
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
3Folding exterior mirrors in and out*49
4Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*49
1Safety switch for electric rear 
windows39 
2
Opening and closing windows38 5
Parking lamps96
Low beams96
Automatic headlamp control
*96
Adaptive Head Light
*98
6
Fog lamps
*98 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
8Instrument cluster12
11Ignition lock56
12Buttons
* on the steering wheel13Horn: the entire surface
14Adjusting the steering wheel50
16Releasing the hood221
17Opening the tailgate/luggage compartment 
lid
*
7
Turn signals60
High beams, headlamp flasher98
Roadside parking lamps
*98
Computer73
Settings and information about the 
vehicle75
Instrument lighting99
9
Windshield wipers61
Rain sensor
*61
Sports Wagon:
Rear window wiper62
10Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine56
Telephone
*:
>Press: accepting and ending a 
call, starting dialing
* selected 
phone numbers. Redialing if 
no phone number is selected
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice com-
mand system
*23
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable50 
Individually programmable50 
15
Cruise control
*63
Active cruise control
*64 

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 page81.
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 flasher98
Fog lamps
*98
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability87
Parking brake applied57
Canada: parking brake applied57
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on exhaust emissions227
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on exhaust 
emissions227 

iDrive
18
Calling up menu items in the start menu
As of radio readiness, refer to page56:
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, page79.
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
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page61
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page80
>Date format, refer to page81
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page84
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page84
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, 
distance covered/remaining distances, 
and temperature, refer to page76
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page85
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page96
>Pathway lighting, refer to page97
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page97
>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 page101 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page157
>Tone control, refer to page157
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page157
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/tailgate
>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 interior lamps and the door's courtesy 
lamps
* are also 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.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on.
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. 

Opening and closing
30 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.
Convenient opening
Hold the   button down.
The windows
 and the glass roof*/panorama 
glass roof
* are opened.
Locking
Press the   button.
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.
Sedan:
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.<
Sports Wagon: 
Unlocking the tailgate
Press the   button for approx. 1 second.
The tailgate opens a short distance, regardless 
of whether it was locked or unlocked.
The tailgate 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 tailgate is locked again after 
closing.
Before and after each trip, check that the tail-
gate has not been inadvertently unlocked.<
If you press the   button on the remote 
control a second time for a longer period 
within three seconds, the roll-up cover is 
raised
*. Before closing the tailgate, press the 
roll-up cover downward until it engages.< 

Controls
 31Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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.
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 
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-
erned by the following:FCC ID:
LX8766S 
LX8766E 
LX8CAS
Compliance statement: 
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC 
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two 
conditions:
>This device must not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>This device must accept any interference 
received, including interference that may 
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or 
changes to these devices could void the 
user's authority to operate this equipment.<
Opening and closing:
Using the door lock
You can set the way in which the car is 
unlocked, refer to page29.
Convenient operation
At the door lock, you can operate the windows 
and glass roof
*/panorama glass roof*.
Hold the key in the position for unlocking or 
locking.
Watch during the closing process to 
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing 
the key stops the operation.<
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can 
lock and unlock the driver's door by turning the