
91
Draft-free ventilationYou can adjust the blower controls for 
the upper body area to obtain the opti-
mum airflow rates and directions for 
your personal requirements:
1Rotary dials for infinitely variable 
opening and closing of the vent out-
lets
2Levers for airflow direction
3Rotary dial allows you to control the 
temperature of the airflow from these 
outlets as desired
MicrofilterThe built-in microfilter removes dust 
and pollen from the incoming air. Your 
BMW center will replace it during rou-
tine maintenance. A substantial reduc-
tion in airflow indicates that the filter 
needs to be replaced before scheduled 
maintenance.
To defrost windows and remove 
condensation1. Set the blower speed rotary control 
for the airflow rate to position 4
2. Turn the rotary temperature control 
completely to the right to the red 
zone
3. Turn the rotary control for air distri-
bution to position 
4. Switch on the rear window defroster 
to defrost the rear window.
Air conditioning
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93
1Air onto the windshield and the side 
windows
2Air for the upper body area95
3Air to the footwell
4Outside air/Automatic recirculated-
air control (AUC)/Recirculated 
air95
5Air supply/Blower94
6Temperature94
7Automatic air distribution and 
supply94
8Individual air distribution94
9Interior temperature sensor – please 
keep clear and unobstructed
10 Temperature display94,
air supply94
11 To defrost windows and remove 
condensation94
12 Air conditioning94
13 Rear window defroster95Automatic climate control*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
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94
Tips for pleasant drivingUse the automatic mode – switch on 
with AUTO button 7. Select an interior 
temperature that is comfortable for you.
Detailed setting options are described 
for you in the following section.
You can make the settings of your 
vehicle in such a manner that, 
when you unlock the vehicle with the 
remote control of your personal key, 
your own personalized setting for the 
automatic climate control is initiated.
The AUTO program adjusts the 
air distribution and the air sup-
ply for you and in addition adapts the 
temperature to external influences – 
summer, winter – to meet preferences 
you can specify.
Individual air distribution
You can cancel the AUTO pro-
gram by selecting specific dis-
tribution patterns to suit your 
own individual requirements. 
While the AUTO program is deacti-
vated, the automatic airflow control 
remains in operation. Air flows onto 
the windows  , toward the upper 
body  , and into the footwell  . You 
can switch the automatic distribution of 
air back on by selecting the AUTO but-
ton.Temperature
 The interior temperature that 
appears in the display panel is a 
general figure intended for reference 
purposes. We recommend 727/ 
+226 as a comfortable setting, even if 
the air conditioning is on. When you 
start the vehicle, the system ensures 
that the selected temperature is 
achieved as quickly as possible regard-
less of the season. It then maintains this 
temperature. 
To select the units of measure 6/7 
of the temperature display, refer to 
page 74.
Air supply/Blower
By pressing the left or right half 
of the button, you can vary the 
air supply. This deactivates the auto-
matic control of the air supply, AUTO 
disappears from the display panel. Nev-
ertheless, the automatic air distribution 
remains unchanged. You can reactivate 
the automatic air distribution mode by 
selecting the AUTO button.
When the lowest blower speed is set 
and you press the left half of the button, 
all of the displays are canceled: the 
blower, heating and air conditioner are 
switched off. The outside air supply is 
blocked. You can reactivate the system 
by pressing any button for the auto-
matic climate control.To defrost windows and remove 
condensation
This program quickly removes 
ice and condensation from the 
windshield and the side windows.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the 
temperature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the wind-
shield may fog over briefly when the 
engine is started. Air conditioning helps 
prevent the windows from fogging up.
Automatic climate control*
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95
Condensation forms during opera-
tion of the air conditioning system, 
which then exits under the vehicle. 
Traces of condensed water on the 
ground underneath the vehicle are thus 
normal.<
Outside air/Automatic 
recirculated-air control (AUC)/ 
Recirculated air
You can respond to unpleasant 
external odors or pollutants by 
temporarily stopping the flow of outside 
air. The system then recirculates the air 
currently within the vehicle.
Press the button repeatedly to select 
one of three different operating modes.
>Indicator lamps off: outside airflow is 
on
>Left-hand indicator lamp on – AUC 
mode: the system recognizes pollut-
ants in the outside air and blocks the 
flow of air when necessary. The sys-
tem then recirculates the air currently 
within the vehicle. Depending on the 
air quality, the automatic system then 
switches back and forth between 
outside air supply and recirculation of 
the air within the vehicle
>Right-hand indicator lamp on: the 
flow of external air into the vehicle is 
permanently blocked. The system 
then recirculates the air currently 
within the vehicle.
If the windows should fog over in 
the recirculated-air mode, switch 
this mode off and increase the air sup-
ply as required.
is activated, the indicator lamp 
comes on. The rear window defroster 
switches off automatically.
You can have your vehicle pro-
grammed in such a way that the 
rear window defroster switches on 
automatically. This occurs within 5 min-
utes after starting the engine when out-
side temperatures are below approx. 
397/+46.<
Draft-free ventilationYou can adjust the blower controls for 
the upper body area to obtain the opti-
mum airflow rates and directions for 
your personal requirements:
1Rotary dials for infinitely variable 
opening and closing of the vent out-
lets
2Levers for airflow direction
3Rotary dial allows you to control the 
temperature of the airflow from these 
outlets as desired
Automatic climate control*
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97 Interior conveniences
Premium sound system*Harman Kardon premium sound 
systemPress the button to activate and deacti-
vate the acoustic enhancement.
The system creates the acoustic 
impression of a much larger passenger 
compartment accompanied by 
improved stereophonic sound at all 
seating positions.
The system responds to poor reception 
conditions by repeatedly alternating 
between the stereo and monophonic 
modes. You should then switch the sys-
tem off.
Glove compartmentTo openPull the handle. The lamp in the glove 
compartment will come on.To closeFold the cover up.
To prevent injury in the event of an 
accident, close the glove com-
partment immediately after use.
unlock the glove compartment.
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111 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressureInformation for your safetyThe factory-approved tires are matched 
to your vehicle and have been selected 
to provide optimum safety and driving 
comfort when used properly.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but 
also driving comfort and – above all else 
– driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance 
of the specified tire inflation pressure.
Incorrect tire inflation pressure is a fre-
quent cause of tire damage. It also sig-
nificantly influences the roadholding 
ability of your BMW. 
Be sure to check the tire inflation 
pressure, including the space-
saver spare tire or the spare tire, on a 
regular basis, at least twice a month 
and before every extended journey, 
refer to page 24. If this is not done, 
incorrect tire pressures can cause driv-
ing instability and tire damage, ulti-
mately resulting in accidents.<
Tire conditionTire tread – tire damageInspect your tires frequently for tread 
wear, signs of damage and for foreign 
objects lodged in the tread. Check the 
tread depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to 
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though 
the legally specified minimum tread 
depth is 1/16 in / 1.6 mm.
Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there 
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at 
relatively moderate speeds and with 
only small amounts of water on the 
road. Tread wear indicators in the 
tread-groove base – see arrow – are 
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-
wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At 
a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the 
indicators signal that the legally permis-
sible wear limit has been reached.
Do not drive on a deflated – flat – 
tire. A flat tire greatly impairs 
steering and braking response, and can 
lead to complete loss of control over 
the vehicle. Avoid overloading the vehi-
cle so that the permitted load on the 
tires is not exceeded. Overloading can 
lead to overheating and internal tire 
damage.
The ultimate result can assume the 
form of a sudden air loss.
Unusual vibrations encountered during 
normal vehicle operation can indicate a 
flat tire or some other vehicle malfunc-
tion. This type of problem can be 
caused by contact with curbs, etc. This 
is also true for irregularities in the vehi-
cle's handling characteristics, such as a 
pronounced tendency to pull to the left 
or right. Should this occur, respond by 
immediately reducing your speed. Pro-
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112
ceed carefully to the nearest BMW cen-
ter or professional tire center, or have 
the vehicle towed in to have it, its 
wheels or its tires inspected.
Tire damage up to and including sud-
den and complete air loss can endan-
ger the lives of both the vehicle occu-
pants and other road users.<
Tire replacementTo maintain good handling and vehicle 
response, use only tires of a single 
tread configuration from a single manu-
facturer.DOT quality gradesTread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must con-
form to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades.
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test 
course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would 
wear one and one-half – 1 
1/2 – times as 
well on the government course as a tire 
graded 100. The relative performance 
of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may 
depart significantly from the norm due 
to variations in driving habits, service 
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.
TractionThe traction grades, from highest to 
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability 
to stop on wet pavement as measured 
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of 
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C 
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to 
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does 
not include acceleration, cornering, 
hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.
tire's resistance to the generation of 
heat and its ability to dissipate heat 
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory 
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause 
the material of the tire to degenerate 
and reduce tire life, and excessive tem-
perature can lead to sudden tire failure. 
The grade C corresponds to a level of 
performance which all passenger car 
Tire condition
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114
Wheel and tire combinationsThe right choice
BMW recommends using only 
wheels and tires that have been 
approved by BMW for your particular 
vehicle model, as otherwise body con-
tact and serious accidents can result 
despite the use of the same nominal 
size, e.g. due to manufacturing toler-
ances. BMW cannot evaluate all tires 
and wheels on the market, and is thus 
unable to guarantee that the vehicle will 
continue to perform safely if unap-
proved tires and/or wheels are 
mounted.<
For each tire size, BMW has assessed 
the safe performance of specific tire 
brands and approved them for use. 
Consult any BMW center for details. 
Comply with any local/national regula-
tions, for example by recording the tire 
type in the vehicle documents.
The correct wheel and tire combi-
nation affects various systems 
that would otherwise be impaired, for 
example ABS, ASC+T/DSC and 
ADB/DBC.
For this reason, use only tires of the 
same manufacture and tread configura-
tion. In the event of a flat tire, for exam-
ple, remount the approved wheel and 
tire combination as soon as possible.<
StorageAlways store tires in a cool, dry place. 
Store them away from light whenever 
possible. Protect the tires against con-
tact with oil, grease and fuel.
Winter tiresChoosing the right tireBMW recommends winter tires – M+S 
tires – for operation under inclement 
winter driving conditions. While all-sea-
son tires – M+S designation – provide 
better winter traction than the corre-
sponding summer tires, they generally 
do not achieve the performance of win-
ter tires.
In the interest of safe tracking and 
steering response, install winter tires 
made by the same manufacturer and 
having the same tread configuration on 
all four wheels.
Never exceed the maximum 
speed for which the winter tires 
are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to 
service tires can lead to damage and 
accidents.
Have this work performed by trained 
professionals only. Any BMW center 
has the required technical knowledge 
and the proper equipment and will be 
happy to assist you.<
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