On-demand control of ancillary units saves energy

Intelligent energy management in the new BMW 3-Series is further enhanced by the ancillary units, which consume significantly less energy compared with conventional systems. Examples include the on-demand coolant pump, the electronically controlled oil pump and the electromechanical steering system, which only consumes electric power when steering assistance is actually required. The special air conditioning compressor featured on many of the sports sedan models works on the same principle. As soon as the driver switches the air conditioning off, the belt drive to the compressor is disconnected by a magnetic clutch, to minimise power drain.

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    Sound output
    Switching on/off When the ignition is switched off: press ON/OFF button on the radio. Muting When the ignition is switched on or the engine is running: press the ON/OFF button on the radio. ...

    Switching on/off and interrupting cruise control
    Switching on Press the button on the steering wheel. The indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light up and the marking in the speedometer is set to the current speed. Cruise control c ...

    Activating the switch-on time
    1. "Settings" 2. "Climate" 3. "Activate Timer 1" or "Activate Timer 2" The symbol on the automatic climate control lights up when the switch-on time is ...