2008 BMW 6 SERIES steering

Things to remember when driving
126 the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, also refer to Mini-
mum tire tread on page213.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at
walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Using handbrake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle in
place for a long time by riding the clutch;
use the handbrake. Otherwise, greater clutch
wear will result.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indicate to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When driving on wet roads or in heavy rain, it is
a good idea to apply light pressure to the brake
pedal every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions
to ensure that this maneuver does not endan-
ger other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and thus reduced
efficiency of the brake system, downshift
to a gear in which only minimal brake applica-
tions are needed when descending long or
steep downhill stretches. Even light but consis-
tent pressure on the brake pedal can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be further
increased by downshifting, if necessary all the
way down into first gear. This strategy helps
you avoid placing excessive loads on the brake
system. For information on downshifting in the
manual mode of the sport automatic transmis-
sion, refer to page61.
Do not drive with the clutch depressed, in
idle or with the engine switched off, other-
wise there will be no engine braking action or
support of the braking force and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the automatic climate
control during operation, and then exits under
the vehicle. Traces of condensed water under
the vehicle are therefore normal.

Navigation
Driving tips
137Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Entering house number
All house numbers stored for the street on the
navigation DVD can be entered.
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.Enter the house number:
Select the individual digits and press the
controller.
3.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until the house number
is selected and press the controller.
Starting destination guidance with
manual destination entry
>Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
Destination guidance starts immediately.
>If destination guidance is not to be started
immediately:
Select "Add to destination list" and press
the controller.
The destination is stored in the destination
list, refer to page141.
Entering destination via
voice*
You can enter a desired destination via the
voice command system. When entering the
destination, it is possible to change between
voice command and iDrive at any time. Reacti-
vate the voice command function for this pur-
pose if necessary.
With {Options} you can have the possible
commands read aloud.<1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
Selecting country
1.Wait for the system to ask for the country of
destination.
Say the name of the country of destination in
the language of the voice command system.
Entering town/city of destination
The town/city of destination can be spelled or
entered as an entire word.
Spelling town/city of destination
To enter the town/city of destination, spell it
using the customary spelling of the country of
destination.
Pronounce the letters smoothly and at normal
volume, avoiding excessive emphasis and
pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 towns/cit-
ies of destination that match your entries.
Up to 6 entries are displayed at once on the
Control Display.
2.{Enter address}
2.Say the name of the country of destina-
tion.
1.Spell town/city name:
Say at least the first three letters of the
town/city of destination. The more let-
ters you say, the more exactly the sys-
tem recognizes the town/city.

Destination guidance
150
Repeating and canceling voice
instructions
With the programmable buttons on the steering
wheel you can also make the following settings,
refer to page55:
>Repeat the voice instruction:
Press the button.
>Switch voice instructions on/off:
Press button longer.
Setting volume of voice instructions
The volume can only be adjusted during a voice
instruction.
1.Repeat the last voice instruction, if required.
2.Turn the knob during the voice instruction
to select the desired volume.
This volume is independent of the volume of the
audio sources.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Bypassing route sections
During destination guidance, you can revise the
navigation system's route recommendations to
avoid particular stretches of road. Enter the
number of miles/kilometers that you want to
travel before returning to the original route.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until "New route" is
selected and press the controller.
3.Turn the controller to enter the desired
number and press the controller.
The route is recalculated.
To exit from the menu without changing the
route:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Traffic information*
In many congested areas, you can receive traf-
fic information transmitted by radio stations.
The traffic conditions are monitored by traffic
management centers and the traffic information
is periodically updated.
During destination guidance, the traffic infor-
mation relevant to your planned route is auto-
matically displayed. Whether destination guid-
ance is active or not, you can have the traffic
information displayed in the map view or in the
traffic info list.

On/off and tone
158
On/off and tone
The following audio sources have shared
controls 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/direct selection
buttons, refer to page21
Buttons near 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
Operating via iDrive
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to call up
"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
reception, store station, tone control,
sample stations.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
159Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
From another menu, you can change
directly to the screen last displayed,
refer to Comfort opening of menu items,
page18.<
With the ignition key in radio-ready position or
higher, the selected audio source is stored for
the remote control currently in use.
Switching on/off
To switch the Entertainment sound output
on/off:
Press knob1 next to the CD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off.
For a single drive, the sound output is available
for approx. 20 minutes with the ignition
switched off.
To do so, switch the sound output on again.
Adjusting volume
Turn knob1 next to the CD player until the
desired volume is set.
You can also adjust the volume with the buttons
on the steering wheel, refer to page11.
From radio readiness, the setting for the remote
control used at the moment is saved.
Tone control
You can alter various tone settings, e. g. treble
and bass, or the speed-dependent volume
increase.
The sound settings are globally adjusted for all
audio sources.
From radio readiness, the settings are saved for
the remote control used at the moment.
Changing tone settings
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Select "Audio" and press the controller.
The tone settings can also be selected when
you have opened "Entertainment" in the start
menu:
Select "Set" and then "Tone", and press the
controller.
Treble and bass
1.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Treble / Bass" is selected
and press the controller.
2.Move the controller to the left or right to
select "Treble" or "Bass".
3.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is selected.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
163Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
>"Manual":
To set stations that can be received in addi-
tion to those displayed, refer to Selecting
frequency manually.
Changing selection criteria
In addition to the stations currently displayed,
you can have stations with another selection
criterion displayed.
You can choose from the following selection
criteria:
>"All stations":
Stations that can currently be received in
the "FM" waveband.
>"Autostore":
The stations with the strongest received
signals in the "AM" waveband.
>"Presets":
Stations you have previously stored, refer to
page164.
>"Manual":
To set stations that can be received in addi-
tion to those displayed, refer to Selecting
frequency manually.
1.Change into the second field from the top.
2.Turn the controller until the desired selec-
tion criterion is selected and press the con-
troller.
Buttons next to CD player
Press the button for the corresponding
direction.
The system changes to the next displayed sta-
tion.
You can also change stations with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Sampling stations, scan
The system automatically plays a brief sample
from each of the stations on the current wave-
band.
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
"Set" is selected.
2.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
3.Select "Scan" and press the controller.
The stations are sampled.
To end sampling:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Scan" and press the controller.
This cancels sampling of the stations, and the
radio remains on the current station.
Buttons next to CD player
To sample the stations, press and hold the
button for the corresponding direction.
To stop scanning, press the button again.
Selecting frequency manually
With "Manual" you can select stations that are
received in addition to those displayed.
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
2.Change into the second field from the top.
3.Select "Manual" and press the controller.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
167Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
playback switches between analog and digital
reception. This can result in repetitions or inter-
ruptions. In this case it may be advisable to
deactivate digital radio reception.
Selecting programs of a digital station*
Some stations transmit several programs.
To select one of these programs:
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select "Manual" and press the controller.
3.Select a station that is received digitally.
This symbol is displayed when a station
is being received digitally.
4. Switch to the next program of the dig-
ital station with the buttons on the radio or
the steering wheel.
You can store a station, refer to page164.
Updating stations offering digital
reception
If you are on a longer journey and leave the
transmission range of the stations originally set,
you can update the list of stations with the best
reception signal.
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.2.Change into the second field from the top.
3.Select "Autostore" and press the controller.
4.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
5.Select "Autostore " and press the con-
troller.
The display of the stations offering digital
reception is updated. This can take up to
2minutes.
Displaying additional information
With the digital stations, additional information
on the current track is displayed, e.g. the name
of the artist.
1.Select a station and press the controller.
2.Select "Details" and press the controller.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
173Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
CD changer: starting CD
Fill the CD magazine and insert, refer to
page176.
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.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can store a CD compartment of the CD
changer on the programmable memory/direct
selection buttons 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 to 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.