
 
Contents
 
Notes
 
About this Owner's Manual4
Additional sources of 
information4
Symbols used4
Your individual vehicle5
Status at time of printing5
For your own safety5
Service and warranty6
Reporting safety defects7
 
Overview
 
Cockpit14
Instrument cluster16
Indicator and warning lamps18
Buttons in steering wheel*21
Hazard warning triangle*22
First-aid kit*22
Refueling23
Fuel specifications24
 
Controls and features
 
Opening and closing:
 
Keys28
Central locking system28
Opening and closing – via the 
remote control29
Opening and closing – via the 
door lock31
Opening and closing – from the 
inside32
Luggage compartment lid33
Luggage compartment35
Alarm system*36
Electric power windows38
Glass sunroof, electric*39
 
Adjustments:
 
Safe seating position41
Seats42
Manual seat adjustment42
Power seat adjustment*44
Lumbar support*44
Head restraints45
Entering the rear45
Safety belts46
Seat and mirror memory*47
Seat heating*48
Mirrors49
Steering wheel50 

37
Indicator lamp displays>The indicator lamp below the interior 
rearview mirror flashes continuously: 
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes immedi-
ately after the vehicle is locked: doors 
or luggage compartment lid are not 
completely closed. Even if you do not 
close the alerted area(s), the remain-
ing areas are secured, and the indi-
cator lamp will flash continuously 
after 10 seconds. However, the inte-
rior motion sensor is not activated
>The indicator lamp goes out immedi-
ately after the vehicle is unlocked: no 
manipulation or attempted intrusions 
have been detected in the period 
since the system was armed
>The indicator lamp flashes for 
10 seconds immediately after the 
system is armed: an attempted entry 
has been detected in the period since 
the system was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the 
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Tilt alarm sensor and interior 
motion sensorTilt alarm sensor:
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The 
alarm system reacts, for example, to 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the 
vehicle
Interior motion sensor:
In order for the interior motion sensor to 
function properly, the windows and the 
glass sunroof must be completely 
closed.Avoiding unintentional alarmsThe tilt alarm sensor and interior motion 
sensor may be switched off at the same 
time. You can do this to prevent a false 
alarm, e.g. in the following situations:
>In garages with elevator ramps
>When the vehicle is being trans-
ported by train
>When animals are to remain in the 
vehicle.
To deactivate the tilt alarm and 
interior motion sensors>Press the button on the remote con-
trol twice.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and 
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm 
sensor and the interior motion sensor 
are deactivated until the vehicle is 
unlocked and locked again.
You can have the tilt alarm sensor 
and the interior motion sensor 
permanently deactivated.<
The system inadvertently deacti-
vates the tilt alarm sensor and the 
interior motion sensor if the conve-
nience closing of windows and glass 
sunroof is interrupted within the first 
10 seconds and then restarted. The 
vehicle must then be unlocked and 
relocked before the sensors will resume 
operation.<
Alarm system*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex 

47
Seat and mirror memory*You can store and recall three different 
driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions.
Memory will not retain the adjust-
ment made to the lumbar sup-
port.
to the desired position
3. Press the M
EMORY
 button: the indica-
tor lamp in the button lights up
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as 
desired. Indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored setting
Do not select a memory position 
while the vehicle is moving. If you 
do so, there is a risk of accident from 
unexpected seat movement.<
Ignition key in position 1:
>Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3, 
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when 
one of the seat-adjustment or mem-
ory buttons is activated during the 
adjustment process.
The driver's door is closed and the igni-
tion key is either removed or in position 
0 or 2:
>Press and hold the desired memory 
button – 1, 2 or 3 – until the adjust-
ment process is completed.
If you press the M
EMORY
 button acci-
dentally: press the button again; the 
indicator lamp goes out.
Your BMW center can adjust your 
vehicle's systems in such a man-
ner that your personalized settings are 
automatically set for the seat and exte-
rior mirror positions when you unlock 
the vehicle with your personal remote 
control.<
Before activating the programmed 
adjustment feature, ensure that 
the footwell behind the driver's seat is 
empty and unobstructed. If you fail to 
do so, persons, animals or objects 
could be injured or damaged if the seat 
should move backward.<
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49
MirrorsTo adjust exterior mirrors1Switch for 4-way adjustment
2Switch to select between mirrorsTo adjust manuallyThe mirrors can also be adjusted by 
hand: press against the edges of the 
lens.
For storing mirror settings, refer to Seat 
and mirror memory on page 47.
The mirror on the passenger's 
side is convex. When estimating 
the distance between yourself and 
other traffic, bear in mind that the 
objects reflected in the mirror are closer 
than they appear. This means that esti-
mates of the distance to following traffic 
should not be regarded as precise.<
Electric defrosting*Both mirrors are automatically heated 
when you turn the ignition key to posi-
tion 2.
Interior rearview mirrorTo reduce glare from vehicles behind 
you when you are driving at night, tilt 
the lens by turning the button.
Vehicles without alarm system:
Tilt the small lever forward.
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71
Washer/wiper system/Rain sensor*0Wipers retracted
1Intermittent mode or rain sensor
2Normal wiper speed
3Fast wiper speed
4Brief wipe
5Rotary dial for control of the wipe 
interval or the sensitivity of the rain 
sensorIntermittent modeNot on vehicles with rain sensor.
You can select any of four sweep inter-
vals with rotary dial 5.
In addition, the wipe interval varies 
automatically depending on road 
speed.
Rain sensorThe rain sensor is positioned on the 
windshield, directly behind the interior 
rearview mirror.
To activate the rain sensor:
>With the ignition key in position 1 
or 2, move the lever to position 1. 
The wipers will make at least one 
sweep across the windshield.
You can leave the lever in position 1 
at all times. With the ignition key in 
position 1 or 2, all you then need to 
do to activate the rain sensor is to
>turn rotary dial 5 upward or
>clean windshield 1, refer to page 72.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain sen-
sor: turn rotary dial 5.
To switch off the rain sensor:
Return lever to position 0.
Turn the rain sensor off in auto-
matic car washes. Failure to do so 
could result in damage caused by 
undesired wiper activation.
wipe – not on vehicles with rain sensor.
Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
ers revert to operate at normal speed – 
not on vehicles with rain sensor.
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113
General driving notesHot exhaust system
High temperatures occur with 
every vehicle equipped with a cat-
alytic converter. Heat shields are 
installed adjacent to some sections of 
the exhaust system. Never remove 
these shields; do not apply undercoat-
ing to their surfaces. When driving, 
standing at idle and parking the vehicle, 
take care to avoid contact between the 
hot exhaust system and flammable 
materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc. 
Such contact could lead to a fire, 
resulting in serious personal injury and 
property damage.<
Parking the vehicleCondensation forms in the air condi-
tioner system during operation, which 
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of 
condensed water on the ground under-
neath the vehicle are thus normal.Before driving through a car washFold in the exterior mirrors manually 
because they could otherwise be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy 
roads, reduce your speed. If you 
do not, a wedge of water may form 
between tire and road surface. This 
phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and can lead to partial or com-
plete loss of traction, vehicle control 
and braking effectiveness.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as 
the tread depth of the tires decreases, 
refer also to Tire tread on page 120.
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. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical 
systems and the transmission may be 
damaged.<
Braking safelyYour BMW is equipped with ABS as a 
standard feature. If you are in a situa-
tion which requires full braking, it is 
best to brake using maximum brake 
pressure: panic stop. Since the vehicle 
maintains steering responsiveness, you 
can avoid possible obstacles with a 
minimum of steering effort, despite the 
full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal, combined 
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits, 
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its 
active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting 
on the brake pedal. Otherwise, 
even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures, 
brake wear and possibly even brake 
failure.<
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. Monitor traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does 
not endanger other road users. The 
heat generated in this process helps 
dry the pads and rotors. Immediate 
braking force is then available if neces-
sary.
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145
BatteryMaintenanceThe battery is completely maintenance-
free. This means that the original bat-
tery acid will normally last for the ser-
vice life of the battery under moderate 
climate conditions. Your BMW center 
will be glad to advise you if you have 
any questions concerning the battery.Charging the batteryWhen charging the battery in the vehi-
cle, leave the engine off at all times. 
Connect the charge cables to the termi-
nals in the engine compartment. For 
terminal locations, refer to Jump-start-
ing on page 147.Disposal
After changing the battery, have 
the old battery disposed of by 
your BMW center or bring it to a recy-
cling point. Maintain the battery in an 
upright position for transport and stor-
age. Secure the battery against falling 
over in transit.<
Power lossAfter a temporary power loss, e.g. due 
to a discharged battery, some equip-
ment will be limited in its use and will 
have to be reinitialized. Individual set-
tings are also lost and must be reset:
>Seat and mirror memory 
The position settings must be stored 
again, refer to page 47
>Clock 
must be reset, refer to page 77
>Radio
Stations must be reset, refer to the 
Owner's Manual for Radio/Onboard 
Computer
>Navigation system
The system will not be operable 
immediately, refer to the Owner's 
Manual for Radio/Onboard Com-
puter.
FusesYou will find the fuses and information 
on their respective allocation in the 
glove compartment behind a panel with 
two snap clips.
Do not attempt to repair a blown 
fuse or replace it with a fuse 
having a different color or amperage 
rating. To do this could cause a fire in 
the vehicle resulting from a circuit over-
load.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex 

Everything from A to Z
163
DSC Dynamic Stability Con-
trol 81
indicator lamp 19, 81
DTC Dynamic Traction Con-
trol 81
indicator lamp 19, 81
Dynamic Brake Control 
(DBC) 19, 115
indicator lamp 19
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC) 19, 81
Dynamic Traction Control 
(DTC) 81
indicator lamp 19, 81
E
Easy entry, refer to Entering 
the rear 45
Electric glass sunroof 39
Electric power windows 38
Electrical accessories, fail-
ure 145
Electrical malfunction
automatic transmission 
with Steptronic 69
door lock 31
driver's door 31
fuel filler door 23
glass sunroof 40
luggage compartment 
lid 33Electronic Stability Program 
(ESP), refer to Dynamic 
Stability Control (DSC) 81
Emergency call 146
Emergency operation
doors 31
driver's door 31
fuel filler door 23
glass sunroof 40
Emergency release
luggage compartment lid 
33, 35
Emissions, minimum, refer 
to Energy control 74
Energy control 74
Engine
breaking in 112
data 154
electronics 19
indicator lamp 19
speed 74, 154
starting 59
switching off 61
Engine compartment 124
Engine coolant 128
adding 128Engine oil
adding 127
additives, refer to Adding 
engine oil 127
capacity 157
indicator/warning lamp 19
quality 127
specified oils 127
Engine oil consumption 126
Engine oil level 19
check 126
indicator/warning lamp 18
Engine oil pressure
indicator/warning lamp 18
Engine oil types 127
Engine output, refer to 
Engine data 154
Engine speed 74, 154
Entering the rear 45
Environmentally-friendly 
driving, refer to Energy 
control 74
Equipment range, refer to 
Service and Warranty 
Information Booklet for US 
models/Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide Booklet for 
Canadian models
ESP Electronic Stability Pro-
gram, refer to Dynamic 
Stability Control (DSC) 81
Exterior mirrors 49Eyeglasses 
compartment 101
Eyelets, towing and tow-
starting 149
F
False alarm, refer to Avoid-
ing unintentional 
alarms 37
Fasten safety belts
indicator lamp 18
Fastening the safety belts 46
Fault displays 76
Filling the windshield washer 
reservoir 157
First aid, refer to First-aid 
kit 22
First-aid kit 22
Flashlight 100
Flashlight, refer to 
Rechargeable 
flashlight 100
Flat tire 141
Flat Tire Monitor 82
space-saver spare tire 141
Flat Tire Monitor 82
indicator lamp 18, 19, 83
Fluid reservoir for washer 
systems 126
Folding rear backrest 104
Follow me home lamps 85
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