
Controls
47Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In the
interaction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seat position
plays an important role in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to fol-
low the instructions contained in the following
section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page56.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment.
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
and does not rest feet or legs on the instrument
panel, otherwise leg injuries can occur if the
knee and front airbags are triggered.
Make sure that occupants do not rest their head
on the side or head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries 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 page92.
Head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in an accident.
Adjust the head restraint so that its center
is approx. at ear level. Otherwise, there is
increased danger of injury in the event of an
accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page50.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
Your vehicle has four seats that are each
equipped with a safety belt.
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. Make sure that the belt lies low around the
hips in the lap area and does not press on the
abdomen. The safety belt may not lie across the
neck, rub on sharp edges, be routed over solid
or breakable objects or be pinched. Wear the
safety belt without twisting, snugly across the
lap and shoulders, as close to the body as pos-
sible. Otherwise, the belt can slip over the hips
in the lap area in a frontal impact and injure the
abdomen. Avoid wearing clothing that prevents
the belt from fitting properly and pull the shoul-
der belt upward periodically to readjust the ten-
sion across your lap in order to avoid a reduc-
tion in the retention effect of the safety belt.<
Safety belts refer to page51.

Adjustments
52
Releasing
1.Hold the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the belt buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be in
the correct position for adults of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page48.
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and passenger seat*
The indicator lamp lights up and a sig-
nal sounds. At the same time, an addi-
tional message appears on the Control
Display. Please check whether safety belts are
being worn correctly.
The safety belt memory is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed on the passenger
seat.
Damage to safety belts
In the event of loads caused by accidents
or other damage: replace the belt system
including the safety belt tensioner and any child
restraint systems, and have the belt anchor
points checked. Have this work carried out only
by a BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with
appropriately trained personnel. Otherwise cor-
rect operation of this safety equipment is not
guaranteed.<
Heated seats
The temperature setting advances one step in
its control sequence each time you press the button. The maximum temperature is supplied
when three LEDs are lit.
To switch off:
Press the button longer.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger's side is
more curved than the driver's mirror.
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer than
they appear. Do not estimate the distance of
following traffic based on what you see in the
mirrors; otherwise, there is an increased acci-
dent risk.<
1Adjustments
2Switching to the other mirror or to the
automatic parking function
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page49.
Adjusting manually
You can also adjust the mirrors manually by
pressing against the outer edges of their mirror
glass.
Folding exterior mirrors in and out
To prevent the exterior mirrors from being
damaged due to the width of the vehicle,
always fold them in by hand before entering an
automatic car wash.<

Transporting children safely
56
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger
themselves and other persons, e.g. by opening
the doors.<
Children always in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is in the back.
Children younger than 13 years of age or
with a height under 5 ft/150 cm may only
be transported in the rear in child restraint sys-
tems which correspond to the age, weight and
height of the child. Otherwise there is an
increased danger of injury in an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
system can no longer be used due to their age,
size and weight.
With the exception of the driver's seat, all seats
in your BMW comply with the recommenda-
tions of the standard SAE J1819 for the safe
securing of 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, knee and side airbag on the pas-
senger side must be deactivated. Otherwise,
there is an increased risk of injury for the child if
the airbags are triggered, even with a child
restraint system. Your BMW center will be glad
to advise you.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page93.
Installing child restraint
systems
Follow child-restraint system manufac-
turer's instructions for the selection,
installation and use of child restraint systems.
Otherwise the degree of protection they offer
may be reduced.<
Child seat security
All rear safety belts and the safety belt for the
front passenger can be locked against pulling
out to secure child restraint systems.
Locking safety belt
1.Secure the child restraint system with the
belt.
2.Pull out the belt webbing completely.
3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in and
pull taut against the child restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
Unlocking safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child restraint system.
3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in com-
pletely.

Controls
57Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Coupe: child restraint system with
tether strap
There are two additional mounting points for
child restraint systems with a tether strap, refer
to arrows.
Placement of tether strap
1.Fold anchor fitting into upright position.
2.Push head restraint downward.
3.Guide tether strap over head restraint and
hook onto anchor fitting.
LATCH child-restraint fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
To attach a LATCH child's seat, follow the
operating and safety instructions of the
child's seat manufacturer.<
Rear seats
The mountings for the LATCH child-restraint
fixing system are located under the points
marked with the symbols. They are not visible
from the outside.
Before attaching the LATCH child's seat, pull
the belt away from the region of the child-
restraint fixing system.

Controls
93Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of a side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head airbag supports the head. The knee airbag
protects the legs from colliding with the cockpit.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e. g. less severe acci-
dents or 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 attempt to
remove the airbag retention system from the
vehicle. Do not modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in the air-
bag system. This category includes the uphol-
stery in the center of the steering wheel, on the
instrument panel, the side trim panels on the
doors and on the Coupe, the roof pillars along
with the sides of the headliner. Do not attempt
to remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components
directly 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 carried out only by a BMW cen-
ter or a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with appropriately 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.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The system
correspondingly activates or deactivates the
front, knee and side airbag on the front passen-
ger side.The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags below.<
Before transporting a child in the front
passenger seat, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page56.
The front, knee and side airbag on the front pas-
senger side can be deactivated for teenagers
and adults in certain seat positions; the indica-
tor lamp for the front passenger airbags lights
up when this occurs. In these cases, change the
seat position so that the front passenger air-
bags are activated and the indicator lamp goes
out. If the desired status cannot be produced by
changing the seat position, transport the corre-
sponding person in the rear seat.
Do not fit seat covers, seat cushion padding,
beaded mats or other items onto the front pas-
senger seat unless they are specifically recom-
mended by BMW. Do not place objects under
the seat which could press against the seat
from below. Otherwise a correct evaluation of
the occupied seat surface cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
The illustration here shows a possible arrange-
ment in the Coupe. With some vehicle equip-
ment packages or in the Convertible, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front,
knee and side airbag on the front passenger
side depending on whether the seat is occu-

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
94 pied. The indicator lamp shows whether the
front passenger airbags are activated or deacti-
vated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint system intended for the
purpose is properly detected on the seat.
The front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are deactivated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient height is detected on the seat.
The front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
But the front, knee and side airbag on the
front passenger side are still deactivated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
From radio readiness, refer to page58, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, indicating the
operational readiness of the entire airbag sys-
tem and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up as of radio
readiness.
>Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction; otherwise,
there is a danger that the airbag system may not
respond in the expected manner in an accident
despite an impact of corresponding intensity.<
Convertible: rollover
protection system
The rollover protection system is automatically
activated in the event of an accident or a critical
driving situation, extreme inclination on the lon-
gitudinal or transverse axis, or loss of ground
contact. The rollover bars located behind the
rear head restraints are deployed within frac-
tions of a second.
As a supplement to the rollover bar integrated
into the windshield frame, the rollover protec-
tion system ensures that all vehicle occupants
have the necessary headroom.
Always keep the path of movement of the
rollover protection system clear.
In less severe accidents, you are protected by
the fastened safety belt and, depending on the
severity of the accident, the belt tensioner and
the multistage airbag restraint system.<
Lowering
If the rollover protection system experienced no
impact after automatic activation, then it can be
lowered again. No tools are necessary for this
purpose.
1.Press the release backward and hold in that
position.
2.Press the rollover protection unit halfway
down from above.
3.Let go of the release.

Practical interior accessories
114 The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
Always take along the remote control when you
leave the vehicle; otherwise, children could, for
example, use the lighter and burn themselves.<
Connecting electrical devices
Socket
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, the cigarette lighter socket can be used as a
power outlet for hand flashlights, car vacuum
cleaners, etc., with power ratings of up to
approx. 200 W at 12 V. Avoid damaging the
socket by inserting plugs of different shapes or
sizes.
In front passenger footwell
Access to the socket:
Fold open the cover.
Ski bag*
It permits safe and clean transport of up to two
pairs of standard skies or one snowboard.
You can use the ski bag to stow skis up to 6.9 ft/
2.10 m long.
Loading
1.Press the button downward and pull the
filler element forward.
2.Extend the ski bag between the front seats.
The zipper gives you easy access to stowed
items and facilitates drying of the ski bag.
3.Press the button in the luggage compart-
ment.
4.Open the loading flap and use the magnetic
holder to secure it to the rear panel.
To stow the ski bag, perform the above steps in
reverse order.
Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges so that no damage occurs.

Reference 225
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Central locking system29
– comfort access36
– from inside vehicle32
Changes, technical, refer to
For your own safety6
Changing a wheel204
Changing language on
Control Display84
Changing units of measure on
Control Display84
Changing wheels192
CHECK button80
Check Control79
"Check Control
messages"80
Check Gas Cap186
Checking air pressure, refer to
Tire inflation pressure188
Children's seats, refer to Child
restraint systems56
Child-restraint fixing system
LATCH57
Child restraint systems56
Chrome parts, care, refer to
the Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Cigarette lighter113
Cigarette lighter socket, refer
to Connecting electrical
devices114
Cleaning, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
"Climate"105
Clock74
– 12h/24h mode83
– setting time and date82
Closing
– from inside32
– from outside30
Closing fuel filler cap186
Clothes hooks, Coupe113
Cockpit10
Cold start, refer to Starting
engine59
Comfort access36
– observe in car wash38
– replacing battery38Comfort closing
– windows, with comfort
access with Coupe37
– with comfort access37
"Communication"170,181
"Communication
settings"180
Compact disc
– refer to CD changer157
– refer to CD player157
Compartment for remote
control, refer to Ignition
lock58
Compartments, refer to
Storage compartments112
Compressed audio files157
Computer75
– displays on Control
Display76
– hour signal83
"Concert hall", refer to Tone
control146
Condition Based Service
CBS199
"Confirmation"31
Connecting car vacuum
cleaner, refer to Connecting
electrical devices114
Consumption display, refer to
Average fuel
consumption75
Consumption statistics, refer
to Average fuel
consumption75
"Continue guidance to
destination?"136
"Contrast" with BMW Night
Vision99
Control Center, refer to
iDrive16
Control Display, refer to
iDrive16
– setting brightness83
Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls, refer to Cockpit10
Convenience operation
– convertible top31,32
– glass sunroof31,32
– windows31,32Convertible
– convertible program for
automatic climate
control105
– opening and closing
windows38
– rollover protection
system94
– top42
– wind deflector45
– window and convertible top
operation with comfort
access37
Convertible top
– care, refer to the Caring for
your vehicle brochure
– convenience operation32
– emergency closing43
– manual closing43
– opening and closing42
Coolant197
– checking level197
– temperature74
Cooling, maximum107
Cornering Brake Control
CBC86
Country of destination for
navigation126
Courtesy lamps, refer to
Interior lamps103
Cruise control66,67
– active cruise control67
Cruising range75
Curb weight, refer to
Weights217
"Current position"140
Current position
– displaying140
– entering132
– storing132
"Curve mode" with
BMW Night Vision99
"Customer
Relations"173,182
Cylinders, refer to Engine
data214