Page 27 of 223

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
27nSports steering wheel*
The controls integrated in the sports
steering wheel are provided so that you
can operate a number of accessories
quickly and without being distracted
from traffic conditions.
You may operate:
>Selected radio functions as well as
the CD and cassette modes,
> the cruise control,
> selected cellular phone
* functions
and
> voice recognition
*.
In order to operate a system via
the sport steering wheel, the
corresponding system controls must be
activated. <
Refer to the individual accessory
manuals for more detailed descriptions.
1 Radio/Telephone: select
2 Press briefly: Receive a phone call, initiate dialing,
and terminate a call.
Press longer:
Turn voice recognition on and off
3 Radio/Telephone: volume
4 Radio/Telephone: scan backward or scan station buttons or scroll in the
phone listings.
Reverse scan in the CD mode and
rewind in the cassette operation
463de057
5 Radio/Telephone: scan forward or scan station buttons or scroll in the
phone listings
Forward scan in the CD mode and
fast forward in the cassette operation
6 Horn: the entire surface
7 Cruise control: activate stored setting (resume)
8 Cruise control: store and accelerate (+); decelerate
and store (–)
9 Cruise control: activate/interrupt/ deactivate
Page 30 of 223

30nFuel specifications Tire inflation pressure
The engine uses lead-free gasoline
only.
Required fuel:
>Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
min. 91 AKI.
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Do not use leaded fuels. The use
of leaded fuels will cause perma-
nent damage to the system's oxygen
sensor and the catalytic converter. <
You will find tire inflation pressures on
the inside door pillar.
Check tire pressures
All pressure specifications are indicated
in psi (kilopascal) for tires at ambient
temperature (refer also to the next
page).
530us009
Check tire inflation pressures
regularly — at least every two
weeks and before beginning a longer
trip. Incorrect tire pressure can other-
wise lead to tire damage and accidents.
Check the tire inflation pressure of the
spare wheel. Inflate the spare tire to
the highest inflation of any tire on your
vehicle. <
Comply with tire approval
specifications
The inflation pressures in the table
apply to tires from BMW-approved
manufacturers. Your BMW center is
familiar with these pressures. Higher
pressures may be specified for tires
from other manufacturers. You will find
a list of approved tires beginning on
page 150.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires that
not only meet US standards, but also
European standards. We recommend
the exclusive use of BMW-approved
tires.
Page 32 of 223

32n
Locks and security systems:
Keys 34
Electronic vehicle immobilizer 35
Central locking system 36
Opening and closing – from the outside 36
Using the key 36
Using the remote control 37
Opening and closing – from the inside 40
Liftgate 41
Tailgate 41
Alarm system 43
Electric power windows 45
Sliding/Tilt sunroof with glass moonroof 46
Adjustments:
Seats 48
Steering wheel 52
Mirrors 53
Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory 55
Car Memory, Key Memory 56
Passenger safety systems:
Safety belts 57
Airbags 58
Transporting children safely 61Driving:
Steering/Ignition lock
64
Starting the engine 64
Switching off the engine 65
Parking brake 66
Manual transmission 67
Automatic transmission with Steptronic 68
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp flasher 70
Washer/Wiper system/Rain sensor 71
Rear window defroster 73
Cruise control 74
Everything under control:
Odometer, outside temperature display 76
Tachometer 77
Energy control 77
Fuel gauge 77
Coolant temperature gauge 78
Service Interval Display 78
Check Control 79
Computer 82
Multi-Information Display
(MID) 84
Digital clock in the MID 85
Computer in the MID 88
Controls
Page 33 of 223

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
Overview
Controls and features Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical dataIndex
Advanced technology
33
n
Technology for safety and
driving convenience:
Park Distance Control (PDC) 93
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) 94
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 95
Lamps:
Side lamps/Low beams 97
Instrument lighting 97
High beams/Parking lamps 98
Fog lamps 98
Interior lamps 98
Reading lamps 99
Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:
Air conditioner 100
Automatic climate control 106
Seat heating 112
Steering wheel heating 113
Roller sun blind 113
Independent ventilation system 114 Cabin convenience:
BMW Universal Transmitter
115
Glove compartment 117
Storage compartments 118
Cellular phone 118
Cup holders 119
Glasses compartment 119
Ashtray, front 120
Cigarette lighter, front 120
Ashtray, rear 121
Cigarette lighter, rear 121
Loading and transporting:
Ski bag 122
Cargo area Fold the rear backrests
down 124
Cargo area cover 124
Partition net 125
Cover panels in the cargo
area 126
Power outlets 127
Pull-out cargo floor 128
Cargo loading 129
Roof-mounted luggage rack 130
Page 43 of 223

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
43nAlarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the liftgate
is opened.
> To movement inside the vehicle (inte-
rior motion sensor).
> To variations in the vehicle tilt sensor
such as occur during attempts to
steal the wheels or tow the vehicle.
> To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
simultaneously activating the following:
> Sounding an acoustical alarm for
30 seconds.
> The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes.
> The high beams flash on and off in
the same rhythm.
To activate and deactivate the
alarm system
When the vehicle is locked or unlocked
with the key or the remote control, the
alarm system is also simultaneously
armed or disarmed.
The interior motion sensor is activated
approx. 30 seconds after you have
finished locking the vehicle.
The system indicates that it has been
correctly armed by switching on the
hazard flashers for a single cycle and by
emitting an acoustical signal.
You can have different acknowl-
edgment signals set to confirm
system arming and disarming. <
You can still open the liftgate after the
system has been armed by pressing
button 3 of the remote control. Refer to
page 39. When you close the liftgate, it
is secured again.
Indicator lamp displays
> The indicator lamp below the interior
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed.
> The indicator lamp flashes during
arming: a door(s), the hood or liftgate
are not completely closed. Even if
you do not close the alerted area, the
system begins to monitor the
remaining areas, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after
10 seconds. However, the interior
motion sensor is not activated.
> If the indicator lamp goes out when
the system is disarmed: no manipula-
tion or attempted intrusions have
been detected in the period since the
system was armed.
530us018
Page 48 of 223

48n
For maximum safety when adjusting the
seat position, please observe the
following: Never try to adjust your seat while
driving the vehicle. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement,
and the ensuing loss of vehicle 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 your 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 angle (especially important
for the front passenger to remember).
If you do so, there is a risk that you will
slide under the safety belt in an acci-
dent, thus reducing the protection
provided by the safety belt. <
Correct sitting posture
To reduce strain on the spinal column,
sit all the way back in the seat and rest
your back fully against the backrest.
The ideal sitting posture is achieved
with your head extending from your
spine in a straight line.
For long-distance driving, you may
wish to angle the backrest slightly to
reduce muscular tension. You should
be able to reach the highest point on
the steering wheel without straight-
ening your arms. 1 Tilt angle (driver's seat only)
2 Backward/Forward adjustment
3 Cushion height
4 Backrest angle
Adjust the head restraint manually.
Comply with the adjustment
instructions in the preceding
column. Failure to do so could result in
diminished personal safety. <
Lumbar support*
Refer to the BMW comfort seat on
page 50.
530us024
Seat adjustment Power seat(s*)
Page 52 of 223
52nPower rear-seat backrests* Adjusting steering wheel
You can make separate adjustments of
the backrest tilt angle on the right and
left sides.
You can select a comfortable sitting
position and also increase the capacity
of the cargo area by moving the back-
rests into their most upright position.
From the rear seats: press the corre-
sponding switch.
You can prevent adjustments of
the power rear-seat backrest from
the rear passenger area with the safety
switch for the power windows (refer to
page 46).<
530us143
From the cargo area: the switches are
located on both sides of the cargo area.
530us144
The steering wheel can be moved in
any of four directions. Adjust the wheel
by moving the control lever in the
desired direction.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected movement. <
To store the steering wheel setting,
refer to "Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory" on page 55.
530us028
Page 53 of 223

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
53nAdjusting steering wheel Mirrors
Automatic steering wheel
adjustment
(only in conjunction with seat, mirror
and steering wheel memory)
In order to make it easier to get into and
out of the vehicle, the steering wheel
automatically moves into the top posi-
tion and returns to the driving (memory)
position.
This automatic feature is controlled by
the position of the ignition key and by
the driver's door.
Exterior mirrors
1 Mirror switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Left/right selection switch
You can also adjust the mirrors manu-
ally by pressing against the outer edges
of their lenses.
To store the mirror settings, refer to
"Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory" on page 55.
Before going through a car wash,
manually fold the outside mirrors
inward, otherwise they could be
damaged, depending on the width of
the car wash system. <
530us029
The mirror on the passenger's
side features a lens with a more
convex surface than the mirror installed
on the driver's side. When estimating
the distance between yourself and
other traffic, bear in mind that the
objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. This means that esti-
mations of the distance to following
traffic should not be regarded as
precise. <
Self-defrosting mirrors
Both mirrors are defrosted automati-
cally when the ignition key is in
position 2.