battery BMW Z8 2000 User Guide

104n
To unlock Pull the lever located under the left-
hand side of the instrument panel. 520de084
Do not work on your vehicle with-
out appropriate skills. Always
switch off the engine and allow it to
cool down before working in the engine
compartment. Always disconnect the
battery before working on any electrical
systems or equipment, especially when
these are located within the engine
compartment. Comply with all applica-
ble instructions and warnings. If you are
not familiar with the guidelines speci-
fied for the work you are doing on your
vehicle, have it done by a BMW center,
otherwise, improper servicing of parts
and materials constitutes a safety risk
for vehicle occupants and other road
users.<
To openPress the release handle upward and
open the hood.520de085
Hood

122n
Storing your vehicle
If you plan on parking the vehicle
for more than three months,
please adhere the maintenance opera-
tions described below.<
Preparations for storageHave your BMW center perform the
following procedures:
1 Clean and apply a rustproofing agent
or other treatment to the engine,
engine compartment, undercarriage,
axles and major components in accor-
dance with approved repair proce-
dures. Wash the vehicle, clean the
interior and treat painted and
chromed parts. Clean the weather-
stripping around the hood, luggage
compartment and doors
2 Change engine oil and oil filter at op-
erating temperature. As an additional
corrosion protection measure, an an-
ticorrosive agent can be added to the
engine in accordance with the manu-
facturer's instructions
3 Check the coolant level and concen-
tration and top off if necessary
4 Check the fluid level of the wind-
shield washer fluid reservoir; top off
if necessary
5 Fill the fuel tank completely to pre-
vent the formation of condensation
6 Increase the tire inflation pressure to
51 psi (350 kPa).Before parking the vehicle1 Dry the parking brake and footbrake
by brake applications to prevent the
brake discs and drums from
corroding
2 Park the vehicle in a covered, dry,
and well-ventilated area. Place the
transmission in first gear or, if neces-
sary, chock the wheels to prevent the
vehicle from rolling. Do not engage
the parking brake
3 Remove the battery, charge it com-
pletely and store it in a cool (but
frost-free) room
4 Remove the hardtop and store it
separately, refer to page 95
5 Close the convertible top.During storageRecharge a battery that has been taken
out of the car every six months. If it is
not recharged, it will not be serviceable.
Every time the battery is discharged,
especially over extended periods, its
service life is reduced.
Removing the vehicle from
storageRecharge the battery if the "Magic Eye"
turns black, refer to page 136.
Then have Inspection I performed by
your BMW center, including a brake
fluid replacement, if necessary. Refer to
the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet (US models) or the Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet (Canadian
models).

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
127n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Replacement procedures:
Onboard tool kit128
Windshield wiper blades128
Lamps and bulbs129
Changing a wheel135
Battery136
Fuses138
In case of electrical
malfunction:
Fuel filler door140
Luggage compartment lid,
storage compartment140
Passenger-side door141
Closing the convertible top141
Giving and receiving
assistance:
Jump starting143
Towing144
Repairs

129n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Lamps and bulbs The lamps and bulbs make essential
contributions to the safety of your vehi-
cle. Therefore, comply fully with the fol-
lowing instructions during bulb replace-
ment. If you are not familiar with any of
the procedures, consult your BMW
center.
Do not touch the glass portion of
a new bulb with your bare hands
since even small amounts of impurities
burn into the surface and reduce the
service life of the bulb. Use a clean
cloth, paper napkin, or a similar material,
or hold the bulb by its metallic base.<
A replacement bulb set is available from
your BMW center.
Whenever working on the electri-
cal system, switch off the electri-
cal accessory you are working on or
disconnect the cable from the negative
terminal of the battery. Failure to do this
could result in short circuits.
To prevent injuries and damage, com-
ply with any instructions provided by
the bulb manufacturer.<
When cleaning the headlamps,
please observe the following:
>Do not clean by wiping with a dry
cloth. Never use abrasives or strong
solvents to clean the covers
>Remove dirt and contamination (such
as insects) by soaking with BMW Car
Shampoo and then rinsing with plenty
of water
>Always use a deicer spray to remove
accumulated ice and snow Ð never
use a scraper.<
Xenon lamps

The main headlamps for your BMW
Z8 roadster have been designed using
xenon-light technology. The service life
of these bulbs is very long and the
probability of a failure is very low, pro-
vided that they are not switched on and
off an unusual number of times.
Should a lamp ever fail, however,
please contact your BMW center for
assistance.
Because of the extremely high
voltages involved, any work on the
lighting system should be performed
only by authorized technicians. Failure
to comply with this creates a risk of
fatal injury.<
Neon lampsThe front turn signal indicators (side
marker lamps), the rear turn signal indi-
cators, the rear and brake lamps, as
well as the high-mount brake lamp, are
of neon-light technology. The service
life for these lamps is very high and the
likelihood of failure very minimal.
Should a lamp ever fail, however,
please contact your BMW center for
assistance.

136n
Battery
Battery posts, terminals, and re-
lated accessories contain lead
and lead compounds. Wash hands after
handling.<
Installation location The battery is located under the lug-
gage compartment's floor panel.Charge conditionYou can read the charge condition
of the battery with the "Magic Eye"
(hydrometer):
>Green: adequate charge
>Black: not charged adequately. The
battery must be recharged. Please
contact your BMW center for addi-
tional information
>Yellow: replace the battery.520de076
The service life specified for the
battery can be achieved only if it is
always kept adequately charged. If the
vehicle is primarily used for stop-and-
go traffic, be sure to check the charge
state often.<
MaintenanceThe battery is completely maintenance-
free. That means that the original bat-
tery acid will normally last for the ser-
vice life of the battery under moderate
climate conditions.
For all questions regarding the
battery, please consult your BMW
center. Since the battery is absolutely
maintenance-free, the following is for
your information only.<
SymbolsYou will find the following symbols on
your vehicle battery. To avoid injury,
please comply with the following pre-
cautions whenever you work with or
near the battery.
Before handling the battery,
please read the following infor-
mation.
Wear eye protection. Do not
allow particles containing bat-
tery acid or lead to come into
contact with eyes, skin, or clothing.
Battery acid is extremely corro-
sive. Wear eye protection and
protective gloves. Do not tip the
battery. Battery acid can leak from the
ventilation openings.
Be sure that children keep well
away from batteries and battery
acid.
Never allow sparks or open
flame near the battery. Do not
smoke in the vicinity of the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks when work-
ing around electrical cables or equip-
ment. Turn the key to position 0 in the
ignition when disconnecting or con-
necting the battery. Do not short-circuit
the battery terminals. This creates a risk
of injury from high-energy sparks.

137n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Battery
A highly explosive gas is
generated when the battery is
charged.
If you happen to get acid in
your eyes, rinse thoroughly for
some minutes with clear water.
Consult a physician immediately. If you
get acid spray on your skin or clothing,
rinse with plenty of water. If acid is acci-
dentally ingested, consult a physician
immediately.
In order to protect the battery
case from ultraviolet radiation,
do not place it in direct sunlight.
A discharged battery can freeze. Store
the battery in areas where temperature
remains above freezing.
Removing and installing
Do not disconnect the battery
cable when the engine is running.
Disconnecting the battery cable when
the engine is running will cause a volt-
age surge which will damage the vehi-
cle's onboard electronics.
Do not make any modifications in the
wires to the positive terminal. If you do
so, the protective function of the safety
battery terminal is no longer ensured.
Repairs and disposal may only be per-
formed by specially trained personnel.<
When removing, first disconnect the
cable to the negative terminal, then dis-
connect the cable to the positive termi-
nal. Loosen the center adjusting screw
for the battery's retaining strap (use the
screwdriver found in the onboard tool
kit) and remove the bracket.
When installing, first connect the cable
for the positive terminal, then the cable
for the negative terminal.
When installing, make sure that
the battery is seated properly, and
that the battery bracket is installed with
the center adjusting screw, because
otherwise in the event of an accident,
the battery will not be secure enough.<
Charging the battery Charge the battery in the vehicle only
when the engine is not running. Use the
connections provided in the engine
compartment (for correct connections,
refer to "Jump starting" on page 143).
Before performing any work on
the electrical system, disconnect
the cable from the negative terminal. If
you do not, short circuits can create the
risk of fire or personal injury.<
If you plan to park the vehicle for longer
than 4 weeks, disconnect the battery
from the vehicle's electrical system by
disconnecting the cable at the negative
terminal. Then recharge the battery with
an appropriate battery charger.
If you intend to store the vehicle for
longer than 12 weeks, remove the bat-
tery, charge it and store it in a cool and
dust-free room where there is no dan-
ger of freezing. During storage, have the
battery recharged every six months.
Also, recharge the battery before it is
reinstalled. If this is not done, the bat-
tery will not be serviceable. Every time
the battery is discharged, especially
over extended periods, its service life
is reduced.

138n
Battery Fuses
Return used batteries to a recy-
cling point or your BMW center.
Maintain the battery in an upright posi-
tion for transport and storage. Secure
the battery to prevent it from tilting dur-
ing transport.<
If an electrical accessory should fail,
switch it off and check the fuse.
A list for both the fuses and their re-
spective amperages, and the electrical
devices, is located in the glove com-
partment on the fuse box lid, or in the
storage area behind the passenger-side
seat on the inside part of the storage
lid.
In the glove compartment>Open the glove compartment
>Unlock the fuse box and swing it
downward
>Remove the lid with the list on it.
Spare fuses and plastic tweezers are
located in the fuse box lid behind the
passenger-side seat
>Use the plastic tweezers to remove
the fuse for the accessory or equip-
ment that has stopped working
>Replace a blown fuse, recognizable
by its melted metal strip, with a new
fuse that has the same color or
ampere rating.520de078

143n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Do not use spray starter fluids to start
the engine.
If the battery is discharged, the engine
can be started with the use of two
jumper cables and the battery of an-
other vehicle. Use only jumper cables
with fully insulated grips on the terminal
clamps.
Do not touch the parts conducting
current while the engine is run-
ning. There is a risk of fatal injury if you
do this.<
Carefully comply with the following in-
structions to avoid personal injury or
damage to one or both vehicles:
1 Be sure that the battery on the sup-
port vehicle is also rated at 12 volts,
and that the capacities of the two
batteries (Ah) are roughly comparable
(printed on casing)
2 Leave the discharged battery con-
nected to the vehicle's electrical sys-
tem
3 Make sure that there is no contact
between the bodywork of the two
vehicles Ð short circuit risk!
4 Start by connecting the jumper cable
from the positive terminal of the sup-
port vehicle to the positive terminal
connector located in your BMW's en-
gine compartment. The cover of the
auxiliary terminal for jump starting is
identified by a "+" sign. Refer to the
illustration. Remove by pulling the tab
(arrow) 520de088
5 Then connect the negative terminals.
Attach the cable to either the support
vehicle's negative battery terminal (Ð),
or to a suitable ground on its engine
or bodywork. Then connect the other
end of the cable to a ground on the
engine or on the bodywork of the
vehicle that is to be started. This is
a special nut that is provided on the
BMW (refer to the illustration)
Follow the same sequence for
connecting the jumper cables if
you assist in jump starting another
vehicle, otherwise, you run the risk of
injury caused by spark generation at the
battery.<520de133
Jump starting

144n
Jump starting Towing6 Start the support vehicle's engine
and let it run
7 Start the engine on the vehicle need-
ing the jump start, and allow it to run
as usual. If the first start attempt is
not successful, wait a few minutes
before another attempt in order to
allow the discharged battery to
recharge
8 Before disconnecting the jumper
cables from your BMW, turn on the
lamps, set the blower to the highest
speed and allow the engine to run for
at least 10 seconds. This will prevent
a voltage surge from the voltage reg-
ulator to the electrical accessories
9 Then disconnect the jumper cables in
reverse sequence.
Have the battery recharged if necessary.
Tow fittingThe screw-in tow fitting is stored in the
onboard tool kit; be sure that it remains
in the vehicle at all times. This fitting
is designed for installation in the tow
sockets located at the front and rear of
the vehicle. It is intended for towing on
paved road surfaces only.
It should not be used to pull a vehicle
out of deep snow, mud, sand, etc.
Always observe all applicable towing
laws and regulations.Access to tow socketsFront
The uppermost grille stub is clipped on
the grille Ð which is located below the
main grille on the lower right Ð and this
grille can be pulled off, if you pull for-
ward on it.520de081
Rear
Use a screwdriver to press sideways on
the opening to remove the cover (arrow).
Screw the tow fitting in until it bot-
toms firmly. If this is not done, the
threads could be damaged.
Do not tow the vehicle by any compo-
nents of the running gear, or lash them
down in any way. If you do so, the com-
ponents could be damaged, leading to
possible accidents.<
Use only a nylon towing strap to tow
the vehicle. The inherent resilience of
this material helps protect both vehicles
from sudden jerking movements.520de065

158n
Electrical system Drive belts Battery 12V, 90 AhSpark plugs NGK BKR 6 EQUP
This spark ignition system meets all
requirements of the Canadian Interfer-
ence-Causing Equipment Regulations
(ICES-2).Water pump Ð Alternator Ð Power
steering
Ribbed V-belt 7 PK 1440
A/C compressor
Ribbed V-belt 5 PK 980You can obtain Original BMW
Parts and Accessories, as well
as professional advice from your BMW
center.<