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EnglishMOBILITY -> Care for your BMW i3 2013-2022
Care
MOBILITY
Care
Vehicle features and options
NOTICE
When washing, water can get into the open
charging socket. There is a risk of damage to
property, among other potential damage. Close
the charging socket flap while washing.
This chapter describes all standard, country-spe‐
cific and optional features offered with the series.
It also describes features and functions that are
not necessarily available in your vehicle, e.g., due
to the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. When using these functions and systems,
the applicable laws and regulations must be ob‐
served.
Steam blaster and high-pressure
washer
Safety information
Washing the vehicle
NOTICE
When cleaning with high-pressure washers,
components can be damaged due to the pres‐
sure or temperatures being too high. There is a
risk of damage to property, among other poten‐
tial damage. Maintain sufficient distance and do
not spray too long continuously. Follow the op‐
erating instructions for the high-pressure
washer.
General information
Regularly remove foreign objects such as leaves
in the area below the windshield when the hood
is raised.
Wash your vehicle frequently, particularly in win‐
ter. Intense soiling and road salt can damage the
vehicle.
Safety information
Distances and temperature
▷ Maximum temperature: 140 ℉/60 ℃.
Warning
▷ Minimum distance from sensors, cameras,
seals: 12 inches/30 cm.
Contact with live components can lead to an
electric shock. High voltage is present at the
charging connection. There is a risk of injury or
danger to life.
▷ Minimum distance from the charging socket
flap: 31.5 in/80 cm.
Have work on the charging connection, for in‐
stance cleaning, performed by an authorized
BMW i dealer's service center or another quali‐
fied service center or repair shop.
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Driving into a car wash
Automatic washing systems or car
washes
Safety information
Safety information
NOTICE
Selector lever position P is automatically en‐
gaged when standby state is switched off.
There is a risk of damage to property, among
other potential damage. Do not switch standby
state off in car washes.
NOTICE
Using a car wash with high pressure washers
may result in water penetration of window
areas. There is a risk of damage to property,
among other potential damage. Do not drive
into high-pressure car wash systems.
General information
In a car wash, the vehicle must be able to roll
freely.
NOTICE
Improper use of automatic washing systems or
car washes can cause damage to the vehicle.
There is a risk of damage to property, among
other potential damage. Follow the following in‐
structions:
To roll or push the vehicle, refer to page 99.
Some car washes do not permit persons in the
vehicle. The vehicle cannot be locked from the
outside when in selector lever position N. A sig‐
nal sounds when an attempt is made to lock the
vehicle.
▷ Give preference to cloth car washes or
those that use soft brushes in order to
avoid paint damage.
Driving out of a car wash
Ensure that the vehicle key is in the car.
▷ Do not drive through a car wash with
guide rails higher than 4 in/10 cm to avoid
damage to the chassis.
Activate drive-ready state. For activating drive-
ready state, refer to page 97.
▷ Observe the tire width of the guide rail to
avoid damage to tires and rims.
Headlights
Do not rub wet headlights dry and do not use
abrasive or acidic cleaning agents.
▷ Fold in exterior mirrors to avoid damage to
the exterior mirrors.
▷ Unscrew the rod antenna to avoid the rod
antenna breaking off.
Soak areas that have been dirtied, for instance
from insects, with shampoo and wash off with
water.
▷ Deactivate the wiper and, if necessary, rain
sensor to avoid damage to the wiper sys‐
tem.
Thaw ice with de-icing spray; do not use an ice
scraper.
After washing the vehicle
After washing the vehicle, apply the brakes
briefly to dry them; otherwise, braking action can
be reduced. The heat generated during braking
dries brake discs and brake pads and protects
them against corrosion.
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Completely remove all residues on the windows,
to minimize loss of visibility due to smearing and
to reduce wiper noises and wiper blade wear.
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 sur‐
face.
Vehicle care
Vehicle care products
To guard against discoloration, such as from
clothing, clean leather and provide leather care
roughly every two months.
General information
The vehicle manufacturer recommends using
care and cleaning products for BMW i. Suitable
care products are available from a dealer’s serv‐
ice center or another qualified service center or
repair shop.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently be‐
cause 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.
Safety information
Upholstery material care
General information
Vacuum the upholstery regularly with a vacuum
cleaner.
Warning
Cleansers can contain substances that are dan‐
gerous and harmful to your health. There is a
risk of injury. When cleaning the interior, open
the doors or windows. Only use products in‐
tended for cleaning vehicles. Follow the in‐
structions on the container.
If upholstery is very dirty, for instance with bever‐
age stains, use a soft sponge or microfiber cloth
with a suitable cleaning agent.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams using
large sweeping motions. Avoid rubbing the ma‐
terial vigorously.
Vehicle paint
General information
Safety information
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 affect
the vehicle's paintwork. Tailor the frequency and
extent of your vehicle care to these influences.
NOTICE
Open Velcro® fasteners on articles of clothing
can damage the seat covers. There is a risk of
damage to property, among other potential
damage. Ensure that any Velcro® fasteners are
closed.
Corrosive substances such as spilled fuel, oil,
grease or bird droppings, must be removed im‐
mediately to prevent the finish from being altered
or discolored.
Matte finish
Only use cleaning and care products suitable for
vehicles with matte finish.
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Plastic components
Caring for special components
Light-alloy wheels
NOTICE
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.
Cleaning agents that contain alcohol or sol‐
vents, such as lacquer thinners, heavy-duty
grease removers, fuel and such, can damage
plastic parts. There is a risk of damage to prop‐
erty, among other potential damage. Clean with
a microfiber cloth. Dampen the cloth lightly with
water, if needed.
Aggressive, acidic or alkaline cleaning agents can
destroy the protective layer of adjacent compo‐
nents, such as the brake disc.
Clean with a microfiber cloth.
After cleaning, apply the brakes shortly to dry
them. The heat generated during braking dries
brake discs and brake pads and protects them
against corrosion.
Dampen the cloth lightly with water, if needed.
Do not soak the roofliner.
Safety belts
Chrome surfaces
Carefully clean components such as the radiator
grille or door handles with plenty of water, if nec‐
essary, with shampoo added, particularly when
they have been exposed to road salt.
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.
Rubber components
Environmental influences can cause surface soil‐
ing of rubber parts and a loss of gloss. Use only
water and suitable cleaning agents for cleaning.
Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and
thus have a negative impact on safety.
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.
Use only a mild soapy solution, with the safety
belts clipped into their buckles.
Safety belts should only be allowed to retract if
they are dry.
Carpets and floor mats
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood facing and fine wood compo‐
nents only with a suitable care product.
Warning
Objects in the driver's floor area can limit the
pedal distance or block a depressed pedal.
There is a risk of accident. Stow objects in the
vehicle such that they are secured and cannot
enter into the driver's floor area. Use floor mats
that are suitable for the vehicle and can be
safely attached to the floor. Do not use loose
floor mats and do not layer several floor mats.
Kenaf
Only treat parts made of Kenaf fibers, for in‐
stance in the door trims, using suitable care
products.
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Make sure that there is sufficient clearance for
the pedals. Ensure that the floor mats are se‐
curely fastened again after they were removed,
for instance for cleaning.
Do not park the vehicle for longer than 14 days if
the electric range is less than 6 mls/10 km.
With storage times of up to three months, if pos‐
sible plug the vehicle into a compatible power
source or park it with the high-voltage battery as
fully charged as possible.
Floor mats can be removed from the car's inte‐
rior for cleaning.
If the floor carpets are very dirty, clean with a mi‐
crofiber cloth and water or an upholstery cleaner.
To prevent matting of the carpet, rub back and
forth in the direction of travel only.
General information
Your dealer's service center or another qualified
service center or repair shop can advise you on
what to consider when storing the vehicle for
longer than three months.
Sensor/camera lenses
Follow the instructions for discharging the high-
voltage battery, refer to page 197.
To clean sensors and camera lenses, use a cloth
moistened with a small amount of glass deter‐
gent.
Safety information
Displays/screens
NOTICE
The high-voltage battery can be damaged if left
uncharged or with low charge for extended pe‐
riods. There is a risk of damage to property,
among other potential damage. Before storing
the vehicle for an extended period, ensure that
the high-voltage battery is fully charged. During
the idle period, connect the vehicle to a charg‐
ing station at a compatible charging location. If
necessary, the high-voltage battery will be
charged automatically. Make sure that charging
is carried out. Regularly check the charge state.
NOTICE
Chemical cleaning agents, moisture or fluids of
any kind can damage the surface of displays
and screens. There is a risk of damage to prop‐
erty, among other potential damage. 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, among other potential damage. Avoid
pressure that is too high and do not use any
scratching materials.
Do not allow the vehicle to sit idle for longer
than four weeks with a charge state below ap‐
prox. 80 %.
Clean with a clean, antistatic microfiber cloth.
High-voltage battery, long stationary
periods
Concept
For idle phases that last several weeks, park the
vehicle with the high-voltage battery fully
charged, if possible.
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