
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
All around the steering wheel: controls and displays
1Roller sun blind for rear window*112
2Rear window safety switch40
3Power windows40
4Exterior mirrors505Parking brake58
6Parking lamps100
Low beams100
Daytime running lamps
*100
Automatic headlamp control100
Daytime running lamps
*100
Adaptive Head Light
*100
7Instrument lighting101
8BMW Night Vision
*97 

Adjusting
52 The steering wheel can be adjusted in four 
directions.
To save steering wheel positions, refer to Seat, 
mirror and steering wheel memory on page46.
Assistance getting in and out
To make it easier to enter and exit the vehicle, 
the steering wheel temporarily moves into the 
top and front position.
This automatic feature is governed by the 
driver's door and the ignition switch.
Steering wheel heater*
Press the button.
When the steering wheel heater is operating, 
the LED in the button lights up.
Programmable buttons
You can individually program the button on the 
steering wheel and the button next to the con-
troller.
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the   button to open the start 
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Settings".3.Select "Vehicle" and press the controller.
4.Select "  button" or "  button". Con-
tinue to press the controller until the 
desired function appears.
>"Recirc. air" 
The supply of outside air is shut off contin-
uously, refer to Automatic recirculated air 
control/recirculated air mode on page105.
>"Navi info" 
To repeat the most recent navigation sys-
tem instruction, refer to Route guidance by 
voice instructions on page146.
>"Short info" 
Display of the help and supplementary texts 
of the active menu for approx. 10 seconds, 
refer to page21.
The " button" can also be programmed with 
the following functions:
>"AUTO P" 
Activation/deactivation, refer to page59.
>"NIGHT VISION"
BMW Night Vision activation and deactiva-
tion, refer to page98.
Rear seat screen
*:
>"Mode"
You can choose between the output 
sources radio, CD player, and CD changer. 
It is necessary for one of these sources to 
have been activated.
>"FM" and "AM" 
Switching between the FM and AM wave-
bands, also refer to page152. 

Controls
 65Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Move the lever beyond the resistance point.
If you wish to manually control the shut-off of 
the turn signal, then only push the lever to the 
resistance point.
Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamps signals the failure of a turn signal 
lamp, possibly in the trailer when towing.<
Temporarily signaling
Push the lever to the resistance point and hold it 
there for as long as you wish to signal.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever to the resistance point and 
release; the turn signal flashes three times.
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or for brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating rain sensor
4Cleaning windshield, headlamps and 
BMW Night Vision camera
*
5Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Switching on wipers
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system reverts to operation in the intermit-
tent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance 
point.
The system reverts to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Rain sensor
The rain sensor controls the wiper operation as 
a function of the rain intensity. It is located on 
the windshield, directly in front of the inside 
rearview mirror. 

Driving
66
Activating rain sensor
Briefly press the button, arrow, the wipers move 
once across the windshield. The LED lights up.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the knurled wheel 5.
Deactivating rain sensor
Briefly press the button again, arrow. The LED 
goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing 
through an automatic car wash. Failure to 
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield, headlamps and 
BMW Night Vision camera*
The system sprays washer fluid against the 
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief 
period.
With the vehicle lighting switched on, the head-
lamps and the BMW Night Vision camera are 
also cleaned simultaneously at suitable inter-
vals.
Do not use the washers if there is any 
danger that the fluid will freeze on the 
windshield. If you do so, your vision could be 
obscured. To avoid freezing, use a washer fluid 
antifreeze, refer to Washer fluid.
Avoid using the washer when the reservoir is 
empty. Otherwise, you could damage the 
pump.<
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles and the wind-
shield itself in the area around the wipers are heated automatically when the ignition is 
switched on.
Pivoting wipers into folded-out 
position
This position is important for changing wiper 
blades or when folding wiper arms away from 
windshield to prevent blades from sticking in 
the event of frost.
1.Switch off the engine and remove the 
remote control from the ignition lock.
2.Press the wiper lever upward past the resis-
tance point and maintain pressure for about 
3 seconds until the wipers stop in a roughly 
vertical position: pivot into the folded-out 
position.
After folding the wipers back against the wind-
shield you will need to reactivate the wiper sys-
tem:
1.Switch on radio ready state.
2.Briefly press wiper lever downward. The 
wipers return to their retracted position and 
are ready for normal operation.
To prevent damage to the wipers, always 
fold them back against the windshield 
before switching on either the radio ready state 
or the ignition.<
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable. 
Always keep it well away from sparks and 
open flames, and store it in tightly closed con-
tainers well out of the reach of children. Always 
follow the instructions for use provided on the 
containers.<
Wiper fluid filler neck
Only refill wiper fluid when the engine is 
cool in order to prevent contact with hot 
engine components. Otherwise, there is a risk 
of burns and personal injury if the fluid spills.< 

Controls
 97Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
BMW Night Vision*
The concept
BMW Night Vision is a driver assistance system 
that is designed to provide enhanced vision for 
certain objects at night. This can be especially 
helpful for detecting people and larger animals. 
When objects are detected, the driver may be 
able to take appropriate action sooner. For 
example, the driver may identify and detect the 
presence of persons or animals in the road 
ahead or off to the sides and can be more alert, 
slow down or stop, blow the horn, etc. The 
driver can decide which actions are appropriate 
and then react accordingly.
A certain area in front of the vehicle is viewed by 
an infrared camera and a generated image is 
shown on the Control Display. The resulting 
thermal image shows the relative heat radiation 
of the objects present in the camera's field of 
view. Warmer objects appear brighter and 
cooler objects appear darker. Contrast is 
dependent on the temperature difference 
between the objects and the background and 
on the amount of heat radiation of the object 
itself. As a result, it is quite possible that a per-
son is not continually recognizable as a person 
in shape, since the thermal radiation can be 
affected by different clothing which blocks heat 
loss. Objects with little temperature difference 
to the surrounding area, or little heat radiation 
are less noticeable, for example in cold weather.
Any improvement in detection depends on 
many factors such as the object size and tem-
perature compared to the surroundings, or 
other nearby objects, the visual recognition 
skills of the driver, weather conditions, and 
other factors.
Driving hints
With the system active, periodically but briefly, 
glance at the thermal image on the Control Dis-
play to notice objects that could be people or 
larger animals. The glance should be similar to 
glancing at the rear view mirror. Do not stare at 
the image for long periods while driving, as this 
will take your attention away from the road. If you notice an object of interest ahead, be pre-
pared to slow down or stop, blow the horn, or 
take other appropriate action.
System limits
The system is designed to supplement but not 
replace forward vision through the windshield. 
The driver is responsible for safe driving at 
night. BMW Night Vision is not designed to be 
used as a continuous viewing window for driv-
ing at night.
No system, no matter how sophisticated, can 
operate without limitations. BMW Night Vision 
operation is subject to physical and environ-
mental limitations that will reduce the ability of 
the system to detect and display a clear thermal 
image. Some of the situations in which these 
limitations can occur are:
>on steep hilltops or depressions and in tight 
curves
>in tunnels, as the contrast is inherently low
>when the camera lens is dirty
>in dense fog, heavy rain or snowfall
>when displaying very hot objects such as 
transformers, car exhausts etc.
>when the image briefly freezes during nor-
mal system adjustment.
BMW Night Vision's potential benefits 
can be limited by the driving style of the 
driver, the size and relative temperature of the 
detected objects, dirt or contamination on the 
camera lens, adverse weather like snow, rain, or 
fog, and other factors not mentioned here. It will 
always be the driver's responsibility to drive at a 
speed and in a manner that recognizes potential 
hazards and to adjust accordingly.  

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
98 BMW Night Vision is not a substitute or replace-
ment for driver responsibility or for adapting to 
the visibility conditions and the traffic situation. 
The forward view illuminated by the headlamps 
must always be the basis for making safe driv-
ing decisions; otherwise, a safety risk will 
result.<
Activating BMW Night Vision
1.Turn the light switch to position2 or3, refer 
to page100.
2.When the low beams are switched on:
>Press the  button.
>Press the  button.
Programming button on the steering 
wheel, refer to page52.
The image will be displayed on the Control Dis-
play after a few seconds. Depending on the last 
mode selected, either the normal or full screen 
image will be displayed.
Due to the system's need to adjust periodically, 
a still image is displayed at certain intervals for 
fractions of a second. This is normal and not an 
indication of a problem.
To prevent driving without headlamps, at a 
speed of more than approx. 3 mph/5 km/h and 
when dark, the thermal image on the Control Display is only shown when the low beams are 
on.
BMW Night Vision is not available on the 
rear screen. When the system is active, 
neither the navigation system nor BMW Assist 
can be started from the rear screen.<
Deactivating BMW Night Vision
>Press the  button.
>Press the  button.
>Press the  button.
>Make a selection with the controller, i. e.: 
change the radio station or make a phone 
call. For iDrive details, refer to page16.
Selecting settings
1.Activate BMW Night Vision.
2.Press the controller to display the menu 
items.
3.Select the menu item and press the control-
ler:
>"Zoom": 
At higher speeds, the image is zoomed 
in.
>"Curve mode": 
Depending on the steering angle and 
other parameters, the image section fol-
lows the course of the road to some 
degree.
>"Full screen": 
The image is shown on the entire Con-
trol Display.
>"Contrast": 
The contrast of the screen can be 
adjusted, refer to page172. 

Everything from A to Z
234 BMW homepage4
BMW Maintenance 
System211
BMW Night Vision97
– activating/deactivating98
– cleaning camera99
– making settings98
Boot, refer to Luggage 
compartment119
Bottle holder, refer to Cup 
holders115
Brake assistant87
Brake force display94
Brake lamp, adaptive, refer to 
Brake force display94
Brake lamps
– brake force display94
– replacing bulbs214
Brake rotors, refer to 
Corrosion on brake 
rotors123
Brakes123
– ABS87
– brake force display94
– breaking-in122
– parking brake58
Brake system
– BMW Maintenance 
System211
– breaking-in122
– refer to Braking safely123
Breakdown service, refer to 
Roadside 
Assistance190,219
Breaking-in122
Breaking-in differential, refer 
to Engine and 
differential122
"Brightness"
– BMW Night Vision99
– DVD changer172
– on Control Display85
Bulbs, replacing213
"button", programmable 
buttons52
Buttons
– next to the controller16
– on steering wheel11
C
"Calculate", refer to 
Bypassing route 
sections147
Calculating distance to 
destination77
California Proposition 65 
Warning6
"CALL"192
Call
– accepting184
– automatically accepting, 
refer to Hands-free 
system179
– rejecting184
– touch tone dialing180
– while away, refer to Dialing 
numbers stored in a list186
Call back list, refer to Dialing a 
number from phone book or 
from numbers stored in a 
list185
Calling
– from phone book185
– from Top 8 list186
– redialing185
– with retracting telephone 
keypad179
Can holder, refer to Cup 
holders115
Capacities229
– luggage compartment228
Car battery, refer to Vehicle 
battery217
Car care, refer to Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Car-care products, refer to 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
"Car Data"79,81
Care, refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Caring for the upholstery, refer 
to Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Caring for the vehicle finish, 
refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochureCar key, refer to Remote 
control/key30
Carpet care, refer to Caring for 
your vehicle brochure
Car radio, refer to Radio156
Car wash123
– also refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
– with Comfort Access39
Catalytic converter, refer to 
Hot exhaust system122
"Categories", radio161
CBC Cornering Brake 
Control87
CBS Condition Based 
Service211
"CD", CD player163
"CDC", CD changer166
CD changer165
– compressed audio files166
– controls152
– fast forward, reverse
167
– installation location165
– random sequence167
– sampling167
– selecting a CD166
– selecting track166
– starting165
– tone control153
– volume153
CD player163
– controls152
– fast forward, reverse164
– random sequence164
– sampling163
– selecting tracks163
– starting163
– tone control153
– volume153
Center armrest
– front113
– rear114
Center console, refer to 
Comfort features14
Central locking system31
– Comfort Access38
– from the inside34
"CHANGE", navigation138 

Reference 235
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Changes, technical, refer to 
For your own safety5
Changing scale, map view in 
navigation145
Changing settings on Control 
Display84
Changing time display84
Changing units of measure on 
Control Display84
Changing wheels215
– run-flat tires205
"Channels", radio160
Check Control80
– "CHECK"81
– CHECK button81
Child's seats, refer to 
Installing child restraint 
systems54
Child restraint fixing system 
LATCH55
Child restraint systems54
Child-safety lock56
Chrome parts, refer to Caring 
for your vehicle brochure
Chrome-plated parts, care, 
refer to Caring for your 
vehicle brochure
Cigarette lighter116
"City / Postal Code", 
navigation133
Cleaning, vehicle, refer to 
Caring for your vehicle 
brochure
Cleaning headlamps, tank 
capacity, refer to Wiper fluid 
filler neck66
Cleaning windshield65
"Climate"
– activating activation time for 
parked car ventilation110
– preselecting activation time 
for parked car 
ventilation109
– rear climate control108
– rear refrigerator117
– switching parked car 
ventilation on and off 
directly109Climate comfort 
windshield126
Clock75
– 12/24-hour mode84
– also refer to Assistance 
window21
– display format84
– setting84
"Clock", settings84
Closing
– from inside34
– from outside32
Clothes hooks114
Cockpit10
Cold start, refer to Starting 
engine57
"Color", DVD changer172
Combined instrument, refer to 
Info Display12
"Comfort", EDC Electronic 
Damper Control
90
Comfort Access38
– before driving into a car 
wash39
– changing battery39
Comfort features14
Comfort program, EDC 
Electronic Damper 
Control90
Comfort seat44
– in rear45
"Communication", phone184
Compact Disc
– refer to CD changer165
– refer to CD player163
Compartments, refer to 
Storage compartments113
Compressed audio files, 
CD changer166
Computer76
– displays on Control 
Display77
– units of measure and display 
format84
"Concierge", BMW Assist192
Condensation, refer to When 
vehicle is parked123Condition Based Service 
CBS211
Connecting car vacuum 
cleaner, refer to Power 
socket116
Consumption, refer to 
Average fuel 
consumption77
Consumption statistics, refer 
to Average fuel 
consumption77
"Continue route guidance?", 
navigation144
"Contrast"
– BMW Night Vision98
– DVD changer172
Control Center, refer to 
iDrive16
Control Display
– rear seat screen21
– refer to iDrive16
– setting brightness85
Controller
– programmable button52
– rear seat screen21
– refer to iDrive16
Controls and displays10,14
Coolant210
– level210
– temperature76
Cooler, refer to Rear 
refrigerator117
Cooling
– maximum106,108
– refer to AUTO program
104
– refer to Rear climate 
control108
– refer to Rear refrigerator117
– refer to Switching cooling 
function on and off 
manually107
Copyright2
Cornering Brake Control 
CBC87
Cradle for mobile phone, refer 
to Using snap-in 
adapter178