brake BMW Z4 2.5I 2003 User Guide

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Reference
53
>Forceful braking and braking with ABS:
Brake lamps 1 and 2 light up on both
vehicle sides together with the center
brake lamp.
Antilock Brake System ABS
The concept
ABS keeps the wheels from locking during
braking, thereby enhancing active driving
safety.
Malfunction
If the yellow indicator lamps for the
Antilock Brake System ABS come
on together with the brake warning
lamp and the indicator lamp for the
Dynamic Stability Control DSC:
The entire ABS and DSC control
system has failed. Continue driving
cautiously and defensively. Avoid
hard brake applications. Please have the
system checked by your BMW center as
soon as possible.
ABS and DSC indicator and warn-
ing lamps for Canadian models.
Braking with ABS
If you are in a situation which requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits of
the ABS system if you apply maximum
brake pressure – panic stop.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indi-
cate to the driver that ABS is in its active
mode.
Flat Tire Monitor
The concept
The tire pressure is determined using the
signals of the ABS sensors.
The system provides an alert whenever the
tire pressure of one tire drops relative to
that of another.
Prerequisites
In order for the system to "learn" the cor-
rect tire inflation pressures, please do the
following:
>Check the inflation pressure in all tires
>Compare to the inflation pressure table
– refer to page 72 – and correct if nec-
essary
>Initialize the system.
Check the tire pressures regularly
and correct if necessary. Refer to
page 71.<
Indicator lamp
In the event of a flat tire
The indicator lamp lights up red; in
addition, an acoustic signal is
sounded:
Respond immediately by carefully reducing
vehicle speed to under 50 mph / 80 km/h.
Avoid hard brake applications and steering
maneuvers.
If your vehicle is equipped with
Run Flat tires, note the information on
page 75.<
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot alert you
to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors. Another factor
which the Flat Tire Monitor does not recog-
nize is the even and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all tires over an
extended period of time.<

Special operating instructions
64
Special operating instructions
Break-in procedures
To ensure that your vehicle provides maxi-
mum economy throughout a long service
life, we request that you observe the fol-
lowing:
Engine and differential
Up to 1,250 miles / 2,000 km:
Drive at varying engine and road speeds,
but do not exceed the following engine or
road speed:
4,500/min or 100 mph / 160 km/h:
Obey your local and state maximum speed
limits.
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid
pressing the accelerator beyond the kick-
down point.
After you have driven 1,250 miles /
2,000 km, you can gradually increase the
engine or road speeds.
You should also comply with these break-in
procedures if the engine or differential is
replaced later in the course of the vehicle's
service life.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with
their manufacture, tires do not achieve their
full traction potential until an initial break-in
period has elapsed. You should therefore
drive with extra caution during the first
200 miles / 300 km.
Obey your local and state maximum speed
limits.
When the vehicle is operated on wet
or slushy roads, a wedge of water
may form between the tire and the road
surface. This phenomenon is referred to as
hydroplaning and can lead to partial or
complete loss of traction, vehicle control
and braking effectiveness. Reduce your
speed on wet roads.<
Brake system
Approx. 300 miles / 500 km must elapse
before the brake pads and rotors achieve
their optimal surface and wear pattern.
To break in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly when
coasting to a standstill – at a traffic signal,
for instance; use caution to avoid posing a
danger to other road users.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure
from time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on when the
parking brake is set.
Vacuum for the brake system servo
unit on your BMW is available only
when the engine is running. When you
move the car with the engine off – e.g., by
towing – substantially higher levels of pedal
force will be required to brake the vehicle.<
Clutch
The clutch will achieve its optimal function-
ality after approx. 300 miles / 500 km. Shift
gears carefully during the break-in period.

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Driving notes
Parking the vehicle
Condensation forms in the air conditioner
system during operation, which then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed
water on the ground underneath the vehi-
cle are thus normal.
Brakes
Do not drive with your foot resting on
the brake pedal. Even light but con-
sistent pedal pressure can lead to high
temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water may form between the tires
and the road surface. This phenomenon
can lead to partial or complete loss of trac-
tion, vehicle control and braking effective-
ness.<
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the
road if it is deeper than 1 ft / 30 cm,
and then only at walking speed. Otherwise,
the vehicle's engine, the electrical systems
and the transmission may be damaged.<
High temperatures
High temperatures occur with every
vehicle equipped with a catalytic con-
verter. Heat shields are installed adjacent to
some sections of the exhaust system. Never
remove these shields; do not apply under-
coating to their surfaces. When driving,
standing at idle and parking the vehicle,
take care to avoid contact between the hot
exhaust system and flammable materials –
e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc. Such contact
could lead to a fire, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury and property damage.<
Brake system
The brake warning lamp lights up
although the parking brake is not
engaged: check the brake fluid
level. It is very important that you follow the
instructions on page 81 before driving on.
Disc brakes
Corrosion
Limited vehicle use, extended periods with
the vehicle parked or in storage, and oper-
ating conditions in which braking is
restricted to gentle, low-pressure applica-
tions will all increase the tendency for cor-
rosion to form on the rotors and contamina-
tion to accumulate on the brake pads. This
occurs because the minimal pressure
which must be exerted by the pads to clean
the rotors by brake applications is not
reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they will
tend to respond to braking with a pulsating
effect which even extended application will
fail to cure.
Wet roads
When driving in heavy rain and on wet
roads, it is useful to apply light pressure
to the brake pedal every few miles. Watch
traffic conditions to ensure that this maneu-
ver does not endanger other road users.
The heat generated in this process helps
dry the pads and rotors to ensure that your
brake system will respond with undimin-
ished efficiency when you need it.
Inclines
Extended or steep mountain descents
should be driven in the gear or drive posi-
tion in which only minimal periodic brake
application is required. This helps avoid
placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem. Observe the maximum allowable
engine speed when doing so; refer to
page 47.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed or with the transmission or
selector lever in Neutral. Do not coast with

Special operating instructions
66 the engine switched off. Otherwise the
engine provides no braking effect and there
is no power-assist for braking or steering
when the engine is off.<
Brake pads
The yellow indicator lamp for the
brake pads lights up:
Have the condition of the brake
pads inspected.<
For your own safety: use brake pads
which the manufacturer has approved
for your specific vehicle model. The manu-
facturer cannot evaluate non-approved
brake pads to determine if they are suitable
for use, and therefore cannot ensure the
operating safety of the vehicle in the event
of their use.<
Cargo loading
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible – directly behind the luggage
compartment partition – and as low as
possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
With the convertible top closed, you
can increase the space in your lug-
gage compartment. Refer to page 22.
We recommend that you always fold the
convertible top compartment panel down
as soon as you have removed your cargo
from the luggage compartment. This way,
you can be sure that you can always oper-
ate the convertible top at any time.
Conversely, when the convertible top is
closed, raise the convertible top compart-ment panel before stowing your cargo in
the luggage compartment to avoid any
damage to the convertible top compart-
ment or your load.<
If you stow cargo behind the seats of your
BMW Z4 roadster:
>Only stow light objects such as cloth-
ing, etc.
>Do not pile objects higher than the top
edge of the backrests.
To avoid damaging the rear of the
backrest or the rear interior trim
panel, do not stow heavy cargo or cargo
with sharp edges and corners behind the
seats.
In addition, large and bulky cargo stowed
behind the seats may prevent the backrest
from engaging properly. Ensure that the
backrest is securely locked by moving the
seat forward if necessary. Refer to
page 29.<
Always position and secure the load
correctly. If you do not, it can endan-
ger the passengers during braking or eva-
sive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the approved gross vehicle
weight or the specified maximum axle
loads. Refer to page 94. Otherwise the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer
assured and you are in violation of the law.
Do not stow heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment without first
securing them. Otherwise they would be
thrown around during braking and evasive
maneuvers and would endanger the occu-
pants.<

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Reference
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Run Flat tires
Run Flat tires are labeled on the sidewall
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC.
Run Flat tires consist of self-supporting
tires and special rims. The tire reinforce-
ment ensures that the tire retains some
residual safety in the event of pressure
drop and driving remains possible to a
restricted degree.
Because the sides of the Run Flat
tires are reinforced, a drop in inflation
pressure usually cannot be detected from
the outside.<
Flat tire
The red warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up when a tire
has failed. In addition, an acoustic
signal is heard. Refer to pages 14, 53.
1.Reduce vehicle speed carefully to
under 50 mph / 80 km/h. Avoid hard
brake applications and steering maneu-
vers
2.Do not exceed 50 mph / 80 km/h again
3.Find out which tire has been damaged;
to do so, check the tire inflation pres-
sure of all four tires at the earliest
opportunity. Refer to page 71
4.Correct the tire inflation pressure if you
wish to continue driving and if it is safe
to do so. Refer to the following section
5.Have the damaged tires changed by
your BMW center.
BMW recommends that you consult
your BMW center if you wish to replace the tires of your BMW, or change
from summer to winter tires or vice versa.
Your BMW center knows how to work with
Run Flat tires and is equipped with the nec-
essary special tools.<
For safety reasons, do not have Run
Flat tires repaired.
When replacing tires or changing from
summer to winter tires – or vice versa – use
Run Flat tires only since a spare tire will not
be available in the event of a flat tire.<
Driving with a damaged tire
When using Run Flat tires, you can con-
tinue driving cautiously at a maximum
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h, depending on
the cargo load and the extent of tire dam-
age.
You can estimate the distance you can
continue driving on the basis of the follow-
ing values:
>Tire inflation pressure of 0 psi / 0 kPa:
approx. 100 miles / 150 km
>Tire inflation pressure of 7 – 15 psi
50 – 100 kPa:
approx. 300 miles / 500 km
>Tire inflation pressure greater than
15 psi / 100 kPa:
approx. 600 miles / 1,000 km.
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h. In the
event of pressure loss, changes in handling
characteristics – such as reduced stability
when braking, increased stopping dis-
tance, and altered steering response – may
occur.<

In the engine compartment
78
Engine compartment
1Reservoir for headlamp and windshield
washer system79
2Engine oil filler neck80
3Auxiliary terminal for jump-starting894Reservoir for brake fluid81
5Chassis ground – negative terminal
6Engine oil dipstick79
7Coolant expansion tank80

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81
allow accumulated pressure to escape,
then open completely
2.The coolant level is correct when the
upper end of the red float is at least
even with the upper edge of the filler
neck but no more than ι in / 2 cm
above it, that is, up to the second mark
on the float. Refer also to the schematic
diagram next to the filler neck
3.If necessary, add coolant. Slowly add
coolant until the correct level is reached
– do not overfill.
Comply with the applicable environ-
mental laws regulating the disposal of
extended-duty antifreeze with corrosion
inhibitor.<
Brake fluid
Indicator lamp
The brake warning lamp lights up
red when the parking brake is not
engaged: the brake fluid level is too
low, refer to page 65.
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models
Brake fluid, refilling
Brake fluid loss may result in extended
brake pedal travel. If this occurs, also refer
to the notes on page 65.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is, it
absorbs moisture from the air over
time.
In order to ensure the brake system's
safety and reliability, have the brake fluid changed every two years by a BMW center.
Refer also to page 48 and the Service Man-
ual.
Brake fluid is toxic and damages the vehi-
cle's paint. You should always store it in the
closed original container and in a location
inaccessible to children.
Do not spill the fluid and do not fill the brake
fluid reservoir beyond the MAX mark. The
brake fluid could ignite upon contact with
hot engine parts and cause serious
burns.<
Comply with the applicable environ-
mental laws regulating the disposal of
brake fluid.<
Brake fluid level
Low brake fluid level in the reservoir com-
bined with extended pedal travel may indi-
cate a defect in one of the brake system's
hydraulic circuits.
BMW recommends that you proceed
to the nearest BMW center. Higher
brake application pressure may be neces-
sary under these conditions, and braking
distances may be significantly longer.
Please remember to adapt your driving
style accordingly.<

Replacement procedures
86 tion using the fog lamps, provided traffic
laws in your area do not prohibit this.
Because of the extremely high volt-
ages involved, any work on the xenon
lighting system, including bulb-changing,
should be carried out by technically quali-
fied personnel only. Otherwise, there is a
risk of fatal injury.<
Front turn signal indicators
21 watt bulb
1.Insert a screwdriver into the appropri-
ate opening; see arrows 1
2.Turn the screwdriver to the left; see
arrows 2
3.Use the screwdriver to pull out the
entire bulb holder
4.Replace the bulb; see arrow
5.Install in the reverse order.
Side turn signal indicators
5 watt bulb
1.Turn the lamp to the left and remove
2.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left to remove
3.Install in the reverse order.
Tail lamps
Tail lamps (1): 21/4 watt bulbs
Remaining bulbs: 21 watt
1Tail lamp/brake lamp, red
2Turn signal indicator, yellow
3Backup lamp, white
On the right-hand side of the luggage com-
partment:

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1.Remove the cover by turning the lock to
the right; refer to the detail in the illus-
tration
2.Applying light pressure, turn the bulb to
the left. Remove and exchange the bulb
3.Reinstall the cover.
Center high-mount brake lamp
The LED strip is in the luggage compart-
ment lid.
Please contact a BMW center in case of a
malfunction.
License plate lamps
5 watt bulb
1.Push out the lamp with a suitable object
and remove it
2.Replace the bulb.
Snap the lamp back into place.
Changing a wheel
Run Flat tires
Your BMW is equipped with Run Flat tires.
Therefore, the wheel no longer has to be
changed immediately in the event of a loss
in inflation pressure.
Run Flat tires are labeled on the sidewall
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC. Refer to page 75.
BMW recommends that you consult your
BMW center if you wish to replace the tires
of your BMW, or change from summer to
winter tires or vice versa.
Your BMW center knows how to work with
Run Flat tires and is equipped with the nec-
essary special tools.
When replacing tires or changing
from summer to winter tires – or vice
versa – use only Run Flat tires since a spare
tire will not be available in the event of a flat
tire.<
Jacking points
The jacking points are located at the posi-
tions indicated in the illustration.
Your BMW center can provide you
with a suitable jack.<
Battery
Maintenance
The battery is completely maintenance-
free. This means that the original electro-
lyte will normally last for the service life of
the battery under moderate climatic condi-
tions.

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
97
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System 53
– indicator lamp 14
Accessories 7
Activated-charcoal filter 59
Air conditioning 55, 56
– air distribution 56
– air supply 56
– automatic climate
control 58
– defrosting windows
and removing
condensation 56
– outside-air mode 56
– rear window defroster 56
– recirculated-air mode 56
– temperature 56
Air distribution
– air conditioning 56
– automatic climate
control 58
Air outlets 56, 59
Air pressure 71
– checking 71
Air supply
– air conditioning 56
– automatic climate
control 58
Airbags 33
– activation/deactivation 34
– indicator lamp 14, 33
– passenger airbags
lamp 35
Alarm system 27
– arming/disarming 27
– indicator lamp 27
– tilt alarm sensor 28
– triggering 19
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires 76
Antifreeze
– coolant 81
– washer fluid 79Antilock Brake System ABS
– indicator lamp 14
Anti-theft alarm system,
refer to Alarm system 27
Approved axle load 94
Approved gross vehicle
weight 94
Ashtray 61
AUC Automatic recircu-
lated air control 58
Automatic
– air distribution 58
– air supply 58
– cruise control 44
– lamp control 45
Automatic car wash, refer
to the Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Automatic climate
control 57, 58
– air conditioning 58
– air distribution 58
– air supply 58
– Automatic recirculated air
control AUC 58
– defrosting windows
and removing
condensation 58
– maximum cooling 58
– outside air 58
– rear window defroster 59
– recirculated air mode 58
– temperature 58
Automatic transmission
with Steptronic 40
– display 41
– electronic transmission
control 41
– indicator lamp 14
– manual mode 41
– selector lever position 40
– sport program 41
Automatic windshield
washer 44Average fuel
consumption 50
Average speed 50
Axle load, approved 94
B
Backrest, refer to Seats 30
Backup lamps 40
– bulb replacement 86
Bandages 89
Battery 87
Battery charge current
– indicator lamp 14, 88
Belt tensioner, refer to
Safety belts 31
Belts 31
Beverage holder 61
Blinker, refer to Turn signal
indicators 42
Blower
– air conditioning 56
– automatic climate
control 58
BMW High Performance
synthetic oils 80
BMW Maintenance
System 82
Bore 94
Brake fluid 81
– indicator lamp 14, 81
– refilling 81
Brake Force Display 52
Brake hydraulic system 65
Brake hydraulics
– indicator lamp 14
Brake lamps
– bulb replacement 86
– indicator lamp, defective
bulb 14
Brake pads 66
– indicator lamp 14
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