
 
Notes
 
6
 
Parts and accessories
 
For your own safety, use parts and 
accessories approved by BMW. 
When you purchase accessories tested 
and approved by BMW and Original BMW 
Parts, you simultaneously acquire the 
assurance that they have been thoroughly 
tested by BMW to ensure optimum 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. 
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories 
and other products approved by BMW, 
together with professional advice on using 
these items, are available from all BMW 
retailers. 
Installation and operation of non-BMW 
approved accessories such as alarms, 
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, 
suspension components, brake dust 
shields, telephones, including operation of 
any portable cellular phone from within the 
vehicle without using an externally 
mounted antenna, or transceiver equip-
ment, e. g. C.B., walkie-talkie, ham radio or 
similar, may cause extensive damage to 
the vehicle, compromise its safety, inter-
fere with the vehicle's electrical system or 
affect the validity of the BMW Limited War-
ranty. See your BMW center for additional 
information. 
Do not use key or remote control to lock 
doors or trunk with anyone inside the vehi-
cle. Refer to the Owner's Manual for more 
details.
 
<
 
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.
 
<
 
Service and warranty
 
This manual is supplemented by a Service 
and Warranty Information Booklet for US 
models, Warranty and Service Guide Book-
let for Canadian models. 
We recommend that you read this publica-
tion thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following war-
ranties:
 
>
 
New Vehicle Limited Warranty
 
>
 
Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
 
>
 
Federal Emissions System Defect War-
ranty
 
>
 
Federal Emissions Performance War-
ranty
 
>
 
California Emission Control System 
Limited Warranty.
Detailed information about these warran-
ties is listed in the Service and Warranty 
Information Booklet for US models, War-
ranty and Service Guide Booklet for Cana-
dian models. 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
 13
Colors
The indicator and warning lamps can light 
up in various colors and combinations.
The following section explains the signifi-
cance of the individual colors as well as 
how you should respond.
>Red: 
Stop the vehicle immediately
or
an important reminder
>Red and yellow:
Continue driving cautiously
>Yellow:
Have the system checked soon
or
for your information
>Green:
For your information
>Blue:
For your information. Please fasten safety belts 
+30
Airbags 
+56
Battery charge current
+91
Engine oil pressure/Engine oil 
level/Engine oil sensor
 +83 
Parking brake/Chassis control sys-
tems/Dynamic Brake Control/
Brake fluid 
+38/ 52/ 53/ 85
Parking brake/Chassis control sys-
tems/Dynamic Brake Control/
Brake fluid for Canadian models 
+38/ 52/ 53/ 85
Antilock Brake System ABS/Chas-
sis control systems 
+54/ 52
Antilock Brake System ABS/Chas-
sis control systems for Canadian 
models 
+54/ 52
Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC
 +52
Dynamic Traction Control 
DTC 
+52
Flat Tire Monitor 
+54
Automatic transmission/
Sequential manual gearbox 
SMG 
+40/ 42
Brake pads 
+70
Add coolant84
CHECK GAS CAP 
+74
Service Engine Soon +87
Service Engine Soon warning lamp 
for Canadian models 
+87
Defective bulbs46
Turn signal indicators43
Fog lamps47
Headlamp flasher/
High beams43/ 47
Electric Power Steering EPS 
+43
Engine electronics 
+ 
Engine electronics malfunction. 
You can continue to drive with 
reduced engine output or engine 
speed. Please have the system 
inspected by your BMW center. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 37
the ignition key immediately when the 
engine starts.<
Extended starting attempts, charac-
terized by excessively frequent or 
long periods with the starter engaged, can 
damage the catalytic converter.<
If the engine fails to start on the first 
attempt, for instance if it is very hot or cold: 
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway 
down.
Cold starts at very low temperatures, start-
ing at approx. 57/–156:
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway 
down.
>On the first start attempt, engage the 
starter for a longer period, approx. 
10 seconds.
Manual transmission
1.Engage the parking brake
2.Gearshift lever in idling position
3.Depress clutch pedal
4.Start the engine.
Automatic transmission
1.Depress footbrake
2.Place selector lever in position P or N
3.Start the engine.
Before leaving the vehicle with the 
engine running, place the selector 
lever in position P and pull the parking 
brake.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with 
the engine running. An unattended vehicle 
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
1.Depress footbrake
2.Move selector lever to neutral 
position N
3.Start the engine.
If the engine does not start, re-
engage the gear last selected, refer to 
the display in the instrument cluster, and move the selector lever to neutral position 
N again.<
Before leaving the vehicle with the 
engine running, place the selector 
lever in position N and pull the parking 
brake.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with 
the engine running. An unattended vehicle 
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
Switching off the engine
Do not remove the ignition key while 
the vehicle is still moving. If you did 
so, the steering lock would engage when 
the steering wheel is turned. 
When you leave the vehicle, always remove 
the ignition key and engage the steering 
lock.
Always engage the parking brake when 
parking on downhill roads.<
You can have an acoustic signal set 
as a reminder that the ignition key is 
still in the ignition switch after the driver's 
door has been opened.<
Manual transmission
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Automatic transmission
Place the selector lever in position P and 
turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
If you turn the ignition key to position  1 or  0 
with the selector lever in position R, or in 
sequential mode, a gear automatically 
remains engaged.
If you turn the ignition key to position  1 or  0 
with the selector lever in neutral position  N, 
a warning tone and the flashing gear indi-
cator in the display remind you that the 
vehicle is not secured against rolling.
The warning stops after approx. 9  seconds.
Always engage the parking brake 
when parking on downhill roads. 
Engaging a gear may not sufficiently secure 
the vehicle against rolling.< 

Driving
38
Parking brake 
The parking brake is designed primarily to 
prevent the vehicle from rolling when 
parked. It operates against the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up when 
the parking brake is engaged; if you 
start driving, an acoustic signal is 
heard as well. 
The indicator lamp for Canadian 
models lights up when the parking 
brake is engaged; if you start driv-
ing, an acoustic signal is heard as well.
To engage
The detent engages automatically and the 
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster 
comes on when the ignition key is in posi-
tion 2.
To release
Pull up slightly on the lever, press the but-
ton and lower the lever.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it 
should be necessary to engage the 
parking brake while the vehicle is in motion, 
do not pull it with excessive pressure. Keep 
the release button on the parking brake 
lever pressed down while pulling up the 
lever.
Excessive pressure can lead to overbraking 
and loss of traction, fishtailing, at the rear 
axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when the 
parking brake is engaged.<
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces, since shifting into 1st gear or reverse 
may not provide adequate resistance to 
rolling. Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: place the selector lever in 
position P.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided 
braking, apply the parking brake 
lightly from time to time when coasting to a 
standstill – at a traffic signal, for example – 
provided that it is safe to do so.<
Manual transmission 
6-gear transmission*
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, it is 
important to press the gear shift lever to the 
right to avoid accidentally engaging 3rd or 
4th gear.
Reverse 
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. Press the gearshift lever to the left 
to overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will turn 
on automatically when the ignition key is in 
position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on 
slopes by slipping or riding the clutch. 
Use the parking brake instead, otherwise, 
the ensuing friction to the clutch plates will 
cause a great deal of wear and tear on the 
clutch.< 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 39
Automatic transmission 
with Steptronic* 
You can drive as with a normal automatic 
transmission. In addition, you can also shift 
manually.
When you move the selector lever from the 
D position to the left into the M/S range, the 
performance-oriented shift programs of the 
automatic transmission are engaged. As 
soon as you briefly tap the selector lever in 
the + or — direction, Steptronic changes the 
gear. The manual mode is engaged. When 
you wish to use the automatic transmission 
mode again, move the selector lever to the 
right to position D.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + —
Range selection
A detent prevents inadvertent shifting into 
selector lever positions R and P. To disen-
gage the detent, press the button on the 
front of the selector lever knob, see arrow.
Shiftlock
While the vehicle is stationary and 
before shifting out of P or N, depress 
the footbrake in order to disengage the 
selector lever's lock mechanism.<
Hold the footbrake down until starting 
off. The vehicle will otherwise start to 
move when a drive position is engaged. 
If you leave the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, move the selector lever to the P posi-
tion and apply the parking brake. If you fail 
to do this, the vehicle could move.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running. An unattended vehicle 
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
PPark
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. The transmission locks to prevent 
the rear wheels from turning.
RReverse
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
NNeutral 
Select only when stopping for an extended 
period.
DDrive: automatic shift program
This position is designed for driving under 
all normal operating conditions. All forward 
gears are available.
Kickdown 
In the kickdown mode, you achieve maxi-
mum acceleration in position D.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the 
increased resistance point at the full-throt-
tle position.
M/S Manual mode and 
Sport program 
When you change from D to M/S, the Sport 
program is activated. This is indicated in 
the gear indicator by SD. The M/S mode is 
recommended for performance-oriented 
driving.
With the first brief touch, the automatic 
transmission shifts from the Sport program 
to the manual mode.
When you tap the selector lever in the +  

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 41
Forward position with one-touch functions:
Sequential mode
+:manual upshifting
—:manual downshifting
D: drive mode.
The SMG is ready for operation in ignition 
key positions 2 and 3. 
The gearbox is automatically taken 
out of gear if the driver's door is 
opened while the engine is running and the 
driver does not actuate the pedals, the shift 
paddles or the selector lever. 
This is accompanied by an acoustic signal 
and the flashing gear indicator. 
The gear indicator in the instrument cluster 
displays N. 
A driving position can only be engaged 
when the driver's door is closed. 
When the vehicle is unlocked, a buzzing 
sound in the area of the transmission indi-
cates that the system is ready to operate.<
Shiftlock
For your safety, it is only possible to 
engage a driving position from selector 
lever position N when the footbrake is 
depressed.
Please keep in mind while driving
When driving off on inclines, drive 
smoothly without pausing. Do not 
keep the vehicle in place by depressing the 
accelerator pedal; instead, apply the park-
ing brake. Otherwise, the SMG gearbox 
could overheat.<
RReverse
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
NNeutral
Always engage before starting the engine, 
refer to Starting the engine.
Sequential mode
Each time the engine is started, the 
sequential mode is activated as soon as you move the selector lever into the for-
ward driving position. 
The gears are shifted via the shift paddles 
or the selector lever. 
It is also possible to drive off in second 
gear, e.g. on snow-covered roads.
D Drive mode
In the drive mode all forward gears are 
shifted automatically.
To switch from sequential to drive mode: 
tap the selector lever to the right toward  D.
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during passing, 
depress the accelerator pedal completely: 
kickdown. 
Kickdown:
In the kickdown mode, you achieve maxi-
mum acceleration.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the 
increased resistance point at the full-throt-
tle position.
To switch back to sequential mode: tap the 
selector lever again to the right toward D, 
or change the current gear via the shift 
paddles or the selector lever.
Shifting gears 
With selector lever
>To upshift, tap the selector lever 
toward +
>To downshift, tap the lever toward —.
With shift paddles on steering wheel
>To upshift, pull one of the shift paddles
>To downshift, push the paddle. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 45
Cruise control* 
1To maintain and store speed/
to accelerate
2To decelerate
3To recall the stored setting
4To deactivate the system
Do not use cruise control on twisting 
roads, when high traffic density pre-
vents driving at a constant speed, when the 
road surface is slick, e.g. from snow, rain or 
ice, nor when the road surface is loose, e.g. 
from rocks or sand.<
To maintain and store speed/
to accelerate
You can maintain and store any desired 
speed above approx. 20 mph / 30 km/h.
Press the lever briefly in direction 1:
The system maintains and stores the cur-
rent vehicle speed. Every time you tap the 
lever, the speed increases by approx. 
0.6 mph / 1 km/h.
Hold the lever in position 1:
The vehicle accelerates without pressure 
on the accelerator pedal. As soon as you 
release the lever, the system stores and 
maintains the current speed.
If, on a downhill grade, the engine 
braking effect is not sufficient, the 
controlled speed can be exceeded. Speed 
can drop on uphill grades if the engine out-
put is insufficient.<
To decelerate
Press the lever briefly in direction 2:
When the cruise control is active, vehicle speed is reduced by approx. 0.6 mph / 
1 km/h every time you tap the button.
Hold the lever in position 2:
With the cruise control active, the system 
automatically reduces the throttle opening 
to slow the vehicle. As soon as you release 
the lever, the system stores and maintains 
the current speed.
To recall the stored setting
Press the lever briefly in direction 3:
The vehicle accelerates to and maintains 
the last speed stored.
To deactivate the system 
Press the lever briefly in direction 4:
The cruise control is deactivated immedi-
ately.
In addition, the system is automatically 
deactivated in response to the following 
conditions:
>When you apply the brakes
>When you depress the clutch or move 
the automatic selector lever from D to N
>If you exceed or fall below the preset 
speed for an extended period, for 
example by depressing the accelerator.
You can recall the speed last stored.
Cruise control is also deactivated when the 
ignition key is turned to position 0.
The stored speed is cleared in this case. 

Technology for safety and driving convenience
52
Technology for safety and driving 
convenience
Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC
The concept
This system optimizes driving stability and 
traction, especially when just starting off, 
when accelerating or when cornering. It 
also maintains vehicle stability, even in crit-
ical driving situations.
DSC recognizes unstable vehicle condi-
tions, such as understeering or oversteer-
ing, and, within physically feasible limits, 
helps keeping the vehicle on a steady 
course by reducing engine speed and by 
brake applications at individual wheels.
The DSC is operational every time you start 
the engine. It includes the following func-
tions:
>Automatic Stability Control plus Trac-
tion ASC+T
>Dynamic Traction Control DTC
>Dynamic Brake Control DBC
The laws of physics cannot be 
repealed even with DSC. It will always 
be the driver's responsibility to drive in a 
manner that matches road conditions. We 
therefore urge you to avoid using the addi-
tional safety margin of the system as an 
excuse for taking risks.
Do not make any modifications to the DSC 
system. Allow only authorized technicians 
to perform service procedures on the 
DSC.<
Indicator lamps 
The indicator lamps in the instrument clus-
ter go out shortly after you switch on the 
ignition.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC indi-
cator lamp flashes:
The system is active and governs 
drive torque and braking forces.The indicator lamp stays lit:
Dynamic Stability Control DSC and 
Dynamic Traction Control DTC have been 
switched off via the button.
Dynamic Traction Control DTC indi-
cator lamp lights up permanently:
DTC has been deactivated via the 
DSC button.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC indi-
cator lamp flashes:
Dynamic Traction Control DTC indi-
cator lamp lights up permanently:
DTC is actively regulating drive 
torque and braking forces.
Interventions to increase stability are 
being performed to a limited degree 
only.<
The Dynamic Stability Control DSC 
indicator lamp and yellow brake 
warning lamp for Dynamic Brake 
Control DBC light up continuously:
Dynamic Stability Control DSC, 
Dynamic Traction Control DTC and 
Dynamic Brake Control DBC are malfunc-
tioning.
Have the system repaired at your BMW 
center.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC indi-
cator lamp and yellow brake warn-
ing lamp for Dynamic Brake Control 
DBC for Canadian models:
The vehicle remains completely oper-
ational without the DSC, DTC and 
DBC functions.<
In the event of a malfunction, please see 
your BMW center.