
At a glance
 23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Voice command system
The concept
The voice command system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering 
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display 
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary to use the controller.
The voice command system transforms your 
oral commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice command system uses a special 
microphone located in the area of the interior 
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, select the language in which the 
voice command system is operating, so that the 
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting 
the language for iDrive, refer to page84.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the   button on the steering wheel. This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic signal indicate that the voice 
command system is ready to receive spo-
ken commands.
2.Say the command.
The command appears on the Control Dis-
play.
 This symbol appears on the Control Display 
when you can enter additional commands. 
If no further commands are possible, continue 
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice 
command system
Press the   button on the steering wheel
or
Commands
Having the possible commands read 
aloud
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands related to the selected menu 
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for 
word. 
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice 
command system.
{Cancel} 

Opening and closing
36
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page29.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: 
doors, hood, luggage compartment lid/tail-
gate or rear window are not properly closed. 
Even if you do not close the alerted area, the 
system begins to monitor the remaining 
areas, and the indicator lamp flashes con-
tinuously after approx. 10 seconds. The 
interior motion sensor and the tilt alarm 
sensor are not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking: 
your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote control is inserted in the 
ignition, but for no longer than approx. 
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed 
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm 
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel 
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must 
be completely closed
*.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following 
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains, 
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the   button on the remote control 
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are switched off until 
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Convenient access*
Convenient access enables you to enter your 
vehicle without needing to hold the remote con-
trol in your hand. All you need to do is wear the 
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your 
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate 
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Convenient access supports the following 
functions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate separately
>Engine starting
>Convenient closure
Functional requirement
>The vehicle or the luggage compartment 
lid/tailgate can only be locked when the 
vehicle detects that the remote control cur-
rently in use is outside of the vehicle.
>The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked 
again until after approx. 2 seconds. 

Adjustments
50
Deactivating
Push the switch to the position for the passen-
ger-side mirror, arrow 2.
Interior rearview mirror
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.
Interior and exterior mirrors, automatic 
dimming feature*
The automatic dimming feature of the interior 
and exterior mirrors
* is controlled by two photo 
cells in the interior rearview mirror. One photo 
cell is in the mirror frame, see arrow; the other is 
on the back of the mirror.
In order to ensure that the system functions 
correctly, keep the photo cells clean, do not 
cover the area between the interior rearview 
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive 
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield 
directly in front of the mirror.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position 
while the car is in motion, otherwise there 
i s  a  ri s k  o f  a c c id e n t  d u e t o  a n  u n ex p e c t ed  m o v e -
ment.<
1.Fold the lever down.
2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred 
height and angle to suit your seated posi-
tion.
3.Swing the lever back up.
Do not use force to swing the lever 
back up, otherwise the mechanism 
will be damaged.<
Programmable buttons on the steering 
wheel
You can program the buttons to suit your per-
sonal preferences:
These settings are stored for the remote con-
trol currently 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. 

Controls
 61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal indicator 
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.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 "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. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
94
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the 
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags, front and rear
3Side airbags in the seat backrests
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page43 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and 
front passenger by responding to frontal 
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the 
head and side airbags help provide protection in 
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The 
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags have been designed to not be trig-
gered in every collision situation, e.g. not in 
minor accidents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the 
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or 
modify them in any other way. Do not attach 
seat covers, cushions or other objects not spe-
cifically approved for seats with integral side air-
bags to the front seats. Do not hang items of 
clothing such as coats or jackets over the back-
rests. Do not attempt to remove the airbag 
retention system from the vehicle. Do not mod-
ify the individual components of the system or 
its wiring in any way. This includes the uphol-
stered covers on the steering wheel, instrument 
panel, seats and roof posts, as well as the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to remove or 
dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered, 
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation or 
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have 
the testing, repair, removal and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center 
or a workshop that works according to repair 
procedures of BMW with correspondingly 
trained personnel and that has the required 
explosives licenses. Unprofessional attempts to 
work on the system could lead to failure in an 
emergency or to undesired airbag activation, 
either of which could result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front 
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and 
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or 
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior 
rearview mirror shows the current status 
of the front passenger airbags, deactivated or 
activated, refer to Status of front passenger air-
bags below.
Before transporting a child on the front 
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page52. 

Replacing components
234
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by your 
BMW center or hand them in to a recy-
cling center. Maintain the battery in an upright 
position for transport and storage. Always 
secure the battery against tipping over during 
transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of 
some equipment may be limited and require 
reinitialization. Individual settings may likewise 
have been lost and will have to be programmed:
>Time and date 
These values must be updated, refer to 
page79.
>Radio 
In some cases, stations may have to be 
stored again, refer to page162.
>Navigation system 
Operability must be waited for, refer to 
page128.
>Glass roof
It may happen that the roof can only be 
raised. The system must be initialized. 
Please contact your BMW center.
>Panorama glass roof
It may happen that the roof can only be 
raised. The system must be initialized. 
Please contact your BMW center.
>Seat and mirror memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to 
page47.
>Inside rearview mirror with digital compass
The system must be calibrated, refer to 
page108.
Fuses
Never attempt to repair a blown fuse and 
do not replace a defective fuse with a sub-
stitute of another color or amperage rating, oth-
erwise this could lead to a circuit overload, ulti-
mately resulting in a fire in the vehicle.
Spare fuses and a pair of plastic forceps are set 
in holders on the distributor box.
See the rear of the cover for information on fuse 
assignment. 

Reference 259
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Head restraints45
– front, removing46
– rear, removing46
– sitting safely43
Heated
– mirrors49
– rear window103
– seats47
Heating
– mirrors49
– rear window103
– residual heat103
– seats47
Heating and ventilation, refer 
to Climate100
Heating while at a standstill, 
refer to Using residual 
heat103
Heavy loads, refer to Stowing 
cargo123
Height, refer to 
Dimensions243
Height adjustment
– seats44
– steering wheel50
High beams98
– headlamp flasher98
– indicator lamp13
– replacing bulbs229
High Definition Radio163
High water, refer to Driving 
through water122
Highways, refer to Route 
criteria141
Hill Descent Control HDC87
Hills122
Holders for cups111
Home address140
"Home address" in 
navigation141
Homepage BMW4
Hood221
Hooks for shopping 
bags115,116
Horn10,11
Hotel function, refer to 
Locking or unlocking 
separately34
Hot exhaust system121"Hour memo"80
"House number" in 
destination entry133
Hydraulic brake assist, refer to 
Dynamic Brake Control 
DBC86
Hydroplaning121
I
IBOC, refer to High Definition 
Radio163
Ice warning, refer to Outside 
temperature
warning71
ID3 tag, refer to Information 
about the track171
Identification marks
– Run-Flat Tires219
– tire coding217
iDrive16
– adjusting brightness84
– assistance window20
– automatic climate 
control101
– changing language84
– changing units of measure 
and display format76
– confirming selection or 
entry19
– controls16
– displays, menus17
– menu guidance17
– operating principle16
– overview16
– selecting a menu item19
– setting the date and time79
– start menu17
– status information20
– switching menu pages19
– symbols18
iDrive operating principle16
Ignition56
– switched off56
– switched on56
Ignition key, refer to Remote 
control with integrated 
key28Ignition key position 1, refer to 
Radio readiness56
Ignition key position 2, refer to 
Ignition on56
Ignition lock56
i menu18
Imprint2
Indicator and warning 
lamps13
– Tire Pressure Monitor 
TPM92
Individual air distribution101
Individually programmable 
buttons on steering 
wheel50
Inflation pressure, refer to Tire 
inflation pressure208
Inflation pressure monitoring, 
refer to Tire Pressure 
Monitor TPM90
Information
– on another location136
– on country136
– on current position136
– on destination location136
Information menu, refer to 
i menu18
"Information on 
destination"138
"Info sources"77
Initializing
– active steering93
– after power failure234
– compass, refer to 
Calibrating108
– Flat Tire Monitor FTM89
– glass roof40
– panorama glass roof42
"Input map"135
Installation location
– CD changer173
– navigation DVD drive128
– telephone110
Instructions for navigation 
system, refer to Voice 
instructions146
Instrument cluster12
Instrument lighting99 

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