78
KickdownYou can achieve maximum road perfor-
mance using kickdown.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-
throttle position.
M/S manual operation and Sport
programWhen you move the selector lever from
the D position to the left into the M/S
range, the sport program is activated,
indicated by the letters SD in the instru-
ment cluster. The M/S mode is recom-
mended for performance-oriented driv-
ing. Steptronic enters the manual
selection mode and executes the
desired shift whenever you tap the
selector lever in the direction indicated
by + or –.
This mode allows you to execute
upshifts manually by tapping the lever
toward +, while downshifts are selected
by tapping in the – direction. The dis-
plays M1 through M5 appear in the
instrument cluster.
The transmission will only execute
upshifts and downshifts that will result
in an appropriate combination of vehi-
cle speed and engine rpm. For
instance, downshifts that would result
in excessive engine speed are not exe-
cuted. The desired, then the actual
gear, briefly appear in the instrument
cluster.
Whenever you want to use automatic
again, just move the selector lever
toward the right to position D.
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.
To accelerate quickly in the man-
ual mode for maneuvers such as
passing another vehicle, shift down
manually or employ the kickdown
mode.<
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*
84Everything under control
Odometer1Odometer
2Trip odometerOdometerYou can activate the displays shown in
the illustration with the ignition key in
position 0 by pressing the left button in
the instrument cluster.Trip odometerTo reset the trip odometer to zero,
press the left button with the ignition
key in position 1 or higher.
TachometerDo not operate the engine with the nee-
dle in the red overspeed zone of the
gauge.
To protect the engine, the fuel supply is
interrupted when you approach this
sector.
Energy controlIndicates the current fuel consumption
in mpg – in liters/100 km on Canadian
models. This allows you to see whether
your current driving style is conducive
to fuel economy with minimum exhaust
emissions.
When the vehicle is stationary, the dis-
play goes to Maximum – zero on Cana-
dian models.
87
ClockIf you wish to have a permanent time
display, you can make this setting in the
radio display, refer to the Owner's Man-
ual for Radio.
You can set the clock and the time dis-
play in the car radio as follows.
Setting
Before the clock can be set, the
time must be showing in the
instrument cluster display.<
With the ignition key in position 1 or
higher
To set ahead: turn the right button to
the right.
To set back: turn the right button to the
left.
The adjustment speed will increase the
longer you continue to hold the right
button.
To change the display mode: press the
right button briefly.
Every time you press the button, the
clock display alternates between the
12-hour and 24-hour mode.
In ignition key position 0: the time is
displayed for a few seconds after you
press the left button, refer to Odometer
on page 84.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
102
Air supply/Blower
You can select blower speeds
from 1 to 4. The heating and
ventilation become more and
more effective as the air sup-
ply settings are increased. In position 0,
the blower and the heater are switched
off. The outside air supply is blocked in
position 0.
Temperature
In order to increase the tem-
perature of the passenger
compartment, turn to the right
toward the red zone. The tem-
perature of the incoming air is kept con-
stant.
Air distribution
You can direct air to flow onto
the windows , toward your
upper body or into the
footwell . All intermediate
settings are possible. In the setting ,
there is a low flow of air onto the win-
dows to keep them free of condensa-
tion.
Rear window defroster
When the rear window defroster
is activated, the indicator lamp
comes on. The rear window defroster
switches off automatically after a short
while.
You can have your vehicle pro-
grammed in such a way that the
rear window defroster switches on
automatically. This occurs within 5 min-
utes after starting the engine when out-
side temperatures are below approx.
397/+46.<
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the
temperature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the wind-
shield may fog over briefly when the
engine is started. Air conditioning helps
prevent the windows from fogging up.
Condensation forms during opera-
tion of the air conditioning system,
which then exits under the vehicle. It is
thus not unusual for a small puddle to
form under the car while the system is
running.<
Outside air/Recirculated-air mode
You can respond to unpleasant
external odors by temporarily
blocking the supply of outside air. The
system then recirculates the air cur-
rently within the vehicle.
If the windows should fog over in
the recirculated-air mode, switch
this mode off and increase the air sup-
ply as required.<
Air conditioning
106
Tips for pleasant drivingUse the automatic mode – switch on
with AUTO button 6. Select the desired
interior temperature.
Detailed setting options are described
for you in the following section.
You can make the settings of your
vehicle in such a manner that,
when you unlock the vehicle with the
remote control of your personal key,
your own personalized setting for the
automatic climate control is initiated.
air supply and the air distribu-
tion to the windshield and the side win-
dows, towards the upper body and to
the footwells, and in addition adapts
the temperature to external influences:
e.g. summer, winter.
The cooling function is automatically
switched on when you are using the
AUTO program.
Individual air distribution
You can cancel the AUTO pro-
gram by selecting specific dis-
tribution patterns to suit your
own individual requirements.
While the AUTO program is then deacti-
vated, the automatic airflow control
remains in operation. Air flows onto
the windows , toward the upper
body , and into the footwell . You
can reactivate the automatic air distri-
bution mode by selecting the AUTO
button.Temperature
The interior temperature that
appears in the display panel is a
general figure intended for refer-
ence purposes. We recommend 727/
+226 as a comfortable setting, even if
the air conditioning is on. When you
start the vehicle, the system ensures
that the selected temperature is
achieved as quickly as possible. It then
maintains this temperature, regardless
of the season.
To select the units of measure 7/6 of
the display, refer to page 88.
Air supply/Blower
By pressing the upper or lower
button, you can vary the air sup-
ply. This deactivates the auto-
matic control of the air supply, AUTO
disappears from the display panel. Nev-
ertheless, the automatic air distribution
remains unchanged. You can reactivate
the automatic air distribution mode by
selecting the AUTO button.
When the lowest blower speed is set
and you press the lower button, all of
the displays are canceled: the blower,
heating and air conditioning are
switched off. The outside air supply is
blocked. You can reactivate the system
by pressing any button for the auto-
matic climate control.To defrost windows and remove
condensation
This program quickly removes
ice and condensation from the
windshield and the side windows.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the
temperature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the wind-
shield may fog over briefly when the
engine is started. Air conditioning helps
prevent the windows from fogging up.
The cooling function is automatically
switched on when you are using the
AUTO program.
Automatic climate control*
107
Condensation forms during opera-
tion of the air conditioning system,
which then exits under the vehicle. It is
thus not unusual for a small puddle to
form under the car while the system is
running.<
Outside air/Automatic
recirculated-air control (AUC)/
Recirculated air
You can respond to unpleasant
external odors or pollutants by
temporarily stopping the flow of outside
air. The system then recirculates the air
currently within the vehicle.
Press the button repeatedly to select
one of three different operating modes.
>Indicator lamps off: outside airflow is
on
>Left indicator lamp on – automatic
mode: the system recognizes pollut-
ants in the outside air and blocks the
flow of air when necessary. The sys-
tem then recirculates the air currently
within the vehicle. Depending on the
air quality, the automatic system then
switches back and forth between
outside air supply and recirculation of
the air within the vehicle
>Right indicator lamp on: the flow of
outside air into the vehicle is perma-
nently blocked. The system then
recirculates the air currently within
the vehicle.
If the windows should fog over in
the recirculated-air mode, switch
this mode off and increase the air sup-
ply as required.
or with the hardtop* mounted,
press the button. The indicator lamp
comes on. The rear window defroster
switches off automatically after a short
while.
You can have your vehicle pro-
grammed in such a way that the
rear window defroster switches on
automatically. This occurs within 5 min-
utes after starting the engine when out-
side temperatures are below approx.
397/+46.<
Draft-free ventilationYou can adjust the blower controls for
the upper body area to obtain the opti-
mum airflow rates and directions for
your personal requirements:
1Rotary dials for infinitely variable
opening and closing of the vent out-
lets
2Levers for airflow direction
3With the rotary dial, you can add
more or less cool air to the air coming
from the outlets for the upper body
area:
>Rotate toward blue – colder
>Turn toward red – warmer.
Automatic climate control*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
125
General driving notesHot exhaust system
High temperatures occur with
every vehicle equipped with a cat-
alytic converter. Heat shields are
installed adjacent to some sections of
the exhaust system. Never remove
these shields; do not apply undercoat-
ing to their surfaces. When driving,
standing at idle and parking the vehicle,
take care to avoid contact between the
hot exhaust system and flammable
materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc.
Such contact could lead to a fire,
resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage.<
Parking the vehicleCondensation forms in the air condi-
tioner system during operation, which
then exits under the vehicle. It is thus
not unusual for a small puddle to form
under the car while the system is run-
ning.Before driving through a car washFold in the exterior mirrors manually
because they could otherwise be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy
roads, reduce vehicle speed. If
you do not, a wedge of water may form
between tire and road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and can lead to partial or com-
plete loss of traction, vehicle control
and braking effectiveness.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the tread depth of the tires decreases,
refer also to Tire tread on page 135.
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. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be
damaged.<
Braking safelyYour BMW is equipped with ABS as a
standard feature. If you are in a situa-
tion which requires full braking, it is
best to brake using maximum brake
pressure: panic stop. Since the vehicle
maintains steering responsiveness, you
can avoid possible obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort, despite the
full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Otherwise,
even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
Wet roads:
if the roads are wet or if there is heavy
rain, it is advisable to gently press the
brakes for a brief moment every few
miles/kilometers. Monitor traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does
not endanger other road users. The
heat generated in this process helps
dry the pads and rotors. Immediate
braking force is then available if neces-
sary.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
136
If there is a total loss of tire inflation
pressure, 0 psi/0 kPa, or obvious tire
damage, you can determine the dis-
tance you may continue driving based
on the following values:
>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 4 persons without luggage:
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 persons or more, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h. Be
aware that vehicle handling will be
altered when there is a loss in inflation
pressure. Anticipate, e.g., reduced
tracking during braking, longer braking
distances and changed steering char-
acteristics.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends
not having damaged Run Flat tires
repaired. In this case, consult your
BMW center.<
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires
mounted only by a skilled profes-
sional. Work that is improperly carried
out could result in consequential dam-
age and pose safety hazards.<
Ask your BMW center for details con-
cerning the correct wheel and tire com-
bination. Have the wheels balanced
each time a wheel or tire has been
replaced.
The correct wheel and tire combination
also affects different systems such as
ABS or DSC. The function of these sys-
tems is impaired if improper wheel and
tire combinations are used.
BMW advises against using
retreaded tires, as driving safety
could otherwise be impaired. This is
due to the possible variations in casing
structures and, in some cases, to their
extreme age, which can lead to a
decrease in their durability.<
The correct wheels and tires
BMW recommends using only
wheels and tires that have been
tested and approved by BMW for the
particular vehicle model, as otherwise
body contact and serious accidents can
result despite the use of the same nom-
inal size, e.g. due to manufacturing tol-
erances. BMW cannot evaluate all tires
and wheels on the market, and is thus
unable to guarantee that the vehicle will
continue to perform safely if unap-
proved tires and/or wheels are
mounted.<
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single
brand and tread configuration. After a
flat tire, have the previous wheel and
tire combination restored as soon as
possible.
Recommended tire sizes and
brandsFor each tire size, certain tire brands
have been tested, classified as road-
safe and approved by BMW. You can
find out about these from a professional
Run Flat tires*