
Opening and closing
36
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp below the interior rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: the 
doors or luggage compartment lid are not 
properly closed. Even if you do not close the 
alerted area, the system begins to monitor 
the remaining areas, and the indicator lamp 
flashes continuously after approx. 10 sec-
onds. However, the interior motion sensor 
is not activated.
>After the vehicle is unlocked, the indicator 
lamp goes out: no manipulation or 
attempted intrusions have been detected in 
the period since the system was armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote control is inserted into the 
ignition lock, however for a maximum of 
approx. 5 minutes: an attempted entry has 
been detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed.
Tilt alarm sensor
Monitors the inclination of the vehicle. The 
alarm system reacts, for example, if someone 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
Coupe:
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass sunroof
* 
must be completely closed.
Convertible:
Monitors the interior up to the height of the seat 
cushions. This means that the alarm system, 
including the interior motion sensor, is armed even if the convertible top is open. Falling 
objects, e.g. leaves, can trigger false alarms, 
refer to Avoiding unintentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following 
situations:
>In stacking garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off the tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the   button on the remote control 
once again immediately after locking.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are switched off until 
the vehicle is unlocked and locked again.
Comfort access*
Comfort access enables you to access your 
vehicle without having to hold the remote con-
trol in your hand. It is sufficient to carry the 
remote control with you, e.g. in your jacket 
pocket. The vehicle automatically detects the 
related remote control in the immediate vicinity 
or in the interior.
Comfort access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking vehicle
>Starting engine
>Comfort locking
Functional requirement
>The vehicle can only be unlocked if the 
vehicle detects that the remote control car-
ried is located outside the vehicle.
>The next unlocking and locking cycle is not 
possible until after approx. 2 seconds. 

Adjustments
48
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while 
operating the vehicle. The seat could 
respond with unexpected movement and the 
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an 
accident.
On the front passenger side as well, do not tilt 
the backrest too far toward the rear. Failure to 
observe this precaution can prevent the belt 
from providing effective protection against 
injury, as the passenger could slide under the 
belt in an accident.<
Also follow the instructions regarding damage 
to the safety belt on page52.
Convertible: with the wind deflector fitted, 
do not incline the front seat backrests too 
far backward if the seat is to be moved back to 
the end position; otherwise, the wind deflector 
will be damaged.<
Seat adjustment
 To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection, 
please follow the adjustment instructions on 
page47.<
1Inclination
2Longitudinal direction
3Height
4Backrest
5Convertible: head restraints, refer to 
page50With the sports seat
*, you can also adjust the 
thigh support manually:
Pull the lever and move the thigh support in the 
longitudinal direction.
Lumbar support* adjustment
You can also adjust the contours of the backrest 
to obtain additional support in the lumbar 
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a 
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: 
Press front or rear of switch.
>Move curvature up or down: 
Press top or bottom of switch. 

Adjustments
50 7.Select "After unlocking" or "After door 
opened".
8.Press the controller.
To cancel the request: 
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
When using this feature, always make 
sure that the footwell behind the driver's 
seat is empty and unobstructed. If you fail to 
do so, any persons or objects behind the seat 
could be injured or damaged by a rearward 
movement of the seat.<
Front 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.<
Coupe
Adjusting height
>To raise: pull the head restraint upward.
>To lower: slide the head restraint down-
ward.To reach the lowest position, press the 
button, refer to arrow 1.<
Adjusting tilt angle
Swivel the head restraints.
Removal
1.Pull the head restraint upward to the stop.
2.Press the button, arrow1, and remove the 
head restraint.
Installation
Insert head restraint into the sockets and 
adjust.
Convertible
Adjusting height
>To raise: move the switch upward.
>To lower: move the switch downward.
Adjusting tilt angle
Swivel the head restraints. 

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.<
In principle, all seats in your BMW are suitable, 
with the exception of the driver's seat, for 
mounting universal child restraint systems for 
all age classes approved for the respective age 
group.
Children always in back
Accident research shows that the safest place 
for children is in the back.
Children younger than 13 years of age or 
under 5 ft/150 cm in height must be trans-
ported in back, seated in child restraint systems 
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.
All rear seat positions in your vehicle comply 
with the recommendations 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 page91.
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.<
Commercially available child restraint systems 
are designed to be secured with a lap belt or 
with the lap belt section of a three-point belt. 
Incorrectly or improperly installed child restraint 
systems can increase the risk of injury for chil-
dren. Always follow the instructions for install-
ing the system exactly.
On front passenger seat
Before installing a child restraint system 
in the front passenger seat, make sure 
that the front, knee and side airbag on the front 
passenger side are deactivated. Otherwise 
there is an increased risk of injury if the airbags 
are triggered.<
Seat height
Before mounting a universal child-restraint sys-
tem, move the front passenger seat into the 
highest position to achieve the best possible 
belt routing. Do not change this seat height.
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. 

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.
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. 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
92
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-
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
With the ignition lock at radio readiness or 
higher, refer to page58, the warning lamp lights 
up briefly, indicating the operational readiness 
of the entire airbag system 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.< 

Practical interior accessories
108 Remove the flashlight from the socket when 
needed.
Be sure that the flashlight is switched off 
when it is inserted into its socket. Failure 
to comply with this precaution could lead to 
overcharging and damage.<
Center armrest
A storage compartment is located in the arm-
rest between the front seats. This compartment 
is integrated into the central locking system and 
can also be locked separately using the hotel 
function, refer to page33.
To open the cover:
Pull the left button. The cover opens and can be 
folded upward.
Depending on the version, the storage com-
partment can be equipped with a correspond-
ing cradle
* for the telephone or mobile phone.
Adjusting height
The center armrest can be set in two positions.
Pull the right button:
Move the armrest upward or downward and 
lock it in the desired position.
Storage compartments
Storage compartment behind center 
armrest
To open, raise the cover at the left or right edge. 
The compartment contains the cup holder
 and 
the lock for the hotel function, refer to page33.
Other compartments and nets
Other compartments are provided in the doors 
as well as in the front center console
*.
Ticket pockets are located in the sun visors.
Storage nets are located on the backrests of the 
front seats and in the passenger footwell
*.
To prevent the risk of injury during an 
accident, do not stow hard or sharp-
edged items in the nets.< 

Under the hood
190
Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or 
repair operations on your vehicle without 
the required professional technical training. If 
you are unfamiliar with the specifications to be 
observed, only have work carried out on your 
vehicle by a BMW center or a repair shop that 
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and 
uses appropriately trained personnel. Other-
wise there is a danger of damage and associ-
ated safety risks if this work is performed 
improperly.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull lever.
Opening
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood with momentum, releasing it 
from a height of approx. 16 in/40 cm. It must be 
clearly heard to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the 
hood is clear; otherwise, injuries may 
result.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while you are driving your vehicle, 
you should stop at once and close it securely.<