2008 BMW 550I TOURING USB

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.

iDrive
20
Status information
1Display for:
>Entertainment:
Radio, CD, AUX, USB audio interface
*
>Telephone* in "Communication":
Name of linked mobile phone, network
search or no network
>"BMW Assist"
*:
Existing voice connection with a service
from BMW Assist
2Entertainment sound output off
3Station that transmits traffic information is
received
*:
"TI":
Reception of traffic information for the nav-
igation system
is possible and activated
4Display for:
> New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
> Roaming active
5 Telephoning
* is possible if the mobile
phone is paired in the vehicle
Reception strength of mobile phone
network, dependent on mobile phone
6Time
Other displays:
The status information is temporarily hidden
when there are Check Control instructions or
inputs via the voice command system
*.
Assistance window*
Additional information appears in the assis-
tance window:
>The computer or the trip computer
*
>The arrow or map view with a navigation
system
*
>The current position
Selecting display
1.Move the controller to the right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select a menu item.
3.Press the controller.

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.

Controls
123Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Opening upper compartment
Press button and fold cover upward.
Accessing lower compartment
Press the button at the front and fold the upper
compartment or the telephone cradle upward.
Ventilating lower compartment*
Push the slide in the lower compartment
upward.
Depending on the automatic climate con-
trol setting, the temperature inside the
ventilated compartment may be higher than in
the rest of the interior. Should this be the case,
push the slide downward to close off the venti-
lation.<
Adjusting
Push the illustrated section of the center arm-
rest into the desired position.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks
over the vehicle's speaker system:
>AUX-In connection, refer to page187.
>USB audio interface
*, refer to page188.
Storage compartments
Storage compartments are located on the
doors, in the front center console and in the
rear.
Storage nets are located on the backrests of the
front seats, and a net
* is provided in the front
passenger footwell.
Do not stow hard or sharp-edged objects
in the storage nets or the net, otherwise
there is an increased risk of injury in an acci-
dent.<
Clothes hooks
Clothes hooks are located near the grab han-
dles in the rear.
When hanging clothing on the hooks,
ensure that it will not obstruct the driver's
vision. Do not hang heavy objects on the hooks.
If you do so, they could cause personal injury to
occupants during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.<

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

USB audio interface
188
USB audio interface
You can connect audio devices to the USB
audio interface, e.g. an iPod or a USB device
(MP3 player, USB memory stick). You can then
operate these via iDrive.
The system can play back common audio files,
e.g. MP3, WMA, WAV (PCM) and ACC, as well
as playback lists in the M3U format.
Due to the large number of audio devices avail-
able on the market, operation via the vehicle
cannot be ensured for every audio device.
Ask your BMW center which audio devices are
suitable.
Connecting
1USB interface
2Connection for audio playback:
1/8 in/3,5 mm jack plug
iPod
To connect the iPod, use the BMW cable
adapter for Apple iPods. For more information,
please contact a BMW center or consult our
website: www.bmw.com
For audio playback via the vehicle speakers,
connect the iPod to the connections1 and2.
The USB audio interface supports the iPod
menu structure
USB device
Use a flexible adapter cable for connec-
tion to protect the USB interface and your
USB device against mechanical damage.<
For audio playback via the vehicle speakers,
connect the USB device to the connection 1.
After connecting for the first time, the informa-
tion of all tracks (e.g. artist, music genre) and
the playback lists of the USB device are trans-
ferred to the vehicle. This process can take
some time. The time required is dependent on
the USB device and on the number of tracks.
During the transfer you can select the tracks via
the directories and file names.
Following the transfer you can call up the tracks
via the information and playback lists.
The information of up to four USB devices can
be stored in the vehicle, for a total of approx.
20,000 tracks.
If a fifth USB device is connected, the informa-
tion of the tracks of the first USB device stored
in the vehicle is deleted.
Music tracks with integrated Digital
Rights Management (DRM) cannot be
played.<
Starting audio playback
Via iDrive
If the audio device has a device name, this will
be displayed if possible.
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 "AUX" is selected and press
the controller.
*

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
189Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
4.Select "USB" or the name of the audio
device and press the controller.
5.The playback starts with the first track.
About programmable memory buttons
You can save the "USB" function on the pro-
grammable memory buttons. To start audio
playback, refer to page21.
Selecting a track
You can call up the tracks via the playback lists
and information. With USB devices you can also
call up the tracks via the file directory.
1.Make your selection, e.g. "Playlists" or
"Artists", and press the controller.
2.Select the track and press the controller.
Displaying information on track
You can display any information stored on the
current track, e.g. the name of the artist.
1.Press the controller during playback.
2.Select "Details" and press the controller.
The information for the current track are dis-
played.
Repeating a track
1.Select the current track and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Repeat track" and press the con-
troller.
To stop repeating:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Repeat track" and press the con-
troller.