Driving
60 You can program the programmable but-
ton on the steering wheel with the Auto-
matic Hold function, refer to page52. This gives
you the option of being able to quickly activate
or deactivate Automatic Hold without distract-
ing your attention from the road.<
Driving
The parking brake engages automatically when
the vehicle comes to a stop.
The indicator lamp on Info Display lights up
green.
To start off again, simply press the accelerator
pedal. The parking brake is released automati-
cally; the indicator lamp goes out.
Do not drive through an automatic car
wash with the Automatic Hold on and the
engine running. Otherwise, the system will
engage the parking brake the moment the vehi-
cle comes to a stop.<
Parking
The parking brake engages automatically when
you stop the vehicle and switch off the engine.
The indicator lamp changes from green to
red.
You can also release the parking brake
manually after the engine is switched off,
as long as the remote control is in the ignition
lock, refer to page59. You can use this function,
for example, in a car wash.
Automatic Hold is deactivated.<
When leaving the vehicle, release the
remote control from the detent in the igni-
tion lock; this precaution prevents children from
disengaging the parking brake etc.<
For your safety
Automatic Hold is automatically deactivated
when:
>the engine is switched off
>the system detects that the driver's seat is
not occupied while the engine is running
>the hood is opened while the engine is run-
ning>the luggage compartment is opened with
the transmission in position R while the
engine is running
>and when the parking brake is used to brake
the vehicle to a stop during driving
The indicator lamp changes from green to
red, and the indication AUTO P on the Info Dis-
play disappears.
Before starting off again, briefly press the but-
ton to disengage the parking brake manually,
refer to page59, or reactivate Automatic Hold,
refer to page59.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine
running, always move the automatic
transmission's selector lever to position P and
ensure that the parking brake is engaged. The
vehicle could start to roll if you fail to observe
these precautions.<
Automatic Hold is automatically deacti-
vated whenever the system detects any
tendency for the wheels to spin in response to
slippery road surfaces.
Observe the messages on the Info Display. For
additional information, refer to Check Control
on page80.<
Releasing parking brake manually
In the event of an electrical power loss or elec-
trical malfunction, you can release the parking
brake manually.
Before manually releasing the parking
brake and each time you park the vehicle
without engaging the parking brake, make sure
that the automatic transmission is in position P,
refer to page62. Be sure to pay attention to the
information on the Info Display.
If circumstances should force you to park on a
steeply inclined road surface, it is essential to
take additional precautions against inadvertent
rolling, e.g. by using the chock, refer to
page209. Otherwise, there is the danger of the
vehicle rolling, depending on the incline.<
If it becomes necessary to also unlock the
transmission lock of the automatic transmis-
sion, follow this sequence:
Controls
61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1.If necessary, start by releasing the parking
brake manually.
2.Then release the automatic transmission's
transmission lock manually, refer to
page64.
Jump starting and tow starting, refer to
pages213 and214.
What you will need
1Screwdriver handle
2Unlocking tool
310 mm open-end wrench
You will find the required tools in the onboard
tool kit mounted on the inside of the luggage
compartment lid, refer to page207.
Insert the release tool into the screwdriver han-
dle as shown in the illustration.
Releasing
1.Remove the floor mat and the cover above
the spare tire.
2.With the attached screwdriver handle,
insert the release tool into the opening,
arrow1.
3.Fit the open-end wrench onto the hexago-
nal section of the release tool.
Insert the release tool counter to the spring force until the stop is reached, press and
rotate in the arrow direction2 until it notice-
ably engages and meets a perceptible
resistance.
4.Without releasing, continue to turn counter
to the mechanical resistance of the drive
unit in the arrow direction 2 until you can
feel a significant increase in the force of the
resistance.
To prevent possible damage to the
rear brakes, always make sure that
the parking brake is completely released
before driving the vehicle.<
5.Return the tools to their places.
6.Return the spare tire cover and the floor mat
to their original locations.
Have a malfunction corrected only by a
BMW center or a repair shop that works in
accordance with BMW guidelines and uses
appropriately trained personnel. Only techni-
cians can return the parking brake to normal
operational status after it has been released
manually in response to a malfunction.<
Following manual release, the actual sta-
tus of the parking brake may deviate from
that displayed by the indicator lamp.<
Operation after interruptions in power
supply
The parking brake can only be used again
if it was manually released due to an inter-
ruption in the supply of electrical power. Other-
wise, the function of the parking brake is not
guaranteed and there is a danger of the vehicle
rolling despite the parking brake being
engaged.<
Once the electrical power supply has been
restored, you can again use the parking brake:
With the ignition on and the vehicle
stationary, briefly press the button
three times at intervals of approx.
5 seconds. This executes the fol-
lowing initialization sequence:
>Initializing the disengaged setting.
>Engaging: the system registers the new
status and the brake setting is initialized.
Driving
62 The indicator lamp on Info Display lights
up green.
>Releasing: the parking brake is ready for
operation.
The indicator lamp on the Info Display
goes out.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also shift manually using the buttons on the
steering wheel, refer to page63.
Transmission range selection
P R N D
Displays on Info Display
P R N D S or M1 to M6
The transmission range is indicated, and in the
manual mode, the gear currently engaged.
Selecting transmission range
>Only engage transmission positions D, R,
or N when the engine is running: interlock.
>With the vehicle stationary, depress the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise, the shift command will not be
executed: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
maintain pressure on the brake pedal until
you are ready to start off. Activate Auto-
matic Hold to suppress the tendency to
creep, refer to page59.
Selecting D, R or N
Lightly pull selector lever and engage desired
position:
>N Neutral:
Up to resistance point, arrowN.
>D Drive:
Downward past resistance point, arrowD.
>R Reverse:
Upward past resistance point, arrowR.
The selector lever immediately returns to the
center position when released.
Selecting P
Press button P.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
Transmission automatically shifts into P
as soon as you switch off the engine
unless N is selected and the remote control is
inserted into the ignition lock, refer to
page58.<
Controls
63Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this position, for example, in car
washes. The vehicle can roll.
Transmission remains in N even after the
ignition is switched off whenever you
leave the remote control in the ignition lock.
This function is useful in automatic car washes,
etc.
After approx. 30 minutes the system automati-
cally shifts into position P. Observe the mes-
sages on the Info Display.
Switching off engine, refer to page58.<
D Drive, automatic position
This is the mode recommended for normal
vehicle operation. All forward gears are avail-
able.
Under normal operating conditions, the fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in posi-
tion D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual operation
Press button1 on the steering wheel.
The sport program is activated and S appears
on the Info Display. This program is recom-
mended for a performance-oriented driving
style.
Press button1 again to switch into the manual
mode and then into the Automatic program
again.
In the manual mode, the Steptronic changes
gears when one of the buttons2 on the front or
back of the steering wheel is briefly pressed.
The Info Display shows the manual ranges M1
through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
the system will not execute a downshift that
would cause the engine to overrev. The
requested gear appears briefly on the Info Dis-
play, followed by the current gear.
Press button1 again to switch into the Auto-
matic program again.
Driving
64
Manually releasing transmission lock
In case of a power failure, e.g. when the
battery is drained or disconnected, or in
the event of an electrical malfunction, the trans-
mission lock must be manually released; other-
wise, the drive wheels are locked and the vehi-
cle cannot be towed.<
When manually releasing the transmis-
sion lock, depress the brake pedal; other-
wise, there is a danger of the vehicle rolling
when the transmission lock is manually
released.<
The transmission lock should only be released
for towing. Reengage the transmission lock
after parking the vehicle at its destination.
If it also becomes necessary to manually
release the parking brake, follow this sequence:
1.Start by manually releasing the parking
brake, refer to page60
2.Then proceed to manually release the
transmission lock.
Jump starting and tow starting, refer to
pages213 and214.
Releasing
1.Use the vehicle key to release the cover
panel beneath the instrument panel by turn-
ing the lock counterclockwise, then fold
down the cover.2.Pull out the release lever with the loop1
until it locks into place: the transmission
lock is unlocked.
Reengage the transmission lock after
parking the vehicle at its destination. Oth-
erwise, there is a danger of the vehicle rolling.<
Engaging locks
1.Disengage the release lever by pressing it
together with the red detent lever, refer to
arrow.
2.Guide the release lever all the way back into
its original position – the transmission lock
is engaged once more.
3.Fold up and lock the cover panel again. Now
– and not before – the key may be removed.
Once the transmission lock has been
engaged, the message in the Info Display
should disappear, and the symbol on the Info
Display should change from N to P. Otherwise,
there is a danger of the vehicle rolling.<
Jump starting and tow starting, refer to
pages213 and214.
Controls
67Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Windshield and headlamp washer
system
Capacity: 6.3 US quarts/6 liters.
Fill with water and – if required – with a washer
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
Programmable cruise control
The concept
The programmable cruise control is available
for use at speeds of approx. 20 mph/30 km/h
and higher. The vehicle maintains and stores
the speed that you set using the lever mounted
on the steering column.
You can also use the multilevel preset mode to
store six desired speeds for later selection with
the lever, refer to page67.
This feature assists you in quickly adapting the
vehicle speed to specific road conditions, e.g.
changes in speeds limits.
Do not use the programmable cruise con-
trol when unfavorable conditions do not
permit you to drive at a constant speed, e.g.
when driving on winding roads, in heavy traffic
or under poor road conditions such as snow,
rain, ice, or a loose road surface. If you do, you
could lose control of the vehicle and cause an
accident.<
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining speed, storing, and accelerat-
ing
2Maintaining speed, storing, and decelerat-
ing
3Interrupt or deactivate cruise control
4Resuming stored speed
Maintaining speed, storing, and
accelerating
Press lever to resistance point, arrow 1:
The system maintains and stores the current
vehicle speed. The pointer5 in the speedome-
ter indicates this speed, refer to Displays in
speedometer on page68. Each time the lever is
pressed again briefly, the speed is increased by
approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
Push the lever to the resistance point for a
longer time:
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system maintains
and stores your current speed as soon as you
release the lever.
Press the lever past the resistance point if no
desired speeds6 are stored:
The pointer5 jumps to the next multiple of
5 mph or 10 km/h and then further, as long as
the lever is held. The speed then indicated is
reached and stored.
The vehicle may accelerate beyond the preset
speed on steep downhill stretches where the
engine's braking action alone may not be suffi-
cient to slow the vehicle. Speed can drop on
uphill grades if the engine output is insufficient.
Driving
68
Maintaining speed, storing, and
decelerating
Pull the lever, arrow2:
Functions in the same way as1, except that the
vehicle speed is decreased.
Interrupting the cruise control
Briefly press the lever up or down, arrow3.
In addition, cruise control is interrupted auto-
matically:
>when you apply pressure to the brake pedal
>when you shift the automatic transmission
into position N
>when the DSC control is operative
Resuming stored speed
Briefly press the button4:
The vehicle accelerates back to and maintains
the stored speed.
Displays in speedometer
5Pointer for stored speed
> Cruise control activated
> Cruise control deactivated
6Mark for stored desired speed in the multi-
level function
Storing desired speeds
With vehicle stationary
1.Switch on the ignition.
2.Press, arrow1, or pull, arrow2, the lever
past the resistance point:
Now you can move the pointer5 with the lever until you have reached your desired
speed:
>Press or pull the lever up to the resis-
tance point again: the pointer slowly
moves.
>Press or pull the lever past the resis-
tance point again: the pointer jumps to
the next multiple of 5 mph or 10 km/h
and then further, as long as the lever is
held.
3.Press the button4 for approx. 3 seconds.
The stored desired speed is indicated by a
mark 6.
If six desired speeds have already been stored,
please delete at least one of them before adding
another.
While driving
1.Press, arrow1, or pull, arrow2, the lever
past the resistance point.
2.Press the button4 for approx. 3 seconds.
The current speed is applied as the desired
speed and displayed with6.
If all of the marks 6 flash twice, this indicates
that six desired speeds have already been
stored. You must then delete at least one of
them before adding another.
Deleting desired speeds
1.Select corresponding desired speed6,
refer to section below.
2.Press button4 for approx. 3 seconds.
Activating multilevel preset mode
Press, arrow1, or pull, arrow2, the lever past
the resistance point.
The current driving speed is maintained, stored
and displayed by the pointer5.
Selecting desired speed
Press, arrow1, or pull, arrow2, the lever past
the resistance point:
The next desired speed is selected.
Driving
70 following a vehicle in front of you. Otherwise,
driving states can result which lead to a violation
of the law or danger of an accident.
One lever for all functions
1Store and increase desired speed
2Store and decrease desired speed
3Deactivate system, refer to page71
4Resume stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page72
5Select distance to vehicle driving ahead,
refer to page71
Maintaining current speed
Briefly press, arrow1, or briefly pull, arrow2,
lever.
The current driving speed is stored and main-
tained, and briefly displayed on the speedome-
ter, refer to arrow.
Selecting desired speed
To avoid the risk of accidents, adjust your
desired speed to the traffic conditions
and remain ready to brake at all times. The sys-
tem cannot compensate for great differences in
speed in relation to the vehicles driving ahead, e.g. when quickly approaching a truck or when
another vehicle swerves into your lane.<
The desired speed can drop on uphill grades if
the engine output is insufficient.
Increasing in steps
Briefly press the lever repeatedly up to the
resistance point or past the resistance point,
arrow1, until the desired speed is displayed.
>Each time the lever is briefly pressed up to
the resistance point, the desired speed
increases by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
>Each time the lever is briefly pressed
beyond the resistance point, the desired
speed is increased to the next multiple of 5
mph or 10 km/h until a maximum of
110 mph or 180 km/h is reached.
The speed then displayed is stored and
reached on clear roads.
Increasing smoothly
Press the lever up to the resistance point or
past the resistance point, arrow1, until the
desired speed is reached.
The speed then displayed is stored and
reached on clear roads.
Decreasing
Pull the lever up to the resistance point or past
the resistance point, arrow2, until the desired
speed is displayed.
>Each time the lever is pulled up to the resis-
tance point, the desired speed decreases
by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
>Each time the lever is pulled back beyond
the resistance point, the desired speed is
rounded down to the next multiple of 5 mph
or 10 km/h until the minimum speed of
20 mph/30 km/h is reached.
The speed then displayed is stored and
reached on clear roads.
Executes other functions in the same way as
increasing in steps or smoothly, except that the
desired speed is decreased.