
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
1Convertible: opening and closing 
windows jointly38 
2Convertible: opening and closing 
rear windows38 
3Opening and closing front 
windows38
4Folding exterior mirrors in and out
*51
5Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*51
6
Parking lamps92
Low beams93
Automatic headlamp control
*92
Adaptive Head Light
*94 

At a glance
 11Reference
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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 

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps in the display area 
can light up in a variety of combinations and col-
ors.
Some lamps are checked for proper functioning 
and thus come on briefly when the engine is 
started or the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the lower edge of the Control 
Display explain the meaning of the displayed 
indicator and warning lamps.
You can call up more information, e.g. on the 
cause of a malfunction and on how to respond, 
via Check Control, refer to page77.In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
High beams/headlamp flasher94
Fog lamps
*95
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability83
Canada: parking brake applied59
Parking brake applied59
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on exhaust 
emissions218
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on exhaust emissions218 

Driving
62 Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, 
a downshift that would cause the engine to 
overrev will not be executed by the system. The 
gear selected is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment cluster, followed by the gear actually in 
use.
Shifting gears via shift paddles* on the 
steering wheel
The shift paddles allow you to shift gears 
quickly since both hands can remain on the 
steering wheel.
>When you use the shift paddles on the 
steering wheel to shift gears in automatic 
mode, the transmission switches to manual 
mode.
>If you do not accelerate or shift gears using 
the shift paddles for a certain amount of 
time, the transmission switches back to 
automatic mode.
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear 
plane, manual mode remains active.<
>To shift up: pull one of the shift paddles.
>To shift down: press one of the shift pad-
dles.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, 
a downshift that would cause the engine to 
overrev will not be executed by the system. The 
gear selected is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment cluster, followed by the gear actually in 
use.
Overriding selector lever lock
Should the selector lever refuse to move out of 
position P although the button on the selector 
lever is pressed, the selector lever lock can be 
overridden:
1.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever 
until the sleeve is inside out.
3.Using the screwdriver from the onboard 
tool kit, refer to page223, press the red 
lever, see arrow, while moving the selector 
lever to the desired position.
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the 
resistance point. 

Controls
 63Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp and the turn signals indicates that 
one of the turn signal bulbs has failed.<
Indicating a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for 
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
iDrive, for operating 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.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Turn the controller 
until "Lighting" is selected and press the 
controller.
6.Select "Triple turn signal" and press the 
controller.
 Triple turn signaling is activated.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or 
rain sensor
*
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
5Setting speed for intermittent wipe, or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow 1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to operation in the inter-
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance 
point. 
The system switches to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor*
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the 
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time 
between wipes is controlled automatically and 
depends on the intensity of the rainfall. The rain 
sensor is mounted on the windshield, directly in 
front of the interior rearview mirror. 

Driving
64
Activating intermittent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button, arrow3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Setting speed for intermittent wipe or 
sensitivity of the rain sensor
Turn the thumb wheel5.
Deactivating intermittent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button again, arrow3. 
The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor before enter-
ing an automatic car wash. Failure to do 
so could result in damage caused by undesired 
wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
Pull the lever, arrow 4.
Washer fluid is sprayed onto the windshield and 
the wipers are operated for a short time.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched 
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and 
appropriate intervals.
Do not use the washers if there is any 
danger that the fluid will freeze on the 
windshield. If you do, your vision could be 
obscured. Antifreeze should therefore be 
added to the fluid, refer to Washer fluid. 
Do not use the washers when the washer fluid 
reservoir is empty, otherwise you will damage 
the washer pump.<
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are heated 
automatically
* while the engine is running or 
the ignition is switched on.
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable. 
Therefore, keep it away from ignition 
sources and only store it in the closed original 
container that is kept out of reach of children, 
otherwise there is a risk of personal injury. 
Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainer.<
Washer fluid filler neck
O nly refill was her fluid when the engine is 
cool to avoid contact with hot engine 
parts. Otherwise, fluid spills constitute a fire 
hazard and a risk to personal safety.<
All washer nozzles are supplied with washer 
fluid by the same reservoir.
Fill with water and, if required, with a washer 
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling 
the washer fluid reservoir to make sure 
the correct concentration is maintained.<
Capacity
Approx. 6.3USquarts/6liters. 

Lamps
92
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lamps off, 
daytime running lamps
1Parking lamps and daytime running lamps
2Low beams, 
welcome lamps
*
3Automatic headlamp control*, daytime run-
ning lamps
*, welcome lamps*, Adaptive 
Head Light
*
When you open the driver's door with the igni-
tion switched off, the exterior lighting is auto-
matically switched off if the light switch is in 
position 0, 2 or 3.
Switch on the parking lamps if necessary, 
switch position 1.
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 will discharge the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for 
unduly long periods of time, otherwise the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the 
engine. It is preferable to switch on the left-
hand or right-hand roadside parking lamps, 
refer to page94.<
Low-beam headlamps
The low beams light up when the light switch is 
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is in position3, the low beams 
are switched on and off automatically depend-
ing on ambient light conditions, e.g. in a tunnel, 
in twilight, or if there is precipitation. The Adap-
tive Head Light
* is active. The LED next to the 
symbol is illuminated when the low beams are 
on. You can also activate the daytime running 
lamps, refer to page93. In the situations 
described above, the lamps then automatically 
switch from daytime running lamps to low 
beams.
The headlamps may also come on when the 
sun is sitting low on a blue sky.
The low beams remain switched on inde-
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps
*.<
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 system 
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should always switch on the 
low-beam headlamps manually under these 
conditions.<
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in position 2 or 3 
when you park the car, the parking lamps and 
the interior lamps light up briefly when you 
unlock the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating welcome 
lamps
iDrive, for operating 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. 

Controls
 93Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Turn the controller 
until "Lighting" is selected and press the 
controller.
6.Select "Welcome light" and press the con-
troller.
 The welcome lamps are switched on.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Pathway lighting
If you activate the headlamp flasher after park-
ing the car, with the lamps switched off, the low 
beams come on and remain on for a certain 
time.
You can adjust the operating period or deacti-
vate the function.
iDrive, for operating 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.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. 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 corre-
sponding duration.
8.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Daytime running lamps*
The daytime running lamps light up in switch 
position0, 1 and 3. They are less powerful than 
the low beams.
Activating/deactivating daytime 
running lamps
iDrive, for operating 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.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Turn the controller