
At a glance
This overview of buttons, switches and displays
is intended to familiarize you with your vehicle's
operating environment. The section will also
assist you in becoming acquainted with the
control concepts and options available for
operating the various systems.
At a glance 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7
Fog lamps*95
8
Turn signals62
High beams, headlamp flasher94
Roadside parking lamps
*94
Computer68
Settings and information about the 
vehicle71
Settings and information about the 
vehicle71
Instrument lighting95
9Instrument cluster12
10
Windshield wipers63
Rain sensor
*63
11Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine58
12Ignition lock58
13Buttons on the steering wheel
Telephone
*:
>Press: accepting and ending a 
call; starting dialing
* of 
selected phone number; redi-
aling if no phone number is 
selected.
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice com-
mand system
*
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable53 
Individually programmable53 
14Horn: the entire surface
15Adjusting the steering wheel53
16
Cruise control
*65
17Releasing the hood212
18Opening the luggage compartment lid33 

Opening and closing
28
Opening and closing
Remote control
Each remote control contains a rechargeable 
battery that is automatically recharged when it 
is in the ignition lock while the car is being 
driven. Use each remote control at least twice a 
year for longer road trips in order to maintain the 
batteries' charge status. In cars with convenient 
access
*, the remote control contains a replace-
able battery, refer to page37.
The settings called up and implemented when 
the car is unlocked depend on which remote 
control is used to unlock the car, refer to Per-
sonal Profile below.
In addition, information about service require-
ments is stored in the remote control, refer to 
Service data in the remote control, page217.
Integrated key
Press button1 to release the key.
The integrated key fits the following locks:
>Driver's door, refer to page32
>Convertible: glove compartment, refer to 
page106>Luggage compartment lid, refer to page33
New remote controls
Your BMW center can supply new remote con-
trols with integrated keys as additional units or 
as replacements in the event of loss.
Personal Profile
The concept
You can set many of your BMW's functions to 
suit your personal needs and preferences. 
Without any action on your part, Personal Pro-
file ensures that most of these settings are 
stored for the remote control currently in use. 
When you unlock the car, the remote control 
used for the purpose is recognized and the set-
tings stored for it are called up and imple-
mented.
This means that your personal settings will be 
activated for you, even if in the meantime your 
car was used by someone else with another 
remote control and the corresponding settings. 
The individual settings are stored for a maxi-
mum of four remote controls. They are stored 
for two remote controls if convenient access
* is 
in use.
Personal Profile settings
For more information on specific settings, refer 
to the specified pages.
>Assignment of programmable memory 
keys, refer to page21
>Response of the central locking system 
when the car is unlocked, refer to page29
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to 
page32
>Automatic call-up
* of the driver's seat posi-
tion after unlocking, refer to page49
>Programming buttons
* on the steering 
wheel, refer to page53 

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page63
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page76
>Date format, refer to page77
>Brightness of Control Display, refer to 
page80
>Language of Control Display, refer to 
page80
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, 
distance covered/remaining distances, 
and temperature, refer to page71
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC, refer to page81
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page92
>Pathway lighting, refer to page93
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page93
>Automatic climate control: AUTO program, 
cooling function and automatic recircu-
lated-air control activation/deactivation, 
temperature, air flow rate and distribution, 
refer to page98
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page151
>Tone control, refer to page151
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page151
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid
>Fuel filler door
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, via the 
handles on the driver's and front passen-
ger's doors
The anti-theft system is also operated at the 
same time. It prevents the doors from being 
unlocked using the lock buttons or door han-
dles. In addition, if the remote control is used, 
the welcome lamps
*, interior lamps and the 
door's courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. 
The alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details on the alarm system
*, refer 
to page34.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page32.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. You 
should therefore take the remote control with 
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter 
can be opened from outside.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on.
Setting unlocking characteristics
You can set whether only the driver's door or 
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the 
button is pressed for the first time.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu. 

Opening and closing
36
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the   button on the remote control 
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are switched off until 
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Convenient access*
Convenient access enables you to enter your 
vehicle without needing to hold the remote con-
trol in your hand. All you need to do is wear the 
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your 
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate 
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Convenient access supports the following 
functions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the luggage compartment lid 
separately
>Engine starting
>Convenient closure
Functional requirement
>The vehicle or the luggage compartment lid 
can only be locked when the vehicle detects 
that the remote control currently in use is 
outside of the vehicle.
>The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked 
again until after approx. 2 seconds.
>The engine can only be started when the 
vehicle detects that the remote control cur-
rently in use is inside the vehicle.
Comparison to the standard remote 
control
In general, there is no difference between using 
convenient access or pressing the buttons on 
the remote control to carry out the functions 
mentioned above. You should therefore first familiarize yourself with the instructions on 
opening and closing starting on page28.
Special features regarding the use of conve-
nient access are described below.
If you notice a brief delay while opening or 
closing windows, the glass roof or the 
convertible top, the system is checking whether 
a remote control is inside the vehicle. Please 
repeat the opening or closing procedure, if nec-
essary.<
Unlocking
Grasp the handle on the driver's or front pas-
senger's door completely, arrow 1. This corre-
sponds to pressing the  button.
Locking
Touch the surface, arrow 2, with your finger for 
approx. 1 second. This corresponds to pressing 
the button.
To preserve the battery, please make 
sure that the ignition and all electrical 
consumers are switched off before locking the 
vehicle.<
Coupe: convenient closure
For convenient closure, keep your finger on the 
surface, arrow 2.
Convertible: window and convertible 
top operation
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond, 
you can open and close the windows and the 
convertible top when a remote control is 
located inside the vehicle. 

Controls
 37Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Unlocking the luggage compartment 
lid separately
Press the button on the outside of the luggage 
compartment lid. This corresponds to pressing 
the button.
If the vehicle detects that a remote con-
trol has been accidentally left inside the 
locked vehicle's interior after the luggage com-
partment lid is closed, the lid will reopen. The 
hazard warning flashers flash and a signal
* 
sounds.<
Switching on radio readiness
Radio readiness is switched on by pressing the 
start/stop button, refer to page58.
Do not depress the brake or the clutch, 
otherwise the engine will start immedi-
ately.<
Starting the engine
You can start the engine or switch on the igni-
tion when a remote control is inside the vehicle. 
It is not necessary to insert a remote control into 
the ignition switch, refer to page58.
Switching off the engine in cars with 
automatic transmission
The engine can only be switched off when the 
selector lever is in position P, refer to page59.
T o  s w i t c h  t h e  e n g i n e  o f f  w h e n  t h e  s e l e c t o r  l e v e r  
is in position N, the remote control must be in 
the ignition switch.
Before driving a vehicle with automatic 
transmission into a car wash
1.Insert remote control into ignition switch.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Move the selector lever to position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Malfunctions
Convenient access may malfunction due to 
local radio waves. If this happens, open and 
close the vehicle via the buttons on the remote control or using the integrated key. To start the 
engine afterward, insert the remote control into 
the ignition switch.
Warning lamps
The warning lamp in the instrument 
cluster lights up when you attempt to 
start the engine: the engine cannot 
be started. The remote control is not inside the 
vehicle or is malfunctioning. Take the remote 
control with you inside the vehicle or have it 
checked. If necessary, insert another remote 
control into the ignition switch.
The warning lamp in the instrument 
cluster lights up while the engine is 
running: the remote control is no 
longer inside the vehicle. After the engine is 
switched off, the engine can only be restarted 
within approx. 10 seconds.
The indicator lamp in the instrument 
cluster comes on and a message 
appears on the Control Display: 
replace the battery in the remote control.
Replacing the battery
The remote control for convenient access con-
tains a battery that will need to be replaced from 
time to time.
1.Take the integrated key out of the remote 
control, refer to page28.
2.Remove the cover.
3.Insert the new battery with the plus side fac-
ing up.
4.Press the cover on to close.
Take the old battery to a battery collec-
tion point or to your BMW center.< 

Controls
 41Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The following tips will enhance your driving 
pleasure in your convertible:
>It is advisable that you close the convertible 
top when you park the vehicle. Not only 
does the closed top protect the vehicle inte-
rior against unanticipated weather damage, 
it also offers a certain amount of theft pro-
tection. However, even when the top is 
closed, valuables should only be stored in 
the locked cargo bay.
>Do not attach roof-mounted luggage sys-
tems to the convertible top.
>When opening a wet top, e.g. after driving in 
the rain, water may drip into the cargo bay. If 
necessary, remove items from the cargo 
bay beforehand to avoid water stains or soil-
ing.
At temperatures below +147/–106, do 
not move the convertible top or damage 
may occur.
Do not keep the convertible top in the convert-
ible top box for longer than one day if it is wet, 
otherwise the moisture may cause damage.
Do not place objects on the convertible top, as 
otherwise they may fall off when you operate 
the convertible top and cause damage or injury.
Never move the convertible top when the roll-
over protection system is in the activated posi-
tion.
Always fully complete a convertible top move-
ment. Driving with the convertible top incom-
pletely opened or closed can result in damage 
or injury.
Do not reach into the mechanism during the 
opening or closing procedure. Keep children 
away from the opening/closing path of the con-
vertible top.
For safety reasons, only move the convertible 
top when the vehicle is stationary, if possible.<
The convertible top swings upward when 
opening and closing. When operating the 
convertible top in a garage, under a bridge, etc., 
ensure that there are at least 6 ft 7 in/2 m of 
headroom, otherwise the vehicle may be dam-
aged.
described above.
>Ensure that the cargo bay partition is folded 
down and engaged on both sides, refer to 
page109, otherwise it will not be possible 
to open the convertible top.
>Ensure that the cargo does not press 
against the cargo bay partition from below.
>Ensure that the luggage compartment lid is 
closed.
Opening and closing
Convertible top operation with convenient 
access, refer also to page30.
As of radio readiness, refer to page58:
If possible, conserve the battery by only 
operating the convertible top when the 
engine is running.
Before closing the convertible top, remove all 
foreign objects from the windshield frame as 
these could prevent the hardtop from closing 
properly.<
1Push button: close convertible top
2Push button: open convertible top
3LEDs
The side windows move down slightly 
when the buttons for convertible top 
operation are pressed.<
Operation while driving
You can open or close the convertible top while 
driving, as long as the car is not moving faster 
than approx. 25 mph/40 km/h. 

Opening and closing
42 If you accelerate to over 30 mph/50 km/h while 
the convertible top is moving, the procedure is 
interrupted.
When operating the convertible top while 
driving, pay extra attention to the traffic to 
avoid an accident. If possible, do not move the 
convertible top while driving in reverse gear, 
because your view to the rear is severely limited 
during the procedure. Do not operate the con-
vertible top while driving in windy conditions. 
Do not drive faster than 30 mph/50 km/h, other-
wise damage to the vehicle can occur.<
LEDs
>While the convertible top is being operated, 
the left LED lights up green. It goes out as 
soon as the top is fully opened or closed.
In the following situations, a message appears 
on the Control Display or an acoustic signal 
sounds in addition to the LED lighting up:
>If the right-hand LED flashes red when you 
release the button, the opening or closing 
action has not yet finished.
>If the right-hand LED lights up red when the 
button is pressed, the cargo bay partition is 
raised, the luggage compartment lid is not 
closed or there is a malfunction. The con-
vertible top cannot be moved.
Interruption
The automatic sequence of movements is 
interrupted if the button for the convertible top 
operation is released. The sequence can be 
continued in the desired direction by pushing or 
pulling the buttons.
If the opening or closing procedure is inter-
rupted for an extended period, the convertible 
top remains in the raised position for approx. 
10 minutes and then slowly moves to a stable 
position.
A convertible top that is not fully opened 
or closed is a safety hazard.<
If the convertible top is not fully opened or 
closed, the luggage compartment lid can-
not be opened and the windows cannot be 
moved.<
Convenient operation with remote 
control or via door lock
Refer to pages30 and32.
Closing manually
Only close the convertible top manually if 
it is absolutely necessary, and never open 
it manually. The convertible top box cover can-
not be locked if there is an electrical defect and 
would then open while the vehicle is in motion. 
Incorrect handling can result in damage.<
Closing the convertible top manually should be 
performed by two people. The rear seats must 
not be occupied.
Before closing
1.If possible, close all windows and then lower 
the rear windows by approx. 3/4 in/2 cm.
After you manually unlock the convertible 
top box cover, the windows can no longer 
be operated.
2.Open the luggage compartment lid. If there 
is an electrical fault, unlock the lid using the 
integrated key, refer to page33.
3.Take the Allen wrench and screwdriver out 
of the onboard tool kit, refer to page223.
4.Using the screwdriver, loosen the two but-
tons in the cargo bay, arrows 1, and pull 
them out forcefully as far as they will go. 
The convertible top box cover is unlocked.
5.Close the luggage compartment lid. After 
the convertible top box cover is unlocked 
manually, the luggage compartment lid can 
only be opened using the integrated key.