2008 BMW 528XI SEDAN display

Adjusting
52 3.Select "Driver's seat climate" or "Passen-
ger's seat climate" and press the controller.
Turn the controller to adjust the distribution.
The setting is applied.
Rear
Operation similar to front seat heating; two tem-
perature levels, without temperature distribu-
tion.
Active seat ventilation*
The appearance and arrangement of the but-
tons may vary depending on the equipment.
1Active seat ventilation
2Active seat ventilation with seat heatingPress the respective button once per ventila-
tion level. The ventilation level appears on the
Control Display. The maximum level is supplied
when three LEDs are lit.
The air quantity is reduced and if need be, the
ventilation is switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
To switch off: press button longer.
The highest level is used for rapid cooling,
e.g. when the vehicle has become heated
up. After a short time, the system is automati-
cally switched down one level in order to pre-
vent excessive cooling.<
Active seat*
The seat cushion is actively varied by alter-
nately raising and lowering the right and left half
of the seat cushion. This reduces muscular ten-
sion and fatigue to help prevent lower back
pain.
Press the button to switch on; the LED lights
up.
The action of the system is reduced and if need
be, switched off in order to reduce the load on
the battery. The LED remains lit.
If you switch off the active seat, it can take up
to 1 minute before the two halves of the seat
cushion have returned to their initial position.

Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Steering wheel buttons" and press
the controller.
A list of different functions appears:
>"Navigation voice instructions"
Voice instructions for the navigation
system
*
>"Air recirculation on / off"
Permanently shutting off outside air,
refer to AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control on page117
>"Mute on / off"
Mutes the audio sources
>"Monitor on / off"
Switches the Control Display on/off
>"Telephone list"
*
Display/hide phone book or last list of
stored phone numbers
>"HDC on / off"
Switches HDC Hill Descent Control
* on/
off
>"Next entertainment source"
Changes audio source
>"Night Vision on / off"
Switches BMW Night Vision
* on/off
5.Select the desired function and press the
controller.6.Select the button if necessary and press the
controller.
You can operate the selected function using the
corresponding button.
Operating function
Press the corresponding button on the steering
wheel.
If you have programmed "Navigation voice
instructions" for one of the buttons:
>To switch voice instructions on/off:
Press button longer.
>To repeat the last voice instruction:
Press the button.

Controls
61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Driving
Ignition lock
Inserting remote control into ignition
lock
Insert the remote control as far as possible into
the ignition lock.
Radio readiness switches on.
Some electronic systems/consumers are ready
for operation.
Comfort access*
With comfort access, only insert the remote
control into the ignition lock in exceptional
cases, refer to page38.
Removing remote control from ignition
lock
Do not pull the remote control out of the
ignition lock using force, as otherwise
damage may result.<
Before removing the remote control, first press
it in as far as possible to release the locking
device.
The ignition is switched off if it was still
switched on.
Automatic and sport automatic
transmission
The remote control can only be removed when
transmission position P is selected: interlock.
Start/Stop button
Pressing the Start/Stop button switches the
radio readiness or the ignition on and off.
The engine is started when you press the
Start/Stop button and depress the clutch
if the car has manual transmission or the brake if
the car has automatic transmission.<
Radio readiness
Some electronic systems/consumers are ready
for operation. The time and outside tempera-
ture are displayed in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off:
>when the remote control is removed from
the ignition lock
>with comfort access
* by touching the sur-
face on the door handle, refer to Locking on
page39
Ignition on
All electronic systems/consumers are ready for
operation. The odometer and the trip odometer
are displayed in the instrument cluster, refer to
page78.
Please switch off the ignition and the
electronic systems/consumers which are
not required when the engine is not running to
save the battery.<

Controls
63Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>if you remove the remote control from the
ignition lock
Handbrake
The handbrake is primarily intended to prevent
the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes
the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up, and a sig-
nal also sounds when starting off. The
handbrake is applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and
lower the lever.
If exceptional circumstances should
make it necessary to apply the handbrake
while the vehicle is in motion, do not pull it too
firmly. In doing so, continuously press the but-
ton of the handbrake lever. Otherwise, too firm
an application of the handbrake can lock up the
rear wheels and cause the rear of the car to
swerve.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the hand-
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the hand-
brake is applied.<
Manual transmission
While shifting in the 5th/6th gear lane,
press the gearshift lever toward the right,
otherwise accidental shifting into the 3rd or 4th
gear could result in engine damage.<
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
When pressing the gearshift lever to the left,
overcome some resistance.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to
page64.
Transmission positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in instrument cluster
P R N D DS S1* to S6* M1 to M6
The transmission position is indicated, and in
the manual mode, the gear currently engaged.

Controls
67Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Activating system
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT is
displayed in the instrument cluster.
Deactivating system
>Press the SPORT button again
>Engage reverse gear
>Switch off engine
The LED in the button and SPORT in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the
resistance point.
Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb
needs to be replaced.<
Signaling briefly
Press lever to resistance point and hold for as
long as you wish to signal.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever to the resistance point; the turn
signal flashes three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
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.Change to upper field if necessary. 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.

Driving
70
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining, storing and increasing speed
2Maintaining speed, storing speed, and
decelerating
3Interrupting and deactivating system
4Resuming stored speed
Maintaining, storing and increasing
speed
Press lever to resistance point, arrow 1:
The speed currently being driven is maintained
and stored. The display1 in the speedometer,
see below, indicates this regulated speed.
Every time you press the lever, the vehicle's
speed increases by roughly 1 mph/1 km/h.
Press lever to resistance point for a longer time:
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system maintains
and stores your current speed as soon as you
release the lever.
Maintaining speed, storing speed, and
decelerating
Pull the lever, arrow2:
Functions are the same as1; the speed is
reduced.
Interrupting system
Press the lever up or down, arrow3: the
display1 in the speedometer changes color.
In addition, the system is automatically inter-
rupted:
>when braking
>when you clutch, shift very slowly and when
you engage the idling or the N position of
the automatic transmission>when DTC is activated or DSC is deacti-
vated
>when the DSC comes on
>when you brake with the handbrake
Resuming stored speed
Press button4:
The stored speed is resumed and maintained.
Deactivating system
>Press the lever up or down twice, arrow3
>Switch off the ignition
The speed stored in the memory is deleted.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Stored speed
2Selected speed is displayed briefly
Active cruise control*
With active cruise control you can select a
desired speed which is then automatically
maintained when driving on open roadways and
is varied to maintain a selected distance setting
to slower moving vehicles ahead.
Active cruise control represents a technological
advance over the familiar cruise control and is a
welcome relief from the constant adjustment of
speed that can accompany driving in traffic on
freeways or other high-speed thoroughfares.
Especially on longer trips and in traffic conges-
tion, the system can reduce fatigue and tension,
while increasing your enjoyment of driving.
Please use it safely and responsibly.

Driving
72 tions can result which lead to a violation of the
law or elevated risk of an accident.
The minimum initial activation speed is 20 mph/
30 km/h, and the maximum speed is 110 mph/
180 km/h. However, you can also activate the
system while stopped, refer to While stopped,
page73.
One lever for all functions
1Storing and increasing desired speed
2Storing and reducing desired speed
3Interrupting, refer to page73,
or deactivating system, refer to page74
4Activating stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page73, or driving off, refer
to While stopped, page73
5Selecting distance to vehicle driving ahead,
refer to page72.
Storing current speed
Tap the lever, arrow1, or briefly pull it, arrow2.
The system stores the current vehicle speed. It
is indicated on the speedometer and briefly in
the instrument cluster.
Increasing desired speed
Press or tap the lever to the resistance point or
beyond, arrow1, until the desired speed is dis-
played.
The speed then displayed is stored and
achieved on a clear road.
>Each time the lever is tapped to the resis-
tance point, the desired speed is increased
by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.
>Each time the lever is tapped beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed
increases to the next fives place of the mph
speedometer display or the next tens place
of the km/h speedometer display.
Reducing desired speed
Pull the lever, arrow2, until the desired speed is
displayed.
These functions are operated in the same man-
ner as increasing your desired speed.
Selecting distance
>Briefly press rocker switch downward:
Increase distance.
>Briefly press rocker switch upward:
Reduce distance.

Controls
73Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The selected distance is displayed in the instru-
ment cluster.
Use good judgment to select the appro-
priate following distance, given road con-
ditions, traffic, applicable laws and State driving
recommendations for safe following distance.
Otherwise, a violation of the law or risk of an
accident could result.<
Interrupting cruise control
Press the lever upward or downward, and with
the vehicle stopped also depress the brake
pedal. The marking in the speedometer
changes color and the distance indicator goes
out.
In addition, the system is automatically inter-
rupted:
>when you apply the vehicle brakes
>when you shift the transmission>when DTC is activated or DSC is deacti-
vated
>when DSC comes on
>when you apply the handbrake
>when you release the safety belt and open
the driver's door with the vehicle stopped
>when the system does not recognize any
objects for an extended period of time, e. g.
on infrequently traveled roads without a
shoulder or guard rails, or if the radar sensor
is covered with dirt, refer to page74
If the system is interrupted, then it is nec-
essary for the driver to actively intervene
by braking and steering. Otherwise, there is a
risk of an accident.<
Resuming stored desired speed and
distance
While driving
Press button4.
The displays appear in the instrument cluster.
While stopped
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine
running, engage position P of the auto-
matic transmission and apply the handbrake.
Otherwise the vehicle can roll.<
If a detected vehicle in front of you brakes to a
complete stop and your vehicle has also been
braked to a complete stop by the system:
>If the vehicle in front of you drives off while
the marking1 for the desired speed in the
speedometer is green, your vehicle will
accelerate without you having to do any-
thing.
>If the vehicle in front of you drives off while
the marking1 is orange, you briefly depress
the accelerator pedal or press button4.
Rolling bars in the distance indicator3
mean that the vehicle in front of you has
driven off.
If you are stopped behind a vehicle with the
brake pedal depressed and the system is inter-
rupted or deactivated: Distance 1, closest
Distance 2
Distance 3
Distance 4, furthest
This distance is always set when
you activate the system.