Page 19 of 268

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.
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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
Page 21 of 268
At a glance
19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Operating principle at a glance
The following is a general description of opera-
tions using iDrive.For an exemplary step-by-step application refer
to Setting the time, page80.
1Select a menu item:
>Turn the controller; the highlight marker
moves
>Menu items in white can be selected by
highlighting them
2To activate a menu item:
>Press the controller
>New menu items are displayed or the
function is executed
3Select a menu item: refer to14To switch between fields:
>Briefly move the controller to the left,
right, forward, or backward
>Release the controller
>The active field is brighter in color
5To adjust settings:
>Turn the controller
>Graphic display, numerical value or text
displays can be changed
>Confirm by changing the field
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iDrive
20
Status information
1Display for:
>Entertainment:
Radio, CD or
>Telephone
* in "Communication":
Name of the connected mobile phone,
network search or no network
>"BMW Assist"
*:
Active voice connection with a
BMW Assist service
2Entertainment audio output off
3Display for traffic information*:
"TI":
Traffic information for the navigation sys-
tem can be received and the transmission is
switched on
4Display for:
> New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
> Roaming active
5 It is possible to make calls
* if the mobile
phone is paired with the vehicle
Reception strength of mobile phone
network, display depending on mobile
phone
6Time
Other displays:
Status information is temporarily hidden during
Check Control message displays or entries via
the voice command system
*.
Assistance window*
Additional information can be displayed in the
assistance window:
>The computer or the trip computer
*
>The arrow or map view in vehicles with nav-
igation system
*
>The current position*
Selecting display
1.Move the controller to the right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select a menu item.
3.Press the controller.
Page 23 of 268
At a glance
21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window on/off
1.Move the controller to the right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Assist. window off" and press the
controller.
To turn back on, switch to the assistance win-
dow and press the controller.
Switching Control Display
off/on
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
Press the controller to switch on.
Page 24 of 268

Voice command system
22
Voice command system
The concept
The voice command system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary to use the controller.
The voice command system transforms your
oral commands into control signals for the
selected systems and provides support in the
form of instructions or questions.
The voice command system uses a special
microphone located in the area of the interior
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, select the language in which the
voice command system is operating, so that the
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting
the language for iDrive, refer to page85.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the button on the steering wheel
or in the center console.
This symbol on the Control Display and
an acoustic signal indicate that the voice
command system is ready to receive spo-
ken commands.
2.Say the command.
The command appears on the Control Dis-
play.
This symbol appears on the Control Display
when you can enter additional commands.
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for
word.
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice
command system.
Page 25 of 268

At a glance
23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
If no further commands are possible, continue
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice
command system
Press the button on the steering wheel or in
the center console
or
Commands
Having the possible commands read
aloud
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands related to the selected menu
item on the Control Display.
To have the possible commands read out to
you:
For instance, if you have selected "CD" the
commands available for operating the CD
player and CD changer are read out
*.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
Calling up functions immediately via
short commands
Short commands enable you to perform certain
functions immediately, irrespective of which
menu item is selected, refer to page242.
Opening the start menu
Example: selecting a track
1.If necessary, switch on entertainment audio
output.
2.Press the button on the steering wheel
or in the center console.
{Cancel}
{Options}
{Help}
{Radio on} or {Turn radio on}
{Main menu}
3.{Entertainment}
The system says:
{{Entertainment}}
4.{CD}
The system says:
{{CD on}}
Page 31 of 268

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