
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use 
the index, refer to page270.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
23Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
45Adjusting
56Transporting children safely
61Driving
78Everything under control
89Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
107Lamps
113Climate
120Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
134Things to remember when driving
Navigation
142Starting navigation system
144Destination entry
156Destination guidance
165What to do if …
Entertainment
168On/off and tone
172Radio
178Satellite radio
181CD player and CD changer
187AUX-In connection
188USB audio interface
Communications
194Telephoning
209BMW Assist
Mobility
220Refueling
222Wheels and tires
232Under the hood
237Maintenance
239Care
243Replacing components
253Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
260Technical data
265Short commands of voice command 
system
270Everything from A to Z 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying 
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In connection
>USB audio interface
*
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Seat heater distribution
*
>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 maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page61, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is hidden after approx. 10 sec-
onds.
Start menu
You can call up all the functions of iDrive using 
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 off/on
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 switch on, change to the assistance window 
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.
To switch on, press the controller.
Programmable memory 
buttons
You can save and request certain functions of 
iDrive on the programmable memory buttons:
>Destinations of navigation
>Telephone, phone numbers
>Entertainment:
>radio station
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
*
>AUX
>USB audio interface
*
The assignment of the programmable buttons 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Saving function
Destinations of navigation
1.Select navigation destination, e.g. in the 
destination list or the address book.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
Special features:
>With the destination guidance system and 
the map view started, the current destina-
tion is stored.
>During destination entry via a map, the 
coordinates at the cursor are stored, not the 
current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select it in a list 
of the stored phone numbers, e.g. of the 
A-Z list.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
If a name is assigned to the phone number, the 
name will also be stored. 

Voice command system
24 If no other commands are possible, then oper-
ate the equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice 
command system
Press the   button on the steering wheel 
or
Commands
Having possible commands read aloud
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands related to the selected menu 
item on the Control Display.
To have the system list the possible com-
mands:
For example, if you have selected "CD", the 
system will read aloud the possible commands 
for operating the CD player and the CD 
changer
*.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a 
function, e.g.: 
Running functions directly with short 
commands
With short commands you can run certain func-
tions directly, regardless of which menu item is 
selected, refer to page265.
Opening start menuExample: selecting a track
1.Switch on Entertainment sound output if 
necessary.
2.Press the   button on the steering wheel.
5.Press the   button on the steering wheel. {Cancel}
{Options}
{Help}
{Radio on} or {Turn radio on}
{Main menu}
3.{Entertainment} 
The system says: 
{{Entertainment}}
4.{CD} 
The system says: 
{{CD on}}
6.Select track, e.g.: 
{Track 1} 
The system says: 
{{Track 1}} 

On/off and tone
168
On/off and tone
The following audio sources have shared con-
trols and setting options:
>Professional
* radio or 
Business radio
>CD player
>CD changer
*
Controls
The audio sources can be operated using:
>Buttons in the area of the CD player
>iDrive
>Buttons on steering wheel, refer to page11
>Programmable memory buttons, refer to 
page21
Buttons in area of CD player
The layout of the buttons can vary depending 
on your vehicle's equipment.
One drive:
Two drives:1Entertainment sound output on/off, volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When the system is switched on, the 
most recently selected radio station or 
CD 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 DVDs
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 open 
"Entertainment".
You have the following choices:
>"FM" and "AM": radio reception
>"WB": Weather Band station
>"SAT": satellite radio
>"CD": CD player or CD changer
*
>"AUX": AUX-In connection
>USB audio interface
*
>"Set": depending on the audio source, 
other adjustments can be made, e.g. with 
the radio: update station with strongest  

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 181Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
CD player and CD changer
Listening to CDs
Compressed audio files*
CDs with compressed audio files, i.e. MP3, can 
be played by the CD player, but not by the CD 
changer.
CD player: starting CD
With two drives:
The upper drive is for audio CDs.
Inserting CD
Insert the CD into the drive with the labeled side 
up. The CD is retracted.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is on. For CDs with compressed audio files, 
it can take up to approx. 1 minute to read in the 
data depending on the directory structure.
Via iDrive
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 open 
"Entertainment".3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "CD" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.With a CD changer, change to the second 
field from the top and turn the controller 
until "CD" is selected and press the control-
ler.
The CD player is started.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is switched on.About programmable memory buttons
You can store the CD player function on the 
programmable memory buttons. To start the 
CD player, refer to page21.
Eject CD
Press the   button next to CD player.
The CD emerges slightly from the drive.
CD changer: starting CD
Fill the CD magazine and insert, refer to 
page185.
* 

CD player and CD changer
182
Via iDrive
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "CD" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.Change to the second field from the top if 
necessary. Turn the controller until the 
desired CD, CD 1 - 6, is selected and press 
the controller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD will be 
selected.
If the CD magazine has been newly filled, play-
back begins with the lowest CD, e.g. CD 1, 
track 1.
The CD magazine's load status is indicated on 
the Control Display.
About programmable memory buttons
You can store a CD compartment of the CD 
changer on the programmable memory but-
tons. To start the CD changer, refer to page21.
Selecting a track
Buttons next to CD player
Press the  button for the corresponding 
direction repeatedly until you reach the desired 
track.
The CD will start play at the start of the track. 
The track is displayed on the Control Display.
You can also change the track with buttons on 
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Via iDrive
Select a track by turning the controller.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select the directory if necessary and press 
the controller.
2.Select the track and press the controller.
To change the directory:
Select the directory and press the controller. 

CD player and CD changer
184
Repeating a track
1.Select "Set" and press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
2.Select "Repeat" and press the controller.
The current track on the CD is repeated.
To stop repeating:
1.Press the controller again.
2.Select "Repeat" and press the controller.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select the current track and press the con-
troller.
2.Select the desired menu item:
>To repeat the selected track, select 
"Repeat track" and press the controller.
>To repeat all tracks of the current direc-
tory, select "Repeat directory" and press 
the controller.To stop repeating:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Repeat track" or "Repeat directory" 
and press the controller.
Random play sequence
In this mode, the tracks on the current CD are 
played once in a random sequence.
1.Select "Set" and press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
2.Select "Random" and press the controller.
To stop random function:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Random" and press the controller.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select the current track and press the con-
troller.
2.Select the desired menu item:
>To pla y all tracks of the current directory 
in random order, select "Random direc-
tory" and press the controller.
>To play all tracks of the CD in random 
order, select "Random all" and press the 
controller.
To stop random function:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Random directory" or "Random all" 
and press the controller.