2005 BMW 545I SEDAN steering wheel adjustment

At a glance
11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
6Buttons on steering wheel
7Instrument cluster12
9Ignition lock5110Horn: the entire surface
13Releasing hood176
14Opening luggage compartment lid32

Telephone*153:
>Press: accept call or terminate
call
as well as dialing if an entry has
been selected from "A - Z",
"Top 8", "Redial", "Received
calls" or "Missed calls"
>press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice com-
mand system
*22
Fast forward/reverse132
>Radio
Press: change radio station
Press longer: manual search
or automatic search scan
>CD
Press: select track
Press longer: fast forward/
reverse
>Telephone
*
Press: select entry in "A - Z",
"Top 8", "Redial", "Received
calls" or "Missed calls"
Individually programmable
*46
Individually programmable46
8
Windshield wipers57
Rain sensor57
11
Steering wheel heater*46
Steering wheel adjustment45
12
Cruise control
*:58
Active cruise control
*59
15
Head-Up Display
*84
16
Parking lamps87
Low beams87
Automatic headlamp control
*87
Adaptive Head Light88
*
17
Instrument lighting89
Fog lamps
*88

Opening and closing
28
Opening and closing
The key set
1Every master key with remote control con-
tains an extended-life battery as a power
supply, which is charged automatically in
the ignition lock as you drive. You should
use each master key at least twice a year in
order to maintain the charge condition.
Depending on which master key is detected
by the vehicle during unlocking, different
settings in the vehicle are requested and
executed, refer to Key Memory below.
2Spare key for storage in a safe place, such
as in your wallet.
This key does not fit in the locks of the lug-
gage compartment lid and the glove com-
partment. This is an advantage when valet
parking, for example. The key is not
intended for regular use.
New key
Additional or replacement keys are available at
your BMW center.
Key Memory
How the system functions
Doubtless you have often reflected on how
great it would be if you could configure your
vehicle's various adjustment settings to meet
your own personal requirements. BMW has
designed several freely selectable options into
the vehicle during its development. You can set
these as desired via the Control Center.You can have up to four different basic settings
adjusted for four different persons for the spe-
cific keys. The only requirement is that each
person uses his or her own master key with
remote control.
When your vehicle is unlocked with the remote
control, the vehicle recognizes the individual
key by means of a data exchange and makes
adjustments accordingly.
Size of Key Memory
>When unlocking with the remote control,
either unlock only the driver's door or the
entire vehicle, refer to page29
>Locking the vehicle after a short time or
after starting off, refer to page31
>Assigning the programmable function but-
tons on the steering wheel, refer to page46
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play:
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer
to page73
>Measuring units for consumption, travel/
distances, temperature, and pressure,
refer to page73
>Voice commands in Control Display,
refer to page74
>12h/24h mode of the clock, refer to
page74
>Date format, refer to page75
>Showing optical warning for PDC Park
Distance Control
*, refer to page76
>Selection and brightness of display in
Head-Up Display
*, refer to page85
>Air distribution, temperature and intensity
of the automatic air conditioning system,
refer to page92
>Setting voice instructions for destination
guidance in the navigation system
*, refer to
page125

Adjustments
38
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. The sit-
ting position of the occupants also plays an
important role for passive safety together with
the safety belts and airbags in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the fol-
lowing section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page47.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment. No one and
nothing is to come between the airbags and the
seat occupant. Do not use the cover of the front
airbag on the front passenger side as a storage
area. Make sure that the front passenger is sit-
ting correctly and does not rest feet or legs on
the instrument panel, otherwise leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered. Never let an
occupant's head rest near or on a side airbag
because the inflating airbag could cause a seri-
ous or fatal injury.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries resulting from contact with airbags cannot
be fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page83.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Airbags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
At all times, occupants should sit upright
and be properly restrained: infants and
small children in appropriate child-restraint sys-
tems; larger children and adults using the safety
belts. Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow infants or
small children to ride in a passenger's lap.
Expectant mothers should always wear their
safety belts, taking care to position the lap belt
against the lower hips, where it will not exert
pressure against the abdominal area. Do not
route the belt across your neck, or run it across
sharp edges. Be sure that the belt does not
become caught or jammed. Avoid twisting the
belt while routing it snugly across the hips and
shoulder. Do not allow the belt to rest against
hard or fragile objects. Otherwise, in the event
of a frontal impact, a loose lap belt could slide
over your hips, leading to abdominal injury.
Avoid wearing clothing that prevents the belt
from fitting properly and pull the shoulder belt
periodically to readjust the tension across your
lap in order to avoid a reduction in the retention
effect of the safety belt.<
For instructions on operating safety belts, refer
to page42.
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident. Also on the passenger side, do not
incline the backrest too far to the rear while the
vehicle is being driven, as otherwise there is a
danger in the event of an accident of 'sliding
under' the safety belt, eliminating the protec-
tion normally provided by the belt.<

Adjustments
40 The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: push
switch forward or back.
>Shift curvature up or down: push switch up
or down.
Adjusting active backrest width*
First set a comfortable backrest width, see
above. Based on the backrest width set, the lat-
eral support is automatically adapted to the cur-
rent driving situation.
The adaptation of the backrest width and the
speed of the adjustment vary depending on the
program. You can select from among three pro-
grams from comfort to sport.
Press program button once:
>"Comfort" program: one LED
>"Normal" program: two LEDs
>"Sport" program: three LEDs
To switch off: press button longer.
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the backrest tempo-
rarily opens all the way.
Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory*
You can store and request two different posi-
tions for the driver's seat and passenger seat
*,
external rearview mirrors, and steering wheel.
The adjustment of the lumbar support is not
stored in the memory.
Storing
1.Turn ignition key to position 1 or 2, refer to
page51.
2.Set the desired seat, exterior mirror and
steering wheel positions.
3.Press button:
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button1 or2.
The LED goes out.
Requesting
Do not request a position from the mem-
ory while the vehicle is moving. There is a
risk of accident from unexpected movement of
the seat or steering wheel.<
Convenience mode
1.Open the driver's door after unlocking or
turn the ignition key to position 1.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1
or2.
The system immediately cancels the
adjustment procedure when you briefly
press one of the seat adjustment buttons or
one of the memory buttons.

Controls
41Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and turn the ignition
key to position 0 or 2.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2
and maintain pressure until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed inadvertently:
press the button again; the LED goes out.
Position stored in key
The positions of the driver's seat, the external
rearview mirrors, and steering wheel are stored
for the remote key currently in use.
You can choose when the position is requested:
>Request when unlocking vehicle
>Request when opening driver's door
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Open the menu.
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller.
3.Select "Door locks" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
5.Select "Last seat pos." and press the con-
troller.
6.Select "After unlocking" or "After opening
door" and press the controller.
To cancel the request:
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
When using this feature, always make
sure that the footwell behind the driver's
seat is empty and unobstructed. Failure to do so could cause injury or damage to persons or
objects behind the seat as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
function*
Automatic curb monitor
Activating
1.Slide mirror selector switch into the driver's
side mirror position 1.
2.When you shift into reverse or move the
selector lever into position R, the exterior
mirror on the front passenger side tilts
downward slightly. This allows the driver to
see the area immediately adjacent to the
vehicle – such as a curb – when parking, etc.
Deactivating
Slide mirror selector switch into the passen-
ger's side mirror position 2.
Head restraints
Head restraints reduce the risk of spinal
injury in the event of an accident. Adjust
the head restraints so that they are centered
roughly at the level of your ears.<

Controls
45Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger side fea-
tures a lens with a more convex surface
than the mirror installed on the driver's side.
When estimating the distance between yourself
and other traffic, bear in mind that the objects
reflected in the mirror are closer than they
appear. This means that estimations of the dis-
tance to following traffic should not be regarded
as precise.<
1Adjustments
2Switching to the other mirror or to the auto-
matic parking function, refer to Tilting the
passenger-side mirror, page41
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page40.
Manual adjustment
You can also adjust the mirrors manually if nec-
essary by pressing against the outer edges of
their mirror glass.
Folding mirrors in and out
To prevent the exterior mirrors on this
vehicle from being damaged, always fold
them in by hand before entering an automatic
car wash.<
Automatic heating
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
in ignition key position 2.
Interior rearview mirror
To reduce the dazzle effect of following vehi-
cles at night, turn the knob.
Automatically dimming mirrors, refer to
page107.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust steering wheel while driv-
ing. There is a risk of accident from unex-
pected movement of the steering wheel.<
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing steering wheel positions, refer to Seat,
mirror and steering wheel memory on page40.
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the steering wheel
temporarily moves into the uppermost position.

Adjustments
46
Steering wheel heater*
Press the button with the ignition key in
position 2.
When the steering wheel heater is operating,
the LED in the button lights up.
Programmable buttons* on the
steering wheel
You can assign the function buttons individu-
ally.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Open the menu.
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller.
3.Select "Steering wheel buttons" and press
the controller.The various functions are displayed:
>"Nav. voice instructions"
Voice instructions for the navigation
system
>"Air recirculation on / off"
Permanently shutting off outside air,
refer to AUC Automatic recirculated air
control on page91
>"Mute on / off"
Mutes the audio sources
>"Monitor on / off"
Switches the Control Display on/off
>"Telephone list"
Switching between Entertainment and
Telephone
>"Next entertainment source"
Changes audio source
4.Select the desired function.
5.Press the controller.
6.Select button if necessary.
7.Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
You can operate the selected function using the
corresponding button.
Operating function
Press the corresponding button on the steering
wheel.
Voice instructions of navigation system:
>To switch voice instructions on/off: hold the
button down.
>To repeat the last voice instruction: press
button.

Controls
83Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags for driver and front passenger
2Head airbags in front and rear
3Side airbags in front and rear
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page38.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e. g. less severe acci-
dents, certain roll-over conditions, or rear-end
collisions.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated by a BMW center.
Labels in the rear door opening should indicate
the status of your rear seat side airbags. If you
are uncertain of their status, or wish to have the
airbags activated or deactivated, please contact
your BMW center.<
For information on the correct sitting position,
refer to page38.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way. Do not attempt to remove the airbag retention system from the
vehicle. Never modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in the air-
bag system. This category includes the uphol-
stery in the center of the steering wheel, on the
instrument panel, the side trim panels on the
doors and the roof pillars along with the sides of
the headliner. Do not attempt to remove or dis-
mantle the steering wheel. Do not touch the
individual components immediately after the
system has been triggered, because there is a
danger of burns. In the event of malfunctions,
deactivation, or triggering of the airbag restraint
system, have the testing, repair, removal, and
disposal of airbag generators executed only
by a BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel and has the
required explosives licenses. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could lead to
failure in an emergency or undesired airbag
activation, either of which could result in per-
sonal injury.<
Airbag warning information is also provided on
the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
Your BMW has a seat occupation detection
system. By evaluating the weight on the front
passenger seat, the system detects whether or
not the seat is occupied by a child in the child-
restraint system or an adult.
>When a child is seated in the child-restraint
system or with an empty seat, the front and
side airbags are automatically deactivated
on the passenger side.