BMW M3 SEDAN 2008 E90 Workshop Manual

Controls
49Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
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Mobility
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Activating the settings
Press the button on the steering wheel.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on. The settings made
on the Control Display for the functions
in MDrive are active.
Pressing the button again deactivates MDrive.
If the indicator lamp flashes after the but-
ton was pressed, MDrive was unable to
respond because the Antilock Brake System
ABS or Dynamic Stability Control DSC are cur-
rently regulating driving stability. Press the
button again when the indicator lamp is no
longer flashing.<
You can change individual settings outside of
MDrive even when MDrive is activated, e. g.
using the buttons on the center console. To
reactivate all settings made on the Control Dis-
play for MDrive: press the button twice.
Key-dependent settings
For the remote control currently in use, you can
set your preferred program for the M Engine
Dynamics Control and Electronic Damper Con-
trol EDC. These presettings are called up when
the engine is started.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "M settings" and press the control-
ler.4.Select "Key-dependent settings" and press
the controller.
The available functions are displayed:
>"POWER"
Programs of the M Engine Dynamics
Control, refer to page63
>"EDC"
Programs of the Electronic Damper
Control EDC
*, refer to page84
>"Shift lights"
Shift Lights, refer to page61
5.Select the desired function.
6.Press the controller.
7.Turn the controller to select the desired set-
ting.
8.Press the controller.

Adjustments
50 The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.

Controls
51Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening
the doors, for example.<
The rear center seat is not suitable for installing
child-restraint systems for all age groups,
approved for the age group in question.
Children always in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Children under the age of 13 or smaller
than 5 ft/150 cm may be transported only
in the rear in suitable child-restraint systems
appropriate for their age, weight and size. Oth-
erwise there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child-restraint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger must be deactivated. Otherwise, a child
traveling on that seat will face a significant risk
of injury if the airbags are triggered off, even
with a child-restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags refer to page90.
Installing child-restraint
systems
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using child-restraint systems.
Otherwise the protective effect may be dimin-
ished. to be secured with a lap belt or with the lap-belt
section of a lap-and-shoulder belt. Incorrectly
or improperly installed child-restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to children.
Always follow the installation instructions for
the system with the greatest care.
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated, otherwise there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the front passen-
ger's seat must be at its widest possible
setting. Do not change the setting after install-
ing the child seat. Otherwise the child seat's
stability on the front passenger's seat is lim-
ited.<
1.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page42.
2.Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger's
safety belt can be prevented from being pulled
out in order to fasten child-restraint systems.

Transporting children safely
52
To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child-restraint system with the
belt.
2.Pull the belt strap all the way out.
3.Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut
against the child-restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To unlock the safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child-restraint system.
3.Allow the safety belt strap to retract all the
way.
LATCH child-restraint fixing
system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
To install and use the LATCH child
restraint system, follow the operating and
safety instructions provided by the manufac-
turer of the system, otherwise the protective
function of the seat may be compromised.<
Before installing the child seat, pull the belt out
of the area for the child-restraint fixing system.
Ensure that both lower LATCH anchors
are correctly engaged and that the child
restraint system is resting firmly against the
backrest, otherwise the protective function of
the seat may be compromised.<
Rear seats with through-loading
system*
The anchor points for the lower LATCH
anchors are located behind the labeled protec-
tive caps.
Rear seats without through-loading
system*
The anchor points for the lower LATCH
anchors are located at the positions indicated
by arrows, in the gap between the seat and the
backrest.
Child-restraint system with tether
strap
Use the top tether anchors to secure
child-restraint systems only, otherwise
the anchors could be damaged.<

Controls
53Reference
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There are three additional anchors for child-
restraint systems with tether straps, see
arrows.
Placement of the tether strap
Make sure the upper retaining strap does
not run over sharp edges and is not
twisted as it passes to the top anchor. Other-
wise the strap will not properly secure the child-
restraint system in the event of an accident.<
1Direction of travel
2Head restraint
3Hook for upper retaining strap
4Anchor
5Rear window shelf
6Seat backrest
7Upper retaining strap of child-restraint sys-
tem
If necessary, fold the head restraints
* upward
before use.
1.Push the head restraint upward.
2.Guide the upper retaining strap between
the head restraint holders.
3.Use the hook to clip the retaining strap to
the anchor.4.Push the head restraint into its lowermost
position.
5.Pull the retaining strap taut.
On journeys
Child-safety locks for rear doors
Slide down the safety lever on the rear door:
The door can now be opened from the outside
only.
Safety switch for power windows
Press the safety switch for the power windows,
refer to page38, if children are traveling on the
rear seat.

Driving
54
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the
ignition lock
Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
>Radio readiness is switched on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Convenient access*
If the car is equipped with convenient access,
only insert the remote control into the ignition
lock under special circumstances, refer to
page35.
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out
of the ignition lock as this may cause
damage.<
Before removing the remote control, push it all
the way in to release the locking mechanism.
>The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Start/stop button
Pressing the start/stop button switches radio
readiness or the ignition on or off.
Manual transmission: when you press the
start/stop button while the clutch is
depressed, the engine starts.
M dual clutch transmission: when you press the
start/stop button while the brake is depressed,
the engine starts.<
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>When the remote control is removed from
the ignition lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, by touch-
ing the surface above the door lock, refer to
Locking on page36
Ignition on
All electrical consumers can operate. The
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
When the engine is off, please switch off
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-
cal consumers in order to preserve the bat-
tery.<

Controls
55Reference
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Mobility
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, otherwise such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
place the transmission in neutral and forcefully
apply the parking brake to prevent the car from
moving.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeated start attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter.<
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page35.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch and shift to neutral.
3.Press the start/stop button.The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
To stop the starting procedure: press the start/
stop button again.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page35.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Press the start/stop button.
The engine starts with the selector level in any
position. Driving off: with the engine running,
move the selector level from the middle position
Β in the desired direction.
Every time you start the engine, sequential
mode is activated in program S3 if you lightly
press the selector lever to the right to position
D/S with the brake pedal depressed.
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you
when you leave the vehicle.
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully, otherwise the vehicle could begin to roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Forcefully apply the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page54.
M dual clutch transmission with
Drivelogic
1.Press the start/stop button.
If N is engaged when you switch off the
engine, you are notified visually and acous-
tically.
2.Forcefully apply the parking brake.

Driving
56 3.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page54. This automati-
cally engages transmission position P.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when you perform the
following steps:
1.Insert the remote control, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Engage transmission position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Transmission position P is engaged:
>Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>When you remove the remote control from
the ignition lock
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off an acoustic signal sounds in
addition. The parking brake is still
applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake
lever.
Otherwise, excessive force on the parking
brake can lock up the rear wheels and cause the
rear of the car to swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the parking
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-
ing brake is applied.<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<

Controls
57Reference
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Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance has to be overcome.
M dual clutch transmission
with Drivelogic*
The concept
The M dual clutch transmission with Drivelogic
is an automated manual transmission with two
clutches and a partial transmission in which an
electro-hydraulic system takes over clutch
action and shifting.
With the M dual clutch transmission, gears are
changed without interruption of the traction
force.
The M dual clutch transmission is operated
using the selector lever and two shift paddles
on the steering wheel.
The transmission offers you the following func-
tions:
>Selection between manual and automatic
operation: sequential mode or drive mode
>Selection between different drive pro-
grams, Drivelogic, refer to page60
>Shift Lights, refer to page61
>Automatic downshifting and protection
against selecting the wrong gear even in
sequential mode
>Launch Control, refer to page62
>Automatic throttle blip
>Low Speed Assistant
System limitations
The M dual clutch transmission is equipped
with an overheating protection system that pro-
tects the clutch against extreme loads.
The indicator lamp lights up yellow
when the transmission becomes too
warm. Avoid high engine loads and
driving off frequently. When the transmission is
overheated, the indicator lamp lights up red and
the fuel supply to the engine is cut off. You can-not continue driving until the transmission has
cooled down.
Avoid driving off frequently with high accelera-
tion 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.
In traffic congestion or at very low speeds, use
the Low Speed Assistant, refer to the informa-
tion below.
Low Speed Assistant
The Low Speed Assistant supports you when
driving at very low speeds: the vehicle moves at
walking speed and automatically controls the
engine speed. You can also use the Low Speed
Assistant when rocking the vehicle out of deep
snow. To do so, shift between reverse gear and
the forward position without pressing the brake.
Activating
1.Engage a drive position.
2.Briefly tap the accelerator.
The vehicle rolls at the minimum speed. Do not
press the brake continuously as this may cause
the transmission to overheat.
Deactivating
Brake the vehicle to a stop to deactivate the
Low Speed Assistant.
Selector lever positions
>R: reverse gear

Driving
58 >Β: middle position
>N: neutral
>+: shift up manually
>–: shift down manually
>D/S: change between drive mode and
sequential mode
The selector lever locks in position R. In other
transmission positions, it stays in the middle
position; the gear positions are engaged by
pressing lightly in the desired direction.
The gear position currently engaged is indi-
cated by LEDs in the selector lever.
Shiftlock
When the vehicle is stationary, press the brake
pedal before shifting out of N, otherwise the
desired gear will not be engaged.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
If the driving situation demands, e.g. when
downshifting on a slippery road, the M dual
clutch transmission automatically disengages
and engages the clutch, i.e. it is not necessary
to manually engage the neutral position.
N engages when you open the driver's
door while the engine is running, your
safety belt is not fastened and you activate nei-
ther the brake pedal nor the accelerator. To
drive off after closing the driver's door and fas-
tening your safety belt, move the selector lever
to position N first and then to the desired drive
position.<
N remains engaged even after the engine
is switched off if you leave the remote
control in the ignition lock. Use this function in
an automatic car wash, for example, refer to
page56.<
S sequential mode
Shift up or down using the shift paddles or the
selector lever. You do not need to lift your foot
off the accelerator when doing so.Shift from sequential mode to drive mode:
Press the selector lever to the right in the D/S
direction.
Shift back to sequential mode: shift using the
shift paddles or the selector lever, or press the
selector level to the right in the D/S direction
again.
On a level road, you can drive off in second gear,
e.g. on slippery roads.
The M dual clutch transmission assists you in
the following situations:
>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 would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
>When the vehicle stops, the transmission
automatically shifts down to first gear.
>Shortly before the vehicle slows down to
below the minimum speed of the gear cur-
rently engaged, the transmission automati-
cally shifts down without requiring your
intervention.
Rapid downshifting: in sequential mode, you
can skip several gears to achieve optimal accel-
eration. To do so, press the accelerator past the
resistance point and pull the left shift paddle
once or press the selector lever forward once.
D drive mode
In drive mode, all forward gears are shifted auto-
matically.
Shift from drive mode to sequential mode: shift
using the shift paddles or the selector lever, or
press the selector level to the right in the D/S
direction.
Shift back to drive mode: press the selector
lever to the right in the D/S direction again.
Kick-down: to accelerate rapidly, e.g. when
passing, press the accelerator down past the
resistance point. This provides maximum accel-
eration.