
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to 
page246.
Using this Owner's Manual 
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
22Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
44Adjustments
53Transporting children safely
57Driving
72Everything under control
86Technology for driving comfort and 
safety
97Lamps
101Climate
107Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
122Things to remember when driving
Navigation
130Starting the navigation system
131Destination entry
143Destination guidance
152What to do if …
Entertainment
156On/off and settings
160Radio
166CD player and CD changer
173External audio device
Communications
176Telephoning
190BMW Assist
Mobility
200Refueling
202Wheels and tires
214Under the hood
219Maintenance
221Replacing components
229Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
236Technical data
242Short commands for the voice command 
system
246Everything from A - Z
ProCarManuals.com 

At a glance
 15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice command system* 
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request 
call
*229
3Reading lamps100
4Glass roof/panorama glass roof
*41
5Interior lamps100
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*96
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9DTC Dynamic Traction Control88
10Central locking system32
11Automatic climate control
12Ejecting
>Audio CD156
>Navigation DVD13013Changing
>Radio station160
>Track167
15Controller16 
Can be turned, pressed, or moved horizon-
tally in four directions
16Activating voice command system
*22
17Opening start menu on Control Display17
18Drive for navigation DVD130
19Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume156
20Drive for audio CDs156 Air distribution to the 
windshield102
Air distribution to the upper body 
area102
Air distribution to the footwell102
Automatic air distribution and flow 
rate103
Cooling function104
AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control103
Recirculated-air mode103
Maximum cooling103
Residual heat mode104
Air flow rate103
Defrosting windows104
Rear window defroster104
14
Heated seats*48
PDC Park Distance Control
*86
Sedan:
Roller sun blind
*110
Hill Descent Control HDC
*88
ProCarManuals.com 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or TeleService*
Navigation
>Navigation system
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the 
average fuel consumption.
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>External audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
 menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central 
locking system
>Display of service requirements and dates 
for statutory emissions and vehicle inspec-
tions
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
As of radio readiness, the following message 
appears on the Control Display:
To hide the message: 
Press the controller.
The start menu is displayed.
The message is automatically hidden after 
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
All iDrive functions can be called up via five 
menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the   button.
To open the start menu from the   menu:
Press the   button twice.
ProCarManuals.com 

iDrive
18
Calling up menu items in the start menu
As of radio readiness, refer to page57:
Via the start menu you can call up the four menu 
items of Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller for-
wards, backwards, to the left or to the right.
You can call up the   menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Convenient call-up of menu items
The convenient call-up function enables you to:
>Call up a menu item from the start menu in 
the view last displayed
>Switch directly between Communication, 
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate 
without having to press the   button
To do so, move the controller in the corre-
sponding direction and hold it for more than 
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is subdivided into fields. The 
active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the start menu item last 
selected.
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility 
of accessing other menu items that are not 
currently visible.
3Settings are represented graphically or as 
numerical values.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
 menu
ProCarManuals.com 

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Date format, refer to page82
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer to 
page85
>Language on the Control Display, refer to 
page85
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, dis-
tance covered/remaining distances, and 
temperature, refer to page77
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page86
>Automatic climate control: AUTO program, 
activating/deactivating cooling function and 
automatic recirculated-air control, setting 
temperature, air flow rate and distribution, 
refer to page102 ff
>Audio volume, refer to page157
>Tone control, refer to page157
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer to 
page157
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system is ready for opera-
tion whenever the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid/tailgate
>Fuel filler door
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, via the 
handles on the driver's and front passen-
ger's doors
The anti-theft system is also operated at the 
same time. It prevents the doors from being 
unlocked using the lock buttons or door han-
dles. In addition, if the remote control is used, 
the interior lamps and the door's courtesy 
lamps
* are also switched on or off. The alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system,
 refer to 
page35.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page32.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing: from 
outside
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. You 
should therefore take the remote control with 
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter 
can be opened from outside.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps and the courtesy lamps
* 
come on. You can also set the way in which the 
car is unlocked. The setting is stored for the 
remote control currently in use.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Turn the controller 
ProCarManuals.com 

Controls
 101Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Climate
1Airflow directed toward the windshield and 
side windows
2Air to the upper body area 
Draft-free ventilation104
3Air to the footwell
4Air distribution, manual
5Temperature adjustment, left-hand side of 
passenger compartment
6Maximum cooling
7AUTO program
8Air flow rate, manual
9AUC Automatic recirculated-air control/
Recirculated-air mode10Temperature adjustment, right-hand side 
of passenger compartment
11Residual heat
12Defrosting windows and removing conden-
sation
13Switching cooling function on/off manually
14Rear window defroster
15Air grill for interior temperature sensor – 
please keep clear and unobstructed
The current setting for the air distribution is dis-
played on the Control Display, refer to 
page102.
ProCarManuals.com 

Climate
102
Automatic climate control
Comfortable interior climate
AUTO program7 offers the ideal air distribution 
and air flow rate for almost all conditions, refer 
to AUTO program below. All you need to do is 
select an interior temperature which is comfort-
able for you.
The following sections inform you in detail 
about how to adjust the settings.
Most settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile 
settings on page28.
Adjusting air distribution manually
The air distribution can be 
switched on and off manually. The 
air is directed to the windshield, to 
the upper body area and to the 
footwell. Automatic air distribution adjustment 
is deactivated.
You can switch the automatic air distribution 
back on by pressing the AUTO button. This 
automatically switches on the cooling function 
as well.
Fine adjustments to manual air 
distribution
You can set the rate of incoming airflow for 
manual air distribution.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the left to call up "Cli-
mate".3.Select "Vent settings" and press the con-
troller.
4.Select the desired field.
5.Turn the controller to set the air distribution.
1Airflow directed toward the windshield and 
side windows
2Air to the upper body area
3Air to the footwellTemperature
Set the desired temperatures indi-
vidually for the driver's and front 
passenger's sides.
The automatic climate control 
achieves this temperature as quickly as possi-
ble regardless of the season, using maximum 
cooling or heating power if necessary, and then 
maintains it.
When you switch between different tem-
perature settings in quick succession, the 
automatic climate control does not have 
enough time to achieve the set temperature.<
ProCarManuals.com 

Controls
 103Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Maximum cooling
At outside temperatures above 
327/06 and when the engine is 
running, you obtain a maximum 
cooling effect as soon as possible.
The automatic climate control switches to the 
lowest temperature and operates in recircu-
lated-air mode. Air flows at maximum rate only 
from the vents for the upper body area. You 
should therefore open them for maximum cool-
ing.
AUTO program
The AUTO program adjusts the air 
distribution to the windshield and 
side windows, towards the upper 
body area and into the footwell for you. The air 
flow rate and your temperature specifications 
will be adapted to outside influences as a result 
of seasonal changes, e.g. sunlight or window 
condensation.
The cooling is switched on automatically with 
the AUTO program.
Intensity of the AUTO program
You can set the intensity of the air supply in the 
AUTO program. This changes the duration of 
time during which the vehicle interior is heated 
or cooled.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the left to call up "Cli-
mate".
3.Select "Automatic programs" and press the 
controller.
4.Select the desired intensity and press the 
controller. The selected intensity level of the auto-
matic program is switched on.
Adjusting air flow rate manually
Press the left side of the button to 
reduce airflow. Press the right side 
of the button to increase it.
You can reactivate the automatic mode for the 
air flow rate with the AUTO button.
Switching the system on/off
With the blower at its lowest setting, press the 
left side of the button to switch off the auto-
matic climate control. All indicators go out.
Press any button except REST to reactivate the 
automatic climate control.
AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control/Recirculated-air mode
Switch on the desired operating 
mode by pressing this button 
repeatedly:
>LED off: outside air flows in continuously.
>Left-hand LED on, AUC mode: a sensor 
detects pollutants in the outside air. If nec-
essary, the system blocks the supply of out-
side air and recirculates the inside air. As 
soon as the concentration of pollutants in 
the outside air has decreased sufficiently, 
the system automatically switches back to 
outside air supply.
>Right-hand LED on, recirculated-air mode: 
the supply of outside air is permanently 
shut off. The system then recirculates the 
air currently within the vehicle.
If condensation starts to form on the 
inside window surfaces during operation 
in the recirculated-air mode, you should switch 
it off while also increasing the air flow rate as 
required. 
The recirculated-air mode should not be used 
over an extended period of time, otherwise the 
air quality inside the car will deteriorate contin-
uously.<
ProCarManuals.com