2007 BMW 650I CONVERTIBLE page 38

Driving
60
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a
potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, shift into neutral or move the selector lever
into position P and firmly apply the handbrake,
otherwise the vehicle can begin to roll.<
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle remains stationary.
Instead, drive off at a moderate engine speed.
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned at all or is burned inade-
quately and there is a danger of overheating and
damage to the catalytic converter.<
Manual transmission
Remote control in ignition lock or with comfort
access in vehicle, refer to page37.
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Depress the clutch pedal and select the
idling position.
3.Press the Start/Stop button.
Automatic transmission*
Remote control in ignition lock or with comfort
access in vehicle, refer to page37.
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Place selector lever in position P or N.3.Press the Start/Stop button.
SMG Sequential Manual
Transmission*
Remote control in ignition lock or with comfort
access in vehicle, refer to page37.
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Move selector lever into position N and
make sure that this position is also indi-
cated in instrument cluster.
3.Press the Start/Stop button.
If the engine fails to start, depress the
brake pedal and press the selector lever
to the right and then back into position N.
Watch the display in the instrument cluster
while doing so.<
Switching engine off
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
remote control with you.
When parking, firmly apply the handbrake, as
otherwise the vehicle could roll.<
Manual transmission
1.Press the Start/Stop button with the vehicle
stopped.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Firmly apply the handbrake.
4.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page59.
SMG Sequential Manual
Transmission*
1.Firmly apply the handbrake.
2.Move selector lever into a drive position.
3.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.
4.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page59.

Controls
61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Automatic transmission*
1.Move selector lever into position P with
vehicle stopped.
2.Press the Start/Stop button.
3.Firmly apply the handbrake.
4.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page59.
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.
Applying
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
firmly. In doing so, continuously press the but-
ton of the handbrake lever. Otherwise, too firm
an application of the handbrake can lock up the
rear wheels and cause the rear of the vehicle to
swerve. ing action, occasionally engage 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.<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th/6th gear, press the
gearshift lever toward the right, otherwise
an inadvertent shift into 3rd or 4th gear could
lead to engine damage.<
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
Press the gearshift lever to the left, overcoming
a slight 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 the following functions:
>Choice of manual or automatic mode:
Sequential mode or Drive mode
>Choice of two drive programs: Normal or
Sport, refer to Dynamic Driving Control
page64

Driving
62 >Automatic downshifting and prevention of
incorrect shifting even in sequential opera-
tion
>Acceleration assistant, refer to page65
Selector lever positions
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral, idle
>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.This display is your only way to be sure
the desired selector lever position is actu-
ally engaged.<
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 pressed, the Sequential mode is activated.
You can shift up and down using the shifting
paddles 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, the system will not execute a
downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev.
>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.
To switch from Sequential to Drive mode:
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
toward D.

Controls
63Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Kick-down: for rapid acceleration, e.g. passing,
press the accelerator pedal as far down as it will
go. You achieve maximum acceleration.
To switch back to the Sequential mode: press
the 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 applying the throt-
tle, but engage the handbrake instead. Other-
wise, overheating can occur in the region of the
transmission.<
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.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you can
also shift manually with Steptronic, refer to
page64.
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
manual mode, the gear currently engaged.
Changing selector lever positions
>Only move the selector lever from
position P with the engine running: inter-
lock.
>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.<
An interlock prevents inadvertent gearshifts
into selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the interlock, press the button on the front of
the selector lever knob, 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.

Driving
64
N Neutral
You can select N in car washes, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation.
All forward 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 the selector lever from position D to the
left into shifting slot M/S:
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. It is engaged automatically when the
Dynamic Driving Control is activated, refer to
Dynamic Driving Control.
When the selector lever is briefly moved for-
ward or back, the manual mode is activated and
the Steptronic shifts 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,
the system will not execute a downshift that
would cause the engine to overrev. 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 up over the selector lever.
3.Using the screwdriver from the onboard
toolkit, refer to page212, press the lever at
the point marked in red and move the selec-
tor lever into the desired position.
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.
>Cruise control:
The stored speed is reached more quickly
when requested.
Additionally with SMG:
>Gearshifts are faster.
>The engine speed range is used optimally in
the Drive mode.
With automatic transmission:
>The Sport program is activated.

Controls
65Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Activating system
With the ignition switched on, 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 or
>shift into reverse or
>switch off the engine.
The LED in the button and SPORT in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Acceleration assistant with SMG
The acceleration assistant enables optimized
vehicle acceleration at race 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.Press the accelerator pedal down fully:
kick-down. The ideal starting-off engine
speed is set.
To maintain vehicle stability, reactivate
DSC afterward.<
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Move the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, only press the lever to
the resistance point.
Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates the failure of a turn signal
lamp.<
Signaling briefly
Press the lever to the resistance point and hold
it there as long as you wish to signal.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever to the resistance point; the turn
signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
iDrive, for explanation of principle, refer to
page16.
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.

Controls
69Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
distance setting between your vehicle and the
vehicle ahead. You can vary the distance, which
is also speed-dependent. Based on your
selected distance setting, the system automat-
ically decreases the throttle setting and lightly
applies the brakes if necessary. The vehicle
brake lamps will automatically light up to signal
a following driver to take action. In addition, it
may be necessary for the vehicle or the driver to
downshift, depending on the kind of transmis-
sion 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 accelerate to
the speed you have selected by increasing the
throttle setting and shifting gears automatically
or with the aid of 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 page72.<
Professional* navigation system
If a navigation DVD is in the drive, refer to
page126, 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. is canceled when the vehicle position is
unknown, e.g. when it has left the mapped
region.
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 gears with the cruise control acti-
vated. If you drive for extended periods at very
high or very low engine speeds, then a shifting
command is issued or the system is deacti-
vated.
SMG
If you drive for extended periods at very high
engine speeds in Sequential mode, then a shift-
ing command is issued or the system is deacti-
vated.
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 following distance to vehicle ahead,
refer to page70

Controls
71Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Deactivating system
Press the lever up or down. The displays in the
instrument cluster disappear.
You also deactivate the system when you apply
the brakes, shift very slowly, or shift into neutral.
In addition, the system is deactivated automati-
cally:
>when you activate the DTC Dynamic Trac-
tion Control
>when you deactivate the DSC Dynamic Sta-
bility Control
>when the system does not recognize any
objects for a longer time, e. g. on infre-
quently traveled roads without a shoulder or
guard rails, or if the radar sensor is covered
with dirt, refer to page72
>when the speed is reduced to below
20 mph/30 km/h due to a traffic situation
The system deactivates automatically
when the speed is set to below 20 mph/
30 km/h. A signal sounds and a message
appears in the Control Display. The active inter-
vention of the driver is required, otherwise there
is a risk of an accident.<
Resuming stored desired speed and
distance
Press button 4.
The displays appear in the instrument cluster.
When you switch off the ignition, the stored
desired speed is deleted.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2Lights up yellow: vehicle driving ahead is
detected
Flashes red, a signal sounds: the system
cannot establish the distance, you must
apply the brakes
Flashes yellow: driving stability control sys-
tems intervene, the active cruise control is
deactivated
3Selected distance to vehicle driving ahead:
lights up as soon as the system is activated
4Selected desired speed appears briefly
If the display ACC --- mph/km/h briefly
appears in the instrument cluster, it might
be that conditions necessary for operation are
not currently being met. To call up Check Con-
trol messages, refer to page80.<
Warning lamps
The display2 flashes red and a sig-
nal sounds.
The system is warning you to inter-
vene by braking or executing an
evasive maneuver. The active
cruise control cannot automatically restore the
distance to the vehicle driving ahead.
This display does not, however, relieve the
driver of the responsibility for adapting desired
speed and driving style to traffic conditions.
The display2 flashes yellow.
Automatic intervention by ABS or
DSC. The active cruise control
intervenes by braking until you
actively take over.