steering BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2012 Owners Manual

10
At a glanceDashboard
Dashboard
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all pr oduction, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. For this reason, descrip-
tions will be given of some equipment that may not be available in a vehi
cle, for example due to
the special options or national-market version
selected. This also app lies to safety related
functions and systems.
Around the steering wheel : controls and displays
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Dashboard
At a glance
4
Exterior mirrors fo lding in and out50
5 Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb
monitor 50
9 Instrument cluster 12 12
Ignition lock 57
13 Buttons on the steering wheel
15 Horn, entire surface
16 Adjusting the steering wheel 52
18 Releasing the hood 198
19 OBD socket 203
20 Opening the trunk lid 31
1
Convertible: opening and closing
windows jointly
35
2 Convertible: opening and closing
rear windows
35
3 Opening and closing front
windows
35
6 Parking lamps 103
Low beams 103
Automatic head lamp control103
Adaptive Light Control 105
High-beam Assistant 106
7 Fog lamps 107
8 Turn signals 67
High beams, headlamp
flasher 105
High-beam Assistant 106
Roadside parking lamps 105
Computer 80
Settings and information about the
vehicle 82
10 Windshield wipers 68
Rain sensor 68
11Switching the ignition on/off and
starting/stopping the engine
57
Telephone: accepting and ending
a call; dialing the selected phone
number; redialing if no phone
number is selected
Convertible: microphone on steer-
ing column
Volume
Voice commands for
telephone 163
Convertible: microphone on steer-
ing column
Changing the radio station
Interrupting a traffic bulletin
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
Next entertainment source
Recirculated air mode 113
14 Steering wheel heating 52
17 Cruise control 71
Active Cruise Control 71
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ControlsAdjustments
Adjustments
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all pr oduction, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. As a result, some equip-
ment described may not be available in a partic-
ular vehicle, for example due to the options or
national-market version selected. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seated position
has a major influence on your safety in the event
of an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instructions
contained in the following section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page 53.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions,
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered
off.
No one and nothing shou ld come between the
airbags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Make
sure that the front passeng er is sitting correctly,
e.g. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard;
otherwise, leg injuries ca n occur if the front air-
bag deploys.
Make sure that passengers keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not lean against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise,
serious injuries can result if the airbag
deploys.
<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This e ffect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page 99.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increase d risk of injury in the
event of an accident. <
Head restraints, refer to page 45.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not repres ent a substitute.
Your vehicle has four seats, each of which is
equipped 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. Make sure that the be lt in the lap area sits
low across the hips and does not press against
the abdomen.
The safety belt must not rest against the throat,
run across sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt
so that it sits as snugly as possible against the
lap and shoulder without being twisted. Other-
wise, the belt could slide over your hips and
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ControlsAdjustments
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position
while the car is in mo tion; otherwise, there
is a risk of an accident due to unexpected move-
ment. <
1. Fold the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel to the preferred
height and angle to suit your seated posi-
tion.
3. Swing the lever back up.
Do not use force to swing the lever
back up; otherwise, the mechanism
will be damaged. <
Steering wheel heating
Press the button.
The LED in the button lights up when the steer-
ing wheel heating is switched on.
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Driving
Controls
R Reverse
Select this only when th
e vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you are driving in posi-
tion D.
Kickdown
Kickdown enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot; the Sport program
is activated. This positi on is recommended for a
performance-oriented driving style.
DS is displayed in the instrument cluster.
To deactivate the spor t program or manual
mode M/S, move the sele ctor lever to the right
into position D.
Shifting gears via the selector lever
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot: When you press the selector lever forwards or
backwards, the manual
mode is activated and
Steptronic changes gear.
The engaged gear, e.g. M1 is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system.
The gear selected is br iefly displayed in the
instrument cluster, follo wed again by the gear
actually in use.
Changing gears using shifting paddles
on steering wheel
The shift paddles allow you to shift gears
quickly since both hand s can remain on the
steering wheel.
> When you use the shift paddles on the
steering wheel to shift gears in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to manual
mode.
> If you do not accelerate or shift gears using
the shift paddles for a certain amount of
time, the transmission switches back to
automatic mode.
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear
plane, manual mode remains active. <
> To upshift, briefly pull the right shift
paddle +.
> To downshift, briefly pull the left shift pad-
dle –.
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ControlsDriving
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be exec uted by the system.
The gear selected is briefly displayed in the
instrument cluster, followed again by the gear
actually in use.
Overriding selector lever lock
Should the selector lever refuse to move out of
position P even though the ignition is switched
on, the brake is depressed and the button on
the selector lever is pre ssed, the selector lever
lock can be overridden:
1. Switch off ignition.
2. Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
3. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.
4. Using the screwdriver from the onboard
vehicle tool kit, refer to page 208, press the
red lever and with the button pressed,
simultaneously move th e selector lever to
the desired position.
7-gear Spor t automatic
transmission with double
clutch
The concept
The 7-gear Sport automa tic transmission with
double clutch is an automated manual trans-
mission with two clutches and secondary gear sets in which the clutch
ing and shifting is han-
dled by an electrohydraulic system.
With the 7-gear Sport automatic transmission
with double clutch, the gears are shifted without
an interruption in driving power.
You operate the 7-gear Sport automatic trans-
mission with double clutch using the selector
lever and two shift paddles on the steering
wheel.
It offers you the following functions:
> Either manual or au tomatic mode: sequen-
tial mode or drive mode
> Automatic downshifting and protection
against incorrect gear selection, even in
sequential mode
> Acceleration assistan t, Launch Control,
refer to page 66
> Automatic intermediate throttle application
System limitations
The 7-gear Sport automatic transmission with
double clutch has an overheating protection
that protects the clutch from extreme loads.
The indicator lamp lights up in yellow if
the transmission becomes too warm.
Avoid high engine loads and frequent
accelerations from zero. If the transmission is
overheated, the indicator lamp lights up in red
and the power flow to the motor is interrupted. It
is only possible to continue driving once the
transmission has cooled down.
Avoid frequent powerful accelerations from
zero and do not hold the vehicle on inclines by
pressing lightly on the accelerator while letting
the clutch slip, as this may cause the transmis-
sion to overheat.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
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ControlsDriving
D Drive mode
In Drive mode, all forward gears are shifted
automatically.
Kickdown
For sudden acceleration maneuvers such as
passing, depress the accelerator past the resis-
tance point. This prov ides maximum accelera-
tion.
Sport program and
manual mode M/S
Push selector lever towa rd the left from the
selector lever position D, the Sport program is
activated. This position is recommended for a
performance-oriented driving style.
The engaged gear, e.g. S1, is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
When you press the selector lever forwards or
backwards, the manual mode is activated and
Steptronic changes gear.
The engaged gear, e.g. M1 is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
In the following situat ions, the 7-gear Sport
automatic transmission with double clutch
does the thinking for you:
> Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that could cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system. >
At a stop, the transmission is automatically
shifted down to the first gear.
> Shortly before the spee d falls below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the transmis-
sion automatically down shifts without your
intervention.
Quick downshifting: even in sequential mode,
you can skip over several gears in order to
achieve an optimum acceleration. To do so,
depress the accelerator past the resistance
point.
To return to automatic mode, push the selector
lever to the right.
Gear shifting
Upshift or downshift usin g the selector lever or
the shift paddles. You do not need to lift your
foot off the accelerator when doing so.
Using the selector lever
> To upshift, pull the sele ctor lever toward the
rear.
> To downshift, push it toward the front.
Using the shift paddl es on the steering
wheel
You can also shift manua lly using two shift pad-
dles on the steering wheel. The shift paddles
allow you to shift gear s quickly since both
hands can remain on the steering wheel.
> When you use the shift paddles on the
steering wheel to shift gears in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to manual
mode.
> If you do not accelerate or shift gears using
the shift paddles for a certain amount of
time, the transmission switches back to
automatic mode if the selector lever is in
position D.
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Driving
Controls
Windshield washer nozzles
Both windshield washer
nozzles are automati-
cally heated with the engine running or the igni-
tion switched on.
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable.
Therefore, keep it away from ignition
sources and only store it in the closed original
container that is kept out of reach of children;
otherwise, there is a risk of personal injury.
Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainer. <
Washer fluid filler neck
Only refill washer fluid when the engine is
cool to avoid contact with hot engine
parts. Otherwise, fluid spills constitute a fire
hazard and a risk to personal safety. <
All washer nozzles are supplied with washer
fluid by the same reservoir.
Fill with water and, if required, with a washer
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling
the washer fluid reservoir to make sure
the correct concentration is maintained. <
Capacity
Approx. 6.3 US quarts/6 liters.
Cruise control
The concept
Cruise control is available for use at speeds of
approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h. The car then stores
and maintains the speed that you specify using
the lever on the steering column. In order to
maintain the specifie d speed, the system
brakes the vehicle when the engine braking
effect is insufficient on downhill gradients.
Do not use cruise control when driving at
constant speed is prevented by adverse
conditions, e.g. winding roads, dense traffic or
poor road conditions due to, e.g., snow, rain, ice
or loose surfaces. Otherwise, you could lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result.<
Manual transmission
You can shift gears while cruise control is acti-
vated. The system is deactivated when you
drive at very low engine speeds for an extended
period.
One lever for all functions
1 Storing and maintainin g speed or accelerat-
ing
2 Storing and maintaining speed or deceler-
ating
3 Deactivating cr uise control
4 Resuming a previously stored speed
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ControlsTechnology for driving comfort and safety
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up. PDC is
malfunctioning. Have the system
checked.
To avoid this problem, keep the sensors clean
and free of ice or snow in order to ensure that
they will continue to op erate effectively. When
using a high-pressure cleaner, do not spray the
sensors for extended periods of time and only
from a distance of at least 1 ft/30 cm.
Manual operation
The LED above the button also flashes.
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstructions always remains
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind sp ot in which objects can
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those
encountered with traile r towbars and hitches,
thin or wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low objects
that have already been displayed, e.g. curbs,
can disappear again from the detection area of
the sensors before or af ter a continuous tone
sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g. ledges,
cannot be detected. Therefore, always drive
cautiously; otherwise, there is a risk of personal
injury or property damage.
Loud sound sources outside or inside the car
can drown out the PDC signal. Therefore,
always drive cautiously; otherwise, there is a
risk of personal injury or property damage. <
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW has a number of systems that help
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in
adverse driving conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page 134.
Electronic brake-force distribution
EBV
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressu re on the brake for the
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. The system also recognizes unstable
driving conditions, for example if the rear of the
car is about to swerve or if momentum is acting
at an angle past the front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical lim its by reducing engine
output and through braking actions at the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style always remains th e responsibility of the
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional
safety margin again by taki ng risks, as this could
result in an accident. <
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ControlsTechnology for driving comfort and safety
4.Press button 2 for approx. 5 seconds, until
the reading shown below is displayed:
5. Start driving.
Initialization is completed while the car is on
the move, without any feedback.
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be inte rrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. <
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps light up in yellow
and red. In addition, an acoustic sig-
nal sounds. There is a flat tire or a
major loss in tire pressure.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires, do not continue driving; continuing
to drive can result in serious accidents. <
When a flat tire is reported, the Dynamic Stabil-
ity Control DSC is activated.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Run-flat tires
With a damaged tire, is possible to continue
driving at speeds of up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
When driving with a damaged tire:
1. Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu-
vers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. 3.
At the next opportunity, check the inflation
pressure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is cor-
rect, the Flat Tire Monitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire pressure:
The distance it is possible to drive with a flat tire
depends on the load and the stress on the vehi-
cle while driving.
With an average load, it may be possible to drive
for approx. 50 miles/80 km.
When driving with damaged tires, the handling
characteristics ch ange, e.g. the vehicle will skid
sooner when braking, braking distances will be
longer, or self-steerin g response will change.
Adapt your driving style accordingly. Avoid
turning abruptly and driving over obstacles
such as curbs, potholes, etc.
Since the possible driving distance depends to
a considerable degree on the strain exerted on
the vehicle while driving, it can be shorter or,
with a gentle driving style, can also be longer,
depending on the speed, road condition, out-
side temperature, vehicle load, etc.
Drive cautiously an d do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
When there is a tire pressure loss, the handling
characteristics change , e.g. there will be
reduced directional stability during braking,
braking distances will be longer, and self-steer-
ing response will change. <
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate final failure of the tire. Reduce
your speed and bring the vehicle to a stop; oth-
erwise, tire components may become
detached, which could result in an accident. Do
not continue driving; instead, contact your
BMW center. <
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 312 - \251 08/11 BMW AG