BMW M3 COUPE 2002 E46 Workshop Manual

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AirbagsThe rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW
center. Labels in the rear door opening
should indicate the status of your rear
seat side airbags. If you are uncertain of
their status, or wish to have the airbags
activated or deactivated, please
contact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are
followed, there is still a small residual
risk of injuries to the face, hands and
arms occurring from airbag deployment
in isolated instances. The ignition and
inflation noise may provoke a mild
temporary hearing loss in extremely
sensitive individuals.
Airbag warning information is also
provided on the sun visors. This is the right way a child should sit in
a child-restraint device when rear side
airbags (arrow) are provided.
This is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the safety belt when
rear side airbags (arrow) are provided.

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Airbags Transporting children safelyOperational status
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster displays the opera-
tional status of the airbag
system from ignition key position 1.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to come on,
when the ignition key is turned
>The indicator lamp fails to go out
after the engine has been started, or
it comes on during normal driving.
Please respond to any malfunctions in
the system by immediately having it
inspected at your BMW center; other-
wise the airbag could fail to respond to
an accident in which both the angle and
the severity of the impact would
normally trigger airbag deployment.
Commercially available child-restraint
systems are designed to be secured
with a lap belt or with the lap belt
portion of a combination lap/shoulder
belt. Improperly or inadequately
installed restraint systems can increase
the risk of injury to children. Always
read and follow the instructions that
come with the system.
If you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points have been provided
(refer to the arrows in the illustration).
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area,
attach the strap hook to the corre-
sponding anchorage point to secure the
child-restraint system. Remove the
cover first on the middle location.
If the respective seating position is
fitted with a head restraint lift the head
restraint and pass the tether strap
between the head restraint and the seat
back.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child-restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.

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Transporting children safely
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the
front passenger. Because the backrest
on any rearward-facing child-restraint
system (of the kind designed for infants
under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg) would be
within the airbag's deployment range,
you should never mount such a device
in the front passenger seat, since the
impact of the airbag against the child
restraint's backrest could lead to
serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child (not an
infant) to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the instrument panel as possible.
This important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the
airbag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with the
safety belt.
Younger children should be secured in
an appropriate forward-facing child-
restraint system that has first been
properly secured with a safety belt.
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and observe the instructions for instal-
lation and use provided by the child-
restraint's manufacturer whenever you
use such a device.
Be sure that all occupants (of all ages)
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.c
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of SAE
J1819, a industry recommended prac-
tice for securing child-restraint systems
in motor vehicles.
LATCH child-restraint system
installationRemove the cover from the outside
mount by pulling forward. When re-
installing ensure that the recess is on
the top.

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Transporting children safelyThe illustration shows the mounts for a
LATCH child-restraint system in the
right rear seat.
To mount the LATCH child-
restraint system, please follow the
manufacturer's operating and safety
precautions.<< < <
Child seat securityAll of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child-
restraint systems.
A label with the appropriate instructions
for this is located in the immediate
vicinity of the buckle latch of each
safety belt.
Lock the safety beltExtract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child-restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
The belt cannot be extracted further.
Always observe the installation instruc-
tions provided by the manufacturer of
the child-restraint system.Unlock the safety beltRelease the safety belt, remove the
child-restraint device and retract the
safety belt to its end position on the belt
retractor.

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Vehicle Memory, Key Memory How the system functionsNo doubt you have reflected at one
time or another on how great it would
be if you could permanently configure
your vehicle's various features and
adjustments to mirror your own indi-
vidual preferences. In engineering your
vehicle, BMW has incorporated a
number of options for personal adjust-
ment 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"). Provided that each
person has a separate remote-control
key, you can have your BMW center
enter adjustment data for as many as
four different individuals into the
system.
The system then relies on a bilateral
data exchange to identify the individual
user and dial in the selected settings
whenever the remote control unit is
used to disengage the door locks.
Color-coded decals have been
provided to help you distinguish indi-
vidual keys with different settings.What the system can doYour BMW center can provide you with
details on the possibilities that the
Vehicle and Key Memory systems offer.
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various signals as acknowledgment
when locking or unlocking your
vehicle, refer to pages 29, 30
>Activate/deactivate the "Follow me
home" lamps function, refer to
page 80.Examples for Key Memory:
>Locks the vehicle after driving off,
refer to page 33
>Automatically adjusts the seat and
exterior mirrors to your personal
programmed settings, refer to
page 46
>Calls up customized settings for the
automatic climate control when
unlocking using the remote control,
refer to page 87
>After the engine is started, calling up
of the last selected driving program
for each shifting mode, refer to
page 63.
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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Ignition key positions0 Steering locked
1 Steering unlocked
2 Ignition switched on
3 Starting engineSteering locked The key can be inserted or removed in
this position only.
After removing the key, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until you hear the lock engage.
If the key is not removed, an acoustic
signal is sounded after the driver's door
has been opened.
The sound system remains operational
for approx. 20 minutes after you switch
off the ignition (ignition key in position 0
or key removed). Simply switch it back
on.Steering unlocked You will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to posi-
tion 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the
lock.
Individual electrical accessories are
ready for operation. 1. Engage the parking brake
2. Gearshift lever in idling position
3. Press the clutch pedal at low
temperatures
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.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by
leaving it running while the vehicle
remains stationary. Instead, begin
driving immediately at a moderate
engine speed.
Vehicles with sequential M gearbox
*
SMG II: refer to the instructions on
page 60.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. The exhaust
gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless, but highly toxic
gas.
Breathing the exhaust gases poses an
extreme health risk, and can lead to
unconsciousness and death.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a potential safety hazard.<
Ignition lock Starting the engine

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Starting the engine Switching off the engine If the engine does not start on the first
attempt (the engine is very hot or cold,
for instance):
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at very low temperatures,
starting at about +57 (Ð156) and at
high altitudes over 3,300 ft (over
1,000 m):
>On the first start attempt, engage the
starter for a longer period (approx.
10 seconds)
Extended starting attempts, char-
acterized by excessively frequent
or long periods with the starter
engaged, can lead to damage to the
catalytic converter.<
When driving, standing at idle,
and parking the vehicle, take care
to avoid contact between the exhaust
system and flammable materials (grass,
hay, leaves, etc.). Such contact could
lead to a fire, resulting in personal injury
and property damage.<
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at start-up are normal and
should decrease as the engine warms
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from
discharging, always switch off electrical
devices that are not in use. Switch the
ignition off when the vehicle is not
being driven.Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Do not remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is still moving.
If you did so, the steering lock would
engage when the steering wheel is
turned.
When you leave the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key and engage the
steering lock.
Set the parking brake when parking on
steep hills, because under certain
conditions, putting the vehicle into first
or reverse gear may not be enough to
prevent it from rolling away.<
Vehicles with sequential M transmis-
sion
* SMG II: observe instructions on
page 60.

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Parking brake Manual transmission The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates against the rear
wheels. To engageThe lever engages automatically, 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 (arrow) and lower the lever.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully pulling the lever up to apply
moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is engaged.
Set the parking brake when parking on
steep hills, because under certain
conditions, putting the vehicle into first
or reverse gear may not be enough to
prevent it from rolling away.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake lightly
from time to time when coasting to a
standstill (at a traffic signal, for
instance), provided that it is safe to do
so.
Press the clutch pedal all the way down
each time you shift, pressing the
manual gearshift lever into its proper
end position.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the gearshift lever to the right in
order to prevent inadvertent selection
of a gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.<

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Manual transmission Sequential M gearbox
* SMG II
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Press the gearshift
lever to the left to overcome the slight
resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
come on automatically when the igni-
tion key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Riding the clutch causes the clutch
assembly to wear out sooner.<
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
>Upshift display (shift lights)
>Throttle blip
>Driving dependent functions:
The respective driving situation (e.g.
cornering, mountain driving, braking)
is detected by sensors and taken into
account accordingly for shifting, e.g.
to achieve optimum gear selection
during deceleration and subsequent
acceleration>Slip recognition at the rear axle for
increasing driving stability, e.g.
during downshifting on slippery road
surfaces
>Operating safety through protection
against misshifting.

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Sequential M gearbox* SMG IISelector lever positionR: Reverse position
0: Position 0
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 2.
For your safety, it is only possible to
engage a driving position with the
vehicle stopped approx. 2 seconds
after engaging the position 0 with the
footbrake depressed (shift-lock func-
tion).
It is not necessary to hold the footbrake
depressed until starting off, as the
vehicle does not move forward with the
driving position engaged.Starting engine and driving offTo start the engine:
1. Depress footbrake
2. Move selector lever into position 0
3. Turn the ignition key to position 3,
refer to page 56.
To drive off:
1. Depress footbrake
2. Engage a driving position
3. Release footbrake and slowly
depress accelerator pedal.
With the engine running, the gear
indicator in the instrument cluster
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 61.
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.<
Starting 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
parking brake.
Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a potential safety hazard. or 0 with the selector lever in the
forward or reverse position, a gear
automatically remains engaged.
If you turn the ignition key to position 1
or 0 with the selector lever in position 0,
a gong and the flashing gear indicator
in the SMG display remind you that the
vehicle is not secured against rolling.