2008 BMW 650I CONVERTIBLE roof

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
94
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Coupe: Head airbags
3Side airbags
4Knee airbag
5Knee airbag
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page47.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of a side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head airbag supports the head. The knee airbag
protects the legs from colliding with the cockpit.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e. g. less severe acci-
dents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way. Do not attempt to
remove the airbag restraint system from the
vehicle. Do not modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in the air-
bag system. This category includes the uphol-
stery in the center of the steering wheel, on the
instrument panel, the side trim panels on the
doors and on the Coupe, the roof pillars along with the sides of the headliner. Do not attempt
to remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators carried out only by a BMW cen-
ter or a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with appropriately trained
personnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Otherwise unprofessional attempts to
service the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or undesired airbag triggering,
either of which could result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The system
correspondingly activates or deactivates the
front, knee and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side.
The current status of the front passenger
airbags, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags below.<
Before transporting a child in the front
passenger seat, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page56.

Things to remember when driving
124
Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in
Moving parts need time to adjust to one
another. To ensure that your vehicle continues
to provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds,
however do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph/
160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during these
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced
after subsequent driving operation.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends
on various factors. Through a few simple steps,
your driving style, and regular maintenance, you
can have a positive influence on your fuel con-
sumption and environmental impact.
Removing unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Removing add-on parts after use
Remove unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear
luggage racks after use. Add-on parts attached
to the vehicle impede the aerodynamics and
increase the fuel consumption.
Closing windows and the glass sunroof
An open glass sunroof or open windows like-
wise increase the drag coefficient and therefore
the fuel consumption.
Checking tire inflation pressures
regularly
Check and correct the tire inflation pressure as
needed at least twice a month and before long
trips.
An insufficient tire inflation pressure increases
the rolling resistance and thus increases the
fuel consumption and tire wear.
Driving off immediately
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle remains stationary.
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine
speed. This is the fastest way for the cold
engine to reach its operating temperature.

Driving tips
125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Thinking ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
To do so, maintain the appropriate distance
from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory
and smooth driving style reduces fuel con-
sumption.
Avoiding high engine speeds
Use 1st gear only for starting off. Accelerate
rapidly in 2nd gear and above. Avoid high
engine speeds in doing so and shift into the
next gear early.
When you have reached the desired speed,
shift into the highest possible gear and drive
with the lowest possible engine speed while
maintaining a constant a vehicle speed.
In general: driving at a low engine speed
reduces fuel consumption and minimizes wear.
Taking advantage of coasting
When approaching a red light, let off the gas
and allow the vehicle to coast to a stop in the
highest possible gear.
On steep roadways, let off the gas and allow the
vehicle to roll in the appropriate gear.
The flow of fuel is interrupted when coasting.
Switching off engine during longer
stops
Switch off the engine at longer stops such as
traffic signals, railroad crossings, or in traffic
jams. Even having the engine switched off for
approx. 4 seconds results in fuel savings.
Switching off functions currently not
required
Functions such as air conditioning, seat heat-
ing, or rear window defrosting consume a lot of
energy and require additional fuel. Their influ-
ence is particularly pronounced in city traffic
and stop & go operation. For this reason, it is a
good idea to switch these functions off when
they are not really needed.
Having maintenance done
Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to
achieve the optimum economy and service life
of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the
maintenance performed by a BMW center. Also
please pay attention to the BMW maintenance
system, refer to page221.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Only drive with the luggage compartment
lid completely closed, otherwise exhaust
can penetrate into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lug-
gage compartment lid open:
1.Coupe: close both windows and the glass
sunroof.
Convertible: with closed top, close all win-
dows.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page110.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking, take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury. Do not touch hot exhaust tail
pipes. Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and

197
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Creating and editing voice phone
book*
Save entry:
An entry always consists of a name and phone
number.
Delete entry:
You can delete any entry from the voice phone
book.
Delete all entries:
{Delete phone book} deletes all entries in the
phone book.
Have entries read aloud and dial:
You can have all the entries of your voice phone
book read aloud in the order of input and select
a certain entry to establish a connection:
Selecting an entry
The connection to the phone number of the
selected entry is established.
Redialing
The {Redial} command calls up "Redial".
Notes
Important for voice commands
For voice commands, keep the following in
mind:
>Issue the commands smoothly and at nor-
mal volume, avoiding excessive emphasis
and pauses.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass sunroof
closed to prevent interference from ambi-
ent noise.
>Avoid making other noise in the vehicle
while speaking.
Mounting/removing snap-in
adapter
1.Press the area 1 around the button and
remove the cover. 1.{Save name}.
2.Say the name.
The spoken length of the names in the
phone book must not exceed approx.
2seconds.
3.Say the phone number after being
requested to do so by the system.
4.To store the phone number:
{Save}.
1.{Delete name}.
The dialog for deleting an entry is
opened.
2.Say the name when prompted.
3.Confirm the prompt with {Yes}.
1.{Delete phone book}.
The dialog for deleting phone book is
opened.
2.Confirm the prompt with {Yes}.
3.Confirm the repeated prompt with
{Yes}.
1.{Read phone book}.
The dialog for reading phone book is
opened.
2.{Dial number} when the desired entry is
read aloud.
1.{Dial name}.
The dialog for selecting an entry is
opened.
2.Say the name when prompted.
3.Confirm the prompt with {Yes}.

Reference 245
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
CD changer172
– controls158
– fast forward/reverse176
– installation location176
– random sequence175
– repeating a track175
– sampling a track174
– selecting a CD173
– selecting a track173
– switching on/off158
– tone control159
– volume159
CD player172
– controls158
– fast forward/reverse176
– random sequence175
– repeating a track175
– sampling a track174
– selecting a track173
– switching on/off158
– tone control159
– volume159
Center armrest, adjusting
height117
Center console14
"Central locking"30
Central locking
– from inside32
– from outside30
Central locking system30
– comfort access36
– hotel function33
Changes, technical, refer to
For your own safety6
Changing a wheel225
Changing language on
Control Display84
Changing scale for navigation
system display148
Changing units of measure on
Control Display84
Changing wheels214
CHECK button80
Check Control79
"Check Control
messages"80
Check Gas Cap208
Checking air pressure, refer to
Tire inflation pressure210Child-restraint fixing system
LATCH56
Child restraint systems56
Child seats, refer to
Transporting children
safely56
Chrome parts, refer to Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Cigarette lighter
119
Cigarette lighter socket, refer
to Connecting electrical
devices119
Cleaning, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
"Climate"109
Clock74
– 12h/24h format83
– hour signal83
– setting time and date82
Closing
– from inside32
– from outside30
Closing fuel filler cap208
Clothes hooks, Coupe118
Cockpit10
Cold start, refer to Starting
engine59
Comfort access36
– observe in car wash38
– replacing battery, remote
control38
Comfort closing
– windows, with comfort
access with Coupe37
– with comfort access37
"Communication"190,200
Compact disc
– refer to CD changer172
– refer to CD player172
Compartment for remote
control, refer to Ignition
lock58
Compartments, refer to
Storage compartments117
Compressed audio files172
Computer75
– displays on Control
Display76
– hour signal83"Concert hall", refer to Tone
control161
"Concierge"202
Concierge service202
Condensation, refer to When
vehicle is parked126
Condition Based Service
CBS221
"Confirmation"31
Confirmation signals for
locking and unlocking31
Connecting car vacuum
cleaner, refer to Connecting
electrical devices119
Consumption display, refer to
Average fuel
consumption75
Consumption statistics, refer
to Average fuel
consumption75
"Continue guidance to
destination?"147
"Contrast" with BMW Night
Vision100
Control Center, refer to
iDrive16
Control Display, refer to
iDrive16
– setting brightness83
– switching off/on21
Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls, refer to Cockpit10
Convenient operation
– convertible top31,32
– glass sunroof31,32
– windows31,32
Convertible
– convertible program for
automatic climate
control109
– opening and closing
windows39
– rollover protection
system96
– top42
– wind deflector45
– window and convertible top
operation with comfort
access37

Reference 247
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Direct selection buttons21
Displacement, refer to Engine
data234
"Display"84
Display, refer to iDrive
controls16
Display elements, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Displaying vehicle data205
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting106
"Display off"21
Displays
– on Control Display, refer to
iDrive16
– refer to Instrument
cluster12
"Display settings"84,97
Displays on the windshield,
refer to Head-Up Display96
Disposal
– battery of remote control
with comfort access38
– coolant219
– vehicle battery225
Distance, refer to
Computer76
Distance control, refer to
Active cruise control66
"Distance to dest."76
Distance to destination, refer
to Computer76
Distance warning, refer to
PDC Park Distance
Control85
Door entry lighting, refer to
Interior lamps106
Door key, refer to Keys/
remote control28
Door lock32
"Door locks"30,78
Doors
– manual operation32
– remote control30,31
DOT Quality Grades212
Draft-free ventilation112
"Driver's door only"30Driving lamps, refer to Parking
lamps/low beams102
Driving route, refer to
Displaying route147
Driving stability control
systems86
Driving through water126
Driving tips, refer to General
driving notes124
Drying the air, refer to Cooling
function111
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control
87
– indicator lamp13,87
– malfunction88
DTC Dynamic Traction
Control87
– activating88
– indicator lamp13,88
DVD for navigation132
Dynamic Drive89
Dynamic Driving Control62
"Dynamic route" for
navigation145
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC87
Dynamic Traction Control
DTC87
E
Easy entry, refer to Entering
rear51
Easy entry/exit54
Eject button, refer to Buttons
on CD player158
Electrical malfunction
– convertible top43
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door208
– glass sunroof41
– luggage compartment lid34
– storage compartment, hotel
function33
Electric convertible top42Electric steering wheel
adjustment54
Electronic brake-force
distribution87
Electronic oil level check218
Emergency assistance, refer
to Roadside Assistance228
Emergency operation, refer to
Manual operation
– convertible top43
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door208
– glass sunroof41
– hotel function33
– luggage compartment lid34
– transmission lock, sport
automatic transmission62
Emergency release for
luggage compartment lid in
luggage compartment35
Emergency request227
Emergency services, refer to
Roadside Assistance228
"Enable services"205
"End call"192
Engine
– breaking-in124
– data234
– overheated, refer to Coolant
temperature74
– speed234
– starting59
– starting, comfort access36
– switching off59
– switching off when equipped
with Automatic
transmission, with comfort
access38
Engine compartment217
Engine coolant219

Reference 249
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Fuel
– average consumption75
– display75
– fuel specifications209
– high-quality brands209
– quality209
– specifications209
– tank contents, refer to
Capacities237
Fuel display, refer to Fuel
gauge75
Fuel-efficient driving124
Fuel filler door208
– releasing in the event of
electrical malfunction208
Fuel gauge75
Full mobile phone preparation
package184
Full screen display, refer to
Switching assistance
window off20
"Full screen" with BMW Night
Vision100
Fuses226
G
Garage-door opener, refer to
Integrated universal remote
control115
Gasoline
– refer to Average fuel
consumption75
– refer to Fuel
specifications209
– refer to Required fuel209
Gasoline display, refer to Fuel
gauge75
Gearshift lever, manual
transmission60
General driving
notes124,125
Glass sunroof, electric with
raise function40
– convenient operation32
– convenient operation with
comfort access37
– moving manually41
– remote control31Glove compartment116
– rechargeable flashlight117
GPS navigation, refer to
Navigation system132
Grills, refer to Ventilation112
Gross vehicle weight, refer to
Weights237
H
Handbrake60
– indicator lamp13,60
Hands-free system, refer to
Microphone14
Hazard warning flashers15
"HD radio"166
HD radio, refer to High
Definition Radio166
Head airbags94
Headlamp control,
automatic102
Headlamp flasher63
Headlamps
– care, refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
– cleaning, refer to Wiper
system64
– cleaning tank, refer to
Capacities237
– filler neck for washer
fluid217
– replacing bulbs223
Head Light, refer to Adaptive
Head Light104
Head restraints
– active front head
restraints50
– front50
– sitting safely47
"Head-Up Display"97
Head-Up Display96
Heated
– mirrors53
– rear window110
– seats53
– steering wheel54
Heater109Heating
– exterior mirrors53
– interior108
– rear window110
– residual heat utilization112
– seats53
– steering wheel54
Heating with engine switched
off, refer to Residual
heat112
Heavy cargo, refer to Securing
cargo128
Height, refer to
Dimensions235
Height adjustment
– seats48
– steering wheel54
High-beam assistant104
High beams104
– headlamp flasher104
– indicator lamp13
High Definition Radio166
High water, refer to Driving
through water
126
Hills126
Holder for cups118
"Home address" for
navigation system144
Homepage of BMW4
Hood216
Horn10
Hotel function33
– unlocking manually33
Hot exhaust system125
"Hour memo"83
"House number" for
destination entry137
Hydraulic brake assistant,
refer to Brake assistant87
Hydroplaning125
– also refer to Minimum tread
depth213

Reference 251
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Knee airbags94
Knock control209
L
Lamps
– refer to High-beam
assistant104
– refer to Parking lamps/low
beams102
Lamps and bulbs223
Lane limit lines, refer to
Leaving lane warning101
"Language / Units"84
– for navigation
system133,149
"Languages"84
– for navigation
system133,149
Lashing eyes, refer to
Securing cargo128
Last destinations, refer to
Destination list141
"Last seat pos."50
LATCH child restraint fixing
system56
Leaving lane warning101
LEDs light-emitting
diodes223
Length, refer to
Dimensions235
License plate lamps, replacing
bulbs225
Light-emitting diodes
LEDs223
Lighter119
"Lighting"64,103
Lighting
– instruments106
– lamps and bulbs223
– of the vehicle, refer to
Lamps102
Light switch102
"Limit"81
Loading, refer to Cargo
loading127
Load securing equipment,
refer to Securing cargo128"Lock after driving"33
Lock buttons in the doors,
refer to Locking33
Locking31
– confirmation signals31
– from inside33
– from outside31
– without key, refer to Comfort
access36
Locking and unlocking doors
– confirmation signals31
– from inside32
– from outside30
Low beams102
– automatic102
– replacing bulbs224
Lower back support, refer to
Lumbar support48
Luggage compartment
– capacity237
– emergency release35
– hotel function33
– increasing capacity,
Convertible35
– opening/closing, refer to
Luggage compartment
lid34
– opening from inside34
– opening from outside34
– opening with remote
control31
Luggage compartment lid34
– comfort access37
– emergency operation34
– emergency release35
– opening from inside34
– opening from outside34
– opening with remote
control31,34
– unlocking manually34
Lumbar support48
LW, waveband162
M
M+S tires, refer to Winter
tires215
Maintenance221
– refer to Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models221
– refer to Service
requirements77
– refer to Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models221
Maintenance system221
Malfunction
– convertible top43
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door208
– glass sunroof41
– hotel function33
– luggage compartment lid34
Malfunction warnings, refer to
Check Control79
Manual air distribution110
"Manual" on the radio163
Manual operation
– convertible top43
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door208
– glass sunroof41
– hotel function33
– luggage compartment lid34
– transmission lock, sport
automatic transmission62
Manual transmission60
"Map direction of travel"148
"Map facing north"148
Map for navigation
– changing scale148
– destination entry139
Map view148
Map view facing north148
Master key, refer to Keys/
remote control28
Maximum cooling111