2007 BMW 550I Owners Manual

Controls
103Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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.

Lamps
104 5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Lighting" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "Pathway lighting" and press the
controller.
7.Turn the controller to select the desired
duration.
8.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Daytime running lamps*
If desired, the light switch can remain in posi-
tion0, 1 or 3.
In positions0 and 3 the exterior lighting is auto-
matically switched off after the vehicle is
switched off. In position1 the parking lamps
light up after the ignition is switched off.
Switch on the parking lamps if required as
described under Parking lamps.
Activating/deactivating daytime
running lamps*
1.Open 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 "Lighting" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "Daytime running lamps" and press
the controller.
The daytime running lamps are
switched on.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Adaptive Head Light*
The concept
Adaptive Head Light is a variable headlamp
control system that enables better illumination
of the road surface. Depending on the steering
angle and other parameters, the light from the
headlamp follows the course of the road.
Activating Adaptive Head Light
In switch position3, the Adaptive Head Light is
active and the automatic headlamp control
is
switched on, refer to page103.
To avoid dazzling oncoming traffic, the Adap-
tive Head Light is not active when driving in
reverse and points toward the passenger side
when the vehicle is stopped.
Malfunction
The LED next to the symbol for automatic head-
lamp control flashes. Adaptive Head Light is
malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.

Controls
105Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
High beams/
roadside parking lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
You also enjoy the option of lighting up just one
side of your vehicle when parking:
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the resistance point, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Do not leave them switched on for
long periods of time, otherwise it may no longer
be possible to start the engine.<
Switching off
Briefly press the lever in the opposite direction
up to the resistance point, arrow3.
Fog lamps*
The parking lamps or low beams must be
switched on for the fog lamps to operate. The green indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up whenever the fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps are switched off whenever the
high beams are switched on.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
You can control the lighting intensity by using
the knurled wheel.
Interior lamps
Control of the interior lamps, footwell lamps,
door entry lighting, cargo bay lamps
* and cour-
tesy lamps
* is automatic.
With the courtesy lamps, LED lamps are located
in the door handles to illuminate the exterior
area before the doors.
To protect the battery, all lamps in the
vehicle are switched off approx. 15 min-
utes after radio readiness is switched off, refer
to Start/Stop button on page59.<

Lamps
106
Switching interior lamps on and off
manually
Press the button.
If you want the interior lamps to remain off con-
tinuously, maintain pressure on the button for
approx. 3 seconds.
Reading lamps
Reading lamps are located in the front and rear
adjacent to the interior lamps. Press the button
to switch the lamps on and off.

Controls
107Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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

Climate
108 The current setting for air distribution is dis-
played on the Control Display.
A congenial climate
The AUTO program offers the optimum air dis-
tribution and air volume for virtually all condi-
tions, refer to AUTO program below. Now you
only need to select an interior temperature
pleasant to you.
The following sections contain more detailed
information on the available setting options.
Most settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use, also refer to Personal Profile
settings on page29.
AUTO program
The AUTO program handles the
adjustment of air distribution to the
windshield and side windows, in
the direction of the upper body, and in the foot-
well, as well as the air volume. It also adapts
your instructions for the temperature to outside
influences throughout the year.
The cooling is switched on automatically with
the AUTO program. At the same time, a con-
densation sensor controls the program in such
a way that window condensation is prevented
as much as possible.
Intensity of AUTO program
To meet your individual needs, you can weaken
or strengthen the intensity of the automatic cli-
mate control.
iDrive, for explanation of principle, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the left to open
"Climate".3.Select "Automatic programs" and press the
controller.
4.Select the desired intensity and press the
controller.
The marked intensity of the automatic
program is switched on.
Temperature
Set the desired temperature indi-
vidually on the driver's and front
passenger side.
The automatic climate control
adjusts this temperature as quickly as possible
at any time of year, if necessary with the maxi-
mum cooling or heating capacity, and then
keeps it constant.
When changing between different tem-
perature settings in rapid succession, the
automatic climate control does not have suffi-
cient time to adjust the set temperature.<
Adjusting temperature in upper body
region
1.Open the start menu.
2.Open "Climate".
3.Select "Vent settings" and press the con-
troller.

Controls
109Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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

Climate
110 body. Therefore, open these vents for maxi-
mum cooling.
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control/recirculated-air mode
You can respond to pollutants or
unpleasant odors in the immediate
environment by suspending the
supply of outside air. The system then recircu-
lates the air currently within the vehicle. During
AUC operation, a sensor detects pollutants in
the outside air and controls the shut-off auto-
matically.
By pressing the button repeatedly, you can
request three operating modes:
>LED off: outside air flows in continuously.
>Right LED on, AUC mode: the system
detects pollutants in the outside air and
shuts off the supply as needed.
>Left LED on, recirculated-air mode: the
supply of outside air is permanently shut off.
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 volume as
required.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
over an extended period of time, as the air qual-
ity inside the vehicle deteriorates continu-
ously.<
Residual heat
The heat stored in the engine is
used to heat the passenger com-
partment, e.g. while stopped at a
school to pick up a child.
The function can be switched on when the fol-
lowing conditions are met:
>up to 15 minutes after switching off the
engine
>with engine at operating temperature
>with sufficient battery voltage
>at an outside temperature below 777/
256The LED lights up when the function is
switched on.
From radio readiness the interior temperature,
the air volume and the air distribution can be
set.
Switching automatic climate control on
and off
The air volume, the heater and the
cooling function are all switched
off.
You can restart the automatic cli-
mate control by pressing any of its buttons
except the REST button.
Front ventilation
1Knurled wheels to smoothly open and close
vent outlets
2Levers to change the vent outlet direction
Do not drop any foreign objects into the
vent outlets, otherwise these could be
catapulted outwards and lead to injuries.<
Ventilation for cooling
Adjust the vent outlets to direct the flow of cool
air in your direction, for instance, if the interior
has become too warm, etc.
Draft-free ventilation
Set the vent outlets so that the air flows past
you and is not directed straight at you.