Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page246.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
23Voice command system
Controls
28Opening and closing
40Adjustments
51Transporting children safely
54Driving
67Everything under control
81Technology for driving comfort and
safety
92Lamps
96Climate
102Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
114Things to remember when driving
119BMW M3 engineering
Navigation
124Starting the navigation system
126Destination entry
139Destination guidance
148What to do if …
Entertainment
152On/off and settings
156Radio
162Satellite radio
165CD player and CD changer
171AUX-In port
172USB-audio interface
Communications
178Telephoning
193BMW Assist
Mobility
204Refueling
206Wheels and tires
212Maintenance
214Care
218Under the hood
223Replacing components
230Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
238Technical data
242Short commands for the voice command
system
246Everything from A - Z
At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice command system*
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request
call
*230
3Reading lamps95
4Glass roof, electric
*38
5Interior lamps95
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*90
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Flat Tire Monitor FTM
*84
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
*86
10Central locking system32
11Automatic climate control
12Ejecting audio CD15213Changing
>Radio station156
>Track166
14Selecting radio, CD and CD changer
15Selecting AM or FM waveband
16Ejecting navigation DVD124
18Controller16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved horizon-
tally in four directions
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Dynamic Stability Control DSC82
21Electronic Damper Control EDC
*84
22M Engine Dynamics Control POWER63
23Drive for navigation DVD124
24Programmable memory keys21
25Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume152
26Drive for audio CD152 Air distribution to the
windshield97
Air distribution to the upper body
area97
Air distribution to the footwell97
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate98
Cooling function99
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC98
Recirculated-air mode98
Maximum cooling98
Residual heat mode99
Air flow rate98
Defrosting windows99
Rear window defroster99
17
Heated seats*43
Roller sun blind
*105
At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying the
average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-In port, USB-audio interface* for
external audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>M settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central
locking system
>Display of service requirements and dates
for statutory inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
As of radio readiness, the following message
appears on the Control Display:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
The start menu is displayed.
The message is automatically hidden after
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
All iDrive functions can be called up via five
menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.
At a glance
21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window on/off
1.Move the controller to the right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Assist. window off" and press the
controller.
To turn back on, switch to the assistance win-
dow and press the controller.
Switching Control Display
off/on
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
Press the controller to switch on.
Programmable memory keys
Using the programmable memory keys, you can
store and execute certain iDrive functions:
>Navigation
* destinations>Entertainment:
>Radio stations
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
>AUX
>Telephone: phone numbers
The assignment of the programmable memory
keys is stored for the remote control currently in
use.
Storing functions
Navigation* destinations
1.Select the navigation destination, e.g. in the
destination list or address book.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
Special features:
>If destination guidance and the map view
have been started, the current destination is
stored.
>If the destination is entered via map, the
coordinates in the cross-hairs are stored,
not the current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select the num-
ber from a list of stored phone numbers, e.g.
the A-Z list.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
If the phone number is associated with a name,
the name is also stored.
Entertainment
The item stored in the Entertainment menu is
the source that is playing at the time of storage,
e.g. a radio station, irrespective of what was
selected on the Control Display.
1.Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2. ... Press the key longer than
2seconds.
Voice command system
24 item on the Control Display.
To have the possible commands read out to
you:
For instance, if you have selected "CD", the
commands available for operating the CD
player and CD changer are read out
*.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
Calling up functions immediately via
short commands
Short commands enable you to perform certain
functions immediately, irrespective of which
menu item is selected, refer to page242.
Opening the start menu
Example: selecting a track
1.If necessary, switch on entertainment audio
output.
2.Press the button on the steering wheel. {Options}
{Help}
{Radio on} or {Turn radio on}
{Main menu}
3.{Entertainment}
The system says:
{{Entertainment}}
4.{CD}
The system says:
{{CD on}}
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
165Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
CD player and CD changer
Listening to CDs
Compressed audio files*
CDs with compressed audio files, MP3s, can be
played by the CD player and CD changer.
Starting the CD player
The upper drive is for audio CDs.
Insert the CD into the drive with the labeled side
up.
The CD is pulled in automatically. Playback
starts automatically if the sound output is on.
When playing CDs with compressed audio files,
it can take the CD player approx. 1 minute to
read in the data, depending on the directory
structure.
To start playback when there is already a CD in
the drive:
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".3.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Select "CD" and press
the controller.
4.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the second field from the top. On cars with a
CD changer, select "CD" and press the
controller to start the CD player.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is switched on.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store the CD player function on the
programmable memory keys to start the CD
player, refer to page21.
Starting the CD changer
Fill and insert the CD magazine, refer to
page169.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to call up
"Entertainment".
*
CD player and CD changer
166 3.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Select "CD" and press
the controller.
4.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the second field from the top. Select the
desired CD and press the controller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD is
selected and played.
If new CDs have been placed in the CD maga-
zine, playback starts with the lowest CD, e.g.
CD 1, track 1.
The CD magazine's load status is indicated on
the Control Display.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store a CD compartment of the CD
changer on the programmable memory keys to
start the CD changer, refer to page21.
Selecting a track
Buttons on the CD player
Press the button for the appropriate
direction as often as necessary until the desired
track is reached.
The track is displayed on the Control Display.
You can also change the track with the buttons
on the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Via iDrive
Turn the controller to select a track.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select a directory, if necessary, and press
the controller.
2.Select a track and press the controller.
To change the directory:
Select the directory and press the controller.