light BMW Z4 COUPE 2006 E86 Owner's Guide

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At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
49
Technology for driving comfort and safety
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW is equipped with a series of systems
that help maintain driving stability even in
adverse driving situations.
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS keeps the wheels from locking during
braking. Steering stability is maintained even
during full brake applications. In this way, active
safety is enhanced.
ABS is operational each time the engine is
started. Braking safely, refer to page71.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls brake-force application at
the rear wheels in order to obtain increased sta-
bility in the vehicle's braking response.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. At the same time, the benefits of the ABS
are also exploited.
As long as you want full braking to continue, do
not reduce pressure on the brake.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC prevents slip at the drive wheels while
starting off and accelerating the vehicle. DSC
also recognizes unstable vehicle conditions,
such as fishtailing or nose-diving. In these
cases, and subject to physical limits, DSC helps
to keep the vehicle on a steady course by
reducing engine speed and by applying brakes
at individual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed
even with DSC. It will always be the
driver's responsibility to drive in a manner that
matches road conditions. Therefore, do not limit the additional safety margin by practicing
risky driving.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-
cator lamp for DSC lights up in the instrument
cluster. Dynamic Traction Control DTC and
DSC have been deactivated simultaneously. No
more interventions to increase stability and for-
ward momentum are carried out.
To enhance vehicle stability, reactivate DSC as
soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button again; the indicator lamp goes
out in the instrument cluster.
Checking
The indicator lamp flashes:
DSC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp is lit:
DSC has been deactivated completely.
Dynamic Traction Control DTC
DTC is a variant of the DSC in which forward
momentum is optimized for special road condi-
tions, e.g. snow-covered roads that have not
yet been cleared. The system ensures maxi-
mum forward momentum, but driving stability is
limited. Therefore, drive carefully in accordance
with conditions.

Technology for driving comfort and safety
50 In the following exceptional circumstances, it
may be effective to activate the DTC for a short
period:
>When driving on snow-covered grades, in
slush or on uncleared, snow-covered roads
>When rocking the vehicle or starting off in
deep snow or on loose surfaces
>When driving with snow chains
Activating DTC
Press the button briefly; the DTC indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster.
Checking
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes out.
Malfunction in the driving stability
control systems
Have the system checked as soon as possible.Drive cautiously, think well ahead and
avoid full brake applications, otherwise
unstable driving conditions could result.<
The vehicle remains operational. Have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible.
Drive cautiously and think well ahead,
otherwise unstable driving conditions
could result.<
Drive-off assistant
The drive-off assistant enables you to drive off
smoothly on uphill gradients. It is not necessary
to use the handbrake for this.
1.Hold the car in place by depressing the
brake.
2.Release the brake and drive off without
delay.
The drive-off assistant holds the car in
place for approx. 2 seconds after the
brake is released. Depending on vehicle load,
the car may roll backwards a little during this
time span. Drive off without delay after releas-
ing the brake. Otherwise, the drive-off assistant
will no longer hold the car in place after approx.
2 seconds and the car will start to roll back-
wards.< The indicator lamp flashes:
DTC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp is lit:
DTC has been activated.
The warning lamp for the brake system
lights up in red, together with the yel-
low indicator lamps for ABS and DSC:
The driving stability control systems
have failed.
Canadian models display these warn-
ing lamps.
The DSC warning lamp lights up
together with the yellow warning lamp
for the brake system:
DSC, including DTC and DBC, are
malfunctioning.
Canadian models display these warn-
ing lamps.

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51
Malfunction
The warning lamp for the brake system
lights up in yellow. The drive-off assis-
tant has failed. The car will not be held
in place after the brake is released. Have the
system checked as soon as possible.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor monitors tire pressures
while the car is being driven. The system
reports any significant loss of pressure in one
tire in relation to another.
In the event of tire pressure loss, the rolling
radius of the tire changes, thereby affecting the
rotational speed of the wheels. This change is
detected, and a flat tire warning is issued to the
driver.
System requirements
To ensure a reliable flat tire warning, the system
must be initialized with the correct tire inflation
pressures.
The system must be reinitialized each
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage
caused by external factors, nor can it identify
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of
time.<
The system could issue a false warning or func-
tion in a delayed manner in the following situa-
tions:
>System was not initialized
>Driving on a snow-covered or slippery road
surface
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at the
drive wheels, high levels of lateral accelera-
tion
>Driving with snow chains attached
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed while you
are driving, and can be interrupted at any
time. Initialization is continued automatically
when you continue driving.
When driving with snow chains, do not initialize
the system.<
1.Start the engine immediately before pulling
away, but do not drive off yet.
2.Press the button until the yellow indicator
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up for a
few seconds.
3.Drive off.
Initialization is completed during the drive,
without any feedback issued.
Flat tire warning
The warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up in red. A signal also
sounds. There is a flat tire or a signifi-
cant loss of tire pressure.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to 50 mph/
80 km/h or lower. Avoid strong braking and
steering maneuvers. Do not exceed a maxi-
mum speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
If the car is not equipped with Run-
Flat Tires, refer to page84, the stan-
dard equipment by design, do not continue
driving. Otherwise a severe accident could
result after a tire puncture.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure is correct in all
four tires, it is possible that the Flat
Tire Monitor was not initialized. In this case,
initialize the system.<

Technology for driving comfort and safety
52 3.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kilopascal, you can estimate the
possible distance for continued driving on
the basis of the following guidelines:
>With a light load:
1 person without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
1 person, cargo bay full,
or
2 persons without luggage:
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
2 persons, cargo bay full:
approx.30miles/50km.
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a speed
of 50 mph/80 km/h. Driving characteris-
tics change if there is a loss of tire pressure.
This includes reduced tracking stability in brak-
ing, extended braking distance and altered nat-
ural steering characteristics.
If unusual vibration or loud noises occur during
the journey, this may be an indication that the
damaged tire has finally failed. Reduce your
speed and pull over to the side of the road at the
earliest opportunity. Otherwise, parts of the tire
could come loose and cause an accident. Do
not continue driving. Contact a BMW Center.<
Electric Power Steering EPS
The concept
The electric power steering is a direct, sporting
steering system. A special combination of elec-
tric motor and transmission helps you steer
more easily. As your speed increases, steering
power assistance is reduced.
Malfunction
The indicator lamp stays lit:
The system is malfunctioning or defec-
tive.
Steering remains operational.
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
Brake Force Display
The brake lamps light up in two stages,
depending on how sharply you apply the
brakes.
>Normal braking:
The brake lamps and the center brake lamp
light up.
>Sharp braking:
A larger portion of the brake lamps lights up.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Side airbags
3Knee airbags
Protective action
Comply with the instructions on page30,
or the occupants' personal safety will be
diminished.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
passenger in the event of a frontal impact in
which safety belts alone cannot provide suffi-
cient protection. When needed, the side airbags

Reference
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Controls
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Mobility
55
Lamps
Parking lamps/Low beams
0Lamps off and daytime running light*
1Parking lamps and daytime running light*
2Low beams
3Automatic headlamp control
* and daytime
running light
*
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the
parking lamps to signal the position of the vehi-
cle when it is parked. For the additional option
of roadside parking lamps on one side of the
vehicle only, refer to page56.
The parking lamps will discharge the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for
unduly long periods of time, otherwise the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the
engine.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
When you switch off the ignition with the low
beam headlamps on, only the parking lamps will
remain on.
Defective bulb
The indicator lamp lights up:
At least one bulb of the vehicle's exte-
rior lighting has failed.
For replacing bulbs refer to page93.
Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is in position3, the low beams
are switched on and off automatically depend-
ing on ambient light conditions, e.g. in a tunnel,
in twilight, or if there is precipitation.
When driving into tunnels with bright overhead
lights, there may be a delay before the head-
lamps come on.
The headlamps may also come on when the
sun is sitting low on a blue sky.
The low beams remain switched on inde-
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps
*.
When daytime running light is activated, refer to
page55, the low-beam headlamps are always
switched on when the switch is in position 3 and
the ignition is on.<
If desired, the light switch can remain in
position3. The exterior lamps are automatically
switched off after the vehicle is parked.
The automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for your personal
judgment in determining when the lamps
should be switched on in response to ambient
lighting conditions. For example, the system
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid
safety risks, you should always switch on the
lamps manually under these conditions.<
You can have the sensitivity of your vehi-
cle's automatic headlamp control
adjusted.<
Daytime running light*
If desired, the light switch can remain in the
automatic headlamp control position. The exte-
rior lamps are automatically switched off after
the vehicle is parked.
In the Parking lamps position, the parking lamps
come on after the ignition is switched off.
If necessary, switch on the parking lamps as
described in the section about parking lamps.

Lamps
56 You can have daytime running light acti-
vated/deactivated on your vehicle.<
Pathway lighting
If you activate the headlamp flasher after park-
ing the car, with the lights switched off, the low
beams come on and remain on for a certain
time.
You can have this function activated/
deactivated as well as the duration of the
pathway lighting set.<
LIGHTS ON warning
Whenever you open the driver's door after hav-
ing turned the key to position 0, you will hear an
acoustic signal for a few seconds to remind you
that the lamps have not been switched off.
High beams/Roadside
parking lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
When parking the vehicle, you have the option
to switch on the lamps only on the side facing
the road.
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down, arrow 3, until it engages.
The roadside parking lamps discharge
the battery. Therefore, do not leave them
on for unduly long periods of time, otherwise
the battery might not have enough power to
start the engine.<
Fog lamps*
Press the button to switch them on/off.
The parking lamps or low-beam headlamps
must be switched on. A green indicator lamp
comes on in the instrument cluster to indicate
that the front fog lamps are on.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
Turn the rotary dial to adjust brightness.
Interior lamps
The interior lamps operate automatically.

Climate
62
Comfortable interior climate
AUTO program 6 offers the ideal air distribution
and air flow rate for almost all conditions, refer
to AUTO program below. In addition, you can
select an interior temperature you find pleasant.
The following sections inform you in detail
about how to adjust the settings.
Air distribution, manual
Direct the flow of air to the windows
, to the upper body area and to
the footwell . Intermediate settings
are possible. The arrow lights up.
The automatic air supply remains unchanged.
You can switch the automatic air distribution
back on by pressing the AUTO button.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
Quickly removes ice and condensa-
tion from the windshield and side
windows.
AUTO program
The AUTO program adjusts the air
distribution to the windshield and
side windows, towards the upper
body area and into the footwell for
you. The air flow rate and your temperature
specifications will be adapted to outside influ-
ences as a result of seasonal changes, e.g. sun-
light or window condensation.
The cooling is switched on automatically with
the AUTO program.
The AUTO program functions only to a
limited extent when the convertible top is
open.<
Air flow rate, manual
Adjust the air flow rate. The arrow
lights up.
The automatic air distribution
remains unchanged. You can reactivate the
automatic mode for the air flow rate with the
AUTO button.The higher the air flow rate, the more effective
the air conditioning will be.
Switching the system on/off
Turn the rotary switch to 0. The automatic cli-
mate control is switched off and the air supply is
cut off.
To switch on the automatic climate control, set
any desired air flow rate.
Switching cooling function on/off
When the cooling function is on, the
air is cooled, dehumidified, then
reheated depending on the tempera-
ture setting.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is automatically switched
on along with the AUTO program. The passen-
ger compartment can only be cooled while the
engine is running.
Maximum cooling
At outside temperatures above
327/06 and when the engine is
running, you obtain a maximum cool-
ing effect as soon as possible.
The automatic climate control switches to the
lowest temperature and operates in recircu-
lated-air mode. Air flows at maximum rate only
from the vents for the upper body area. You
should therefore open them for maximum cool-
ing.
Temperature
Set the desired temperature.
The values on the dial are approxima-
tions of the respective temperature
resulting in the passenger compartment.
The automatic climate control achieves this
temperature as quickly as possible regardless
of the season, using maximum cooling or heat-
ing power if necessary, and then maintains it.
If you switch between different tempera-
ture settings in quick succession, the

Reference
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65
Coupe: eyeglasses compartment
To open
Press the strip on the eyeglasses compartment.
Beverage holders
Do not place glassware in a beverage
holder; otherwise there is an increased
risk of injury in the event of an accident.<
A beverage holder is located on either side
beneath the air outlets.
1.Press the trim piece beneath the air outlets;
see arrow1.
2.Place the beverage into the holder.
3.Adjust the holder to fit the size of the bever-
age container; see arrow2.
Ashtray*
To empty
1.Open cover.
2.Pull out ashtray1.
Cigarette lighter
Press in lighter2. As soon as the lighter springs
back out, it can be removed.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains operational even
when the key has been removed. For this rea-
son, children should never be left in the vehicle
unattended.<
Coupe: roller-blind cover
The roller-blind cover is raised when the tail-
gate is opened.
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the
roller-blind cover. If you do, they can
endanger the passengers, for example during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Do not let the roller-blind cover retract too
quickly; otherwise it could be damaged.<

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67
Make sure that the wind deflector cannot
be damaged by objects in the cargo
bay.<
Connecting electrical
appliances
In your BMW, you can use electrical devices
such as a flashlight, car vacuum cleaner or a
similar appliance up to approx. 200 watts at
12 volts.
Do not damage the socket by inserting plugs of
a different shape or size.
Cigarette lighter socket
Pull the cigarette lighter out of the socket.
Mobile phone preparation
package*
Hands-free microphone
In vehicles with a telephone preparation pack-
age, the cover for the hands-free microphone is
located on the trim of the steering column.
For further information on the mobile phone,
refer to the Owner's Manual for the telephone.

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Mobility
71
cannot be ruled out that vehicle electronics and
the mobile communications device interfere
with one another. In addition, it is not ensured
that the radio waves emitted during transmis-
sion are directed outside of the vehicle inte-
rior.<
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 mirror glass, 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.
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-
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 page83.
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.
Otherwise, moisture could penetrate and dam-
age 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