2008 BMW 6 SERIES Owners Manual

Controls
47Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjusting
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In the
interaction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seat position
plays an important role in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to fol-
low the instructions contained in the following
section.
For additional information on Transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page56.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms
in the event of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Make
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly
and does not rest feet or legs on the instrument
panel, otherwise leg injuries can occur if the
knee and front airbags are triggered.
Make sure that occupants do not rest their head
on the side or head airbags; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries resulting from contact with airbags cannot
be fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page94.
Head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in an accident.
Adjust the head restraint so that its center
is approx. at ear level. Otherwise, there is
increased danger of injury in the event of an
accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page50.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
Your vehicle has four seats that are each
equipped with a safety belt.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's
lap. Make sure that the belt lies low around the
hips in the lap area and does not press on the
abdomen. The safety belt must not lie across
the neck, rub against sharp edges, be routed
over solid or breakable objects or be pinched.
Wear the safety belt without twisting, snugly
across the lap and shoulders, as close to the
body as possible. Otherwise, the belt can slip
over the hips in the lap area in a frontal impact
and injure the abdomen. Avoid wearing clothing
that prevents the belt from fitting properly and
pull the shoulder belt upward periodically to
readjust the tension across your lap in order to
avoid a reduction in the restraining effect of the
safety belt.<
Safety belts refer to page52.

Adjusting
48
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
On the front passenger side as well, do not tilt
the backrest too far toward the rear. Failure to
observe this precaution can prevent the belt
from providing effective protection against
injury, as the passenger could slide under the
belt in an accident.<
Please follow the instructions on damage to
safety belts provided on page53 and the infor-
mation on the active front head restraints on
page50.
Convertible: with the wind deflector fitted,
do not incline the front seat backrests too
far backward if the seat is to be moved back to
the end position. Otherwise, the wind deflector
will be damaged.<
Adjusting seat
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page47.<
1Inclination
2Longitudinal direction
3Height
4Backrest
5Convertible: head restraints, refer to
page51With the sports seat
*, you can also adjust the
thigh support manually:
Pull the lever and adjust the thigh support in the
longitudinal direction.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contours of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature:
Press front or rear of switch.
>Move curvature up or down:
Press top or bottom of switch.

Controls
49Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory
You can store and select three different adjust-
ment settings for the driver's seat, exterior mir-
rors and steering wheel.
The adjustment of the lumbar support is not
stored in the memory.
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or ignition, refer
to page58.
2.Adjust the desired seat, exterior mirror and
steering-wheel positions.
3.Press the button:
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button 1, 2 or3:
The LED goes out.
Requesting
Do not request a position from the mem-
ory while the vehicle is moving. There is a
risk of accident from unexpected movement of
the seat or steering wheel.<
Comfort mode
1.Open the driver's door after unlocking or
switch on radio readiness, refer to page58.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1,
2 or3.
The system cancels the adjustment procedure
when you briefly press one of the seat adjust-
ment switches or one of the memory buttons.The adjusting procedure for the steering wheel
is interrupted if you briefly press the switch for
the steering wheel adjustment in any direction,
refer to page54.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch ignition
on or off, refer to page58.
2.Press the desired memory button 1, 2 or3
and maintain pressure until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed inadvertently:
press the button again; the LED goes out.
Activating with remote control
The last positions of the driver's seat, external
rearview mirrors, and steering wheel are stored
for the remote key currently in use.
You can choose when the position is requested:
>Request when unlocking vehicle
>Request when opening driver's door
When using this feature, always make
sure that the footwell behind the driver's
seat is empty and unobstructed. If you fail to do
so, any persons or objects behind the seat
could be injured or damaged by a rearward
movement of the seat.<
The system cancels the adjustment procedure
when you briefly press one of the seat adjust-
ment switches or one of the memory buttons.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Open 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.

Adjusting
50 5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Door locks" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select "Last seat pos." and press the con-
troller.
8.Select "After unlocking" or "After door
opened".
9.Press the controller.
To cancel the request:
Select "Deactivated" and press the controller.
Front head restraints
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in an accident.
Adjust the head restraint so that its center
is approx. at ear level. Otherwise, there is
increased danger of injury in the event of an
accident. Only remove the head restraints if no
one will be sitting on the seat in question. Rein-
stall the head restraints before transporting
passengers, as otherwise the head restraint
cannot provide its protective function.<
Active front head restraints
In the event of a rear-end collision of sufficient
severity, the active head restraint reduces the
distance to the head.
Do not use seat covers or head restraint
covers that could impede the proper
functioning of the active head restraint. Other-
wise, there is no assurance that the active head
restraint will perform its protective function and
it is not possible to take advantage of its injury-
reducing potential in the event of a rear-end
collision.
Have the active head restraints reset after they
are triggered in a rear-end collision. Only have
this work carried out by a BMW center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Otherwise, this safety equipment will
not function properly.<
Please contact a BMW center if you wish
to have the front head restraints removed
and installed.<
Coupe
Adjusting height
>To raise: pull the head restraint upward.
>To lower: slide the head restraint down-
ward.
To reach the lowest position, press the
button, refer to arrow 1.<

Controls
51Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Front seats: adjusting distance to the
back of the head
>Forward: pull up.
>Back: push the button and slide the head-
rest cushion toward the rear.
Do not place any objects behind the
headrest cushion. Otherwise, you can
impair the proper function of the head
restraint.<
Convertible
Adjusting height
Move the switch up or down.
Front seats: adjusting distance to the
back of the head
>Forward: pull up.>Back: push the button and slide the head-
rest cushion toward the rear.
Do not place any objects behind the
headrest cushion. Otherwise, you can
impair the proper function of the head
restraint.<
Entering rear
Before starting to drive, fold backrests
back, otherwise there is the danger of
accident due to an unexpected movement of
the seat.<
Coupe: releasing backrest
Pull the lever upward and fold the backrest for-
ward.
The lever is designed so that the safety belt can
be hooked onto it. This enables you to fasten
the safety belt more conveniently.
Convertible: releasing backrest
The belt system integrated in the seat makes it
easier to get in back.
1.Pull lever 1 up and fold the backrest for-
ward.

Adjusting
52 2.Press and hold button 2 until the seat has
moved into the desired position.
3.After passengers have entered the rear, fold
the backrest back and lock it in place.
4.Press and hold button 3 until the seat has
moved back into its previous position. If you
release button3 before this, the seat stops
in its current position.
You can lock the backrest in place when it
is folded forward. This is useful, for exam-
ple, when you get into the vehicle while it is
parked on a hill. Press the backrest until it audi-
bly locks into place. To fold it back, you do not
need to use lever 1 to release it.<
Lock backrest warning lamp:
Lights up when the backrest is not
locked. At the same time, a message is
shown on the Control Display.
Safety belts
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page47.<
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
Releasing
1.Hold the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the belt buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be in
the correct position for adults of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page48.
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and passenger seat*
The indicator lamp lights up and a sig-
nal sounds. At the same time, an addi-
tional message appears on the Control
Display. Please check whether safety belts are
being worn correctly.
The safety belt reminder is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed on the passenger
seat.

Controls
53Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Damage to safety belts
When subjected to strain due to an acci-
dent or in the event of damage, replace
the safety belts, the belt tensioners, and any
child restraint systems and have the belt anchor
points checked. Have this work carried out only
by a BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with
appropriately trained personnel. Otherwise,
correct operation of this safety equipment is not
guaranteed.<
Heated seats*
The temperature setting advances one step in
its control sequence each time you press the
button. The maximum temperature is supplied
when three LEDs are lit.
The temperature is reduced and if need be, the
heating is switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
To switch off:
Press the button longer.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger's side is
more curved than the driver's mirror.
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer than
they appear. Do not estimate the distance of
following traffic based on what you see in the
mirrors; otherwise, there is an increased acci-
dent risk.<1Adjusting
2Switching to the other mirror or to the
automatic curb monitor
3Folding mirrors in and out
*
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page49.
Adjusting manually
You can also adjust the mirrors manually by
pressing against the outer edges of their mirror
glass.
Folding exterior mirrors in and out
Pressing button3 allows you to fold mirrors
in and out up to a speed of approx. 20 mph/
30 km/h. This is advantageous, for example, in
car washes, narrow streets or for bringing mir-
r o r s t h a t h a v e b e e n m a n u a l l y f o l d e d - i n b a c k i n t o
the correct position. Mirrors that were folded in
are folded out automatically at a speed of
approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Before going through a car wash, fold the
mirrors in manually, or with button 3, oth-
erwise they could be damaged, depending on
the width of the car wash system.<
Automatic heating
Below a certain outdoor temperature, both
exterior mirrors are heated whenever the
engine is running or the ignition is switched on.

Adjusting
54
Tilting down passenger-side mirror –
automatic curb monitor
Activating
1.Slide switch into the driver's side mirror
position, arrow 1.
2.Shift into reverse or move selector lever into
position R.
The mirror glass tilts downward somewhat
on the passenger's side. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adjacent
to the vehicle – such as a curb – when park-
ing, etc.
Deactivating
Slide switch into the passenger side mirror
position, arrow 2.
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature
This feature is controlled by two photocells in
the inside rearview mirror. One is integrated
within the mirror's lens, while the other is
located at an offset position on the rear of the
mirror housing.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Also do not attach stickers to the windshield in
front of the mirror.
Steering wheel
Adjusting
Do not adjust the steering wheel while the
vehicle is moving. There is a risk of acci-
dent as the result of unexpected movement.<
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing the steering-wheel position, refer to
Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory,
page49.
Easy entry/exit
To make it easier to enter and exit the vehicle,
the steering wheel temporarily moves into the
uppermost position.
Steering wheel heating*
Press the button.
The indicator lamp in the button lights up when
the steering wheel heater is switched on.