width BMW M3 COUPE 2002 E46 Owner's Manual

44n
Seats Head restraintsAdjusting width of the backrest
*
Use the controls found along the sides
of the seat to adjust the width for the
backrest. This way you can set the
sides of the seat so that they conform
to your body contours.
Decreasing or increasing the width of
the backrest: press the front/rear of
switch.
Adjustments Height: pull the head restraint up or
push it down.
In order to move to the lowest
positions, press button 1.<
To adjust the angle of the front head
restraints, tilt the head restraint to the
desired angle.
Adjust the head restraint so that
its center is approximately at the
height of your ears, as otherwise the
risk of damage to the cervical vertebra
in an accident is increased.<
Removal1. Pull the head restraint upward to the
stop
2. Press button 1 and remove the head
restraint.Installation Ð frontPress button 1 and insert the head
restraint into the guides. Removal and installation Ð rearGive the head restraint a sharp upward
tug to release it from its locking mecha-
nism. Press down forcefully to install.

46n
Safety belts Seat and mirror memory
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses involved
in an accident or otherwise damaged:
Have the entire safety belt mechanism
replaced by your BMW center,
including the safety belt tensioner. In
addition, have your BMW center
inspect the safety belt anchors. If a
child-restraint system was in the
vehicle during an accident, consult the
manufacturer's instructions regarding
replacement.<
You can store and call up three different
driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions.
Memory will not retain the adjust-
ments made to the lumbar
supports or the width of the back-
rests. 2. Adjust your seat and outside mirrors
to the desired position
3. Press the
MEMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
desired. The indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored settingDriver's door open after unlocking or
ignition key in position 1:
>Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3,
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when
one of the seat adjustment or
memory buttons is activated during
the adjustment process.
With the driver's door closed and the
ignition key either removed or in posi-
tion 0 or 2:
>Maintain pressure on the desired
memory button (1, 2 or 3) until the
adjustment process is completed.
If you press the
MEMORY button
accidentally: press the button
again; the indicator lamp goes out.<
Do not select a memory position
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected seat movement.<

62n
Sequential M gearbox* SMG IIShifting gears with shift paddles on
steering wheel:
>To upshift, briefly pull the right
paddle "+"
>To downshift, briefly pull the left
paddle "Ð."
Shift paddles with various widths
matched to the shape of your
hand are available from your BMW
center.<
Shifting gears with selector lever:
>To upshift, pull the selector lever
backward "+"
>To downshift, push the selector lever
forward "Ð".
No automatic upshifting is carried out in
the sequential mode.
You accelerate from higher gears, e.g.
during passing, by manually down-
shifting.
In the following situations the SMG II
helps you "think" in the sequential
mode:
>Upshifts and downshifts are only
executed when the new gear will
provide a suitable combination of
vehicle and engine speed, i.e., down-
shifts that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed
>During a stop the gearbox is auto-
matically downshifted into the first
gear so that, e.g. before a traffic light,
it is only necessary to accelerate to
continue driving
>When the speed is reduced, the
gearbox is automatically down-
shifted shortly before a gear-depen-
dent minimum speed is reached
without you taking any action.
A Ð Automated modeEach time the engine is started, the
automated mode is activated as soon
as you move the selector lever into the
forward driving position.
In the automated mode all forward
gears are automatically shifted.
Changeover from sequential to auto-
mated mode: tap the selector lever to
the right toward "A." Watch the display
in the instrument cluster, refer to
page 61.
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during
passing, depress the accelerator pedal
completely (kick-down). The gearbox
now downshifts in dependence on the
selected driving program.
Even in the automated mode, you can
help specify the shifting point: if a gear-
dependent minimum speed is
exceeded, you can upshift by slowly
reducing pressure on the accelerator
pedal. In the process, the respective
driving situation is detected by sensors
and taken into account.

104n
DOT Quality GradesTreadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger vehicle tires must
conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these
grades.< Tread wearThe tread wear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test
course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and one-half (1 g) times as
well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.
TractionThe traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.< TemperatureThe temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger vehicle tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.< Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
Tire replacement

Everything from A to ZW

Warning lamps17
Warning messages72
Warning triangle22
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet114
Washer fluid reservoir,
capacity139
Washing your vehicle, refer
to the "Caring for your
vehicle" manual
Water on roadways101
Wear indicator in the
tires103
Weights138
Wheel rims105
Wheelbase137
Wheels and tires105
Width137
Windows
convenience
operation29, 30
remote control30
Windshield washer reservoir,
capacity139
Windshield wiper66
Winter tires106
Wiper system66
Work in the engine
compartment107t
X
Xenon lamps121