2005 BMW 545I SEDAN lights

Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Activating system
Press the SPORT button with the ignition key in
position 2.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT is
displayed in the instrument cluster.
Deactivating system
Press the SPORT button again.
The LED in the button and SPORT in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Acceleration assistant
The acceleration assistant enables optimized
vehicle acceleration at racing car level on road
surfaces with good adhesion when starting off.
Do not use the acceleration assistant too
often, as otherwise components will wear
prematurely.<
1.Activate the Dynamic Traction Control.
2.Press the DTC button, refer to page78, for
longer than 3 seconds.
3.Quickly press accelerator pedal all the way
down: kick-down. The ideal starting-off
engine speed is set.
To maintain driving stability, do not deac-
tivate DSC if at all possible.<
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to
page56.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is indicated, and in
the manual mode the gear currently engaged.
Changing selector lever positions
An interlock prevents inadvertent gearshifts
into selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the interlock, press the button on the front of
the selector lever knob, refer to arrow.
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out of P
or N; the shift command will not be executed
unless the brake is applied.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after you
select a driving position, maintain pressure on
the brake pedal until you are ready to start.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.

Controls
57Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
4.Select "Triple turn signal activation" and
press the controller.
Triple turn signaling is activated.
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating rain sensor
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps
5Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Switching on wipers
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system reverts to operation in the intermit-
tent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance
point.
The system reverts to normal speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
Rain sensor
The wiper operation is controlled automatically
as a function of the rain intensity. The rain sen-
sor is located on the windshield, directly in front
of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating the rain sensor
Press button. The LED in the button lights up.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the serrated dial 5.
Deactivating the rain sensor
Press the button again. The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing
through an automatic car wash. Failure to
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
The system sprays washer fluid against the
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief
period.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and
appropriate intervals.
Do not use the washers if there is any
danger that the fluid will freeze on the
windshield. If you do so, your vision could be
obscured. To avoid freezing, use a washer fluid
antifreeze, refer to Washer fluid. Do not use
washing mechanisms when the washer fluid
reservoir is empty, otherwise you will damage
the washer pump.<

Driving
60 Active cruise control is not and must not
be used as a collision avoidance/warning
system.<
Since this active cruise control system is
a new technology and operates differ-
ently from conventional cruise control systems
which you may be accustomed to, you are
strongly urged to read all of the pages relating
to this system before use. Pay special attention
to the information contained in the Things to
know about active cruise control section in this
manual beginning on page62.<
Vehicles with manual transmission
You can use the system in the 2nd to 6th gear
within a normal engine speed range and also
change gears. Continuous operation at very
high or very low engine speeds is not possible.
In this case the driver is asked to shift or the
system deactivates itself.
Vehicles with SMG
Continuous operation at very high engine
speeds is not possible in the Sequential mode.
In this case the driver is asked to shift or the
system deactivates itself.
In the Drive mode, the SMG acts similarly to the
automatic transmission in the D position.
Operating active cruise control
1Activate system, store and increase desired
speed
2Activate system, store and decrease
desired speed
3Deactivate system4Recall the stored speed and distance or
increase desired speed by 1 mph/1 km/h
with each press of the button
5Select distance to vehicle driving ahead.
You can choose from four available distance
settings. You will find more detailed infor-
mation on page62.
Adjust your desired speed to the traffic
conditions and remain ready to brake at
all times. Great differences in speed to the vehi-
cles driving ahead, e. g. when quickly approach-
ing a truck or when another vehicle swerves into
your lane, cannot be compensated for by the
system.<
Displays in instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed display
2Detected vehicle display. Lights up when
vehicle driving ahead is detected
3Selected distance to vehicle driving ahead
4Digital speed display.
Appears briefly when you select your
desired speed
The system is activated.
The display 3 appears as soon as
you activate the system and no
vehicle is detected driving ahead.
Vehicle detected.
The display 2 lights up yellow
when a vehicle is detected driving
ahead.

Driving
64
Driver interventions
Anytime the driver presses down on the
accelerator pedal, any automatic braking
action by the system is interrupted until the
pedal is fully released. After doing this, release
the accelerator and the system again controls
your cruising speed and distance setting. While
driving with activated system, resting your foot
on the accelerator pedal will cause the system
not to brake even if necessary. Be certain that
floormats or other objects on the vehicle floor
do not interfere with movement of the accelera-
tor pedal.<
While active cruise control is capable of
braking your vehicle automatically when
you approach a slower vehicle ahead, it is
important to be aware that the ability of the sys-
tem to apply the brakes is also limited, particu-
larly if you are driving down a steep grade or
when you reduce your desired speed sharply.
The system cannot stop your vehicle. It uses
only a portion of braking system capacity and
does not utilize the full capacity of the vehicle
braking system. Therefore, the system cannot
decrease your speed for large differences in
speed between your vehicle and the vehicle
ahead. Examples: during emergency braking,
when you approach a vehicle traveling at a
much lower speed than your own speed such as
approaching a toll booth or when a much slower
vehicle cuts in front of you at close range.<
Whenever active cruise control
recognizes a situation that requires
driver braking because the system
capacity has been reached or has
been exceeded, the system alerts
the driver by flashing this symbol in the instru-
ment cluster and sounding a signal.
Swerving vehicles
When a vehicle moves from an adjacent lane
into your lane, active cruise control will not rec-
ognize this vehicle until it is fully in your lane
ahead of your vehicle.
Malfunction
The indicator lamp lights up and a mes-
sage appears on the Control Display.
The build-up of foreign matter, e. g.,
snow, ice, dirt, road debris etc., can lead to
reduced detection performance of active cruise
control. You should check the sensor under the
front bumper and clean it as necessary prior to
driving your vehicle. If the sensor becomes cov-
ered by foreign matter or has a malfunction, it is
possible that the sensor will no longer be able to
detect vehicles in front of you. After the system
recognizes that the sensor is no longer func-
tional, a message is displayed on the Control
Display and an acoustic signal is emitted.
When the system does not recognize any
objects, e.g. on infrequently traveled roads
without a shoulder or guard rails, the system
can automatically deactivate temporarily.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
76
Technology for comfort, convenience and
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking.
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert
you to the approach of an object from behind
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper. The
sensors at the front and at the two rear corners
have a range of approx. 24 in/60 cm; the rear
middle sensors have approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.
Avoid approaching an object at high speed, as
otherwise the physical circumstances would
mean that the system warning was too late.<
Automatic mode
When the ignition key is in position 2, the sys-
tem automatically assumes operational status
after a few seconds each time you shift into
reverse or move the selector lever into the R
position.
Wait this short period before driving. The sys-
tem switches itself off when you shift out of
reverse.
Manual mode
Press button, the LED lights up.
Deactivating manual mode
Press the button again; the indicator lamp goes
out.
The system is automatically deactivated once
the vehicle travels approx. 165 ft/50 m or
exceeds a speed of roughly 20 mph/30 km/h;
the indicator lamp goes out. You can reactivate
the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus,
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle
will be indicated by a signal tone from the left
rear speaker, etc. As the distance between
vehicle and object decreases, the intervals
between the tones become shorter. If the dis-
tance to the nearest object falls to below
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone
sounds.
The warning signal is canceled after approx.
3 seconds, if you are moving parallel to a wall.
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effectively.
PDC with visual warning*
You can also have the system show distances
to objects on the Control Display. The Control
Display also indicates objects that are farther
away before a signal tone sounds.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
78
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
The system prevents traction loss in the driving
wheels when starting off and accelerating. DSC
also detects unstable driving conditions such
as a fishtailing rear end or sliding of 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 in the individual wheels.
The DSC is operational every time you start the
engine.
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.<
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
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 on snowy inclines, in slush, or
on unplowed, snow-covered road surfaces
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow or on loose ground
>When driving with snow chains
Activating DTC
Press the button briefly; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up.
Deactivating DTC again
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes out.
Deactivating DTC and DSC together
Press the button until the DSC indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up, but not longer
than approx. 10 seconds. Stabilizing and drive
output promoting actions are no longer exe-
cuted. In addition, the stability promoting inter-
vention of the active steering is deactivated,
refer to page81.
A message appears on the Control Display.
Please note any supplementary information
that appears there.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Reactivating DSC
Press the button; the DTC indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
To control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC controls the drive forces
and brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DSC and DTC are deactivated together via the
button DTC.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DTC is activated via the DTC button.

Controls
79Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Malfunction in vehicle stability-control
systems
The brake system warning lamp lights
up in red, appearing together with the
indicator lamps for ABS and DSC. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. The driving stability control sys-
tems are deactivated. Conventional
braking efficiency remains available
without limitations. While you may con-
tinue, you should remember to proceed cau-
tiously and drive defensively while avoiding full
brake applications. Have the system checked
as soon as possible.
Display of the previously described
malfunction on Canadian models.
The indicator lamp for DSC lights up; a
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. DSC and DTC are deactivated.
The stability maintenance functions are no
longer available. The vehicle remains in running
order. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
The warning lamp for the brake system
lights up in yellow; a message appears
on the Control Display. DBC has failed.
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
Display of the previously described
malfunction on Canadian models.
Active roll stabilization*
The concept
Active roll stabilization minimizes body roll and
optimizes vehicle stability during cornering and
evasive maneuvers.
Dynamic stabilizers at the front and rear axles
form the basis for active roll stabilization. Sus-
pension compliance adapts to suit driving con-
ditions, varying from performance-oriented during cornering to smooth and comfort-ori-
ented when the vehicle is proceeding in a
straight line. During vehicle operation, the sys-
tem continuously runs through closed-loop
control cycles lasting only fractions of a second.
The system assumes operational status each
time you start the engine.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up and a mes-
sage appears on the Control Display.
There is a malfunction in the system.
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
If there is a malfunction in the system,
please remember to adapt your speed
accordingly, especially in curves. The suspen-
s i o n w il l b e n o t i c ea b ly s o f t e r a n d t h e v e h i cl e w il l
display a greater tendency to tilt during corner-
ing and in crosswinds. If a message stating that
you should stop appears on the Control Display,
stop and switch off the engine as soon as pos-
sible. In this case the oil level in the reservoir
may have dropped below the minimum, possi-
bly owing to a leak in the hydraulic system. Do
not continue driving. Contact your BMW cen-
ter.<
Flat Tire Monitor
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor keeps track of the infla-
tion pressures in the four mounted tires as you
drive. The system provides an alert whenever
the inflation pressure drops significantly in rela-
tion to the pressure in another tire.
In the event of a pressure loss, the rolling radius
and therefore the rotation speed of the wheels
change. This change is detected and is
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.
Perform the initialization immediately
after correcting the inflation pressure,

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
80 after changing a tire or after changing a wheel or
all of the wheels.<
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot indicate
sudden severe tire damage caused by
outside factors and does not detect a natural,
even pressure drop in all four tires.<
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels,
high lateral acceleration
>Driving with snow chains
*
When you are driving with the compact wheel,
the Flat Tire Monitor is unable to function.
Initializing system
The initialization finishes during driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. When driving with snow
chains or with the compact wheel, do not initial-
ize the system.<
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Open the menu.
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller.
3.Select "FTM" and press the controller.
4.Start engine, but do not start driving.5.Select "Set tire pressure" and press the
controller.
6.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
7.Start to drive.
The message "Initializing" is displayed.
The initialization finishes during driving. Then
the message "Status: Active" appears on the
Control Display again.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up in red and a
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds. There is a flat tire or extensive inflation
pressure loss.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Identify damaged tire.
If identification is not possible, con-
tact a BMW center.<
3.Replace the damaged wheel, refer to
Changing a wheel on page185.
Vehicles with run-flat tires
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page174, do not
continue driving. Continuing to drive with a
flat tire could cause severe accidents.<