
 
5n
 
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
 
Controls and features
Operation, maintenance
 
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 77
Tire Pressure Monitor (RDC)78
Flat Tire Monitor80
 
Lamps:
 
Parking lamps/Low beams82
Instrument lighting83
High beams/Standing lamps83
Fog lamps83
Interior lamps84
 
Controlling the climate for 
pleasant driving:
 
Air conditioning85
Automatic climate control88
 
Interior conveniences:
 
Sound system91
Glove compartment92
Storage compartments92
Cellular phone94
Ashtray, front94
Ashtray, rear95
Electrical power socket95
 
Loading and transporting:
 
Ski bag96
Cargo area97
Cargo loading99
Roof-mounted luggage rack100
 
Special operating instructions:
 
Break-in procedure104
Driving notes105
Antilock Brake System 
(ABS)105
Brake system106
 
Wheels and tires:
 
Tire inflation pressure107
Tire condition107
Tire replacement108
Wheel and tire 
combinations110
Winter tires111
 
In the engine compartment:
 
Hood112
Engine compartment 
essentials113
Washer fluids114
Engine oil115
Coolant117
Brake fluid118
 
Maintenance:
 
The BMW Maintenance 
System119
 
Laws and regulations:
 
Technical modifications120
California Proposition 
65 Warning120
OBD interface socket121 

 8n 
Notes
Symbols
Your individual vehicle
 
Notes on the Owner's Manual
 
We have made every effort to ensure 
that you are able to find what you need 
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as 
possible. The fastest way to find 
specific topics is by using the detailed 
index at the end. If you wish to gain 
only an initial overview of your vehicle, 
you will find this in the first chapter.
The detailed table of contents is 
intended to stimulate your interest and 
encourage you to read the remainder of 
the manual.
Should you wish to sell your BMW at 
some time in the future, please 
remember to hand over this Owner's 
Manual to the new owner; it is legal part 
of the vehicle.
If you have any additional questions, 
your BMW center will be glad to advise 
you. 
Symbols used
 
Indicates precautions that must 
be followed precisely in order to 
avoid the possibility of personal injury 
and serious damage to the vehicle.
 
<
 
Contains information that will 
assist you in gaining the optimum 
benefit from your vehicle and enable 
you to care more effectively for your 
vehicle.
 
<
 
 
Refers to measures that can 
be taken to help protect the 
environment.
 
<
<
 
 Marks the end of a specific item of 
information.
 
* 
 Indicates special equipment, country-
specific equipment and optional extras.
Identifies systems or components, 
which can either be activated or 
adapted to suit an individual driver's 
requirements ("Vehicle Memory", "Key 
Memory"), refer to page 54.
Remember that activation and adjust-
ments on some of these systems can 
only be performed at your BMW 
center.
 
<
 
 
 
Your individual vehicle
 
On purchasing your BMW, you have 
decided in favor of a model with individ-
ualized equipment and features. This 
Owner's Manual describes all models 
and equipment that BMW offers within 
the same group.
We hope you will understand that 
equipment and features are included 
that you might not have chosen for your 
vehicle. You can easily identify any 
differences with the aid of the asterisk 
 
*  
 
 
 
used to identify all optional equipment 
and accessories.
If your BMW features equipment which 
is not described in this Owner's Manual 
(car radio or telephone, for instance), 
supplementary Owner's Manuals are 
enclosed. We ask you to read these 
manuals as well. 

 
10n
 
For your own safety
 
Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels  
containing up to and including 
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with 
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight (i.e. 
15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an 
equivalent amount of co-solvent) will 
not void the applicable warranties 
respecting defects in materials or work-
manship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel 
quality (volatility, composition, addi-
tives, for example) among gasolines 
offered for sale in the United States and 
Canada. The use of poor-quality fuels 
may result in driveability, starting and 
stalling problems especially under 
certain environmental conditions, such 
as high ambient temperature and high 
altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be 
related to the fuel you are using, we 
recommend that you respond by 
switching to a recognized high-quality 
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled 
maintenance.
Obey all applicable safety rules when 
you are handling gasoline.
 
<
 
Important safety information!
For your own safety, use genuine parts  
and accessories approved by BMW. 
When you purchase accessories tested  
and approved by BMW and Original 
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire 
the assurance that they have been 
thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure 
optimum performance when installed 
on your vehicle. 
BMW warrants these parts to be free  
from defects in material and workman-
ship. 
BMW will not accept any liability for  
damage resulting from installation of 
parts and accessories not approved by 
BMW. 
BMW cannot test every product made  
by other manufacturers to ascertain 
whether it can be used on a BMW 
safely and without risk to either the 
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants. 
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories  
and other products approved by BMW, 
together with professional advice on 
using these items, are available from all 
BMW centers. 
Installation and operation of non-BMW  
approved accessories such as alarms, 
 
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,  
wheels, suspension components, brake 
dust shields, telephones (including 
operation of any portable cellular phone 
from within the vehicle without using an 
externally mounted antenna) or trans-
ceiver equipment (such as CB, walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar) may cause 
extensive damage to the vehicle, 
compromise its safety, interfere with 
the vehicle's electrical system or affect 
the validity of the BMW Limited 
Warranty. Contact your BMW center for 
additional information.
Do not use key or remote control to 
lock doors or cargo area with anyone 
inside the vehicle. Refer to pages  29 
and  32 for more details.
 
<
 
Maintenance, replacement, or 
repair of the emission control 
devices and systems may be performed 
by any automotive repair establishment 
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.
 
<
 
Symbol on vehicle parts 
 
Indicates that you should consult 
the relevant section of this 
Owner's Manual for information on a 
particular part or assembly. 

 
11n
 
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
 
The following applies only to vehicles owned and operated in the US.
 
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
 
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash \
or could cause injury or death, you should  
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (\
NHTSA) in addition to notifying BMW of 
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227, Tele\
phone (201) 307-4000.  
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and \
if it finds that a safety defect exists in a  
group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, N\
HTSA cannot become involved in indi-
vidual problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of North America, LLC. 
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free \
at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in 
Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transport\
ation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You can 
also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotlin\
e.  

 21n 
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
 
Multifunction steering wheel (MFL)
 
* 
The buttons integrated in the multifunc-
tion steering wheel are provided so  that 
you can operate a number of accesso-
ries quickly and without being 
distracted from traffic conditions. You 
may operate:
 
>
 
Selected radio functions
 
>
 
The cruise control
 
>
 
Selected cellular phone functions.
The controls are active only when 
the corresponding systems and 
accessories are switched on.
 
< 
 
Press briefly:
Receive a phone call, initiate dialing, 
terminate a call.
 
Switch between phone, radio, cassette 
and CD.
Forward:
 
>
 
Radio
Press briefly: station scan in FM band
Extended pressure: search function
 
>
 
CD
Press briefly: jump to next track
Extended pressure: search function 
in track
 
>
 
Cassette
Press briefly: stop track scan or fast 
forward
Extended pressure: fast forward
 
>
 
Phone
Scan personal phone book.
Rewind/reverse: functions as fast 
forward.
 
Volume
Cruise control: select a stored setting.
Cruise control: store and accelerate (+) 
or decelerate and store (Ð).
Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deac-
tivate. 

94n
Cellular phone
*
Ashtray, front
*
Hands-free systemOn vehicles with telephone prepara-
tion
* or communications package
* the 
cover for the hands-free microphone is 
located in the headliner near the interior 
lamp. 
For further information on using your 
cellular phone, refer to the separate 
"Owner's Manual".
To emptyPress on the edge of the open cover 
(arrow): the ashtray moves up and can 
be removed.
Cigarette lighterPress the lighter 1 in. You can remove 
the lighter from its socket for use as 
soon as it snaps back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette 
lighter by the knob only. Holding 
or touching it in other areas could result 
in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains opera-
tional when the ignition key has been 
removed. For this reason, children 
should never be left in the vehicle unat-
tended.
etc., up to a rating of approx. 200 watts 
at 12 volts. Avoid damage to the socket 
caused by inserting plugs of different 
shapes or sizes. 

Everything from A to Z
147n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Break-in procedures104 
Bulbs and lamps 
replacement125 C 
California Proposition 
65 Warning120 
Can holder, refer to 
beverage holder93 
Capacities143 
Car care, refer to the "Caring 
for your vehicle" manual 
Car phone94 
Car wash systems, refer to 
the "Caring for your 
vehicle" manual 
Care of upholstery materials, 
refer to the "Caring for your 
vehicle" manual 
Cargo area35, 97 
capacity142 
Cargo area cover97 
Cargo area lighting33 
Cargo loading99 CBC (Cornering Brake 
Control)18, 73 
Cellular phone94 
refer also to the separate 
"Owner's Manual"94 
Center (high-mount) brake 
lamp128 
Center armrest92 
Central locking system28 
control button32 
Changing a wheel129 
Check Control67 
Checking engine oil 
level115 
Checking tire pressures24 
Child-restraint systems51 
Cigarette lighter94 
Cigarette lighter socket94 
Clean rear window62 
Clean the headlamps62 
Cleaning windshield62 
Clock67 
refer also to the "Radio 
Owner's Manual" Clothes hooks105 
Clutch104 
Cockpit14 
Coin box93 
Compartments92 
Compression ratio140 
Computer68 
refer also to the "Owner's 
Manual Onboard 
Computer" 
Configuring individual 
settings via Vehicle and 
Key Memory54 
Convenience operation via 
the door lock 
power windows31 
sliding/tilt sunroof31 
Coolant117, 143 
Coolant temperature 
gauge66 
Cooling system including 
heating circuit, 
capacity143 
Copyright4 
Cornering Brake Control 
(CBC)18, 73 Correct sitting posture40 
Cruise control63 
Cruising range69 
Curb weight142 
D 
Data 
dimensions141 
technical140 
weights142 
Daytime driving lamps82 
DBC (Dynamic Brake 
Control)74 
Deep water105 
Defrost windows87, 89 
Defroster, rear 
window86, 90 
Digital clock67 
Dimming rearview mirror48 
Dipstick, engine oil115 
Displacement140 
Display lighting83 
Displays15 
Disposal 
antifreeze and anti-
corrosion agents117 
battery133 
brake fluid118 
engine oil116  

Everything from A to ZDistance warning70 
Door keys28 
Doors 
electrical malfunction31 
locking and unlocking29 
manual operatiom31 
DOT Quality Grades, 
tires108 
Draft-free ventilation87, 90 
Drawbar weight142 
Drink holder, refer to 
beverage holder93 
Drive belts17 
Driving notes105 
DSC (Dynamic Stability 
Control)19, 73 
Dynamic Brake Control 
(DBC)74 
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC)19, 73 E 
Electric power windows37 
Electrical malfunction 
doors31 
fuel filler door22 
sliding/tilt sunroof39 
tailgate33 Electrical power socket95 
Elements of operation14 
Energy Control65 
Engine compartment 
essentials113 
Engine coolant143 
Engine data140 
Engine oil 
capacity143 
consumption115 
disposal116 
quality116 
specifications116 
viscosity116 
Engine oil level115 
checking115 
indicator lamp19 
Engine specifications140 
Engine speed140 
F 
Fault displays67 
Filling capacities143 
Fittings, tow starting and 
towing135 
Flashlight92 
Flat Tire 
Monitor80, 109, 132 Flat tires107, 129, 132 
Fog lamps83 
Follow me home lamps82 
Front fog lamps83 
Front seat adjustment40 
Fuel consumption69 
display66 
Fuel filler door22 
electrical malfunction22 
manual operation22 
Fuel gauge66 
Fuel injection system140 
Fuel reserve indicator 
lamp66 
Fuel tank capacity143 
Fuel tank gauge66 
Fuses133 
G 
Gasoline gauge66 
Glove compartment92 
Gross vehicle weight142 H 
Handbrake57 
Hands-free system94 
microphone94 Harman Kardon premium 
sound system91 
Hazard warning triangle22 
HDC (Hill Descent 
Control)77 
Head restraints43 
Headlamp cover, care125 
Headlamp flasher83 
Headlamp washer 
system114 
capacity143 
Headlight control82 
Heated seats46 
High beams20, 60, 83 
bulb replacement125 
High Performance Synthetic 
Oil116 
Hill Descent Control 
(HDC)77 
Holder for beverage 
cans93 
Hood release112 
Horn14