
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
 13
Colors
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in 
various colors and combinations.
>Red:
Stop the vehicle immediately
or
an important reminder
>Red and yellow:
Continue driving cautiously
>Yellow:
Have the system checked soon
or
for your information
>Green or blue:
For your information Antilock Brake System ABS/Driving 
stability control systems for Canadian 
models
Brake system 
+ 
Parking brake released95
Parking brake applied41
With other warning lamps52
Brake warning lamp for Canadian mod-
els
Brake pads 
+76
Fog lamps60
Electric Power Steering 
+56
Flat Tire Monitor
* +53
Tire Pressure Monitor
* +54
Airbags 
+56
'Fasten safety belts' reminder33
Defective bulb59
Doors or luggage compartment lid/tail-
gate open
Automatic transmission 
+43
Engine electronics 
+ 
Malfunction in the engine electronics. 
You can continue to drive with reduced 
engine output. Please have the system 
inspected by your BMW center.
Service engine soon 
+97
Service engine soon indicator lamp for 
Canadian models
Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC
 +51
Dynamic Traction Control 
DTC 
+51
Add coolant94
Add washer fluid46
Check gas cap 
+82 

Adjustments
30
Adjustments
Safe seating position
For relaxed driving with as little fatigue as pos-
sible, you should select a seating position that 
reflects your personal requirements. In combi-
nation with the safety belts, the head restraints 
and the airbags, the seating position has a 
major influence on your safety in the event of an 
accident. To ensure that the vehicle's safety 
systems provide you with optimal protection, 
we request that you direct your careful attention 
to the following section.
For supplementary information on transporting 
children refer to page36.
Airbags 
Always maintain an adequate distance 
between yourself and the airbags. Always 
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your 
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, 
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or 
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered 
off.
Never allow any objects, individuals or animals 
to obstruct the areas between passengers and 
airbags.
Never use the front airbag's cover as a storage 
tray or support for objects of any kind. Ensure 
that the passenger is correctly seated, e.g. does 
not prop feet or legs against the dashboard. 
Otherwise, leg injury could result if the knee air-
bag and front airbag suddenly deployed.
Make sure that the passenger does not lean his 
or her head against the side airbag, otherwise 
serious injuries could result if the airbags sud-
denly deployed.<
Even when all these guidelines are observed, 
the risk of injury as a result of contact with the 
airbags cannot entirely be ruled out in some sit-
uations. In sensitive individuals, the ignition and 
inflation noise may induce a mild hearing loss 
that is temporary in most cases.
For airbag locations and additional information 
on airbags, refer to page56.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the 
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way 
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the 
event of an accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page32.
Safety belt
Make sure every occupant fastens his or her 
safety belt. As supplemental restraint devices, 
the airbags are designed to enhance the effec-
tiveness of the safety belts, and not to replace 
them.
Your vehicle offers two sitting positions, each of 
which is equipped with a safety belt.
Never allow more than one person to 
wear a single safety belt. Never allow 
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's 
lap. Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits 
low against the hips and does not press against 
the abdomen. The safety belt must never rest 
against the throat, rub against sharp edges, 
pass over hard or fragile objects or be pinched. 
Fasten the safety belt around your body snugly, 
ma king sure tha t it is  pulled taut across  your lap 
and shoulder and that it is not twisted; other-
wise, the belt can slide over the hips in the event 
of a frontal collision and injure your abdomen. 
Avoid wearing bulky clothing and regularly pull 
the belt in the upper-body area taut, otherwise 
its restraining effect could be impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page33.
Seats 
Before adjusting your seat, always 
observe the following precautions
Never try to adjust your seat while driving. 
Otherwise, the seat could respond with 
unexpected movement, and the ensuing loss of  

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 31
vehicle control could lead to an accident.
On the passenger seat as well, do not incline 
the backrest too far to the rear while the vehicle 
is being driven, otherwise there is a danger in 
the event of an accident of sliding under the 
safety belt, eliminating the protection normally 
provided by the belt.<
Comply with the instructions on head restraint 
height on page32 and on damaged safety belts 
on page34.
Seat adjustment
Comply with the preceding instructions in 
this chapter to ensure the best possible 
personal protection.<
Backward/forward adjustment
Pull lever 1 and slide the seat to the desired 
position.
After releasing the lever, move the seat gently 
forward or back to make sure it engages prop-
erly.
Height
Pull lever 2 and apply your weight to the seat or 
lift it off, as necessary.
Backrest
Pull lever 3 and apply your weight to the back-
rest or lift it off, as necessary.
Power seat adjustment*
Read and comply with the adjustment 
instructions on page30. Failure to do so 
can result in diminished personal safety.<
1Tilt angle
2Backward/forward adjustment
3Height
4Backrest
The head restraint is adjusted manually, refer to 
Head restraints on page32.
M Sports seat*
On this seat, you can also adjust the thigh sup-
port and the tilt angle. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 33
Convenience function
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or turn 
the key to position 1, refer to page40.
2.Press memory button 1, 2 or 3 briefly.
Movement stops when one of the seat adjust-
ment or memory buttons is operated during the 
adjustment process.
You can have this feature programmed so 
that after you use the remote control from 
your personalized key to unlock your door, your 
seat will move into your own preferred posi-
tion.<
Safety function
1.Close the driver's door and turn the key to 
position 0 or 2.
2.Press the desired memory button 1, 2 or 3 
until the adjustment process is completed.
If you press the M
EMORY button accidentally: 
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Before activating the programmed 
adjustment feature, ensure that the space 
behind the driver's seat is empty and unob-
structed. If you fail to do so, objects behind the 
seat could be damaged, should the seat move 
backward.<
Seat heating*
The seat cushion and backrest can be heated 
with the ignition key in position 2.
Press once for each temperature level.
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
To switch off:
Press button longer.
Safety belts
Comply with the instructions on page30, 
or the occupants' personal safety will be 
diminished.<
Make sure every occupant fastens his or her 
safety belt. As supplemental restraint devices, 
the airbags are designed to enhance the effec-
tiveness of the safety belts, and not to replace 
them.
To fasten
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the belt 
buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of 
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page31.
To unlock
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt back into its reel.
'Fasten safety belts' reminder
The indicator lamp flashes or lights up. 
A signal also sounds. Check whether 
the safety belt has been fastened cor-
rectly.
The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is issued as 
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-
tened. The 'Fasten safety belts' reminder is also 
activated at road speeds above approx. 5 mph/
8 km/h if the passenger's safety belt is not fas-
tened, if heavy objects are placed on the pas-
senger seat, or if driver or passenger unfasten 
their safety belts. 

Adjustments
34
Damaged safety belts
When the belt system has absorbed an 
accident or has been damaged, have the 
system and its belt tensioners replaced and the 
b e l t  a n c h o r s  c h e c k e d .  H a v e  t h i s  w o r k  d o n e  o n l y  
by your BMW center or at a workshop that 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel. Other-
wise, it is not guaranteed that the safety devices 
will function properly.<
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The passenger's mirror is more convex 
than the driver's mirror. The objects seen 
in the mirror are closer than they appear. Do not 
gauge your distance from traffic behind you on 
the basis of what you see in the mirror; other-
wise there is an increased risk of an accident.<
1Adjustments
2To switch from one mirror to the other
3To fold the mirrors in or out
*
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually: 
press on the edges of the lens.
Folding mirrors in or out*
The mirrors can be folded in or out up to a road 
speed of approx. 6 mph/10 km/h by pressing 
button3. This can be useful on narrow roads, 
for example, or to reset the mirrors to their cor-
rect positions after they were folded in.
Automatic heating*
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated 
when the engine is running or the ignition is 
switched on.
Interior rearview mirror
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.
Interior and exterior mirrors with 
automatic dimming feature* 
The automatic dimming feature of the interior 
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo 
cells in the interior rearview mirror. In the Road-
ster, one is located in the top of the mirror 
frame, see arrow. In the Coupe, it is located at 
the bottom of the mirror frame. The other photo 
cell is on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions 
correctly, keep the photocells clean, do not 
cover the area between the interior rearview 
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive 
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield 
directly in front of the mirror. 

Transporting children safely
36
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the 
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger 
themselves and/or other persons by opening 
the doors, for example.<
Children on the passenger seat
Children under 13 years of age or under 
5 ft/150 cm in height may only be trans-
ported in child-restraint systems suitable for 
their age, weight and size and if the passenger 
airbags are deactivated. Otherwise, there is an 
increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent or should the airbags deploy.<
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no 
longer is any child-restraint system that is 
appropriate for their age, weight and size.
For a child, not an infant, certain precautions 
should be taken. Position the passenger seat as 
far back as possible and at the lowest level. This 
important precaution is intended to maximize 
the distance between the airbags and the child.
Deactivating/reactivating passenger 
airbags
The passenger airbags must be deacti-
vated before using a rear-facing child-
restraint system on the passenger seat, refer 
also to page37 for explanation.
BMW also recommends that the passenger air-
bags be deactivated if a child is transported in a 
front-facing child-restraint system, regardless 
of the age of the child. If you transport a child in 
the passenger seat, not an infant in a rear-fac-
ing seat, who is properly seated and seat-belted 
at all times, the potential benefits of airbags 
deploying in an accident generally outweigh the 
risks of the child being injured by the force of a 
deploying airbag. 
Therefore, you should deactivate the passen-
ger airbags only if you find it difficult to ensure 
that the child will remain properly seated and seat-belted at all times.
Always position the passenger seat as far back 
as possible and at the lowest level.
The above warning and recommendations are 
compatible with regulations established by the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
NHTSA, permitting the deactivation of passen-
ger airbags by means of an on-off switch for 
members of certain at-risk groups.
Specifically, the at-risk groups are:
>Infants in rear-facing infant seats
>Persons with certain medical conditions
>Children aged 12 and under in the passen-
ger seat.
NHTSA provides this information via their web-
site, www.nhtsa.dot.gov, or via their Auto 
Safety Hotline toll-free at 
1-800-424-9393 or 366-0123 
in Washington, D.C. area.<
Key switch for passenger 
airbags
The front, side and knee airbags for the passen-
ger can be deactivated and reactivated using a 
key switch. It is located on the passenger side 
on the side of the dashboard.
The passenger airbags can only be deactivated 
and reactivated while the vehicle is at a stand-
still and the passenger door is open. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 37
Deactivating
Use the key to turn the key switch to the OFF 
position.
The passenger airbags are deactivated in this 
position. The airbags for the driver remain 
active.
Reactivate the passenger airbags as soon 
as a child-restraint system is no longer 
installed on the passenger seat; otherwise they 
may not deploy as intended in the event of an 
accident.<
Reactivating
Use the key to turn the key switch to the ON 
position.
The passenger airbags in the vehicle are reacti-
vated and will be triggered in certain situations.
Operational status of the passenger 
airbags
>The indicator lamp remains lit when the 
passenger airbags are deactivated.
>The indicator lamp is not lit when the pas-
senger airbags are activated.
When the seat is empty, the passenger 
airbags are always deactivated. The indi-
cator lamp is not lit.<
Installing child-restraint 
systems
Before installing a child-restraint system 
on the passenger seat, make sure that the 
front and side airbags for the passenger are 
deactivated, otherwise there is an increased 
risk of injury if the airbags deploy. Observe the child-restraint system manufacturer's instruc-
tions for selecting, installing and using child-
restraint systems. Otherwise the protective 
effect may be diminished.<
Child seat security
The passenger's safety belt can be prevented 
from being pulled out in order to fasten child-
restraint systems.
To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child-restraint system with the 
belt.
2.Pull the belt strap all the way out.
3.Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut 
against the child-restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To unlock the safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child-restraint system.
3.Allow the safety belt strap to retract all the 
way.
Coupe: child-restraint system with 
tether strap
There is an anchor fitting in the cargo bay for 
child-restraint systems with a tether strap. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
56 continuously illuminated. This sequence will 
continue upon subsequent vehicle startups as 
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system 
may not be able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may 
occur for a variety of reasons, including the 
installation of replacement or alternate tires or 
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS 
from functioning properly. Always check the 
TPMS malfunction telltale 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 function 
properly.
Electric Power Steering EPS
The concept
The electric power steering is a direct, sporting 
steering system. A special combination of elec-
tric motor and transmission helps you steer 
more easily. As your speed increases, steering 
power assistance is reduced.
Malfunction
The indicator lamp stays lit:
The system is malfunctioning or defec-
tive.
Steering remains operational.
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
Brake Force Display
Left: normal braking.
Right: hard braking.
Airbags 
The following airbags are located under the 
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Side airbags
3Knee airbags
Protective action
Comply with the instructions on page30, 
or the occupants' personal safety will be 
diminished.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and 
passenger in the event of a frontal impact in 
which safety belts alone cannot provide suffi-
cient protection. When needed, the side airbags 
help provide protection in the event of side 
impact. The relevant side airbag supports the 
side upper body area. The respective knee air-
bag protects the legs from hitting the cockpit.
The airbags will purposely not be activated by 
every collision, e.g. not by more minor acci-
dents, or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the 
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or 
modify them in any other way. Do not attempt to 
dismantle the airbag retention system. Do not 
modify the individual components of the sys-
tem or its wiring in any way. This includes the 
padding in the steering wheel, the dashboard 
and the doors.
Do not attempt to remove or dismantle the 
steering wheel. Do not touch the individual 
components immediately after the system has 
been triggered, because there is a danger of 
burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or