
Controls
 107Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Cup holders
Use lightweight and shatterproof contain-
ers and do not transport hot beverages, 
otherwise there is an increased risk of injury in 
the event of the accident. Do not force contain-
ers that are too large into the cup holders, oth-
erwise damage could result.<
Front
Opening
Briefly press the center of the cover.
Closing
Briefly press the cover in the center and push in 
the cup holder.
Rear*
There are two additional cup holders in the rear 
center armrest.
Press the front of the armrest.
Ashtray, front
Opening
Push the ridge on the cover.
Emptying
Lift out the insert.
Lighter
With the engine running or the ignition switched 
on, press in the cigarette lighter.
The lighter can be pulled out as soon as it pops 
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by 
the knob only. Holding or touching it in 
other areas could result in burns. 
When leaving the car, always remove the  

Practical interior accessories
108 remote control so that children cannot operate 
the cigarette lighter and burn themselves.<
Ashtray, rear
Opening
Push the ridge on the cover.
Emptying
Lift out the insert.
Connecting electrical 
appliances
In your BMW, when the engine is running or the 
ignition is switched on, you can use electrical 
devices such as a flashlight, car vacuum 
cleaner, etc., up to approx. 200 watts at 
12 volts, as long as one of the following sockets 
is available. Avoid damaging the sockets by 
attempting to insert plugs of unsuitable shape 
or size.
Cigarette lighter socket*
To access the socket: take the cigarette lighter 
out of the socket.
Socket in the center armrest
External audio device, refer to page106.
Sockets in the rear center console*
Remove corresponding cover.
Socket in the cargo bay*
Open the cap.
Through-loading system*
Opening
1.Open the belt lock of the rear center safety 
belt. To do so, press the red button in the 
belt lock 2 using the latch plate1.
2.Insert the latch plate at the end of the belt 
into the specially designated fixture on the 
rear window shelf. 

On/off and settings
152
On/off and settings
The following audio sources have shared con-
trols and setting options:
>Radio
>CD player
>CD changer
*
Controls
The audio sources can be operated using:
>Buttons near the CD player
>iDrive
>Buttons
 on the steering wheel, refer to 
page11
>Programmable memory keys, refer to 
page21
Buttons on the CD player
1Sound output for entertainment on/off, vol-
ume
>Press: switch on/off.
When you switch on the unit, the last set 
radio station or 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 DVD
Operation via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
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
>"SAT": satellite radio
*
>"CD": CD player or changer*
>"AUX": AUX-In port, 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, sam-
ple stations.
From another menu, you can switch 
directly to the screen last displayed, refer 
to Convenient call-up of menu items on 
page18.<
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond, 
the selected audio source is stored for the 
remote control currently in use.
Switching on/off
In order to switch the entertainment sound out-
put on and off:
Press button1 on the CD player.
 This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off. 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 153Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
Adjusting volume
Turn knob1 on the CD player until the desired 
volume is obtained.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on 
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond, 
the setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Tone control
You can alter various tone settings, e.g. treble 
and bass or the speed-dependent volume 
increase.
The tone settings are applied to all audio 
sources.
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond, 
the settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
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 if you 
have called up "Entertainment" in the start 
menu:
Select "Set" and then "Tone", pressing the 
controller after each selection.
Treble and bass
1.Select "Treble / Bass" and press the con-
troller.
2.Move the controller to the left or right to 
select "Treble" or "Bass".
3.Turn the controller until the desired setting 
is selected.
Balance and fader
You can adjust the volume distribution in the 
same manner as "Treble / Bass".
>"Balance": left/right volume distribution
>"Fader": front/rear volume distribution
Speed-dependent volume control
The speed-dependent volume control auto-
matically increases the volume with increasing 
driving speed. You can set various stages for 
the increase in volume. 

Radio
158 5.Select "Autostore" and press the controller.
The display of the stations with the strongest 
reception is updated. The frequencies of the 
stations are displayed.
Storing stations
Via iDrive
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
2.Move the highlight marker to the second 
field from the top. Turn the controller until 
the desired selection criterion is chosen 
and press the controller.
3.Select the desired frequency or station.
"Set" is selected.
4.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.5.Select "Store" and press the controller.
"Presets" is displayed.
6.Turn the controller until the desired mem-
ory location is selected.
7.Press the controller.
The station is stored.
The channels of the last selection criterion are 
displayed once again after a short time.
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond, 
the stations are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store a station on the programmable 
memory keys, refer also to page21.
1.Select a station.
2. ...   Press the desired key for a 
longer period.
Changing a memory position
1.Select "Presets" and press the controller.
2.Select the desired station.
"Set" is selected.
3.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed. 

Telephoning
178
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone 
preparation package. After pairing a suitable 
mobile phone with the vehicle once, you can 
operate the mobile phone via iDrive, the buttons 
on the steering wheel or via voice commands.
Once a mobile phone has been paired with your 
vehicle, it is automatically recognized as soon 
as it is inside the vehicle while the engine is run-
ning or the ignition is switched on. You can 
store the pairing data for up to four mobile 
phones simultaneously. If several mobile 
phones are detected at the same time, the 
mobile phone last paired can be operated via 
the vehicle.
Using the telephone inside 
the vehicle
Using the snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a holder for 
mobile phones, allows you to charge the mobile 
phone's battery and connect the mobile phone 
to your vehicle's outside antenna. This ensures 
better network reception and consistent repro-
duction quality. Please contact your 
BMW center to find out for which mobile 
phones there are snap-in adapters available.
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in 
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile 
phone's separate Owner's Manual for a detailed 
description of safety precautions and informa-
tion, we request that you direct your particular 
attention to the following:
Only make entries when the traffic situa-
tion allows you to do so. Do not hold the 
mobile phone in your hand while you are driving; 
use the hands-free system instead. If you do 
not observe this precaution, your being dis-tracted can endanger vehicle occupants and 
other road users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Please ask your BMW center which mobile 
phones with Bluetooth interface are supported 
by the mobile phone preparation package and 
which mobile phones are compatible with the 
snap-in adapter. By virtue of their particular 
software versions, these mobile phones sup-
port the functions described in this Owner's 
Manual. Malfunctions may occur with other 
mobile phones.
Care instructions
Important information on this subject can be 
found in the separate mobile phone Owner's 
Manual.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone* using:
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to 
page10
>iDrive, refer to page183
>Voice commands, refer to page189
>Programmable memory keys, refer to 
page21
Avoid operating a mobile phone recognized by 
the vehicle via the mobile phone's keypad, oth-
erwise malfunctions may result.
Making phone calls with the 
BMW Assist system*: BMW Assist 
calls
You can use the BMW Assist System via the 
hands-free unit for BMW Assist calls.
* 

 179
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
When the status information "BMW Assist" or 
"BMW Service" is displayed in "Communica-
tion", only BMW Assist calls are possible.
It may not be possible to establish a telephone 
connection using the mobile phone while a con-
nection is being established to BMW Assist or 
while a call to BMW Assist is already in 
progress. If this happens, you must unpair the 
mobile phone and the vehicle if you wish to 
place a call with the mobile phone.
Start-up
Pairing the mobile phone with the 
vehicle
The following prerequisites must be met:
>Compatible mobile phone: the mobile 
phone is supported by the full preparation 
package mobile phone. You can obtain 
information on the Internet at: 
www.bmw.com
>The mobile phone is ready to operate.
>The Bluetooth link is activated in the vehi-
cle, refer to page183, and in the mobile 
phone.
>Depending on the mobile phone, some 
default settings may be necessary for the 
mobile phone: e. g. using the following 
menu items:
>Bluetooth switched on
>Connection without confirmation
>Reconnection
>Depending on the mobile phone type, the 
power-saving mode setting, for example, 
may result in a paired mobile phone not 
being detected by the vehicle.
>For pairing purposes, define any number as 
the Bluetooth passkey, e.g. 1. This Blue-
tooth passkey is no longer required after 
pairing has been successful.
>The ignition is switched on.
Pair the mobile phone with the vehicle 
only when the car is stationary, to avoid endangering the car's occupants and other 
road users by being distracted.<
Switch on ignition
1.Insert remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
2.Switch on ignition without operating the 
brake or clutch or pressing the start/stop 
button.
Preparation via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
3.Press the   button to call up the start 
menu.
4.Press the controller to open the   menu.
5.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
6.Select "Bluetooth" and press the controller. 

Telephoning
180 7.Move the highlight marker to the second 
field from the top, select "Phone" and press 
the controller.
8.Select "Pair new phone" and press the con-
troller.
9.Select "Start pairing" and press the control-
ler.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle is dis-
played.
Preparation via the mobile phone
10.Further steps must be carried out with the 
mobile phone and vary depending on the 
model. Please refer to your mobile phone's 
operating instructions, e.g. under the topics 
of Searching for a Bluetooth device, Linking 
or Pairing.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle also 
appears on the mobile phone display.
11.Select the Bluetooth name of the vehicle on 
the mobile phone display.
Pairing
Depending on your mobile phone, you will see 
messages, first on the mobile phone display or 
on the iDrive, requesting you to enter the same 
Bluetooth passkey previously determined by 
you.
12.Enter the Bluetooth passkey.
Depending on the mobile phone, you will 
have approx. 30 seconds to enter your 
Bluetooth passkey on the mobile phone 
and the Control Display.
13.Move the highlight marker to the third field 
from the top, select "Confirm passkey" and 
press the controller.
14.Wait several seconds until the "Communi-
cation" menu is displayed.
The next time you use the mobile phone inside 
the vehicle, it will be recognized within no more 
than 2 minutes as long as the engine is running 
or the ignition is switched on.
With some mobile phones it may be nec-
essary to make certain settings for a per-
manent Bluetooth link, e. g. using the authoriza-
tion or secure connection menu item, refer to 
your mobile phone's operating instructions.<