2005 BMW 525I SEDAN service

525i
530i
545iOwner's Manual for Vehicle
Congratulations, and thank you for choosing a BMW.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with
enhanced control and security when you drive it. We therefore
have this request:
Please take the time to read this Owner's Manual and familiarize
yourself with the information that we have compiled for you
before starting off in your new vehicle. It contains important data
and instructions intended to assist you in gaining maximum use
and satisfaction from your BMW's unique range of technical fea-
tures. The manual also contains information on maintenance
designed to enhance operating safety and contribute to main-
taining the value of your BMW throughout an extended service
life.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of
this vehicle. It should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide
the next owner with important operating, safety and maintenance
information.
This manual is supplemented by a Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models or a Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW AG

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use
the index on page202.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
Reporting safety defects 7
At a glance
10Cockpit
16Control Center
22Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
38Adjustments
47Transporting children safely
51Driving
65Everything under control
76Technology for comfort, convenience
and safety
87Lamps
90A congenial climate
96Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
106Things to remember when driving
Navigation
114Starting navigation system
115Destination entry
124Destination guidance
128What to do if …
Entertainment
132On/off and tone
138Radio
145CD player and CD changer
Communications
152Telephoning
161TeleService, BMW Assist
Mobility
168Refueling
170Wheels and tires
176Under the hood
180Maintenance
182Replacing components
189Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
196Technical data
199Short commands of voice command
system
202Everything from A to Z

7Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Reporting safety defects
The following applies only to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone (800) 831-
1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or
366-0123 in Washington, D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation,
Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from the Hotline.

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Indicator lamps for turn signals13
2Speedometer
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Display for active cruise control
*60
5Tachometer65
and Energy Control66
6Display for
>Clock/date65
>Outside temperature65
>Indicator and warning lamps68
>Speed of cruise control
*58
>Desired speed for active cruise
control
*597Display for
>Odometer and trip odometer65
>Computer69
>Date and remaining travel distance for
service requirements66
>Automatic transmission with
Steptronic55
>SMG Sequential manual
transmission
*53
> Check Control message present67
8Fuel gage66
9Resetting trip odometer65

Control Center
16
Control Center
The Control Center groups the functions of a
large number of switches. This allows these
functions to be operated from a central position.
The following section provides an introduction to basic menu navigation. The control of the
individual functions is described in connection
with the relevant equipment.
Controls
1Controller
2 button: open the start menu from
any menu
3Control Display
By moving the controller1 horizontally in four
directions4, rotating5 and pressing6, you can navigate through the menus of the Control Cen-
ters and adjust settings.
To avoid posing an unnecessary hazard
due to inattention, both to your own vehi-
cle's occupants and to other road users: never
attempt to use the controls or make entries
unless traffic and road conditions allow.<
Menu overview
You can call up all the functions in the Control
Center using five menu items.
Communication
>Portable phone*
>BMW Assist* or TeleService*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the
average fuel consumption.

At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
Climate
>Air distribution
>Seat air conditioning
>Independent ventilation
*
menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>Settings for traffic information
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for central
locking, or settings for your portable phone
>Display of service requirements and dates
for statutory emission and vehicle inspec-
tions.
Menu navigation
As of ignition key position 1, the following mes-
sage appears on the Control Display:
Confirm the message by pressing the control-
ler; this opens the start menu.
Start menu
From the start menu, you can open four menus
by moving the controller left, right, forward, or
back. Pressing the controller opens the menu.
Opening start menu
Press button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.
Displays in menu
1In menus, you can change fields to select
the menu items they contain or to make
adjustments. The current field is high-
lighted.
2Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
3In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility
of accessing other menu items that are not
currently visible.
4Settings are displayed graphically, numeri-
cally, or as text.

Driving
62
Fine adjustment of desired speed
In the activated state, the desired speed
increases by 1 mph/1 km/h each time button4
is pressed briefly.
Select distance
You can choose from four distance steps.
>Rotary switch downward:
Increase distance
>Rotary switch upward:
Decrease distance
The selected distance is displayed in the instru-
ment cluster. Distance 1
Distance 2
Distance 3
This distance is always set when
the system is used for the first time
after starting the engine.
Distance 4
Use good judgment to select the appro-
priate following distance given road con-
ditions, traffic, applicable laws and driving rec-
ommendations for safe following distance.<
Things to know about active cruise control
As with conventional cruise control sys-
tems, active cruise control in no way
diminishes or substitutes for the driver's own
personal responsibility, alertness and aware-
ness in adjusting speed, braking or otherwise
controlling the vehicle. The driver should
decide when to use the system on the basis of
road, traffic, visibility, and weather conditions.
Active cruise control is intended for use on
highway-type roadways where traffic is moving
relatively smoothly. Do not use this system in
city driving; heavy traffic such as during rush hour; on curvy, winding roads, slippery roads or
roads with sharp curves such as highway off-
ramps; during inclement weather such as snow,
strong rain or fog; or when entering inter-
changes, service/parking areas or toll booths.
It is also important to regulate your vehicle's
speed and distance setting within applicable
legal limits. Always be ready to take action or
apply the brakes if necessary, especially when
the system is actively following a vehicle in front
of you.<

Everything under control
66
Energy Control
Displays the current fuel consumption. This
allows you to see whether your current driving
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.
Fuel gage
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 18.5 gallons/
70 liters, including the reserve capacity of
approx. 2.1 gallons/8 liters. You can find infor-
mation on refueling on page168.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period,
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
After the reserve quantity has been reached, a
message appears for a short time on the Con-
trol Display; the remaining range is shown in the
computer. With a range below approx. 30 miles/
50 km, the message remains on the Control
Display.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, as otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Service requirements
The remaining travel distance and the date for
the next maintenance are displayed briefly
when the ignition key is in position 2.
Your BMW Service Advisor can deter-
mine your vehicle's current service
requirements by reading out the data stored in
the master key.<
Additional information
You can view additional information on service
and maintenance procedures on the Control
Display.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Open the menu.
2.Select "Service" and press the controller.
3.Select "Service requirements" and press
the controller.
4.Select "Status" and press the controller
The display shows a list of selected service and
maintenance procedures, as well as legally
mandated inspections.