
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. 

Special operating instructions
68
Special operating instructions
Break-in procedures 
To ensure that your vehicle provides maxi-
mum economy throughout a long service 
life, we request that you observe the fol-
lowing: 
Engine and differential
Up to 1,200 miles / 2,000 km:
Drive at varying engine and road speeds, 
but do not exceed the following engine or 
road speed:
4,500 rpm / 4,500/min or 
100 mph / 160 km/h. 
Obey your local and state maximum speed 
limits.
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid 
pressing the accelerator beyond the kick-
down point.
After you have driven 1,200 miles / 
2,000 km, you can gradually increase the 
engine or road speeds.
You should also comply with these break-in 
procedures if the engine or differential is 
replaced later in the course of the vehicle's 
service life.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
Up to 1,200 miles / 2,000 km: 
Avoid using the acceleration assistant dur-
ing the vehicle's break-in period.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with 
their manufacture, tires do not achieve their 
full traction potential until an initial break-in 
period has elapsed. You should therefore 
drive with extra caution during the first 
200 miles / 300 km.
Obey your local and state maximum speed 
limits.
When the vehicle is operated on wet 
or slushy roads, a wedge of water 
may form between the tire and the road surface. This phenomenon is referred to as 
hydroplaning and can lead to partial or 
complete loss of traction, vehicle control 
and braking effectiveness. Reduce your 
speed on wet roads.<
Brake system
Approx. 300 miles / 500 km must elapse 
before the brake pads and rotors achieve 
their optimal surface and wear pattern.
To break in the separate parking brake 
drums, apply the parking brake lightly when 
coasting to a standstill – at a traffic signal, 
for instance; use caution to avoid posing a 
danger to other road users. 
To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure 
from time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on when the 
parking brake is set. 
Vacuum for the brake system servo 
unit on your BMW is available only 
when the engine is running. When you 
move the car with the engine off, e.g. by 
towing, substantially higher levels of pedal 
force will be required to brake the vehicle.<
Clutch
The clutch will achieve its optimal function-
ality after approx. 300  miles  / 500  km. Shift 
gears carefully during the break-in period. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 69
Driving notes 
Parking the vehicle
Condensation forms in the air conditioner 
system during operation, which then exits 
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed 
water on the ground underneath the vehi-
cle are thus normal.
Brakes
Do not drive with your foot resting on 
the brake pedal. Even light but con-
sistent pedal pressure can lead to high 
temperatures, brake wear and possibly 
even brake failure.
Hydroplaning 
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a 
wedge of water may form between the tires 
and the road surface. This phenomenon 
can lead to partial or complete loss of trac-
tion, vehicle control and braking effective-
ness.<
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the 
road if it is deeper than 1 ft / 30 cm, 
and then only at walking speed. Otherwise, 
the vehicle's engine, the electrical systems 
and the transmission may be damaged.<
High temperatures
High temperatures occur with every 
vehicle equipped with a catalytic con-
verter. Heat shields are installed adjacent 
to some sections of the exhaust system. 
Never remove these shields; do not apply 
undercoating to their surfaces. When driv-
ing, standing at idle and parking the vehi-
cle, take care to avoid contact between the 
hot exhaust system and flammable materi-
als, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc. Such con-
tact could lead to a fire, resulting in serious 
personal injury and property damage.<
Brake system 
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up 
although the parking brake is not 
engaged: 
Check the brake fluid level. It is very impor-
tant that you follow the instructions on 
page 85 before driving on.
Disc brakes
Corrosion
Limited vehicle use, extended periods with 
the vehicle parked or in storage, and oper-
ating conditions in which braking is 
restricted to gentle, low-pressure applica-
tions will all increase the tendency for cor-
rosion to form on the rotors and contamina-
tion to accumulate on the brake pads. This 
occurs because the minimal pressure 
which must be exerted by the pads to clean 
the rotors by brake applications is not 
reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they will 
tend to respond to braking with a pulsating 
effect which even extended application will 
fail to cure.
Wet roads
When driving in heavy rain and on wet 
roads, it is useful to apply light pressure 
to the brake pedal every few miles. Watch 
traffic conditions to ensure that this maneu-
ver does not endanger other road users. 
The resulting heat dries the brake rotors 
and brake pads. Immediate braking control 
is then available if necessary.
Inclines
Extended or steep mountain descents 
should be driven in the gear or drive posi-
tion in which only minimal periodic brake 
application is required. This helps avoid 
placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem. Observe the maximum allowable 
engine speed when doing so; refer to 
page 48. 

Special operating instructions
70 Do not coast with the clutch 
depressed or with the transmission or 
selector lever in Neutral. Do not coast with 
the engine switched off. Otherwise the 
engine provides no braking effect and there 
is no power-assist for braking or steering 
when the engine is off.<
Brake pads 
The yellow indicator lamp for the 
brake pads lights up:
Have the condition of the brake 
pads inspected.
For your own safety: use brake pads 
which the manufacturer has approved 
for your specific vehicle model. The manu-
facturer cannot evaluate non-approved 
brake pads to determine if they are suitable 
for use, and therefore cannot ensure the 
operating safety of the vehicle in the event 
of their use.<
Cargo loading 
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that 
the permitted load on the tires is not 
exceeded. Otherwise, overheating and 
inner damage to the tires may result. The 
ultimate result can assume the form of a 
sudden air loss.<
Determining the maximum load 
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never 
exceed XXX kg or YYY lbs; otherwise 
damage to the vehicle and unstable 
driving conditions could result.<2.Determine the combined weight of the 
driver and passenger that will be riding 
in your vehicle
3.Substract the combined weight of the 
driver and passenger from XXX kilo-
grams or YYY pounds
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load 
capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals 
551 lbs. and there will be two 150 lbs. 
passengers in your vehicle, the amount 
of available cargo and luggage load 
capacity is 251 lbs.
551 lbs. minus 300 lbs. = 251 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the 
vehicle. That weight may not safely 
exceed the available cargo and luggage 
load capacity calculated in Step 4.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the 
occupants' weights and the weight of the 
cargo. The greater the weight of the occu-
pants, the less cargo can be transported.
Stowing cargo 
>Load heavy cargo as far forward as 
possible, directly behind the luggage 
compartment partition, and as low as 
possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
To avoid damaging the rear of the 
backrest or the rear interior trim 
panel, do not stow heavy cargo or cargo 
with sharp edges and corners behind the 
seats.
In addition, large and bulky cargo stowed  

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 105
Battery 91
– disposal 92
– indicator lamp 13, 91
– jump-starting 94
– remote control 17
Belts, refer to Safety 
belts 30
Belt tensioner, refer to 
Safety belts 30
Beverage holders 65
Blower
– air conditioning 59
– automatic climate 
control 62
Blower, refer to Air 
supply 59, 62
BMW 5
Bore, refer to Engine 
data 100
Bottle holders, refer to 
Beverage holders 65
Brake fluid 85
– filling 85
– indicator/warning 
lamp 13, 85
– level 85
Brake force display 53
Brake hydraulic system 85
– indicator/warning 
lamp 13, 69, 85
Brake lamps
– bulb replacement 90
– indicator lamp, defective 
lamp 13
Brake pads 70
– break-in procedures 68
– indicator lamp 70
Brake pad wear indicator
– brake pads 70
– indicator lamp 13
Brake rotors
– brake system 69
– break-in procedures 68
Brakes 69
– ABS 54
– brake fluid 85
– break-in procedures 68
– indicator/warning 
lamps 13, 52, 53, 54
– parking brake 38Brake system 69
– brake fluid level 85
– brake pads 70
– break-in procedures 68
– disc brakes 69
– indicator lamp 13
Breakdown
– Flat Tire Monitor 54
Break-in procedures 68
Bulb replacement, refer to 
Lamps and bulbs 88
Buttons in steering 
wheel 11
C
California Proposition 
65 warning 87
Can holders, refer to 
Beverage holders 65
Capacities 103
Car battery 91
Car care, refer to the Caring 
for your vehicle brochure
Car-care products, refer to 
the Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Care, refer to the Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Cargo loading
– vehicle 70
Car keys, refer to Keys 16
Carpet care, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Car radio, refer to Owner's 
Manual for Radio
Car telephone, refer to 
Owner's Manual for 
Telephone
Car wash, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Catalytic converter, refer to 
High temperatures 69
CD player operation, refer 
to Owner's Manual
for Radio
Center high-mount brake 
lamp
– bulb replacement 90Central locking system 16
– interior 18
Changing a wheel 91
Charge indicator 
lamp 13, 91
Check Gas Cap
– indicator lamp 13
Child-restraint mounting 
system, LATCH 35
Child-restraint systems 33
Child seat, refer to Child-
restraint systems 33
Chrome parts, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Cigarette lighter 65
Cigarette lighter socket 65
Cleaning the rear window, 
refer to the Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Cleaning the vehicle, refer 
to the Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Cleaning the windshield 44
Clock 49, 50
– 12- or 24-hour mode 50
– refer to Owner's Manual 
for Radio/Onboard 
Computer
– setting 49
Clothes hooks 25
Clutch
– break-in procedures 68
Cockpit 10
Cold start, refer to 
Starting the engine 36
Compact disc operation, 
refer to Owner's Manual 
for Radio
Compartments 64
Compression ratio, refer to 
Engine data 100
Computer 50
– clock, 12- or 24-hour 
mode 50
– refer to Owner's Manual 
for Onboard Computer
Computer, refer to 
Onboard Computer 50
Condensation, refer to Air 
conditioning mode 59, 62