Get Mobility -> Care Guide for BMW M3 4 Door Sixth Generation (2015-2025)

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Care

Cleaning sensors/camera lenses with

high-pressure washers

Vehicle features and options

This chapter describes all standard, country-

specific and optional features offered with the

series. It also describes features that are not

necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to

the selected options or country versions. This

also applies to safety-related functions and

systems. The respectively applicable country

provisions must be observed when using the

respective features and systems.

When using high-pressure washers, do not

spray the sensors and camera lenses on the

outside of the vehicle for long periods and

maintain a distance of at least 12 in/30 cm.◀

Automatic car washes

Hints

▷

Give preference to cloth car washes or

those that use soft brushes in order to

avoid paint damage.

Car washes

▷

Make sure that the wheels and tires are not

damaged by the transport mechanisms.

General information

Regularly remove foreign objects such as

leaves in the area below the windshield when

the hood is raised.

Fold in the exterior mirrors; otherwise, they

may be damaged, depending on the width

of the vehicle.

Wash your vehicle frequently, particularly in

winter. Intense soiling and road salt can dam‐

age the vehicle.

▷

Deactivate the rain sensor, refer to

page 68, to avoid unintentional wiper acti‐

vation.

In some cases, an unintentional alarm can

be triggered by the interior motion sensor

of the alarm system. Follow the instruc‐

tions on avoiding an unintentional alarm,

refer to page 45.

Hints

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 ℃.

Guide rails in car washes

Avoid car washes with guide rails higher

If the vehicle has a glass sunroof, ensure that a

distance of at least 31.5 inches/80 cm is main‐

tained. Holding them too close or using exces‐

sively high pressures or temperatures can

cause damage or preliminary damage that may

then lead to long-term damage.

than 4 in/10 cm; otherwise, the vehicle body

could be damaged.◀

Before driving into a car wash

In order to ensure that the vehicle can roll in a

car wash, take the following steps:

Follow the user's manual for the high-pressure

washer.◀

Manual transmission:

1. Drive into the car wash.

2. Shift to neutral.

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Mobility

3. Switch the engine off.

4. Switch on the ignition.

M double-clutch transmission:

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.

1. Drive into the car wash.

2. Engage selector lever position N.

3. Switch the engine off.

Completely remove all residues on the win‐

dows, to minimize loss of visibility due to

smearing and to reduce wiper noises and

wiper blade wear.

In this way, the ignition remains switched

on, and a Check-Control message is dis‐

played.

The vehicle cannot be locked from the outside

when in selector lever position N. A signal

sounds when an attempt is made to lock the

vehicle.

Vehicle care

Car care products

BMW recommends using care and cleaning

products from BMW, since these have been

tested and approved.

To start the engine with manual transmission:

1. Press on the clutch pedal.

2. Press the Start/Stop button.

Car care and cleaning products

To start the engine with a M double clutch

transmission:

Follow the instructions on the container.

When cleaning the interior, open the doors or

windows.

1. Depress the brake pedal.

Only use products intended for cleaning vehi‐

cles.

2. Press the Start/Stop button.

Pressing the Start/Stop button without step‐

ping on the brake turns the ignition off.

Cleansers can contain substances that are

dangerous and harmful to your health.◀

Transmission position

Vehicle paint

Transmission position P is engaged automati‐

cally:

Regular care contributes to driving safety and

value retention. Environmental influences in

areas with elevated air pollution or natural con‐

taminants, such as tree resin or pollen can af‐

fect the vehicle's paintwork. Tailor the fre‐

quency and extent of your car care to these

influences.

▷

When the ignition is switched off.

After approx. 15 minutes.

Headlights

▷

Do not rub dry and do not use abrasive or

acidic cleansers.

Aggressive substances such as spilled fuel, oil,

grease or bird droppings, must be removed im‐

mediately to prevent the finish from being al‐

tered or discolored.

▷

Soak areas that have been dirtied e. g.,

from insects, with shampoo and wash off

with water.

▷

Thaw ice with de-icing spray; do not use an

ice scraper.

Only use respectively approved cleaning and

care products for vehicles with matte finish.

Suitable care products for matte finishes are

available from the service center.

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Mobility

Care

Aggressive, acidic or alkaline cleaning agents

can destroy the protective layer of adjacent

components, such as the brake disk.

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.

Chrome surfaces

Carefully clean components such as the radia‐

tor grille or door handles with an ample supply

of water, possibly with shampoo added, partic‐

ularly when they have been exposed to road

salt.

To guard against discoloration, such as from

clothing, provide leather care roughly every

two months.

Clean light-colored leather more frequently be‐

cause soiling on such surfaces is substantially

more visible.

Rubber components

Aside from water, treat only with rubber

cleansers.

Use leather care products; otherwise, dirt and

grease will gradually break down the protective

layer of the leather surface.

When cleaning rubber seals, do not use any

silicon-containing car care products in order to

avoid damage or noises.

Suitable care products are available from the

service center.

Fine wood parts

Clean fine wood facing and fine wood compo‐

nents only with a moist rag. Then dry with a

soft cloth.

Upholstery material care

Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner.

If upholstery is very dirty, e.g., with beverage

stains, use a soft sponge or microfiber cloth

with a suitable interior cleaner.

Plastic components

These include:

Clean the upholstery down to the seams using

large sweeping motions. Avoid rubbing the

material vigorously.

▷

Imitation leather surfaces.

Roofliner.

Lamp lenses.

Damage from Velcro® fasteners

Instrument cluster cover.

Matt black spray-coated components.

Painted parts in the interior.

Open Velcro® fasteners on pants or

other articles of clothing can damage the seat

covers. Ensure that any Velcro® fasteners are

closed.◀

Clean with a microfiber cloth.

Dampen cloth lightly with water.

Do not soak the roofliner.

Caring for special components

Light-alloy wheels

When cleaning the vehicle, use only neutral

wheel cleaners having a pH value from 5 to 9.

Do not use abrasive cleaning agents or steam

jets above 140 ℉/60 ℃. Follow the manufac‐

turer's instructions.

No cleansers that contain alcohol or sol‐

vents

Do not use cleansers that contain alcohol or

solvents, such as lacquer thinners, heavy-duty

grease removers, fuel, or such; this could lead

to surface damage.◀

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Safety belts

Displays/monitors

Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and

thus have a negative impact on safety.

Cleaning displays and screens

Do not use any chemical or household

cleaning agents; otherwise, surfaces can be af‐

fected.◀

Chemical cleaning

Do not clean chemically; this can destroy

the webbing.◀

Keeping out moisture

Use only a mild soapy solution, with the safety

belts clipped into their buckles.

Keep all fluids and moisture away from

the unit; otherwise, electrical components can

be damaged.◀

Do not allow the reels to retract the safety

belts until they are dry.

Avoid pressure

Avoid pressing too hard when cleaning

and do not use abrasive materials; otherwise,

damage can result.◀

Carpets and floor mats

No objects in the area around the pedals

Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other

objects out of the pedal area; otherwise, the

function of the pedals could be impeded while

driving and create the risk of an accident.

Clean with a clean, antistatic microfiber cloth.

Long-term

When the vehicle is shut down for longer than

three months, special measures must be

taken. Additional information is available from

the service center.

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 attached to

floor.

Ensure that the floor mats are securely fas‐

tened again after they were removed for clean‐

ing, e.g.◀

Floor mats can be removed from the car's inte‐

rior for cleaning.

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.

Sensor/camera lenses

To clean sensors and camera lenses, use a

cloth moistened with a small amount of glass

detergent.

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Mobility -> Care for Your BMW M3 4 Door Sixth Generation (2015-2025)

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