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.<