
 
Contents
 
9
 
Passenger safety systems:
 
Airbags55
Transporting children safely58
Rollover protection system62
Vehicle Memory, Key 
Memory64
 
Driving:
 
Ignition lock65
Starting the engine and driving 
off66
Switching off the engine68
Parking brake68
Manual transmission69
Sequential M gearbox with 
Drivelogic*70
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp 
flasher75
Washer/wiper system/Rain 
sensor*76
Cruise control77
 
Everything under control:
 
Odometer79
Tachometer79
Engine oil temperature79
Fuel gauge80
Engine coolant temperature 
gauge80
Service interval display81
Check Control81
Clock82
Computer83
 
Technology for safety and 
driving convenience:
 
Park Distance Control (PDC)*85
Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC86
Flat Tire Monitor87
M Engine dynamics control89
Brake force display89
 
Lamps:
 
Parking lamps/Low beams90
Instrument lighting91
High beams/Standing lamps91
Front fog lamps92
Interior lamps92
Reading lamps92
 
Controlling the climate for 
pleasant driving:
 
Automatic climate control94
 
Interior conveniences:
 
Glove compartment99
Storage compartments99
Microphone*100
Ashtray, front*100
Ashtray, rear*101
 
Loading and transporting:
 
Ski bag*102
Cargo loading104
Roof-mounted luggage rack for 
the hardtop*107
 
Operation, maintenance
 
Special operating instructions:
 
Break-in procedures110
General driving notes111
Antilock Brake System 
(ABS)113
Hardtop*113
 
Wheels and tires:
 
Tire inflation pressure116
Tire code118
Tire condition119
New wheels and tires120
Snow chains*122
 
In the engine compartment:
 
Hood123
Engine compartment 
essentials124
Washer fluids126
Engine oil126
Coolant128
Brake fluid129
 
Maintenance:
 
BMW Maintenance System130
OBD interface socket132
 
Controls and features 

34
To closeThe handle recesses in the interior trim 
panel of the luggage compartment lid 
make it easier to pull the lid down.
To avoid injuries, be sure that the 
travel path of the luggage com-
partment lid is clear when it is closed, 
following the same precautions as with 
all closing procedures.<
Operate the vehicle only when the 
luggage compartment lid is com-
pletely closed. Otherwise, exhaust 
fumes could penetrate the interior of 
the vehicle.<
Should it be absolutely necessary to 
operate the vehicle with the luggage 
compartment lid open, with closed con-
vertible top:
1. Close all windows
2. Greatly increase the quantity of air 
from the automatic climate control 
system, refer to page 96.
Emergency releaseThis lever releases the luggage com-
partment lid from the luggage compart-
ment's interior.
Luggage compartment lid 

94Controlling the climate for pleasant driving
Automatic climate control 

95
1Air onto the windshield and the side 
windows
2Air for the upper body area97
3Air to the footwell
4Interior temperature sensor – please 
keep clear and unobstructed
5Outside air/Automatic recirculated-
air control (AUC)/Recirculated 
air97
6Automatic air distribution and 
supply96
7Individual air distribution96
8Temperature96
9Display for temperature and air 
supply96
10 Air supply/Blower96
11 To defrost windows and remove 
condensation96
12 Air conditioning96
13 Rear window defroster97Automatic climate control
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex 

96
Tips for pleasant drivingUse the automatic mode – switch on 
with AUTO button 6. Select the desired 
interior temperature.
Detailed setting options are described 
for you in the following sections.
You can make the settings of your 
vehicle in such a manner that, 
when you unlock the vehicle with the 
remote control of your personal key, 
your own personalized setting for the 
automatic climate control is initiated.
air supply and the air distribu-
tion to the windshield and the side win-
dows, towards the upper body and to 
the footwells, and in addition adapts 
the temperature to external influences: 
e.g. summer, winter.
The cooling function is automatically 
switched on when you are using the 
AUTO program. 
Individual air distribution
You can cancel the AUTO pro-
gram by selecting specific dis-
tribution patterns to suit your 
own individual requirements. 
While the AUTO program is then deacti-
vated, the automatic airflow control 
remains in operation. Air flows onto 
the windows  , toward the upper 
body  , and into the footwell  . You 
can reactivate the automatic air supply 
by pressing the AUTO button.Temperature
The interior temperature that 
appears in the display panel is a 
general figure intended for refer-
ence purposes. We recommend 
727/+226 as a comfortable setting, 
even if the air conditioning is on. When 
you start the vehicle, the system 
ensures that the selected temperature 
is reached as quickly as possible. It 
then maintains this temperature, 
regardless of the season.
To select the units of measure 7/6 
of the display, refer to page 83.
Air supply/Blower
By pressing the upper or lower 
button, you can vary the air sup-
ply. This deactivates the auto-
matic air supply – the AUTO display dis-
appears from the panel. Nevertheless, 
the automatic air distribution remains 
unchanged. You can reactivate the 
automatic air supply by pressing the 
AUTO button.
When the lowest blower speed is set 
and you press the lower button, all of 
the displays are canceled: the blower, 
heating and air conditioner are 
switched off, and the air supply is 
stopped. You can reactivate the system 
by pressing any button for the auto-
matic climate control.To defrost windows and remove 
condensation
This program quickly removes 
ice and condensation from the 
windshield and the side windows.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the 
temperature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the wind-
shield may fog over briefly when the 
engine is started. Air conditioning helps 
prevent the windows from fogging up.
The cooling function is automatically 
switched on when you are using the 
AUTO program.
Automatic climate control 

97
Condensation forms during opera-
tion of the air conditioning system, 
which then exits under the vehicle. 
Traces of condensed water of this kind 
are thus normal.<
Outside air/Automatic 
recirculated-air control (AUC)/ 
Recirculated air
You can respond to unpleasant 
external odors or pollutants by 
temporarily stopping the flow of outside 
air. The system then recirculates the air 
currently within the vehicle.
By repeatedly pressing the button, you 
can select one of three different operat-
ing modes.
>Indicator lamps off: outside air always 
flowing into the vehicle
>Left-hand indicator lamp on – auto-
matic mode: the system detects pol-
lutants in the outside air and 
responds by deactivating the outside 
airflow as required. The system then 
recirculates the air currently within 
the vehicle.
Depending on air quality require-
ments, the system automatically 
switches between outside air supply 
and recirculation of the air already 
within the vehicle
>Right-hand indicator lamp on: the 
flow of outside air is permanently 
blocked. The system recirculates the 
air already within the vehicle.
If the windows fog over in the 
recirculated-air mode, switch the 
recirculated-air mode off and increase 
the air supply as required.
or with the hardtop* mounted, 
press the button. The indicator lamp 
remains on. The rear window defroster 
switches off automatically after a short 
while.
You can have your vehicle pro-
grammed in such a way that the 
rear window defroster switches on 
automatically. This occurs within 5 min-
utes after starting the engine when out-
side temperatures are below approx. 
397/+46.<
Draft-free ventilationYou can adjust the blower controls for 
the upper body area to obtain the opti-
mum airflow rates and directions for 
your personal requirements:
1Rotary dials for opening and closing 
the vents at any setting desired
2Lever for adjusting airflow direction
3With the rotary dial, you can add 
more or less cool air to the air coming 
from the outlets for the upper body 
area:
>Turn toward blue – colder
>Turn toward red – warmer.
Automatic climate control
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex 

98
Microfilter, activated-charcoal 
filterThe built-in microfilter removes dust 
and pollen from the incoming air. The 
activated-charcoal filter provides addi-
tional protection by filtering gaseous 
pollutants from the outside air. Your 
BMW center will replace the combined 
filter as a standard part of your sched-
uled maintenance. A substantial reduc-
tion in airflow indicates that the filter 
needs to be replaced early.Automatic climate control 

111
General driving notesHot exhaust system
High temperatures occur with 
every vehicle equipped with a cat-
alytic converter. Heat shields are 
installed adjacent to some sections of 
the exhaust system. Never remove 
these shields; do not apply undercoat-
ing to their surfaces. When driving, 
standing at idle and parking the vehicle, 
take care to avoid contact between the 
hot exhaust system and flammable 
materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc. 
Such contact could lead to a fire, 
resulting in serious personal injury and 
property damage.<
When the vehicle is parkedCondensation forms in the automatic 
climate control system during opera-
tion, which then exits under the vehicle. 
Traces of condensed water of this kind 
are thus normal.Before driving through a car washFold in the exterior mirrors manually 
because they could otherwise be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy 
roads, reduce vehicle speed. If 
you do not, a wedge of water may form 
between the tires and the road surface. 
This phenomenon is referred to as 
hydroplaning, and can lead to partial or 
complete loss of traction, vehicle con-
trol and braking effectiveness.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as 
the tread depth of the tires decreases, 
refer also to Tire tread on page 120.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the 
road if it is deeper than 1  ft/30  cm, 
and then only at walking speed. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical 
systems and the transmission may be 
damaged.<
Braking safelyYour BMW is equipped with ABS as a 
standard feature. If you are in a situa-
tion which requires full braking, it is 
best to brake using maximum brake 
pressure: panic stop. Since the vehicle 
maintains steering responsiveness, you 
can avoid possible obstacles with a 
minimum of steering effort, despite the 
full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined 
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits 
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its 
active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting 
on the brake pedal. Otherwise, 
even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures, 
brake wear and possibly even brake 
failure.<
Wet roads:
if the roads are wet or if there is heavy 
rain, it is advisable to gently press the 
brakes for a brief moment every few 
miles/kilometers. Monitor traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does 
not pose a hazard to you or to other 
road users. The heat generated in this 
process helps dry the pads and rotors. 
Immediate braking force is then avail-
able if necessary.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex