
Controls
 89Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
after approx. 2 seconds and the car will start to 
roll backwards.<
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects pressure loss in a 
tire by comparing the rotating speeds of the 
individual tires while moving.
In the event of pressure loss, the rolling circum-
ference changes and, thus, the rotating speed 
of the affected wheel. This change is detected 
and is reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat 
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.
The system must be reinitialized each 
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn 
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage 
caused by external factors, nor can it identify 
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably 
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of 
time.<
In the following situations, the system could be 
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Performance-oriented style of driving: slip 
in the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration
>Snow chains are attached
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time. 
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. 
Do not initialize the system while snow chains 
are attached.
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 "FTM" is selected and press the con-
troller.
6.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7.Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
9.Start to drive.
Initialization is completed while the car is on 
the move, without any feedback. 

Controls
 117Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Lashing eyes
You will find lashing eyelets in the cargo bay for 
securing luggage items with nets or tensioning 
straps, refer to page124.
Ski bag*
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport 
of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up to 
2snowboards.
With the ski bag you can stow skis with a length 
of up to 6ft 10in/2.10m. When skis of 6ft 10in/
2.10 m length are loaded, the overall capacity of 
the ski bag is reduced due to its tapered design.
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest.
2.Press the button, reach into the recess and 
fold down the cover.
3.Open the Velcro fastener, spread the ski 
bag between the front seats and insert the 
skis or snowboards. 
The zip fastener makes objects in the ski 
bag easier to reach.
4.Insert the latch plate of the ski bag's retain-
ing strap in the center belt buckle.Only place clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp 
edges to prevent damage.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Secure the ski bag in the manner 
described, otherwise it could endanger 
the car's occupants, e.g. in case of heavy brak-
ing or sudden swerving.<
To store the ski bag, perform the steps 
described for loading in reverse order.
Removing the ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for 
faster drying or to allow you to use other inserts.
1.Fold down the center panel in the rear seat 
backrest.
2.Pull the handle, arrow1.
3.Pull out the insert, arrow 2.
For more information on the various 
inserts available, contact your BMW cen-
ter.< 

Driving tips
 121Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking 
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance to the forward vehicle. A defensive and 
smooth driving style keeps fuel consumption 
down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second 
and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation 
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before 
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into 
the highest applicable gear and drive with the 
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers 
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot off 
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
O n  a  d o w n h il l s lo p e ,  t a k e  y o u r  f o o t  o f f  t h e  a c c el -
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy 
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy 
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings 
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx. 
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at 
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner and the 
seat or rear window heating draw large amounts 
of power and consume additional fuel. Espe-
cially in city traffic and in stop and go driving 
they have a considerable impact. Therefore, 
switch these functions off when they are not 
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve 
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW 
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a 
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page226.
General driving notes
Close the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid/tailgate and rear 
window are closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes 
could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage 
compartment lid/tailgate open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to 
page102.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed 
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them. 
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
ing, take care to avoid possible contact 
between the hot exhaust system and any highly 
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass, 
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, with the 
risk of serious personal injuries and property 
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust tail pipes. 
Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge 
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning, 
means that the tire can completely lose contact 
with the road surface, so that neither the car can 
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.< 

Things to remember when driving
122 The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page218.
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.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a 
lengthy period using the clutch; use the 
parking brake instead. Otherwise greater clutch 
wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page88.
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 of the brake pedal, combined with 
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that 
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, 
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal 
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to 
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger 
other road users. The heat generated in this 
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure 
that full braking efficiency will then be available 
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting 
reduced efficiency of the brake system, 
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the 
gear in which the least braking is required. Even 
light but consistent brake 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 page59.
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 brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally, 
during extended periods when the vehicle is not 
used at all, and in operating conditions where 
brake applications are less frequent, there is an 
increased tendency for corrosion to form on 
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the 
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum 
pressure which must be exerted by the pads 
during brake applications to clean the rotors is 
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the 
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating 
effect that even extended application will fail to 
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits 
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water 
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
For general information about taking care of 
your BMW, refer to the Caring for your vehicle 
brochure. 

Destination guidance
150
Traffic information icons
Traffic information during destination 
guidance
System response will vary depending on 
whether or not "Dynamic route" is selected, 
refer to page141.
Displaying traffic obstructions
When the navigation system receives a traffic 
obstruction message and "Dynamic route" is 
not selected, you are shown certain informa-
tion, such as the length of the traffic congestion, 
when you are approx. 25 miles/40 km away 
from the traffic obstruction.
The last possible detour exit is indicated just 
before you reach it. Traffic event displayed with map 
scales larger than 5 miles/10 km; 
arrow points in relevant direction of 
travel
There are several traffic events. 
Switch to a smaller map scale to 
show more detail. 
Traffic light failure
Roadworks
General traffic obstruction
Transport of hazardous load
Vehicle on wrong carriageway
Danger
Low clearance
No parking
Fog
Heavy rain
Slippery road
Cross winds
Smog
Road closed
Slow traffic
Traffic backup
Stopped traffic
Icy roads
Uneven surface
Accident
Lane closure
Delay
Police checkpoint
Slow traffic or other traffic event
Stop and go traffic
Stopped traffic
Traffic events in both directions of 
travel 

Everything from A - Z
260 Instrument panel, refer to 
Cockpit10
Integrated key28
Integrated universal remote 
control106
Interesting destination for 
navigation136
"Interim time"84
Interior lamps99
– remote control30
Interior motion sensor36
Interior rearview mirror50
– automatic dimming 
feature50
– compass108
Interlock, refer to Disengaging 
the remote control58
Intermittent mode of the 
wipers61
J
Jacking points233
Joystick, refer to iDrive16
Jumpering, refer to Jump 
starting236
Jump starting236
K
Key, refer to Integrated key/
remote control28
Keyless go, refer to 
Convenient access36
Keyless opening and closing, 
refer to Convenient 
access36
Key Memory, refer to Personal 
Profile28
Kick-down59
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic59
Knock control207
L
Lamps
– automatic headlamp 
control96
– parking lamps/low beams96
Lamps and bulbs, replacing 
bulbs229
"Language / Units"76
"Language / Units" in 
navigation129,146
"Language" on the Control 
Display84
"Languages" in 
navigation129,146
Lap-and-shoulder belt, refer 
to Safety belts48
Lashing eyes, refer to 
Securing cargo124
Last destinations, refer to 
Destination list137
"Last seat pos."48
LATCH child-restraint fixing 
system53
LED hand lamp110
LED Light-emitting 
diodes229
Length, refer to 
Dimensions243
License plate lamp, replacing 
bulb233
Light-emitting diodes 
LED229
Lighter111
– connecting electrical 
appliances112
"Lighting"61
Lighting
– instruments99
– lamps and bulbs229
– vehicle, refer to Lamps96
Light-metal alloy wheels, care, 
refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Light switch96
"Limit"83
Limit, refer to Speed limit83
Load securing equipment, 
refer to Securing cargo124Lock buttons, doors, refer to 
Locking32
Locking
– adjusting confirmation 
signal31
– from inside32
– from outside30
– without remote control, refer 
to Convenient access36
Locking and unlocking doors
– confirmation signals31
– from inside32
– from outside29
Low-beam headlamps96
– automatic
96
Low beams
– replacing bulbs229
Lower back support, refer to 
Lumbar support45
Luggage compartment lid33
– convenient access37
– emergency operation, refer 
to Opening manually33
– emergency release34
– locking or unlocking 
separately34
– opening from inside33
– opening from outside33
– opening manually33
– remote control30
Luggage rack, refer to Roof-
mounted luggage rack124
Lumbar support45
M
M+S tires, refer to Winter 
tires220
Maintenance, refer to Service 
Booklet
Maintenance system226
Malfunction
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic60
– luggage compartment lid/
tailgate33
– tires90
Malfunction warnings, refer to 
Check Control81