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 35Reference
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Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp below the interior rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: 
door(s) or luggage compartment lid are not 
completely closed. Even if you do not close 
the alerted area, the system begins to mon-
itor the remaining areas, and the indicator 
lamp flashes continuously after approx. 
10 seconds. However, the interior motion 
sensor is not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking: 
no manipulation or attempted intrusions 
have been detected in the period since the 
system was armed.
>After unlocking, the indicator lamp flashes 
until the key is inserted into the ignition 
lock, but will not do so for longer than 
roughly 5 minutes: an attempted entry has 
been detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed.
Tilt alarm sensor and interior motion 
sensor
Tilt alarm sensor
Monitors the inclination of the vehicle. The 
alarm system reacts, for example, if someone 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
Coupe:
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass sunroof
* 
must be completely closed.Convertible:
Monitors the interior up to the height of the seat 
cushions. This means that the alarm system, 
including the interior motion sensor, is armed 
even if the convertible top is open. Falling 
objects, e.g. leaves, can trigger false alarms, 
refer to Avoiding unintentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following 
situations:
>In stacking garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off the tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the   button on the remote control 
once again directly after locking.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are switched off until 
the vehicle is unlocked and locked again.
Windows
To prevent injuries, exercise care when 
closing the windows and keep them in 
your field of vision until they are shut.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the 
ignition key and close the doors to prevent chil-
dren from operating the power windows and 
injuring themselves.< 

Controls
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Mobility
On the front passenger side as well, do not tilt 
the backrest too far toward the rear. Failure to 
observe this precaution can prevent the belt 
from providing effective protection against 
injury, as the passenger could slide under the 
belt in an accident.
Make sure that the footwell behind the driver's 
and front passenger's seat is empty and unob-
structed. If you fail to do so, any persons or 
objects behind the seat could be injured or 
damaged by a rearward movement of the 
seat.<
Also observe the instructions regarding dam-
age to the safety belt on page49.
Convertible: with the wind deflector fitted, 
do not incline the front seat backrests too 
far backward if the seat is to be moved back to 
the end position, as otherwise the wind deflec-
tor will be damaged.<
Seat adjustment
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection, 
please observe the adjustment instructions 
above.<
1Inclination
2Longitudinal direction
3Height
4Backrest
5Convertible: head restraints, refer to 
page47With the sports seat
*, you can also adjust the 
thigh support manually:
Pull the lever and move the thigh support in a 
longitudinal direction.
Lumbar support* adjustment
You can also adjust the contours of the backrest 
to obtain additional support in the lumbar 
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a 
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: 
Press front or rear of switch.
>Move curvature up or down: 
Press top or bottom of switch. 

Controls
 47Reference
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Mobility
To cancel the request: 
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
When using this function, 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.<
Tilt function, passenger-side mirror
Automatic curb monitor
Activating
1.Slide mirror selector into the driver's side 
mirror position.
2.When you engage reverse gear or selector-
lever position R, the exterior mirror glass 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 the mirror selection switch to the passen-
ger's side position.
Front 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.<
Coupe
Adjusting height
>To raise: pull the head restraint upward.
>To lower: slide the head restraint down-
ward.
To reach the lowest position, press the 
button, refer to arrow 1.<
Adjusting tilt angle
Swivel the head restraints.
Removal
1.Pull the head restraint upward to the stop.
2.Press the button, arrow1, and remove the 
head restraint.
Installation
Insert head restraint into the sockets and 
adjust.
Convertible
Adjusting height
>To raise: move the switch upward.
>To lower: move the switch downward. 

Transporting children safely
52
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Children always in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place 
for children in a vehicle is in the rear seat.
Older children should be tightly secured with a 
safety belt, after they have outgrown a booster 
seat that is appropriate for their age, height and 
weight.
Child-restraint system in the rear
Children under 13 years of age and chil-
dren less than 5 ft/150 cm tall should 
always ride in the rear and the restraint systems 
should be secured with the vehicle's safety 
belts.<
Younger children should be secured in an 
appropriate forward-facing child-restraint sys-
tem that has first been properly secured. We 
strongly urge you to carefully read and comply 
with the instructions for installation and use 
provided by the child-restraint's manufacturer 
whenever you use such a device.
All rear sitting positions in your vehicle meet the 
recommendations of SAE J1819, an industry-
recommended practice for securing child-
restraint systems in motor vehicles.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it become necessary to use 
a child-restraint system on the front pas-
senger seat, the airbags on the passenger's 
side must be deactivated. Deactivating the front 
passenger airbag is only possible on the Coupe. 
Your BMW center will be glad to advise you.<
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger 
seat of this vehicle if the passenger airbag is not 
deactivated. If you do so, the child could be 
severely injured when the airbag is triggered.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag supple-
mental restraint system for the front passenger. 
Because the backrest on any rearward-facing child-restraint system – of the kind designed for 
infants under 1 year and 20 Ibs./9 kg – would be 
within the airbag's deployment range, you 
should never mount such a system in the front 
passenger seat, since the impact of the airbag 
against the child restraint's backrest could lead 
to serious or fatal injuries.<
Installing child-restraint 
systems
Before installing any child-restraint system or 
child seat, read the following:
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructions for installation 
and use. Otherwise the degree of protection 
can be reduced.
After an accident, have all parts of the child-
restraint system and of the relevant vehicle 
safety belt system checked by a BMW center 
and replaced if necessary.<
Commercially-available child-restraint systems 
are designed to be secured with a lap belt or 
with the lap belt portion of a combination lap/
shoulder belt. Improperly or inadequately 
installed restraint systems can increase the risk 
of injury to children. Always read and follow the 
instructions that come with the system.
Child seat security
All of the rear belt retractors and the front pas-
senger's safety belt can be locked for mounting 
and securing child-restraint systems. 

Driving
66
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.<
Always remember that the range and abil-
ity of the system does have physical limi-
tations. It will not apply the brakes or decelerate 
your vehicle when there is a slow-moving vehi-
cle, stopped vehicle or stationary object ahead 
of you, as for example, at a traffic light or when 
approaching a parked vehicle. Also, the system 
does not react to oncoming traffic, pedestrians 
or other types of potential traffic such as a rider 
on horseback. It is also possible that the system 
may not detect smaller moving objects such as 
motorcycles or bicycles. Be especially alert 
when encountering any of these situations as 
the system will neither automatically brake, nor 
provide a warning to you. Also, be aware that every decrease in the distance setting allows 
your vehicle to come closer to a vehicle in front 
of you and requires a heightened amount of 
alertness.<
If your vehicle is actively following a vehicle in 
front of you and the vehicle ahead speeds up or 
the lane ahead becomes clear, then your vehi-
cle will accelerate to the speed you have 
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear, 
unobstructed lane will also result in your vehicle 
accelerating.
Be certain to deactivate the system when 
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp.<
Also, vehicles traveling in a staggered manner 
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's 
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause 
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the 
lane next to you. Always be ready to take action 
or apply the brakes if necessary.
Active cruise control can only decelerate the 
vehicle to approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. If the sys-
tem reduces vehicle speed below 20 mph/
30 km/h or if DSC/ABS is engaged while driving, 
the system will automatically deactivate.
Remember, the system cannot stop your 
vehicle. In addition, the system is deacti-
vated whenever the driver applies the vehicle 
brakes, shifts the transmission to neutral/N, or 
deactivates DSC. After any deactivation, the 
system will no longer automatically activate the 
vehicle brakes, which means the driver must 
intervene and resume manual braking. You 
should then reactivate the system only when 
you are fully aware of the prior speed and dis-
tance settings.< 

Practical interior accessories
102
Center armrest
A storage compartment is located in the arm-
rest between the front seats. This compartment 
is integrated into the central locking system and 
can also be locked separately using the hotel 
function, refer to page32.
To open the cover:
Pull the left button. The cover opens and can be 
folded upward.
Depending on the version, the storage com-
partment can be equipped with a correspond-
ing cradle
* for the telephone or portable phone.
Adjusting height
The center armrest can be set in 2 positions.
Pull the right button:
Move the armrest upward or downward and 
lock it in the desired position.
Storage compartments
Storage compartment behind center 
armrest
To open, raise the cover at the left or right edge. 
The compartment contains the cup holder and 
the lock for the hotel function, refer to page32.
Other compartments and nets
Other compartments are provided in the doors 
as well as in the front center console
*.
Ticket pockets are located in the sun visors.
Storage nets are located on the backrests of the 
front seats and in the passenger footwell
*.
Another storage space is located in the luggage 
compartment in the right side panel. If you wish, 
this is also suitable for storing the onboard doc-
umentation.
Coupe: clothes hooks
To fold down, press at the top edge.
When suspending clothing from the 
hooks, ensure that it will not obstruct the 
driver's vision. Do not hang heavy objects on 
the hooks. If you do so, they could cause per-
sonal injury to occupants during braking or eva-
sive maneuvers.< 

Under the hood
174
Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or 
repair operations on your vehicle without 
the required, professional technical training. If 
you are unfamiliar with the specifications to be 
observed, only have work carried out on your 
vehicle by a BMW center or a workshop which 
works with personnel trained in accordance 
with BMW specifications. Otherwise there is a 
danger of damage and associated safety risks if 
this work is performed improperly.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull the lever located under the left side of the 
instrument panel.
Opening
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard 
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the 
hood is clear, as otherwise injuries may 
result.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while you are driving your vehicle, 
you should stop at once and close it securely.< 

Reference 201
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
C
California law
– Event Data Recorders179
California Proposition 65 
Warning6
"Call"153
Call
– accepting152
– display accepted153
– ending152
– in absence153
– starting152
Calling
– from phone book153
– from the Top 8 list153
– redialing153
"Call sender"156
Can holder, refer to Cup 
holders103
Capacities195
Capacity of the luggage 
compartment192
Car battery, refer to Vehicle 
battery183
Car care, refer to the Caring 
for your vehicle brochure
Car-care products, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
"Car data"74
Care, refer to the Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Cargo loading
– securing cargo111
– stowing cargo111
– vehicle110
Caring for artificial leather, 
refer to the Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Caring for leather, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Caring for light-alloy wheels, 
refer to the Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Caring for plastic, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochureCaring for the carpet, refer to 
the Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Caring for the vehicle finish, 
refer to the Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Car keys, refer to Key set28
Car phone151
– installation location, refer to 
Center armrest102
– refer to Portable phone150
– refer to separate Owner's 
Manual
Car radio, refer to Radio136
Car wash110
– also refer to the Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
– refer to Before driving into a 
car wash110
Catalytic converter, refer to 
Hot exhaust system108
"Categories"141
CBC Cornering Brake 
Control81
CBS Condition Based 
Service178
"CD"133,143
CD changer143
– controls132
– fast forward/reverse145
– installation location145
– playing a track145
– random play sequence145
– repeating a track144
– selecting a CD144
– selecting a track144
– switching on/off132
– tone control133
– volume133
CD player143
– controls132
– fast forward/reverse145
– playing a track145
– random play sequence145
– repeating a track144
– selecting a track144
– switching on/off132
– tone control133
– volume133Center armrest
– adjusting the height102
– front102
Center console14
"Central locking"29
Central locking system29
– from inside vehicle31
Changes, technical, refer to 
For your own safety6
Changing a wheel183
Changing gear
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic58
Changing language on 
Control Display78
Changing measurement units 
on Control Display77
Changing wheels183
CHECK button73
Check Control71
"Check Control 
messages"73
Check Gas Cap166
Checking the air pressure, 
refer to Tire inflation 
pressure168
Child's seats, refer to Child-
restraint systems52
Child-restraint fixing system 
LATCH53
Child restraints52
Child-restraint systems52
Chrome parts, care, refer to 
the Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Cigarette lighter103
Cleaning, refer to the Caring 
for your vehicle brochure
Cleaning the windshield, refer 
to Wiper system61
"Climate"96
Clock69
– 12h/24h mode78
– setting time and date78
Closing
– from inside31
– from outside29
Clothes hooks, Coupe102
Cockpit10