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
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.
Practical interior accessories
106
Locking
To lock the glove compartment, use the inte-
grated key of the remote control, refer to
page28.
LED hand lamp
In a holder on the left side of the glove compart-
ment.
Insert the hand lamp into the holder with
the lens pointing toward the passenger
compartment to ensure that the lamp cannot be
switched on accidentally.<
Center armrest
Storage compartment
The center armrest between the front seats
contains either a compartment or the cover for
the snap-in adapter
*, depending on the equip-
ment version. For more information about this
mobile phone base plate refer to the separate
Owner's Manual.
Opening
Press the button, see arrow.
Ventilated storage compartment
The storage compartment in the center armrest
can be ventilated: slide the switch backwards.
The temperature is controlled via the knurled
wheel for adjusting the temperature of air venti-
lating the rear of the passenger compartment,
refer to page100.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks
over the car's loudspeaker system:
>AUX-In port, refer to page171
>USB-audio interface
*, refer to page172
Storage compartments inside
the vehicle
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, you
will find compartments beside the steering col-
umn
*, in the front doors and in the center con-
sole
*.
There are nets
* on the front-seat backrests.
Clothes hooks
There are clothes hooks on the grab handles in
the rear passenger compartment.
Items of clothing hung from the hooks
must not obstruct the driver's view. Do
not hang heavy objects from the hooks, other-
wise they could endanger the car's occupants,
e.g. in case of heavy braking or sudden swerv-
ing.<
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
171Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
AUX-In port
You can connect an external audio device, for
instance an MP3 player, and play audio tracks
over the car's loudspeaker system. You can
adjust the tone using iDrive.
Connecting
Lift up the center armrest.
Connection for audio playback:
TRS connector 1/8 in/3.5 mm
To play audio tracks over the car's loudspeaker
system, connect the headset or line-out port of
the external device to the AUX-in port.
Starting audio playback
The audio device must be switched on.
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. Turn the controller until "AUX" is selected and press the con-
troller.
4.Select "AUX IN" and press the controller.
5.Adjust volume and tone, if necessary.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store the "AUX" function on the pro-
grammable memory keys to start audio play-
back, refer to page21.
Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
173Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
3.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the uppermost field. Turn the controller
until "AUX" is selected and press the con-
troller.
4.Select "USB" or the name of the audio
device and press the controller.
Playback begins with the first track.
Via programmable memory keys
You can store the "USB" function on the pro-
grammable memory keys to start audio play-
back, refer to page21.
Selecting a track
You can call up the tracks using the playlists
and information. With USB devices you can also
call up tracks using the file directory. The tracks
can be displayed if they have been stored in the
Latin alphabet.1.Make your selection, e.g. "Playlists" or "Art-
ists", and press the controller.
2.Select a track and press the controller.
Displaying information about the track
Any information about the current track that has
been recorded can be displayed, e.g. the name
of the artist.
1.Press the controller during playback.
2.Select "Details" and press the controller.
The information is shown for the current track.
Short commands for the voice command system
244
Entertainment
FunctionCommand
Tone control153{Audio}
To switch on radio156{Radio on},
{FM} or
{AM}
To open "FM"156{FM menu}
To open "AM"156{AM menu}
To open "All stations"156{FM All stations}
To select radio station156{Station} e.g. {Station WNYC} or
{Choose station}
To open "Presets"156{FM presets} or
{AM presets}
To open "Manual"157{FM manual} or
{AM manual} or
{Choose frequency},
{Frequency ... Megahertz}
To select preset radio station158{Preset ...}
e.g. {Preset 1}
To open strongest radio stations157{AM Autostore}
To open "SAT"163{SAT radio menu}
To switch on satellite radio163{SAT radio}
To open "Presets" of the satellite radio164{SAT radio presets}
To open "All channels" of the satellite radio163{SAT radio all channels}
To open "Categories" of the satellite radio163{SAT radio categories}
To open CD player165{CD menu}
To switch on CD player165{CD}
To open CD changer165{CD changer menu}
To switch on CD changer165{CD changer}
To select a CD in the CD changer165{CD 1...6}
To select track166{CD track ...}
To select a CD and track in the CD changer166{CD 1...6 track ...}
To select track166{Track ...}
To open DVD165{DVD player menu}
To switch on DVD165{DVD player}
To select music track on DVD166{DVD track ...}
To start sound output for external audio
device171{Audio Aux on}