2006 BMW 650I CONVERTIBLE warning light

At a glance
13Reference
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Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in dif-
ferent combinations and colors, both in the dis-
play area1 and in the display2
When the engine is started or the ignition is
switched on, some lamps are checked for
proper operation and light up briefly in the pro-
cess.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the bottom edge of the Con-
trol Display explain the meaning of the indicator
and warning lamps displayed.
You can consult Check Control for additional
information, e.g. regarding the cause of a mal-function or the appropriate actions to take, refer
to page79.
In cases of corresponding urgency, this infor-
mation is immediately displayed when the
associated lamps light up.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps in the display
area1 indicate that certain functions are active:
Handbrake set60
Handbrake for Canadian models
Front fog lamps98
DTC Dynamic Traction Control87
High beams/headlamp flasher97
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is controlling the drive
and braking forces to maintain vehicle
stability87

Controls
37Reference
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Mobility
>The engine can only be started if the vehicle
detects that the remote control carried is
located in the vehicle.
Special features in contrast to ordinary
remote control
It is basically irrelevant whether you operate the
above-mentioned functions with the comfort
access feature or by pressing the buttons on
the remote control. Before doing so, please
familiarize yourself with the information on
opening and closing, starting on page28.
The special features when using comfort
access are described below.
Unlocking
Completely grasp a door handle, arrow1.
This corresponds to pressing the button.
If a remote control is detected in the interior
after unlocking, the electric steering-wheel lock
disengages, refer to page58.
Locking doors
Touch the surface, arrow2 on the driver's door
or3 on the passenger door with a finger for
approx. 1 second. This corresponds to pressing
the button.
For comfort closing, hold a finger on the sur-
face, arrow2 or 3.
If a remote control accidentally left in the
luggage compartment is detected inside
the locked vehicle after the luggage compart-
ment lid has been closed, then the luggage
compartment lid opens again. The hazard warn-
ing flashers flash and an acoustic signal
*
sounds.<
Switching on radio readiness
By briefly pressing the Start/Stop button, you
switch on the radio readiness, refer to page58.
When doing so, do not depress the brake
pedal; otherwise, the engine will start
immediately.<
Starting engine
You can start the engine or switch on the igni-
tion if a remote control is located on the interior
of the vehicle. It need not be inserted in the igni-
tion lock, refer to page58.
If you take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle with the engine running, a
warning lamp lights up. In addition, a message
appears on the Control Display. As long as no
remote control is detected in the vehicle, it is
only possible to restart the engine within
approx. 10 seconds after it is switched off.
Switching off engine with automatic
transmission
The engine can only be switched off in the
selector lever position P, refer to page60.
To switch off the engine in the selector lever
position N, the remote control must be inserted
in the ignition lock.
Before driving into a car wash with
automatic transmission
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock.
2.Depress brake pedal.
3.Place selector lever in position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Malfunction
The comfort access function may malfunction
due to local radio waves. If this occurs, then
open or close the vehicle with the buttons on
the remote control or with a key. To start the
engine after this, insert the remote control in the
ignition lock.

Controls
51Reference
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Mobility
Getting in back
Before starting to drive, fold backrests
back, otherwise there is the danger of
accident due to an unexpected movement of
the seat.<
Coupe: releasing backrest
Pull the lever upward and fold the backrest for-
ward.
The lever is designed so that the safety belt can
be hooked onto it. This enables you to fasten
the safety belt more conveniently.
Convertible: releasing backrest
The belt system integrated into the seat makes
it easier to get in back.
1.Pull lever 1 up and fold the backrest for-
ward.
2.Press and hold button 2 until the seat has
moved into the desired position.
3.After passengers have gotten in back, fold
the backrest back and lock it in place.
4.Press and hold button 3 until the seat has
moved back into its previous position. If you
release button 3 before this, the seat stops
in its current position.You can lock the backrest in place when it
is folded forward. This is useful, for exam-
ple, when you get into the vehicle while it is
parked on a hill. Press the backrest until it audi-
bly locks into place. To fold it back, you do not
have to use lever 1 to release it.<
Lock backrest warning lamp:
Lights up when the backrest is not
locked. At the same time, an additional
message appears on the Control Display.
Safety belts
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page47.<
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats.
Airbags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.

Driving
58
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control as far as possible into
the ignition lock.
>Radio readiness switches on.
Some electrical devices are ready for oper-
ation.
>The electric steering-wheel lock audibly
disengages.
Before moving the vehicle, insert the
remote control into the ignition lock;
otherwise, the electric steering-wheel lock will
not be unlocked and the vehicle cannot be
steered.<
Removing remote control from ignition
lock
Briefly press in the remote control; it pops out
slightly.
At the same time:
>The ignition is switched off if it was still
switched on.
>The electric steering-wheel lock audibly
engages.
Automatic transmission
The remote control can only be removed when
the selector lever is in position P: interlock.
Start/Stop button
Briefly pressing the Start/Stop button several
times switches the radio readiness or the igni-
tion on and off.
Briefly pressing the Start/Stop button
with the brake or clutch pedal depressed
starts the engine.<
Radio readiness
Some electrical devices are ready for operation.
The time and outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is automatically switched off:
>the moment the remote control is removed
from the ignition lock
>with comfort access
* by touching the sen-
sitive surface on the door handle, refer to
Locking doors on page37
Ignition on
Most indicator and warning lamps in the display
area1 of the instrument cluster, refer to
page13, light up for different periods.
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps in the instru-
ment cluster go out.

Driving
68 fares. Especially on longer trips, the system can
reduce fatigue and tension, while increasing
your enjoyment of driving. Please use it safely
and responsibly.
In addition to maintaining a steady cruising
speed, active cruise control will, within the
scope of given possibilities, adjust your vehi-
cle's speed automatically if you encounter
slower vehicles ahead, thus allowing you to flow
with the traffic without having to make frequent
interventions. For example, if, while cruising at
the selected speed, you begin to approach a
slower vehicle ahead of you in the same lane,
the system will reduce your vehicle's speed to
the same as that of the vehicle ahead to main-
tain your selected distance setting between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. You can
vary the distance, which is also speed-depen-
dent. Based on your selected distance setting,
the system automatically decreases the throttle
setting and lightly applies the brakes if neces-
sary. The vehicle brake lamps will automatically
illuminate to signal a following driver to take
action. In addition, it may be necessary for the
vehicle or the driver to downshift, depending on
the kind of transmission your vehicle is
equipped with, to maintain the distance setting
selected. If the vehicle ahead speeds up or
when the lane ahead becomes clear, your vehi-
cle will accelerate to the speed you have
selected by increasing the throttle setting and
shifting gears automatically or with the aid of
the driver as needed. Your selected speed will
be maintained when driving downhill, too.
Active cruise control is not and must not
be used as a collision avoidance/warning
system.<
Since this active cruise control system is
a new technology and operates differ-
ently from conventional cruise control systems
which you may be accustomed to, you are
strongly urged to read all of the pages relating
to this system before use. Pay special attention
to the information contained in the Things to
know about active cruise control section begin-
ning on page71.<
Professional* navigation system
If there is a navigation DVD in the player, refer to
page120, then the system adapts the acceler-
ation and deceleration behavior of the vehicle to
the road on which you are currently driving.
The influence exerted by the navigation system
is canceled when the vehicle position is
unknown, e.g. when it has left the mapped
region.
Manual transmission
You can shift gears with the cruise control acti-
vated. If you drive for extended periods at very
high or very low engine speeds, then a shifting
command is issued or the system is deacti-
vated.
SMG
If you drive for extended periods at very high
engine speeds in Sequential mode, then a shift-
ing command is issued or the system is deacti-
vated.
In the Drive mode, the SMG acts similarly to an
automatic transmission in the D position.
Operating active cruise control
1Store and increase desired speed
2Store and decrease desired speed
3Deactivate system, refer to page70
4Resume stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page70
5Select following distance to vehicle ahead,
refer to page69

Driving
72 your vehicle when there is a slow-moving vehi-
cle, stopped vehicle or stationary object ahead
of you, as for example at a traffic light or when
approaching a parked vehicle. Also, the system
does not react to oncoming traffic, pedestrians
or other types of potential traffic such as a rider
on horseback. It is also possible that the system
may not detect smaller moving objects such as
motorcycles or bicycles. Be especially alert
when encountering any of these situations as
the system will neither automatically brake, nor
provide a warning to you. Also, be aware that
every decrease in the distance setting allows
your vehicle to come closer to a vehicle in front
of you and requires a heightened amount of
alertness.<
If your vehicle is actively following a vehicle in
front of you and the vehicle ahead speeds up or
the lane ahead becomes clear, then your vehi-
cle will accelerate to the speed you have
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear,
unobstructed lane will also result in your vehicle
accelerating.
Be certain to deactivate the system when
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp.<
Also, vehicles traveling in a staggered manner
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the
lane next to you. Always be ready to take action
or apply the brakes if necessary.
Active cruise control can only decelerate the
vehicle to approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. If the sys-
tem reduces vehicle speed below 20 mph/
30 km/h or if DSC/ABS is engaged while driving,
the system will automatically deactivate.
Remember, the system cannot stop your
vehicle. In addition, the system is deacti-
vated whenever the driver applies the vehicle
brakes, shifts into neutral, or deactivates DSC.
After any deactivation, the system will no longer
automatically activate the vehicle brakes, which
means the driver must intervene and resume
manual braking. You should then reactivate the
system only when you are fully aware of the
prior speed and distance settings. reduce the stored desired speed; however, the
driver must constantly monitor traffic and inter-
vene if necessary.
When you switch off the engine or ignition,
active cruise control is fully switched off, too,
and any settings you have selected are can-
celed.
Swerving vehicles
When a vehicle moves from an adjacent lane
into your lane, active cruise control will not rec-
ognize this vehicle until it is fully in your lane
ahead of your vehicle.
Behavior in curves
Because of the limited range of the system, it is
possible that in curves or on the peaks and val-
leys of hilly roads, a vehicle ahead may be rec-
ognized late, or not at all. Therefore, it is up to
the driver to select a speed that is prudent in
view of the curves and terrain of the roadway.

Everything under control
74
Everything under control
Odometer, outside
temperature display, clock
1Time, outside temperature, and date
2Odometer and trip odometer
3Press button:
>with ignition switched on, trip odometer
is reset
>with the ignition switched off, briefly
display time, outside temperature, and
odometer
With the ignition switch at radio readiness or
higher the outside temperature and the time are
displayed.
To request the date:
Press the CHECK button on the turn signal
lever, refer to page79.
To set time and date, refer to page82.
You can set the unit of measure 7 or 6 on the
Control Display, refer to Units of measure on
page83.
Outside temperature warning
If the display drops to +377/+36, a signal
sounds and a message appears. There is an
increased danger of ice.
Ice can form even at temperatures above
+377/+36. Drive carefully, especially
on bridges and shaded roadways; otherwise,
your risk of accident increases.<
Tachometer
The white-striped advance warning field,
arrow1, changes depending on the engine
temperature. The segments disappear in
sequence as the engine warms to its normal
operating temperature.
Avoid allowing the engine speed to rise as far as
the advance warning field whenever possible.
It is absolutely crucial to avoid engine speeds in
the red warning field, arrow2.
In this range, the fuel supply is interrupted to
protect the engine.
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant and therefore the engine
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In
addition, a message appears on the Control
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page193.

Controls
79Reference
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Mobility
9.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The year is highlighted.
10.Turn the controller to make the adjustment.
11.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The date entry is stored.
To exit from the menu:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Check Control
The concept
The Check Control monitors functions in the
vehicle and issues a message if there is a mal-
function in the monitored systems. A Check
Control message of this kind includes indicator
or warning lamps in the instrument cluster, pos-
sibly an acoustic signal, and text messages at
the bottom of the Control Display.
Indicator and warning lamps
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in dif-
ferent combinations and colors, both in the dis-
play area1 and in the display2
This symbol means that a Check Control
message has been generated. The symbol
remains visible even if the Check Control message has been hidden after a short time.
The combinations of warning lamps and text
messages are stored and can be viewed later,
also refer to page80.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the bottom edge of the Con-
trol Display explain the meaning of the indicator
and warning lamps displayed.
You can display supplementary information
regarding most Check Control messages, e.g.
as to the cause of a malfunction and corre-
sponding actions to be taken, see below.
In cases of corresponding urgency, this infor-
mation is immediately displayed when the
associated lamps light up.
To exit the displayed information:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Importance of Check Control
messages
Important Check Control messages are
retained until the malfunctions have been recti-
fied. They cannot be deleted. If a number of
these malfunctions occur simultaneously, they
are displayed in succession.