
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
4Folding exterior mirrors in and out*49
5Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*49
1Convertible: opening and closing 
windows jointly35 
2Convertible: opening and closing 
rear windows35 
3Opening and closing front 
windows35 6
Parking lamps93
Low beams93
Automatic headlamp control
*93
Adaptive Head Light
*94
7
Fog lamps95 

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
Some lamps are checked for proper functioning 
and thus come on briefly when the engine is 
started or the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the top edge of the Control 
Display describe the meanings of the indicator 
and warning lamps.
You can call up more information, e.g. on the 
cause of a malfunction and on how to respond, 
via Check Control, refer to page77.
In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
High beams/headlamp flasher95
Fog lamps95
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability84
Parking brake applied56
Canada: parking brake applied56
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on exhaust emissions212
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on exhaust 
emissions212 

Controls
 93Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lamps off, 
daytime running lamps
1Parking lamps and daytime running lamps
2Low-beam headlamps and welcome lamps
3Automatic headlamp control
*, daytime run-
ning lamps, welcome lamps and Adaptive 
Head Light
*
When you open the driver's door with the igni-
tion switched off, the exterior lighting is auto-
matically switched off if the light switch is in 
position 0, 2 or 3.
Switch on the parking lamps if necessary, 
switch position 1.
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side 
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the 
parking lamps for parking.
The parking lamps will discharge 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. It is preferable to switch on the left-
hand or right-hand roadside parking lamps, 
refer to page95.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is 
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is in position3, the low beams 
are switched on and off automatically depend-
ing on ambient light conditions, e.g. in a tunnel, 
in twilight, or if there is precipitation. The Adap-
tive Head Light
* is active. The LED next to the 
symbol is illuminated when the low beams are 
on. You can also activate the daytime running 
lamps, refer to page94. In the situations 
described above, the lamps then automatically 
switch from daytime running lamps to low 
beams.
The headlamps may also come on when the 
sun is sitting low on a blue sky.
The low beams remain switched on 
regardless of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps.<
The automatic headlamp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for your personal 
judgment in determining when the lamps 
should be switched on in response to ambient 
lighting conditions. For example, the system 
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should always switch on the 
low-beam headlamps manually under these 
conditions.<
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in position 2 or 3 
when you park the car, the parking lamps and 
the interior lamps light up briefly when you 
unlock the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating welcome 
lamps
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting" 

Controls
 95Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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 a longer 
period, 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.
Fog lamps
The parking lamps or low beams must 
be switched on for the fog lamps to 
operate. The green indicator lamp in 
the instrument cluster lights up whenever the 
fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps are switched off while you acti-
vate the headlamp flasher or switch on the high 
beams.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument 
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low 
beams are switched on.
1.Push button 1 up or down repeatedly until 
the appropriate symbol appears in the dis-
play, accompanied by the brightness set-
ting and scale the word "SET".
2.Press button 2. 

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: