
Adjustments
56
Tilt function, passenger-side mirror 
Automatic curb monitor 
Activating
1.Select the driver's mirror with the mirror 
selector switch 
2.When you select the transmission 
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 vehi-
cle – such as a curb – when parking, etc. 
Deactivating
Slide the mirror selection switch to the pas-
senger's side position. 
Vehicle Memory, 
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. 
In developing your vehicle, BMW has incor-
porated a number of options for personal 
adjustment which you can set with the 
Control Center or you can have these pro-
grammed at your BMW center. 
There are vehicle-related and person-
related adjustments: Vehicle Memory and 
Key Memory. You can have up to four dif-
ferent basic settings adjusted for four dif-
ferent persons. The only requirement is that 
each person uses his or her own remote 
control. When your vehicle is unlocked with the 
remote control, the vehicle recognizes the 
individual user by means of a data 
exchange with the key, and makes adjust-
ments accordingly. 
To differentiate
Color-coded decals are provided to help 
you distinguish the individual remote con-
trols with their different settings. 
What the system can do 
Please contact your BMW center for more 
information on the range of options avail-
able with Vehicle Memory and Key Mem-
ory.
You will see this symbol throughout 
the Owner's Manual. It is to remind 
you at appropriate places of the settings 
that are available to you. These positions 
can be looked up in the index under the 
respective keyword.<
Following configuration of the mem-
ory functions, vehicle operation may 
differ from the description in the Owner's 
Manual. Should you want to sell your BMW 
some day, please remember to have the 
memory functions reset to the default 
state.<
Examples of Vehicle Memory 
functions
>Central locking system: set different 
signals as an acknowledgment
>Pathway lighting: deactivate/activate 
function and set times
>Daytime driving lamps: activate/deacti-
vate function 

Driving
66 Provided that the remote control is 
inserted in the ignition lock, you can 
also release the parking brake manually 
after the engine has been switched off, 
refer to page64. This function is useful in 
automatic car washes, etc. 
Automatic Hold is deactivated.< 
When leaving the vehicle, always 
release the remote control from the 
detent in the ignition lock; this precaution 
prevents children from disengaging the 
parking brake, etc.<
For your safety 
Automatic Hold is automatically deacti-
vated when 
>the engine is switched off 
>the system detects that the driver's seat 
is not occupied while the engine is run-
ning 
>the hood is opened while the engine is 
running 
>the luggage compartment is opened 
with the transmission in position R while 
the engine is running, and 
>when the parking brake is used to bring 
the vehicle to a stop. 
The indicator lamp changes from 
green to red, and the AUTO P letters in the 
Info Display disappear. 
Before starting off again, briefly press the 
button to disengage the parking brake 
manually, refer to page64, or reactivate 
Automatic Hold, refer to page65. 
Before leaving the vehicle with the 
engine running, always move the 
automatic transmission's selector lever to 
position P and ensure that the parking 
brake is engaged. The vehicle could start to 
roll if you fail to observe these precautions. 
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the 
engine running, as such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.< 
Automatic Hold is automatically deac-
tivated whenever the system detects 
any tendency for the wheels to spin in 
response to slippery road surfaces. Note the status reports in the Check Control. 
You can find additional information on the 
Check Control on page83.< 
Malfunction 
If a malfunction occurs, the indicator 
lamp lights up yellow in the Info Dis-
play and a status report will appear in the 
Check Control. Please note any supple-
mentary information that appears on the 
Control Display. 
Releasing parking brake manually 
You can respond to any interruptions in the 
supply of electrical power, for instance, if 
the battery is discharged or disconnected, 
by releasing the parking brake manually. 
Before proceeding to release the 
parking brake manually, and each 
time you park the vehicle without engaging 
the parking brake, always ensure that the 
automatic transmission's selector lever is in 
position P, refer to page68. Note the range 
indicated in the Info Display. 
If the wheel must be changed on a surface 
with a more severe slope, take additional 
precautions to secure the vehicle from roll-
ing e.g. with a chock, refer to page204 
Otherwise there is a danger that the vehicle 
could start to roll if parked on a steep 
slope.< 
Should it also be necessary to release the 
automatic transmission's lockout manually, 
for instance, if the battery is discharged, 
always adhere to the following sequence: 
1.If necessary, start by manually releasing 
the parking brake 
2.Then release the automatic transmis-
sion's lockout manually, refer to 
page70. 
Jump-starting and towing, refer to 
pages209 and210.  

Driving
68 >Engaging: the system registers the new 
status and the brake setting is initial-
ized. The indicator lamp in the 
Info Display lights up red. 
>Releasing: the parking brake is ready 
for operation. The indicator lamp  
in the Info Display goes out. 
Automatic transmission 
with Steptronic 
In addition to fully automatic operation, you 
can also manually shift with the button on 
the steering wheel, refer to page70. 
Transmission range selection 
P R N D 
The selector lever position is indicated, and 
in the manual mode the gear currently 
engaged. 
Program display
S or M1 – M6
Buttons on steering wheel 
Press briefly to proceed through a selection 
sequence consisting of the automatic pro-
gram, the Sport program, and the manual 
mode.Steptronic: 
Upshifting and downshifting, refer to Sport 
program and manual operation.
Selecting transmission range 
The selector lever is at the center 
position. To select transmission 
ranges D, R or N, always start by pulling 
toward the steering wheel, arrow1, then 
press up or down. Note the range indicated 
in the Info Display.< 
>Range D or R: 
Press the selector lever up or down, 
continuing to apply pressure to move it 
beyond the resistance point 
>Neutral N: 
Press the selector lever up to the resis-
tance point  

Driving
70
Sport program and manual operation 
Press the S/M/D button on the steering 
wheel:
The sport program is activated, and S 
appears in the program indicator of the Info 
Display. This program is recommended for 
a performance-oriented driving style. 
Pressing the S/M/D button again switches 
into the manual mode.
When the buttons on the back of the steer-
ing wheel are touched, the transmission 
upshifts. When the buttons on the front of 
the steering wheel are touched, the trans-
mission downshifts. The Info Display shows 
the manual ranges M1 through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combi-
nation 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 Info Display, followed by the 
current gear.
Pressing the S/M/D button again switches 
into the Automatic program again, and D 
appears in the program indicator of the Info 
Display.
Malfunction 
A message appears in the Check Control 
and in the Control Display. The directional 
arrows also start to flash in the Info Display. 
A malfunction has occurred in the transmis-
sion system. Avoid heavy loads. 
While it will remain still possible to move 
the selector lever to any desired position, 
the transmission will revert to operation in 
its default mode with only a limited number 
of forward gears. 
Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible.
Jump-starting and towing, refer to 
pages209 and210. 
Manual release of transmission 
lockout 
You can respond to any interruptions in the 
supply of electrical power, for instance, if 
the battery is discharged or disconnected, 
by releasing the transmission lockout man-
ually. 
To prevent the drive wheels from 
locking up and sliding, the transmis-
sion lockout must always be released man-
ually before the vehicle is towed.< 
Press the brake pedal before releas-
ing the transmission lockout manu-
ally. If the brakes are not applied, the vehi-
cle could start to roll if parked on a steep 
slope. 
The transmission lockout should only be 
released for towing. Remember to engage 
the transmission lockout when you repark 
the vehicle after moving it. 
Should it also be necessary to release the 
parking brake manually, owing to a dis-
charged battery, etc., always adhere to the 
following sequence: 
1.Start by manually releasing the parking 
brake, refer to page66 
2.Then proceed to manually release the 
transmission lockout.< 
Jump-starting and towing, refer to 
pages209 and210.  

Controls
 79Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
in city driving; heavy traffic such as during 
rush hour; on curvy, winding roads, slip-
pery roads or roads with sharp curves such 
as highway off-ramps; during inclement 
weather such as snow, strong rain or fog; 
or when entering interchanges, 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 
ability of the system does have physi-
cal limitations. It will not apply the brakes or 
decelerate your vehicle when there is a 
slow-moving vehicle, stopped vehicle or 
stationary object ahead of you, as for 
example, at a traffic light or a parked vehi-
cle. Also, the system does not react to 
oncoming traffic, pedestrians or other type 
of potential traffic such as a rider on horse-
back. It is also possible that the system 
may not detect smaller moving objects 
such as motorcycles or bicycles. Be espe-
cially alert when encountering any of these 
situations as the system will neither auto-
matically 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 alert-
ness.< 
If while 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 vehicle will 
accelerate to the speed you have selected. 
Be aware that changing to a clear, unob-
st r uc ted  lan e  w il l als o r esu lt  in  y ou r  v eh icle  
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 man-
ner 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 vehi-
cle 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 system 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 
deactivated whenever the driver applies 
the vehicle brakes, shifts the transmission 
from drive/D to neutral/N, or deactivates 
DSC. After any deactivation, the system will 
no longer automatically activate the vehicle 
brakes, which means the driver must inter-
vene and resume manual braking. You 
should then reactivate the system only 
when you are fully aware of the prior speed 
and distance settings.< 
Active cruise control may brake when you 
reduce the stored desired speed; however, 
the driver must constantly monitor traffic 
and intervene if necessary. 
When you switch off the engine or ignition, 
active cruise control is fully switched off, 
too, and any settings you have selected are 
canceled. 
Behavior in curves 
Because of the limited range of the system, 
it is possible that in curves or on the peaks 
and valleys of hilly roads, a vehicle ahead 
may be recognized late, or not at all. There-
fore, it is up to the driver to select a speed 
that is prudent in view of the curves and 
terrain of the roadway.  

Controls
 91Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
PDC Park Distance Control* 
The concept 
The PDC assists you when you are parking. 
Signal tones indicate the current distance 
to an object behind or in front of your vehi-
cle. Four ultrasonic sensors in both the 
bumpers monitor the distance to the near-
est object. The sensors at the front and at 
the two rear corners have a range of 
approx. 2 ft/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 function 
Whenever the ignition is on the system 
automatically assumes operational status 
after a few seconds each time you engage 
the transmission position R. 
Wait this short period before revers-
ing.< 
Switching on manually
Press the button, the indicator lamp lights 
up. 
Manual deactivation 
Press the button again; the indicator lamp 
goes out. 
Automatic deactivation 
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 manu-
ally as needed. 
Signal tones 
The signal indicating the distance to the 
nearest obstacle is directional. Thus, an 
object detected to the left rear of the vehi-
cle 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. The signal tone becomes continu-
ous once the distance to the nearest object 
falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm. 
The warning signal is canceled after 
approx. 3 seconds if you are moving paral-
lel to a wall. 
Malfunction 
The indicator lamp within the button flashes 
and a status message appears in the Check 
Control. PDC has failed. Switch off PDC. 
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.  

Practical interior accessories
112
Practical interior accessories
Integrated universal remote 
control* 
The concept
The integrated universal remote control can 
replace as many as three hand-held trans-
mitters for various remote-controlled 
accessories, such as door openers and 
house alarm systems. The integrated uni-
versal remote control registers and stores 
signals from the original hand-held trans-
mitters.
The signal of an original hand-held trans-
mitter can be programmed on one of the 
three memory keys1. Following that, each 
of the devices can be actuated with the 
appropriately-programmed memory key1. 
The indicator lamp 2 flashes to confirm 
transmission of the signal.
Should you sell your vehicle one day, be 
sure to delete the stored programs before-
hand for your safety, refer to page113.
To prevent possible damage or injury, 
before programming or using the inte-
grated universal remote control, always 
inspect the immediate area to make certain 
that no people, animals or objects are 
within the swiveling and movement range 
of the device. Also, comply with the safety 
precautions of the original hand-held trans-
mitter.< 
Checking compatibility 
If you see this symbol on the pack-
aging or in the manual supplied with 
the original hand-held transmitter, it 
is safe to assume that it is compatible with 
the integrated universal remote control.
If you have additional questions, 
please consult your BMW center or 
call 1-800-355-3515.
You can also visit these websites:
www.bmwusa.com or 
www.homelink.com. HomeLink is a registered trademark owned 
by Johnson Controls, Inc.< 
Programming 
1Memory keys
2Indicator lamp 
Fixed-code hand-held transmitter
1.Switch on the ignition
2.When using for the first time: press both 
outer keys1 for approx. 20 seconds, 
maintaining pressure until the indicator 
lamp2 starts to flash. The three mem-
ory keys1 are cleared
3.Hold the original hand-held transmitter 
at a distance of approx. 2 in/5 cm to 
8 in/20 cm from the memory keys1
The required distance between 
the hand-held transmitter and 
memory keys1 depends on the relevant 
system of the original hand-held trans-
mitter used.<
4.Simultaneously press the transmit key 
on the original hand-held transmitter 
and the desired memory key1 of the 
integrated universal remote control. 
Initially, the indicator lamp2 flashes 
slowly. Release both keys as soon as 
the indicator 2 lamp flashes rapidly. If 
the indicator lamp2 does not flash rap-
idly after approx. 15 seconds, change 
the distance
5.To program other original hand-held 
transmitters, repeat steps 3 and 4.  

Driving tips
 123Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Hydroplaning 
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce road speed. If you do not, a 
wedge of water can form between tires and 
road surface. This phenomenon is referred 
to as hydroplaning, and is characterized by 
a partial or complete loss of contact 
between tires and road surface, ultimately 
undermining your ability to steer and brake 
the vehicle.< 
Driving through water 
Only drive through water with a maxi-
mum depth of 1 ft/30 cm, and then 
only at walking speed at the most. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical 
systems and the transmission may be dam-
aged.< 
Safe braking 
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as stan-
dard equipment. The best way to brake is 
to apply maximum pressure to the brake 
pedal during emergency: full brake applica-
tion. Since the vehicle maintains steering 
responsiveness, you can nevertheless 
avoid possible obstacles with a minimum 
of steering effort. 
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with 
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indi-
cate to the driver that ABS is in its active 
mode. 
Driving in wet conditions 
While driving in wet conditions and in heavy 
rain, it is a good idea to apply light pressure 
to the brake pedal every few miles. Monitor 
traffic conditions to ensure that this maneu-
ver does not endanger other road users. 
The heat generated in this process helps 
dry the pads and rotors to ensure that full 
braking efficiency will then be available 
when you need it. 
Hills 
To prevent overheating and reduced 
efficiency of the brake system, drive 
long or steep downhill gradients in the gear 
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise, even light but consistent pedal 
pressure can lead to high temperatures, 
brake wear and possibly even brake fail-
ure.<
You can further enhance the engine's brak-
ing effect by selecting a lower gear in the 
automatic transmission's manual mode, 
downshifting as far as first gear on 
extremely steep stretches, refer to 
page70. This strategy helps you avoid 
placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem. 
Never allow the vehicle to coast with 
the transmission in Neutral – or with 
the engine switched off – as there is no 
engine braking when the transmission is in 
Neutral, and no power-assist for brakes 
and steering when the engine is not run-
ning. 
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other 
objects to protrude into the area around the 
accelerator and brake pedals and obstruct 
their movement.< 
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasion-
ally, during extended periods when the 
vehicle is not used at all, and in operating 
conditions where brake applications are 
less frequent, there is an increased ten-
dency for corrosion to form on rotors, while 
contaminants accumulate on the brake 
pads. This occurs because the minimal 
pressure which must be exerted by the 
pads during brake applications to clean the 
rotors is not reached. 
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, 
the brakes will tend to respond with a pul-
sating effect that even extended applica-
tion will fail to cure.
Mobile communications devices in 
vehicle
BMW does not recommend using 
mobile communications devices, e.g. 
portable phones, in the interior of the vehi-
cle without a direct connection to an out-
side antenna. Otherwise the vehicle elec-
tronics and mobile communications device 
can affect each other. In addition, it is not