BMW Z4 SDRIVE35I 2012 Owners Manual

Manual transmission
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck with
a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Sport automatic transmission
Have the BMW transported on a flat bed.
Tow-starting
With the Sport automatic transmission, the en‐
gine cannot be started by tow-starting.
If possible, do not tow-start the vehicle but start
the engine by jump-starting, refer to page 177,
it. If the vehicle is equipped with a catalytic con‐
verter, only tow-start while the engine is cold.
1.Switch on the hazard warning system and
comply with local regulations.2.Switch on the ignition, refer to page 45.3.Shift into 3rd gear.4.Have the vehicle tow-started with the clutch
pressed and slowly release the clutch. After
the engine starts, immediately depress the
clutch completely again.5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope, and switch off the hazard warn‐
ing system.6.Have the vehicle checked.Seite 181Breakdown assistanceMobility181
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CareVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Car washes
Notes Steam jets or high-pressure washers
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, hold them a sufficient distance away
and use a maximum temperature of 140 ℉/
60 ℃.
Holding them too close or using excessively
high pressures or temperatures can cause dam‐
age or preliminary damage that may then lead to
long-term damage.
Follow the operating instructions for the high-
pressure washer.◀
Cleaning sensors/cameras with high-
pressure washers
When using high-pressure washers, do not
spray the seals of the retractable hardtop and
the exterior sensors and cameras, for Park Dis‐
tance Control, for instance, for extended periods
of time and only from a distance of at least 12 in/
30 cm.◀
Wash your vehicle frequently, particularly in win‐
ter.
Intense soiling and road salt can damage the ve‐
hicle.Washing in automatic car washes
Give preference to cloth car washes or those
that use soft brushes in order to avoid paint
damage.
Notes
Note the following:▷Make sure that the wheels and tires are not
damaged by the transport mechanisms.▷Fold in the exterior mirrors; otherwise, they
may be damaged, depending on the width of
the vehicle.▷Deactivate the rain sensor, refer to page 51,
to avoid unintentional wiper activation.▷Unscrew the road antenna.
Guide rails in car washes
Avoid car washes with guide rails higher
than 4 in/10 cm; otherwise, the vehicle body
could be damaged.◀
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll if the following steps
are taken.
Manual transmission
1.Shift to neutral.2.Release the parking brake, refer to page 49.3.Switch the engine off.4.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock.
Sport automatic transmission
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.2.Engage transmission position N.3.Release the parking brake, refer to page 49.4.Switch the engine off.5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.Seite 182MobilityCare182
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Transmission position P is engaged automati‐
cally:▷Automatically after approx. 30 minutes.▷When the remote control is removed from
the ignition lock.
Headlamps
▷Do not rub dry and do not use abrasive or
caustic cleansers.▷Soak areas that have been soiled e.g. due to
insects, with shampoo and wash off with
water.▷Thaw ice with de-icing spray; do not use an
ice scraper.
Retractable hardtop
When you open a wet hardtop, water drops may
run into the cargo area. If necessary, remove
items from the cargo area beforehand to avoid
water stains or soiling.
After washing the vehicle
After washing the vehicle, apply the brakes
briefly to dry them; otherwise, braking action can
be reduced and corrosion of the brake discs can
occur.
Vehicle care
Car care products
BMW recommends using cleaning and care
products from BMW, since these have been
tested and approved.
Car care and cleaning products
Follow the instructions on the container.
When cleaning the interior, open the doors or
windows.
Only use products intended for cleaning vehi‐
cles.
Cleansers can contain substances that are dan‐
gerous and harmful to your health.◀
Vehicle paint
Regular care contributes to driving safety and
value retention.
Environmental influences can act on the vehicle
paint. Tailor the frequency and extent of your car
care to these influences.
Leather care
Remove dust from the leather often, using a
cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Otherwise, particles of dust and road grime
chafe in pores and folds, and lead to increased
wear and premature degradation of the leather
surface.
To guard against discoloration, such as from
clothing, provide leather care roughly every two
months.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently as
dust and dirt are more noticeable.
Use leather care products; otherwise, dirt and
grease will gradually break down the protective
layer of the leather surface.
Suitable care products are available from the
service center.
Upholstery material care
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner.
If they are very dirty, e.g., beverage stains, use a
soft sponge or microfiber cloth with a suitable
interior cleaner.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams using
large sweeping motions. Avoid rubbing the ma‐
terial vigorously.
Damage from Velcro® fasteners
Open Velcro® fasteners on pants or other
articles of clothing can damage the seat covers.
Ensure that any Velcro® fasteners are closed. ◀Seite 183CareMobility183
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Caring for special components
Light-alloy wheels
Use wheel cleaner, particularly during the winter
months. Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly
alkaline or abrasive cleaners, or steam jets
above 140 ℉/60 ℃; follow the manufacturer's
instructions.
Chrome surfaces
Carefully clean components such as the radiator
grille or door handles with an ample supply of
water, possibly with shampoo added, particu‐
larly when they have been exposed to road salt.
Rubber components
Aside from water, treat only with rubber cleans‐
ers.
When cleaning rubber seals, do not use any sil‐
icon-containing car care products in order to
avoid damage or reduced noise damping.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood facing and fine wood compo‐
nents only with a moist rag. Then dry with a soft
cloth.
Plastic components
These include:▷Imitation leather surfaces.▷Headliner.▷Lamp lenses.▷Instrument cluster cover.▷Matte black spray-coated components.▷Painted parts in the interior.
Clean with a microfiber cloth.
Moisten the cloth lightly with water if necessary.
Do not soak the headliner.
Do not use cleansers that contain alcohol
or solvents
Do not use cleansers that contain alcohol or sol‐
vents, such as lacquer thinners, heavy-duty
grease removers, fuel, or such; this could lead to
surface damage.◀
Safety belts
Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and
thus have a negative impact on safety.
No chemical cleaning
Do not clean chemically; this can destroy
the webbing.◀
Use only a mild soapy solution, with the safety
belts clipped into their buckles.
Do not allow the reels to retract the safety belts
until they are dry.
Carpets and floor mats No objects in the area around the pedals
Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other
objects out of the area of motion of the pedals;
otherwise, the function of the pedals could be
impeded while driving
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.
Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again when they are returned after being re‐
moved, such as for cleaning.◀
Floor mats can be removed from the passenger
compartment for cleaning.
When returning the floor mats, secure them
again to prevent slipping.
If the floor carpets are very dirty, clean with a
microfiber cloth and water or a textile cleaner. To
prevent matting of the carpet, rub back and forth
in the direction of travel only.
Cleaning the interior
When cleaning the interior, do not move
both seats all the way forward while moving
them to their uppermost position and leaning
the backrests forward. Otherwise, the seatsSeite 184MobilityCare184
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could hit and damage the seal on the windshield
and the sun visor.◀
Sensors/cameras
To clean the sensors or cameras of equipment
such as the High-beam Assistant or Park Dis‐
tance Control PDC, use a cloth moistened with
a small amount of glass cleaner.
Displays/screens
Use a microfiber cloth to clean the Control Dis‐
play or instrument cluster, for example.
Cleaning displays
Do not use chemical or household cleans‐
ers.
Keep all fluids and moisture away from the unit.
Otherwise, they could affect or damage surfa‐
ces or electrical components.
Avoid pressing too hard when cleaning and do
not use abrasive materials; otherwise, damage
can result.◀
Long-term vehicle storage
Your service center can advise you on what to
consider when storing the vehicle for longer
than three months.Seite 185CareMobility185
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Indicator/warning lampsVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it alsodescribes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Overview
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in
a variety of combinations and colors. See the ta‐
ble for information on causes and how to re‐
spond. Note whether a lamp comes on alone or
in combination with another. Some lamps can
light up in different colors. Corresponding dis‐
tinctions are made in the text. 12CauseHow to respondTurn signalThe high beams/headlamp flasher are
switched on.Fasten safety belts.Fasten safety belt, refer to
page 38.Indication in US modelsLights up in red:The parking brake is set.Release the parking brake.Lights up in yellow:Parking brake malfunctioning.Have the system checked imme‐
diately.Parking brake malfunctioning.
Emergency braking with the parking brake not
possible.Have the system checked imme‐
diately.Seite 186MobilityIndicator/warning lamps186
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12CauseHow to respondParking brake malfunctioning.
Not functional while vehicle is stationary.Secure vehicle against rolling
when parked. Have the system
checked immediately.Parking brake failedSecure vehicle against rolling
when parked. Have the system
checked immediately.Indication in Canadian modelsLights up in red:The parking brake is set.Release the parking brake.Lights up in yellow:Parking brake malfunctioning.Have the system checked imme‐
diately.Parking brake malfunctioning.
Emergency braking with the parking brake not
possible.Have the system checked imme‐
diately.Parking brake malfunctioning.
Not functional while vehicle is stationary.Secure vehicle against rolling
when parked. Have the system
checked immediately.Parking brake failedSecure vehicle against rolling
when parked. Have the system
checked immediately.External temperature warningDrive conservatively, refer to
page 60.Lights up briefly:
Approx. 2.1 US gal/8 liters of fuel remain in the
tank.
Remains on:
The remaining range is no more than 30 miles/
50 km, refer to page 61.The engine refuses to start.Depress the brake or clutch to
start the engine, refer to
page 46.Seite 187Indicator/warning lampsMobility187
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12CauseHow to respondThe ignition is switched on and driver's door
is open.Switch off the ignition, refer to
page 45, or close the driver's
door.To drive through automatic car washes, the
transmission can be shifted to N. After approx.
30 minutes, the transmission automatically
changes to P. The indicator lamp lights up just
before the gear is changed automatically.To keep the transmission in
transmission position N, switch
on the ignition.For some functions, the indicator lamp lights
up if the desired function cannot be executed
at the moment.The parking lamps are still on.Switch off the parking lamps, re‐
fer to page 68.The roadside parking lamps are still onSwitch off the roadside parking
lamps, refer to page 70.A door is open.The hood is open.Lights up in red:Roof activation system failure.Roof cannot be moved. If the re‐
tractable hardtop does not lock,
contact your nearest service
center.The roof activation system is malfunctioning.Roof movement incomplete.
Please check if the roof is
blocked, then press or pull the
switch again.The roof is not locked.Open the roof fully and close it
again. Only continue driving after
taking this measure.Lights up in yellow:High temperature of roof motor.Roof activation temporarily lim‐
ited to closing only.Seite 188MobilityIndicator/warning lamps188
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12CauseHow to respondThe cargo area partition is not in the lower‐
most position.Press down the cargo area parti‐
tion until it engages on both
sides.Roof activation only possible while vehicle is
stationary.The vehicle is not level; roof activation is not
possible.Move the vehicle to a level sur‐
face.The trunk lid is open.The fuel cap is missing or loose.Make sure that the fuel cap is
correctly positioned and close it
until it clicks audibly. Do not jam
the strap between the fuel cap
and the vehicle.The windshield washer fluid level is too low.Add washer fluid as soon as pos‐
sible, refer to page 52.Lights up in red:Service is due.Arrange a service appointment.
Check the service requirements,
refer to page 65.Lights up in yellow:The engine will start the next time the Start/
Stop button is touched, possibly without the
brake or clutch being depressedThe remote control is malfunctioning or, in
cars with Comfort Access, was not detected.The engine cannot be started.
Have the remote control
checked, if necessary.The battery in the remote control is dis‐
charged.Use the remote control for a lon‐
ger journey or, in cars with Com‐
fort Access, replace the battery.The belt tensioners and/or airbag system has
failed.Have the system checked imme‐
diately.Seite 189Indicator/warning lampsMobility189
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12CauseHow to respondLights up:The Assist system has failed or is malfunc‐
tioning.Have the system checked as
soon as possible.Lights up in red:Engine malfunctionStop the car and switch off the
engine. You cannot continue
your journey. Contact your serv‐
ice center.Lights up in yellow:Full engine power is no longer available.You can continue your journey,
but moderate your speed and ex‐
ercise due caution. Have the en‐
gine checked as soon as possi‐
ble.Indication in US models:Warning lamp flashes:Engine malfunction under high load. High en‐
gine load will result in damage to the catalytic
converter.You can continue your journey,
but moderate your speed and ex‐
ercise due caution. Have the ve‐
hicle checked immediately.Warning lamp comes on:Engine malfunction with an adverse effect on
exhaust emissions.Have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible.Indication in Canadian models:Warning lamp flashes:Engine malfunction under high load. High en‐
gine load will result in damage to the catalytic
converter.You can continue your journey,
but moderate your speed and ex‐
ercise due caution. Have the ve‐
hicle checked immediately.Warning lamp comes on:Seite 190MobilityIndicator/warning lamps190
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