
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 37
>On the first attempt, engage the starter for 
approx. 10 seconds
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway down.
Avoid frequent starting attempts in short 
succession or repeated starting attempts 
during which the engine does not start. Other-
wise, uncombusted or incompletely combusted 
fuel will pose a risk of the catalytic converter 
overheating and being damaged.<
Manual transmission
1.Engage the parking brake
2.Gearshift lever in idling position
3.Depress the clutch pedal.
If the clutch pedal is not depressed, the 
engine cannot be started
4.Start the engine.
Automatic transmission
1.Depress footbrake
2.Place selector lever in position P or N
3.Start the engine.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
1.Depress footbrake
2.Move selector lever to neutral position N
3.Start the engine.
If the engine does not start, re-engage the 
position last selected, refer to the display 
in the instrument cluster, and then engage posi-
tion N again.<
Switching off the engine
Do not remove the ignition key while the 
vehicle is still moving. If you did so, the 
steering lock would engage when the steering 
wheel is turned. 
When you leave the vehicle, always remove the 
ignition key and engage the steering lock.
Apply the parking brake when parking on steep 
gradients, as the vehicle could otherwise start 
to roll.<
You can have an acoustic signal set as a 
reminder that the ignition key is still in the ignition switch after the driver's door has been 
opened.<
Manual transmission
1.Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0
2.Engage first gear or reverse gear.
Automatic transmission
1.Place the selector lever in position P
2.Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
1.Engage a drive position
2.Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0. An 
acoustic signal sounds if the engine is 
switched off while position N is engaged.
Parking brake 
The parking brake is designed primarily to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling when parked. It 
operates against the rear wheels.
The indicator lamp lights up. As the 
vehicle drives off, an acoustic signal 
also sounds. The parking brake has 
been applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
To engage
The detent engages automatically and the indi-
cator lamp in the instrument cluster comes on 
when the ignition key is in position 2. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 41
Kickdown:
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during passing, 
depress the accelerator pedal completely. You 
achieve maximum acceleration.
To switch back to sequential mode: tap the 
selector lever again to the right toward D, or 
change the current gear via the shift paddles or 
the selector lever.
When driving off on inclines, drive 
smoothly without pausing. Do not keep 
the vehicle in place by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal; instead, apply the parking brake. Oth-
erwise, the gearbox could overheat.<
Shifting gears
With selector lever
>To upshift, tap the selector lever toward +
>To downshift, tap the lever toward –.
With shift paddles on steering wheel
>To upshift, pull one of the shift paddles
>To downshift, push the paddle.
In the following situations, the SMG in the 
sequential mode assists you:
>The transmission will only execute upshifts 
and downshifts that will result in an appro-
priate combination of vehicle speed and 
engine rpm. For instance, downshifts that 
would result in excessive engine speed 
cannot be executed
>During a stop the gearbox is automatically 
downshifted into first gear
>Shortly before a gear-dependent minimum 
speed is reached, the gearbox automatically 
shifts down without you taking any action.
Malfunction 
The warning lamp lights up. The trans-
mission system is malfunctioning. 
Avoid heavy loads.
All of the selector lever positions can continue 
to be engaged; in the forward drive positions, 
however, the vehicle will be operating in a 
restricted gear range only. Have the system 
checked as soon as possible.
Towing and tow-starting, refer to page98; 
Jump starting, refer to page97.
Overheating
An acoustic warning signal sounds. The gear-
box is overheating. If possible, stop the vehicle 
or drive off swiftly so that the system can cool 
off again.
Driving Dynamic Control
Driving Dynamic Control allows your BMW to 
react in a sportier driving style at the touch of a 
button:
>The engine responds more spontaneously 
to any motion of the accelerator pedal
>The vehicle is steered more directly and 
traction is enhanced
>Cruise control:
When the speed last stored is called up, this 
speed is attained more quickly.
Additional features with SMG:
>Gears are shifted more quickly
>The engine speed range is optimally utilized 
in the drive mode.
With automatic transmission:
>The Sport program is activated. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 69
1.Close all windows
2.Increase the air supply from the air condi-
tioner or automatic climate control to a high 
level. Refer to page58 or61.
Hot exhaust system 
High temperatures occur with every vehi-
cle equipped with a catalytic converter. 
Heat shields are installed adjacent to some sec-
tions of the exhaust system. Never remove 
these shields; do not apply undercoating to 
their surfaces. When driving, standing at idle 
and parking the vehicle, take care to avoid con-
tact between the hot exhaust system and flam-
mable materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc. 
Such contact could lead to a fire, resulting in 
serious personal injury and property damage.<
Hydroplaning 
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a 
wedge of water may form between the tires and 
the road surface. This phenomenon can lead to 
partial or complete loss of traction, vehicle con-
trol and braking effectiveness.<
Driving through water 
Do not drive through water on the road if it 
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at 
walking speed. Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, 
the electrical systems and the transmission 
may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, keep the vehicle from rolling 
by using the parking brake rather than by 
slipping the clutch, which would lead to a high 
degree of clutch wear.<
Braking safely 
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard 
feature. If you are in a situation which requires 
full braking, it is best to brake using maximum 
brake pressure: panic stop. Since the vehicle 
maintains steering responsiveness, you can still 
avoid possible obstacles with a minimum of 
steering effort.Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with 
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indicate to 
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Wet roads
If the roads are wet or if there is heavy rain, it is 
advisable to gently press the brakes for a brief 
moment every few miles/kilometers. Watch 
traffic conditions to ensure that this maneuver 
does not endanger other road users. The 
resulting heat dries the brake rotors and brake 
pads. Immediate braking force is then available 
if necessary.
Inclines
To prevent overheating and, as a result, 
diminished braking effectiveness, drive 
down long or steep downhill grades in a gear 
which requires the least braking. Otherwise, 
even light but consistent pedal pressure can 
lead to high temperatures, brake wear and pos-
sibly even brake failure.<
The braking power of the engine can be further 
enhanced by downshifting the automatic trans-
mission in manual mode, if necessary, into first 
gear; refer to pages39 and41. This prevents an 
excessive load on the brakes.
Do not coast with the clutch depressed or 
with the transmission or selector lever in 
Neutral. Do not coast with the engine switched 
off. Otherwise, the engine provides no braking 
effect while the transmission is in idling posi-
tion, and there is no power-assist for braking or 
steering when the engine is off.
Floor mats, floor carpets or other objects must 
not be in the area near the brake or accelerator 
pedal, as this could impair the movement of the 
pedals.<
Corrosion on the brake rotors 
Limited vehicle use, extended periods with the 
vehicle parked or in storage, and operating con-
ditions in which braking is restricted to gentle, 
low-pressure applications will all increase the 
tendency for corrosion to form on the rotors and 
contamination to accumulate on the brake 
pads. This occurs because the minimal pres- 

Special operating instructions
70 sure which must be exerted by the pads to 
clean the rotors by brake applications is not 
reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they will tend to 
respond to braking with a pulsating effect which 
even extended application will fail to cure.
Interior and exterior mirrors with 
automatic dimming feature* 
Two photocells in the interior rearview mirror 
serve to control the interior and exterior mirrors
 
with automatic dimming feature. One photocell 
is positioned in the mirror's lens, see arrow, 
while the other is on the opposite side of the 
mirror.
To ensure perfect functioning, keep the photo-
cells clean and the area between the interior 
rearview mirror and the windshield free of any 
obstruction like stickers, etc.
When the vehicle is parked 
Condensation formed in the air conditioning 
system during operation exits under the vehi-
cle. Traces of condensed water on the ground 
underneath the vehicle are thus normal.
Mobile equipment in the vehicle
BMW advises against using mobile 
equipment, e.g. cellular phones, inside 
the vehicle without connecting them directly to 
an outside antenna. Otherwise, it cannot be 
ruled out that vehicle electronics and the mobile 
equipment interfere with one another. In addi-
tion, it is not ensured that the radio waves emit-
ted during transmission are directed outside of 
the vehicle interior.<
Cargo loading 
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that the 
permissible carrying capacity of the tires 
is not exceeded. Otherwise, overheating and 
inner damage to the tires may result. The ulti-
mate result can assume the form of a sudden air 
loss.<
Determining the maximum load
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants 
and cargo should never exceed 
XXX kg or YYY lbs; otherwise damage to the 
vehicle and unstable driving conditions 
could 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 kilograms or YYY 
pounds
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals 
551 lbs. and there will be two 150 lbs. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 
251 lbs.
551 lbs. minus 300 lbs. = 251 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage 
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That 
weight may not safely exceed the available 
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated 
in Step 4. 

Replacement procedures
94 Please contact a BMW center in case of a mal-
function.
License plate lamps 
5 watt bulb
1.Push out the lamp with a suitable object and 
remove it
2.Replace the bulb.
Snap the lamp back into place.
Light-emitting diodes LEDs
Control elements, display units and other inte-
rior equipment in your vehicle use a light-emit-
ting diode behind a cover as a light source. 
These light-emitting diodes are similar to con-
ventional lasers.
Do not remove the covers, and do not 
look directly at the unfiltered light for sev-
eral hours. Otherwise, it can lead to retinal irrita-
tion of the eye.<
Changing a wheel
Run Flat tires
Your BMW is equipped with Run Flat tires. 
Therefore, the wheel no longer has to be 
changed immediately in the event of a loss in 
inflation pressure.
Run Flat tires are labeled on the sidewall with a 
circular symbol containing the letters RSC. 
Refer to page82.
BMW recommends that you consult your BMW 
center if you wish to replace the tires of your 
B MW , o r change  from  summe r to winter tire s o r 
vice versa. 
Your BMW center knows how to work with Run Flat tires and is equipped with the necessary 
special tools.
When mounting or replacing summer 
tires with winter tires, or vice versa, use 
only Run Flat tires since no spare wheel is avail-
able in the event of a flat.<
Jacking points
The jacking points are located at the positions 
indicated in the illustration.
Your BMW center can provide you with a 
suitable jack as an accessory.<
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is completely maintenance-free. 
This means that the original electrolyte will nor-
mally last for the service life of the battery under 
moderate climatic conditions. Your BMW cen-
ter will be happy to advise you if you have any 
questions concerning the battery.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up:
The battery is no longer being charged. 
The alternator drive belt is defective or 
there is a malfunction in the charging circuit of 
the alternator. Please contact the nearest BMW 
center.
If the drive belt is defective, pull over and 
switch off the engine immediately to pre-
vent overheating and serious engine damage. 
If the onboard supply voltage drops to a very 
low level, increased steering effort may also be 
necessary.<