
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
4Folding exterior mirrors in and out*52
5Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*52
1Convertible: opening and closing 
windows jointly39 
2Convertible: opening and closing 
rear windows38 
3Opening and closing front 
windows38 6
Parking lamps100
Low beams100
Automatic headlamp control
*100
Adaptive Head Light
*101
7
Fog lamps102 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
9Instrument cluster12
12Ignition lock59
13Buttons
* on the steering wheel14Horn: the entire surface
15Adjusting the steering wheel53
17Releasing the hood224
18Opening the luggage compartment lid
*
8
Turn signals63
High beams, headlamp 
flasher102
Roadside parking lamps
*102
Computer75
Settings and information about the 
vehicle78
Instrument lighting103
10
Windshield wipers64
Rain sensor
*64
11Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine59
Telephone
*:
>Press: accepting and ending a 
call, starting dialing
* selected 
phone numbers. Redialing if 
no phone number is selected
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable54 
Individually programmable54 
16
Cruise control*66
Active cruise control
*67 

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
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 page83.
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 flasher102
Fog lamps
*102
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability90
Parking brake applied60
Canada: parking brake applied60
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on exhaust emissions230
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on exhaust 
emissions230 

iDrive
18
Calling up menu items in the start menu
As of radio readiness, refer to page59:
Via the start menu you can call up the four menu 
items of Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller for-
wards, backwards, to the left or to the right.
You can call up the   menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Convenient call-up of menu items
The convenient call-up function enables you to:
>Call up a menu item from the start menu in 
the view last displayed
>Switch directly between Communication, 
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate 
without having to press the   button
To do so, move the controller in the corre-
sponding direction and hold it for more than 
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is subdivided into fields. The 
active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the start menu item last 
selected.
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility 
of accessing other menu items that are not 
currently visible.
3Settings are represented graphically or as 
numerical values.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
 menu 

At a glance
 19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Operating principle at a glance
The following is a general description of opera-
tions using iDrive.For an exemplary step-by-step application refer 
to Setting the time, page81.
1Selecting a menu item:
>Turn the controller; the highlight marker 
moves
>Menu items in white can be selected by 
highlighting them
2Activating a menu item:
>Press the controller
>New menu items are displayed or the 
function is executed
3Selecting a menu item: refer to14Switching between fields:
>Briefly move the controller to the left, 
right, forward, or backward
>Release the controller
>The active field is brighter in color
5Adjusting settings:
>Turn the controller
>Graphic display, numerical value or text 
displays can be changed
>Confirm by changing the field 

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page82
>Date format, refer to page83
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page86
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page86
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, 
distance covered/remaining distances, 
and temperature, refer to page78
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page88
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page100
>Pathway lighting, refer to page101
>Daytime running lamps, refer to 
page101
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function 
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air flow rate and distribu-
tion, refer to page105 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page161
>Tone control, refer to page161
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page161
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system is ready for opera-
tion whenever the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid
>Fuel filler door
> Convertible: center armrest and glove com-
partment
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 of the alarm system,
 refer to 
page35.
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.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable 
hardtop with the remote control, the 
doors and luggage compartment lid must be 
closed and the cargo bay partition must be 
folded down and engaged on both sides. Refer 
also to page41.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on. 

Opening and closing
30 You can set how the vehicle is to be unlocked. 
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
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 "Door locks" is selected and press the 
controller.
6.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select "Unlock button" and press the con-
troller.
8.Select a menu item:
>"All doors"
Press the   button once to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
>"Driver's door only"
Press the   button once to unlock only 
the driver's door and the fuel filler door. Press the button twice to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
9.Press the controller.
Coupe: convenient opening
Hold the   button down.
The windows
 and the glass roof* are opened.
Convertible: convenient opening*
Within a range of approx. 13 ft/4 m from the 
vehicle you can open the retractable hardtop 
using the remote control.
Hold the   button down.
The windows
 and the retractable hardtop are 
opened if the doors are closed.
If you continue pressing the   button, the win-
dows move up.
Watch during the opening process to 
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing 
the button interrupts the opening process.<
Locking
Press the   button.
Convertible: convenient closing*
Within a range of approx. 13 ft/4 m from the 
vehicle you can close the retractable hardtop 
and the windows using the remote control.
Hold the   button down.
The retractable hardtop and the windows are 
closed.
Watch during the closing process to 
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing 
the button interrupts the closing process.< 

Controls
 31Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching on interior lamps
While the car is locked: 
Press the   button. 
You can also use this function to locate your 
vehicle in parking garages etc.
Unlocking the luggage compartment 
lid
Press the   button for approx. 1 second.
The luggage compartment lid opens a short 
distance, regardless of whether it was locked or 
unlocked.
The luggage compartment lid swings 
back and up when opened. Ensure that 
there is sufficient clearance. To avoid locking 
yourself out by accident, do not place the 
remote control in the cargo bay. A previously 
locked luggage compartment lid is locked again 
after closing.
Before and after each trip, check that the lug-
gage compartment lid has not been inadvert-
ently unlocked.<
Convertible: convenient loading*
Within a range of approx. 13ft/4m from the vehi-
cle you can use the remote control to half close 
the retractable hardtop when it is open to ease 
loading of the cargo bay.
1.Briefly press the   button and, within one 
second, press again and hold until the 
retractable hardtop stops in an intermediate 
position. The luggage compartment lid 
opens slightly.
2.Open the luggage compartment lid, press 
the cargo bay partition upward and stow the 
cargo in the cargo bay.
3.Press down the cargo bay partition until it 
engages on both sides and close the lug-
gage compartment lid.
4.Press the   button for a longer period to 
fold the retractable hardtop back in.
Confirmation signals
You can activate or deactivate the confirmation 
signals.1.Open 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 "Door locks" is selected and press the 
controller.
6.Select "Confirmation" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select the desired signal.
8.Press the controller.
 The signal is activated.
Malfunctions
The remote control may malfunction due to 
local radio waves. If this occurs, unlock and lock 
the car at the door lock with the integrated key.
 Convertible: if hardtop movement via the 
remote control is interrupted briefly, the move-
ment will be completed more quickly if you keep 
the corresponding button pressed continu-
ously.
If the car can no longer be locked with a remote 
control, the battery in the remote control is dis-
charged. Use the remote control on an 
extended trip to recharge the battery, refer to 
page28. The remote control for convenient 
access
* contains a battery that may have to be 
changed, refer to page38.
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply with 
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications