heating BMW Z4 3.0I ROADSTER 2008 E85 Owner's Manual

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
15
1Reading lamps*61
2Interior lamps61
3Air conditioning62
or automatic climate control
*65
5Indicator/warning lamp
passenger airbags37
6Central locking system21
7Hazard warning flashers
8Dynamic Driving Control44 Air distribution for air
conditioning63
Air distribution for automatic cli-
mate control
*66
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate
*66
Cooling function
*63,66
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control
*67
Recirculated-air mode63,67
Maximum cooling
*66
Air flow rate63,66
Defrosting windows
*66
Rear window defroster63,67
4
Seat heating
*33
Roadster: opening the convertible
top
*27
Roadster: closing the convertible
top
*27
Dynamic Traction Control DTC51
Flat Tire Monitor FTM
*53
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
*54

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
33
Convenience function
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or turn
the key to position 1, refer to page40.
2.Press memory button 1, 2 or 3 briefly.
Movement stops when one of the seat adjust-
ment or memory buttons is operated during the
adjustment process.
You can have this feature programmed so
that after you use the remote control from
your personalized key to unlock your door, your
seat will move into your own preferred posi-
tion.<
Safety function
1.Close the driver's door and turn the key to
position 0 or 2.
2.Press the desired memory button 1, 2 or 3
until the adjustment process is completed.
If you press the M
EMORY button accidentally:
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Before activating the programmed
adjustment feature, ensure that the space
behind the driver's seat is empty and unob-
structed. If you fail to do so, objects behind the
seat could be damaged, should the seat move
backward.<
Seat heating*
The seat cushion and backrest can be heated
with the ignition key in position 2.
Press once for each temperature level.
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
To switch off:
Press button longer.
Safety belts
Comply with the instructions on page30,
or the occupants' personal safety will be
diminished.<
Make sure every occupant fastens his or her
safety belt. As supplemental restraint devices,
the airbags are designed to enhance the effec-
tiveness of the safety belts, and not to replace
them.
To fasten
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the belt
buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page31.
To unlock
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt back into its reel.
'Fasten safety belts' reminder
The indicator lamp flashes or lights up.
A signal also sounds. Check whether
the safety belt has been fastened cor-
rectly.
The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is issued as
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-
tened. The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is also
activated at road speeds above approx. 5 mph/
8 km/h if the passenger's safety belt is not fas-
tened, if heavy objects are placed on the pas-
senger seat, or if driver or passenger unfasten
their safety belts.

Adjustments
34
Damaged safety belts
When the belt system has absorbed an
accident or has been damaged, have the
system and its belt tensioners replaced and the
b e l t a n c h o r s c h e c k e d . H a v e t h i s w o r k d o n e o n l y
by your BMW center or at a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel. Other-
wise, it is not guaranteed that the safety devices
will function properly.<
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The passenger's mirror is more convex
than the driver's mirror. The objects seen
in the mirror are closer than they appear. Do not
gauge your distance from traffic behind you on
the basis of what you see in the mirror; other-
wise there is an increased risk of an accident.<
1Adjustments
2To switch from one mirror to the other
3To fold the mirrors in or out
*
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
press on the edges of the lens.
Folding mirrors in or out*
The mirrors can be folded in or out up to a road
speed of approx. 6 mph/10 km/h by pressing
button3. This can be useful on narrow roads,
for example, or to reset the mirrors to their cor-
rect positions after they were folded in.
Automatic heating*
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
when the engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
Interior rearview mirror
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.
Interior and exterior mirrors with
automatic dimming feature*
The automatic dimming feature of the interior
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo
cells in the interior rearview mirror. In the Road-
ster, one is located in the top of the mirror
frame, see arrow. In the Coupe, it is located at
the bottom of the mirror frame. The other photo
cell is on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions
correctly, keep the photocells clean, do not
cover the area between the interior rearview
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield
directly in front of the mirror.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
41
Automatic transmission
1.Depress the brake.
2.Start the engine.
Special starting conditions
In the following situations, press the accelerator
pedal halfway down when starting the engine:
>If the engine does not start on the first
attempt, for instance when it is extremely
hot or cold.
>If the engine is started at very low tempera-
tures, below approx. +57/–156, at high
altitudes above approx. 3,300 ft/1,000 m.
Avoid frequent starting attempts in quick
succession or repeated starting attempts
during which the engine does not start. Other-
wise, the fuel is not burned or inadequately
burned; there is a danger of overheating and
damaging the catalytic converter.<
Switching off the engine
Do not remove the key while the vehicle is
still moving. Otherwise, the steering lock
would engage when the steering wheel is
turned.
When you leave the vehicle, always remove the
key and engage the steering lock.
Apply the parking brake when parking on steep
gradients, otherwise the vehicle could start to
roll.<
You can have an acoustic signal set as a
reminder that the key is still in the ignition
switch after the driver's door has been
opened.<
Manual transmission
1.Turn the key to position 1 or 0.
2.Engage first gear or reverse gear.
3.Apply the parking brake.
Automatic transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2.Turn the key to position 1 or 0.
Parking brake
The parking brake is designed primarily to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling when parked. It
operates against the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off a 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.
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. In doing so, continuously
press the button of the parking brake lever. Oth-
erwise, too violent an application of the parking
brake can overbrake the rear axle 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.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
43
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral, idle
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
This position is designed for driving under all
normal operating conditions. All forward gears
are selected automatically.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you are driving in posi-
tion D.
Kickdown
Kick-down enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Manual operation and Sport program
M/S
Move the selector lever from position D to the
left into the M/S range:
The Sport program is activated. This is indi-
cated by the display SD in the instrument clus-
ter. This position is recommended for a perfor-
mance-oriented driving style.
The Sport program is enabled automatically
when the Dynamic Driving Control system is
activated, refer to page44.
To use the automatic function again, move the
selector lever to the right into position D.
Shifting gears using the selector lever
When you press the selector lever forwards or
backwards, the manual mode is activated and
Steptronic changes gear. The instrument clus-
ter shows M1 through M6.
The transmission will only execute upshifts and
downshifts that will result in an appropriate
combination of vehicle speed and engine rpm.
For instance, downshifts that would result in
excessive engine speed will not be executed.
The desired gear will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster, followed by the actual gear.
Shifting gears via the shift paddles* on
the steering wheel
The shift paddles allow you to shift gears
quickly since your hands can remain on the
steering wheel.
>When you use the shift paddles on the
steering wheel to shift gears while in auto-
matic mode, the transmission automatically
switches to manual mode.
>If you do not use the shift paddles for a cer-
tain amount of time and do not accelerate,
the transmission automatically switches
back to automatic mode.
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear
plane, manual mode remains active.
>To shift up, pull one of the shift paddles.
>To shift down, press one of the shift pad-
dles.
The instrument cluster shows M1 through M6.
The transmission will only execute upshifts and
downshifts that will result in an appropriate
combination of vehicle speed and engine rpm.
For instance, downshifts that would result in
excessive engine speed will not be executed.
The desired gear will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster, followed by the actual gear.
Malfunction
Red warning lamp
The transmission is overheating.
Reduce your speed immediately and
pull over at a suitable location so that

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
75
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance to the forward vehicle. A defensive and
smooth driving style keeps fuel consumption
down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second
and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot off
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
O n a d o w n h il l s lo p e , t a k e y o u r f o o t o f f t h e a c c el -
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx.
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner and the
seat or rear window heating draw large amounts
of power and consume additional fuel. Espe-
cially in city traffic and in stop and go driving
they have a considerable impact. Therefore,
switch these functions off when they are not
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page96.
Driving notes
Close the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid/tailgate is closed.
Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter the inte-
rior of the vehicle.<
Should it be absolutely necessary drive with the
luggage compartment lid/tailgate open:
1.Coupe: close both windows.
Roadster: close all windows if the convert-
ible top is closed.
2.Greatly increase the air flow from the air
conditioning or automatic climate control,
refer to page62 or65.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Never remove the heat shields installed in
this area, nor apply undercoating to their sur-
faces. When driving, standing at idle or parking
the vehicle, take care to avoid contact between
the hot exhaust system and flammable materi-
als, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc. Such contact
could lead to a fire, resulting in serious personal
injury and property damage. Do not touch the
hot exhaust pipes to avoid the risk of injury from
burns.<
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 situation, known as
hydroplaning, means that the tire can com-

Things to remember when driving
76 pletely lose contact with the road surface, so
that neither the car can be steered nor the brake
be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page87.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Moisture inside the vehicle
Make sure that the passenger compart-
ment does not become wet and that liq-
uids are transported in closed containers. Oth-
erwise, moisture could penetrate and damage
electronic components inside the vehicle.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, keep the vehicle from rolling
by using the parking brake rather than by
slipping the clutch, which would lead to a high
degree of clutch wear.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indicate to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Wet roads
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Watch traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The resulting heat dries the
brake rotors and brake pads. Immediate braking
force is then available if necessary.
Inclines
To prevent overheating and, as a result,
diminished braking effectiveness, drive
down long or steep downhill grades in the gear
that requires the least braking. Otherwise, even
light but consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page43.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in idle or with the
engine switched off; otherwise, engine braking
action will not be present or there will be no
power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be
impaired.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
Limited vehicle use, extended periods with the
vehicle parked or in storage, and operating con-
ditions in which braking is restricted to gentle,
low-pressure applications will all increase the
tendency for corrosion to form on the rotors and
contamination to accumulate on the brake
pads. This occurs because the minimal pres-
sure 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.
Brake pads
The warning lamp lights up. The brake
pads have worn down to the minimum
safe limit. Have the brake pads
replaced as soon as possible.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
77
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the air conditioning
or automatic climate control is in operation, and
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath the
vehicle are thus normal.
Before driving into a car wash
For general information about taking care of
your BMW, refer to the Caring for your vehicle
brochure.
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that the
permissible carrying capacity of the tires
is not exceeded. Otherwise, overheating and
inner damage to the tires may result. The ulti-
m a t e r e s u l t c a n a s s u m e t h e f o r m o f a s u d d e n a i r
loss.<
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or
leak from their containers in the cargo
bay, as this could result in damage to the vehi-
cle.<
Determining the maximum load
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading
can result in damage to the vehicle and
unstable driving conditions.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passenger that will be riding in
your vehicle.3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passenger from XXX kilograms or
YYY pounds.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
551 lbs and there will be two 150 lbs occu-
pants in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
251 lbs.
551lbs minus 300lbs = 251lbs
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the occu-
pants' weights and the weight of the cargo. The
greater the weight of the occupants, the less
cargo can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward as possi-
ble, directly behind the cargo bay partition,
and as low as possible.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.

Replacing components
102
Jacking points
The jacking points are located at the positions
indicated in the illustration.
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is completely maintenance-free.
This means that the original electrolyte will nor-
mally last for the service life of the battery under
moderate climatic conditions. Your BMW cen-
ter will be happy to advise you if you have any
questions concerning the battery.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up:
The battery is no longer being charged.
The alternator drive belt is defective or
there is a malfunction in the charging circuit of
the alternator. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
If the drive belt is defective, pull over and
switch off the engine immediately to pre-
vent overheating and serious engine damage.
If the onboard supply voltage drops to a very
low level, increased steering effort may also be
necessary.<
Charging the battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only when the
engine has been switched off. Connections,
refer to Jump-starting on page104.
Battery disposal
After changing a battery, have the used
battery disposed of by your BMW center or bring it to a recycling point. Maintain the bat-
tery in an upright position for transport and stor-
age. Secure the battery against tilting when
transporting.<
Power loss
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require ini-
tialization. Individual settings are also lost and
must be reset:
>Seat memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page32.
>Clock must be reset, refer to page49.
Fuses
Do not attempt to repair a burned fuse or
replace it with a fuse having a different
color or amperage rating. To do this could
cause a fire in the vehicle as a result of circuit
overload.<
You will find the fuses and information on their
respective allocation behind the glove compart-
ment.
1.Open the glove compartment.
2.Press the lock on the left, arrow1.
3.Press the lock on the right, arrow2.
4.Swing the glove compartment down.
Spare fuses and plastic tweezers for grasping
the fuses are found in the onboard tool kit; refer
to page98.

Technical data
114
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank US gal/liters approx. 14.5/55 Fuel specifications: page83
including reserve of US gal/liters approx. 2.1/8
Window washer system For details: page46
including headlamp washers US quarts/liters approx. 5.3/5.0
Cooling system including
heating circuitFor details: page94
>Manual transmission US quarts/liters 8.0/7.6
>Automatic transmission US quarts/liters 8.9/8.4