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.
Driving
60
Activating system
With ignition key in position 2
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT
is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Deactivating system
>Press the SPORT button again or
>engage reverse gear or
>switch off the engine.
The LED in the button and SPORT in the
instrument cluster go out.
Acceleration assistant with SMG
The acceleration assistant enables opti-
mized vehicle acceleration at racing car
level on road surfaces with good adhesion
when starting off.
Do not use the acceleration assistant
too often, as otherwise components
will wear prematurely.<
1.Activate the Dynamic Driving Control
2.Press the DSC button, refer to page 77,
for longer than three seconds
3.Press the accelerator pedal down fully:
kickdown. The ideal starting-off engine
speed is set.
To maintain driving stability, drive
with the DSC on whenever possible.<
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Move the lever beyond the resistance
point. It then returns to the center position
when released. Press the lever as far as the
resistance point to switch off the turn sig-
nals.
If the indicator lamp flashes faster
than usual, a turn signal has failed.<
Signaling briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance
point and hold there if necessary. It then
returns to the center position when
released.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance
point; the turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this func-
tion.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open the menu
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller
3.Select "Lighting" and press the control-
ler
4.Select "Triple turn signal activation" and
press the controller.
Driving
62 Deactivate the rain sensor when
passing through an automatic car
wash. Failure to do so could result in dam-
age caused by undesired wiper activa-
tion.<
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable.
Always keep it well away from sparks
and open flames, and store it in tightly
closed containers well out of the reach of
children. Always observe the instructions
for use provided on the containers.<
Washer fluid reservoir
Capacity approx. 5.3 US quarts/5 liters
Fill with water and – if required – with a
washer antifreeze, according to manufac-
turer's recommendations.
In order to keep to the mixture ratio,
mix the washer fluid before filling.<
Cruise control
The concept
The cruise control is available for use at
speeds of approx. 20 mph/30 km/h and
higher. The vehicle maintains and stores
the speed that you set using the lever
mounted on the steering column.
Do not use the cruise control when
driving on winding roads, in heavy
traffic or in poor road conditions – e.g.
snow, rain, ice, loose road surface – that do
not permit a constant speed.<
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining and storing speed,
accelerating
Press the lever up to the resistance point:
The system maintains and stores the cur-
rent vehicle speed. The display 1 in the
speedometer indicates this regulated
speed, refer to page 63. Every time you
briefly press the lever, the vehicle's speed
increases by roughly 1 mph/1 km/h.
Press the lever up to the resistance point
and hold it:
The vehicle accelerates without pressure
on the accelerator pedal. The system main-
tains and stores your current speed as
soon as you release the lever.
Press the lever beyond the resistance
point:
Increases the speed by 5 mph/10 km/h.
The vehicle may accelerate beyond the
regulated speed on steep downhill
stretches where the engine's braking effect
alone may not be sufficient to slow the
vehicle. Speed can drop on uphill grades if
the engine output is insufficient.
2 Maintaining and storing speed,
decelerating
Pull the lever:
Functions are the same as 1, only the vehi-
cle speed is reduced.
3Interrupting cruise control
With the cruise control active, briefly press
the lever up or down.
Everything under control
64
Everything under control
Odometer, outside
temperature display, clock
When the ignition is off you can briefly acti-
vate the time, outside temperature and
odometer displays by pressing the knob 3
at the lower left of the instrument cluster.
Outside temperature display, clock,
date 1
The outside temperature and the time are
displayed from ignition key position 1
onwards.
You can set the measurement unit 7 or 6
on the Control Display, refer to Measure-
ment units on page 72.
To call up the date:
Briefly press the CHECK button on the turn
indicator lever, refer to page 69.
Setting the time and date, refer to page 73.
Ice warning
A signal sounds when the outside temper-
ature falls to roughly +37.57/+36; this is
accompanied by a message.
Please bear in mind that the ice warn-
ing does nothing to alter the fact that
black ice may be present on roads at tem-
peratures higher than +37.57/+36, e.g.
on bridges and shaded roads.<
Odometer and trip odometer 2
To reset the trip odometer to zero:
Press button 3 in the instrument cluster.
Tachometer
The white-striped advance warning field,
arrow 1, changes depending on the engine
temperature. The segments disappear in
sequence as the engine warms to its nor-
mal operating temperature.
Avoid allowing the engine speed to rise as
far as the advance warning field whenever
possible.
Engine speeds in the red warning field,
arrow 2, must be avoided.
In this range, the fuel supply is interrupted
to protect the engine.
Controls
65Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Engine oil thermometer
The engine oil temperature is between
approx. 1607/706 and approx. 3407/
1706 during normal operation.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a
message appears on the Control Display.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 18.5 US gal-
lons/70 liters, including the reserve capac-
ity of approx. 2.1 gallons/8 liters. You can
find information on refueling on page 162.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer
period, when you are driving in mountain-
ous areas, for example, the indicator may
fluctuate slightly.
After the reserve quantity has been
reached, a message appears for a short
time on the Control Display; the remaining
range is shown in the computer. Below a
range of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the mes-
sage remains on the Control Display.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, as otherwise engine functions are
not ensured and damage can occur.<
Service requirement display
In instrument cluster
The remaining distance to be driven, the
date for the next maintenance as well as
the date entered for the state emission or
vehicle inspection are displayed briefly as
of ignition key position 2, if the date is
imminent.
Your BMW Service Advisor will deter-
mine your vehicle's current service
requirements by reading out the data
stored in the vehicle key.<
On Control Display
You can view additional information on ser-
vice and maintenance procedures on the
Control Display.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open the menu
2.Select "Service" and press the control-
ler
3.Select "Service requirements" and
press the controller
4.Select "Status" and press the control-
ler.
The display shows a list of selected service
and maintenance procedures, as well as
legally mandated official inspections.
Everything under control
66
Symbols
The service deadline has already
passed.
The deadline for service or an official
inspection is approaching. Please fix
a service appointment.
No service is currently required.
You can request more detailed information
on every entry.
Select the entry and press the controller.
To exit the menu:
Select and press the controller.
Entering dates for state emission and
vehicle inspections
Make sure the date in the Control Center is
always set correctly, refer to page 73, as
otherwise the effectiveness of CBS Condi-
tion Based Service is not ensured.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open the menu
2.Select "Service" and press the control-
ler
3.Select "Service requirements" and
press the controller4.Select "Status" and press the controller
5.Select "Emission inspect." or "State
inspection" and press the controller
6.Select "Set service date" and press the
controller. The month is highlighted
7.Turn the controller to make the adjust-
ment
8.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The year is highlighted
9.Turn the controller to make the adjust-
ment
10.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The date entry is stored.
To exit the menu:
Select and press the controller.Check Control
The concept
The Check Control monitors functions in
the vehicle and issues a message if there is
a malfunction in the monitored systems.
Supplementary messages on the Control
Display are intended to assist you in
assessing the severity of malfunctions; they
provide you with the information you need
to decide on the best way to respond.
Controls
67Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Display of a message
means that a Check Control message is
present.
Information and malfunction reports are
indicated by an illuminated indicator or
warning lamp symbol.
At the same time, a gong sounds and a text
message appears on the Control Display.
Supplementary instructions
Messages are assigned one of two priority
ratings:
Priority 1
These messages and malfunction reports
are signaled by a gong. If a number of mal-
functions occur simultaneously, they are
displayed in succession. These messages
cannot be deleted, and they remain on the display until the problem is corrected. Sup-
plementary information can also appear on
the Control Display.
To exit the menu:
Select and press the controller.
Priority 2
These status messages and malfunction
reports are indicated by the gong and dis-
played for approx. 20 seconds.
To hide a displayed message: briefly press
the CHECK button on the turn signal lever.
Check Control symbol and message
on Control Display
Depending on the status of the monitored
systems, various symbols are displayed:
No malfunctions are present in the
monitored systems.
Malfunctions are present in the moni-
tored systems.
Depending upon how serious the
problem is, a supplementary mes-
sage may also appear on the Control Dis-
play.
The symbols also indicate the status of the
service requirement display, refer to
page 66.