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Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or inadequately burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter.<
Switching off engine
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, otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.<
Manual transmission
1.Briefly press the Start/Stop button with the
vehicle stopped.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Apply the handbrake.
SMG Sequential Manual
Transmission*
1.Apply the handbrake.
2.Engage a driving position.
3.Briefly press the Start/Stop button.
If N is engaged when switching off the
engine, this will be pointed out to you opti-
cally and acoustically.
Automatic transmission*
1.Select selector lever position P with the
vehicle stopped.
2.Briefly press the Start/Stop button.
Handbrake
The handbrake is primarily intended to prevent
the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes
the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up, and a sig-
nal also sounds when starting off. The
handbrake is applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Engaging
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
If exceptional circumstances should
make it necessary to apply the handbrake
while the vehicle is in motion, do not pull it too
strongly. In doing so, continuously press the
button of the handbrake lever. Otherwise
excessive pressure can lead to the rear wheels
locking up and loss of traction – fishtailing – at
the rear axle.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the hand-
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the hand-
brake is applied.<
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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.
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iDrive, for explanation of principle, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Turn the controller until "Vehicle / Tires" is
selected and press the controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "PDC" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Select "PDC display on" and press the con-
troller.
The PDC screen is activated.
The display appears on the Control Display as
soon as PDC is activated.
System limits
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstructions always remains
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind spot in which objects can
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those encountered with tow bars and trailer cou-
plings, or thin and wedge-shaped objects etc.
Low objects already displayed, e. g. curbs, can
also disappear from the detection area of the
sensors again before or after a continuous tone
already sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g.
ledges, cannot be detected.
Loud sources of sound, inside and outside the
vehicle, could drown out the PDC signal tone.<
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW is equipped with an extended array
of systems designed to enhance and maintain
vehicle stability under extreme conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely refer to page127.
CBC Cornering Brake Control
When braking during curves or when braking
during a lane change, driving stability and steer-
ing response are improved further.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
DBC Dynamic Brake Control
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the full braking.
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Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes out.
xDrive on 525xi, 530xi
xDrive is the 4-wheel drive system of your
BMW. The combined effects of xDrive and DSC
further optimize the traction and dynamic driv-
ing characteristics. The 4-wheel drive system
xDrive variably distributes the drive torque to
the front and rear axle depending on the driving
situation and prevailing road conditions.
HDC Hill Descent Control on 525xi,
530xi
The concept
HDC is a system for driving downhill in steep
terrain. This system reduces vehicle speed on
steep downhill gradients, thus allowing you to
maintain even better control of your BMW
under these conditions. The vehicle moves at
approximately twice walking speed without
active intervention from the driver.
HDC is available for activation at vehicle speeds
below approx. 22 mph/35 km/h. When driving
down steep hills with a speed below approx.
22 mph/35 km/h, the vehicle reduces speed
automatically down to approximately double
walking speed, approx. 7 mph/12 km/h, and
then maintains this speed at a constant.
You can use the accelerator or brakes to vary
this automatically controlled speed within a
range extending from approx. 3 mph/5 km/h to
15 mph/25 km/h.
You can specify a target speed within the same
range by using the lever of the cruise control.
Activating HDC
You can activate HDC:
>with the programmable buttons on the
steering wheel, refer to page53
>using iDrive
iDrive, for explanation of 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.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "HDC" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Select "HDC on" and press the controller.
HDC is shown in the instrument cluster.
If the vehicle is automatically braked, a message
is displayed on the Control Display for approx.
20 seconds.
Deactivating HDC
When you use the programmable buttons on
the steering wheel or via iDrive, the HDC display
goes out.
HDC is automatically deactivated in the follow-
ing situations:
>Above approx. 37 mph/60 km/h
>After switching off the ignition
Using HDC
Manual transmission:
Use HDC in low gears and reverse gear.
Automatic transmission:
You can use HDC in every drive position.
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or a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The front and
side airbags on the front passenger side are
activated or deactivated accordingly by the sys-
tem.
The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags in the following.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, observe the safety infor-
mation and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely refer to page55.
The front and side airbags on the front passen-
ger side can be deactivated for teenagers and
adults in certain seat positions; then the indica-
tor lamp for the front passenger airbags lights
up. In these cases, change the seat position so
that the front passenger airbags are activated
and the indicator lamp goes out. If the desired
status cannot be produced by changing the
seat position, transport the corresponding per-
son on the rear seat. Do not fit seat covers, seat
cushion padding, ball mats or other items onto
the front passenger seat unless they are specif-
ically recommended by BMW. Do not lay
objects under the seat which could press
against the seat from below. Otherwise a cor-
rect evaluation of the occupied seat surface
cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front
and side airbags on the front passenger side
depending on the seat occupation. The indica-
tor lamp shows whether the front passenger
airbags are activated or deactivated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint system intended for the
purpose is properly detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are not activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient height is detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
However, the front and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated.
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Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lights off and daytime running lamps*
1Parking lamps and daytime running lamps*
2Low beams
3Automatic headlamp control
*, daytime run-
ning lamps
* and Adaptive Head Light*
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the
parking lamps for parking.
The parking lamps drain the battery. Do
not leave them switched on for long peri-
ods of time, otherwise it may no longer be pos-
sible to start the engine. It is preferable to
switch on the roadside parking lamps on one
side, refer to page105.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
If the light switch remains in position 2, the
exterior lamps are switched off automatically
when the driver's door is opened while the igni-
tion is off.
Switch on the parking lamps if required as
described under Parking lamps.
Automatic headlamp control*
In switch position3, the system activates the
low beams and switches them on or off in
response to changes in ambient light condi-
tions, for instance, in a tunnel, at dawn and dusk
and in case of precipitation. Adaptive Head
Light
* is active. The LED next to the symbol is
illuminated when the low beams are on.
When driving into a tunnel with bright overhead
lighting, switching on of the lights may be
delayed.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain switched on inde-
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps
*.<
If desired, the light switch can be left in posi-
tion3. The exterior lamps are automatically
switched off after switching off the vehicle.
The automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for your personal
judgment in determining when the lamps
should be switched on in response to ambient
lighting conditions. For example, the sensors
cannot detect fog of hazy weather. To avoid
safety risks, you should always switch on the
low beams manually under these conditions.<
Pathway lighting
When you activate the headlamp flasher after
parking the vehicle and switching off the lamps,
the low beams will come on for a brief period.
You can set the duration or deactivate the func-
tion via iDrive.
iDrive, for explanation of 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.
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Climate
Automatic climate control
1Air directed toward the windshield and
side windows
2Air for the upper body region, refer to
Front ventilation on page110
3Air to footwell
4Temperature, left side of passenger
compartment
5Maximum cooling
6Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
7Air volume, manual
8Switching off automatic climate control9Switching cooling function on and off
manually
10Temperature, right side of passenger
compartment
11Residual heat mode
12AUTO program
13AUC Automatic recirculated-air control/
recirculated-air mode
14LED for parked car ventilation system
15Rear window defroster
16Air grill for interior temperature sensor –
please keep clear and unobstructed
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4.Select the field by moving the controller and
turning the controller to adjust the temper-
ature.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
Quickly remove ice and condensa-
tion from the windshield and front
side windows.
Rear window defroster
The rear window defroster
switches off automatically after a
while.
Air volume, manual
You can adjust the air volume by
turning. You can reactivate the
automatic mode for the air volume
with the AUTO button.
Manual air distribution
1.Open the start menu.
2.Open "Climate".
3.Select "Vent settings" and press the con-
troller.
The driver's and front passenger side can
be adjusted separately with the fields on the
right or left side.
4.Select the driver's or front passenger side
if necessary.
Move the controller to the right or left
repeatedly until the driver's or front passen-
ger side is selected.
5.Select the desired field by moving the con-
troller.6.Turn the controller to adjust the air distribu-
tion.
Driver's side:
1Air directed toward the windshield and side
windows
2Air for the upper body
3Air to footwell
Front passenger side:
4Air for the upper body
5Air to footwell
Pressing the AUTO button cancels the air
distribution settings via iDrive and vice
versa.<
Switching cooling function on and off
The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air
before also reheating it as
required, according to the temperature setting.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is switched on automati-
cally with the AUTO program. The passenger
compartment can only be cooled with the
engine running.
Maximum cooling
Maximally cooled air is obtained as
quickly as possible at an outside
temperature above approx. 327/
06 and with the engine running.
The automatic climate control changes over to
the lowest temperature and switches into the
recirculated-air mode. The maximum air vol-
ume only flows out of the vents for the upper