
Controls
 3Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents 
The fastest way to find specific topics is 
to use the index, refer to page218.
Using this Owner's Manual
4 Notes
7 Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit 
17 Control Center 
26 Voice command
Controls
34Opening and closing
46 Adjustments
58 Transporting children safely 
62 Driving
81 Everything under control
91 Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
100 Lamps 
103 A congenial climate
112 Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
122Things to remember when driving
Navigation
130Starting navigation system
132 Destination entry 
139 Destination guidance 
145 What to do if …
Entertainment
148On/off, tone
152 Radio 
158 CD Compact Disc 
160 CD changer 
163 TV 
165 DVD changer 
Communications
174Using the phone in your vehicle
182 BMW Assist 
Mobility
186Refueling 
188 Wheels and tires 
194 Under the hood 
198 Maintenance
200 Rules and regulations
201 Replacing components
209 Giving and receiving assistance 
Reference
214Technical data 
218 Everything from A to Z  

 5Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Your individual vehicle 
On purchasing your BMW, you have 
decided in favor of a model with individual-
ized equipment and features. This Owner's 
Manual describes the entire array of 
options and equipment available with a 
specific BMW model.
Please bear in mind that the manual may 
contain information on accessories and 
equipment that you have not specified for 
your own vehicle. Sections describing 
options and special equipment are marked 
by asterisks
* to assist you in identifying 
possible differences between the descrip-
tions in this manual and your own vehicle's 
equipment.
Should your BMW be equipped with fea-
tures or accessories not described in this 
Owner's Manual, please consult the 
enclosed Supplementary Owner's Man-
ual(s).
Editorial notice 
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, 
ongoing development that is conceived to 
ensure that our vehicles continue to 
embody the highest quality and safety 
standards combined with advanced, state-
of-the-art technology. 
For this reason, the features described in 
this Owner's Manual may differ from those 
on your vehicle. Nor can errors and omis-
sions be entirely ruled out. You are there-
fore asked to appreciate that no claims can 
be entertained on the basis of the data, 
illustrations or descriptions in this Owner's 
Manual. 
For your own safety 
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of 
modern materials and high-perfor-
mance electronics, requires specially 
adapted maintenance and repair methods. 
Therefore, only have corresponding work 
on your BMW carried out by a BMW center 
or a workshop that works according to 
BMW repair procedures with correspond-
ingly trained personnel. If work is carried 
out improperly there is a danger of conse-
quential damage and the related safety 
risks.< 
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine 
parts and accessories approved by 
BMW. 
When you purchase accessories tested 
and approved by BMW and Genuine BMW 
Parts, you simultaneously acquire the 
assurance that they have been thoroughly 
tested by BMW to ensure optimized perfor-
mance when installed on your vehicle. 
BMW warrants these parts to be free from 
defects in material and workmanship. 
BMW will not accept any liability for dam-
age resulting from installation of parts and 
accessories not approved by BMW. 
BMW cannot test every product made by 
other manufacturers to verify if it can be 
used on a BMW safely and without risk to 
either the vehicle, its operation, or its occu-
pants. 
Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Accessories 
and other products approved by BMW, 
together with professional advice on using 
these items, are available from all BMW 
centers. 
Installation and operation of non-BMW 
approved accessories such as alarms, 
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, 
suspension components, brake dust 
shields, telephones, including operation of 
any mobile phone from within the vehicle 
without using an externally mounted 
antenna, or transceiver equipment, for 
instance, CBs, walkie-talkie, ham radio or  

Cockpit
16
Buttons on steering wheel 
Buttons are integrated in the steering 
wheel for fast operation of the following 
functions without being distracted from 
driving: 
>The Steptronic of the automatic trans-
mission 
>Selected audio source functions 
>Selected portable phone functions
>The voice command system
>Selected TV and DVD functions.
The buttons on the steering wheel are 
only operational when the corre-
sponding systems are switched on.< 
Telephone:
Accept call, make calls, end call
Volume
Voice command system
*: 
Switch on and off
Fast forward/reverse:
>Radio 
Press briefly: next stored station 
Extended pressure: automatic tuning 
>CD
*
Press briefly: skipping tracks
Extended pressure: fast forward/
reverse
>TV
*
Select station
>DVD
*
Search for chapterAvailable for individual programming: 
Programming button function, refer to 
page54. 
Steptronic: 
Press briefly to proceed through a selection 
sequence consisting of the automatic pro-
gram, the Sport program, and the manual 
mode, refer to page68. 
Steptronic: upshifting and downshifting, 
refer to page70. 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Control Center 
The concept 
The Control Center has been designed to 
avoid the unnecessary complexity created 
by an extended number of switches and 
controls. It consists of the controller and 
the Control Display.
The controller is used to select the func-
tions that will appear on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, it also shows you the 
Check Control messages, refer to page83.
Controls 
1Controller: you operate all the functions 
in the Control Center by moving, turning 
and pressing.
If you move the controller
>you feel the mechanical guides along 
the main direction of movement. 
This makes it easier for you to select 
the right main menus
>If you turn the controller, you feel an 
electronically created rasterizing. 
This helps you to select the desired 
menu item
2Button for opening the start menu from 
any menu item
3Individual button assignmentTo avoid posing an unnecessary haz-
ard, both to your own vehicle's occu-
pants and to other road users: never 
attempt to use the controls or make adjust-
ments unless traffic and road conditions 
allow.<
The following introduction illustrates how 
easy it is to use the Control Center.
You can find detailed instructions describ-
ing how to use the individual systems in the 
separate sections.
Programming button function 
You can assign specific individual functions 
to the programmable button. This feature 
then provides you with quick access to this 
function, allowing you to control it without 
undue distraction from road and traffic con-
ditions.
1.Select "Settings" and press the control-
ler
2.Select and press the controller
3.Select . Continue to press the 
controller until the desired function 
appears:
>"Mode"
You can choose between the output 
sources radio/FM or AM, compact-
disc CD and CD changer. The pre-
condition is that one of these 
sources has been activated
>"FM" or "AM"
Switching over between wavebands 
FM and AM, also refer to page152
>"Brief info"
Display of the help and supplemen-
tary texts of the active menu for 
approx. 10 seconds, refer to Assis-
tance window on page22. 

At a glance
 19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Select the desired setting for adjustment 
from the menu item, here: "Time" and con-
firm your entry.
Settings 
The first setting option for time is activated. 
>Turn the controller to make the adjust-
ment 
>Press the controller to confirm the new 
setting, i.e. to store it, and to proceed to 
the next highlighted position to adjust. 
Changing menu page 
You can select individual pages in specific 
menus, here: "Climate". 
Select the symbol and press the controller:
T o sel ect  th e  secon d  pag e of t he  m en u  
To return to the first page of the menu. 
Symbols and lists 
The symbols in the corners and edges of 
the Control Display have various functions: 
1Corner symbols:
These symbols take you to the next 
menu item or in a displayed list.
To do so: turn the controller
2List symbols:
Indicates that you can only move within 
the displayed list, here: stored radio 
stations.
Turn the controller to select an entry 
from the list. 
To exit the list again:
Select and confirm your selec-
tion. 
You can also leave the list by turning the 
controller to the left or right 

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menus in Control Display 
You can select from an extended range of 
functions and setting options: 
1BMW Assist
*182
2Communication 
>Using the phone174
>Portable phone, refer to separate 
Owner's Manual
3Car data 
>Computer85
>Limit87
>Stopwatch88
>Service required82
>Accessing Check Control 
messages834Navigation
*130
5Help 
>Brief help text displays22
>Menu name for menu change
6Entertainment 
>Radio152
>CD player
*158
>CD changer
*160
>TV
*163
>DVD
*165 

At a glance
 23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Top and bottom status lines 
1Hands-free mode active 
2Display field for calls received in 
absence
3Portable phone reception strength
4Display field
>of the telephone provider
>of the entered/selected phone num-
ber
5Telephone status 
>Green: incoming or outgoing call 
>Red: no network available 
>Lit up yellow: 
The network of another provider is 
being used, partner network 
Flashing yellow: 
The network of another provider is 
being used, external network 
Roaming in a partner or external 
network entails higher call 
charges than in your home network.<6Traffic Message Channel activated, cur-
rently not available
7Display of Check Control83 
>Yellow: priority 2, the symbol flashes 
briefly. You can use the "Car data" 
menu to have the status report 
shown on the Control Display 
>Red: priority 1, these messages 
appear immediately, accompanied 
by a gong and a flashing symbol 
Status service requirement display82 
>Red: at least one service interval has 
been exceeded 
8Temperature selection display, right 
side of passenger compartment 
9Air supply, right side of passenger com-
partment 
10Entertainment: display for radio, CD, 
TV, DVD
11Air supply, left side of passenger com-
partment 
12Temperature selection display, left side 
of passenger compartment 
Assistance window
The status lines in the assistance window 
show the following:
>Outside temperature 
>Navigation system destination
>Time 
>Date. 

Voice command
26
Voice command
Voice command system 
The concept
The voice command system allows you to 
control operation of various vehicle sys-
tems without ever removing your hands 
from the steering wheel. The system oper-
ates on the basis of voice commands that 
you will learn easily after using them a few 
times. In many cases, the voice command 
system supports you with announcements 
or questions while you are making your 
entries.
The voice command system transforms 
your oral commands and dialog answers 
into control signals for the selected sys-
tems.
Please take the time to acquaint your-
self with how a particular system 
operates before proceeding to control it 
using the voice command system.<
Symbols used
{...} Verbal instructions to use with the 
voice command system.
{{...}} Identifies the answers generated by 
the voice command system. 
Systems available for use with voice 
command
>{Telephone}, refer to page174
>{Navigation}, refer to page130
>{Radio}, refer to page152
>{CD}, refer to page158
>{CD changer}, refer to page160
>{Notepad}, refer to page28
>{TV}, refer to page163
>{DVD}, refer to page165. Either the system that you are now operat-
ing or any current error messages will 
a ppe ar  in  th e I n fo Di spla y,  re fer  to  page27.
Voice commands
Voice command system activation
Briefly press the button on the steer-
ing wheel.
A signal tone and "SVS active" in the Info 
Display, refer to page27, indicate that the 
system is ready for use. You are automati-
cally in the main menu.
From here, you can call up all the equip-
ment that can be operated.
Canceling voice command
Briefly press the button on the steer-
ing wheel
or 
In dialogs in which any text can be spoken, 
e.g. names, notes, canceling is only possi-
ble using the button.
The system automatically switches 
over to its telephone mode if you 
receive a call during voice command. 
"SVS off" appears in the Info Display, refer 
to page27.<
Voice commands
The voice command system operates on 
the basis of specific, predefined com-
mands; these commands should be spo-
ken precisely as indicated. You can have 
the possible commands read back at any 
stage. To do so, say the command 
{Options}. 
In addition to the commands described, 
there are often other commands that run 
the same function. Instead of {Options}, 
you can, for example, also say {What now}. 
*
These sections contain information on 
using the voice command system.
{Cancel}.