2009 BMW 135I power steering

Driving
54
Cruise control*
The concept
You can use the cruise control feature begin-
ning at approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. The car then
stores and maintains the speed that you specify
using the lever on the steering column.
Do not use cruise control when driving at
constant speed is prevented by adverse
conditions, e.g. winding roads, dense traffic or
poor road conditions due to, e.g. snow, rain, ice
or loose surfaces. Otherwise you could lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result.<
One lever for all functions
1Storing and maintaining speed or accelerat-
ing
2Storing and maintaining speed or deceler-
ating
3Deactivating cruise control
4Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Maintaining current speed
Tap the lever, arrow 1, or pull it briefly, arrow 2.
The car's current speed is stored and main-
tained. It is briefly displayed in the instrument
cluster.
If the engine braking power is insufficient on a
downhill slope, the set speed may be exceeded.
On uphill gradients, it may prove impossible to
maintain the set speed if engine power output is
insufficient.
Increasing speed
Repeatedly press the lever, arrow 1, until the
desired speed is reached.
Each time the lever is pressed lightly, the speed
is increased by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.
Accelerating using the lever
Press the lever, arrow 1, until the desired speed
is reached.
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system stores and
maintains the speed.
Decreasing speed
Repeatedly pull the lever, arrow 2, until the
desired speed is reached.
The functions are the same as when the set
speed is increased or the vehicle is accelerated,
except that in this case the speed decreases.
Deactivating cruise control
Tap the lever upwards or downwards, arrow3.
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-
vated:
>When you brake the vehicle
>When you depress the clutch of a manual
transmission or shift to neutral
>When you select the automatic transmis-
sion's neutral position N
>When the vehicle travels faster or slower
than the set speed for an extended period,
e.g. when the accelerator is depressed
>When you activate DTC or deactivate DSC
>When DSC is intervening
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press the button, arrow4.
The last stored speed is resumed and main-
tained.
The stored speed is briefly displayed in the
instrument cluster.
The stored speed is cleared when the ignition is
switched off.

Lamps
76
Adaptive Head Light*
The concept
Adaptive Head Light is a variable headlamp
control system that enables better illumination
of the road surface. Depending on the steering
angle and other parameters, the light from the
headlamp follows the course of the road.
I n t i g h t c u r v e s a t s p e e d s u p t o 4 0 m p h / 7 0 k m / h ,
e.g. on mountainous roads or when turning, an
additional, corner-illuminating lamp is switched
on that lights up the inside area of the curve.
Activating Adaptive Head Light
With the ignition switched on, turn the light
switch to position 3, refer to page74.
The corner-illuminating lamp is switched on
automatically, depending on the steering wheel
angle or turn signal indicator.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adaptive
Head Light directs light towards the front pas-
senger side when the vehicle is at a standstill.
When you are reversing, only the corner-illumi-
nating lamps are active and switched on on
both sides.
Malfunction
The LED next to the symbol for automatic head-
lamp control flashes. Adaptive Head Light is
malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
High beams/roadside parking
lamps*
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
There is an additional option of switching on the
lamps on the side of the car facing the road
when parked.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the pressure point for approx.
1second, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for
unduly long periods of time, otherwise the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the
engine.<
Switching off
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the
pressure point, arrow 3.

Climate
80
Heating and ventilation, air conditioner*
1Air distribution
2Recirculated-air mode
3Air flow rate
4Cooling function
*
If the vehicle is not equipped with a cooling function, the rear window defroster is
located here.
5Temperature
6Rear window defroster
If the vehicle is not equipped with a cooling
function, this control is located at position 4.
Air distribution
Direct the flow of air to the win-
dows , to the upper body area
or to the footwell . Intermedi-
ate settings are possible.
Recirculated-air mode
If the air outside the car has an
unpleasant odor or contains pollut-
ants, shut off the supply to the
interior of the car temporarily. The
system then recirculates the air currently within
the vehicle. You can also activate/deactivate the
recirculated-air mode by means of a button
* on
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
If condensation starts to form on the
inside window surfaces during operation
in the recirculated-air mode, you should switch
it off while also increasing the air flow rate as
required.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
continuously for lengthy periods, otherwise the
quality of the air inside the car will gradually
deteriorate.<
Air flow rate
Adjust the air flow rate. The higher
the rate, the more effective the
heating or cooling will be.
The air flow rate may be reduced or
the blower may be switched off entirely to save
on battery power. The display remains the
same.
Switching the system on/off
To switch on the system, set the desired air flow
rate.
Turn the air flow rate rotary switch to 0. Blower
and air conditioner are completely switched off
and the air supply is cut off.
Switching the cooling function* on/off
The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air
before reheating it as required,
according to the temperature set-
ting. This function is only available while the
engine is running.
The cooling function helps prevent condensa-
tion on the windows or removes it quickly.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
83
The automatic climate control goes into recir-
culated-air mode at the lowest temperature. Air
flows at maximum rate from the vents for the
upper body area. You should therefore open
them for maximum cooling.
AUTO program
The AUTO program adjusts the air
distribution to the windshield and
side windows, towards the upper
body area and into the footwell for you. The air
flow rate and your temperature specifications
will be adapted to outside influences as a result
of seasonal changes, e.g. sunlight or window
condensation.
The cooling is switched on automatically with
the AUTO program.
Convertible program
The Convertible program is active when the
convertible top is open. In the Convertible pro-
gram, the automatic climate control is opti-
mized for driving with the convertible top down.
In addition, the air flow rate is increased as vehi-
cle speed increases.
The effectiveness of the Convertible pro-
gram can be enhanced considerably by
installing the wind deflector.<
Adjusting air flow rate manually
Press the left side of the button to
reduce airflow. Press the right side
of the button to increase it. You can
reactivate the automatic mode for the air flow
rate with the AUTO button.
The air flow rate may be reduced or the blower
may be switched off entirely to save on battery
power. The display remains the same.
Switching the system on/off
With the blower at its lowest setting, press the
left side of the button to switch off the auto-
matic climate control. All displays are cleared
except for the rear window defroster if it is
switched on.
Press any button except REST or rear window defroster to reactivate the automatic climate
control.
The recirculated-air mode is switched on
when you switch off the automatic cli-
mate control. If the air quality deteriorates or the
window fogs over, switch the system back on
and increase the air volume.<
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC/Recirculated-air mode
Switch on the desired operating
mode by pressing this button
repeatedly:
>LED off: outside air flows in continuously.
>Left-hand LED on, AUC mode: a sensor
detects pollutants in the outside air. If nec-
essary, the system blocks the supply of out-
side air and recirculates the inside air. As
soon as the concentration of pollutants in
the outside air has decreased sufficiently,
the system automatically switches back to
outside air supply.
>Right-hand LED on, recirculated-air mode:
the supply of outside air is permanently
shut off. The system then recirculates the
air currently within the vehicle.
If condensation starts to form on the
inside window surfaces during operation
in the recirculated-air mode, you should switch
it off while also increasing the air flow rate as
required.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
continuously for lengthy periods, otherwise the
quality of the air inside the car will gradually
deteriorate.<
Via the button* on the steering wheel
You can use a button on the steering wheel,
refer to page11, to select between the different
modes.
Residual heat
The heat stored in the engine is
used to heat the passenger com-
partment, e.g. while stopped at a
school to pick up a child.

Practical interior accessories
88
Calibrating the digital compass
The digital compass must be calibrated in the
following situations:
>An incorrect compass direction is shown.
>The compass direction shown does not
change although the direction of travel
does.
>Not all compass directions are shown.
Procedure
1.Make sure that no large metal objects or
overhead power lines are in the vicinity of
your vehicle and that you have enough
space to drive in a circle.
2.Set the currently valid compass zone.
3.Convertible: ensure that the convertible top
is fully closed.
4.Press the adjustment button for approx.
6-7 seconds to call up C. Then drive in at
least one full circle at a speed of no more
than 4mph or 7km/h.
If calibration is successful, the display
changes from C to a compass direction.
5.Convertible: open the convertible top fully
and repeat step 4.
Setting right-hand/left-hand steering
Your digital compass is factory-set to right-
hand or left-hand steering, in accordance with
your vehicle.
Setting the language
You can set the language of the display:
Press the adjustment button for approx.
12-13 seconds. Briefly press the adjustment
button again to switch between English, "E",
and German, "O".
The setting is automatically saved after approx.
10 seconds.
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle.
The light in the glove compartment comes on.
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-
dent while the vehicle is being driven,
close the glove compartment immediately after
use.<
Closing
Fold cover up.
Locking
To lock the glove compartment, use the inte-
grated key of the remote control, refer to
page18.
Center armrest*
Storage compartment
The center armrest between the front seats
contains a credit card holder and, depending on
the equipment version, a compartment or a
snap-in adapter
*.

Things to remember when driving
98 with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page111.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise greater clutch
wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page66.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page50.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in neutral or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, engine
braking action will not be present or there will be
no power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be
impaired.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
General information on caring for your BMW
can be found on page120.

Giving and receiving assistance
132 Your BMW has a special nut as body ground or
negative pole.
5.Attach the second terminal clamp of the
minus/– jumper cable to the negative termi-
nal of the battery or to the engine or body
ground of the vehicle to be started.
Starting the engine
1.Start the engine of the donor vehicle and
allow it to run for a few minutes at slightly
increased idle speed.
2.Start the engine on the other vehicle in the
usual way.
If the first start 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 above connecting sequence.
If necessary, have the battery checked and
recharged.
Never use spray fluids to start the
engine.<
Tow-starting, towing away
Observe the applicable laws and regula-
tions for tow-starting and towing vehi-
cles.<
Do not transport any passengers other
than the driver in a vehicle that is being
towed.<
Using a tow fitting
The screw-in tow fitting must always be carried
in the car. It can be screwed in at the front or
rear of the BMW.
It is stored with the onboard tool kit underneath
the floor mat in the cargo bay, refer to page124.
Use only the tow fitting provided with the
vehicle and screw it all the way in. Use the
tow fitting for towing on paved roads only. Avoid
lateral loading of the tow fitting, e.g. do not lift
the vehicle by the tow fitting. Otherwise the tow
fitting and the vehicle could be damaged.<
Access to screw thread
Rectangular cover panel in bumper:
Press the arrow on the cover.
Front
Rear
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on,
refer to page47, otherwise the low-beam
headlamps, tail lamps, turn s i g n a l i n d i c a t o r s a n d
windshield wipers may be unavailable. Power
steering assistance is not available when the
engine is not running. Thus, braking and steer-
ing will require increased effort. Active steering

Indicator and warning lamps
136Remote control malfunctioning or, in
cars with convenient access, not
presentThe engine cannot be started. Have the
remote control checked, if necessary.
Battery of remote control dischargedUse the remote control for a longer
journey or, in cars with convenient
access, replace the battery.
Belt tensioners and/or airbag system
failedHave the system checked immediately.
Active steering defective You can continue your journey.
Steering characteristics are modified
and steering wheel could be off-center.
Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Steering assistance failed Markedly different steering response.
You can continue your journey, but
moderate your speed and exercise due
caution.
Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Lights up:
Emergency Request system has failed
or is malfunctioningHave the system checked as soon as
possible.
Lights up in red:
Engine malfunction Stop the car and switch off the engine.
You cannot continue your journey.
Contact your BMW center.
Lights up in yellow:
Full engine power is no longer available You can continue your journey, but
moderate your speed and exercise due
caution. Have the engine checked as
soon as possible.
Indication in US models:
Warning lamp flashes:
Engine malfunction under high load.
High engine load will result in damage
to the catalytic converterYou can continue your journey, but
moderate your speed and exercise due
caution. Have the vehicle checked
without delay.
Warning lamp comes on:
Engine malfunction with adverse effect
on exhaust emissionsHave the car checked as soon as possi-
ble.
12Cause Special actions to be taken