2006 BMW 745Li warning

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
86
Technology for comfort, convenience and
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking.
Audible signals and an optical display indicate
that you are approaching an object in front of or
behind your vehicle. To measure the distance,
four ultrasonic sensors are provided in each
bumper. The range of these sensors is approx.
6 ft/2 m. However, an acoustic warning begins
to sound for the sensors at the front and at the
two rear corners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for
the center rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.
Avoid approaching an object at high speed; oth-
erwise, the system may sound the warning of
physical obstacles too late.<
Automatically activating
The system starts to operate automatically
approx. 1 second after you engage the trans-
mission position R with the engine running or
the ignition switched on.
Wait this short period before driving.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system switches
off and the LED goes out. You can reactivate the
system manually as needed.
Signal tones
An intermittent signal indicates the distance of
the vehicle from an object being approached.
Thus, an object detected to the left rear of the
vehicle will be indicated by a signal tone from
the left rear speaker, etc. As the distance
between vehicle and object decreases, the
intervals between the tones become shorter.
The signal tone becomes continuous once the
distance to the nearest object falls below
roughly 1 ft/30 cm.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message
appears on the Info Display. PDC has failed.
Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effectively.
When using high-pressure washers, do not
spray sensors for long periods and keep the
sprayer at least 4 in/10 cm away from the sen-
sors.
PDC with visual warning
You can also have the system show distances
to objects on the Control Display. Objects that
are farther away are displayed there before a
signal tone begins to sound.

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Deactivating DTC
Select "DTC" again and press the controller.
The LED on the Control Display and the DTC
indicator lamp on the Info Display go out.
Dynamic Drive
The concept
Dynamic Drive minimizes body roll and opti-
mizes vehicle stability during cornering and
evasive maneuvers.
Active stabilizers at the front and rear axles form
the basis for Dynamic Drive. Suspension com-
pliance adapts to suit driving conditions, vary-
ing from performance-oriented during corner-
ing to smooth and comfort-oriented when the
vehicle is traveling in a straight line. During vehi-
cle operation, the system continuously runs
through closed-loop control cycles lasting only
fractions of a second.
The system assumes operational status each
time you start the engine.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow and
a message is shown on the Info Display.
A malfunction has occurred in the
Dynamic Drive system. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
If a malfunction occurs, please remember
to adapt your speed accordingly, espe-
cially in curves.
The suspension will be noticeably softer and
the vehicle will display a greater tendency to tilt
during cornering and in crosswinds.
If a Check Control message stating that you
should stop is displayed, stop at a suitable loca-
tion and switch off the engine as soon as possi-
ble. In this case, the oil level in the reservoir may
have dropped below the minimum, possibly
owing to a leak in the hydraulic system.
Do not continue driving, but instead contact
your BMW center.<
Self-leveling suspension*
Malfunction
The warning lamp for self-leveling sus-
pension lights up yellow and a message
is shown on the Info Display.
A malfunction has occurred in the level control
system.
Stop driving and check the vehicle:
>The vehicle is considerably lower at the rear
than at the front, possibly also on one side,
at the rear left compared to the rear right.
>The ground clearance is reduced or the
driving comfort is noticeably reduced.
>The position of the vehicle is normal, but a
malfunction is indicated.
Drive to the nearest BMW center or a workshop
that works in accordance with BMW guidelines
and uses appropriately trained personnel. Drive
with appropriate caution in the meantime.
EDC Electronic Damping
Control*
If the influencing variables such as road surface
quality or operating conditions such as steer-
ing, braking etc. change, the damping automat-
ically adjusts to the new conditions.
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Settings".
3.Select "Vehicle" and press the controller.
4.Select "EDC" and press the controller.

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Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red and a
message is shown on the Info Display.
In addition, a signal sounds. A flat tire or
a major air loss has occurred.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Identify the damaged tire.
If identification is not possible, con-
tact your BMW center.<
3.Replace the damaged tire, refer to Chang-
ing wheels on page209.
Run-flat tires*
1.Cautiously reduce the vehicle speed to
below 50 mph/80 km/h. Avoid sudden brak-
ing and steering maneuvers. Do not exceed
a vehicle speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page199, do not
continue to drive. Continued driving after a
flat tire can result in serious accidents.<
2.Check the air pressure in all four tires at the
next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor
may not have been initialized. The system
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of a total loss of inflation pres-
sure, 0 psi/kPa, or obvious tire damage, you
can estimate the possible distance for con-
tinued driving on the basis of the following
guide values:
>With low load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km.
>With medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 95 miles/150 km.
>With full load:
More than 4 persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km.Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distances, and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations or loud noises occur while
the vehicle is being driven, this can indicate final
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible;
otherwise, pieces of the tire could come off and
cause an accident. Do not continue driving,
contact your BMW center.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow and
a message is shown on the Info Display.
The Flat Tire Monitor has failed. Have
the system checked as soon as possible.
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor*
The concept
TPM checks the tire inflation pressure in the
four mounted tires. The system indicates if the
tire inflation pressure has dropped considerably
in one or several tires.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must have been reset with the
correct tire inflation pressure.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics; oth-
erwise, fault-free operation of the system is not
ensured.
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
TPM cannot warn you of sudden serious
tire damage caused by external influ-
ences.<
The system does not function properly if it has
not been reset, e.g. a flat tire is reported despite
correct tire inflation pressures.

Controls
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Low tire pressure message
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, a signal sounds. A flat
tire or a major air loss has occurred.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Check whether your vehicle is equipped
with standard tires or run-flat tires.
You will recognize run-flat tires by a
circular symbol containing the letters
RSC on the side of the tire, refer to
page199.<
Standard tires
1.If all four wheels are shown in yellow, iden-
tify the damaged tire on the vehicle.
2.Replace the damaged wheel or wheels,
refer to Changing wheels on page209.
The spare wheel is equipped with the neces-
sary TPM electronics and when mounted, will
also be monitored once the system has been
reset.
Have the tire replaced by a BMW center or a
workshop that is familiar with handling TPM and
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Run-flat tires*
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page199, do not
continue to drive. Continued driving after a
flat tire can result in serious accidents.<
2.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guide values:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km>With a medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 95 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
More than 4 persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distance and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations occur while the vehicle is
being driven, this can indicate final failure of the
damaged tire. Reduce speed and stop as soon
as possible; otherwise, pieces of the tire could
come loose and cause an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving, but instead contact your BMW
center.<
Malfunction
The yellow warning light flashes and
then lights up continuously. The tires
are shown in gray on the Control Dis-
play and a message is displayed. No flat tire can
be detected. Have system checked.
A message like this is displayed in the following
situations:
>When a malfunction is occurring.
Have the system checked.
>If a wheel without TPM electronics is
mounted.
>If TPM is temporarily interfered with by
other systems or devices which use the
same radio frequency.

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the airbag restraint system, have the testing,
repair, removal, and disposal of airbag genera-
tors executed only by a BMW center or a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair pro-
cedures 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.<
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
appropriately activates or deactivates the front,
knee, and side airbag on the front passenger
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 in the following.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, observe the safety infor-
mation and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page54.
The front, knee and side airbag on the front pas-
senger side can be deactivated for teenagers
and adults in certain seat positions; then the
indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags
lights up. In these cases, change the seat posi-
tion so that the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the
desired status cannot be produced by changing
the seat position, have the person ride in the
back. Do not place slip covers, seat cushions,
beaded mats, or other objects on the passenger
seat that are not specifically recommended by
BMW. Do not lay objects under the seat which
could press against the seat from below. Other-
wise, a correct evaluation of the occupied seat
surface cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operational status of the
front, knee and side airbag on the front passen-
ger side depending on the seat occupation. The
indicator lamp shows whether the front passen-
ger airbags are activated or deactivated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint system intended for the
purpose is properly detected on the seat.
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.
Front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
The front, knee, and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated in
this case, though.
Operational readiness of the airbag
system
Once the radio ready position is reached, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, thus indicating

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
96 the operational readiness of the entire airbag
system and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up from radio
ready state.
>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.<
BMW Night Vision*
The concept
BMW Night Vision is a driver assistance system
that is designed to provide enhanced vision for
certain objects at night. This can be especially
helpful for detecting people and larger animals.
When objects are detected, the driver may be
able to take appropriate action sooner. For
example, the driver may identify and detect the
presence of persons or animals in the road
ahead or off to the sides and can be more alert,
slow down or stop, blow the horn, etc. The
driver can decide which actions are appropriate
and then react accordingly.
A certain area in front of the vehicle is viewed by
an infrared camera and a generated image is
shown on the Control Display. The resulting
thermal image shows the relative heat radiation
of the objects present in the camera's field of
view. Warmer objects appear brighter and
cooler objects appear darker. Contrast is
dependent on the temperature difference
between the objects and the background and
on the amount of heat radiation of the object
itself. As a result, it is quite possible that a per-
son is not continually recognizable as a person
in shape, since the thermal radiation can be
affected by different clothing which blocks heat
loss. Objects with little temperature difference
to the surrounding area, or little heat radiation
are less noticeable, for example in cold weather.Any improvement in detection depends on
many factors such as the object size and tem-
perature compared to the surroundings, or
other nearby objects, the visual recognition
skills of the driver, weather conditions, and
other factors.
Driving hints
With the system active, periodically but briefly,
glance at the thermal image on the Control Dis-
play to notice objects that could be people or
larger animals. The glance should be similar to
glancing at the rear view mirror. Do not stare at
the image for long periods while driving, as this
will take your attention away from the road. If
you notice an object of interest ahead, be pre-
pared to slow down or stop, blow the horn, or
take other appropriate action.
System limits
The system is designed to supplement but not
replace forward vision through the windshield.
The driver is responsible for safe driving at
night. BMW Night Vision is not designed to be
used as a continuous viewing window for driv-
ing at night.
No system, no matter how sophisticated, can
operate without limitations. BMW Night Vision
operation is subject to physical and environ-
mental limitations that will reduce the ability of
the system to detect and display a clear thermal
image. Some of the situations in which these
limitations can occur are:
>on steep hilltops or depressions and in tight
curves
>in tunnels, as the contrast is inherently low
>when the camera lens is dirty

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there is interference, it can take a while for
the station names to appear.
Switching RDS on/off
1.Select "FM" and press the controller.
2.Choose the selection criterion and press
the controller.
3.Select "MANUAL" and press the controller.
4.Select "RDS" and press the controller.
RDS is available in the FM waveband.<
Weather reports
Weather Radio is a service of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
of the US Department of Trade. Weather
reports are repeated every 4 to 6 minutes and
are routinely updated at intervals of 1 to
3 hours, and more often when necessary. Most
stations operate 24 hours a day. In case of a
storm, the National Weather Service interrupts
the routine weather news and transmits special
warning messages instead. Should you have
questions regarding NOAA Weather Radio,
please contact the nearest office of the National
Weather Service or write to the National
Weather Service at: W/OM1, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 1325 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Calling up weather reports
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Entertain-
ment".3.Select "WB" and press the controller.
A list of the available channels is displayed.
4.Turn the controller until the desired channel
is selected and press the controller.
The display shows a list of weather band sta-
tions
In some regions, only one or two channels
can be received or Weather Band chan-
nels are unavailable.<
Using the voice command system
Satellite radio*
You can receive approx. 100 different channels
with high sound quality.
The channels are offered to you in predefined
packages. To listen to the channels of your
choice, you must have these channels enabled.
With this new technology the signal may fail,
causing interruptions in reception.
Using the voice command system:
Enabling or disabling channels
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Entertain-
ment".
3.Select "SAT" and press the controller.
1.{Weatherband}.
2.{Channel 1...7}.
1.{Satellite Radio} or {SDARS}.
2.{Turn on}.

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203Reference
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Possible displays
>"Update of engine oil level in process".
>"Engine oil level O.K.".
>"Oil level at minimum! Add 1 quart engine
oil": Add a maximum of 1 quart/1 liter of
engine oil at the earliest opportunity, refer
to Adding engine oil.
>"Oil level under min.! Add 1 quart engine
oil": Add a maximum of 1 quart/1 liter of
engine oil at the earliest opportunity, refer
to Adding engine oil.
>"Engine oil level too high".
Have vehicle checked immediately;
otherwise, overfilled oil can lead to
engine damage.<
>"No measurement possible at this time".
Adding engine oil
Do not add oil until a Check Control message
appears.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oil, grease, etc. out of reach of chil-
dren and heed warnings on the contain-
ers to avoid health risks.<
Oil changing
Only have an oil change carried out by a BMW
center or a repair shop that works in accordance
with BMW guidelines and uses appropriately
trained personnel.
Approved engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the operation and service life of an engine. BMW continuously approves spe-
cific engine oils after confirming their suitability
for use in its vehicles with extensive testing.
Use only approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.
If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is
unavailable, you can add small quantities of
other synthetic oils between oil changes. Use
only oils of the specification API SH or higher.
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.
Never use oil additives as they can dam-
age your engine under some circum-
stances.<
Viscosity grades
The viscosity is a measure of the thickness of
the oil 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 open the cooling system when the
engine is hot. Escaping coolant can cause
burns.<
Coolant consists of water and supplemental
antifreeze and anticorrosion agents. 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.<