BMW 3: Vehicle care

Vehicle care products

General information

BMW recommends using vehicle care and cleaning products from BMW. Suitable care products are available from a dealer's service center or another qualified service center or repair shop.

Safety information

Warning Cleansers can contain substances that are dangerous and harmful to your health. There is a risk of injury. When cleaning the interior, open the doors or windows. Only use products intended for cleaning vehicles. Follow the instructions on the container.

Vehicle paint

General information

Regular care contributes to driving safety and value retention. Environmental influences in areas with elevated air pollution or natural contaminants, such as tree resin or pollen can affect the vehicle's paintwork. Tailor the frequency and extent of your vehicle care to these influences.

Aggressive substances such as spilled fuel, oil, grease or bird droppings, must be removed immediately to prevent the finish from being altered or discolored.

Matte finish

Only use cleaning and care products suitable for vehicles with matte finish.

Leather care

Remove dust from the leather regularly, 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.

To guard against discoloration, such as from clothing, clean leather and provide leather care roughly every two months.

Clean light-colored leather more frequently because soiling on such surfaces is substantially more visible.

Use leather care products; otherwise, dirt and grease will gradually break down the protective layer of the leather surface.

Upholstery material care

General information

Vacuum the upholstery regularly with a vacuum cleaner.

If upholstery is very dirty, for instance with beverage stains, use a soft sponge or microfiber cloth with a suitable interior cleaner.

Clean the upholstery down to the seams using large sweeping motions. Avoid rubbing the material vigorously.

Safety information

NOTICE Open Velcro fasteners on articles of clothing can damage the seat covers. There is a risk of damage to property. Ensure that any Velcro fasteners are closed.

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 manufacturer's instructions.

Aggressive, acidic or alkaline cleaning agents can destroy the protective layer of adjacent components, such as the brake disc.

After cleaning, apply the brakes briefly to dry them. The heat generated during braking dries brake discs and brake pads and protects them against corrosion.

Chrome surfaces

Carefully clean Chrome surfaces, especially in case of exposure to road salt, with plenty of water and added cleanser as needed.

Rubber components

Environmental influences can cause surface soiling of rubber parts and a loss of gloss. Use only water and suitable cleaning agents for cleaning.

Treat especially worn rubber parts with rubber care agents at regular intervals. When cleaning rubber seals, do not use any silicon-containing vehicle care products in order to avoid damage or noises.

Fine wood parts

Clean fine wood facing and fine wood components only with a moist rag. Then dry with a soft cloth.

Kenaf

Only treat parts made of Kenaf fibers using suitable care products.

Plastic components

NOTICE

Cleansers that contain alcohol or solvents, such as lacquer thinners, heavy-duty grease removers, fuel, or such, can damage plastic parts.

There is a risk of damage to property. Clean with a microfiber cloth. Dampen the cloth lightly with water, if needed.

Clean with a microfiber cloth.

Dampen the cloth lightly with water, if needed.

Do not soak the roofliner.

Safety belts

Warning Chemical cleansers can destroy the safety belt webbing. Missing protective effect of the safety belts. There is a risk of injuries or danger to life.

Use only a mild soapy solution for cleaning the safety belts.

Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and thus have a negative impact on safety.

Use only a mild soapy solution for cleaning the installed belt straps.

Safety belts should only be allowed to retract if they are dry.

Carpets and floor mats

Warning Objects in the driver's floor area can limit the pedal distance or block a depressed pedal.

Make sure that there is sufficient clearance for the pedals. Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened again after they were removed, for instance for cleaning.

The floor mats can be removed from the car's interior 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.

Sensors and camera lenses

To clean sensors and camera lenses, use a cloth moistened with a small amount of glass detergent.

Displays, screens, and protective glass of the Head-up Display

NOTICE Chemical cleansers, moisture or fluids of any kind can damage the surface of displays and screens. There is a risk of damage to property.

Clean with a clean, antistatic microfiber cloth.

NOTICE The surface of displays can be damaged with improper cleaning. There is a risk of damage to property. Avoid pressure that is too high and do not use any scratching materials.

Clean with a clean, antistatic microfiber cloth.

Clean the protective glass of the Head-up Display using a microfiber cloth and commercially available dish-washing soap.

Long-term vehicle storage

When the vehicle is shut down for longer than three months, special measures must be taken.

Further information is available from a dealer's service center or another qualified service center or repair shop.

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