Get Mobility -> Care Guide for BMW M3 4 Door Fourth Generation (2007-2013)

Care

Do not use high-pressure car washes,

otherwise water may drip into the vehicle

around the windows.<

Care products

Regular cleaning and care contributes signifi-

cantly to the value retention of your BMW.

Before driving into a car wash, ensure that it is

suitable for your BMW. Check the following:

BMW recommends cleaning and caring for your

vehicle with products that are approved by

BMW for this purpose.

Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to

page 249.

Your BMW center will be happy to advise you on

the products and services available for cleaning

and caring for your BMW.

If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,

refer to page 51.

Maximum permissible tire width.

Original BMW CareProducts have been

material tested, laboratory checked and

proven in the field, and offer optimal care and

protection for your vehicle.<

Preparations before driving into an automatic

car wash:

Deactivate the rain sensor* to avoid unin-

tentional activation of the wipers.

Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol

or solvents as these may result in dam-

age.<

Remove additional attachments, e.g.

spoiler or telephone antennas, if there is a

possibility that they could be damaged.

Cleaning agents can contain substances

that are dangerous or hazardous to your

health. Therefore, follow the warning and safety

instructions on the packaging. When cleaning

inside the vehicle, always open the doors or

windows of the vehicle. In enclosed areas, pro-

vide for sufficient ventilation. Only use products

designed for cleaning vehicles.<

M dual clutch transmission

Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-

form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-

cle can roll:

1. Insert the remote control, even with conve-

nient access, into the ignition lock.

2. Engage transmission position N.

3. Release the parking brake.

4. Switch off the engine.

Exterior care

Washing the vehicle

5. Leave the remote control in the ignition lock

so that the vehicle can roll.

Especially during the winter months,

ensure that the vehicle is washed more

frequently. Heavy soiling and road salt can lead

to vehicle damage.<

Steam jets / high-pressure washers

When using steam jets or high-pressure

washers, ensure that you maintain a suffi-

cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed

a temperature of 1407/606.

Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure or

temperature can lead to component damage or

water penetration. Follow the operating instruc-

tions of the high-pressure washer.<

After washing the vehicle, apply the

brakes briefly to dry them, otherwise

water can reduce braking efficiency over the

short term and the brake discs can corrode.<

Automatic car washes

Preference should be given to cloth car washes.

When using high-pressure washers, do

not spray against the sensors and cam-

229

eras, e.g. Park Distance Control, for an

extended period and maintain a distance of at

least 12 in/30 cm.<

essary, remove items from the cargo bay

beforehand to avoid water stains or soiling.<

Paintwork care

Washing the car manually

Regular care contributes to value retention and

protects the paintwork against the long-term

effects of damaging substances.

When washing the vehicle by hand, use large

quantities of water and car shampoo if neces-

sary. Clean the vehicle with a sponge or wash-

ing brush, applying light pressure only.

Region-specific environmental influences can

damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is

important to adapt the frequency and scope of

car care accordingly.

Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-

vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-

tion to prevent unintentional activation of the

wipers.<

Immediately remove very aggressive sub-

stances, e.g. spilled fuel, oil, grease, tree resin

or bird droppings, to prevent damage to the

paintwork.

Observe local regulations pertaining to

washing vehicles by hand.<

Headlamps

Repairing paintwork damage

Do not rub them dry and do not use abrasive or

corrosive cleaning agents.

Immediately repair scratches or similar

damage, such as that caused by stones

hitting the vehicle, where necessary to prevent

rusting.<

Remove contamination, such as insects, by

soaking with shampoo or insect remover and

then rinsing with plenty of water.

BMW recommends having paintwork damage

repaired by a professional paint repair work-

shop according to BMW specifications using

original BMW paint materials.

Thaw ice with a windshield de-icer and do not

use an ice scraper.

Windows

Preservation

Clean the inside and outside surfaces of the

windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.

A preservation treatment is necessary when

water no longer beads off of the clean paintwork

surface. Only use products for paintwork pres-

ervation that contain carnauba or synthetic

waxes.

Do not clean the mirrors with cleaners

containing quartz.<

Wiper blades

Clean with soapy water and replace regularly to

avoid streaking.

Rubber seals

Treat only with water or rubber care products.

Wax and preservative residue and con-

tamination on the window can lead to

streaking when operating the windshield wip-

ers, leading to premature wear of the wiper

blades and causing the rain sensor to malfunc-

tion.<

Do not use silicon-containing care prod-

ucts on rubber seals, otherwise noise and

damage could occur.<

Chrome parts

Carefully clean vehicle parts, such as the radia-

tor grill, door handles or window frames, with

copious quantities of water and a shampoo

additive. For additional treatment, use a chrome

polish.

Convertible: retractable hardtop

Proceed as you would in a normal car wash.

When you open a wet hardtop, water

drops may run into the cargo bay. If nec-

230

In particular, ensure that light-colored leather is

cleaned regularly as it has a tendency to soil

more easily.

Light-alloy wheels

For technical reasons, dust is generated during

braking that is deposited on the light-alloy

wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-

free rim cleaner.

Treat the leather twice a year using a leather

lotion as dirt and grease will gradually attack the

leather's protective layer.

Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly

alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or

steam jets over 1407/606, otherwise dam-

age may occur.<

Carpets / cargo bay

You can vacuum the carpets and floor mats or

clean them with interior cleaner if heavily soiled.

Outside sensors / cameras

The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.

When replacing the mats, ensure that the seat

rails do not extend over the floor mats, as this

may damage the mats.

Keep the sensors and cameras on the

outside of the vehicle, e.g. Park Distance

Control, clean and free of ice to ensure that they

remain fully functional.<

Lint on the floor mats occurs for technical rea-

sons and can be removed by vacuuming

repeatedly.

Interior care

Interior plastic parts

Upholstery / cloth trim

Imitation leather surfaces

Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to

remove superficial dirt.

Lamp glasses

Display pane of instrument cluster

Matt parts

To treat severe stains, e.g. from beverages, use

a soft sponge or lint-free microfiber cloth in

combination with suitable interior cleaners. Fol-

low the instructions on the packaging.

Clean with water and solvent-free plastic

cleaner if necessary.

Clean the upholstery down to the seams

using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong

rubbing.<

Fine wood parts

Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with a

damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or

other articles of clothing can damage the

seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are

closed.<

Safety belts

Do not clean with cleaning agents as

these may destroy the fabric.<

Leather / leather trim

Interior sensors / cameras

The leather used by BMW is a high quality

natural product. Slight irregularities in the

leather are a typical characteristic of natural

leather.<

To clean interior sensors and cameras, e.g. of

the High-Beam Assistant, use a lint-free cloth

moistened with glass cleaner.

Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the

leather have an abrasive effect, leading to

increased wear and causing the leather surface

to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-

quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or

vacuum cleaner.

Displays

To clean the displays, e.g. of the radio or instru-

ment cluster, use a display cleaning cloth or a

soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth.

231

Avoid applying excessive pressure when

cleaning the displays, otherwise damage

may occur.<

Do not use chemical or abrasive house-

hold cleaning agents. Keep all types of

fluid away from the device. Otherwise, surfaces

or electrical components may be corroded or

damaged.<

CD/DVD drives

Do not use a cleaning CD, as it may dam-

age parts of the drive.<

Vehicle storage

If your vehicle is to be decommissioned for

longer than three months, your BMW center or

a workshop that operates according to BMW

specifications will be glad to advise you.

232

Mobility -> Care for Your BMW M3 4 Door Fourth Generation (2007-2013)

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