
At a glance
 15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice command system* 
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2Initiating an emergency call*
3Reading lamps96
4Glass sunroof, electric
*38
5Interior lamps96
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*92
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9DTC Dynamic Traction Control85
10Central locking system32
11Automatic climate control
12Ejecting
>Audio CD144
>Navigation DVD12413Changing
>Radio station148
>Track157
15Controller16 
Can be turned, pressed, or moved horizon-
tally in four directions
16Activating voice command system
*22
17Opening start menu on Control Display17
18Drive for navigation DVD124
19Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume144
20Drive for audio CDs144 Air distribution to the 
windshield98
Air distribution to the upper body 
area98
Air distribution to the footwell98
Automatic air distribution and flow 
rate98
Cooling function100
AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control99
Recirculated-air mode99
Maximum cooling98
Residual heat mode99
Air flow rate99
Defrosting windows100
Rear window defroster100
14
Heated seats*43
PDC Park Distance Control
*83
Roller sun blind
*106
Hill Descent Control HDC
*86 

Adjustments
40
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head 
restraints and the airbags, the seated position 
has a major influence on your safety in the event 
of an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we 
strongly urge you to observe the instructions 
contained in the following section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page49.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance 
between yourself and the airbags. Always 
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your 
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, 
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or 
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered 
off. 
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant. 
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the 
front passenger side as a storage area. Make 
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly, 
e.g. not resting feet or legs on the instrument 
panel, otherwise leg injuries can occur if the 
front airbag is triggered.
Make sure that passengers do not lean their 
heads against the side or head airbags, other-
wise serious injuries could result if the side air-
bags suddenly deployed.<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries 
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be 
fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may 
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information 
on airbags, refer to page90.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the 
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way 
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the 
event of an accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page42.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants 
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the 
safety belt as an additional safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute.
Never allow more than one person to 
wear a single safety belt. Never allow 
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's 
lap.
Expectant mothers should also wear the safety 
belt, making sure that the strap in the pelvic 
area is well down on the hips and does not press 
against the abdominal region of the body. 
Do not route the belt across your neck, or run it 
across sharp edges. Be sure that the belt does 
not become caught or jammed. The safety belt 
should not be twisted and must be positioned 
firmly over the pelvis and shoulder, as close to 
the body as possible. It should not pass over 
hard or fragile objects, otherwise the belt in the 
pelvic area could slide over the hips in the event 
of a head-on collision and injure the lower abdo-
men. Avoid wearing bulky clothing and regularly 
pull the belt in the upper-body area taut, other-
wise its restraining effect could be impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page45.
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while 
the vehicle is moving. The seat could 
respond with unexpected movement, and the  

Controls
 45Reference
At a glance
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Communications
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Entertainment
Mobility
Convenience mode
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or switch 
on radio readiness, refer to page52.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1 
or 2.
The adjusting procedure is immediately halted 
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or 
one of the MEMORY buttons.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off, refer to page52.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2 
and maintain pressure until the adjustment 
process has been completed.
If the   button was pressed accidentally:
press the button again; the LED goes out.
Safety belts
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page40 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants 
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the 
safety belt as an additional safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute.
O n  t h e  r e a r  s e a t s ,  t h e  c e n t e r  b e l t  b u c k l e  m a r k e d  
with the letters CENTER is solely intended for 
the center passenger.
Closing
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in 
the belt buckle.The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of 
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page40.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
'Fasten safety belts' reminder for front 
seats
The indicator lamp comes on and an 
acoustic signal sounds. In addition, a 
message will appear on the Control 
Display. Check whether the safety 
belt has been fastened correctly.
The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is issued as 
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-
tened. The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is also 
activated at road speeds above approx. 5 mph 
or 8 km/h if the front passenger's safety belt is 
not fastened, if heavy objects are placed on the 
front passenger seat, or if driver or front pas-
senger unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or 
stressed in an accident: have the belt sys-
tem, including any belt tensioners, replaced and 
the belt anchors checked. Have this work done 
only by your BMW Center or at a workshop that 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel. Other-
wise, it is not guaranteed that the safety devices 
will function properly.<
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The front passenger's mirror is more convex 
than the driver's mirror. The objects seen in the 
mirror are closer than they appear. Do not 
gauge your distance from traffic behind you on 
the basis of what you see in the mirror; other-
wise there is an increased risk of an accident.< 

Controls
 49Reference
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Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the 
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger 
themselves and/or other persons by opening 
the doors, for example.<
The rear center seat is not suitable for installing 
universal child-restraint systems for all age 
groups, approved for the age group in question.
Children always in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest 
place for children is on the rear seats.
Children under the age of 13 or smaller 
than 5 ft/150 cm may be transported only 
in the rear in suitable child-restraint systems 
appropriate for their age, weight and size. Oth-
erwise there is an increased risk of injury in the 
event of an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no 
longer is any child-restraint system that is 
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
All rear seats in your vehicle meet the recom-
mendations of the SAE J1819 standard for 
safely mounting child-restraint systems in 
motor vehicles.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger 
seat, the front and side airbags must be deacti-
vated. Otherwise, a child traveling on that seat 
will be at an increased risk of injury if the airbags 
are triggered off, even with a child-restraint sys-
tem. Your BMW Center will be glad to advise 
you.<
For more information on automatic deactivation 
of the front passenger airbags refer to page91.
Installing child-restraint 
systems
Observe the child-restraint system man-
ufacturer's instructions for selecting, 
installing and using child-restraint systems. 
Otherwise the protective effect may be dimin-
ished.<
Standard child-restraint systems are designed 
to be secured with a lap belt or with the lap-belt 
section of a lap-and-shoulder belt. Incorrectly 
or improperly installed child-restraint systems 
can increase the risk of injury to children. 
Always follow the installation instructions for 
the system with the greatest care.
On the front passenger's seat
Before installing a child-restraint system 
on the front passenger's seat, make sure 
that the front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are deactivated, otherwise there is an 
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Seat height
Before installing a universal child-restraint sys-
tem, move the front passenger's seat up as far 
as it will go to ensure that the safety belt will be 
ideally positioned. Do not change the seat 
height afterward.
Backrest width
The backrest width of the front passenger 
seat must be adjusted to its widest set-
ting, otherwise the stability of the child seat on 
the front passenger seat is limited.<
1.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page42.
2.Install the child seat. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
90 tiously and think well ahead. Have the system 
checked.
If the warning lamp lights up during the first 
engine starting following a power supply inter-
ruption, the system must be activated by being 
initialized.
Brake Force Display*
The brake lamps light up in two stages, 
depending on how sharply you apply the 
brakes.
>Normal braking: 
The brake lamps and the center brake lamp 
light up.
>Sharp braking: 
The illuminated surface of the brake lamps 
is enlarged, as long as the rear fog light is 
not switched on.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the 
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page40 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and 
front passenger by responding to frontal impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the 
head and side airbags help provide protection in 
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The 
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags will purposely not be activated by 
every collision, e.g. not by more minor acci-
dents, certain roll-over situations and rear-end 
collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the 
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or 
modify them in any other way. Do not attach  

Controls
 91Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
seat covers, cushions or other objects not spe-
cifically approved for seats with integral side air-
bags to the front seats. Do not hang items of 
clothing such as coats or jackets over the back-
rests. Do not attempt to remove the airbag 
retention system from the vehicle. Do not mod-
ify the individual components of the system or 
its wiring in any way. This includes the uphol-
stered covers on the steering wheel, instrument 
panel, seats and roof posts, as well as the sides 
of the roof lining. Do not attempt to remove or 
dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered, 
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or 
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have 
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW Cen-
ter or a workshop that works according to BMW 
repair procedures with correspondingly trained 
personnel and has the required explosives 
licenses. Unprofessional attempts to service 
the system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either of 
which could result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front 
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and 
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or 
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior 
rearview mirror shows the current status 
of the front passenger airbags, deactivated or 
activated, refer to Status of front passenger air-
bags below.
Before transporting a child on the front 
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page49.
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-
vated by adolescents and adults sitting in cer-
tain positions; the indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags comes on. In such cases, the 
passenger should change his or her sitting 
position so that the front passenger airbags are 
activated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the 
desired airbag status cannot be achieved by 
changing the sitting position, transport the rele-
vant passenger on a rear seat. Do not attach 
seat covers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or 
other items to the front passenger seat unless 
they are specifically recommended by BMW. 
Do not place any items under the seat which 
could press against the seat from below. Other-
wise a correct analysis of the seat cushion is not 
ensured.<
Status of front passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags shows the functional status of the front 
passenger's front and side airbags in accor-
dance with whether and how the front passen-
ger seat is occupied. The indicator lamp shows 
whether the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated or deactivated.
>The indicator lamp comes on as intended 
when a child in a specially designated child-
restraint system is detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.
>The indicator lamp does not come on as 
long as a person of sufficient size and in a 
correct sitting position is detected on the 
seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not come on if the 
seat is empty.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
92
Operational readiness of airbag system
As of radio readiness, refer to page52, the 
warning lamp comes on briefly to indicate that 
the entire airbag system and the belt tensioners 
are operational.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not come on along with 
radio readiness
>Warning lamp remains permanently on
In the event of a fault in the airbag system, 
have it checked without delay, otherwise 
there is the risk that the system will not function 
as intended even if a sufficiently severe acci-
dent occurs.< 

Everything from A - Z
226
Everything from A - Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display 
texts used to select 
individual functions and 
refers you to the page where 
these texts can be found.
A
ABS Antilock Brake 
System84
ACC, refer to Active cruise 
control62
Acceleration assistant with 
the sequential manual 
gearbox SMG57
Accessories, refer to The 
individual vehicle5
Activated-charcoal filter for 
automatic climate 
control101
"Activation time"101
Active cruise control62
– indicator lamps65
– malfunction66
– selecting distance64
– sensor66
Active steering89
– warning lamp89
Adapter for spare key28
Adaptive Head Light95
"Add digits" for mobile 
phone172
Additives
– coolant201
"Address book" in 
navigation132
Address for navigation
– deleting133
– entering125,128,132
– selecting133
– storing132
– storing current position132"Add to destination 
list"128,129
Adjusting temperature inside 
the car, refer to Automatic 
climate control98
Adjusting the tone during 
audio operation, refer to 
Tone control145
Adjustment in audio mode
– front-to-rear145
– right/left balance145
Airbags90
– sitting safely40
– warning lamp92
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control98
– ventilation100
Air distribution
– automatic98
– individual98
Air flow rate99
Airing, refer to Ventilation100
Air pressure, tires188
Air recirculation, refer to 
Recirculated-air mode99
"Air recirculation on / off"
47
Air supply
– automatic climate control98
– ventilation100
Air vents97
AKI, refer to Fuel 
specifications186
Alarm system34
– avoiding unintentional 
alarms35
– interior motion sensor35
– switching off an alarm34
– tilt alarm sensor35
"All channels"154
All-season tires, refer to 
Winter tires197
"All stations", calling up on 
radio148"AM", waveband144,148
Ambient air, refer to 
Recirculated-air mode99
Antenna for mobile phone166
Antifreeze
– coolant201
– washer fluid60
Anti-theft alarm system, refer 
to Alarm system34
Anti-theft system30
Anti-trapping mechanism
– glass sunroof, electric39
– windows37
Approved axle loads, refer to 
Weights220
Approved gross vehicle 
weight, refer to Weights220
Armrest, refer to Center 
armrest106
Arrival time
– computer71
– destination guidance136
"Arrow display" in 
navigation137
Ashtray
– front107
– rear108
Assist, refer to BMW 
Assist178
Assistance systems, refer to 
Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC84
Assistance window20
– refer to iDrive20
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control99
Audio144
– controls144
– switching on/off144
– tone control145
– volume145
"Audio Aux"144,
162