2008 BMW M5 towing

Controls
35Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Alarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the luggage com-
partment lid are opened
>To movements in the vehicle: interior
motion sensor, refer to page35
>To changes in the vehicle's tilt if someone
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the
vehicle
>To interruptions in battery voltage
Unauthorized operations are briefly signaled by
the alarm system:
>with an acoustic alarm
>by switching on
the hazard warning flashers
>by flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming alarm system
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
The luggage compartment lid can also be
opened with the system armed with the but-
ton on the remote control, refer to page33.
When the luggage compartment lid is closed, it
is locked and monitored again.
Switching off alarm
>Unlock the vehicle using the remote control,
refer to page30.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the interior rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood or luggage compartment lid are
not properly closed. Even if you do not close
the alerted area, the system begins to mon-
itor the remaining areas, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after approx.
10 seconds. However, the interior motion
sensor is not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>The indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted into the
ignition lock, however for a maximum of
approx. 5 minutes: your vehicle has been
disturbed while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. in case of an attempted
wheel theft or towing.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass sunroof
*
must be completely closed.

Things to remember when driving
116
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner sys-
tem during operation, and then exits under the
vehicle. Traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page48,
otherwise they could be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
General information on the care and mainte-
nance of your BMW is contained in the Caring
for your vehicle brochure.
Ground clearance
Make sure that sufficient ground clear-
ance is available. To drive down curbs,
select the "Sport" program of the EDC Elec-
tronic Damping Control, refer to page82, to
keep the ground clearance as uniform as possi-
ble. Otherwise the vehicle may be damaged.<
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo
bay; otherwise the vehicle could be dam-
aged.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg, as otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.

Driving tips
117Reference
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Mobility
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage
can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and as low
as possible, placing it directly behind the
rear backrest.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
opposite buckle.
>Do not pile objects higher than the top edge
of the backrest.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net*, luggage straps, or
securing straps to hold down small and
lightweight luggage and cargo.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. Four lashing eyes
mounted in the cargo bay are used to
secure these heavy-duty cargo straps, refer
to illustration.
>Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the heavy-duty cargo straps.
Position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the vehicle's occupants, for example if sud-
den braking or evasive maneuvers are neces-
sary.
Use only the lashing eyes to secure heavy-duty
cargo straps, refer to illustration, otherwise the
cargo straps could become detached or the
vehicle could be damaged.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page232, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
You should never transport unsecured heavy or
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as
they could fly around and pose a safety hazard
to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.<

Mobility
221Reference
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2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular
recess of the jacking point when cranking
up, refer to illustration detail.
3.Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you are
changing is raised from the ground.
Mounting a wheel
1.Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
2.Remove accumulations of mud or dirt from
the mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub. Also clean the lug bolts.
3.Position the new wheel or spare wheel.
Secure the wheel by screwing at least two
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes.
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts. Tighten all
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5.Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from
beneath the vehicle.
After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety, always have the
lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench as soon as possible to
ensure that they are tightened to the speci-
fied torque. Otherwise, incorrectly tight-
ened lug bolts are a hidden safety risk. The
tightening torque is 88.5 lb ft/120 Nm.<
2.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.Protect valve stems with valve stem
seal caps against dirt and contamina-
tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source
of gradual air loss.<
3.Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page83, and the Sequential Manual Trans-
mission, refer to After changing wheels/
tires on page204.
4.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Stowing wheel and tools
1.Lay the wheel in the tool mounting.
2.Lay the cover on the mounting.
3.Center the wheel and cover relative to the
lashing eyes5.
4.Hook the belt into the lashing eyes 5.
5.Completely open the tensioning lock.
6.Thread the belt3 through the axis6 of the
tensioning lock without twisting it and ten-
sion it by hand.
7.Tighten the belt firmly with the tensioning
lock by opening and closing the lock several
times.
8.Fold the tensioning lock closed and stow
the protruding belt end.
Driving with spare wheel
With certain wheel-and-tire combinations
the size of the spare wheel differs from
that of the other wheels. The spare wheel is
equivalent to them in all load and speed ranges.
However, to restore the original state, the nor-
mal wheel should be remounted as soon as
possible.<

Mobility
225Reference
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4.Attach one end of the jumper cable minus/–
to the negative terminal of the battery or to
an engine or body ground of the assisting
vehicle.
Your BMW M5 has a special nut as body
ground or negative terminal.
5.Attach the second end of the cable to the
negative terminal of the battery or to the
engine or body ground of the vehicle to be
started.
Starting engine
1.Start the engine on the assisting vehicle
and allow it to run at idle for several minutes
at slightly increased speed.
2.Start the engine on the other vehicle in the
usual way.
If the first starting attempt is not successful,
wait a few minutes before another attempt
in order to allow the discharged battery to
recharge.
3.Let the engines run for a few minutes.
4.Disconnect the jumper cables by reversing
the connection sequence.
Check the battery and recharge if necessary.
Never use spray fluids to start the
engine.<
Tow-starting and towing
Observe applicable laws and regulations
for tow-starting and towing.<
Do not transport any passengers other
than the driver in a vehicle that is being
towed.<
Using tow fitting
Always keep the screw-in tow fitting with the
vehicle. It can be screwed in at the front or rear
of the BMW.
It is located in the toolkit in the luggage com-
partment lid, refer to page214.
Use only the tow fitting provided with the
vehicle and screw it all the way in. Use the
tow fitting for towing only on roads. Avoid lateral
loading of the tow fitting, e.g. do not lift the vehi-
cle by the tow fitting. Otherwise damage to the
tow fitting and the vehicle can occur.<
Access to screw thread
Press the arrow symbol on the cover in the
bumper.
Front
Rear
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on,
refer to page56, otherwise the low
beams, tail lamps, turn signals and windshield
wipers would not be available. Do not tow the
vehicle with the rear axle raised, as otherwise
the steering can turn to the left or right. When
the engine is stopped, there is no power assist.

Giving and receiving assistance
226 This then requires increased effort for braking
and steering.<
Switch on the hazard warning flashers depend-
ing on the local regulations. If the electrical sys-
tem fails, mark the vehicle to be towed, e.g. with
a sign or warning triangle in the rear window.
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
Sequential Manual Transmission with
Drivelogic
Make sure that selector lever position N is
engaged with the ignition switched on, as
otherwise the engine can be damaged during
towing.<
Towing methods
Do not lift vehicle by tow fitting or body
and chassis parts, otherwise damage may
result.<
In some countries, towing with tow bars or
ropes in public traffic is not permitted. Familiar-
ize yourself with the regulations on towing in the
respective country.
With tow bar
The towing vehicle may not be lighter
than the vehicle to be towed, otherwise it
will not be possible to reliably control vehicle
response.<
The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an offset
angle, please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be sharply limited during cornering.
>When mounted at an angle, the tow bar will
exert lateral forces, tending to push the
vehicle sideways.
Only attach the tow bar to the tow fittings,
as attachment to other vehicle parts can
lead to damage.<
With tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Only attach tow ropes to the tow fittings, as
attachment to other vehicle parts can lead to
damage.<
With tow truck
Do not tow the vehicle with only the front
or rear axle raised, as otherwise the
engine may be damaged or the steering can
turn to the left or right.<
Have the vehicle transported on a flatbed sur-
face only.
Tow-starting
Do not tow-start the vehicle if possible, but
instead start the engine by means of jump start-
ing, refer to page224. With a catalytic con-
verter, the vehicle should only be tow-started
with the engine cold.
Manual transmission
1.Switch on the hazard warning flashers,
comply with country-specific regulations.
2.Switch on the ignition, refer to page56.
3.Shift into 3rd gear.
4.Tow-start with the clutch completely
depressed and slowly release the clutch.
After the engine starts, immediately
depress the clutch again completely.

Everything from A to Z
244 Event Data Recorders213
Exhaust system, refer to Hot
exhaust system114
Exterior mirrors48
– adjusting48
– automatic dimming
feature49
– automatic heating48
– folding in and out48
– tilting down passenger-side
exterior mirror48
External audio device107
Eye for tow-starting and
towing, refer to Tow
fitting225
F
"Fader", refer to Tone
control150
Fader, refer to Tone
control150
Failure messages, refer to
Check Control71
False alarm
– refer to Avoiding
unintentional alarms36
– refer to Switching off
alarm35
Fastening safety belts, refer to
Safety belts45
– warning lamp46
Fastest route for
navigation134
"Fast route" for
navigation134
"Favorites", calling up with
radio156
Filler neck for washer fluid64
Filling bottle, refer to
M Mobility System217
Filling sealant into wheel218
Filter, refer to Microfilter/
activated-charcoal filter101
Fine wood, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
First aid, refer to First-aid
kit224First-aid kit224
Flashing
– during locking/unlocking,
refer to Setting confirmation
signals31
– triple turn signal
activation63
Flashlight, refer to
Rechargeable flashlight106
Flat tire
– changing wheels219
– Flat Tire Monitor83,84
– M Mobility System84,217
– refer to Tire condition202
– spare wheel220
– TPM Tire Pressure
Monitor84
– warning lamp84,86
Flat Tire Monitor83
– false alarms83
– initializing system83
– snow chains204
– system limits83
– warning lamp84
Floor mat, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
Floor mats/carpets, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Fluid reservoir, refer to Filler
neck for washer fluid64
"FM", reception
range
149,152
FM, waveband152
Folding rear backrest110
Fold-over rear backrest110
Footbrake, refer to Braking
safely115
Footwell lamps, refer to
Interior lamps96
Forward, fast
– CD changer166
– CD player166
For your own safety5
Freeway, refer to Route
criteria134
Front airbags87Front armrest, refer to Center
armrest, front106
Front passenger airbags,
deactivating88
Front seat adjustment42
"FTM"84
FTM, refer to Flat Tire
Monitor83
Fuel199
– average consumption68
– display67
– high-quality brands199
– quality199
– specifications199
– tank contents, refer to
Capacities232
Fuel clock, refer to Fuel
gauge67
Fuel consumption display,
refer to Computer, average
fuel consumption68
Fuel display, refer to Fuel
gauge67
Fuel filler door198
– releasing in the event of
electrical malfunction198
Full mobile phone preparation
package174
Full screen display, refer to
Switching assistance
window off21
Fuses222
G
Garage door opener, refer to
Integrated universal remote
control104
Gasoline, refer to Required
fuel199
Gasoline display, refer to Fuel
gauge67
Gear changes61
Gear display, refer to Displays
in instrument cluster61
Gearshift lever60
– manual transmission58

Reference 247
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Lighting
– instruments96
– lamps and bulbs214
– of the vehicle, refer to
Lamps92
Light switch92
"Limit"73
Loading
– securing cargo117
– stowing cargo117
– vehicle116
Load securing equipment,
refer to Securing cargo117
"Lock after driving"33
Lock buttons in the doors,
refer to Locking33
Locking30
– confirmation signals31
– from inside33
– from outside30
– without key, refer to Comfort
access36
Locking and unlocking doors
– confirmation signals31
– from inside32
– from outside30
Low beams92
– automatic92
– indicator lamp13
Lower back support, refer to
Lumbar support42
Lug bolts220
– tightening torque, refer to
After mounting221
– wrench220
Luggage compartment lid33
– comfort access37
– emergency release34
– locking with remote
control30
– opening from inside33
– opening from outside33
– opening with remote
control31
– unlocking and locking from
inside32Luggage rack, refer to Roof-
mounted luggage rack118
Lumbar support42
LW, waveband152
M
M Dynamic Mode MDM80
– indicator lamp13,80
M Engine Dynamic Control59
– "P 400"59
– "P 500"59
– "P 500 Sport"59
M Mobility System217
M+S tires, refer to Winter
tires204
Maintenance212
– refer to Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models212
– refer to Service
requirements69
– refer to Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models212
Maintenance system212
Malfunction warnings, refer to
Check Control71
Manual air distribution99
"Manual" on the radio153
Manual operation
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door198
– glass sunroof40
– luggage compartment lid34
Manual transmission58
– tow-starting226
"Map direction of travel"138
Map display138
"Map facing north"138
Map for navigation
– changing scale138
– destination entry128
Map view facing north138
Master key, refer to Keys/
remote control28Maximum cooling100
Maximum speed with winter
tires204
MDM, refer to M Dynamic
Mode80
MDrive50
"M Dynamic Mode"80
Measurements, refer to
Dimensions231
Memory, refer to Seat, mirror
and steering wheel
memory43
MENU, button refer to Start
menu17
Menus, refer to iDrive16
Message list for traffic
information141
Microfilter101
Microphone
– for telephone14
– for voice command
system14
Mirror dimming feature49
Mirrors48
– automatic curb monitor48
– folding in and out48
– heating48
– memory, refer to Seat, mirror
and steering wheel
memory43
"Missed calls"182
Missed calls183
Mobile phone
– accepted calls183
– adjusting volume180
– calling181
– ending call181
– installation location, refer to
Center armrest106
– missed calls183
– operation by voice185
– operation via iDrive180
– redialing183
– refer to separate operating
instructions
– Top 8183
– touch tone dialing, refer to
Tone dialing method184