
Driving
62
Manual transmission
While shifting in the 5th/6th gear lane, 
press the gearshift lever toward the right, 
otherwise accidental shifting into the 3rd or 4th 
gear could result in engine damage.<
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. 
When pressing the gearshift lever to the left, 
overcome some resistance.
SMG Sequential Manual 
Transmission*
The concept
The SMG Sequential Manual Transmission is 
an automated manual transmission in which an 
electrohydraulic system handles the clutching 
and gear changes.
The SMG is operated with the selector lever 
and two shift paddles on the steering wheel.
It offers you the following functions:
>Optional manual or automatic operation: 
Sequential mode or Drive mode
>You have a choice of two driving programs: 
Normal or Sport, refer to Dynamic Driving 
Control page63
>Automatic downshifting and prevention of 
incorrect shifting even in Sequential opera-
tion
>Acceleration assistant, refer to page64
Selector lever positions
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral
>One-touch functions for Sequential mode:
+: manual upshifting 
–: manual downshifting
>D: activate/deactivate the Drive mode
The transmission automatically shifts 
into N if the driver's door is opened with 
the engine running and neither the pedals, the 
shift paddles nor the selector lever are oper-
ated.
This is signaled by an acoustic signal and the 
flashing display N in the instrument cluster; a 
message appears on the Control Display.<
Gear display
R N 1 to 6
The currently engaged gear is displayed, pre-
ceded by a D in Drive mode.
It is only possible to recognize whether 
the desired selector lever position is 
engaged with this display.< 

Controls
 63Reference
At a glance
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Mobility
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out of N; 
the shift command will not be executed unless 
the brake is applied.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
Sequential mode
After every engine start, as soon as the selector 
lever is pushed to the right and the brake pedal 
is depressed, the Sequential mode is activated.
You can shift up and down using the shift pad-
dles or the selector lever. You do not need to 
remove your foot from the accelerator to do so.
It is also possible to start off in second gear, e. g. 
in slippery conditions.
In the following situations, SMG 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.
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.
To switch back into the Sequential mode: press 
selector lever to the right again toward D or shift 
using the shift paddles or the selector lever.Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold 
the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accel-
erator, but apply the handbrake instead. Other-
wise overheating can occur in the transmission 
region.<
Gear changes
Using selector lever
>To upshift, pull the selector lever back.
>To downshift, push the selector lever for-
ward.
Using shift paddles on steering wheel
>To upshift, pull one of the shift paddles.
>To downshift, press.
Dynamic Driving Control
The Dynamic Driving Control makes it possible 
for your BMW to react in an even more perfor-
mance-oriented manner at the push of a button:
>The engine responds more spontaneously 
to accelerator pedal movements.
>Gearshifts are faster.
>The engine speed range is used optimally in 
the Drive mode.
>Cruise control
*:
The stored speed is reached more quickly 
when it is requested. 

Driving
64
Activating system
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT is 
displayed in the instrument cluster.
Deactivating system
Press the SPORT button again.
The LED in the button and SPORT in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Acceleration assistant
The acceleration assistant enables optimized 
vehicle acceleration at racing car level on road 
surfaces with good adhesion when starting off.
Do not use the acceleration assistant too 
often, otherwise components will wear 
prematurely.<
1.Activate the Dynamic Driving Control.
2.Deactivate DSC, refer to page88.
3.Quickly press accelerator pedal all the way 
down: kick-down. The ideal starting-off 
engine speed is set.
To maintain vehicle stability, reactivate 
DSC afterward.<
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic*
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can 
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to 
page65.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is indicated, and in 
the manual mode the gear currently engaged.
Changing selector lever positions
>Only move the selector lever from 
position P when the engine is running: 
interlock.
>With the vehicle stopped, press the brake 
before shifting out of P or N, otherwise the 
selector lever is blocked: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
maintain pressure on the brake pedal until 
you are ready to start.<
A lock prevents accidentally shifting into selec-
tor lever positions R and P. To cancel the lock, 
press the button on the front of the selector 
lever, refer to arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. 
The rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. 

Controls
 65Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
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Mobility
N Neutral
Can, for example, be engaged in automatic car 
washes. The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are available.
Under normal operating conditions, the fuel 
consumption is lowest when driving in posi-
tion D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration: press the accelerator pedal beyond the 
full-throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the 
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The sport program is activated and DS is dis-
played in the instrument cluster. This position is 
recommended for a performance-oriented driv-
ing style.
When the selector lever is pressed forward or 
back, the manual mode is activated and the 
Steptronic shifts the gear. The instrument clus-
ter shows M1 through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, 
a downshift that would cause the engine to 
overrev will not be executed by the system. The 
selected gear is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment cluster, followed by the current gear.
To use the automatic function again, move the 
selector lever to the right into position D.
Deactivating selector lever interlock
If the selector lever is blocked in position P even 
though the button on the selector lever is 
pressed, the selector lever interlock can be 
deactivated:
1.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2.Pull the sleeve over the selector lever.
3.Press the lever at the point marked in red 
with the screwdriver from the onboard tool-
kit, refer to page222, and move the selector 
lever into the desired position.
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the 
resistance point.
Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb 
needs to be replaced.< 

Controls
 67Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Activating rain sensor
Press the button, arrow3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the knurled wheel5.
Deactivating rain sensor
Press the button again, arrow3. The LED goes 
out.
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing 
through an automatic car wash. Failure to 
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield, headlamps* and 
BMW Night Vision camera* 
Pull the lever, arrow4.
The system sprays washer fluid against the 
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief 
period.
With the vehicle lighting switched on, the head-
lamps and the BMW Night Vision camera are 
also cleaned simultaneously at suitable inter-
vals.
Do not use the washing mechanisms if 
there is any danger that the fluid will 
freeze on the windshield. If you do so, your 
vision could be obscured. To avoid freezing, 
use a washer fluid antifreeze, refer to Washer 
fluid. Do not use washing mechanisms when 
the washer fluid reservoir is empty, otherwise 
you will damage the washer pump.<
Windshield washer nozzles
Both windshield washer nozzles are automati-
cally heated with the engine running or the igni-
tion switched on.
Sports Wagon:
Rear window wiper
1Intermittent mode. When reverse gear is 
engaged, continuous operation is switched 
on automatically
2Cleaning the rear window
Do not use washing mechanisms when 
the washer fluid reservoir is empty, other-
wise you will damage the washer pump.<
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable. 
Always keep it well away from sparks and 
open flames, and store it in tightly closed con-
tainers well out of the reach of children. Always 
observe the instructions for use provided on the 
containers.<
Washer fluid reservoir
All washer nozzles are supplied from one reser-
voir. 

Driving
68 Fill with water and – if required – with a washer 
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
In order to maintain the mixture ratio, mix 
the washer fluid before filling.<
Capacity
Sedan:
Approx. 3.2USquarts/3liters, with headlamp 
washer system
* approx. 5.3USquarts/5liters.
Sports Wagon: approx. 5.3 US quarts/5 liters.
Cruise control*
The concept
The cruise control is available for use at speeds 
of approx. 20 mph/30 km/h and higher. The 
vehicle stores and maintains the speed that you 
set using the lever mounted on the steering col-
umn.
Do not use the cruise control under driv-
ing conditions that do not permit a con-
stant speed, e.g. when driving on winding 
roads , in heavy traffic o r in poor roa d co nditions 
such as snow, rain, ice, and loose road surface. 
Otherwise you could loose control of the vehi-
cle and cause an accident.<
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining speed, storing speed, and 
accelerating
2Maintaining speed, storing speed, and 
decelerating
3Interrupting cruise control
4Resuming stored speed
Maintaining speed, storing speed, 
and accelerating
Press lever to resistance point, arrow 1:
The speed currently being driven is maintained 
and stored. The display1 in the speedometer, 
see below, indicates this regulated speed. 
Every time you press the lever, the vehicle's 
speed increases by roughly 1 mph/1 km/h.
Press lever to resistance point for a longer time:
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on 
the accelerator pedal. The system maintains 
and stores your current speed as soon as you 
release the lever.
Press the lever beyond the resistance point:
Increase speed each time to the next fives place 
on the mph speedometer or to the next tens 
place on the km/h speedometer.
If, on a downhill grade, the engine's braking 
effect is not sufficient, the controlled speed can 
be exceeded. Speed can drop on uphill grades if 
the engine output is insufficient.
Maintaining speed, storing speed, and 
decelerating
Pull the lever, arrow2:
Functions are the same as1, only the vehicle 
speed is reduced.
Interrupting cruise control
Press the lever up or down, arrow3.
In addition, cruise control is automatically deac-
tivated:
>When the brakes are applied
>When the clutch pedal is depressed or the 
automatic transmission/SMG is shifted into 
position N
>When the DSC comes on
Resuming stored speed
Press button4:
The stored speed is resumed and maintained.
Deactivating system
When the ignition is switched off, the system is 
deactivated and the stored speed is deleted. 

Controls
 69Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Displays in instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2Selected desired speed appears briefly
Active cruise control*
The concept
With active cruise control, you can select a 
desired speed which is not only automatically 
maintained when driving on open roadways, but 
also varied to maintain a selected distance set-
ting as slower traffic is encountered.
Active cruise control is a technological advance 
over the familiar cruise control and is a welcome 
relief from the constant adjustment of speed 
that can accompany driving in traffic on free-
ways or other high-speed thoroughfares. Espe-
cially on longer trips, the system can reduce 
fatigue and tension, while increasing your 
enjoyment of driving. Please use it safely and 
responsibly.
In addition to holding a steady cruising speed, 
if you encounter slower vehicles ahead, active 
cruise control will, within the scope of given 
possibilities, adjust your vehicle's speed auto-
matically so that you can flow with the traffic 
without having to make constant adjustments. 
If, for example, while cruising at the selected 
speed, you begin to approach a slower vehicle 
ahead of you in the same lane, the system will 
reduce your vehicle's speed to the same as that 
of the vehicle ahead to maintain your selected 
distance setting between your vehicle and the 
vehicle ahead. You can vary the distance, which 
is additionally speed-dependent. Based on 
your selected distance setting, the system 
automatically decreases the throttle setting and lightly applies the brakes if necessary. The vehi-
cle brake lamps will automatically illuminate to 
signal a following driver to take action. In addi-
tion, it may be necessary for the vehicle or the 
driver to downshift, depending on the kind of 
transmission your vehicle is equipped with, to 
maintain the distance setting selected. If the 
vehicle ahead speeds up or when the lane 
ahead becomes clear, your vehicle will acceler-
ate to the speed you have selected by increas-
ing the throttle setting and shifting gears auto-
matically or by the driver as needed. Your 
selected speed will also be held when driving 
downhill, however it can be dropped below 
when driving uphill if the engine output is insuf-
ficient.
The minimum desired speed is 20 mph or 
30 km/h, and the maximum desired speed 
110 mph or 180 km/h.
Active cruise control is not and must not 
be used as a collision avoidance/warning 
system.<
Since this active cruise control system is 
a new technology and operates differ-
ently from conventional cruise control systems 
which you may be accustomed to, you are 
strongly urged to read all of the pages relating 
to this system before use. Pay special attention 
to the information contained in the Things to 
know about active cruise control section begin-
ning on page73.<
Professional* navigation system
If a navigation DVD is in the drive, refer to 
page134, the system adjusts the accelerating 
and braking behavior of the vehicle to the road 
you are driving on.
To ensure that the system is informed of 
the current course of the road, always use 
the latest navigation DVD if possible.<
When the vehicle position is unknown, e.g. 
when you leave the map area, this influence of 
the navigation system is not available. 

Driving
70
Brake pedal feel
>When the system brakes and you also 
depress the brake pedal, a somewhat differ-
ent braking feeling results.
>Any noises produced during automatic 
braking are normal.
Manual transmission
You can shift with the cruise control activated. 
Shifting information is provided or the system 
deactivates itself if you drive at very high or very 
low engine speeds for a longer period.
SMG
In the Sequential mode, shifting information is 
provided or the system deactivates itself if you 
drive at very high engine speeds for a longer 
period.
In the Drive mode the SMG acts similarly to an 
automatic transmission in the D position.
Operating active cruise control
1Store and increase desired speed
2Store and decrease desired speed
3Deactivate system, refer to page71
4Resume stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page71
5Select distance to vehicle driving ahead, 
refer to page71
Maintaining current speed
Briefly press lever, arrow1, or briefly pull lever, 
arrow2, at a driving speed of more than approx. 
20 mph or 30 km/h.
The speed currently being driven is stored and 
maintained. It is indicated on the speedometer 
and briefly in the instrument cluster.
Increasing desired speed
Press or briefly press the lever to the resistance 
point or beyond, arrow1, until the desired 
speed is displayed.
The speed then displayed is stored and 
reached on a clear road.
>Each time the lever is briefly pressed up to 
the resistance point, the desired speed 
increases by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
>Each time the lever is pressed beyond the 
resistance point, the desired speed 
increases to the next fives place on the mph 
speedometer or the next tens place on the 
km/h speedometer.
Decreasing desired speed
Pull the lever, arrow 2, until the desired speed is 
displayed.
These functions are operated in the same man-
ner as increasing your desired speed.