Controls
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Gear display
R N 1 to 6
The currently engaged gear is displayed pre-
ceded by a D in Drive mode.
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out of N;
the shift command will not be executed unless
the brake is applied.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
Sequential mode
After every engine start, as soon as the selector
lever is pushed to the right and the brake pedal
is pressed, the Sequential mode is activated.
You can shift up and down using the shifting
paddles or the selector lever. You do not need
to remove your foot from the accelerator to do
so.
It is also possible to start off in second gear, e.g.
in slippery conditions.
D Drive mode
In the Drive mode, all forward gears are shifted
automatically.
To switch from Sequential to Drive mode:
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
toward D.
Kick-down:
For rapid acceleration, e.g. passing, press the
accelerator pedal as far down as it will go: you
achieve maximum acceleration.To switch back to the Sequential mode: press
selector lever to the right again toward D or shift
using the shifting paddles or the selector lever.
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold
the vehicle on a hill by applying the throt-
tle, but engage the handbrake instead. Other-
wise overheating can occur in the transmission
region.<
Gear changes
Using selector lever
>To upshift, pull the selector lever back.
>To downshift, push the selector lever for-
ward.
Using shift paddles on steering wheel
>To shift up, pull one of the shift paddles.
>To shift down, press.
In the following situations, the SMG in the
Sequential mode assists you:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will res ult in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
>When the vehicle is stationary, the trans-
mission automatically downshifts into first
gear.
>Shortly before dropping below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the transmis-
sion downshifts automatically even without
your intervention.
Driving
58
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you can
also shift manually with Steptronic, refer to
page58.
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 the 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.To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select selector-lever position P
and engage the handbrake before leaving the
vehicle with the engine running.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a
potential safety hazard.<
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
Engage in car washes, for example. The vehicle
can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation.
All forward gears are available.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when driving in position D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration:
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
M/S manual operation and
Sport program
Move the selector lever from position D to the
left into shifting slot M/S:
The sport program is activated and DS appears
in the instrument cluster. This position is
Controls
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recommended for a performance-oriented driv-
ing style. It is engaged automatically when the
Dynamic Driving Control is activated, see
below.
When the selector lever is briefly moved for-
ward or back, the manual mode is activated and
the Steptronic shifts gear. The instrument clus-
ter shows M1 through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system. The
selected gear appears briefly in the instrument
cluster, followed by the current gear.
To use the automatic function again, move the
selector lever to the right into position D.
Dynamic Driving Control
The Dynamic Driving Control makes it possible
for your BMW to react in an even more perfor-
mance-oriented manner at the push of a button:
>The engine responds more spontaneously
to accelerator pedal movements.
>Cruise control:
The stored speed is reached more quickly
when it is requested.
Additionally with SMG:
>Gearshifts are faster.
>The engine speed range is used optimally in
the Drive mode.
With automatic transmission:
>The Sport program is activated.
Activating system
In ignition key position 2, press the SPORT but-
ton.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT is
displayed in the instrument cluster.
Deactivating system
>Press the SPORT button again or
>engage reverse gear or
>switch off the engine.
The LED in the button and SPORT in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Acceleration assistant with SMG
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 Driving Control.
2.Press the DTC button, refer to page82, for
longer than three seconds.
3.Press the accelerator pedal down fully:
Kick-down. The ideal starting-off engine
speed is set.
To maintain driving stability, do not deac-
tivate DSC if at all possible.<
Driving
62
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining speed, storing speed, and
accelerating
2Maintaining speed, storing speed, and
decelerating
3Interrupting cruise control
4Recalling stored speed
Maintaining speed, storing speed, and
accelerating
Press the lever up to the resistance point1:
The system maintains and stores the current
vehicle speed. The display 1 in the speedome-
ter indicates this regulated speed, refer to the
section below. Every time you briefly press the
lever, the vehicle speed increases by roughly
1mph/1km/h.
Press the lever up to the resistance point and
hold it:
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system maintains
and stores your current speed as soon as you
release the lever.
Press the lever beyond the resistance point:
The speed increases by 5 mph/10 km/h.
The vehicle may accelerate beyond the regu-
lated speed on steep downhill stretches where
the engine's braking effect alone may not be
sufficient to slow the vehicle. Speed can drop
on uphill grades if the engine output is insuffi-
cient.
Maintaining speed, storing speed, and
decelerating
Pull the lever2:
Functions are the same as 1, only the vehicle
speed is reduced.
Interrupting cruise control
With the cruise control active, briefly press the
lever up or down3.
Cruise control is also interrupted automatically
>when you apply pressure to the brake pedal
>when you press down the clutch pedal or
engage position N of the automatic trans-
mission/SMG
>when DSC comes on
Recalling stored speed
Briefly press button4: the vehicle accelerates
to and maintains the stored speed.
Deactivating system
When the ignition is switched off, the system is
deactivated and the stored speed is deleted.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Display for stored speed
2Brief display of selected speed
Active cruise control*
The concept
With active cruise control, you can select a
desired speed which is not only automatically
maintained when driving on open roadways, but
also varied to maintain a selected distance set-
ting as slower traffic is encountered.
Active cruise control is a technological advance
over the familiar cruise control and is a welcome
relief from the constant adjustment of speed
that can accompany driving in traffic on free-
ways or other high-speed thoroughfares. Espe-
Driving
64
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 display3 appears as soon as
you activate the system and no
vehicle is detected driving ahead.
Vehicle detected.
The display2 lights up yellow
when a vehicle is detected driving
ahead.
The system requests that you
intervene by braking or with an
evasive maneuver.
The display2 flashes red and a sig-
nal sounds. The active cruise con-
trol cannot automatically restore the distance to
the vehicle driving ahead. You will find more
detailed information on page67.
Automatic intervention by ABS or
DSC, or you actuate the parking
brake while driving.
The display2 flashes yellow. The
active cruise control now only
intervenes by braking.
Desired speed store and increase
Press the lever forward1 at a driving speed of
more than approx. 20 mph/30 km/h:
The system adopts and stores your current
speed as a desired speed. This speed is indi-
cated on the speedometer and displayed briefly
in the instrument cluster.
Subsequently pressing forward increases the
desired speed to the next multiple of 5 mph/
10 km/h.
Each time the lever is pressed forward again,
the desired speed is increased by another
5 mph/10 km/h until a maximum of 110 mph/
180 km/h is reached. The speed then displayed
is stored and achieved, provided that the road is
clear.
If the display ACC --- mph/km/h briefly
appears in the instrument cluster, it might
be that conditions necessary for operation are
not currently being met.
To call up Check Control messages, refer to
page71.<
Desired speed store and decrease
Pull back the lever2:
The current driving speed is rounded off to the
next multiple of 5 mph/10 km/h, displayed and
stored.
Each time the lever is pulled back again, the
desired speed is decreased by another 5 mph/
10 km/h until the minimum speed of 20 mph/
30 km/h is reached. The speed then displayed
is stored and achieved, provided that the road is
clear.
Controls
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Deactivate system
Press the lever up or down while the system is
active3. The displays in the instrument cluster
disappear. You can use the system again as
required.
In addition, the system is deactivated automati-
cally:
>When you apply pressure to the brake pedal
>When you select the automatic transmis-
sion's/SMG neutral position N
>When the manual transmission is in neutral
>When you deactivate the DSC Dynamic
Stability Control
>When you actuate the parking brake during
driving
>When the system reduces the speed to
below 20 mph/30 km/h due to a traffic situ-
ation
The system deactivates automatically
when the speed is set to below 20 mph/
30 km/h. An acoustic signal sounds and a mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. The active
intervention of the driver is required.<
When you switch off the ignition, the stored
desired speed is deleted.
Resume to stored desired speed and
distance setting
Press button4 when the system is deactivated.
The displays appear in the instrument cluster.
The system is reactivated and uses the last
stored desired speed and distance setting.
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.<
Driving
68
Swerving vehicles
When a vehicle moves from an adjacent lane
into your lane, active cruise control will not
recognize 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 detect any objects,
e.g. on seldom used roads without a shoulder or
guard rails, the system may temporarily deacti-
vate itself.
Controls
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Everything under control
Odometer, outside
temperature display, clock
When the ignition is off you can briefly activate
the time, outside temperature and odometer
displays by pressing the knob3 at the lower left
of the instrument cluster.
1 Outside temperature display, clock,
date
The outside temperature and the time are dis-
played from ignition key position 1 onwards.
To call up the date:
Press the CHECK button on the turn signal
lever, refer to page74.
Setting time and date, refer to page78.
You can set the measurement unit 7 or 6 on
the Control Display, refer to Measurement units
on page77.
Ice warning
A signal sounds when the outside temperature
falls to roughly +37.57/+36; this is accompa-
nied by a message.
Please bear in mind that the ice warning
does nothing to alter the fact that black
ice may be present on roads at temperatures
higher than +37.57/+36, e.g. on bridges and
shaded roads.<
2 Odometer and trip odometer
To reset the trip odometer to zero:
Press button3 in the instrument cluster.
Tachometer
The white-striped advance warning field,
arrow1, changes depending on the engine
temperature. The segments disappear in
sequence as the engine warms to its normal
operating temperature.
Avoid allowing the engine speed to rise as far as
the advance warning field whenever possible.
Engine speeds in the red warning field, arrow2,
must absolutely be avoided.
In this range, the fuel supply is interrupted to
protect the engine.