
Controls
 63Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
gong will sound and a message will appear 
in the Info Display.
Starting engine 
Do not run the engine in closed 
rooms, as otherwise the inhaling of 
toxic exhaust gases can cause uncon-
sciousness and death. The exhaust gases 
contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and 
colorless, but highly toxic gas. 
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the 
engine running, as such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, always 
select position P on the selector lever and 
engage the parking brake before leaving 
the vehicle with the engine running.<
When starting the engine, do not press the 
accelerator pedal.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by 
leaving it running while the vehicle remains 
stationary. Instead, begin to drive immedi-
ately at a moderate engine speed. 
Your BMW is equipped with the conve-
nience starting feature. After pressing the 
brake pedal, all you need to do is briefly 
press the start/stop button. The system 
responds by automatically engaging the 
starter and allowing it to run until the engine 
starts, after which it then disengages auto-
matically. 
If the engine fails to start on the first 
attempt, for instance, if it is very hot or cold:
Press the accelerator pedal halfway down 
while engaging the starter.During a cold start at very low tempera-
tures, below + 57/– 156, at high altitudes 
over 3,281 ft/1,000 m:
>Engage the starter for approx. 
10 seconds the first time
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway 
down while engaging the starter.
Refrain from starting the vehicle 
repeatedly at brief intervals, and avoid 
an excessive number of starting attempts if 
the vehicle fails to start; repeated activation 
of the starter over an extended period 
would allow unburned or only partially 
combusted fuel to enter the catalytic con-
verter, where it can cause overheating and 
damage to the unit.<
If you have accidentally switched off 
the engine while driving, it can be 
restarted from a speed of approx. 3 mph/
5 km/h by pressing the button. It is not nec-
essary to press the brake pedal.< 
Switching off engine 
With the vehicle stationary, briefly press the 
start/stop button. This also activates the 
radio mode. 
The transmission automatically shifts to 
position P: interlock.
Transmission position N remains 
engaged if you keep to the following 
order:
1.With Comfort Access: insert the remote 
control into the ignition lock
2.With the engine running, engage trans-
mission position N
3.Switch off the engine
4.Leave the remote control in the ignition 
lock.
This function is useful in automatic car 
washes, etc.
Position P is engaged automatically after 
approx. 30 minutes or when you remove 
the remote control from the ignition lock. 
Remember to observe the Check Control 
for status messages.<  

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  

Things to remember when driving
124 ensured that the radiation which results 
during transmission will be discharged 
from the vehicle interior.<
Cargo loading 
To avoid loading the tires beyond 
their approved carrying capacity, 
never overload the vehicle. Overloading 
can lead to overheating and increases the 
rate at which damage develops inside the 
tires. The ultimate result can assume the 
form of a sudden air loss.< 
Determine loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's door pillar
*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never 
exceed XXX lbs. or YYY kg, as other-
wise the vehicle may be damaged and 
unstable driving conditions may 
result.< 
2.Determine the combined weight of the 
driver and passenger that will be riding 
in your vehicle
3.Subtract the combined weight of the 
driver and passenger from XXX lbs. or 
YYY kg
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load 
capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals 
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lbs. 
passengers in your vehicle, the amount 
of available cargo and luggage load 
capacity is 650 lbs.:
1,400 Ibs. minus 750 Ibs. = 650 Ibs.5.Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the 
vehicle. That weight should not exceed 
the available cargo and luggage load 
capacity calculated in step 4
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, 
part of the load from your trailer will be 
transferred to your vehicle. Consult the 
manual for transporting a trailer to 
determine how this may reduce the 
available cargo and luggage load 
capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permitted load is the total of the weight 
of occupants and cargo/luggage. The 
greater the weight of occupants, the less 
cargo/luggage can be transported.
Stowing cargo 
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and as 
low as possible, placing it directly 
behind the bulkhead behind the rear 
seats 
>Cover sharp edges and corners 
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat 
is not occupied, secure each safety belt 
in the opposite buckle.