At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
31
4.Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
desired. The indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored setting
Do not select a memory position while
the vehicle is moving. If you do so,
there is a risk of accident due to unex-
pected seat movement.<
Ignition key position 1:
>Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3,
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when one
of the seat adjustment or memory but-
tons is operated during the adjustment
process.
With the driver's door closed and the igni-
tion key either removed or in position 0
or 2:
>Press and hold the desired memory
button – 1, 2 or 3 – until the adjustment
process is completed.
If you press the
MEMORY button
accidentally: press the button again;
the indicator lamp goes out.<
You can have your vehicle adjusted in
such a way that your personal set-
tings are automatically set for the seat
positions when you unlock the vehicle with
your personal remote control.<
If you make use of this method of
adjustment, be sure that the space
behind the driver's seat is unobstructed
before unlocking the vehicle. If you fail to
do so, objects behind the seat could be
damaged by a rearward movement of the
seat.<
Seat heating*
The seat cushion and backrest can be
heated with the ignition key in position 2.
You can call up different heating modes by
repeatedly pressing the buttons.
The seat heating can also be switched off
from the higher heating modes:
Press the button and hold it slightly longer.
Safety belts
Always fasten your safety belt before start-
ing off. As supplemental restraint devices,
the airbags are designed to enhance the
effectiveness of the safety belts, and not to
replace them.
To close
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the
belt buckle.
Please fasten safety belts warning
lamp:
Lights up for several seconds.
An acoustic signal will sound at the same
time.
Adjustments
34 gered in every type of collision, e.g. in the
event of minor accidents, certain vehicle
roll-over situations or collisions from the
rear. In these instances, the safety belt pro-
vides sufficient protection.
Adjust your seat to a position that provides
maximum distance between you and the
steering wheel and the instrument panel
while still allowing comfortable and safe
access to all vehicle controls.
To minimize the risk of sustaining hand and
arm injuries, always hold the steering wheel
on the rim with the hands at or near the
9 and 3 o'clock positions. Do not place
your hands on the center pad.
Never allow any objects to obstruct the
area between the airbags and an occupant.
Do not use the cover panel above the pas-
senger side airbags as a storage area.
Never allow front passengers to lean
against or rest their feet or legs on the air-
bag cover panel.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Never install a rear-facing child-restraint
system in the passenger seat of this vehi-
cle, unless the passenger airbags have
been turned off and the indicator lamp in
the center console indicates that the pas-
senger airbags are deactivated.
If you transport children, carefully read and
comply with the instructions in the follow-
ing section.
Be sure that child-restraints are mounted
correctly and as far as possible towards the
rear and in the lowest position. <
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual risk
of injuries resulting from contact with
deploying airbags in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise from the air-
bags may induce a mild temporary hearing
loss in sensitive individuals.
Transporting children safely
Deactivating/reactivating passenger
airbags
The passenger airbags must be deac-
tivated before using a rear-facing
child-restraint system on the passenger
seat, refer also to page 36 for explanation.
BMW also recommends that the passenger
airbags be deactivated if a child is trans-
ported in a front-facing child-restraint sys-
tem, regardless of the age of the child. If
you transport a child in the passenger seat
– not an infant in a rear-facing seat – who is
properly seated and seat-belted at all
times, the potential benefits of airbags
deploying in an accident generally out-
weigh the risks of the child being injured by
the force of a deploying airbag.
Therefore, you should deactivate the pas-
senger airbags only if you find it difficult to
ensure that the child will remain properly
seated and seat-belted at all times.
Always position the passenger seat as far
back as possible and at the lowest level.
The above warning and recommendations
are compatible with regulations estab-
lished by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration – NHTSA – permitting
the deactivation of front passenger airbags
by means of an on-off switch for members
of certain "at risk" groups.
Specifically, the 'at risk' groups are:
>Infants in rear-facing infant seats
>Persons with certain medical conditions
>Children aged 12 and under in the front
passenger seat.
NHTSA provides this information via their
website – www.nhtsa.dot.gov – or via their
Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-
9393 or 366-0123 in Washington, D.C.
area.<
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
39
the ignition key immediately when the
engine starts.<
Extended starting attempts, charac-
terized by excessively frequent or
long periods with the starter engaged, can
damage the catalytic converter.<
If the engine fails to start on the first
attempt – if it is very hot or cold, for
instance:
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down.
Cold starts at very low temperatures –
starting at approx. +57 / –156
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter
>On the first start attempt, engage the
starter for a longer period –
approx. 10 seconds.
Manual transmission
1.Engage the parking brake
2.Gearshift lever in idling position
3.Depress clutch pedal
4.Start the engine.
Automatic transmission
1.Depress footbrake
2.Place selector lever in position P or N
3.Start the engine.
Before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running, place the selector
lever in position P and pull the parking
brake.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. An unattended vehicle
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
Switching off the engine
Do not remove the ignition key while
the vehicle is still moving. If you did so,
the steering lock would engage when the
steering wheel is turned.
When you leave the vehicle, always remove
the ignition key and engage the steering lock.
Always engage the parking brake when park-
ing on downhill roads.<
Manual transmission
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Automatic transmission
Place the selector lever in position P and
turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Parking brake
The parking brake is designed primarily to
prevent the vehicle from rolling when
parked. It operates against the rear wheels.
The brake warning lamp lights up
when the parking brake is engaged;
if you start driving, an acoustic sig-
nal is heard as well.
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models
To engage
The detent engages automatically and the
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
comes on when the ignition key is in posi-
tion 2.
To release
Pull up slightly on the lever, press the but-
ton and lower the lever.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage the
parking brake while the vehicle is in motion,
do not pull it with excessive pressure. Keep
your thumb pressed against the release
button while carefully pulling up the lever.
Excessive pressure can lead to overbraking
and loss of traction – fishtailing – at the rear
axle.
At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
45
Lamps
Parking lamps/Low beams
Parking lamps
The front, rear and side vehicle
lighting is switched on. You can use
the parking lamps to signal the
position of the vehicle when it is parked.
For information on lighting on one side of
the vehicle for parking, which is available
as an additional feature, refer to page 46.
Low beams
When you switch off the ignition
with the low beam headlamps on,
only the parking lamps will remain
on.
Follow me home lamps:
When you activate the headlamp flasher
after parking the vehicle and switching off
the lights, the low beams will come on for a
brief period.
You can also have this function acti-
vated/deactivated if you wish.<
Defective bulbs
The defective bulb indicator lamp
lights up:
At least one bulb of the vehicle's
exterior lighting has failed.
For replacing bulbs: refer to page 84.
LIGHTS ON warning
Whenever you open the driver's door after
having turned the ignition key to position 0,
you will hear an acoustic signal for a few seconds to remind you that the lamps have
not been switched off
.
Daytime driving lamps*
If you wish, the light switch can be left in
the second position. When the ignition is
switched off, the external lighting is also
switched off.
You can have the activation settings
for the daytime driving lamps pro-
grammed on your vehicle.<
Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is set to this posi-
tion, the system automatically
switches the low beams on and off
in response to changes in ambient light – in
tunnels, at dusk, etc. – as well as to rain and
snow.
The vehicle's external lights remain
on constantly when you switch on the
front fog lamps after the headlights have
come on automatically.<
Automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for the driver's
judgement in determining when the vehicle
lights should be switched on. For example,
the sensors are not able to detect fog. To
avoid safety risks, you should respond to
these kinds of low-visibility situations by
switching the headlights on manually.<
You can have the sensitivity of your
vehicle's automatic headlamp control
adjusted.<
Everything under control
48
Between the blue and red zones
Normal operating range. The needle may
rise as far as the edge of the red sector dur-
ing normal operation.
Red
When you switch on the ignition, warning
lamp 1 comes on briefly to indicate an
operational check.
Comes on while driving:
The engine has overheated. Switch off the
engine immediately and allow it to cool
down.
For checking the coolant level, refer to
page 80.
Service interval display
Remaining distance to next service
The displays shown in the illustration
appear for a few seconds when the ignition
key is in position 1 or after the engine is
started.
The next service due appears with the
message OIL SERVICE or INSPECTION,
together with the distance remaining in
miles – in kilometers in Canada – before the
next scheduled service.
The computer bases its calculations of the
remaining distance on the preceding driv-
ing style.
A flashing message and a "–" in front of the
number mean that the service interval has
already been exceeded by the distance
shown on the display. Please contact your
BMW center for an appointment.
Outside temperature
If the vehicle is not equipped with a com-
puter, the display in the instrument cluster
always shows the outside temperature.
Clock
If you wish to have a permanent time dis-
play, you can have it appear in the car radio
display, refer to the Owner's Manual for
Radio.
You can set the clock and the time display
in the car radio as follows.
To adjust
Ignition key in position 1 or higher:
Hours
1.Keep button 2 pressed for several sec-
onds until the hours are displayed and
the colon flashes
2.Press button 1 repeatedly until the
required hour is set
Minutes
3.Press button 2 to switch to the minutes
display
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Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
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4.Press button 1 repeatedly until the
required minutes are set
5.Press button 2 to confirm the settings.
The set time of day is transferred to the car
radio display or appears in the instrument
cluster display.
Display mode
In ignition key position 0:
Press button 1.
The time of day is displayed for several
seconds.
Computer*
Mode selection
With the ignition key in position 1 or higher,
you can use the button in the turn signal
lever to retrieve information from the com-
puter for display in the instrument cluster.
Every time you press the button briefly in
the direction of the steering column, a new
function is called up for display.
The displays appear in the following order:
time of day, outside temperature, average
fuel consumption, cruising range, average
vehicle speed.
With the ignition key in position 1 or higher,
the last active setting is displayed.
Outside temperature
To change the units of measure –
˚C/˚F
While the temperature display is active,
keep the button in the turn signal lever
pressed until the display changes.
Ice warning
If the outside temperature drops to approx.
377/+36, the computer automatically
switches to the outside temperature dis-
play.
In addition, a signal sounds and the display
flashes for a brief period.
Clock
Setting the 12-hour or 24-hour
mode*
If the vehicle is equipped with a computer,
you can have the time displayed in either a
12-hour or 24-hour mode.
While the time display is active, press the
computer button in the turn signal lever
until the display changes.
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Mobility
Reference
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Technology for safety and driving
convenience
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC
The concept
DSC maintains vehicle stability, even in
critical driving situations.
The DSC is operational every time you start
the engine.
For additional details on the system
and the various functions, please
refer to the "Technology" brochure.<
Indicator lamps
The indicator lamps in the instrument clus-
ter go out shortly after you switch on the
ignition.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC indi-
cator lamp flashes:
The system is active and governs
drive torque and braking intervention.
The indicator lamp stays lit:
Dynamic Stability Control DSC and
Dynamic Traction Control DTC have been
switched off via the button.
Dynamic Traction Control DTC indi-
cator lamp lights up permanently:
DTC has been deactivated via the
DSC button.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC indi-
cator lamp flashes:
Dynamic Traction Control DTC indi-
cator lamp lights up permanently:
DTC is actively regulating drive
torque and braking intervention.
Interventions to increase stability are
being performed to a limited degree
only.
warning lamp for Dynamic Brake
Control DBC light up continuously:
Dynamic Stability Control DSC,
Dynamic Traction Control DTC and
Dynamic Brake Control DBC are malfunc-
tioning.
Have the system repaired at your BMW
center.
Indicator and warning lamps for
Canadian models.
The vehicle remains completely oper-
ational without the DSC, DTC and
DBC functions.<
In the event of a malfunction, please see
your BMW center.
If the brake warning lamp comes on
together with the yellow indicator
lamps for the Antilock Brake Sys-
tem ABS and the Dynamic Stability
Control DSC:
The entire ABS and DSC control
system has failed. Continue driving
cautiously and defensively. Avoid
hard brake applications. Please have the
system checked by your BMW center as
soon as possible.
ABS and DSC indicator and warn-
ing lamps for Canadian models.
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Mobility
Reference
53
>Forceful braking and braking with ABS:
Brake lamps 1 and 2 light up on both
vehicle sides together with the center
brake lamp.
Antilock Brake System ABS
The concept
ABS keeps the wheels from locking during
braking, thereby enhancing active driving
safety.
Malfunction
If the yellow indicator lamps for the
Antilock Brake System ABS come
on together with the brake warning
lamp and the indicator lamp for the
Dynamic Stability Control DSC:
The entire ABS and DSC control
system has failed. Continue driving
cautiously and defensively. Avoid
hard brake applications. Please have the
system checked by your BMW center as
soon as possible.
ABS and DSC indicator and warn-
ing lamps for Canadian models.
Braking with ABS
If you are in a situation which requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits of
the ABS system if you apply maximum
brake pressure – panic stop.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indi-
cate to the driver that ABS is in its active
mode.
Flat Tire Monitor
The concept
The tire pressure is determined using the
signals of the ABS sensors.
The system provides an alert whenever the
tire pressure of one tire drops relative to
that of another.
Prerequisites
In order for the system to "learn" the cor-
rect tire inflation pressures, please do the
following:
>Check the inflation pressure in all tires
>Compare to the inflation pressure table
– refer to page 72 – and correct if nec-
essary
>Initialize the system.
Check the tire pressures regularly
and correct if necessary. Refer to
page 71.<
Indicator lamp
In the event of a flat tire
The indicator lamp lights up red; in
addition, an acoustic signal is
sounded:
Respond immediately by carefully reducing
vehicle speed to under 50 mph / 80 km/h.
Avoid hard brake applications and steering
maneuvers.
If your vehicle is equipped with
Run Flat tires, note the information on
page 75.<
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot alert you
to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors. Another factor
which the Flat Tire Monitor does not recog-
nize is the even and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all tires over an
extended period of time.<