
Cockpit
14
Around the center console: controls and displays 

Controls
 113Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>The compass direction shown does not 
change although the direction of travel 
does.
>Not all compass directions are shown.
Procedure
1.Make sure that no large metal objects or 
overhead power lines are in the vicinity of 
your vehicle and that you have enough 
space to drive in a circle.
2.Set the currently valid compass zone.
3.Press the adjustment button for approx. 
6-7 seconds to call up C. Then drive in at 
least one full circle at a speed of no more 
than 4 mph or 7 km/h.
If calibration is successful, the display 
changes from C to a compass direction.
Setting right-hand/left-hand steering
Your digital compass is factory-set to right-
hand or left-hand steering, in accordance with 
your vehicle.
Setting the language
You can set the language of the display:
Press the adjustment button for approx. 
12-13 seconds. Briefly press the adjustment 
button again to switch between English, "E", 
and German, "O".
The setting is automatically saved after approx. 
10 seconds.
Coupe:
Roller sun blind*
Tap the button in the center console to raise or 
lower the roller sun blind.
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle. 
The light in the glove compartment comes on.
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-
dent while the vehicle is being driven, 
close the glove compartment immediately after 
use.<
Closing
Fold cover up.
Locking
To lock the glove compartment, use the inte-
grated key of the remote control, refer to 
page28.
Convertible: when you lock the vehicle from the 
outside, the glove compartment is locked as 
well. 

Practical interior accessories
114
Rechargeable flashlight
It is on the left-hand side of the glove compart-
ment. The flashlight can remain plugged in. 
Whenever required, pull the flashlight out of its 
socket.
Only insert the flashlight back into the 
socket when it is switched off, otherwise 
there is a risk of damage.<
Center armrest
Storage compartment
The center armrest between the front seats 
contains either a compartment or the cover for 
the snap-in adapter
*, depending on the equip-
ment version. For more information about this 
mobile phone base plate refer to the separate 
Owner's Manual.
Convertible: when you lock the vehicle from the 
outside, the center armrest is locked as well.
Opening
Press the button, see arrow.
Ventilated storage compartment
The storage compartment in the center armrest 
can be ventilated: slide the switch backwards.
The temperature is controlled via the knurled 
wheel for adjusting the temperature of air venti-
lating the rear of the passenger compartment, 
refer to page108.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such 
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks 
over the car's loudspeaker system.
>AUX-In port, refer to page180
>USB/audio interface
*, refer to page181
Storage compartments inside 
the vehicle
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, you 
will find compartments beside the steering col-
umn
*, in the front doors and in the center con-
sole
*. 
There are netson the front-seat backrests.
Storage compartments in the rear 
console
Depending on your vehicle's equipment ver-
sion, the following storage compartments can 
be found in the rear console: 

Controls
 115Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Storage tray
>Storage compartment with cover
>Cup holders
Coupe: clothes hooks
Press the upper edge to flip open.
Items of clothing hung from the hooks 
must not obstruct the driver's view. Do 
not hang heavy objects from the hooks, other-
wise they could endanger the car's occupants, 
e.g. in case of heavy braking or sudden swerv-
ing.<
Cup holders
Use lightweight and shatterproof contain-
ers and do not transport hot beverages, 
otherwise there is an increased risk of injury in 
the event of the accident. Do not force contain-
ers that are too large into the cup holders, oth-
erwise damage could result.<
Front
Opening
Briefly press the center of the cover.
Closing
Briefly press the cover in the center and push in 
the cup holder.
Coupe: rear
There are two additional cup holders in the rear 
center armrest.
Press the front of the armrest.
Convertible: rear
There are two additional cup holders in the rear 
console.
Press the button to open. 

Destination entry
138 the controller.
The destination is stored in the destination 
list, refer to page141.
Entering a destination by 
voice commands*
You can enter a desired destination via the 
voice command system. During the destination 
input, you can switch between voice entry and 
entry via iDrive at any time. To do so, reactivate 
the voice command system if necessary.
You can have the possible commands 
read aloud via {Options}.<
1.Press the   button on the steering wheel 
or in the center console.
Selecting country
1.Wait for the system to ask for the country of 
destination.
Say the name of the destination country in the 
language of the voice command system.
Entering destination
The destination can be spelled or entered as an 
entire word.
Spelling the destination
To enter a destination, spell it in the way it is 
commonly spelled in the destination country. 
Pronounce the letters smoothly and at normal volume, avoiding excessive emphases and 
pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 destina-
tions that meet your entries. Up to 6 entries 
at a time appear on the Control Display.
The town/city can also be selected from the list 
via iDrive:
Turn the controller until the destination is 
selected and press the controller.
Entering the destination as an entire 
word*
The names of towns/cities and streets located 
in the region in which the language of the voice 
command system is spoken can be entered as 
an entire word.
Example: to enter a U.S. destination as an entire 
word, the system language must be English.
A prerequisite is the use of a suitable navigation 
DVD. 2.{Enter address}
2.Say the name of the destination coun-
try.
1.To spell the name of a town/city:
Say at least the first three letters of the 
town/city. The more letters you say, the 
more accurately the system will recog-
nize the town/city.
The system suggests a location.
2.Select location:
>To select highlighted town/city: 
{Yes}
>To select other town/city: {No}
>To select an entry, e.g. {Entry 3}
>To show other entries in the list: 
{Next page}
>To respell the town/city: {Repeat} 

Everything from A - Z
254 Brakes, refer to Braking 
safely125
Brake system124
– BMW Maintenance 
System228
– breaking in124
– disc brakes125
Breakdown services, refer to 
Roadside Assistance236
Breaking in the clutch124
Breaking in the differential, 
refer to Engine and 
differential124
Break-in period124
Brightness of the Control 
Display86
"Brightness" on the control 
display86
Bulb changing, refer to Lamps 
and bulbs230
Button for starting the engine, 
refer to Start/stop button59
Buttons on the steering 
wheel11
C
California Proposition 65 
warning6
"Call"194,205
Call
– accepting192
– displaying accepted194
– ending193
– missed194
– starting193
Calling
– from phone book193
– from Top 8 list194
– redialing194
Can holders, refer to Cup 
holders115
Capacities247
Capacity of the cargo bay247
Car battery, refer to Vehicle 
battery234
Car care, refer to Caring for 
your vehicle brochureCar-care products, refer to 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
"Car Data"76
Care, refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Cargo, securing127
Cargo bay
– capacity247
– convenient access37
– folding up the floor 
panel119
– lamp, refer to Interior 
lamps103
– opening from inside33
– opening from outside33
Cargo loading
– securing cargo127
– stowing cargo126
– vehicle126
Caring for artificial leather, 
refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Caring for leather, refer to 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Caring for plastic, 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 jack
– jacking points234
Car key, refer to Integrated 
key/remote control28
Car phone186
– installation location, refer to 
Center armrest114
– refer to Mobile phone186
– refer to separate Owner's 
Manual
Car radio, refer to Radio164Car wash126
– also refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
– with convenient access37
Catalytic converter, refer to 
Hot exhaust system124
"Categories" for satellite 
radio171
CBS Condition Based 
Service228
"CD"160,173
CD changer173
– compressed audio files173
– controls160
– fast forward/reverse177
– installation location177
– playing a track175
– random order176
– repeating a track176
– selecting a CD173
– selecting a track174
– switching on/off160
– tone control161
– volume161
CD player173
– compressed audio files173
– controls160
– fast forward/reverse177
– playing a track175
– random order176
– repeating a track176
– selecting a track174
– switching on/off160
– tone control161
– volume161
Cell phones, use inside the 
car, refer to Mobile phones 
in the vehicle124
Center armrest114
Center brake lamp
– replacing bulb233
Center console, refer to 
Around the center 
console14
"Central locking"30
Central locking
– from inside32
– from outside29 

Reference 255
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Central locking system29
– convenient access36
– hotel function34
Changes, technical, refer to 
For your own safety5
Changing bulbs, refer to 
Lamps and bulbs230
Changing the language on the 
Control Display86
Changing the measurement 
units on the Control 
Display78
Changing wheels233
Chassis number, refer to 
Engine compartment224
Check Control83
"Check Control 
messages"85
Child-restraint fixing system 
LATCH57
Child-restraint systems56
Child seats, refer to 
Transporting children 
safely56
Chrome parts, care, refer to 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Cigarette lighter, refer to 
Lighter116
Cleaning, refer to Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Cleaning headlamps65
– washer fluid65
"Climate"105
Clock74
– 12h/24h mode82
– setting time81
Closing
– from inside32
– from outside29
Clothes hooks115
Cockpit10
Cold start, refer to Starting the 
engine60
Combined instrument, refer to 
Instrument cluster12
Comfort access, refer to 
Convenient access36Comfort area, refer to Around 
the center console14
"Communication"192,202,
203,204
Compact disc, refer to
– CD changer173
– CD player173
Compartment for remote 
control, refer to Ignition 
lock59
Compass112
Computer75
– displays on Control 
Display76
– hour signal82
Computer, refer to iDrive
16
"Concert hall" for Tone 
control162
"Concierge"204
Concierge service204
Condensation, refer to When 
the vehicle is parked126
Condition Based Service 
CBS228
Configuring settings, refer to 
Personal Profile28
Confirmation signals for 
locking/unlocking the 
vehicle31
Connecting vacuum cleaner, 
refer to Connecting 
electrical appliances116
Consumption, refer to 
Average consumption76
Consumption display
– average consumption76
"Continue guidance to 
destination?"148
Control Center, refer to 
iDrive16
Control Display
– brightness86
– changing the language86
– switching off/on21
Control Display, refer to 
iDrive16
Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls and displays10
Control unit, refer to iDrive16Convenient access36
– replacing the battery38
– what to observe before 
entering a car wash37
Convenient operation
– glass roof30
– glass roof with convenient 
access37
– retractable hardtop30
– windows30
– windows with convenient 
access37
Convertible
– bag holder118
– enlarging cargo bay117
– folding down rear 
backrest118
– retractable hardtop41
– rollover protection 
system99
– securing cargo127
– stowing cargo126
Coolant226
– checking level227
Coolant temperature75
Cooling, maximum106
Cooling fluid, refer to 
Coolant226
Cooling system, refer to 
Coolant226
Copyright2
Corner-illuminating lamps, 
refer to Adaptive Head 
Light101
Cornering lamps, refer to 
Adaptive Head Light101
Correct tires221
Courtesy lamps, refer to 
Interior lamps103
Cross-hairs in navigation139
Cruise control66
– active67
– malfunction67
Cruising range75
Cup holders115
Curb weight, refer to 
Weights247
"Current position"155