Controls
51Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhaling of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a
potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, move the selector lever into the N position
and set the handbrake, otherwise the vehicle
can begin to roll.<
When starting the engine, do not press the
accelerator pedal.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle remains stationary.
Instead, begin to drive immediately at a moder-
ate engine speed.
Do not press the brake pedal as long as
you do not want to start the engine. The
engine starts immediately when you briefly
press the Start/Stop button with the brake
pedal depressed.<
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Place selector lever in position N.
3.Briefly press Start/Stop button.
The system responds by automatically engag-
ing the starter for a certain period and automat-
ically disengaging it as soon as the engine
starts.
If the engine does not start, shift back to
the last selector lever position selected,
refer to the instrument cluster display or the
selector lever. Then select the position N.
You cannot start off with the hood open.When the engine is cold, the exhaust system
has a slightly metallic undertone due to the sys-
tem design.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned at all or is burned inade-
quately and there is a danger of overheating and
damage to the catalytic converter.<
Special starting conditions
Depress the accelerator pedal halfway when
starting the engine in the following situations:
>The engine fails to start on the first attempt,
e.g. if it is very hot or cold.
>The engine is started at very low tempera-
tures, below approx. + 57/– 156, at high
altitudes, over approx. 3,300 ft/1,000 m.
Switching engine off
Do not remove the remote control from
the ignition lock while the vehicle is roll-
ing, otherwise the steering wheel lock would
engage while steering.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
remote control with you.
When parking on a downhill incline, apply the
handbrake, as otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.<
1.Apply handbrake.
2.Move selector lever into a drive position.
3.Briefly press Start/Stop button.
A signal sounds when the position N is
engaged and the handbrake is not set when
switching off the engine.
Handbrake
The handbrake is primarily intended to prevent
the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes
the rear wheels.
Driving tips
99Reference
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 advises against using mobile com-
munications devices, e.g. mobile phones,
inside the vehicle without a direct connection to
an external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle
electronics and mobile communications device
can interfere with each other. In addition, there
is no assurance that the radiation emitted dur-
ing transmission will be conveyed out of the
vehicle interior.<
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.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, also refer to Mini-
mum tire tread on page172.
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
may also roll back slightly during this time.
After 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 page55.
2.Gently press accelerator pedal to prevent
wheels from spinning when starting off.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
The pulsing of he brake pedal indicates that the
ABS is controlling braking.
In certain braking situations the perforated
brake rotors can cause operating noises which,
however, have not effect on the performance
and operating safety of the brake system.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Things to remember when driving
100
Driving in wet conditions
When driving on wet roads or in heavy rain, it is
a good idea to apply light pressure to the brake
pedal every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions
to ensure that this maneuver does not endan-
ger other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and thus reduced
efficiency of the brake system, downshift
to a gear in which only minimal brake applica-
tions are needed when descending long or
steep downhill stretches. Even light but consis-
tent pressure on the brake pedal can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
Do not drive in idle or with the engine
switched off, otherwise there will be no
engine braking action or support of the braking
force and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the automatic climate
control during operation, and then exits under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water under
the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page44,
otherwise they could be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
General information on the care and mainte-
nance of your BMW is contained in the Caring
for your vehicle brochure.
Ground clearance
Ensure that sufficient ground clearance
is available. To drive down curbs, select
the "Sport" program of the EDC Electronic
Damping Control, refer to page73, to keep the
ground clearance as uniform as possible. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle may be damaged.<
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg, otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
Reference 211
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Engine
– breaking-in98
– data198
– M Engine Dynamic
Control55
– overheated, refer to Coolant
temperature59
– speed198
– starting51
– starting, comfort access36
– starting difficulties51
– switching off51
Engine compartment176
Engine coolant178
Engine oil
– additives178
– approved oils178
– checking oil level176
– exact measurement177
– fast measurement177
– possible displays177
– recommended oils178
– temperature60
– temperature gauge60
– topping off177
Engine output, refer to Engine
data198
Engine overheating, refer to
Coolant temperature59
Engine speed, refer to Engine
specifications198
Engine starting, refer to
Starting engine51
"Enter address"108,114
Entering address107,110
Entering destination via town/
city name108
Entering intersection109
Entering rear42
Entering town/city for
navigation108
Entering zip code for
navigation109
"Entertainment"126
"Entertainment
settings"127,134
Entertainment sound output
on/off127
Entry map for destination111Equalizer, refer to Tone
control129
"Equalizer", tone control129
"ESN"136
ESP Electronic Stability
Program, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control71
Event data recorders181
Exhaust system, refer to Hot
exhaust system98
Exterior mirrors43
– automatic dimming
feature44
– automatic heating44
– folding in and out44
– tilting down passenger-side
mirror44
Eye for tow-starting and
towing, refer to Tow
fitting193
Eyes for lashing, refer to
Securing cargo101
F
"Fader", refer to Tone
control128
Fader, refer to Tone
control128
Failure messages, refer to
Check Control64
False alarms, refer to Avoiding
unintentional alarms35
Fastening safety belts, refer to
Safety belts42
Fastest route for
navigation116
Fast forward
– CD changer143
– CD player143
"Fast route" for
navigation117
"Favorites" calling up with
radio133
Filling bottle, refer to
M Mobility System185
Filling capacities200First aid, refer to First-aid
kit192
First-aid kit192
Flashing when locking and
unlocking, refer to Setting
acknowledgment signals31
Flashlight, refer to
Rechargeable flashlight91
Flat tire
– M Mobility System185
– spare wheel188
Flat Tire Monitor
– false alarms74
– initializing system74
– limits of system74
– show chains174
– warning lamp74
"FM", reception
range126,130
FM, waveband130
Footbrake, refer to Braking
safely99
Footwell lighting, refer to
Interior lamps83
For specified oil grades, refer
to Approved engine oils178
For your own safety6
Freeway, refer to Route
criteria116
Front airbags75
Front passenger airbags
deactivating76
"FTM"74
Fuel
– average consumption61
– display60
– fuel specifications169
– high-quality brands169
– quality169
– specifications
169
– tank capacity168
Fuel display, refer to Fuel
gauge60
Fuel filler door168
– releasing in the event of
electrical malfunction168
Fuel gauge60
Fuses190