
 
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
 
Contents 
The fastest way to find specific topics is to 
use the index, refer to page 202.
 
Using this Owner's Manual
 
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
 
At a glance
 
10Cockpit 
16Control Center 
20Voice command system 
 
Controls
 
26Opening and closing
36Adjustments
45Transporting children safely 
49Driving
65Everything under control 
76Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
87Lamps 
90A congenial climate 
96Practical interior accessories
 
Driving tips
 
106Things to remember when driving 
 
Navigation
 
114Starting navigation system 
116Destination entry 
123Destination guidance 
127What to do if É
 
Entertainment
 
130On/off, tone
134Radio 
141CD Compact Disc 
144CD changer
 
Communications
 
150Telephoning 
161TeleService, BMW Assist
 
 
 
Mobility
 
168Refueling 
170Wheels and tires 
177Under the hood
181Maintenance
183Rules and regulations
184Replacing components
190Giving and receiving assistance
 
Reference
 
198Technical data 
202Everything from A to Z 

 
At a glance
 
 11
 
Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
 
6
 
Buttons on steering wheel 
Portable phone
 
* 
: 
 
>
 
Accepting a call
 
>
 
Start calling
 
>
 
Ending call. 
Volume 
Voice command system.
Fast forward/reverse: 
 
>
 
Radio  
Press briefly: change station 
Press longer: manual tuning or auto-
matic search scan
 
>
 
CD 
Press briefly: select track
Press longer: fast forward/reverse. 
Individually programmable, refer to 
page 44.
 
>
 
Individually programmable, refer to 
page 44
 
>
 
Voice instructions for navigation. 
 
7
 
Instrument cluster12
 
9
 
Ignition lock49
 
10
 
Horn: the entire surface
 
13
 
Opening the hood177 
 
14
 
Opening the luggage compartment 
lid31
 
16
 
Parking lamps and low beams87
 
8
 
Windshield wipers57
Rain sensor57
 
11
 
Steering wheel heater44
Steering wheel adjustment43
 
12
 
Cruise control58
Active cruise control59
 
15
 
Head-Up Display85
 
17
 
Instrument lighting88
Front fog lamps89 

Voice command system
20
Voice command system  
The concept 
The voice command system allows you to 
control operation of various vehicle sys-
tems without ever removing your hands 
from the steering wheel. 
The menu items on the Control Display 
serve as voice commands for the equip-
ment that can be operated using the voice 
command system. This means you can 
open these menu items using the voice 
command system instead of with the con-
troller. 
The voice command system transforms 
your oral commands into control signals for 
the selected systems and provides support 
in the form of instructions or questions. 
Precondition 
If the language of the voice command and 
Control Display do not match, change the 
language of the Control Display, refer to 
page 74. 
Symbols used
Voice commands 
Activating voice command system 
Briefly press the   button on the steering 
wheel or in the center console.If voice command is to come from the pas-
senger side:
Press the button in the center console for a 
longer period. 
  This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic message indicate that you can 
enter voice commands.
The text or numbers that the voice com-
mand system has registered will appear at 
this position on the Control Display. 
  This symbol appears on the Control Dis-
play when you can enter additional voice 
commands. 
If there are no other voice commands, 
operate the equipment using the Control 
Center.
Canceling voice command system 
Press the   button on the steering wheel or 
in the center console
or
While notes are being recorded, canceling 
is only possible using one of the   buttons .
*
{...} Identifies voice commands.
{{...}} Identifies instructions generated 
by the voice command system. 
Entertainment{Cancel}. 

Controls
 51Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and 
lower the lever. 
If exceptional circumstances should 
make it necessary to engage the 
handbrake while the vehicle is in motion, 
do not pull it too strongly. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the handbrake 
lever. 
Strong application of the handbrake can 
lead to overbraking of the rear axle and 
associated 'fishtailing' of the vehicle rear 
end. 
The brake lamps do not light up when the 
handbrake is applied. 
Vehicles with manual or SMG transmission: 
When parking on inclines, apply the hand-
brake, as under certain circumstances 
even engaging the first or reverse gear 
might not secure the vehicle against mov-
ing.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: 
Place selector lever in position P.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided 
braking action, occasionally apply the 
handbrake lightly when the vehicle is 
slowly coming to a standstill if the traffic 
conditions are suitable.< 
Manual transmission 
While shifting gear in the 5th/6th gear 
level, make sure that you press the 
gearshift lever to the right to prevent inad-
vertently selecting a gear in the 3rd/4th 
gear level. On inclines, do not hold the 
vehicle with the clutch; use the handbrake. 
Holding with the clutch causes high clutch 
wear.<
Reverse gear 
Select R only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped. When pressing the gear-
shift lever to the left, overcome some resis-
tance. 
The backup lamps automatically come on 
in ignition key position 2. 
Sequential manual 
transmission SMG*
The concept 
The Sequential manual transmission SMG 
is an automated manual transmission in 
which an electro-hydraulic system handles 
the clutching and gear changes. 
You operate the SMG using the selector 
lever in the center console and two shift 
paddles on the steering wheel. 
It provides you with the following functions: 
>Sequential mode: manual mode
>Drive mode: automatic mode
>Choice between two drive programs: 
Normal, Sport, refer to page 54 
>Operating reliability with protection 
against incorrect gearshifts  

Controls
 53Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
towards D or change the current gear using 
the shift paddles or selector lever. 
Gear changes 
Using selector lever
>To shift up, briefly press the selector 
lever towards + 
>To shift down, briefly press towards Ñ. 
Using shift paddles on steering 
wheel 
>To shift up, pull one of the shift paddles 
>To shift down, press. 
You accelerate from higher gears, e.g. 
when overtaking, by shifting down manu-
ally. 
In the following situations, the SMG in the 
sequential mode assists you: 
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed 
only when they will result in a plausible 
combination of engine and vehicle 
speed; thus, for example, a downshift 
that would cause the engine to overrev 
will not be executed by the system 
>When the vehicle is stopped, the trans-
mission automatically downshifts into 
first gear 
>Shortly before dropping below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the trans-
mission downshifts automatically even 
without your intervention. 
Display in the instrument cluster
Gear display
R N 1 2 3 4 5 6
D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6
The gear currently selected, the selected 
shifting mode and, if applicable, malfunc-
tions are displayed in the instrument clus-
ter. 
Malfunctions
Indicator lamp
If the indicator lamp lights up, a 
malfunction has occurred in the 
transmission system. 
While it will remain still possible to move 
the selector lever to any desired position, 
the transmission will revert to operation in 
its default mode with only a limited number 
of forward gears.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine loads 
and consult the nearest BMW center. 
Warning tone
In case of overheating in the area of the 
transmission, an acoustic signal indicates 
that you should stop or start off quickly if 
possible so that the system can cool down 
again.
Information on jump-starting and towing 
begins on page 192.  

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
78
CBC Cornering Brake Control 
CBC is a supplement to ABS. It provides 
further enhancements in vehicle stability 
and steering response during lane changes 
and cornering at high rates of lateral accel-
eration. 
EBV Electronic Brake Force 
Distribution 
EBV controls the brake system's applica-
tion pressure at the rear wheels to ensure 
stable deceleration. 
In case of malfunction 
If the brake system warning lamp 
lights up in red, appearing together 
with the yellow indicator lamps for 
ABS and DSC: 
The driving stability control has 
failed. 
If all three lamps light up yellow: 
Fault in the driving stability control. 
The EBV electronic brake-force distribution 
is active. 
While you may continue, you should 
remember to proceed cautiously and drive 
defensively while avoiding full brake appli-
cations. 
Please have the system checked at the 
nearest BMW center. 
If a message appears on the Control Dis-
play, please note the supplementary infor-
mation. 
You can find more information on the 
Check Control starting on page 68. 
Indicator and warning lamps for 
Canadian models. 
Driving stability control/ 
DSC Dynamic Stability 
Control 
The concept 
DSC maintains vehicle stability, even in 
critical driving situations. 
The DSC is operational every time you start 
the engine. DSC includes the functionality 
of the DTC Dynamic Traction Control and 
DBC Dynamic Brake Control, refer to 
page 79. 
The system optimizes vehicle stability dur-
ing acceleration and when starting from a 
full stop, as well as optimizing traction. The 
system recognizes any tendency for the 
vehicle to assume an unstable attitude 
such as oversteer or understeer; it then 
counteracts this tendency with a combina-
tion of graduated reductions in engine 
torque and selective braking intervention at 
individual wheels. DSC provides optimal 
stability within the limits defined by the 
laws of physics. 
Indicator lamps 
The indicator lamp in the instrument 
cluster goes out soon after you start 
the engine. 
If the indicator lamp flashes: 
DSC is regulating the drive and braking 
forces. 
If the indicator lamp lights up permanently: 
DSC has been switched off using the but-
ton. 
If the indicator lamp and the brake 
warning lamp light up permanently: 
Malfunction in DSC, DTC and DBC.
When the system is off, the stability main-
tenance functions described above are no 
longer available. The vehicle will remain 
completely operational, however, without 
DSC. 
Please respond to any malfunctions by 
referring the problem to your BMW center.  

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
82
System malfunctions 
Indicator lamp
The symbol in the instrument clus-
ter lights up yellow and a message 
appears on the Control Display. 
Please contact your BMW center. 
Please note any supplementary information 
that appears on the Control Display. 
Active steering* 
The concept 
The active steering is a system that actively 
varies the steering angle of the front wheels 
in relation to the steering wheel move-
ments. 
When you are driving in the low road speed 
range, e.g. in a town or when parking, the 
steering angle is reinforced, i.e. the steer-
ing becomes very direct and significantly 
improves the handling capability of your 
BMW. 
In the higher road speed range, on the 
other hand, the steering angle is reduced, 
also optimizing the handling capability. 
In critical situations, the system can make 
targeted changes to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the 
vehicle before the driver intervenes. 
Indicator lamp 
The indicator lamp lights up perma-
nently: malfunction in the system. 
Please have the system inspected 
at your BMW center. 
Conventional steering efficiency remains 
available without limitations. 
Brake Force Display 
The Brake Force Display indicates the 
intensity with which you are applying your 
brakes to drivers of following vehicles. The display consists of two stages: 
>Normal braking: 
The brake lamps in the tail assemblies 
and the high-mount brake lamp on top 
of the rear window light up during brak-
ing 
>Heavy braking and braking with ABS: 
The tail lamps also light up with the 
same intensity as the standard brake 
lamp units to enhance the warning 
effect of the brake lamps.  

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
86 4.Select the desired information of the 
Head-Up Display and press the control-
ler. 
 The information is shown on the 
Head-Up Display.
Setting the brightness
The brightness of the display is automati-
cally adapted to the ambient lighting condi-
tions. However, you can change the base 
setting for each specific key.
With the low beams switched on, the 
brightness can also be set with the adjust-
ment wheel of the instrument lighting.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to 
page 16:
1.Open the    menu
2.Select "Display settings" and press the 
controller 
3.Select "Brightness" and press the con-
troller
4.Move the controller to the left to select 
"Head-Up Display"
5.Turn the controller. The adjustment is 
adopted; the field can be changed.
Malfunctions 
In certain cases the recognizability of the 
Head-Up Display may be reduced: 
>By wearing sunglasses with certain 
polarization filters 
>By disadvantageous sitting positions
>By objects on the cover of the Head-Up 
Display 
>By wet road surfaces and disadvanta-
geous lighting conditions. 
If the image is distorted, please have the 
base setting checked at a BMW center. 
Care instructions 
You can find everything you need to know 
on this topic by consulting the separate 
Caring for your vehicle brochure. 
Only clean the cover of the Head-Up 
Display with a soft, lint-free cloth or 
with a display cleaning cloth, as otherwise 
damage may result.<