Page 12 of 266
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
3Folding exterior mirrors in and out*45
4Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*45
1Safety switch for electric rear 
windows38 
2
Opening and closing windows37 5
Parking lamps/low beams92
Low beams92
Automatic headlamp control
*92
Adaptive Head Light
*94 
     
        
        Page 13 of 266

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7Instrument cluster12
10Ignition lock54
11Buttons on the steering wheel12Horn: the entire surface
13Adjusting the steering wheel46
15Releasing the hood218
16Opening the luggage compartment lid33 6
Turn signals63
High beams, headlamp flasher94
Roadside parking lamps
*94
Computer68
Settings and information about the 
vehicle71
Instrument lighting94
8
Windshield wipers64
Rain sensor
*64
9Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine54
Telephone
*:
>Press: accepting and ending a 
call, starting dialing
* selected 
phone numbers. Redialing if 
no phone number is selected
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice com-
mand system
*23
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers
MDrive*, calling up individual 
settings47 
Individually programmable
*47 
Individually programmable47 
14
Cruise control65 
     
        
        Page 14 of 266
Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer67
5Shift Lights
*61
6Engine oil temperature68
7Display for
>Clock67
>Outside temperature67
>Indicator and warning lamps77
>With dual clutch transmission:
Computer688Display for
>Gear display M dual clutch transmission 
with Drivelogic
*57
>With manual transmission:
Computer68
>Date of next scheduled service, and 
remaining distance to be driven72
>Odometer and trip odometer67
>Checking oil level219
>Settings and information71
> There is a Check Control 
message77
9Fuel gauge68
10Resetting the trip odometer67 
     
        
        Page 15 of 266

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
Some lamps are checked for proper functioning 
and thus come on briefly when the engine is 
started or the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the lower edge of the Control 
Display explain the meaning of the displayed 
indicator and warning lamps.
You can call up more information, e.g. on the 
cause of a malfunction and on how to respond, 
via Check Control, refer to page77.
In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
Parking lamps/low beams92
High beams/headlamp flasher94
Parking brake applied56
MDrive
*48
M Dynamic Mode
*82
Lamp flashes:
DSC is regulating the drive forces in 
order to maintain driving stability82
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on exhaust emissions213
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on exhaust 
emissions213 
     
        
        Page 20 of 266

iDrive
18
Calling up menu items in the start menu
As of radio readiness, refer to page54:
Via the start menu you can call up the four menu 
items of Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller for-
wards, backwards, to the left or to the right.
You can call up the   menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Convenient call-up of menu items
The convenient call-up function enables you to:
>Call up a menu item from the start menu in 
the view last displayed
>Switch directly between Communication, 
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate 
without having to press the   button
To do so, move the controller in the corre-
sponding direction and hold it for more than 
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is subdivided into fields. The 
active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the start menu item last 
selected.
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility 
of accessing other menu items that are not 
currently visible.
3Settings are represented graphically or as 
numerical values.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
 menu 
     
        
        Page 21 of 266
At a glance
 19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Operating principle at a glance
The following is a general description of opera-
tions using iDrive.For an exemplary step-by-step application refer 
to Setting the time, page74.
1Selecting a menu item:
>Turn the controller; the highlight marker 
moves
>Menu items in white can be selected by 
highlighting them
2Activating a menu item:
>Press the controller
>New menu items are displayed or the 
function is executed
3Selecting a menu item: refer to14Switching between fields:
>Briefly move the controller to the left, 
right, forward, or backward
>Release the controller
>The active field is brighter in color
5Adjusting settings:
>Turn the controller
>Graphic display, numerical value or text 
displays can be changed
>Confirm by changing the field 
     
        
        Page 31 of 266

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Calling up the preferred program of the M 
Engine Dynamics Control POWER and 
Electronic Damper Control EDC
* when 
starting the vehicle, refer to Key-dependent 
settings on page49
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page63
>Settings for the displays on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page76
>Date format, refer to page76
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page80
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page79
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, 
distance covered/remaining distances, 
and temperature, refer to page71
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page81
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page92
>Pathway lighting, refer to page93
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page93
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function 
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air flow rate and distribu-
tion, refer to page97 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page153
>Tone control, refer to page153
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page153
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid
>Fuel filler door
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
>In cars with convenient access
*, via the 
handles on the driver's and front passen-
ger's doors
The anti-theft system is also operated at the 
same time. It prevents the doors from being 
unlocked using the lock buttons or door han-
dles. In addition, if the remote control is used, 
the welcome lamps, interior lamps and the 
door's courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. 
The alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system,
 refer to 
page34.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page32.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. You 
should therefore take the remote control with 
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter 
can be opened from outside.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on. 
     
        
        Page 32 of 266

Opening and closing
30
Setting unlocking characteristics
You can set whether only the driver's door or 
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the 
button is pressed for the first time.
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 "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to 
the uppermost field. Turn the controller 
until "Door locks" is selected and press the 
controller.
6.Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7.Select "Unlock button" and press the con-
troller.
8.Select a menu item:
>"All doors"
Press the   button once to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
>"Driver's door only"
Press the   button once to unlock only 
the driver's door and the fuel filler door. Press the button twice to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
9.Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
Convenient opening
Hold the   button down.
The windows and the glass roof
* are opened.
Locking
Press the   button.
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if 
persons are inside the vehicle because it 
cannot be unlocked from the inside without 
special knowledge.<
Switching on interior lamps
While the car is locked: 
Press the   button. 
You can also use this function to locate your 
vehicle in parking garages etc.
Unlocking the luggage compartment 
lid
Press the   button for approx. 1 second.
The luggage compartment lid opens a short 
distance, regardless of whether it was locked or 
unlocked.
The luggage compartment lid swings 
backwards and up when opened. Ensure 
that there is sufficient clearance. To avoid lock-
ing yourself out by accident, do not place the 
remote control in the cargo bay. A previously 
locked luggage compartment lid is locked again 
after closing.
Before and after each trip, check that the lug-