
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on special 
topics is by using the index starting on 
page116.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
Controls
18Opening and closing
30Adjustments
36Transporting children safely
40Driving
48Everything under control
51Technology for driving comfort and 
safety
59Lamps
62Climate
68Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
74Special operating instructions
Mobility
82Refueling
84Wheels and tires
91Under the hood
96Maintenance
98Replacing components
103Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
110Technical data
116Everything from A to Z 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
 11
8Instrument cluster12
10Buttons
* on the steering wheel
11Ignition lock4012Horn: the entire surface
14Releasing the hood91
15Opening the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate21 7
Turn signal indicators44
High beams, headlamp flasher60
Roadside parking lamps
*60
Computer
*50
9Windshield wipers45
Rain sensor
*45
Volume
>Press: to accept and end a 
telephone call; to start dialing 
for selected telephone num-
bers
>Press longer: activate and 
deactivate voice entry
*
Fast forward/rewind
>Radio
Press: next station stored
Press longer: station search
>CD
Press: jump to next track
Press longer: fast forward/
rewind
>Telephone
Scan register of names
Display/hide telephone book. Dis-
play the entries one after another 
with the forward/backward buttons 
13
Cruise control*46 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 23
The handle recess in the interior trim of the lug-
gage compartment lid makes it easier to pull 
down.
Make sure that the closing path of the 
luggage compartment lid is clear, other-
wise injuries may result.<
Cargo bay
Emergency release
Pull the lever in the cargo bay. The luggage 
compartment lid/tailgate is unlocked.
Roadster: increasing cargo bay 
capacity
The cargo bay can be enlarged when the con-
vertible top is closed.
Turn the handles on both sides of the cargo bay 
outward beyond the resistance point at the 
same time, arrow 1.
The convertible top compartment panel swings 
up, arrow 2.
Before opening the convertible top:
Turn both handles inward.
The convertible top compartment panel is 
folded down.To avoid any damage when opening the 
convertible top, make sure that the con-
vertible top compartment panel in the cargo bay 
has been folded down.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the luggage com-
partment lid/tailgate is opened
>When attempts are made to start the vehi-
cle
>When there are movements in the vehicle 
interior: interior motion sensor, refer to 
page24
>When the car's inclination changes, for 
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up 
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to 
towing away: Tilt alarm sensor, refer to 
page24
>When there is an interruption in the power 
supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry 
attempts for a short time by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
The hazard warning flashers light up once when 
the alarm system has been properly armed.
You can have different acknowledgment 
signals set to confirm arming and disarm-
ing.<
Even when the alarm system is armed, you can 
open the luggage compartment lid/tailgate 
using the  button on the remote control, 
refer to page19. When you subsequently close 
the luggage compartment lid/tailgate, it is 
locked again and monitored. 

Opening and closing
24 Manual operation of the tailgate triggers 
the alarm. Refer to page21.<
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page19.
>Turn the master key in the ignition lock to 
position 1, refer to page40.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp beneath the interior mir-
ror flashes continuously:
The system is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes immediately 
after the vehicle is locked: 
Doors, hood or luggage compartment lid/
tailgate are not properly closed. Even if you 
do not close the alerted area, the system 
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and 
the indicator lamp flashes continuously 
after approx. 10 seconds. However, the 
interior motion sensor is not activated.
>If the indicator lamp goes out immediately 
after the vehicle is unlocked:
Your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes for 10 seconds 
immediately after the vehicle is unlocked: 
Your vehicle has been disturbed while you 
were away.
After an alarm has been triggered, the indicator 
lamp will flash continuously.
Tilt alarm sensor
The inclination of the vehicle is monitored. The 
alarm system reacts e.g. to attempts to steal a 
wheel or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor*
Coupe
All windows must be closed in order for the inte-
rior motion sensor to function optimally.
Roadster
The system monitors the footwells and the 
seating areas of the driver and passenger. Even 
when the convertible top is open, the alarm sys-
tem including the interior motion sensor is 
armed. Objects falling into the vehicle, e.g. 
leaves, can trigger unintentional alarms, refer to 
Avoiding unintentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
can be deactivated at the same time. In this way 
you can avoid unintentional alarms, e.g. in the 
following situations:
>In duplex garages
>When transporting the vehicle on car-carry-
ing trains, by ship or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
>Press the   button on the remote 
control twice in a row.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are deactivated until 
the vehicle is again unlocked and locked.
Windows
To prevent injuries, exercise care when 
closing the windows and keep them in 
your field of vision until they are shut.
Take the key with you when you leave the car, 
otherwise children could operate the windows 
and possibly injure themselves.< 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 91
Under the hood
Do not work on the car unless you pos-
sess the necessary technical knowledge. 
If you are unfamiliar with the statutory guide-
lines, have any work on the vehicle performed 
only by a BMW center or by a workshop that 
work according to BMW repair procedures with 
correspondingly trained personnel. If this work 
is not carried out properly, there is a danger of 
subsequent damage and related safety haz-
ards.<
Hood 
To release 
Pull the lever located under the left-hand side of 
the instrument panel.
To open
Press the release handle and open the hood.
To close
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard 
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the 
hood is clear, otherwise injuries may 
result.
If you notice while driving that the hood is not 
completely closed, stop immediately and close 
it securely.< 

Under the hood
94
Adding engine oil
Do not add the maximum amount of 1 US quart/
1 liter of engine oil until the warning lamp lights 
up in the instrument cluster, refer to page92, or 
until the oil level monitor shows "+1.0".
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km, 
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of 
children and comply with the warnings on 
the containers. Otherwise, health hazards may 
result.<
Oil change
Have your oil changed only by a BMW center or 
a workshop that works according to BMW 
requirements with the appropriately trained 
personnel.
Approved engine oils
The quality of the engine oil is extremely impor-
tant for the function and life of an engine. BMW 
continuously approves specific oils after con-
firming their suitability for use in its vehicles 
with extensive testing.
Only use approved BMW High Performance 
Synthetic Oil.
If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is not 
available, you can add small quantities of other 
synthetic oils in between oil changes. Only use 
oils with the API SH specification or higher.
Your BMW center will be glad to answer 
any questions regarding BMW High Per-
formance Synthetic Oil or other approved syn-
thetic oils.
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
Do not use any oil additives, as they could 
cause engine damage under some cir-
cumstances.<
Viscosity classes
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and 
is categorized in SAE classes.
Selecting the appropriate SAE class depends 
on the regional climatic conditions in which you 
normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the 5W-40 and 
5W-30 classes.<
These oils can be used for driving at all outside 
temperatures.
Coolant
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up:
The coolant level is too low. Top up the 
coolant as soon as possible.
Do not open the cooling system when the 
engine is hot. If you do, escaping coolant 
can cause burns.<
Coolant consists of water and coolant additives. 
Not all commercially available additives are suit-
able for your BMW. Your BMW center knows 
which additives are appropriate.
Only use approved additives, otherwise 
the engine could be damaged. The addi-
tives are hazardous to health.<
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives.<
Checking the coolant level 
1.The engine must be at ambient tempera-
ture.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank a little 
counterclockwise to allow any accumulated  

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 123
Oil, refer to Engine oil92
Oil level92
– checking93
Oil service49
Onboard computer, refer to 
Computer50
Onboard tool kit98
On-call services, refer to 
Roadside Assistance103
Opening
– from inside21
Opening and closing the 
vehicle
– at the door lock20
– from inside21
– from outside19
– with the remote control19
Outlets, refer to 
Ventilation63,67
Outside temperature display
– changing units of 
measure50
– in the onboard computer50
Outside temperature 
warning48
Overheated engine, refer to 
Coolant temperature49
P
Paintwork, refer to the Caring 
for your vehicle brochure
Parking brake41
– indicator lamp13,41
Parking lamps, refer to 
Parking lamps/Low 
beams59
Parking lamps/Low beams59
– bulb replacement99
Parking lock, refer to P 
Parking42
Passenger airbags
– deactivation37
– reactivation37
Passenger-side mirror tilt 
function34
Pathway lighting60
Permissible axle load, refer to 
Weights113Permissible gross weight, 
refer to Weights113
Pinch protection system
– windows25
Placing the vehicle in storage, 
refer to the Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Plastic, refer to the Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Pollen
– refer to Microfilter64
– refer to Microfilter/activated-
charcoal filter67
Power
– windows, refer to 
Windows24
Power convertible top27
Power failure102
Power output, refer to Engine 
data110
Power steering, electric56
Power windows
– initializing25
Pressure, tires84
Pressure monitoring, tires, 
refer to
– Flat Tire Monitor53
– Tire Pressure Monitor 
TPM54
Protective function, refer to 
Pinch protection system25
R
Radio, refer to the separate 
Owner's Manual
Radio navigation, refer to the 
separate Owner's Manual
Radio remote control key, 
refer to Master keys with 
remote control18
Rain sensor45
Reading lamps61
Rear lamps
– bulb replacement101
– indicator lamp, defective 
bulb13
Rearview mirror, refer to 
Mirrors34Rear window defroster
– air conditioning63
– automatic climate control67
Recirculated-air mode
– air conditioning63
– automatic climate control67
Recirculating the air, refer to 
Recirculated-air 
mode63,67
Reclining seat, refer to 
Seats30
Refueling82
Releasing
– hood91
Remaining distance, refer to 
Cruising range50
Remote control19
– luggage compartment lid19
– malfunction20
– tailgate19
Repairs
– refer to Maintenance 
system96
Replacement key, refer to 
New keys18
Replacement of tires88
Replacing lamps, refer to 
Lamps and bulbs98
Replacing tires, refer to Wheel 
and tire replacement88
Reserve
– indicator lamp, refer to Fuel 
gauge48
Restraint systems
– for children37,38
– refer to Safety belts33
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic43
– manual transmission42
Roadside Assistance103
Roadside parking lamps60
Rod antenna, refer to the 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Roller-blind cover70
Rope, refer to Towing 
methods106