
 
Contents
 
9
 
Driving:
 
Ignition lock65
Starting the engine65
Switching off the engine67
Parking brake67
Manual transmission68
Sequential manual gearbox 
SMG*69
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic*73
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp 
flasher76
Washer/wiper system/Rain 
sensor*77
Cruise control*78
 
Everything under control:
 
Odometer80
Tachometer80
Energy control80
Fuel gauge81
Engine coolant temperature 
gauge81
Service interval display82
Check Control82
Clock83
Computer*84
 
Technology for safety and 
driving convenience:
 
Park Distance Control (PDC)*86
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC)87
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) – 
325xi, 330xi89
Hill Descent Control (HDC)*91
Flat Tire Monitor*92
Brake force display93
 
Lamps:
 
Parking lamps/Low beams94
Instrument lighting95
High beams/Standing lamps95
Fog lamps*96
Interior lamps96
 
Controlling the climate for 
pleasant driving:
 
Air conditioning98
Automatic climate control*102
Roller sun blind*106
 
Interior conveniences:
 
Premium sound system*107
Glove compartment107
Storage compartments108
Cellular phone*110
Ashtray, front*110
Ashtray, rear*111
 
Loading and transporting:
 
Through-loading system*112
Ski bag*113
Cargo loading114
Roof-mounted luggage 
rack*117
 
Controls and features 

 
15
1Parking lamps/Low beams94
2
 
>
 
Turn signal indicators76
 
>
 
Standing lamps95
 
>
 
High beams95
 
>
 
Headlamp flasher76
 
>
 
Computer84
3Washer/wiper system/Rain 
sensor77
4Hazard warning flashers
5Central locking system32
6
 
>
 
Initiating an emergency call152
 
>
 
Mobile Service152
7Rear window defroster100, 105
8Horn: the entire surface
9Adjusting the steering wheel55
10 Fog lamps96
 
Cockpit
 
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25
Close the gas cap carefully after 
refueling until a click is heard. 
While closing, be sure not to squeeze 
the strap which is fastened to the cap. 
A loose or missing cap will activate the 
CHECK GAS CAP* lamp.<
Tank capacity>Approx. 16.6 gal./63 liters, of which
>approx. 2.1 gal./8 liters are reserve 
capacity.
Do not drive to the last drop of 
fuel. This can prevent the engine 
from operating properly and result in 
damage.<
Fuel specificationsThe engine uses lead-free gasoline 
only.
Required fuel:
>Premium Unleaded Gasoline, 
min. 91 AKI. 
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Never use leaded fuel, as it would 
cause permanent and irreversible 
damage to the oxygen sensor and the 
catalytic converter.<
Tire inflation pressureChecking tire pressuresTire pressures in psi/kilopascal are 
shown on the driver's door post and are 
visible when the door is open.
Only check the tire inflation pressures 
of cold tires. This means after driving a 
maximum of 1.25 miles/2 km or after 
the vehicle has been parked for at least 
2 hours. Warm tires have higher infla-
tion pressures.
In the following tire inflation pressure 
table, all pressures are specified in the 
standard units of pressure, psi and kilo-
pascal, and apply to cold tires, i.e. tires 
at ambient temperature.
Refueling
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33
Opening and closing – via the remote controlThe conceptThe remote control also provides two 
additional functions beyond the central 
locking feature:
>To switch on interior lamps, refer to 
page 34.
With this function you can also 
search for your vehicle when parked 
in an underground garage, for 
instance
>To open the luggage compartment 
lid, refer to page 34.
The luggage compartment lid will 
open slightly, regardless of whether it 
was previously locked or unlocked.
Whenever you unlock or lock the vehi-
cle, you simultaneously deactivate/acti-
vate the anti-theft system, disarm/arm 
the alarm system and switch the interior 
lamps on/off.
You can have a signal set to con-
firm that the vehicle's locks have 
engaged securely.<
Master keys with remote control
Persons or animals inside the 
vehicle may be able to lock the 
doors from the inside. For this reason, 
always take the vehicle keys with you 
so that the vehicle can be opened again 
from the outside at any time.<
If it is no longer possible to lock 
the vehicle via the remote control, 
the battery is discharged. Use this key 
while driving for an extended period in 
order to recharge the battery.
To prevent unauthorized use of the 
remote control, surrender only the 
spare key when leaving the vehicle for 
valet parking, for example.
In the event of a system malfunction, 
please contact your BMW center. You 
can also obtain replacement keys 
there.<
1Unlock, convenience opening mode, 
and disarm alarm system
2Lock and secure, arm alarm system, 
activate interior lamps, disarm tilt 
alarm sensor and interior motion sen-
sor
3Open the luggage compartment lid, 
panic mode – trigger alarmTo releasePress the button once to unlock the 
driver's door.
Press the button a second time to dis-
engage all vehicle locks.
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34
Convenience opening modePress and hold button: to open the 
electric power windows and glass sun-
roof.To lock and securePress button.To switch on the interior lampsWith the vehicle locked, press button.To deactivate the tilt alarm* and 
interior motion sensors*Press button a second time immedi-
ately after locking.
For additional information, refer to 
page 42.
To open the luggage 
compartment lidPress button.
The luggage compartment lid will open 
slightly, regardless of whether it was 
previously locked or unlocked.
If the luggage compartment lid 
was locked, it will be locked again 
after it is reclosed.
Before and after a trip, be sure that the 
luggage compartment lid has not been 
opened unintentionally.
danger by holding down the button for 
more than 2 seconds.
To switch off the alarm:
Press button.
External systemsThe remote control system's operation 
may be affected by other units or 
equipment operating in the immediate 
vicinity of your vehicle.
If this should occur, you can still open 
and close the vehicle using the master 
key in either the door or luggage com-
partment lid locks.For US owners onlyThe transmitter and receiver units com-
ply with part 15 of the FCC Federal 
Communications Commission regula-
tions. Operation is governed by the fol-
lowing:
FCC ID:
>LX8EWS
>LX8FZVS 
>LX8FZVE.
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the 
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the 
following two conditions:
>This device may not cause harmful 
interference, and
>this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference 
that may cause undesired operation.
Opening and closing – via the remote control 

41
Floor matYou can turn the floor mat over to trans-
port soiled objects, etc. The rubber-
coated side is suitable for washing and 
is also designed to inhibit sliding.
The fittings at the corners of the lug-
gage compartment provide you with a 
convenient means of attaching luggage 
compartment nets* and flexible straps 
for securing luggage.
Refer also to Cargo loading on 
page 114.
Alarm system*The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid is opened
>To movement inside the vehicle – 
interior motion sensor
>To variations in the vehicle's tilt angle 
such as those occurring during 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow 
the vehicle – tilt alarm sensor
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized 
vehicle entry and attempted theft by 
simultaneously activating the following:
>The acoustic alarm sounds for 
30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>The high beams flash on and off in 
rhythm with the hazard warning flash-
ers.To arm and disarm the alarm 
systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked 
via the driver's door lock or with the 
remote control, the alarm system is also 
simultaneously armed or disarmed.You can have different acknowl-
edgment signals set to confirm 
arming and disarming.<
You can also open the luggage com-
partment lid when the system is armed 
by pressing the remote control button, 
refer to page 34. The lid is once again 
secured when it is closed.
Extended pressure on the button sets 
off the alarm – Panic mode, refer to 
page 34.
Luggage compartment
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42
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, the hood or luggage 
compartment lid is not completely 
closed. Even if you do not close the 
alerted area(s), the remaining areas 
are secured, and the indicator lamp 
will flash 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
>If the indicator lamp flashes for 
10 seconds when the system is dis-
armed: an attempted entry has been 
detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the 
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Avoiding unintentional alarmsThe tilt alarm sensor and interior motion 
sensor may be switched off at the same 
time. You can do this to prevent a false 
alarm from being triggered in garages 
with elevator ramps, for instance, or 
when the vehicle is transported by train:
Lock the vehicle twice, i.e. arm the sys-
tem. Press button on the remote control 
twice in succession or lock the vehicle 
twice with the key.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and 
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm 
sensor and interior motion sensor are 
deactivated for as long as the system 
remains armed.
You can have the tilt alarm sensor 
and the interior motion sensor 
permanently deactivated.<
Interior motion sensorIn order for the interior motion sensor to 
function properly, the windows and the 
glass sunroof must be completely 
closed.
Nevertheless, you should deactivate 
the interior motion sensor, refer to 
Avoiding unintentional alarms, if
>persons or animals are left in the 
vehicle
>the windows or the glass sunroof are 
being left open.
The system deactivates the tilt-
alarm sensor and the interior 
motion sensor if the convenience clos-
ing of windows is interrupted in the first 
10 seconds and then restarted. The 
alarm must then be disarmed and reac-
tivated before it will resume opera-
tion.<
Alarm system* 

77
Washer/wiper system/Rain sensor*0Wipers retracted
1Intermittent operation or rain sensor
2Normal wiper speed
3Fast wiper speed
4Brief wipe
5Rotary dial for control of the wipe 
interval or the sensitivity of the rain 
sensorIntermittent modeNot on vehicles with rain sensor.
You can set the wipe interval at four 
stages with rotary dial 5.
In addition, the wipe interval is varied 
automatically depending on road 
speed.
Rain sensorThe rain sensor is positioned on the 
windshield, directly behind the interior 
rearview mirror.
To activate the rain sensor:
>With the ignition key in position 1 or 
higher, move the lever to position 1. 
The wipers will make at least one 
sweep across the windshield.
You can leave the lever permanently 
in position 1. With the ignition key in 
position 1 or higher, all you then need 
to do to activate the rain sensor is
>briefly turn the rotary dial 5, or
>clean windshield 1, refer to page 78.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain sen-
sor: turn rotary dial 5.
To deactivate the rain sensor:
Put lever in position 0.
Turn the rain sensor off in auto-
matic car washes. Failure to do so 
could result in damage caused by 
undesired wiper activation.
wipe – not on vehicles with rain sensor.
Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
ers operate at normal speed – not on 
vehicles with rain sensor.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex