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Your BMW center will be happy to answer
detailed questions on BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil or approved synthetic
oils.<
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website at
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
Viscosity grades
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and
is specified in SAE grades.
The choice of the right SAE grade is based on
the climatic conditions in the region in which
you normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the SAE grades
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils can be used for driving at all outside
temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns.<
Coolant is comprised of water and coolant addi-
tive. Not all commercially available additives are
suitable for your BMW. Ask your BMW center
for suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, otherwise
engine damage may result. The additives
present a health hazard; observe the instruc-
tions on the containers.<
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.The engine must be at ambient tempera-
ture.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank counter-
clockwise to allow any accumulated pres-
sure to escape, then continue turning to
open.3.The coolant level is correct when the cool-
ant level is between the MIN and MAX
marks, refer to the diagram adjacent to the
filler neck.
4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level – do not overfill.
5.Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.
Brake system
Malfunctions
Brake fluid
The warning lamp lights up in spite of
the handbrake being released; a mes-
sage appears on the Control Display:
stop immediately.
The brake fluid in the reservoir has fallen to
below the minimum level. At the same time, a
considerably longer brake pedal travel may be
noticeable. Have the system thoroughly
checked.
Display of the previously described
malfunction on Canadian models.
When you continue driving, an increased
brake pedal path can be necessary, and
significantly longer braking distances might be
required. Please adapt your driving style
accordingly.<
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Maintenance
The BMW maintenance
system
The BMW maintenance system supports the
preservation of the traffic and operating safety
of your BMW. The service schedule also
includes operations related to the vehicle's
comfort and convenience features, such as
replacement of the filters for the inside air.
The ultimate objective is to ensure economical
maintenance by providing the ideal service for
your vehicle.
Should the day come when you decide to sell
your BMW, a complete dealer service history
will prove to be an asset of inestimable value.
CBS Condition Based Service
Sensors and special algorithms take the differ-
ent driving conditions of your BMW into
account. Condition Based Service uses this to
determine the current and future service
requirements. By letting you define a service
and maintenance regimen that reflects your
own individual requirements, the system builds
the basis for trouble-free driving.
You can set the Control Display to show
remaining distances and times of selected
maintenance intervals and legally mandated
deadlines, refer to page75:
>Engine oil
>Brakes, front and rear separately
>Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter
>Brake fluid>Spark plugs
>Vehicle check
>Legally mandated inspections depending
on local regulations
Service data in remote control
Your vehicle stores this information continu-
ously in the remote control while the vehicle is
being driven. After accessing the data stored in
the remote control, your BMW Service Advisor
can suggest precisely the right array of service
procedures for your own individual vehicle. You
should therefore hand over the remote control
you last used to drive to the BMW Service Advi-
sor when you take your vehicle in for service.
Make sure the date in the iDrive is always
set correctly, refer to page81, otherwise
the effectiveness of CBS Condition Based Ser-
vice is not ensured.<
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models and
Warranty and Service Guide Booklet
for Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service
and repair operations performed at your
BMW center.
Take the time to ensure that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by entries in your vehi-
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance.<
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Replacing components
Onboard toolkit
Sedan
The onboard toolkit is located in the luggage
compartment lid.
Loosen the wing nut to open.
Sports Wagon
The onboard toolkit is located in the left side
panel of the cargo area.
Wiper blade replacement
Front
1.Fold the wiper arm out and grasp firmly.
2.Press the safety tabs together while sliding
the wiper blade toward the front to disen-
gage it.
3.Mount the new wiper blade and slide in until
it is heard to engage.
Rear*
1.Lift off the wiper arm completely and pull off
the wiper blade, refer to arrow.
2.Mount the new wiper blade and press on
until it is heard to engage.
Lamps and bulbs
Lamps and bulbs make an essential contribu-
tion to vehicle safety. You must be duly diligent
in replacing them. BMW recommends having
your BMW center perform any work that you do
not feel competent to perform yourself or that is
not described here.
Never touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare fingers, as even minute
amounts of contamination will burn into the
bulb's surface and reduce its service life. Use a
clean cloth, napkin, etc., or hold the bulb by its
metal socket.<
You can obtain a selection of replacement bulbs
at your BMW center.
Whenever you perform any work on the
electrical system, turn off the consumers
involved to prevent short circuits from occur-
ring. To avoid possible injury or equipment
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system, there is a danger of fatal injuries when
work is carried out improperly.<
Parking and roadside parking lamps
In the event of a malfunction, please go to your
BMW center or a workshop that works accord-
ing to BMW repair procedures with correspond-
ingly trained personnel.
Turn signals, front
Bulb 21 watts, PY 21 W
1.Turn the bulb holder to the left and remove.
2.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
Side-mounted turn signals
Bulb 5 watts, W 5 W
1.Press back against the front edge of the
light with the tip of your finger, then pivot it
out.
2.Turn the bulb holder to the left and remove.
3.Remove the bulb for replacement.
Side marker lamps, front and rear
To replace, please go to your BMW center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.
Tail lamps
Sedan
>Turn signals: bulb 21 watts, PY 21 W
>Backup lamps: bulb 16 watts, W 16 W
>Other lamps: bulb 21 watts, P 21 W
1Turn signal
2Tail lamp and brake lamp
3Tail lamp and brake lamp
4Backup lamp
5Reflector
6Roadside parking lamp, tail lamp and
brake lamp
Sports Wagon
>Turn signals: bulb 21 watts, PY 21 W
>Backup lamp and brake lamp 3: bulb
16 watts, W 16 W
>Other lamps: bulb 21 watts, P 21 W
1Turn signal
2Tail lamp and brake lamp
3Brake lamp
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When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts. Tighten all
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5.Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from
beneath the vehicle.
After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety, always have the
lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench as soon as possible to
ensure that they are tightened to the speci-
fied torque. The tightening torque is
88.5 lb ft/120 Nm.<
2.When stowing the wheel and tools in the
vehicle, execute these steps in the reverse
order.
3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems and valve stem
seal caps against dirt and contamina-
tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source
of gradual air loss.<
4.Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page88.
5.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Driving with compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
The driving characteristics change, for example
reduced track stability on braking, extended
braking distance, and altered self-steering
characteristics in the limit range. In conjunction
with winter tires, these characteristics are more
pronounced.
Only one compact wheel may be
mounted. You should re-equip with
wheels and tires of the original size as quickly as
possible.<
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, i.e., the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW center will be glad to advise in
all matters concerning the battery.
Charging battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine off. Connections, refer to Jump starting
on page212.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by your
BMW center or hand them in to a recy-
cling center. Maintain the battery in an upright
position for transport and storage. Always
restrain the battery to prevent it from tipping
over during transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require
reinitialization. Individual settings are also lost
and must be updated:
>Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page45.
>Time and Date
The values must be updated, refer to
page80.
>Radio
Stations must be stored again if necessary,
refer to page150.
>Navigation system
Wait until the system starts, refer to
page141.
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Giving and receiving assistance
Emergency call
Conditions for an emergency call:
>Full mobile phone preparation package
>BMW Assist is activated.
Activating BMW Assist, refer to page179.
>Radio readiness is activated.
>The car phone is logged on to a cellular
telephone network.
>The emergency call system is operable.
When the contact of participation with
BMW Assist expires, the car phone can be
deactivated by a BMW center without having to
visit a workshop. Following deactivation of the
car phone, no emergency calls can be made.
The car phone can be reactivated after signing a
new contract with a BMW center.
Initiating an emergency call
1.Briefly press protective cover to open.
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
2.Press the button for at least 2 seconds.
The LED in the button lights up. As soon as
the voice connection to the BMW Assist
emergency call center has been estab-
lished, the LED flashes.
If conditions allow, remain in the vehicle until
the connection has been established. You will
then be able to provide a detailed description of
the situation.If the current location of your vehicle can be
determined, it will be forwarded to the
BMW Assist emergency call center.
If the LED flashes, but you are unable to hear
the BMW Assist emergency call center through
the hands-free system, this could indicate, for
instance, that the hands-free system is no
longer operational. However, you may then still
be audible for the emergency call center.
Under certain conditions, an emergency call is
automatically initiated immediately after a
severe accident. The automatic emergency call
is not affected by the button being pressed.
For technical reasons, the emergency call
cannot be guaranteed under unfavorable
conditions.<
Warning triangle*
The warning triangle is located in the luggage
compartment lid/tailgate.
Sedan
Loosen the wing nut to open.
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>When mounted at an angle, the tow bar will
exert lateral forces, tending to push the
vehicle sideways.
Only attach the tow bar to the tow fittings,
as attachment to other vehicle parts can
lead to damage.<
With tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Only attach tow ropes to the tow fittings, as
attachment to other vehicle parts can lead to
damage.<
With tow truck
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
With tow truck for 525xi, 530xi
Do not tow the BMW with the front or rear
axle raised individually, otherwise the
wheels may block and the transfer case may be
damaged.<
The BMW may only be transported on a truck
bed.
Tow-starting
If the vehicle electrical system fails, do not
tow-start or tow the vehicle. The electric
steering-wheel lock cannot be unlocked and
the vehicle cannot be steered. Jump starting,
refer to page212.<
Do not tow-start vehicles with an auto-
matic transmission.Only tow-start vehi-
cles with a catalytic converter with the engine
cold. It is better to jump start the engine, refer to
page212.<
1.Switch on the hazard warning flashers,
comply with country-specific regulations.
2.Switch on ignition, refer to page56.
3.Shift into 3rd gear. Vehicles with SMG, see
below.
4.Tow-start with the clutch completely
depressed and slowly release the clutch.
After the engine starts, immediately
depress the clutch again completely.
5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope and switch off the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
6.Have the vehicle checked.
Vehicles with SMG Sequential Manual Gearbox:
1.Tow-start in selector lever position N.
2.Select Sequential mode. The correct gear
will be selected and engaged automatically.
Do not activate the HDC Hill Descent
Control of the 525xi, 530 xi during tow-
starting, refer to page86.<
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Mobility
Short commands of voice command
system
With short commands you can carry out certain
functions directly, regardless of which menu item is selected. Here are the important short
commands for the voice command system.
Assistance window
Communication
*
FunctionCommand
To open the assistance window20{Assistance window}
To select the display in the assistance window20{Assistance window map facing north},
{Assistance window map direction of travel},
{Assistance window arrow display},
{Assistance window perspective},
{Assistance window current position},
{Assistance window trip computer} or
{Assistance window onboard info}
To change scale in assistance window138{Assistance window scale ... feet} or
{Assistance window scale ... miles}
FunctionCommand
To open phone171{Phone}
To dial phone number171{Dial number}
To display phone book172{A to Z}
To select from the phone book172{Call ...} or
{Dial name}
To display "Top 8"173{Top 8}
To redial173{Redial}
To display "Received calls"173{Received calls}
To display "Missed calls"173{Missed calls}
To display "Bluetooth"167{Bluetooth}
To open BMW Assist179{BMW Assist}
To open "BMW Service"181{BMW Service}
To open "BMW Contact"183{BMW Contact}
To open "BMW Contact Numbers"181{BMW Contact numbers}