
 
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 216.
 
Using this Owner's Manual
 
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
 
At a glance
 
10Cockpit
17Control Center
25Voice command
 
Controls
 
32Opening and closing
44Adjustments
56Transporting children safely 
60Driving
80Everything under control 
90Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
99Lamps
102A congenial climate
111Practical interior accessories
 
Driving tips
 
122Things to remember when driving
 
Navigation
 
130Starting the navigation system
132Destination entry
139Destination guidance
144What to do if É
 
Entertainment
 
148On/off, tone
152Radio
158CD Compact Disc
160CD changer
163TV
165DVD changer
 
Communications
 
174Using the phone in your vehicle 
182BMW Assist
 
Mobility
 
186Refueling 
188Wheels and tires
194Under the hood
198Maintenance
199Rules and regulations
200Replacing components
207Giving and receiving assistance
 
Reference
 
212Technical data
216Everything from A to Z 

 
Notes
 
6
 
For your own safety 
 
Fuels
 
Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels 
containing up to and including 
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with 
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight Ð that is, 
15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an equiv-
alent amount of co-solvent Ð will not void 
the applicable warranties with respect to 
defects in materials or workmanship. Field 
experience has indicated significant differ-
ences in fuel quality Ð volatility, composi-
tion, additives, etc. Ð among gasolines 
offered for sale in the United States and 
Canada. The use of poor-quality fuels may 
result in driveability, starting and stalling 
problems, especially under certain environ-
mental conditions such as high ambient 
temperature and high altitude. 
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be related to 
the fuel you are using, we recommend that 
you respond by switching to a recognized 
high-quality brand. 
Failure to comply with these recommenda-
tions may result in unscheduled mainte-
nance. 
Follow the relevant safety rules when you 
are handling gasoline.
 
<
 
 
 
Maintenance and repair
 
Advanced technology, e. g. the use 
of modern materials and high-per-
formance electronics, requires specially 
adapted maintenance and repair methods. 
Therefore, only have corresponding work 
on your BMW carried out by a BMW center 
or a workshop that works according to 
BMW repair procedures with correspond-
ingly trained personnel. If work is carried 
out improperly there is a danger of conse-
quential damage and the related safety 
risks.
 
<
 
 
 
Parts and accessories
 
For your own safety, use genuine 
parts and accessories approved by 
BMW. 
When you purchase accessories tested 
and approved by BMW and Genuine BMW 
Parts, you simultaneously acquire the 
assurance that they have been thoroughly 
tested by BMW to ensure optimized perfor-
mance when installed on your vehicle. 
BMW warrants these parts to be free from 
defects in material and workmanship. 
BMW will not accept any liability for dam-
age resulting from installation of parts and 
accessories not approved by BMW. 
BMW cannot test every product made by 
other manufacturers to verify if it can be 
used on a BMW safely and without risk to 
either the vehicle, its operation, or its occu-
pants. 
Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Accessories 
and other products approved by BMW, 
together with professional advice on using 
these items, are available from all BMW 
centers. 
Installation and operation of non-BMW 
approved accessories such as alarms, 
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, 
suspension components, brake dust 
shields, telephones Ð including operation of 
any portable phone from within the vehicle 
without using an externally mounted 
antenna Ð or transceiver equipment, for 
instance, CBs, walkie-talkie, ham radio or 
similar accessories, may cause extensive 
damage to the vehicle, compromise its 
safety, interfere with the vehicle's electrical 
system or affect the validity of the BMW 
Limited Warranty. See your BMW center for 
additional information.
 
< 
 
Maintenance, replacement, or repair 
of the emission control devices and 
systems may be performed by any automo-
tive repair establishment or individual using 
any certified automotive part.
 
<
 
  

Cockpit
16
Buttons on the steering wheel 
Buttons are integrated on the steering 
wheel for fast operation of the following 
functions without being distracted from 
driving:
>The Steptronic of the automatic trans-
mission 
>Selected audio source functions 
>Selected portable phone functions
>The voice command system
>Selected TV and DVD functions.
The buttons on the steering wheel are 
only operational when the corre-
sponding systems are switched on.<
Telephone:
Accepting calls, making calls, ending calls.
Volume.
Voice command system: 
Switching on and off.
Fast forward/reverse:
>Radio 
Press briefly: next stored station 
Extended pressure: automatic tuning 
>CD
Press briefly: skipping tracks
Extended pressure: fast forward/
reverse
>TV
Selecting program
>DVD 
Searching for chapter.Available for individual programming: 
In the "Settings" menu, you can select the 
function of the button at the "  button" 
menu item, refer to page 52. 
Steptronic: 
Press briefly to proceed through a selec-
tion sequence consisting of the automatic 
program, the Sport program, and the man-
ual mode, refer to page 66. 
Steptronic: upshifting and downshifting, 
refer to page 67. 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Control Center
The concept 
The Control Center has been designed to 
avoid the unnecessary complexity created 
by an extended number of switches and 
controls. It consists of the controller and 
the Control Display.
The controller is used to select the func-
tions that will appear on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, it also shows you Check 
Control messages, refer to page 82.
Controls 
1Controller: you operate all the functions 
in the Control Center by moving, turning 
and pressing.
>If you move the controller, you feel 
the mechanical guides along the main 
direction of movement. This makes it 
easier for you to select the right main 
menus
>If you turn the controller, you feel an 
electronically created rasterizing. This 
helps you to select the desired menu 
item
2Button for opening the start menu from 
any menu item
3Individual button assignment
To avoid posing an unnecessary 
hazard, both to your own vehicle's 
occupants and to other road users: never 
attempt to use the controls or make adjust-ments unless traffic and road conditions 
allow.<
The following introduction illustrates how 
easy it is to use the Control Center.
You can find detailed instructions describ-
ing how to use the individual systems in the 
separate sections.
Programming button function 
You can assign specific individual functions 
to the programmable button. This feature 
then provides you with quick access to this 
function, allowing you to control it without 
undue distraction from road and traffic 
conditions.
1.Select "Settings" and press the control-
ler
2.Select   and press the controller
3.Select "  button". Continue to press 
the controller until the desired function 
appears:
>"Mode"
You can choose between the output 
sources radio/FM or AM, Compact Disc 
CD and CD changer. The precondition 
is that one of these sources has been 
activated
>"FM" or "AM"
Switching over between wavebands 
FM and AM, also refer to page 152 

At a glance
 19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Settings 
The first setting option for time is activated. 
>Turn the controller to make the adjust-
ment 
>Press the controller to confirm Ð store Ð 
the new setting and to proceed to the 
next highlighted position to adjust. 
Changing the menu page 
You can select individual pages in specific 
menus, here: "Climate". 
Select the symbol and press the controller:
 To select the second page of the menu 
 To return to the first page of the menu. 
Symbols and lists
The symbols in the corners and edges of 
the Control Display have various functions: 
1Corner symbols:
These symbols take you to the next 
menu item or in a displayed list.
To do so: turn the controller
2List symbols:
Indicate that you can only move within 
the displayed list, here: stored radio 
stations.
Turn the controller to select an entry 
from the list. 
To exit from the list, select the   sym-
bol and confirm. You can also leave the 
list by turning the controller to the left or 
right.
Symbols
To select the second page 
To return to the first page 
To exit from the list
To transfer the current display to the 
assistance window. For more 
detailed information on the 
assistance window, refer to page 22
To transmit vehicle data to the 
BMW Service Center 
To set display units and formats, 
refer to page 88 
To change the language of the dis-
play texts, refer to page 88 

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menus in Control Display 
You can select from an extended range 
of functions and setting options: 
1BMW Assist182
2Communication 
>Using the telephone174
>Portable phone, refer to separate 
Owner's Manual
3Car data 
>Computer84
>Limit86
>Stopwatch87
>Service required81
>Accessing Check Control 
messages824Navigation130
5Help 
>Brief help text displays22
>Menu name for menu change
6Entertainment 
>Radio152
>CD158, 160
>TV163
>DVD165
7Settings 
>Vehicle functions52, 63, 90
>Time and date88
>Language88 

At a glance
 23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Top and bottom status lines
1Hands-free mode active 
2Portable phone reception strength
3Display field
>of the telephone provider
>of the entered/selected phone 
number
4Telephone status 
>Green: incoming or outgoing call 
>Red: no network available 
>Yellow: routed through alternate 
service network Ð roaming 
5Traffic Message Channel activated Ð 
currently not available
6Status Check Control82 
>Yellow: priority 2 Ð the symbol 
flashes briefly. You can use the "Car 
data" menu to have the status report 
shown on the Control Display 
>Red: priority 1 Ð these messages 
appear immediately, accompanied by 
a gong and a flashing symbol 
Status Service Interval Display81 
>Red: at least one service interval 
has been exceeded 7Temperature selection display, right 
side of passenger compartment 
8Air supply, right side of passenger 
compartment 
9Entertainment: display for radio, CD, 
TV, DVD
10Air supply, left side of passenger 
compartment
11Temperature selection display, left side 
of passenger compartment 
Assistance window
The status lines in the assistance window 
show the following:
>Outside temperature 
>Navigation system destination
>Time 
>Date.
Control Center in rear*
Rear screen 
Folding open rear screen:
1.Swing folding arm upward until it 
engages
2.Fold open rear screen.
The rear screen is ready for operation.
Folding down rear screen:
1.Align rear screen straight
2.Fold rear screen downward; folding arm 
unlocks
3.Swing folding arm downward. 

At a glance
 25Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Voice command
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 system oper-
ates on the basis of voice commands that 
you will learn easily after using them a few 
times. In many cases, the voice command 
system supports you with announcements 
or questions while you are making your 
entries.
The voice command system transforms 
your oral commands and dialog answers 
into control signals for the selected sys-
tems.
Please take the time to acquaint your-
self with how a particular system 
operates before proceeding to control it 
using the voice command system.<
Symbols used
{...}  Verbal instructions to use with the 
voice command system.
{{...}} Identifies the answers generated by 
the voice command system. 
Systems available for use with 
voice command
>{Telephone}, refer to page 174
>{Navigation}, refer to page 130
>{Radio}, refer to page 152
>{CD}, refer to page 158
>{CD changer}, refer to page 160
>{Notepad}, refer to page 27
>{TV}, refer to page  163
>{DVD}, refer to page 165. Either the system that you are now oper-
ating or any current error messages will 
appear in the Info Display, refer to page 26.
Speaking commands
Activating voice command system 
Briefly press the   button on the steering 
wheel.
A signal tone and "SVS active" in the Info 
Display, refer to page 26, indicate that the 
system is ready for use. You are automati-
cally in the main menu.
From here, you can call up all the equip-
ment that can be operated.
Canceling voice command system
Briefly press the   button on the steering 
wheel
or 
In dialogs in which any text can be spoken, 
e.g. names, notes, canceling is only possi-
ble using the   button.
The system automatically switches 
over to its telephone mode if you 
receive a call during voice command. "SVS 
off" appears in the Info Display, refer to 
page 26.<
Voice commands
The voice command system operates on 
the basis of specific, predefined com-
mands; these commands should be spo-
ken precisely as indicated. You can have 
the possible commands read back at any 
stage. To do so, say the command 
{Options}. 
In addition to the commands described, 
there are often other commands that run 
the same function. Instead of {Options}, 
you can, for example, also say 
{What now}. 
*
These sections contain information on 
using the voice command system.
{Cancel}.