
At a glance
 23Reference
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Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Voice command system
The concept
The voice command system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out taking your hands off the steering wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display 
can be spoken as commands. This frees you of 
having to use the controller.
The voice command system transforms your 
spoken commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice command system includes a special 
microphone.
The microphone is located:
>Near the interior rearview mirror in the 
Coupe, refer to page14
>On the steering column in the Convertible
Prerequisite
In order to enable identification of the com-
mands to be spoken, use iDrive to set the lan-
guage for the voice command system. Setting 
iDrive language, refer to page84.
Symbols in Owner's Manual
Voice commands
Activating voice command system
1.Press the   button.
 This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic signal tell you that the voice 
command system can respond to com-
mands.
2.Say the command.
The command is displayed on the Control 
Display.
 This symbol is shown on the Control Display 
when you can input additional commands. 
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for 
word.
{{...}} Indicates the responses of the voice 
command system. 

At a glance
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Notes
The mobile phone can also be operated 
with voice commands, refer to 
page195.<
For voice commands, bear the following in 
mind:
>Say the commands and numbers smoothly 
and at normal volume, avoiding excessive 
emphasis and pauses. This also applies to 
spelling when entering the destination.
>Always issue commands in the language of 
the voice command system.
>When selecting a radio station, use the 
usual pronunciation of the station name.
>For entries in the voice-activated phone 
book, only use names in the language of the 
voice command system and do not use 
abbreviations.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass sun-
roof
* or convertible top closed to prevent 
interference from ambient noise.
>Avoid background noises in the vehicle 
while speaking. 

Controls
 29Reference
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Personal Profile
The concept
You can set a number of functions of your BMW 
individually according to your preferences. 
Personal Profile ensures that most of these set-
tings are stored for the remote control currently 
in use without you having to do anything. When 
the vehicle is unlocked, the corresponding 
remote control is detected and the settings 
stored for it are called up and carried out.
This means that you will always find your BMW 
set to your own personal settings even if 
another person with his/her own remote control 
and settings has used the vehicle since the last 
time you drove it. The individual settings are 
stored for a maximum of four remote controls.
Personal Profile settings
Details on the settings are provided on the 
specified pages.
>Behavior of the central locking system 
when unlocking vehicle, refer to page30
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to 
page33
>Programming buttons on steering wheel, 
refer to page55
>Displays on Control Display:
>12h/24h clock mode, refer to page83
>Date format, refer to page83
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page83
>Units of measure for consumption, 
route/distances, temperature and pres-
sure, refer to page84
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page84>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page64
>Welcome lamps, refer to page102
>Pathway lighting, refer to page103
>Daytime running lamps
*, refer to 
page103
>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page104
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page86
>Head-Up Display
*: selection and bright-
ness of display, refer to page97
>BMW Night Vision
*: display settings, refer 
to page100
>Automatic climate control: for AUTO pro-
gram and intensity, cooling function, and 
automatic recirculated air control/recircu-
lated air mode, temperature, air distribution, 
temperature in the upper body region, refer 
to page109
>Navigation system
*: voice instructions for 
destination guidance, refer to page132
The most recent settings for the following are 
also called up during unlocking:
>Programmable memory/direct selection 
buttons: selecting stored functions, refer to 
page44
>Driver's seat, exterior-mirror and steering-
wheel position, refer to page49
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings, 
refer to page159
>Radio: display of stored stations, refer to 
page162
>Phone: adjusting volume, refer to page190 

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Programmable buttons* on steering 
wheel
You can program the buttons individually.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
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 "Steering wheel buttons" and press 
the controller.
A list of different functions appears:
>"Navigation voice instructions" 
Voice instructions of the navigation sys-
tem
*
>"Air recirculation on / off"
Permanently shutting off outside air, 
refer to AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control on page111
>"Mute on / off" 
Mutes the audio sources
>"Monitor on / off" 
Switches the Control Display on/off
>"Telephone list"
*
Display/hide phone book or last list of 
stored phone numbers displayed
>"Next entertainment source"
Changes audio source
>Switches "Night Vision on / off"
BMW Night Vision
* on/off
5.Select the desired function unit and press 
the controller.
6.Select the button if necessary and press the 
controller.
You can now activate the selected function 
using the corresponding button.
Operating function
Press the corresponding button on the steering 
wheel.
If you have programmed "Navigation voice 
instructions" for one of the buttons:
>To switch voice instructions on/off: 
Press the button longer.
>To repeat the last voice instruction: 
Press the button. 

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Closing
Raise the lid into the closed position.
Rechargeable flashlight*
The flashlight is located on the left side of the 
glove compartment.
The flashlight can remain there continuously. 
Remove the flashlight from the socket when 
needed.
Be sure that the flashlight is switched off 
when it is inserted into its socket. Failure 
to comply with this precaution could lead to 
overcharging and damage.<
Center armrest
A storage compartment is located in the arm-
rest between the front seats. This compartment 
is integrated into the central locking system and 
can also be locked separately using the hotel 
function, refer to page33.
To open the cover:
Pull the left button. The cover opens and can be 
folded upward.
Depending on the version, the storage com-
partment can be equipped with a correspond-
ing cradle
* for the telephone or mobile phone.
Connection for external audio device
A connection for an external audio device is 
located in the storage compartment. You can, 
for example, connect a CD player or an MP3 
player, and play the sound via the vehicle loud-
speakers, refer to page178
Adjusting height
The center armrest can be set in two positions.
Pull the right button:
Move the armrest upward or downward and 
lock it in the desired position.
Storage compartments
Storage compartments in the 
passenger compartment
Storage compartment behind center 
armrest
To open, raise the cover at the left or right edge. 
The compartment contains the cup holder
 and 
the lock for the hotel function, refer to page33.
Other compartments and nets
Other compartments are provided in the doors 
as well as in the front center console
*. 

Destination entry
140 The map for destination input can also be called 
up from the map view:
Select the   symbol and press the controller.
Selecting destination using 
information
You can obtain a display of selected destina-
tions, e.g. hotels, sights or hospitals, and adopt 
them into the destination guidance.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select "Information" and press the control-
ler.
3.Select location:
>"On destination"
>"On location"
>"On a new destination"
4.Press the controller.
5.Make your selection, e.g. "Hotels and res-
taurants", and press the controller.
6.Enter search criteria if necessary, e.g. the 
maximum distance from the current loca-
tion.7.Select "
troller.
These destinations are displayed on the 
Control Display.
8.Select a destination and press the control-
ler.
The scope of the information and 
symbols is dependent on the respec-
tive navigation DVD.<
9.Select the desired menu item:
>To transfer the address to the destina-
tion list and start destination guidance:
Select the   symbol and press the 
controller.
>To establish a telephone connection:
Select the   symbol and press the con-
troller.
>To display additional destinations:
Select the     symbol and press the 
controller.
>To start a new search:
Select the   symbol and press the con-
troller.
To exit from the menu:
Select the   arrow and press the controller. 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 169Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
Satellite radio
You can receive up to 100 different channels 
with high sound quality.
The channels are offered to you in predefined 
packages. To receive the channels of your 
choice, you must have this package enabled.
With this new technology the signal may 
fail, causing interruptions in reception.<
Enabling or disabling 
channels
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
3.Select "SAT".
4.Press the controller.
The channels are displayed.
 These channels are enabled.
Enabling
1.Select a channel that has not yet been 
enabled and press the controller.
A telephone number and the electronic 
serial number, ESN, are displayed.
The electronic serial number is 
required for enabling or disabling.<
2.To enable the channels:
Dial phone number.
Disabling
1.Select an enabled channel and press the 
controller.
2.Select "ESN" and press the controller. 
The electronic serial number, ESN, is dis-
played.
The electronic serial number is 
required to disable.<
3.To have the channels disabled:
Dial phone number.
* 

AUX-In connection
178
AUX-In connection
You can connect an external audio device, e.g. 
an MP3 player, and play the sound via the vehi-
cle loudspeakers. The sound can be adjusted 
via iDrive.
Connecting
For audio playback via the vehicle loudspeak-
ers, connect the headphones or the line-out 
connection of the device to the socket1 with a 
1/8 in/3,5 mm jack plug.
Starting audio playback
The audio device must be switched on.
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.
4.Select "AUX" and press the controller.
5.Adjust volume and sound if necessary.
With programmable memory/
direct selection buttons
You can save the function audio AUX on the 
programmable memory/direct selection but-
tons to start audio playback, refer to page21.