Care - BMW 3 SERIES SEDAN Owner's Manual

Care

Vehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Car washes
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 ℃.
Ensure that a distance of at least 31.5 in‐
ches/80 cm from the glass sunroof is maintained
at all times. Holding them too close or using ex‐
cessively high pressures or temperatures can
cause damage or preliminary damage that may
then lead to long-term damage.
Follow the user's manual for the high-pressure
washer.◀
Cleaning sensors/cameras with high-
pressure washers
When using high-pressure washers, do not
spray the exterior sensors and cameras, e.g.,
Park Distance Control, for extended periods of
time and only from a distance of at least
12 in/30 cm.◀
Regularly remove foreign items such as leaves
in the area below the windshield when the hood
is raised.
Wash your vehicle frequently, particularly in win‐
ter.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 801 - II/13
Care
Intense soiling and road salt can damage the ve‐
hicle.
Automatic car washes
Hints
Note the following:
▷ Give preference to cloth car washes or those
that use soft brushes in order to avoid paint
damage.
▷ 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 65,
to avoid unintentional wiper activation.
▷ In some cases, an unintentional alarm can be
triggered by the interior motion sensor of the
alarm system. Follow the instructions on
avoiding an unintentional alarm, refer to
page 41.
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
In order to ensure that the vehicle can roll in a car
wash, take the following steps:
Manual transmission:
1. Release the parking brake.
2. Drive into the car wash.
3. Shift to neutral.
4. Switch the engine off.
5. Switch on the ignition.
Mobility
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