
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
88 Have the tire replaced by a BMW center or a 
workshop informed on handling TPM which 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Malfunction
The yellow warning lamp flashes and 
then lights up continuously. The tires 
are shown in gray on the Control Dis-
play and a message is displayed. No flat tire can 
be detected.
A message like this is displayed in the following 
situations:
>In case of a malfunction;
have the system checked.
>If a wheels is mounted without TPM elec-
tronics.
>If TPM is temporarily interfered with by 
other systems or devices which use the 
same radio frequency.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring 
Systems
Each tire, including the spare*, should be 
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the 
inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle 
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label. If your vehicle has tires of a 
different size than the size indicated on the 
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, 
you should determine the proper tire inflation 
pressure for those tires. As an added safety fea-
ture, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire 
pressure monitoring system, TPMS, that illumi-
nates a low tire pressure indicator when one or 
more of your tires are significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pres-
sure indicator illuminates, you should stop and 
check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate 
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a signif-
icantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to 
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-
inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire 
tread life, and may affect the vehicle's handling 
and stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS 
is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain 
correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has 
not reached the level to trigger illumination of 
the TPMS low tire pressure indicator.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined 
with the low tire pressure indicator. When the 
system detects a malfunction, the indicator will 
flash for approximately one minute and then 
remain continuously illuminated. This 
sequence will continue upon subsequent vehi-
cle startups as long as the malfunction exists. 
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, 
the system may not be able to detect or signal 
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the installation of replacement or alternate 
tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the 
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check 
the TPMS malfunction indicator after replacing 
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to 
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires 
and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to func-
tion properly.Brake force display
>On the left: normal braking.
>On the right: heavy braking. 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
90 The front, knee and side airbags on the front 
passenger side can be deactivated for teenag-
ers and adults in certain sitting positions; the 
indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags 
lights up when this occurs. In these cases, 
change the sitting position so that the front pas-
senger airbags are activated and the indicator 
lamp goes out. If the desired status cannot be 
produced by changing the sitting position, 
transport the corresponding person in the rear 
seat. 
Do not fit seat covers, seat cushion padding, 
beaded mats or other items onto the front pas-
senger seat unless they are specifically recom-
mended by BMW. Do not place objects under 
the seat which could press against the seat 
from below. Otherwise, a correct evaluation of 
the occupied seat surface cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger 
airbags
The illustration here shows a possible arrange-
ment in the Coupe. With some vehicle equip-
ment packages or in the Convertible, 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, 
knee and side airbags on the front passenger 
side depending on whether the seat is occu-
pied. The indicator lamp shows whether the 
front passenger airbags are activated or deacti-
vated.
>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, knee and side airbags on the front 
passenger side are deactivated.Most child seats are detected by the sys-
tem. Especially the child seats required 
by the NHTSA at the time the vehicle is manu-
factured. After installing a child seat, make sure 
that the indicator lamp for the front passenger 
airbags lights up. This indicates that the child 
seat has been detected and the front passenger 
airbags 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, knee and side airbags on the front 
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when 
the seat is empty.
But the front, knee and side airbags on the 
front passenger side are still deactivated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
From radio readiness, refer to page58, the 
warning lamp lights up briefly, indicating the 
operational readiness of the entire airbag sys-
tem and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up as of radio 
readiness.
>Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction; otherwise, 
there is a danger that the airbag system may not 
respond in the expected manner in an accident 
despite an impact of corresponding intensity.< 

Controls
 95Reference
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 page97.<
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.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can 
cause the lights to be switched on.
If desired, the light switch can be left in posi-
tion3. The exterior lighting is 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
96 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-
tions0, 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 page95.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adaptive 
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. The Adaptive Head Light 
is malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system 
checked as soon as possible. 

Things to remember when driving
114
Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in
Moving parts need time to adjust to one 
another. To ensure that your vehicle continues 
to provide optimized economy of operation 
throughout an extended service life, we request 
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Do not use the driving programs 5 and 6, refer 
to Drivelogic on page62, during break-in.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds, 
however do not exceed 5,500 rpm or 105 mph/
170 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the 
transmission's kick-down mode during these 
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km to 
3,000 miles/5,000 km
The engine and driving speeds can gradually be 
increased up to a continuous vehicle speed of 
135 mph/220 km/h. Only drive at top speed 
briefly, e.g. when passing.
Transmission
The function of the transmission is only at its 
optimized level after driving a distance of 
approx. 300 miles/500 km. Do not exceed 
engine speeds of 5,500 rpm during this time.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their 
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in 
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the 
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of 
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized 
contact and wear patterns between brake pads 
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during 
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx. 
300 miles/500 km. With manual transmission: 
During this break-in period, engage the clutch 
gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced 
after subsequent driving operation.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Only drive with the luggage compartment 
lid completely closed, otherwise exhaust 
can penetrate into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the 
luggage compartment lid open:
1.Coupe: close both windows.
Convertible: with closed top, close all win-
dows.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to 
page101. 

Driving tips
 115Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed 
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to 
them. When driving, standing at idle and while 
parking, take care to avoid possible contact 
between the hot exhaust system and any highly 
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass, 
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it 
the risk of serious property damage as well as 
personal injury. Do not touch hot exhaust tail 
pipes. Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Mobile communications devices in 
vehicle
BMW advises against using mobile com-
munications devices, e.g. mobile phones, 
inside the vehicle without a direct connection to 
an external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle 
electronics and mobile communications device 
can interfere with each other. In addition, there 
is no assurance that the radiation emitted dur-
ing transmission will be conveyed out of the 
vehicle interior.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge 
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or 
complete loss of contact between the tires and 
the road surface, ultimately undermining your 
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread 
depth of the tires decreases, also refer to Mini-
mum tire tread on page199.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it 
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at 
walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the 
transmission may be damaged.<
Starting off
On slopes
The starting assistant enables starting off on 
slopes virtually without rolling back.
1.Hold the vehicle with the footbrake.
2.Make sure that the handbrake is released.
3.Release the footbrake and drive off quickly.
The starting assistant holds the vehicle 
for approx. 1 second after releasing the 
footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle 
may also roll back slightly during this time. 
After releasing the footbrake, drive off quickly, 
otherwise the starting assistant no longer holds 
the vehicle after approx. 1 second and it begins 
to roll back.<
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold 
the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accel-
erator, but apply the footbrake or handbrake 
instead. Otherwise, overheating and heavy 
wear can result in the area of the Sequential 
Manual Transmission.<
To protect the clutch of the Sequential Manual 
Transmission from overheating, the starting-off 
behavior is changed under heavy loading, e.g. a 
rapid succession of starts on slopes. This can 
be noticed from shaking during starting off.
On a slippery surface
1.Select "P 400" program of M Engine 
Dynamic Control, refer to page64.
2.Gently press accelerator pedal to prevent 
wheels from spinning when starting off.
Clutch protection with manual 
transmission
Be sure to avoid riding the clutch for longer peri-
ods.
Your BMW M6 is equipped with an overload 
protection for the clutch. Riding the clutch for 
longer periods is detected and the engine man-
agement system limits the engine speed to pro-
tect the clutch. This can result in the vehicle fail-
ing to accelerate when the clutch pedal is 
partially depressed. 

Driving tips
 117Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their 
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage 
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result 
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants 
and cargo should never exceed 
YYY lbs. or XXX kg, as otherwise the vehicle 
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the 
driver and passengers that will be riding in 
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver 
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals 
800 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 
200 lbs.:
800lbs. minus 600lbs. = 200lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage 
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That 
weight may not safely exceed the available 
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated 
in step 4.6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of 
the load from your trailer will be transferred 
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for 
transporting a trailer to determine how this 
may reduce the available cargo and luggage 
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of 
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the 
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage 
can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Place heavy cargo as far forward and as low 
as possible, placing it directly behind the 
bulkhead behind the rear seats.
>Cover sharp edges and corners. 

Navigation
Driving tips
 127Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Entering house number
All house numbers stored for the street on the 
navigation DVD can be entered.
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.Enter the house number:
Select the individual digits and press the 
controller.
3.Change into the third field from the top. 
Turn the controller until the house number 
is selected and press the controller.
Starting destination guidance with 
manual destination entry
>Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
Destination guidance starts immediately.
>If destination guidance is not to be started 
immediately:
Select "Add to destination list" and press 
the controller.
The destination is stored in the destination 
list, refer to page131.
Entering destination via 
voice*
You can enter a desired destination with the 
voice command system. When entering the 
destination, it is possible to change between 
voice command and iDrive at any time. Reacti-
vate the voice command function for this pur-
pose if necessary.
With {Options} you can have the system 
read aloud the possible commands.<1.Press the   button on the steering wheel 
or in the center console.
Selecting country
1.Wait for the system to ask for the country of 
destination.
Say the name of the country of destination in 
the language of the voice command system.
Entering town/city of destination
The town/city of destination can be spelled or 
entered as an entire word.
Spelling town/city of destination
To enter the town/city of destination, spell it 
using the customary spelling of the country of 
destination. 
Pronounce the letters smoothly and at normal 
volume, avoiding excessive emphasis and 
pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 towns/cit-
ies of destination that match your entries. 
2.{Enter address}
2.Say the name of the country of destina-
tion.
1.Spell town/city name:
Say at least the first three letters of the 
town/city of destination. The more let-
ters you say, the more exactly the sys-
tem recognizes the town/city.