Driving
42
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
>Radio readiness switches on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
>The electric steering wheel lock disen-
gages audibly.
Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock before you move the vehicle, other-
wise the electric steering wheel lock will not dis-
engage and you will not be able to steer the
car.<
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Press the remote control in briefly; it is ejected
part of the way.
At the same time:
>The ignition switches off if it was on before-
hand.
>The electric steering wheel lock engages
audibly.
Automatic transmission
You cannot take out the remote control unless
the selector lever is in the P position: interlock.
Start/stop button
Each time the start/stop button is pressed,
radio readiness or the ignition is switched on or
off.
Briefly pressing the start/stop button
while the brake or clutch is depressed
starts the engine.<
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>Immediately when the remote control is
removed from the ignition lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, by touch-
ing the surface above the door lock, refer to
Locking on page26
Ignition on
Most of the indicator and warning lamps in the
indicator area1 of the instrument cluster, refer
to page13, light up and remain on for different
lengths of time.
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Driving
44 handbrake, otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.<
Manual transmission
1.Apply the handbrake.
2.With the car at a standstill, briefly press the
start/stop button.
3.Shift into first gear or reverse.
Automatic transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2.Briefly press the start/stop button.
3.Apply the handbrake.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
1.Apply the handbrake.
2.Engage a drive position.
3.Briefly press the start/stop button.
If the engine is switched off while N is engaged,
this will be signaled visually and acoustically.
Handbrake
The handbrake is primarily intended to prevent
the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes
the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you
drive off an acoustic signal sounds in
addition. The handbrake is still applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the handbrake has
to be used to slow or stop the car, do not
pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, continu-
ously press the button of the handbrake lever.
Otherwise, too violent an application of the
handbrake can overbrake the rear axle and
cause the rear of the car to swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the hand-
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the hand-
brake is applied.<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
45
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG*
The concept
The sequential manual gearbox SMG is an
automated transmission in which operation of
the clutch and gearshifts are performed by an
electro-hydraulic system.
SMG is operated via the selector lever in the
center console and two shift paddles on the
steering wheel.
It offers you the following functions:
>Choice of manual or automatic operation:
sequential mode or Drive mode
>Choice of two driving programs: Normal or
Sport, refer to Dynamic Driving Control,
page46
>Automatic downshifting and prevention of
misshifting in sequential mode as well
>Acceleration assistant, refer to page47
Selector lever positions
The current selector lever position can be seen
on the center console.
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral, idle
>One-touch functions for sequential mode:
+: manual upshifting
–: manual downshifting>D: Drive mode or sequential mode
N is automatically selected when the
driver's door is opened while the engine is
running, as long as the pedals, shift paddles and
selector lever are not operated.
This is indicated by an acoustic signal and a
flashing N in the instrument cluster.<
Gear indicator
R N 1 to 6
The gear currently engaged is displayed, pre-
ceded by a D in Drive mode.
This indicator is the only way you can
confirm whether or not the desired selec-
tor lever position is engaged.<
Shiftlock
Before moving the lever away from N with the
vehicle stationary, first depress the brake; oth-
erwise the desired gearshift will not be carried
out.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
Gear-change mode
The gears can be changed in two different
ways.
>Sequential mode
Gears are shifted by means of the shift pad-
dles or the selector lever.
>D Drive mode
All forward gears are shifted automatically.
You can switch from one mode to the other by
pressing the selector lever towards the right in
the direction of D.
Driving
46
Sequential mode
After every engine start, sequential mode is
activated when you press the selector lever
towards the right while the brake is depressed.
You can shift up or down using the shift paddles
or the selector lever. You do not need to lift your
foot from the accelerator pedal while doing so.
It is also possible to start off in second gear, e.g.
on slippery surfaces.
SMG assists you in the following situations:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; for exam-
ple, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev cannot be executed by
the system.
>The system shifts down into first gear auto-
matically when the vehicle comes to a stop.
>The system shifts down automatically just
before the engine speed falls below the
minimum speed required for a certain gear;
the driver does not need to intervene.
Shifting gears via selector lever
>Pull the selector lever backwards to shift up.
>Push it forward to shift down.
Shifting gears via the shift paddles on
the steering wheel
>Pull one of the shift paddles to shift up.
>Press it to shift down.
D Drive mode
In Drive mode, all forward gears are shifted
automatically.To switch from sequential mode to Drive mode:
press the selector lever towards the right in the
direction of D.
Kick-down: to accelerate rapidly, e.g. when
passing another vehicle, depress the accelera-
tor pedal all the way. You will achieve maximum
acceleration.
To switch back to sequential mode: press the
selector lever again towards the right in the
direction of D or shift gears via the shift paddles
or the selector lever.
On uphill slopes, drive off without delay.
Do not hold the vehicle in place by
depressing the accelerator pedal; engage the
handbrake instead. Otherwise, the transmis-
sion could overheat.<
Dynamic Driving Control
Dynamic Driving Control enables you to drive
your BMW in an even more performance-ori-
ented manner at the touch of a button:
>Gears are shifted more quickly.
>In Drive mode, the engine speed range is
utilized optimally.
Activating the system
Press the SPORT button while the ignition is
switched on. The LED in the button lights up.
Deactivating the system
>Press the SPORT button again or
>engage reverse gear or
>switch off the engine.
The LED in the button goes out.
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
47
Acceleration assistant
The acceleration assistant provides for optimal,
racing-style acceleration when starting off on a
non-slippery surface.
Do not use the acceleration assistant too
frequently, otherwise components could
wear prematurely.<
1.Activate Dynamic Driving Control.
2.Deactivate DSC, refer to page68.
3.Quickly depress the accelerator pedal all
the way: kick-down. The optimal engine
speed for pulling away is achieved.
To maintain driving stability, reactivate
DSC afterward.<
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to
page48.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select position P and apply the
handbrake before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running.<
Disengaging the remote control
In order to remove the remote control from the
ignition lock, you must first move the selector
lever to position P and switch off the engine:
interlock.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P: interlock.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
depress the brake until you are ready to
start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the button on the front of the
selector lever, refer to arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
rear wheels are locked.
Technology for driving comfort and safety
68 thin and wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low
objects already indicated, such as a curb, may
enter the sensors' dead areas before a continu-
ous audible signal is given. Higher, protruding
objects, such as ledges, may not be detectable.
Loud sound sources outside or inside the car
can drown out the PDC signal.<
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW has a number of systems that help
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in
adverse driving conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page99.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
DBC Dynamic Brake Control
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the
duration of the brake application. If the brake is
released, DBC will be switched off.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. DSC also recognizes unstable driving
conditions, for example if the rear of the car is
about to swerve or if momentum is acting at an
angle past the front wheels. In these cases,
DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe course within physical limits by reducing engine output
and through braking actions at the individual
wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style always remains the responsibility of the
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional
safety margin again by taking risks.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-
cator lamps for DSC in the instrument cluster
light up. Dynamic Traction Control DTC and
DSC have been simultaneously deactivated.
Stabilizing and drive-output promoting actions
are no longer executed.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button again; the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
To control
If the indicator lamp flashes:
DSC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
If the indicator lamps are on:
DSC has been completely deacti-
vated.
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions,
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
69
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC
under the following special circumstances:
>When driving uphill on snow-covered roads,
in slush or on unplowed, snow-covered
roads
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow or on loose ground
>When driving with snow chains
Activating DTC
Briefly press the button; the DTC indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster come on.
To control
If the indicator lamp flashes:
DTC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
If the indicator lamps are on:
DTC has been activated.
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
xDrive 325xi, 330xi
xDrive is your BMW's four-wheel-drive system.
The combined efforts of xDrive and DSC help to
further optimize traction and driving dynamics.
The xDrive four-wheel-drive system distributes
driving power variably to the front and rear axles
depending on the driving situation and road
conditions.
Malfunction
In case of any of the malfunctions
described below, drive cautiously and
think well ahead. Avoid driving on rough tracks
and pressing the accelerator pedal down to full
throttle or kick-down position, otherwise the
drive system could be damaged or accidents
could result.<
The warning lamps come on. xDrive
has failed.
Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
The warning lamps come on. xDrive
and DSC have failed.
Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Hill Descent Control HDC 325xi, 330xi
HDC is a downhill driving assistant that reduces
your speed on steep downhill gradients and
makes it even easier to control your BMW's
handling under these conditions. The vehicle
then moves slightly faster than double walking
speed without the driver needing to intervene.
HDC can be activated as long as you are driving
under approx. 20 mph or 35 km/h. When driving
downhill at a speed of under approx. 20 mph or
35 km/h, the vehicle's speed is automatically
reduced to slightly more than double walking
speed and maintained.
Increasing or decreasing speed
By accelerating or braking you can change the
speed within a range from approx. 3 to 15 mph,
approx. 5 to 25 km/h.
You can specify a target speed within the same
range using the cruise control stalk.
Technology for driving comfort and safety
72 The system must be reinitialized each
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage
caused by external factors, nor can it identify
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of
time.<
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Performance-oriented style of driving: slip
in the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration
>If snow chains are attached
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically.
Do not initialize the system while snow chains
are attached.<
Operating principle, refer to page61.
1.Start the engine immediately before pulling
away, but do not drive off yet.
2.Lightly push button 1 in the turn indicator
stalk up or down repeatedly until the appro-
priate symbol appears in the display,
accompanied by the word "INIT".
3.Press button 2 to confirm your choice of the
Flat Tire Monitor.4.Press button 2 for approx. 5 seconds, until
the reading shown below is displayed.
5.Start to drive.
Initialization is completed while the car is on
the move, without any feedback.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. In addition, an acoustic sig-
nal sounds. There is a flat tire or sub-
stantial loss of tire pressure.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph
or 80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and
steering maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed
of 50 mph or 80 km/h.
If the car is not equipped with Run-
Flat Tires, refer to page116, the stan-
dard equipment by design, do not continue
driving. Otherwise a severe accident could
result after a tire puncture.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If all four tires are inflated to the cor-
rect pressures, the Flat Tire Monitor
might not have been initialized. The system
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guidelines:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or