
 
Contents
 
Overview
Controls and features
 
Cockpit 16
Instrument cluster 18
Indicator and warning lamps 20
Multi-function steering wheel 24
Hazard warning system 25
Warning triangle 25
First-aid kit 25
Refueling 26
Fuel specifications 26
Tire inflation pressure 27
 
Locks and security systems:
 
Keys32
Electronic vehicle  immobilizer 33
Central locking system 34
Door locks – from outside 34
Using the key 34
Using the remote control 35
Door locks – from inside 38
Luggage compartment lid 39
Luggage compartment 41
Alarm system 42
Electric power windows 44
Sliding/tilt sunroof 45
 
Adjustments:
 
Seats47
Seat and mirror memory 50
Steering wheel 51
Mirrors 52
Car Memory, Key Memory 54
 
Passenger safety systems:
 
Safety belts55
Child restraint systems 56
Airbags 57
 
Driving:
 
Steering/ignition lock 62
Starting the engine 62
Switching off the engine 63
Parking brake 64 Manual transmission
65
Automatic transmission with Steptronic 66
Turn signal/Headlamp flasher 69
Wiper/washer system/Rain  sensor 69
Rear window defroster 71
Cruise control 72
 
Everything under control:
 
Odometer74
Tachometer 74
Energy control 74
Fuel gauge 75
Temperature gauge 75
Service Interval Display 76
Check Control 77
Clock 77
Onboard computer 77
 
Technology for safety and  
convenience:
 
Park Distance Control (PDC) 80
Dynamic Stability Control  (DSC) 81
Tire Pressure Control (RDC) 82 

30n
Locks and security systems:
Keys32
Electronic vehicle 
immobilizer33
Central locking system34
Door locks – from outside34
Using the key34
Using the remote control35
Door locks – from inside38
Luggage compartment lid39
Luggage compartment41
Alarm system42
Electric power windows44
Sliding/tilt sunroof45
Adjustments:
Seats47
Seat and mirror memory50
Steering wheel51
Mirrors52
Car Memory, Key Memory54
Passenger safety systems:
Safety belts55
Child restraint systems56
Airbags57
Driving:
Steering/ignition lock62
Starting the engine62
Switching off the engine63
Parking brake64 

47n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
For maximum safety when adjusting the 
seat position, please observe the fol-
lowing:
Never try to adjust your seat while 
operating the vehicle. The seat 
could respond with an unexpected 
movement, and the ensuing loss of ve-
hicle control could lead to an accident. 
Be sure that the safety belt remains 
firmly against your body at all times. In 
the event of a frontal impact, a loose lap 
belt could slide over the hips, leading to 
abdominal injury. In addition, the safety 
belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced 
if the belt is worn loosely.
Never ride with the backrest reclined to 
an extreme horizontal angle (especially 
important for front passengers to re-
member). Keep the backrest relatively 
upright to minimize the risk of "sliding 
under" the safety belt and sustaining in-
jury in a crash.<
1 Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever and slide the seat to the 
desired position.
After releasing the lever, apply pres-
sure to the cushion to ensure that the 
latch engages securely.
2 Cushion height
Pull the lever and apply weight to or 
remove weight from the seat to reach 
the desired position.460de109
3 Backrest angle
Pull the lever and apply weight to or 
remove weight from the backrest to 
reach the desired position.460de068
Seat adjustment  Mechanical seat 

48n
Mechanical seat Head restraints Correct sitting postureTo reduce strain on the spinal column, 
sit all the way back in the seat and rest 
your back fully against the backrest.
Ideal sitting posture is achieved with 
your head extending from your spine in 
a straight line.
For long-distance driving, you may wish 
to to increase the backrest angle slightly 
to reduce muscular tension. You should 
be able to grab the steering wheel at its 
highest point with your arms slightly 
bent.
After a seat adjustment, adjust the 
height of the safety belt also. Refer to 
page 55.
Adjustments Height: Adjust by pulling up or pushing 
down.
In order to move to the lowest 
positions, press button 1.<
Tilting the front head restraints: 
By swiveling.
Head restraints reduce the risk of 
neck and spinal injuries in acci-
dents.
Adjust the head restraint so that its cen-
ter is approximately at the height of the 
ear.<462de202
Removal>Pull the head restraint upward to the 
stop.
>Press the button (arrow) and remove 
the head restraint.Installation>Press the button (arrow) and insert 
the head restraint into the openings.
>Adjust the head restraint.460de137 

50n
Electric power seat
*
Seat and mirror memory
* 
1 Longitudinal adjustment
2 Cushion height
3 Backrest angle
The head restraint is adjusted manually.
Please refer to the adjustment in-
structions on page 47 to reduce 
the risk of personal injury.<460de016
BMW Sports Seat1 Tilt angle
2 Longitudinal adjustment
3 Cushion height
4 Backrest angle
Adjust the head restraints (page 48) and 
the thigh support (page 49) manually.
Please refer to the adjustment in-
structions on page 47 to reduce 
the risk of personal injury.<460de025
You can store and recall three different 
driver's seat and outside mirror posi-
tions. 
The adjustment setting of the lum-
bar support is not saved in the 
memory.
2 Adjust your seat and outside mirrors 
to the desired position
3 Press the
 M
EMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up
4 Press memory button 1, 2 or 3 as 
desired: the indicator lamp goes out.
460de017 

51n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Seat and mirror memory
*
Adjusting steering wheel 
To select a stored setting:Automatic:
1 Open driver's door after unlocking or 
ignition key in position 1
2 Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3 
as desired.
The adjustment cycle is canceled im-
mediately if you press a seat adjust-
ment switch or one of the memory 
buttons.
Manual:
1 With driver's door closed and ignition 
key either removed or in position 
0 or 2
2 Maintain pressure on desired mem-
ory button 1, 2 or 3 until the adjust-
ment process is completed.
If you press the 
M
EMORY button acci-
dentally: Press the button a second 
time, the indicator lamp goes out.
Do not select a memory position 
while the vehicle is moving. There 
is a risk of accident from unexpected 
seat movement.<
You can adapt the vehicle settings 
so that your own personalized 
seat setting is initiated when you unlock 
the car using your personalized remote 
control key.<
When this setting is used, be sure 
that the footwell behind the driver's 
seat is clear before unlocking the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, persons or objects could 
be injured or damaged should the seat 
move backward.<
1 Push the locking lever downward
2 Adjust the steering wheel (fore/aft 
and up/down) to the desired position
3 Pull the lever back in to clamp the 
steering wheel in the new position.
Do not adjust the steering wheel 
while the vehicle is moving. There 
is a risk of accident from unexpected 
movement. See pages 48 and 58 for in-
formation on correct seating/steering 
wheel position.<460de073 

54n
Car Memory, Key Memory How the system functionsYou have probably frequently wished 
that you could configure individual 
functions of your vehicles to reflect your 
own personal requirements. BMW has 
included several user-defined func-
tions in the vehicle's design. Your BMW 
center can make these settings for you 
in accordance with your wishes.
There are settings related to the vehicle 
("Car Memory") and settings related to 
individuals ("Key Memory"). You can 
have up to four different basic settings 
adjusted for four different persons. The 
only requirement is that each person 
uses his or her own remote control key. 463de029
When your vehicle is unlocked with the 
remote control, the vehicle recognizes 
the individual user by means of a data 
exchange with the key, and makes ad-
justments accordingly. 
In order for you to distinguish between 
different keys, colored decals are sup-
plied together with the keys.What the system can doYour authorized BMW center can pro-
vide you with details on the capabilities 
of the Car Memory and Key Memory 
systems. 
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to 
remind you at appropriate places of the 
settings that are available to you.<
An example of Key Memory is the auto-
matic adjustment of the power driver's 
seat with stored settings for the individ-
ual person when the vehicle is un-
locked. 

166n
Self-diagnostics All of the important electrical and elec-
tronic systems in the vehicle are tested 
regularly and automatically – the driver 
does not have to perform any extra op-
erations or adjustments.
The indicator lamps also come on briefly 
after the ignition has been turned on.
While you are driving, the functional 
status of the actuator motors (for the 
windshield wipers, power windows, 
seats, sunroof, etc.) is constantly ana-
lyzed by current measurements in their 
relays. 462de258
In the same manner, the electrical resis-
tance of the airbag ignition generators 
and all of the remaining airbag compo-
nents is measured at all times. Any fault 
in this system would be detected imme-
diately by a current fluctuation that 
would necessarily accompany it. The 
fault would be indicated immediately by 
the airbag warning lamp.
Even after you shut off the engine, the 
overall functional status of your vehicle 
is monitored. For example, all of the 
flaps of the heating and ventilation sys-
tem travel to the nearest limit position. 
This action ensures that the system will 
be able to provide defrosting, regard-
less of other circumstances (if a mal-
function in the heating or ventilation 
system should occur during the night 
while the vehicle is parked, for in-
stance).
A calibration cycle runs every tenth time 
the engine is shut off. During this cycle, 
the actuator motors of all the heating 
and ventilation flaps travel to their limit 
stops in both directions. The limit posi-
tions and the return travel paths are 
checked in this manner in order to en-
sure that appropriate adjustments for 
the operating elements can be made at 
any time.You will hear the sounds of the air flaps 
as the heater/ventilation system carries 
out its self-diagnostic functions after 
the ignition is shut off. All of the other 
self-diagnostics functions operate si-
lently in the background.
Any faults detected during these self-
diagnostics can be read out by your 
authorized BMW center during the next 
regularly-scheduled maintenance and 
corrected with a minimum of time.