Mobility
205Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.
When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for winter roads
or at temperatures below +45°F/+7°C.
Although all-season M+S tires provide better
winter traction than summer tires, they gener-
ally fail to provide the same levels of cold-
weather performance as winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the
winter tires mounted on your car; failure
to do so could result in tire damage and acci-
dents.<
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum
tire inflation pressure indicated on the sidewall
of the tire.
Swapping wheels between axles
BMW advises against swapping wheels
between the front and rear axles, even if all tires
have the same size, as this could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels between the axles is not per-
missible.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link snow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW center for
more information.
Snow chains must be mounted in pairs and on
the rear wheels only. Observe the manufac-
turer's instructions when mounting snow
chains. Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph or
50 km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted, otherwise the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DTC temporarily, refer to
page83.<
Mobility
215Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
additive. For additional treatment, use a chrome
polish.
Light-alloy wheels
For technical reasons, dust is generated during
braking that is deposited on the light-alloy
wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-
free rim cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly
alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or
steam jets over 1407/606, otherwise dam-
age may occur.<
Outside sensors / cameras
Keep the sensors and cameras on the
outside of the vehicle, e.g. Park Distance
Control, clean and free of ice to ensure that they
remain fully functional.<
Interior care
Upholstery / cloth trim
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to
remove superficial dirt.
To treat severe stains, e.g. from beverages, use
a soft sponge or lint-free microfiber cloth in
combination with suitable interior cleaners. Fol-
low the instructions on the packaging.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams
using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong
rubbing.<
Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or
other articles of clothing can damage the
seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are
closed.<
Leather / leather trim
The leather used by BMW is a high quality
natural product. Slight irregularities in the
leather are a typical characteristic of natural
leather.<
Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the
leather have an abrasive effect, leading to
increased wear and causing the leather surface
to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or
vacuum cleaner.
In particular, ensure that light-colored leather is
cleaned regularly as it has a tendency to soil
more easily.
Treat the leather twice a year using a leather
lotion as dirt and grease will gradually attack the
leather's protective layer.
Carpets / cargo bay
You can vacuum the carpets and floor mats or
clean them with interior cleaner if heavily soiled.
The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.
When replacing the mats, ensure that the seat
rails do not extend over the floor mats, as this
may damage the mats.
Lint on the floor mats occurs for technical rea-
sons and can be removed by vacuuming
repeatedly.
Interior plastic parts
>Imitation leather surfaces
>Lamp glasses
>Display pane of instrument cluster
>Matt parts
Clean with water and solvent-free plastic
cleaner if necessary.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with a
damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Do not clean with cleaning agents as
these may destroy the fabric.<
Interior sensors / cameras
To clean interior sensors and cameras, use a
lint-free cloth moistened with glass cleaner.
Displays
To clean the displays, e.g. of the radio or instru-
ment cluster, use a display cleaning cloth or a
soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth.
Replacing components
218
Lamps and bulbs
Lamps and bulbs make an essential contribu-
tion to vehicle safety. They should, therefore,
be handled carefully. BMW recommends hav-
ing your BMW center perform any work that you
do not feel competent to perform yourself or
that is not described here.
Never touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare fingers, as even minute
amounts of contamination will burn into the
bulb's surface and reduce its service life. Use a
clean tissue, cloth or something similar, or hold
the bulb by its base.<
You can obtain a selection of replacement bulbs
at your BMW center.
Only change bulbs while they are cool to
the touch, otherwise you could suffer
burns.<
When working on electrical systems,
always begin by switching off the con-
sumer in question, otherwise short-circuits
could result. To avoid possible injury or equip-
ment damage when replacing bulbs, observe
any instructions provided by the bulb manufac-
turer.<
For care of the headlamps, please follow the
instructions in the chapter entitled 'Care'.
If the routine for changing a particular
bulb is not described here, please contact
your BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.<
Light-emitting diodes LED
Light-emitting diodes installed behind translu-
cent lenses serve as the light source for many of
the controls and displays in your vehicle. These
light-emitting diodes, which operate using a
concept similar to that applied in conventional
lasers, are officially designated as Class 1 light-
emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers or expose the
eyes directly to the unfiltered light source
for several hours, otherwise this could cause
irritation to the retina.<
Xenon lamps
These bulbs have a very long service life and are
highly unlikely to fail. If a xenon bulb fails never-
theless, switch on the fog lamps and continue
the journey with great care, provided that local
legislation does not prohibit this.
Have any work on the xenon lamp system,
including bulb replacements, performed
only by a BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise, if
such work is carried out improperly, the high
voltage in the system presents the danger of
fatal injuries.<
Access to the bulbs
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote
control out of the ignition lock.
2.Remove the upper cover from the head-
lamp. To do so, use a screwdriver to press
the catches towards the rear, see arrows,
and pull the cover forward and out.
Follow the same steps in reverse order to reat-
tach the cover.
Be careful when installing the cover, oth-
erwise leaks could occur and cause dam-
age to the headlamp system.<
Access through the wheel well
For turn signals only:
Mobility
219Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
1.Turn the wheel inwards.
2.Partially release the cover in the wheel well.
To do so, remove the corresponding
screws, see arrows.
3.Pull the cover back.
Parking lamps and roadside parking
lamps, daytime running lamps
H8 bulb, 35 watts
1.Remove the cover, refer to Access to the
bulbs.
2.Turn the bulb approx. 90°, see arrow, and
take it out.
3.Disconnect the plug, change the bulb and
reconnect the plug.
4.Insert the bulb and turn it until it stops.
5.Reattach the cover.
Corner-illuminating lamp*
H3 bulb, 55 watts
1.Switch off the lamps and take the remote
control out of the ignition lock.
2.Remove the cover, refer to Access to the
bulbs.3.Push the wire bracket out of the anchor
towards the right and fold it up.
4.Disconnect the plug, change the bulb and
reconnect the plug.
5.Insert the bulb.
6.Fold the wire bracket down and engage it.
7.Reattach the cover.
Turn signals, front
21-watt bulb, PY21W
or PY21W Silver Vision
1.Release the cover in the wheel well, refer to
Access through the wheel well on
page218.
2.Rotate turn signal bulb socket 1 to the left
and remove.
3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Insert turn signal bulb socket 1.
5.Reattach the cover in the wheel well.
Replacing components
222 4.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
5.Attach the bulb holder.
6.Reattach the trim of the luggage compart-
ment lid and the holder for the warning tri-
angle.
License plate lamp, center brake lamp,
parking/tail lamp
These lamps use LED technology for operation.
In the event of a malfunction, please contact
your BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with Run-Flat Tires as
standard. This removes the need to change a
wheel immediately in the event of a puncture.
For information on continuing to drive with a
damaged tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire on
page86.
The symbol identifying Run-Flat Tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall, refer to
Run-Flat Tires, page204.
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you. Refer
also to New wheels and tires, page204.
The tools for changing wheels are avail-
able as optional accessories from your
BMW center.<
Jack mounting points
The jacking points are at the positions shown in
the illustration.
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW center will be glad to advise in
all matters concerning the battery.
Charging the battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine off. Connections, refer to Jump starting
on page225.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by your
BMW center or hand them in to a recy-
cling center. Maintain the battery in an upright
position for transport and storage. Always
secure the battery against tipping over during
transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require
reinitialization. Individual settings may likewise
have been lost and will have to be programmed:
>Time and date
These values must be updated, refer to
page75.
Mobility
227Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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.
Coupe: it is stored in the onboard tool kit under-
neath the cover on the right-hand side of the
cargo bay, refer to page217.
Convertible: it is stored in the onboard tool kit
underneath the cargo bay floor, refer to
page217.
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
Release the cover panel in the bumper:
Press on the upper part of the cover panel.
Front
Rear
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on,
refer to page55, otherwise the low-beam headlamps, tail lamps, turn signal indicators and
windshield wipers may be unavailable.
Power steering assistance is not available when
the engine is not running. Thus, braking and
steering will require increased effort. Active
steering is not active and it will be necessary to
turn the steering wheel further.<
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
Automatic transmission
Selector lever in position N.
Changing selector lever positions, refer to
page58.
Do not exceed a towing speed of 45 mph
or 70 km/h and a towing distance of
90 miles/150 km, otherwise the automatic
transmission may be damaged.<
Towing methods
Do not lift the vehicle by a tow fitting or
body and chassis parts, otherwise dam-
age may result.<
With a tow bar
The towing vehicle must not be lighter
than the towed vehicle, otherwise it may
be impossible to maintain control.<
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 angle,
please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be sharply limited during cornering.
>The tow bar will generate lateral forces if it is
attached offset.
Attach the tow bar to the tow fittings only,
as attaching it to other parts of the vehicle
could result in damage.<
With a tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow rope is taut.
Giving and receiving assistance
228 To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Attach the tow rope to the tow fittings only, as
attaching it to other parts of the vehicle could
result in damage.<
With a tow truck: vehicle without xDrive
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Do not tow the vehicle with just the rear axle
raised as this may cause the steering to turn.
With a tow truck: vehicle with xDrive
Do not tow a BMW with xDrive with just
the front or rear axle raised, otherwise the
wheels could lock up and the transfer case
could be damaged.<
Have the BMW transported on a flatbed surface
only.
Tow-starting
Avoid tow-starting the vehicle whenever possi-
ble; instead, jump-start the engine, refer to
page225. Vehicles with a catalytic converter
should only be tow-started when the engine is
cold, vehicles with an automatic transmission
cannot be tow-started at all.1.Switch on hazard warning flashers, comply
with local regulations.
2.Switch on the ignition, refer to page55.
3.Shift into 3rd gear.
4.Have the vehicle tow-started with the clutch
depressed and slowly release the clutch.
After the engine starts, immediately
depress the clutch completely again.
5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope and switch off the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
6.Have the vehicle checked.
With xDrive: do not activate Hill Descent
Control HDC when the vehicle is being
tow-started, page84.<
Everything from A - Z
242
Everything from A - Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display
texts used to select
individual functions and
refers you to the page where
these texts can be found.
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System83
ACC, refer to Active cruise
control63
Accident, refer to Sending an
Emergency Request224
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate
control100
Active cruise control63
– indicator lamps66
– malfunction67
– selecting distance65
– sensor66
Active steering89
Adaptive brake light
– brake force display89
Adaptive Head Light94
Additives
– coolant209
Address, entering125,131
Address for navigation
– entering125,131
Adjusting temperature inside
the car, refer to Automatic
climate control98
Adjusting the thigh support43
Adjusting the tone during
audio operation, refer to
Tone control144
Airbags90
– indicator/warning lamp91
– sitting safely42Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control98
– ventilation100
Air distribution
– automatic98
Air flow rate99
Airing, refer to Ventilation100
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure194
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode99
Air supply
– automatic climate control98
– ventilation100
Air vents97
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications193
Alarm system32
– avoiding unintentional
alarms33
– interior motion sensor33
– switching off an alarm33
– tilt alarm sensor33
Albums of music
collection161
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires205
All-wheel drive, refer to
xDrive84
AM, waveband147
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode99
Antenna for mobile phone170
Antifreeze
– coolant209
– washer fluid61
Antilock Brake System
ABS83
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system32
Anti-theft system27
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights235Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights235
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest106
Arrival time, refer to
Computer71
Ashtray
– front108
– rear108
Assistance systems, refer to
Driving stability control
systems83
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control99
Audio144
– controls144
– switching on/off144
– tone control144
– volume144
Audio device, external106
Automatic
– air distribution98
– air flow rate98
– cruise control61,63
– headlamp control93
Automatic car washes213
Automatic climate control97
– automatic air distribution98
Automatic curb monitor50
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC99
Automatic Service
Request187
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic57
– interlock57,58
– overriding selector lever
lock59
– shiftlock, refer to Changing
selector lever position58
– sport program58
– towing
226
– tow-starting226