
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
74 1.Press button4 to activate a stored desired 
speed or select a desired speed with the 
lever, arrow1 or arrow2.
2.Release the brake pedal.
3.If the vehicle in front of you drives off, briefly 
depress the accelerator pedal or press 
button4.
Deactivating system
>Press the lever upward or downward twice 
while driving.
>When stopped, do the same with the brake 
pedal depressed.
>Switch off the ignition.
The displays turn off, and the stored desired 
speed and distance are deleted.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
>Green: the system is active.
>Orange: the system is interrupted.
2Lights up yellow: vehicle detected ahead
Display also used for warnings, please read 
all information on warnings
3Selected distance to vehicle ahead
The indicator lights up as soon as the sys-
tem is activated
The bars roll: the vehicle in front of you has 
driven off
4Brief display of stored desired speed
If the display --- mph/--- km/h appears 
briefly, the conditions necessary for oper-
ation may currently not be met.<
Warning lamps
The indicator2 continuously 
flashes yellow.
The prerequisites for operating the 
system are no longer met, e.g. as a 
result of ABS or DSC interven-
tions. The system brakes until you actively take 
over.
The indicator2 flashes red; a sig-
nal sounds.
The system indicates that you 
must brake and/or maneuver the 
vehicle yourself. The system can-
not automatically restore the distance to the 
vehicle driving ahead. 
However, this display cannot relieve the driver 
of the responsibility for adjusting the desired 
speed and driving style to the traffic conditions.
Radar sensors
1Long-range sensor
2Location of the short-range sensors behind 
the bumper
3Location of the short-range sensors behind 
the bumper with the M sports package
*
Heavy rain and also dirt, snow or ice can limit 
the detection of vehicles ahead. If needed, 
clean the radar sensor under the front bumper 
as well as the bumper area covering the short 
range sensors. When doing so, be particularly 
careful in removing layers of snow and ice.
Do not apply adhesive labels etc. in the area of 
the short-range sensors.
If the sensor is not aligned properly, e. g. due to 
damage, the active cruise control cannot be 
activated. 

Driving
76 Active cruise control may brake when you 
reduce the stored desired speed; however, the 
driver must constantly monitor traffic and inter-
vene if necessary.
When you switch off the engine or ignition, 
active cruise control is fully switched off, too, 
and any settings you have selected are can-
celed.
Unexpected lane change
If a vehicle in front of you is behind a stopped 
vehicle and unexpectedly changes lanes, you 
must react yourself, as the system does not 
react to stopped vehicles.
Swerving vehicles
When a vehicle swerves out of adjacent lanes 
into your lane, the system does not detect the 
vehicle until it is completely in your lane.
When a vehicle ahead suddenly swerves 
into your lane, the system may not be able 
to restore the selected distance automatically. 
This also applies to great differences in speed 
between your vehicle and vehicles ahead, e. g. 
when quickly approaching a truck. Once the 
system has established that a vehicle is indeed 
in front of you, it will indicate that you must 
brake and/or maneuver the vehicle yourself. Take action yourself, otherwise there is a risk of 
an accident.<
Behavior in curves
If the selected desired speed for a curve is too 
high, the system reduces the speed within a 
curve. However, it cannot detect curves in 
advance. Therefore, select a suitable speed at 
the start of a curve.
Because of the limited range of the system, it is 
possible that in curves or on the peaks and val-
leys of hilly roads, a vehicle ahead may be rec-
ognized late, or not at all. Therefore, it is up to 
the driver to select a speed that is prudent in 
view of the curves and terrain of the roadway.
In approaching a curve, it is possible that active 
cruise control might react briefly to a vehicle in 
the adjacent lane. In addition, the system can 
sense if your vehicle is in a curve and may not 
accelerate. If your vehicle decelerates in either 
case, you can choose to overcome the deceler-
ation by briefly pressing the accelerator pedal. 

Everything under control
78
Everything under control
Odometer, outside 
temperature display, clock
1Time, outside temperature and date
2Odometer and trip odometer
3Press button:
>with ignition switched on, trip odometer 
is reset
>with ignition switched off, time, outside 
temperature, and odometer are briefly 
displayed.
From radio readiness the outside temperature 
and the time are displayed.
Date retrieval: 
Press CHECK button on turn signal lever, refer 
to page84.
Time and date setting, refer to page86.
You can set the unit of measure 7 or 6 on the 
Control Display, refer to Units of measure on 
page88.
Outside temperature warning
If the display drops to +377/+36, a signal 
sounds and a warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. There is 
an increased danger of ice.
Even at temperatures above +377/
+36 ice can form. Therefore, drive care-
fully, e.g. on bridges and sections of road in the 
shade, otherwise there is an increased accident 
risk.<
Tachometer
Avoid engine speeds in the white-striped 
advance warning field, arrow1, if possible.
Be sure to avoid engine speeds in the red warn-
ing field, arrow2. At high revs in this range, the 
flow of fuel is interrupted to protect the engine.
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant, and with it the engine 
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In 
addition, a message appears on the Control 
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page233. 

Controls
 81Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1.Open the start menu.
2.Open "Navigation".
Without navigation system
*:
Open "Car Data".
3.Select "Car Data" and press the controller.
4.Select "Trip computer" and press the con-
troller.
>Departure time
>Driving time
>Distance traveled
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
Starting or stopping the trip computer, or reset-
ting all values:
1.Select "Set" and press the controller.
2.Select the desired menu item.
3.Press the controller.
Display options
You can display the computer or the trip com-
puter in the assistance window.
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Onboard info" or "Trip computer".3.Press the controller.
Service requirements
The remaining driving distance and the date for 
the next maintenance are displayed briefly with 
the ignition switched on.
Your BMW Service Advisor can deter-
mine your vehicle's current service 
requirements by reading out the data stored in 
the remote control.<
Additional information
You can select a display of more detailed infor-
mation on the maintenance scope on the Con-
trol Display. For operating principle refer to 
page16.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Info sources" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "Service Info" and press the control-
ler. 

Controls
 85Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indication of malfunction urgency
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the 
stored Check Control messages are also dis-
played with the following symbols:
No malfunctions are present in the moni-
tored systems.
Malfunctions are present in the moni-
tored systems. Depending on the mal-
function, supplementary information is 
shown on the Control Display.
The symbols also indicate the status of the ser-
vice requirements display, refer to page81.
Displays after completion of trip
Malfunction reports generated during the trip 
are shown consecutively when you switch off 
the ignition.
Before the display disappears, you can display 
the messages once again. Press the CHECK 
button for approx. 2 seconds. If several mes-
sages are present, you can continue to press 
the CHECK button to view them in succession.
The display goes out
>automatically after a brief period
>when you press the CHECK button again 
for approx. 2 seconds
Speed limit
You can enter a speed and a Check Control 
message indicates when you have reached this 
speed. This enables you, for example, to 
receive warnings if you exceed a speed limit in 
an urban area.
You are only warned of reaching this speed a 
second time if your vehicle speed falls below it 
again by at least 3 mph/5 km/h.
Displaying, setting or changing limit
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Open "Navigation".
Without navigation system
*:
Open "Car Data".
3.Select "Car Data" and press the controller.
4.Select "Limit" and press the controller.
5.Select the speed value and press the con-
troller.
6.Turn the controller to set the limit. If 
needed, hold it against a slight resistance 
to enter a larger difference.
7.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The limit is automatically activated.
Applying your current speed as limit
Select "Select current speed" and press the 
controller. The system adopts your current 
speed as the limit.
Activating limit
Select "On" and press the controller.
 Limit is automatically activated. 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
90
Technology for comfort, convenience and 
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking. 
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert 
you to the approach of an object from behind 
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there 
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper. 
The range of these sensors is approx. 7 ft/2 m. 
However, an acoustic warning first sounds for 
the sensors at the front and at the two rear cor-
ners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for the center 
rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate 
objects when they are approached 
slowly, as is usually the case when parking. 
Avoid approaching an object at high speed, oth-
erwise the physical circumstances would mean 
that the system warning was too late.<
Automatic activation
The system starts to operate approx. one sec-
ond after you shift into reverse or move the 
selector lever into position R with the engine 
running or the ignition switched on.
Wait this short time before driving off.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over 
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is 
switched off and the LED goes out. You can 
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus, 
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle 
will be indicated by a signal tone from the left 
rear speaker, etc. As the distance between 
vehicle and object decreases, the intervals 
between the tones become shorter. If the dis-
tance to the nearest object falls to below 
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone 
sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx. 
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was 
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message 
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors 
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure 
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do 
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ers for long periods and maintain a distance of 
at least 4 in/10 cm to them.
PDC with visual warning*
You can also have the system show distances 
to objects on the Control Display. Objects that 
are farther away are already shown there before 
a signal tone sounds. The setting is stored for 
the remote control currently in use.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16. 

Controls
 93Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes: 
DTC controls the drive forces and 
brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up: 
DTC is activated. 
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp 
in the instrument cluster goes out.
xDrive on 528xi, 535xi
xDrive is the 4-wheel drive system of your 
BMW. The combined effects of xDrive and DSC 
further optimize the traction and dynamic driv-
ing characteristics. The 4-wheel drive system 
xDrive variably distributes the drive torque to 
the front and rear axle depending on the driving 
situation and prevailing road conditions.
HDC Hill Descent Control on 528xi, 
535xi
The concept
HDC is a system for driving downhill in steep 
terrain. This system reduces vehicle speed on 
steep downhill gradients, thus allowing you to 
maintain even better control of your BMW 
under these conditions. The vehicle moves at 
approximately twice walking speed without 
active intervention from the driver.
HDC is available for activation at vehicle speeds 
below approx. 22 mph/35 km/h. When driving 
down steep hills with a speed below approx. 
22 mph/35 km/h, the vehicle reduces speed 
automatically down to approximately double 
walking speed, approx. 7 mph/12 km/h, and 
then maintains this speed at a constant.
You can use the accelerator or brakes to vary 
this automatically controlled speed within a 
range extending from approx. 3 mph/5 km/h to 
15 mph/25 km/h.
You can specify a target speed within the same 
range by using the lever of the cruise control
*.
Activating HDC
You can activate HDC:
>with the programmable buttons on the 
steering wheel, refer to page54
>using iDrive
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 "HDC" is selected and press 
the controller.
6.Select "HDC on" and press the controller.
HDC is shown in the instrument cluster.
If the vehicle is automatically braked, a message 
is displayed on the Control Display for approx. 
20 seconds.
Deactivating HDC
When you use the programmable buttons on 
the steering wheel or via iDrive, the HDC display 
goes out.
HDC is automatically deactivated in the follow-
ing situations:
>Above approx. 37 mph/60 km/h
>After switching off the ignition
Using HDC
Manual transmission:
Use HDC in low gears and reverse gear.