
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to 
page252.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
23Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
43Adjustments
52Transporting children safely
56Driving
71Everything under control
85Technology for driving comfort and 
safety
96Lamps
100Climate
106Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
120Things to remember when driving
Navigation
128Starting the navigation system
130Destination entry
143Destination guidance
152What to do if …
Entertainment
156On/off and settings
160Radio
166Satellite radio
169CD player and CD changer
175AUX-In port
176USB-audio interface
Communications
182Telephoning
197BMW Assist
Mobility
206Refueling
208Wheels and tires
221Under the hood
226Maintenance
228Replacing components
235Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
242Technical data
247Short commands for the voice command 
system
252Everything from A - Z 

At a glance
 15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice command system* 
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request 
call
*235
3Reading lamps99
4Glass roof/panorama glass roof
*39
5Interior lamps99
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*95
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9DTC Dynamic Traction Control87
10Central locking system32
11Automatic climate control
12Ejecting audio CD156
13Changing
>Radio station160
>Track17014Selecting radio, CD and CD changer
15Selecting AM or FM waveband
16Ejecting navigation DVD128
18Controller16 
Can be turned, pressed, or moved horizon-
tally in four directions
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Drive for navigation DVD128
21Programmable memory keys21
22Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume156
23Drive for audio CD156 Air distribution to the 
windshield101
Air distribution to the upper body 
area101
Air distribution to the footwell101
Automatic air distribution and flow 
rate102
Cooling function103
AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control102
Recirculated-air mode102
Maximum cooling102
Residual heat mode103
Air flow rate102
Defrosting windows103
Rear window defroster103
17
Heated seats*47
PDC Park Distance Control
*85
Sedan:
Roller sun blind
*109
HDC Hill Descent Control
*87 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or TeleService*
Navigation
>Navigation system
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the 
average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In port, USB-audio interface* for 
external audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
 menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central 
locking system
>Display of service requirements and dates 
for statutory inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
As of radio readiness, the following message 
appears on the Control Display:
To hide the message: 
Press the controller.
The start menu is displayed.
The message is automatically hidden after 
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
All iDrive functions can be called up via five 
menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the   button.
To open the start menu from the   menu:
Press the   button twice. 

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window on/off
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Assist. window off" and press the 
controller.
To turn back on, switch to the assistance win-
dow and press the controller.
Switching Control Display 
off/on
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
Press the controller to switch on.
Programmable memory keys
Using the programmable memory keys, you can 
store and execute certain iDrive functions:
>Navigation destinations
*
>Entertainment:
>Radio stations
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
>AUX
>Telephone: phone numbers
The assignment of the programmable memory 
keys is stored for the remote control currently in 
use.
Storing functions
Navigation destinations*
1.Select the navigation destination, e.g. in the 
destination list or address book.
2. ...   Press the key longer than 
2seconds.
Special features:
>If destination guidance and the map view 
have been started, the current destination is 
stored.
>If the destination is entered via map, the 
coordinates in the crosshairs are stored, not 
the current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select the num-
ber from a list of stored phone numbers, e.g. 
the A-Z list.
2. ...   Press the key longer than 
2seconds.
If the phone number is associated with a name, 
the name is also stored.
Entertainment
The item stored in the Entertainment menu is 
the source that is playing at the time of storage, 
e.g. a radio station, irrespective of what was 
selected on the Control Display.
1.Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2. ...   Press the key longer than 
2seconds. 

Voice command system
24 item on the Control Display.
To have the possible commands read out to 
you:
For instance, if you have selected "CD", the 
commands available for operating the CD 
player and CD changer are read out
*.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a 
function, e.g.: 
Calling up functions immediately via 
short commands
Short commands enable you to perform certain 
functions immediately, irrespective of which 
menu item is selected, refer to page247.
Opening the start menu
Example: selecting a track
1.If necessary, switch on entertainment audio 
output.
2.Press the   button on the steering wheel. {Options}
{Help}
{Radio on} or {Turn radio on} 
{Main menu}
3.{Entertainment}
The system says: 
{{Entertainment}}
4.{CD}
The system says: 
{{CD on}} 

On/off and settings
156
On/off and settings
The following audio sources have shared con-
trols and setting options:
>Radio
>CD player
>CD changer
*
Controls
The audio sources can be operated using:
>Buttons near the CD player
>iDrive
>Buttons
 on the steering wheel, refer to 
page11
>Programmable memory keys, refer to 
page21
Buttons on the CD player
1Sound output for entertainment on/off, vol-
ume
>Press: switch on/off.
When you switch on the unit, the last set 
radio station or track is played.
>Turn: adjust volume.
2Drive for audio CDs
3 Eject CD.
4 Station scan/track search
>Change radio station.
>Select track for CD player and CD 
changer.
5Drive for navigation DVD
Operation via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to call up 
"Entertainment".
You have the following choices:
>"FM" and "AM": radio reception
>"SAT": satellite radio
*
>"CD": CD player or changer
>"AUX": AUX-In port, USB-audio interface
>"Set": depending on the audio source, 
other adjustments can be made, e.g. with 
the radio: update station with strongest 
reception, store station, tone control, sam-
ple stations.
From another menu, you can switch 
directly to the screen last displayed, refer 
to Convenient call-up of menu items on 
page18.<
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond, 
the selected audio source is stored for the 
remote control currently in use.
Switching on/off
In order to switch the entertainment sound out-
put on and off:
Press button1 on the CD player.
 This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off. 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 169Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
CD player and CD changer
Listening to CDs
Compressed audio files*
CDs with compressed audio files, MP3s, can be 
played by the CD player and CD changer.
Starting the CD player
The upper drive is for audio CDs.
Insert the CD into the drive with the labeled side 
up. 
The CD is pulled in automatically. Playback 
starts automatically if the sound output is on. 
When playing CDs with compressed audio files, 
it can take the CD player approx. 1 minute to 
read in the data, depending on the directory 
structure.
To start playback when there is already a CD in 
the drive:
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to call up 
"Entertainment".3.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Select "CD" and press 
the controller.
4.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the second field from the top. On cars with a 
CD changer, select "CD" and press the 
controller to start the CD player.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is switched on.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store the CD player function on the 
programmable memory keys to start the CD 
player, refer to page21.
Starting the CD changer
Fill and insert the CD magazine, refer to 
page173.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to call up 
"Entertainment".
* 

CD player and CD changer
170 3.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Select "CD" and press 
the controller.
4.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the second field from the top. Select the 
desired CD and press the controller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD is 
selected and played.
If new CDs have been placed in the CD maga-
zine, playback starts with the lowest CD, e.g. 
CD 1, track 1.
The CD magazine's load status is indicated on 
the Control Display.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store a CD compartment of the CD 
changer on the programmable memory keys to 
start the CD changer, refer to page21.
Selecting a track
Buttons on the CD player
 Press the button for the appropriate 
direction as often as necessary until the desired 
track is reached.
The track is displayed on the Control Display. 
You can also change the track with the buttons 
on the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Via iDrive
Turn the controller to select a track.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select a directory, if necessary, and press 
the controller.
2.Select a track and press the controller.
To change the directory:
Select the directory and press the controller.