
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 75
cannot be ruled out that vehicle electronics and 
the mobile communications device interfere 
with one another. In addition, it is not ensured 
that the radio waves emitted during transmis-
sion are directed outside of the vehicle inte-
rior.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a 
wedge of water may form between the tires and 
the road surface. This situation, known as 
hydroplaning, means that the tire can com-
pletely lose contact with the road surface, so 
that neither the car can be steered nor the brake 
be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page87.
Driving through water 
Drive through water on the road only if it is 
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only 
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the 
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the 
transmission may be damaged.<
Moisture inside the vehicle
Make sure that the passenger compart-
ment does not become wet and that liq-
uids are transported in closed containers. 
Otherwise, moisture could penetrate and dam-
age electronic components inside the vehicle.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, keep the vehicle from rolling 
by using the parking brake rather than by 
slipping the clutch, which would lead to a high 
degree of clutch wear.<
Braking safely 
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard 
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most 
effective way of braking in situations in which 
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains 
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid possible obstacles with a minimum of steering 
effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with 
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indicate to 
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Wet roads
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, 
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal 
every few miles. Watch traffic conditions to 
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger 
other road users. The resulting heat dries the 
brake rotors and brake pads. Immediate braking 
force is then available if necessary.
Inclines
To prevent overheating and, as a result, 
diminished braking effectiveness, drive 
down long or steep downhill grades in the gear 
that requires the least braking. Otherwise, even 
light but consistent pedal pressure can lead to 
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly 
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by 
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing 
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page43.
Never drive with the clutch held down, 
with the transmission in idle or with the 
engine switched off; otherwise, engine braking 
action will not be present or there will be no 
power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other 
objects to protrude into the area around the 
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be 
impaired.<
Corrosion on the brake rotors
Limited vehicle use, extended periods with the 
vehicle parked or in storage, and operating con-
ditions in which braking is restricted to gentle, 
low-pressure applications will all increase the 
tendency for corrosion to form on the rotors and 
contamination to accumulate on the brake 
pads. This occurs because the minimal pres- 

Special operating instructions
76 sure which must be exerted by the pads to 
clean the rotors by brake applications is not 
reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they will tend to 
respond to braking with a pulsating effect which 
even extended application will fail to cure.
Brake pads
The warning lamp lights up. The brake 
pads have worn down to the minimum 
safe limit. Have the brake pads 
replaced as soon as possible.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the air conditioning 
or automatic climate control is in operation, and 
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath the 
vehicle are thus normal.
Before driving into a car wash
For general information about taking care of 
your BMW, refer to the Caring for your vehicle 
brochure.
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that the 
permissible carrying capacity of the tires 
is not exceeded. Otherwise, overheating and 
inner damage to the tires may result. The ulti-
mate result can assume the form of a sudden air 
loss.<
Determining the maximum load
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants 
and cargo should never exceed 
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading 
can result in damage to the vehicle and 
unstable driving conditions.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the 
driver and passenger that will be riding in 
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver 
and passenger from XXX kilograms or 
YYY pounds.
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals 
551 lbs and there will be two 150 lbs occu-
pants in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 
251 lbs.
551 lbs minus 300 lbs = 251 lbs
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. 

Wheels and tires
84
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure 
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but also 
driving safety and driving comfort that largely 
depend on the condition of the tires and the 
maintenance of the specified tire pressure.
Check tire inflation pressures regularly 
and correct them if necessary: at least 
every two weeks and before every extended 
journey. If you fail to observe this precaution 
you may be driving on tires with incorrect tire 
pressures, a condition that can not only com-
promise your vehicle's driving stability, but also 
lead to tire damage and the risk of an accident. 
Do not drive with deflated, i.e. flat tires, except 
when using Run-Flat Tires. A flat tire will seri-
ously impair your vehicle's handling and braking 
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can 
lead to loss of control over the vehicle.<
Checking pressure
Check the tire inflation pressures only when the 
tires are cold. This means after a maximum of 
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has 
been parked for at least 2 hours. Warm tires 
have higher inflation pressures.
Inflation pressure specifications
The specified inflation pressures for your stan-
dard tires are provided on the placard on the 
B-pillar and are visible when the driver's door is 
open.After the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rected, initialize the Flat Tire Monitor
*, 
refer to page53, or reset the Tire Pressure 
Monitor
*, refer to page54.<
The following tire inflation pressure tables show 
the inflation pressures for the specified tire 
sizes at ambient temperature.
The inflation pressures in the table apply 
to BMW-approved tire sizes and recom-
mended tire brands. Your BMW center will be 
glad to supply this information.<
To determine the correct tire inflation pressure 
for your tires, refer to the following tables.
Tire size
The inflation pressures in the table apply to 
BMW-approved tire sizes and recommended 
tire brands. Your BMW center will be glad to 
supply this information. 

Wheels and tires
88 the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the 
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate 
these wear indicators. Once the tire tread has 
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has 
worn to a depth of 1/16 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Due to low-profile tires, please note that 
wheels, tires and suspension parts are 
more susceptible to road hazards and conse-
quential damages.<
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal 
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or 
some other vehicle malfunction. This can, for 
example, be caused by driving over curbs. The 
same applies to any other abnormal road 
behavior, such as pulling severely to the right or 
left.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so, drive carefully to the 
nearest BMW center or tire shop that works 
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If necessary, 
have the vehicle towed there.
Tire damage can be extremely dangerous for 
vehicle occupants and other road users.<
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development 
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of 
the actual wear of the tires.
The date on which the tire was manufactured is 
indicated by the code on the sidewall:
DOT … 5005 indicates that the tire was manu-
factured in week 50 of the year 2005.
Run-Flat Tires
The symbol identifying Run-Flat Tires is a circle 
with the letters RSC on the sidewall. 
Run-Flat Tires comprise a conditionally self-
supporting tire and a special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can 
continue to be used subject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>If the vehicle is equipped with the Flat Tire 
Monitor, refer to Flat tire warning on 
page53.
>If the vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pres-
sure Monitor, refer to Warning of low tire 
inflation pressure on page54.
Wheel and tire replacement
Have new wheels and tires installed only 
by your BMW center or tire shop that 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel. Work 
that is improperly carried out could result in 
consequential damage and pose safety haz-
ards. Make sure that the new wheels are bal-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW advises against using retreaded 
tires, since driving safety may be 
impaired. The causes for this include potentially 
different tire casing structures and often wide 
variations in tire age, which can result in a lim-
ited service life.< 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 89
Correct wheels and tires
BMW recommends using only wheels 
and tires that have been approved by 
BMW for your particular vehicle model, other-
wise body contact and serious accidents can 
result despite the use of the same nominal size, 
e.g. due to manufacturing tolerances. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used, BMW can-
not evaluate their suitability, and therefore can-
not be held liable for driving safety.<
You can inquire about the correct wheel/tire 
combination at your BMW center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is 
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of 
various vehicle systems such as ABS and DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle 
response, only use tires of a single brand and 
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, for instance, mount the original wheel and 
tire combination again as soon as possible.
Wheels with electronics for the Tire 
Pressure Monitor TPM
When mounting new tires or changing from 
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use 
wheels with TPMS electronics; otherwise the 
Tire Pressure Monitor would not be able to 
detect a flat tire, refer to page54. Your BMW 
center will be glad to provide you with more 
information.
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by 
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a 
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall 
of the tire.When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling 
characteristics.
Run-Flat Tires
When mounting new tires or changing over 
from summer to winter tires and vice versa, 
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. In the 
event of a flat, moreover, no spare wheel is 
available. Your BMW BMW center will be glad to 
provide you with more information.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends 
that damaged Run-Flat Tires be replaced 
rather than repaired.<
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends the use of winter tires for 
operation under winter road conditions. While 
all-season tires with M+S designation provide 
better winter traction than summer tires, they 
generally do not achieve the full performance of 
winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the 
winter tires mounted on your car; failure 
to do so could result in tire damage and acci-
dents.<
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that 
permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the 
maximum permitted speed for the mounted 
tires must be displayed in your field of view. 
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center 
can supply these labels.
Storage
Store tires in a cool, dry place, protecting them 
against light whenever possible. Protect the 
tires from contact with oil, grease and fuel. Do 
not exceed the maximum tire inflation pressure 
indicated on the sidewall of the tire.
Swapping wheels between the axles
BMW advises against moving the front wheels 
to the rear wheel positions and vice versa, as 
this may impair vehicle handling characteristics. 

Under the hood
92
Important parts in the engine compartment
1Washer fluid reservoir for headlamp clean-
ing system and window washer system, 
refer to page46
2Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding 
engine oil3Jump-starting connection, refer to 
page104
4Reservoir for brake fluid, refer to page95
5Body ground, negative terminal, refer to 
page105
6Expansion tank for coolant, refer to page94
Engine oil 
Oil consumption is directly influenced by your 
driving style and vehicle operating conditions.
Warning lamp
Engine oil pressure 
The warning lamp lights up in red: 
The engine oil pressure is too low. 
Stop the vehicle immediately and 
switch off the engine. Check the engine oil level 
and top up if necessary. If the oil level is correct, 
please contact your nearest BMW center or a 
workshop that works according to BMW repair 
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.Do not continue driving, otherwise the 
engine could sustain serious damage 
from inadequate lubrication.<
Engine oil level
The warning lamp lights up in yellow 
while you are driving. In addition, a sig-
nal sounds and "+1.0" appears in the 
instrument cluster, refer to page93.
The oil level is at the absolute minimum; refill as 
soon as possible. Do not drive more than 
125 miles/200 km before refilling.
The warning lamp comes on in yellow 
after the engine is switched off. A signal 
also sounds. 

Maintenance
96
Maintenance
BMW Maintenance System
The BMW Maintenance System helps maintain 
the road safety and operating reliability of your 
BMW.
Regular maintenance is not only necessary for 
the safety of your vehicle, but also plays a sig-
nificant role in maintaining the resale value of 
your vehicle.
Service interval display
The BMW Maintenance System takes the vehi-
cle's operating conditions into account for the 
service intervals:
From a maintenance point of view, 
62,100 miles/100,000 km accumulated in 
short-distance urban driving are not the same 
as 62,100 miles/100,000 km accumulated at 
moderate cruising speeds in long-distance 
highway travel.
The BMW Maintenance System includes the 
Engine Oil Service and Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals based 
on the actual loads on the vehicle covers every 
kind of operating situation. Minimal use drivers, 
who drive fewer than about 6,210 miles/
10,000 km per year, should nevertheless have 
the oil changed at least every 2 years since 
engine oil deteriorates over time, regardless of 
use.
Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet for US models and Warranty 
and Service Guide Booklet for 
Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty 
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models 
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service 
and repair operations performed at your 
BMW center.
Take the time to ensure that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by entries in your vehi-
cle’s Service and Warranty Information Booklet 
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide 
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries 
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance.<
Socket for On-Board 
Diagnosis OBD
Vehicle components that are relevant to the 
composition of exhaust emissions can be 
checked with a device via the OBD socket.
This socket is located on the driver's side to the 
left, on the bottom of the instrument panel 
underneath a cover. 

Replacing components
102
Jacking points
The jacking points are located at the positions 
indicated in the illustration.
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is completely maintenance-free. 
This means that the original electrolyte will nor-
mally last for the service life of the battery under 
moderate climatic conditions. Your BMW cen-
ter will be happy to advise you if you have any 
questions concerning the battery.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up:
The battery is no longer being charged. 
The alternator drive belt is defective or 
there is a malfunction in the charging circuit of 
the alternator. Have the system checked as 
soon as possible.
If the drive belt is defective, pull over and 
switch off the engine immediately to pre-
vent overheating and serious engine damage.
If the onboard supply voltage drops to a very 
low level, increased steering effort may also be 
necessary.<
Charging the battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only when the 
engine has been switched off. Connections, 
refer to Jump-starting on page104.
Battery disposal
After changing a battery, have the used 
battery disposed of by your BMW center or bring it to a recycling point. Maintain the bat-
tery in an upright position for transport and stor-
age. Secure the battery against tilting when 
transporting.<
Power loss
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of 
some equipment may be limited and require ini-
tialization. Individual settings are also lost and 
must be reset:
>Seat memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to 
page32.
>Clock must be reset, refer to page49.
Fuses
Do not attempt to repair a burned fuse or 
replace it with a fuse having a different 
color or amperage rating. To do this could 
cause a fire in the vehicle as a result of circuit 
overload.<
You will find the fuses and information on their 
respective allocation behind the glove compart-
ment.
1.Open the glove compartment.
2.Press the lock on the left, arrow1.
3.Press the lock on the right, arrow2.
4.Swing the glove compartment down.
Spare fuses and plastic tweezers for grasping 
the fuses are found in the onboard tool kit; refer 
to page98.