Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Handbrake
The handbrake is primarily intended to prevent
the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes
the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up, and a sig-
nal also sounds when starting off.
The handbrake is applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
If exceptional circumstances should
make it necessary to engage the hand-
brake while the vehicle is in motion, do not pull it
too strongly. In doing so, continuously press the
button of the handbrake lever. Otherwise
excessive pressure can lead to the rear wheels
locking up and loss of traction – fishtailing – at
the rear axle.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the hand-
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the hand-
brake is applied.<
Sequential Manual
Transmission with Drivelogic
The concept
The SMG Sequential Manual Transmission
with Drivelogic is an automated manual trans-
mission in which an electrohydraulic system
handles the clutching and gear changes.
The Sequential Manual Transmission is oper-
ated with the selector lever and two shift pad-
dles on the steering wheel.
It offers you the following functions:
>Optional manual or automatic operation:
Sequential mode or Drive mode
>Selection option between different driving
programs, Drivelogic, refer to page57
>Upshift display, shift lights, refer to page58
>Automatic downshifting and prevention of
incorrect shifting even in Sequential opera-
tion
>Automatic double clutching
Selector lever positions
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral
>Β: Drive position:
>+: manual upshifting
>–: manual downshifting
>D/S: switch between Drive mode and
Sequential mode
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out of N;
the shift command will not be executed unless
the brake is applied.
Driving
56
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Idle
Always engage before starting engine.
If the driving situation requires, e.g. when down-
shifting on a slippery road surface, the Sequen-
tial Manual Transmission automatically
clutches and then declutches again, i.e. it is not
necessary to engage idling manually.
N is automatically engaged after just a
few seconds when you open the driver's
door or the hood with the engine running and do
not operate either pedals, shift paddles or the
selector lever. In these cases, to start off after
closing the driver's door or the hood, first move
the selector lever into the position N and then
into the drive position.<
S Sequential mode
You can shift up and down using the shifting
paddles or the selector lever. You do not need
to remove your foot from the accelerator to do
so.
After every engine start, as soon as the selector
lever is pushed to the right into the drive posi-
tion Β and the brake pedal is pressed, the
Sequential mode is activated.
Starting off is also possible on a level road sur-
face in second gear, e.g. in case of ice.
In the following situations, the Sequential Man-
ual Transmission thinks for you:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
>When the vehicle is stationary, the trans-
mission automatically downshifts into first
gear.
>Shortly before dropping below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the transmis-
sion downshifts automatically even without
your intervention.
D Drive mode
In the Drive mode, all forward gears are shifted
automatically.
Shifting from Sequential mode to Drive mode:
press selector lever to the right toward D/S.
To switch back into the Sequential mode: press
selector lever to the right again toward D/S or
shift using the shift paddles or the selector
lever.
Kick-down: for rapid acceleration, e. g. when
passing, press the accelerator pedal as far
down as it will go. You achieve maximum accel-
eration.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Gear 1 to 7, R, N engaged
2Selected driving program,
matches the number of illuminated fields,
refer to Drivelogic on page57
3The currently engaged gear is displayed,
followed by a D in the Drive mode
A flashing gear display indicates to you
that the driver's door is open with the
engine running.
N is automatically engaged after just a few sec-
onds when you open the driver's door or the
hood with the engine running and the vehicle
stopped, and do not operate either pedals, shift
paddles or the selector lever.<
Gear changes
Using selector lever
>To upshift, pull the selector lever back.
>To downshift, push the selector lever for-
ward.
Things to remember when driving
104
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. To ensure that your vehicle contin-
ues to provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Do not use the driving programs 5 and 6, refer
to Drivelogic on page57, during break-in.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds,
however do not exceed 5,500 rpm or 105 mph/
170 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during these
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km to
3,000 miles/5,000 km
The engine and driving speed can gradually be
increased up to a continuous vehicle speed of
135 mph/220 km/h. Only drive at top speed
briefly, e.g. when passing.
Transmission
The function of the transmission is only at its
optimized level after driving a distance of
approx. 300 miles/500 km. Do not exceed
engine speeds of 5,500 rpm during this time.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced
after subsequent driving operation.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is completely
closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter
the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
luggage compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass sunroof.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page89.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated on the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it
Driving tips
105Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury.<
Mobile communications devices in
vehicle
BMW discourages the use of mobile
communications devices, e. g. mobile
phones, inside the vehicle without a direct con-
nection to an outside antenna. Otherwise, the
vehicle electronics and mobile communication
device can influence one another. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation which
results from transmission will be dissipated
from the vehicle interior.<
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature*
This feature is controlled by two photocells in
the inside rearview mirror. One is integrated into
the glass of the mirror, while the other is located
at an offset position on the rear of the mirror
housing.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do
not attach stickers of any kind to the windshield
in front of the mirror, either.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.
mum tire tread on page178.
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 at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Starting off
On slopes
The starting assistant enables starting off on
slopes virtually without rolling back.
1.Hold the vehicle with the footbrake.
2.Make sure that the handbrake is released.
3.Release the footbrake and immediately
drive off quickly.
The starting assistant holds the vehicle
for approx. 1 second after releasing the
footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle
m a y a l s o ro l l b a ck s li g h t ly d u ri n g t h is t im e . A f t er
releasing the footbrake, immediately start
quickly, otherwise the starting assistant no
longer holds the vehicle after approx. 1 second
and it begins to roll back.<
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold
the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accel-
erator, but apply the footbrake or handbrake
instead. Otherwise overheating and heavy wear
can result in the area of the Sequential Manual
Transmission.<
To protect the clutch of the Sequential Manual
Transmission from overheating, the starting-off
behavior is changed under heavy loading, e.g. a
rapid succession of starts on slopes. This can
be noticed from shaking during starting off.
On a slippery surface
1.Select program "P 400" of M Engine
Dynamic Control, refer to page58.
2.Gently press accelerator pedal to prevent
wheels from spinning when starting off.
155
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Making calls with car phone:
BMW Assist calls
You can use the car phone via the hands-free
system for BMW Assist calls.
When the status information "Communication"
or "BMW Assist" is displayed in "BMW Ser-
vice", only BMW Assist calls are possible.
It may not be possible to establish a telephone
connection using the mobile phone while a con-
nection is being established to BMW Assist or
while a call to BMW Assist is already in
progress. If this happens, you must log off the
mobile phone from the vehicle if you wish to
place a call with the mobile phone.
Commissioning
Logging on mobile phone on vehicle
The following prerequisites must be met:
>The mobile phone is ready to operate.
>The Bluetooth link on the vehicle, refer to
page157, and on the mobile phone is
active.
>Depending on the mobile phone, preset-
tings on the mobile phone are necessary:
e.g. via the menu item Bluetooth activated
or the menu item Connection not with con-
firmation.
>For logging on, specify any desired number
as the Bluetooth passkey, e.g. 1. This Blue-
tooth passkey is no longer required follow-
ing successful logon.
>The ignition is switched on.
Only log on the mobile phone with the
vehicle stopped, otherwise the passen-
gers and other road user can be endangered
due to a lack of attentiveness on the part of the
driver.<
Switching on ignition
1.Insert the remote control as far as possible
into the ignition lock.
2.S w i t c h o n t h e s w i t c h o n i g n i t i o n b y p r e s s i n g
the Start/Stop button without depressing
the brake or clutch pedal.
Preparation with iDrive
iDrive, for explanation of principle, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Open the menu by pressing the controller.
3.Select "Communication settings" and
press the controller.
4.Select "Bluetooth" and press the controller.
5.Select "Phone" and press the controller.
Wheels and tires
180
Recommended tire brands
Certain tire makes are recommended by BMW
depending on the tire size. You can recognize
these from the clearly visible BMW marking on
the tire sidewall.
When used properly, these tires comply with
the most demanding standards for safety and
vehicle response.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in cold
winter driving conditions. Although all-season
M+S tires provide better winter traction than
summer tires, they generally fail to provide the
same levels of cold-weather performance as
winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
tire damage may occur, which can result in acci-
dents.<
After changing wheels/tires
After changing tires or wheels, the slip detec-
tion of the Sequential Manual Transmission
must become familiar with the changed state.
Reinitialize the system for this purpose:
1.Move the selector lever into the idling
position N on a straight stretch of road at a
speed between 20 mph/30 km/h and
90 mph/150 km/h.
2.Pull both shift paddles for approx. 2 sec-
onds.If you do not carry out initialization, the system
will automatically learn the changed state grad-
ually during driving. This may be noticeable
from the clutch opening and closing briefly.
Storage
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum
tire inflation pressure indicated on the side wall
of the tire.
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Consult your BMW center for more infor-
mation.
Use is only permitted in pairs, with winter tires
of the size 245/45 R 18 on the rear wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
Make sure that the snow chains are always suf-
ficiently tensioned. Retension in accordance
with the chain manufacturer's specifications if
necessary.
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor, otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
After mounting or removing snow chains, the
slip detection of the Sequential Manual Trans-
mission must become familiar with the altered
state. To do this, reinitialize the system, refer to
After changing wheels/tires.<
Everything from A to Z
212 Brake system104,185
– brake fluid level185
– brake pads104,185
– breaking-in104
– disk brakes106
– warning lamp185
Braking
– CBC Cornering Brake
Control74
– DBC Dynamic Brake
Control74
– electronic brake-force
distribution74
– refer to Braking safely106
Braking safely106
Breakdown, M Mobility
System190
Breakdown assistance169
Breakdown services, refer to
Roadside Assistance197
Breaking-in the clutch104
Breaking-in the
differential104
Break-in period104
"Brightness"72
Brightness of Control
Display72
Button for starting engine53
Buttons on steering wheel11
C
California Proposition 65
Warning6
"Call"160
Call
– accepting158
– displaying accepted160
– ending159
– in absence160
– starting159
Calling
– from phone book159
– from Top 8 list160
– redialing160
Can holder, refer to Cup
holders96
Capacities204Capacity of luggage
compartment204
Car battery, refer to Vehicle
battery195
Car care, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
Car-care products, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
"Car Data"64
Care187
– refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Cargo
– refer to Loading106
– securing108
– securing with ski bag100
Cargo area
– capacity204
– opening with remote
control31
Caring for artificial leather,
refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Caring for leather, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Caring for light-alloy wheels,
refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Caring for the carpet, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Caring for the vehicle finish,
refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Car key, refer to Keys/remote
control28
Car phone154
– installation location, refer to
Center armrest95
– refer to Mobile phone154
– refer to separate operating
instructions
Car radio, refer to Radio136
Car wash106
– also refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochureCatalytic converter, refer to
Hot exhaust system104
"Categories"143
CBC Cornering Brake
Control74
CBS Condition Based
Service186
"CD"132,145
CD changer145
– controls132
– fast forward/reverse149
– installation location149
– playing a track147
– random order148
– repeating a track148
– selecting a CD145
– selecting a track146
– switching on/off132
– tone control133
– volume133
CD player145
– controls132
– fast forward/reverse149
– playing a track147
– random order148
– repeating a track148
– selecting a track146
– switching on/off132
– tone control133
– volume133
Center armrest
– front95
– rear98
Center brake lamp189
Center console14
"Central locking"30
Central locking system29
– comfort access36
– from inside vehicle32
Changes, technical
– refer to For your own
safety5
– refer to Parts and
accessories6
Changing language on
Control Display72
Changing units of measure on
Control Display72
Changing wheels179,192