheel

These buttons let you operate the fol-
lowing functions quickly and without
being distracted from traffic conditions:

>

Selected radio functions

>The cruise control
>Selected telephone functions*
>The voice command system*.
The controls are active only when
the corresponding systems and
accessories are switched on.<
Press briefly:
Receive a phone call, initiate dialing,
terminate a call.
Extended pressure:
Activate and deactivate voice com-
mand.
Display/hide telephone book. Display
the entries one after another with the
forward/backward buttons.
Forward:
>Radio
Press briefly: next station in station
memory
Extended pressure: station search
>CD
Press briefly: jump to next track
Extended pressure: search function
in track
>Cassette
Press briefly: jump to next track or
stop fast forward
Extended pressure: fast forward
>Phone
Scan personal phone book.
Rewind: same functions as forward.
Volume.
Cruise control: select a stored setting.
Cruise control: store and accelerate +
or decelerate and store –.
Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deac-
tivate.

36
When opening the convertible top,
refer to page 39, make sure that
the convertible top compartment panel
is folded down in the luggage compart-
ment; otherwise you may damage
something.<
Alarm system*The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid are opened
>To movement inside the vehicle –
interior motion sensor
>To variations in the vehicle's tilt angle
such as those occurring during
attempts to steal the wheels or tow
the vehicle – tilt alarm sensor
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
simultaneously activating the following:
>The acoustic alarm sounds for
30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>Flashing the high beams on and off in
rhythm with the hazard warning flash-
ers.To arm and disarm the alarm
systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked
via the remote control or the driver's
door lock, the alarm system is also
simultaneously armed or disarmed.You can have a signal set as con-
firmation that the alarm system
has been armed or disarmed.<
You can also open the luggage com-
partment lid when the system is armed
by pressing the button of the remote
control. When it is closed, the lid is
once again secured.
Extended pressure on the button sets
off the alarm – Panic mode, refer to
page 30.
Luggage compartment

37
Indicator lamp displays>The indicator lamp below the interior
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes immedi-
ately after the vehicle is locked: doors
or luggage compartment lid are not
completely closed. Even if you do not
close the alerted area(s), the remain-
ing areas are secured, and the indi-
cator lamp will flash continuously
after 10 seconds. However, the inte-
rior motion sensor is not activated
>The indicator lamp goes out immedi-
ately after the vehicle is unlocked: no
manipulation or attempted intrusions
have been detected in the period
since the system was armed
>The indicator lamp flashes for
10 seconds immediately after the
vehicle is unlocked: an attempted
entry has been detected in the period
since the system was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Tilt alarm sensor and interior
motion sensorTilt alarm sensor:
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The
alarm system reacts, for example, to
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the
vehicle.
Interior motion sensor:
The vehicle interior is monitored up to
the height of the seat cushions. Even
when the convertible top is open, the
alarm system including the interior
motion sensor is armed. Objects falling
into the vehicle, e.g. leaves, can trigger
unintentional alarms, refer to Avoiding
unintentional alarms.Avoiding unintentional alarmsThe tilt alarm sensor and interior motion
sensor may be switched off at the same
time. You can do this to prevent a false
alarm, e.g. in the following situations:
>In garages with elevator ramps>When the vehicle is being trans-
ported by train
>When animals are to remain in the
vehicle.
Deactivating the tilt alarm and
interior motion sensors>Press the button on the remote con-
trol twice.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm
sensor and the interior motion sensor
are deactivated until the vehicle is
unlocked and locked again.
You can have the tilt alarm sensor
and the interior motion sensor
permanently deactivated.<
The system deactivates the tilt
alarm sensor and the interior
motion sensor if the convenience clos-
ing of windows and glass sunroof is
interrupted within the first 10 seconds
and then restarted. The vehicle must
then be unlocked and relocked before
the sensors will resume operation.<
Alarm system*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

46To adjust
Safe seating positionFor driving that is relaxed and less likely
to cause fatigue, you should select a
sitting position that reflects your per-
sonal requirements. In combination
with the safety belts and airbags, the
correct seating position also plays an
important role in enhancing occupant
safety in the event of an accident. To
ensure that the vehicle's safety systems
provide you with optimal protection, we
request that you direct your careful
attention to the following section.
For supplementary information on
transporting children, refer to page 58.Airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute mini-
mum should the airbag be deployed.
Never allow any objects, individuals or
animals to obstruct the areas between
passengers and airbags. Never use the
front airbag's cover as a storage tray or
support for objects of any kind. Never
allow front passengers to rest their feet
or legs on the airbag cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags, refer to
page 55.Safety beltYour vehicle is equipped with four
seats, each of which is provided with a
safety belt.Never allow more than one person
to wear a single safety belt. Never
allow infants or small children to ride in
a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the
belt while routing it firmly across the
pelvis and shoulder, wear it as snugly
against your body as possible. Do not
allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects in your pockets. Do not
route the belt across your neck, or run it
across sharp edges. Be sure that the
belt does not become caught or
jammed. Avoid wearing bulky clothing
and pull on the lap belt periodically to
retension it over your shoulders. In the
event of a frontal impact, a loose lap
belt could slide over the hips, leading to
abdominal injury. In addition, the safety
belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced
if the belt is worn loosely. Expectant
mothers should always wear their
safety belts, taking care to position the
lap belt against the lower hips, where it
will not exert pressure against the
abdominal area.<
For information on using the safety
belts, refer to page 50.

54
Steering wheelTo adjust
Never attempt to adjust the steer-
ing wheel while driving the vehicle
– it could respond with unexpected
movement, posing a potential accident
hazard.<
1. Push the locking lever downward
2. Adjust steering column reach and
height for your selected seating posi-
tion
3. Pull the lever back up.