BMW 3 Series Service Manual (E46)

Maintenance
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General
020-1
The information given in this repair
group includes the routine checks and
maintenance steps that are both
required by BMW under the terms of
the vehicle warranty protection and
recommended by BMW to ensure long
and reliable vehicle operation.
Note:
Aside from keeping your car in the best
possible condition, proper maintenance
plays a role in maintaining full
protection under BMW's new-car
warranty coverage. If in doubt about the
terms and conditions of your car's
warranty, an authorized BMW dealer
should be able to explain them.
Service Interval Indicator (SII)
For the 1999 and later 3 Series (E46),
BMW introduced an extended oil
change interval of approximately
15,000 miles depending on engine
operating conditions. The introduction
of BMW High Performance Synthetic
Oil has made this longer interval
possible.
1999 to 6/2000 models. BMW uses a
unique system to determine
maintenance intervals. BMW's Service
Interval Indicator (SII), calculates
maintenance intervals based not only
on elapsed mileage, but also on such
inputs as engine speed, engine
temperature, number of starts, length
of trips, and the amount of fuel used.
At the appropriate time, the system
indicates, through lights in the
instrument cluster, when the next
routine maintenance is due.
6/2000 and later models. For the