high BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2011 Repair Manual

Under the hood
224
Possible displays
1Oil level OK
2Oil level is being checked.
This can take about 3 minutes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface, or about
5 minutes while the car is on the move.
3Oil level down to minimum:
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil on page225.
4Oil level is too high.
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay.<
5The oil level sensor is defective.
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page80. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Display via iDrive
1."Vehicle Info"
2."Vehicle status"
3."Engine oil level"
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level OK"
>"Measurement not possible at this time."
>"Measuring engine oil level...":
This can take about 3 minutes if the car is at
a standstill on a level surface and the engine
is running, and about 5 minutes while the
car is moving.
If engine oil was added, it may take up to
30 minutes to obtain an oil level reading.
>"Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add engine oil as soon as possible, but no
more than 1 US quart/1 liter, refer also to
Adding engine oil below.
If the oil level is below the minimum value,
add engine oil immediately to avoid engine
damage.
>"Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."

Mobility
225Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Too much oil will harm the engine.
Have the vehicle checked without
delay.<
>"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page80. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Add up to 1 US quart/1 liter of engine oil only
after a corresponding message is shown on the
Control Display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the relevant
warnings on the containers. Otherwise, health
hazards may result.<
Oil change
Have oil changed only at y our B MW c ente r o r a t
a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Oil types
Do not use oil additives as this could
result in engine damage.<
Specified engine oils
Your service center can advise you on which
engine oils have been approved by the manu-
facturer of your vehicle.
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the
engine.
Approved oils can be identified by the following
specification:
Approved oils belong to the following viscosity
classes: SAE0W-40, SAE0W-30, SAE5W-40
and SAE 5W-30.
Alternative oil types
If approved oils are not available, you can use
quantities of up to 1 US quart/1 liter of another
oil with the following specifications:
API SM or higher
Gasoline engine
Preferred: BMW Longlife-01
BMW Longlife-01 FE
Alternatively: BMW Longlife-98

Maintenance
228
Socket for Onboard
Diagnosis OBD
On the driver's side is an OBD socket for check-
ing components relevant to the composition of
the vehicle's emissions.
Emissions
The warning lamp lights up:
The vehicle is producing higher emis-
sions. The trip can be continued. Have
the car checked as soon as possible.
Canadian models display this warning
lamp.
The lamp flashes under certain conditions. This
indicates excessive misfiring in the engine. If
this happens, you should reduce your speed
and visit your nearest BMW center as soon as
possible. Severe engine misfiring can quickly
lead to serious damage of emissions-related
components, especially the catalytic converter.
The warning lamp comes on if the gas
cap is not properly tightened and the
OBD system assumes that fuel vapor
is escaping. Make sure that the gas cap is
correctly positioned and close it until it audibly
clicks.
Data memory
Your vehicle records data about the operation,
faults, and user settings. These data are stored
in the vehicle and in extract form, in the remote
control, and can be read out using suitable
devices at your BMW center. The data that are
read out are used to support service proce-
dures and repairs or to optimize and expand
vehicle functions. If you have a BMW Assist
contract, certain vehicle data can also be trans-
mitted directly from the vehicle in order to
enable the desired services.

Mobility
229Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Care
Care products
Regular cleaning and care contributes signifi-
cantly to the value retention of your BMW.
BMW recommends cleaning and caring for your
vehicle with products that are approved by
BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW center will be happy to advise you on
the products and services available for cleaning
and caring for your BMW.
Original BMW Care Products have been
material tested, laboratory checked and
proven in the field, and offer optimal care and
protection for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents as these may result in dam-
age.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or hazardous to your
health. Therefore, follow the warning and safety
instructions on the packaging. When cleaning
inside the vehicle, always open the doors or
windows of the vehicle. In enclosed areas, pro-
vide for sufficient ventilation. Only use products
designed for cleaning vehicles.<
Exterior care
Washing the vehicle
Especially during the winter months,
ensure that the vehicle is washed more
frequently. Heavy soiling and road salt can lead
to vehicle damage.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them; otherwise,
water can reduce braking efficiency over the
short term and the brake discs can corrode.<
Automatic car washes
Preference should be given to cloth car washes.
Do not use high-pressure car washes;
otherwise, water may drip into the vehicle
around the windows.<
Before driving into a car wash, ensure that it is
suitable for your BMW. Check the following:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page247.
>If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,
refer to page50.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Avoid car washes with guide rail heights
over 4 in/10 cm; otherwise, there is the
danger of damaging chassis parts.<
Preparations before driving into an automatic
car wash:
>Unscrew the rod antenna
*.
>Deactivate the rain sensor
* to prevent
unintentional wiping.
>Remove additional add-on parts,
e.g. spoilers or phone antennas, if they
could be damaged.
Automatic transmission
Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-
form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-
cle can roll:
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2.Move the selector lever to position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Switch off the engine.
5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.

Care
230
Sports automatic transmission with
double clutch
Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-
form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-
cle can roll:
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2.Engage transmission position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Switch off the engine.
5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
The transmission is switched into position P:
>automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>if you remove the infrared remote control
from the ignition lock
Steam jets/high-pressure washers
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, ensure that you maintain suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure or
temperature can lead to component damage or
water penetration. Follow the operating instruc-
tions of the high-pressure washer.<
When using high-pressure washers, do
not spray against the sensors and cam-
eras, e.g. of the Park Distance Control or Rear
View Camera, for an extended period and main-
tain a distance of at least 1 ft/30 cm.<
Manual car wash
When washing the vehicle by hand, use large
quantities of water and car shampoo if neces-
sary. Clean the vehicle with a sponge or wash-
ing brush, applying light pressure only.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unintentional activation of the
wipers.<
Observe local regulations pertaining to
washing vehicles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub them dry and do not use abrasive or
corrosive cleaning agents.
Loosen dirt, e.g. insects, with shampoo or
insect remover and wash away with copious
quantities of water.
Thaw ice with a windshield deicer and do not
use an ice scraper.
Windows
Clean the inside and outside surfaces of the
windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.
Do not clean the mirrors with cleaners
containing quartz.<
Convertible: retractable hardtop
Proceed as you would in a normal car wash.
When you open a wet hardtop, water
drops may run into the cargo area. If nec-
essary, remove items from the cargo area
beforehand to avoid water stains or soiling.<
Paintwork care
Regular care contributes to value retention and
protects the paintwork against the long-term
effects of damaging substances.
Region-specific environmental influences can
damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is
important to adapt the frequency and scope of
car care accordingly.
Immediately remove aggressive materials such
as spilled fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid, tree sap or
bird droppings to prevent damage to the paint-
work.
Repairing paintwork damage
Immediately repair scratches or similar
damage, such as that caused by stones
hitting the vehicle, where necessary to prevent
rusting.<
BMW recommends having paintwork damage
repaired by a professional paint repair work-
shop according to BMW specifications using
original BMW paint materials.

Mobility
231Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Preservation
A preservation treatment is necessary when
water no longer beads off the clean paintwork
surface. Only use products for paintwork pres-
ervation that contain carnauba or synthetic
waxes.
Rubber seals
Treat only with water or rubber care products.
Do not use silicon-containing care prod-
ucts on rubber seals; otherwise, noise
and damage could occur.<
Chrome parts
Carefully clean vehicle parts such as the radia-
tor grill, door handles or window frames with
copious quantities of water and a shampoo
additive, especially when roads are treated with
deicing salt. For additional treatment, use a
chrome polish.
Light-alloy wheels
For technical reasons, dust is generated during
braking that is deposited on the light-alloy
wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-
free rim cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly
alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or
steam jets over 1407/606; otherwise, dam-
age may occur.<
Outside sensors/cameras
Keep the sensors and cameras on the
outside of the vehicle, e.g. those for Park
Distance Control, clean and free of ice to ensure
that they remain fully functional.<
Interior care
Upholstery fabrics/cloth trims/
Alcantara fabrics
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to
remove superficial dirt.
To remove severe spots such as stains from
beverages, use a soft sponge or lint-free
microfiber cloth and suitable interior cleaners.
Follow the instructions on the packaging.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams
using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong
rubbing.<
Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or
other articles of clothing can damage the
seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are
closed.<
Leather/leather trim
The leather used by BMW is a high quality
natural product. Slight irregularities in the
leather are a typical characteristic of natural
leather.<
Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the
leather have an abrasive effect, leading to
increased wear and causing the leather surface
to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-
quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or
vacuum cleaner.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently as
dust and dirt are more noticeable.
Treat the leather at least once every two
months using a leather lotion as dirt and grease
will gradually attack the leather's protective
layer.

Care
232
Carpet/floor mats*
The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.
When heavily soiled, clean carpets with a
microfiber cloth and water or textile cleaner.
Rub back and forth in the direction of travel; oth-
erwise, the carpet may become matted.
Interior plastic parts
>Imitation leather surfaces
>Lamp glasses
>Display pane of instrument cluster
>Matte parts
Clean with water and solvent-free plastic
cleaner if necessary.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with
a damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and
thus have a negative impact on safety.
Do not clean chemically, as this may
destroy the webbing.<
Interior sensors/cameras
To clean interior sensors and cameras, e.g. of
the high-beam assistant, use a lint-free cloth
moistened with glass cleaner.
Displays
To clean displays, e.g. of the radio or instrument
cluster, use a cleaning cloth for displays or a
soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth.
Avoid applying excessive pressure when
cleaning the displays; otherwise, damage
may occur.<
Do not use chemical or abrasive house-
hold cleaning agents. Keep all types of
fluid away from the device. Otherwise, surfaces
or electrical components may be corroded or
damaged.<
CD/DVD drives
Do not use a cleaning CD, as it may
damage parts of the drive.<
Vehicle storage
If your vehicle is to be decommissioned for
longer than three months, your BMW center or
a workshop that operates according to BMW
specifications will be glad to advise you.

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.

Short commands for the voice activation system
254
Map
Split screen* settings
Destination guidance with intermediate destinations
Displaying the last destinations{Last destinations}
Opening the traffic bulletins{Traffic Info}
Special destinations{Points of interest}
FunctionCommand
FunctionCommand
Displaying the map{Map}
Map facing north{Map facing north}
Map in the direction of travel{Map in direction of travel}
Perspective map{Map perspective view}
Automatic map scaling
*{Map with automatic scaling}
Changing the scale{Map scale}
FunctionCommand
Split screen{Switch on splitscreen}
Switching off the split screen{Turn off split screen}
Adapting the split screen{Split screen content}
Split screen, current position{Split screen current position}
Split screen, map facing north{Split screen map facing north}
Split screen, direction of travel{Split screen map in direction of travel}
Split screen, perspective{Split screen perspective}
Expanded intersection zoom on the split screen{Splitscreen Exit ramp view}
Split screen scale ... meters
*{Split screen scale … meters} e.g. split screen
scale of 100 meters
Split screen scale ... kilometers
*{Split screen scale … kilometers} e.g. split
screen scale of 5 kilometers
Split screen, highlighting traffic bulletins{Split screen, Traffic conditions}
Split screen, computer{Split screen on board info}
Split screen, trip computer{Splitscreen trip computer}
Automatically scaling the split screen{Split screen automatic scaling}
FunctionCommand
Entering a new destination{Enter address}
Trip list{Stored trips}

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