sport BMW Z4 SDRIVE35I ROADSTER 2010 Owners Manual

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer
to page236.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
22Letters and numbers
23Voice activation system
Controls
28Opening and closing
41Adjustments
48Transporting children safely
50Driving
64Controls overview
77Technology for driving comfort and
safety
88Lamps
93Climate
100Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
112Things to remember when driving
Navigation
120Navigation system
121Destination entry
130Destination guidance
137What to do if…
Entertainment
140On/off and tone
143Radio
146Satellite radio
151CD/DVD player and CD/DVD changer
158Music collection
163External devices
Communications
170Telephone
182Contacts
184BMW Assist
Mobility
192Refueling
194Wheels and tires
201Under the hood
206Maintenance
208Care
212Replacing components
218Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
226Technical data
229Short commands for the voice activation
system
236Everything from A to Z

7Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your center, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to
http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Adminis-
trator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada,
Defect Investigations and Recalls, may call
1-800-333-0510 toll-free from anywhere in
Canada or 1-613-993-9851 from the Ottawa
region and from other countries, or contact
Transport Canada by mail at: Transport Can-
ada, ASFAD, Place de Ville, Tower C,
330 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0N5.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer64
5Engine oil temperature65
6Display for
>Clock64
>Outside temperature64
>Indicator and warning lamps137Display for
>Position of automatic transmission
*54
>Gear display for 7-gear sport automatic
transmission with dual clutch
*56
>Computer65
>Date of next scheduled service, and
remaining distance to be driven69
>Odometer and trip odometer64
>Programs for Dynamic Driving
Control79
>High-Beam Assistant
*90
>Checking the engine oil level202
>Settings and information68
> There is a Check Control
message73
8Fuel gauge65
9Resetting the trip odometer64

Opening and closing
34
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page29.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood or luggage compartment lid are
not properly closed. Even if you do not close
the alerted area, the system begins to mon-
itor the remaining areas, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after approx.
10 seconds. The interior motion sensor and
the tilt alarm sensor are not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted in the
ignition, but for no longer than approx.
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g., to attempts to steal a wheel
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
The interior of the car is monitored up to the
height of the seat cushions. Thus the alarm sys-
tem is activated together with the interior
motion sensor even if the hardtop is open. An alarm can be triggered unintentionally by falling
objects such as leaves, refer to Avoiding unin-
tentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g., in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains,
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote control
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are switched off until
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-
cle without needing to hold the remote control
in your hand. All you need to do is wear the
remote control close to your body, e.g., in your
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the luggage compartment lid
separately
>Starting the engine
>Convenient opening
>Convenient closing

Controls
41Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seated position
has a major influence on your safety in the event
of an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instructions
contained in the following section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page48.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions,
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered
off. No one and nothing should come between
the airbags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
passenger side as a storage area. Make sure
that the passenger is sitting correctly, e.g.,
keeping his or her feet or legs in the footwell
and not on the dashboard; otherwise, leg inju-
ries can occur if the front airbag deploys.
Make sure that passengers do not lean their
heads against the side airbag; otherwise, seri-
ous injuries could result if the airbag suddenly
deployed.<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page85.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additional safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has two seats, each of which is
equipped with a safety belt.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's
lap. Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits
low across the hips and does not press against
the abdomen.
The safety belt must not rest against the throat,
run across sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt
so that it sits as snugly as possible against the
lap and shoulder without being twisted. Other-
wise, the belt could slide over your hips and
injure your abdomen in the event of a frontal
collision.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing and regularly pull
the belt in the upper-body area taut; otherwise,
its restraining effect could be impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page44.
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
On the passenger seat as well, do not incline
the backrest too far to the rear while the vehicle
is being driven; otherwise, there is a danger in
the event of an accident of sliding under the
safety belt, eliminating the protection normally
provided by the belt.<
Note the information on safety belt damage
on page 45.

Transporting children safely
48
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.<
Children on the passenger seat
Always transport children under the age
of 13 or smaller than 5 ft/150 cm in a child
restraint system suitable for their age, weight
and size, and with the passenger airbag deacti-
vated. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of
injury in the event of an accident or if the airbags
deploy.<
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.
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the passenger airbags refer to page86.
Installing child restraint
systems
After installing a child restraint system on
the passenger seat, make sure that the
front and side airbags for the passenger are
deactivated; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury if the airbags deploy.
Observe the child restraint system manufac-
turer's instructions when selecting, installing
and using child restraint systems. Otherwise,
the protective effect may be diminished.<
Standard child restraint systems are designed
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 passenger seat
After installing a child restraint system on
the passenger seat, make sure that the
front and side airbags for the passenger are
deactivated; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Seat position
Before installing a child restraint system, move
the passenger seat as far back and up
* as pos-
sible to obtain the best possible position for
the belt.
Backrest width*
The backrest width of the passenger seat
must be at its widest possible setting. Do
not change the setting after installing the child
seat. Otherwise, the child seat's stability on the
passenger seat is limited.<
1.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page43.
2.Install the child seat.
Child seat security
The safety belt for the passenger can be locked
to prevent it from being pulled out when it is
used to secure child restraint systems.

Controls
51Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas;
otherwise, the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause loss of consciousness and
death. The exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly
toxic gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle
with the engine running; otherwise, such a vehi-
cle represents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
place the transmission in neutral or move the
selector lever to position P and set 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
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer
to page34.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch and shift to neutral
position.
3.Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
Automatic transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer
to page34.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Move the selector lever to position P.
3.Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer
to page34.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Press the start/stop button.
The engine starts, regardless of the current
selector lever position.

Driving
52
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you
when you leave the vehicle.
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Set the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page50.
Automatic transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2.Press the start/stop button.
3.Set the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page50.
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
1.With the car at a standstill, engage trans-
mission position P.
2.Press the start/stop button.
3.Set the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page50.
Parking brake
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with an electromechan-
ical parking brake that can be set and released
by using a button.
The parking brake is primarily used to prevent
the vehicle from rolling when it is parked.When the vehicle is stationary, the parking
brake acts on the rear wheels via an electrome-
chanical mechanism. When the vehicle is rolling
or being driven, the parking brake acts on the
disc brakes of the front and rear wheels via the
hydraulic brake system.
Setting the brake
Pull the button. The parking brake is set.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster and the LED on the button light
up red. The parking brake is set.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
To set the parking brake, the remote control
does not need to be in the ignition lock.
While driving
In the rare case that the parking brake needs to
be used while driving, pull the button for a
lengthy period:
The vehicle brakes hard while the button is
being pulled.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up red, a sound is issued
and the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
As soon as you brake the vehicle almost to a
standstill, approx. 2 mph/3 km/h, the parking
brake remains set.

Controls
53Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Releasing
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for
example, cannot release the parking brake.<
The parking brake can only be released while
the ignition is switched on or the engine is
running.
With manual transmission
Press the button of the parking brake. Depress
the brake and clutch pedals while doing so.
With automatic transmission or 7-gear
sport automatic transmission with dual
clutch
Press the parking brake button while the brake
is depressed or transmission position P is
engaged.
Indicator lamps
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against rolling
using a wheel chock, for example, if you leave
the vehicle.
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.<
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.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer
to page54.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select position P and set the park-
ing brake before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running.<
Disengaging the remote control
In order to remove the remote control from the
ignition lock, you must first move the selector
lever to position P and switch off the engine:
interlock. Removing the remote control from
the ignition lock, refer to page50.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –

Driving
54
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
depress the brake until you are ready to
start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the button on the front of the
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you are driving in
position D.
Kickdown
Kickdown enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual operation
M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The sport program is activated and DS is dis-
played in the instrument cluster. This position is
recommended for a performance-oriented driv-
ing style.
To deactivate the sport program or manual
mode M/S, move the selector lever to the right
into position D.
Shifting gears via the selector lever
When you press the selector lever forwards or
backwards, the manual mode is activated and
Steptronic changes gear. M1 through M6 are
displayed in the instrument cluster.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,