
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 
page242.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
21Letters and numbers
22Voice activation system
Controls
26Opening and closing
42Adjustments
52Transporting children safely
55Driving
69Everything under control
82Technology for driving comfort and 
safety
93Lamps
97Climate
102Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
116Things to remember when driving
Navigation
124Navigation system
125Destination entry
135Destination guidance
141What to do if …
Entertainment
144On/off and tone
147Radio
150Satellite radio
152CD player and CD changer
159Music collection
163AUX-IN port
164USB-audio interface/mobile phone audio 
interface
Communications
170Telephone
181Contacts
183BMW Assist
Mobility
192Refueling
194Wheels and tires
206Under the hood
211Maintenance
213Care
217Replacing components
224Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
232Technical data
236Short commands for the voice activation 
system
242Everything from A - Z 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
9Instrument cluster12
12Ignition lock55
13Buttons on the steering wheel15Horn, the entire surface
16Adjusting the steering wheel50
18Releasing the hood206
19Opening the luggage compartment lid31 8
Turn signals59
High beams, headlamp flasher95
Roadside parking lamps
*95
Computer70
Settings and information about the 
vehicle72
Instrument lighting95
10
Windshield wipers60
Rain sensor
*60
11Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine55
Telephone
*:
>Press: accepting and ending a 
call; dialing
* the selected 
phone number; redialing if no 
phone number is selected
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice acti-
vation system
*22
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers
Next entertainment source
Recirculated-air mode99
14
Steering wheel heating
*51
17
Cruise control
*61
Active cruise control
*63 

At a glance
 15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Coupe: microphone for voice activation 
system
* and for telephone in hands-free 
mode
*
Convertible: microphone on steering col-
umn
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request 
call
*224
3Reading lamps96
4Coupe: glass roof, electric
*37
5Interior lamps96
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*91
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Dynamic Traction Control DTC83
10Central locking system30
11Automatic climate control
12CD/DVD drive15213Changing the audio and entertainment 
sources
14Selecting AM or FM waveband
15Changing
>Radio station147
>Track152
17Controller16 
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four 
directions
18Buttons on the controller16
Selecting menus directly
20Programmable memory keys20
21Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume144
22Ejecting CD/DVD152 Air distribution to the 
windshield98
Air distribution to the upper body 
area98
Air distribution to the footwell98
Automatic air distribution and flow 
rate98
Cooling function100
Automatic recirculated-air control 
AUC99
Recirculated-air mode99
Maximum cooling98
Residual heat mode99
Air flow rate99
Defrosting windows99
Rear window defroster100
16
Heated seats*47
Park Distance Control PDC
*82
Coupe: 
Roller sun blind
*105
Coupe: 
Hill Descent Control HDC
*84
19Convertible:
Opening and closing retractable 
hardtop38 

Controls
 27Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page76
>Date format, refer to page77
>Brightness of Control Display, refer to 
page80
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page80
>Units of measure, refer to page72
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page82
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page93
>Pathway lighting, refer to page94
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page94
>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 page98 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page144
>Tone control, refer to page144
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page145
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
>Convertible: glove compartment
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
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 
page32.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page30.
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.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable 
hardtop with the remote control, the 
doors and luggage compartment lid must be 
closed and the cargo bay partition must be 
folded down and engaged on both sides. Refer 
also to page39.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on.
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. 

Opening and closing
28 1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3."Unlock button"
4.Select a menu item:
>"All doors"
Press the   button once to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
>"Driver's door only"
Pressing the  button once unlocks 
the driver's door and fuel filler door.
Press the button twice to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
>"Comfort opening", refer to page28
5.Press the controller.
Coupe: convenient opening
Hold the   button down.
The windows and the glass roof
* are opened.
Convertible: convenient opening*
Within a range of approx. 13 ft/4 m from the 
vehicle, you can open the retractable hardtop 
using the remote control for convenient access.
Hold the   button down.
The windows and the retractable hardtop are 
opened if the doors are closed.
If you continue pressing the   button, the win-
dows move up.
Watch during the opening process to 
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing 
the button interrupts the opening process.<
Locking
Press the   button.
Convertible: convenient closing*
Within a range of approx. 13 ft/4 m from the 
vehicle, you can close the retractable hardtop 
and the windows using the remote control for 
convenient access.
Hold the   button down.
The retractable hardtop and the windows are 
closed.
Watch during the closing process to 
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing 
the button interrupts the closing process.<
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 
back and up when opened. Ensure that 
there is sufficient clearance. To avoid locking 
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-
gage compartment lid has not been inadvert-
ently unlocked.<
Convertible: convenient loading*
Within a range of approx. 13ft/4m from the vehi-
cle you can use the remote control for conve-
nient access to half close the retractable hard-
top when it is open to ease loading of the cargo 
bay.
1.Briefly press the   button and, within one 
second, press again and hold until the 
retractable hardtop stops in an intermediate  

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
position. The luggage compartment lid 
opens slightly.
2.Open the luggage compartment lid, press 
the cargo bay partition upward and stow the 
cargo in the cargo bay.
3.Press down the cargo bay partition until it 
engages on both sides and close the lug-
gage compartment lid.
4.Press the   button for a longer period to 
fold the retractable hardtop back in.
Confirmation signals
You can activate or deactivate the confirmation 
signals.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3."Flash when lock./unlock."
4.Press the controller.
 Flashing when locking/unlocking the vehi-
cle is switched on.
Malfunctions
The remote control may malfunction due to 
local radio waves. If this occurs, unlock and lock 
the car at the door lock with the integrated key.
Coupe: in vehicles without an alarm system
* or 
convenient access
*, only the driver's door can 
be locked and unlocked with the integrated key 
via the door lock.
Convertible: if hardtop movement via the 
remote control is interrupted briefly, the move-
ment will be completed more quickly if you keep 
the corresponding button pressed continu-
ously.If the car can no longer be locked with a remote 
control, the battery in the remote control is dis-
charged. Use the remote control on an 
extended trip to recharge the battery, refer to 
page26. The remote control for convenient 
access
* contains a battery that may have to be 
changed, refer to page35.
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply with 
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications 
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-
erned by the following:
FCC ID:
LX8766S 
LX8766E 
LX8CAS
Compliance statement: 
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC 
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two 
conditions:
>This device must not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>This device must accept any interference 
received, including interference that may 
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or 
changes to these devices could void the 
user's authority to operate this equipment.<
Opening and closing:
Using the door lock
You can set the way in which the car is 
unlocked, refer to page27. 

Opening and closing
30
Coupe
In vehicles without an alarm system* or 
convenient access
*, only the driver's 
door can be locked via the door lock.<
To lock all doors, the fuel filler door and the lug-
gage compartment lid at once:
1.With the doors closed, lock the vehicle 
using the button for the central locking sys-
tem in the interior, refer to page30.
2.Unlock and open the driver's or front pas-
senger's door, refer to page31.
3.Lock the vehicle.
>Lock the driver's door via the door lock 
using the integrated key, or
>push down the locking knob on the front 
passenger's door and close the door 
from the outside.
Convenient operation
Coupe: if the vehicle is equipped with an alarm 
system
* or convenience access*, you can also 
operate the windows and the glass roof
* via the 
door lock.
Convertible: you can operate the windows and 
the retractable hardtop via the door lock.
Hold the key in the position for unlocking or 
locking.
During each closing procedure, and when 
opening the retractable hardtop, watch 
the process and ensure that no one becomes 
trapped. Releasing the key stops the opera-
tion.<
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can 
lock and unlock the driver's door by turning the 
integrated key to the corresponding limit posi-
tions in the door lock.
Opening and closing:
From inside
This button serves to unlock or lock doors and 
the luggage compartment lid, but does not acti-
vate the anti-theft system. The fuel filler door 
remains unlocked.
Automatic locking
You can also set the situations in which the car 
locks:
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3.Select the desired function:
>"Lock if no door is opened" 
The central locking system locks the 
vehicle after a brief time if no door has 
been opened.
>"Lock after start. to drive" 
The central locking system locks the 
vehicle when you drive away.
 Automatic locking is switched on and is 
stored for the remote control currently in use. 

Controls
 33Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Arming and disarming
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.
You can open the luggage compartment lid 
even when the alarm system is armed, by 
pressing the   button on the remote control, 
refer to page28. The lid is locked and moni-
tored again as soon as you close it.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find 
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the   button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page27.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside 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. The interior m o t i o n  s e n s o r  a n d  
the tilt alarm sensor are not activated.>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking: 
your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote control is inserted in the 
ignition, but for no longer than 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. to attempts to steal a wheel 
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
Coupe
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must 
be completely closed
*.
Convertible
The interior of the car is monitored up to the 
height of the seat cushions. Thus the alarm sys-
tem is activated together with the interior 
motion sensor even if the hardtop is open. The 
alarm can be triggered unintentionally by falling 
objects such as leaves, refer to Avoiding unin-
tentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following 
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains, 
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the   button on the remote control 
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and