Driving
56 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 engaged.
Vehicles with manual or SMG transmission:
When parking on inclines, engage the
handbrake, as even engaging the first or
reverse gear might not under certain cir-
cumstances secure the vehicle against
moving.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Engage selector-lever position P.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided
braking action, occasionally engage
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, press the gearshift lever to the
right, as otherwise engine damage could
occur from inadvertently engaging a gear in
the 3rd/4th gear level.
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle with the
clutch; use the handbrake. Otherwise there
is high clutch wear.<
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary. When pressing the gearshift
lever to the left, overcome some resis-
tance.The backup lamps automatically switch on
in ignition key position 2.
SMG Sequential manual
transmission*
The concept
The SMG Sequential manual transmission
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 offers the following functions:
>Choice of manual or automatic mode:
Sequential mode or Drive mode
>Options of two drive programs:
Normal or Sport, refer to page 59
>Protection against incorrect gearshifts
and automatic shift down at minimum
engine speed, also in the Sequential
mode
>Kickdown function in the Drive mode
>Acceleration assistant, refer to
page 60.
The SMG is operational in ignition key posi-
tion 2.
Selector-lever positions
The current selector-lever position is dis-
played on the center console.
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral, idle
Controls
57Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>One-touch function for Sequential
mode
+: manual upshifts
—: manual downshifts
>D: Drive mode.
N is automatically engaged if the
driver's door is opened with the
engine running and neither pedals, shift
paddles nor the selector lever are oper-
ated.
This is indicated by an acoustic signal and
the flashing display N in the instrument
cluster.<
Gear display
R N 1 to 6
The currently engaged gear is displayed, in
the Drive mode preceded by a D.
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out
of N; the shift command will not be exe-
cuted unless the brake is applied.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary.
Sequential mode
After every engine start, as soon as the
selector lever is pushed to the right and the
brake pedal is pressed, the Sequential
mode is activated.
The gear is changed using the shift paddles
or selector lever.
Driving off is also possible in second gear,
e.g. when the roadway is icy.
D Drive mode
In the Drive mode, all forward gears are
shifted automatically.
To switch from Sequential to Drive mode:
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D.
Kickdown:
For rapid acceleration, e.g. overtaking,
press the accelerator pedal as far down as
it will go: you achieve maximum accelera-
tion.
To switch back to the Sequential mode:
briefly press the selector lever back to the
right towards D or change the current gear
using the shift paddles or selector lever.
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not
hold the vehicle on a hill by applying
the throttle, but engage the handbrake
instead. Otherwise overheating can occur
in the area of the transmission.<
Gear changes
Using selector lever
>To shift up, briefly press the selector
lever towards +
>To shift down, briefly press towards —.
Using shift paddles on steering
wheel
>To shift up, pull one of the shift paddles
>To shift down, press.
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
Driving
58 speed; thus, for example, a downshift
that would cause the engine to overrev
will not be executed by the system
>When the vehicle is stationary, the
transmission automatically downshifts
into first gear
>Shortly before dropping below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the trans-
mission downshifts automatically even
without your intervention.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up and a
message appears on the Control
Display. There is a malfunction in
the transmission system. Avoid high loads.
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.
Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible.
Information on jump-starting and towing
begins on page 185.
Overheating
The warning lamp lights up and a
message appears on the Control
Display. In addition, an acoustic
signal sounds. Overheating in the area of
the transmission. If possible, stop or drive
off quickly so that the system can cool
down.
Automatic transmission
with Steptronic*
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you
can also shift manually with Steptronic,
refer to page 59.
Selector-lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Possible displays
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is indicated, and
in the manual mode the gear currently
engaged.
Changing selector-lever positions
An interlock prevents inadvertent gear-
shifts into selector-lever positions R and P.
To cancel the interlock, press the button on
the front of the selector lever knob, refer to
arrow.
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out
of P or N; the shift command will not be
executed unless the brake is applied.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after
you select a driving position, maintain pres-
sure on the brake pedal until you are ready
to start.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select selector-lever posi-
tion P and engage the handbrake before
leaving the vehicle with the engine running.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, as such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.<
Controls
59Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
P Parking
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary. The rear wheels are blocked.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary.
N Neutral
E.g. engage in car washes. The vehicle can
roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation.
All forward gears are available.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
position D.
Kickdown
The kickdown mode provides maximum
acceleration:
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the
full-throttle resistance point.
M/S manual operation and
Sport program
Move the selector lever from position D to
the left into gearshift gate M/S:
The sport program is activated and DS
appears in the instrument cluster.
This position is recommended for a perfor-
mance-oriented driving style. It is engaged
automatically when the Dynamic Driving
Control is activated, see below.
When the selector lever is moved slightly
towards + or –, the Steptronic shifts gear
and manual operation is activated. The
instrument cluster shows M1 through M6.Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combi-
nation of engine and vehicle speed; thus,
for example, a downshift that would cause
the engine to overrev will not be executed
by the system. The selected gear appears
briefly in the instrument cluster, followed by
the current gear.
To use the automatic function again, move
the selector lever to the right into posi-
tion D.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up and a
message appears on the Control
Display. There is a malfunction in
the transmission system. Avoid heavy
loads.
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.
Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible.
Towing, refer to page, 185, jump-starting,
refer to page 185.
Dynamic Driving Control
The Dynamic Driving Control makes it pos-
sible for your BMW to react in an even more
sports-oriented manner at the push of a
button:
>The engine responds more spontane-
ously to accelerator pedal movements
>The steering conveys a feeling of even
better contact with the road surface
>Cruise control:
The stored speed you call up is reached
more quickly.
Additionally with SMG:
>Gearshifts are faster
>The engine speed range is used opti-
mally in the Drive mode.
With automatic transmission:
>The Sport program is activated.
Everything under control
68
Calling up stored messages on
Control Display
Using CHECK button
1.Press the button longer:
The first stored message is displayed
2.Briefly press the button:
A new message appears each time you
briefly press the button.
Using Control Center
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Press button.
The start menu is opened
2.Press the controller to open the menu
3.Select "Service" and press the control-
ler
4.Select "Check Control messages" and
press the controller. The stored mes-
sages appear on the display
5.Select the desired message and press
the controller.The display disappears automatically after
a short time.
To exit the menu immediately:
Select and press the controller.
Displays after completion of trip
Malfunction reports generated during the
trip are shown consecutively when you
switch off the ignition.
Before the display disappears, you can dis-
play the messages once again. Press the
CHECK button for approx. 2 seconds.
If several messages are present, you can
continue to briefly press the CHECK button
to view them in succession.
The display
>cancels itself automatically after a brief
period
>can be canceled by again pressing the
CHECK button for approx. 2 seconds.
A congenial climate
90 rently within the vehicle. AUC executes this
function automatically.
Press the button repeatedly to run through
the following control sequence:
>Indicator lamps off: outside air flows
into the vehicle continuously
>Right indicator lamp on, AUC mode: the
system detects pollutants in the outside
air and responds by blocking the supply
of outside air when required.
Depending upon air quality require-
ments, in the automatic mode the sys-
tem alternates between its outside-air
and recirculated-air modes
>Left indicator lamp on, recirculated-air
mode: the supply of outside air into the
vehicle is continuously blocked.
If condensation starts to form on the
inside window surfaces during opera-
tion in the recirculated-air mode, you
should switch it off while also increasing
the air volume as required.
The recirculated-air mode should not be
used over a longer period of time, as the air
quality inside the vehicle deteriorates con-
tinuously.<
Residual heat mode
If you press this button with the
engine switched off, the system
uses the warmth stored in the
engine to heat the interior, for
instance, while the vehicle is
stationary at a school to pick up a child.
You can adjust the automatic climate con-
trol settings as of ignition key position 2.
Provided that the engine has warmed to its
normal operating temperature and the bat-
tery is charged, you can use this function
for up to 15 minutes after switching off the
ignition. The LED within the button lights up
to confirm compliance with both of these
conditions.
Switching off automatic climate
control
The air volume, the heater and
the cooling function are all
switched off. You can restart
the automatic climate control
by pressing any of its buttons
except the REST button.
Settings using Control Center
Ignition key:
>On vehicles with separate drives for
audio CDs and navigation DVDs, igni-
tion key in position 2
>On vehicles with one drive for audio
CDs, ignition key in position 1.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Press button.
The start menu is opened
2.Move the controller to the left to open
"Climate".
You can set the following:
>Separate air distribution for driver and
front passenger
>Adapting the temperature in the upper
body region
>Intensity of the AUTO program.
Manual air distribution
You can combine your air distribution your-
self and also individually adjust the air tem-
perature in the upper body area.
Practical interior accessories
94
Practical interior accessories
Integrated universal remote
control*
The concept
The integrated universal remote control
replaces up to three different hand-held
transmitters for various items of radio-con-
trolled equipment such as door openers
and house alarm systems. The integrated
universal remote control registers and
stores signals from the original hand-held
transmitters.
The signal of an original hand-held trans-
mitter can be programmed on one of the
three memory buttons 1. Then the respec-
tive device can be actuated with the mem-
ory button 1 programmed for its use with
the ignition key in position 2. The indicator
lamp 2 flashes to confirm transmission of
the signal.
If you sell your vehicle one day, delete the
saved programs beforehand for your own
security, refer to page 95.
To prevent possible damage or injury,
before programming or using the inte-
grated universal remote control, always
inspect the immediate area to make certain
that no people, animals or objects are
within the travel range of the device. Also,
comply with the safety precautions of the
original hand-held transmitter.<
Checking compatibility
If you see this symbol on the pack-
aging or in the manual supplied with
the original hand-held transmitter, it
is safe to assume that it is compatible with
the integrated universal remote control.
If you have additional questions, please
consult your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center or call 1-800-355-3515.
You can also visit these websites:
www.bmwusa.com or
www.homelink.com. HomeLink is a registered trademark owned
by Johnson Controls, Inc.
Programming
1Memory buttons
2Indicator lamp
Fixed-code hand-held transmitters
1.Ignition key in position 2
2.When using for the first time: press both
outer buttons 1 for approx. 20 seconds,
maintaining pressure until the indicator
lamp 2 starts to flash. The three mem-
ory buttons 1 are cleared
3.Hold the original hand-held transmitter
at a distance of approx. 2 in/5 cm to
8 in/20 cm to the memory buttons 1
The required distance between
the hand-held transmitter and the
memory buttons 1 depends on the rele-
vant system of the original hand-held
transmitter used.<
4.Simultaneously press the transmit but-
ton on the original hand-held transmit-
ter and the desired memory button 1 on
the integrated universal remote control.
Initially, the indicator lamp 2 flashes
slowly. Release both buttons as soon
as the indicator lamp 2 flashes rapidly.
If the indicator lamp 2 does not flash
rapidly after approx. 15 seconds,
change the distance
5.To program other original hand-held
transmitters, repeat steps 3 and 4.
Practical interior accessories
98
Socket
In front passenger footwell
Access to the socket:
Fold the cover upwards.
Ski bag*
Designed for safe, convenient transport of
up to 2 pairs of standard skis or one snow-
board.
The ski bag itself plus the additional capac-
ity provided by the luggage compartment
make it possible to transport skis with a
length of up to 6.9 ft/2.10 m.
Loading
1.Press the button downwards and pull
the filler element forwards
2.Extend the ski bag between the front
seats. The zipper allows more conve-
nient access to stored objects and can
also be left open to allow the ski bag to
dry
3.Press the button in the luggage com-
partment4.Open the loading flap and use the mag-
netic holder to secure it to the rear
panel.
To store the ski bag, perform the above
steps in reverse order.
Ensure that the skis are clean before
loading them into the bag. Take care
to avoid damage from sharp edges.<
Securing load
After loading, secure the ski bag and its
contents. To do so, tighten the retaining
belt at the buckle.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you
fail to do so, it could move around and
endanger occupants during braking or eva-
sive maneuvers.<
To refit the filler element, insert the
two steps in the strip and press back
the filler element. Make sure that you do
not damage the rear seat upholstery.<