
Controls
 79Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Everything under control
Odometer, outside 
temperature display, clock, 
date
1Time, outside temperature and date
2Odometer and trip odometer
3Press button:
>with ignition switched on, trip odometer 
is reset
>with ignition switched off, time, outside 
temperature, and odometer are briefly 
displayed.
From radio readiness the outside temperature 
and the time are displayed.
Date retrieval: 
Press CHECK button on turn signal lever, refer 
to page85.
Time and date setting, refer to page87.
You can set the unit of measure 7 or 6 on the 
Control Display, refer to Units of measure on 
page89.
Outside temperature warning
If the display drops to +377/+36, a signal 
sounds and a warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. There is 
an increased danger of ice.
Even at temperatures above +377/
+36 ice can form. Therefore, drive care-
fully, e.g. on bridges and sections of road in the 
shade, otherwise there is an increased accident 
risk.<
Tachometer
Avoid engine speeds in the white-striped 
advance warning field, arrow1, if possible.
Be sure to avoid engine speeds in the red warn-
ing field, arrow2. At high revs in this range, the 
flow of fuel is interrupted to protect the engine.
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant, and with it the engine 
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In 
addition, a message appears on the Control 
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page235. 

Everything under control
80
Energy Control
Displays the current fuel consumption. This 
allows you to see whether your current driving 
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 18.5 US gal/
70 liters, including the reserve capacity of 
approx. 2.1 US gal/8 liters.
550i: approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters reserve 
capacity. 
You will find information on refueling on 
page220.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period, 
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for 
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
Reserve
After the reserve quantity has been reached, a 
message briefly appears on the Control Display; 
the remaining range is shown in the computer. 
Below a range of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the 
message remains on the Control Display.
Refuel as soon as possible once your 
cruising range falls below 30 miles/50 km, otherwise engine functions are not 
ensured and damage can occur.<
Computer
Displays in instrument cluster
Press the button on the turn signal lever.
The following information is displayed in the 
specified order:
>Cruising range
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
>No information
Cruising range
Displays the estimated cruising range available 
with the remaining fuel. The range is projected 
based on the driving style over the last 20 miles/
30 km.
Refuel as soon as possible once your 
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not 
ensured and damage can occur.<
Average speed
Periods with the vehicle parked and the engine 
switched off are not included in the calculations 
of average speed.
To reset average speed: press BC button on 
turn signal lever for approx. 2 seconds.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for 
the time during which the engine is running. 

Controls
 81Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
To reset average fuel consumption: press BC 
button on turn signal lever for approx. 2 sec-
onds.
For different routes
You can display the average speed and average 
consumption for two different routes on the 
Control Display, refer to the following and to 
Trip computer
*.
Displays on Control Display
You can also call up the computer via iDrive. 
For operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the right to open 
"Navigation".
 Without navigation system
*:
Open "Car Data".
3.Select "Car Data" and press the controller.
4.Select "Onboard info" and press the con-
troller.>Estimated time of arrival at destination and 
remaining distance:
>Entering a distance manually in the com-
puter, see below.
>Entering a destination in the navigation 
system
*, refer to page144.
>Cruising range
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
Resetting values
You can reset the values for the average speed 
and average fuel consumption:
1.Select the respective menu item and press 
the controller.
2.To confirm your selection, press the con-
troller again.
Entering a distance manually
1.Select "Distance to dest." and press the 
controller.
2.Turn the controller to select the distance to 
your destination.
3.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The distance is automatically preset during the 
destination guidance of the navigation sys-
tem
*.
Trip computer*
The trip computer is suitable, for example, for a 
vacation trip.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Open "Navigation".
Without navigation system
*:
Open "Car Data". 

Everything under control
82 3.Select "Car Data" and press the controller.
4.Select "Trip computer" and press the con-
troller.
>Departure time
>Driving time
>Distance traveled
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
Starting or stopping the trip computer, or reset-
ting all values:
1.Select "Set" and press the controller.
2.Select the desired menu item.
3.Press the controller.
Display options
You can display the computer or the trip com-
puter in the assistance window.
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Onboard info" or "Trip computer".3.Press the controller.
Service requirements
The remaining driving distance and the date for 
the next maintenance are displayed briefly with 
the ignition switched on.
Your BMW Service Advisor can deter-
mine your vehicle's current service 
requirements by reading out the data stored in 
the remote control.<
Additional information
You can select a display of more detailed infor-
mation on the maintenance scope on the Con-
trol Display. For operating principle refer to 
page16.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Info sources" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "Service Info" and press the control-
ler. 

Controls
 99Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 95 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, cargo bay full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a 
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of 
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This 
includes reduced tracking stability in braking, 
extended braking distance and altered natural 
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations or loud noises occur while 
the vehicle is being driven, this can indicate final 
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and 
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible, 
otherwise pieces of the tire could become 
detached and cause an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving, but instead contact your BMW 
center.<
Malfunction
The yellow warning lamp flashes and 
then lights up continuously. The tires 
are shown in gray on the Control Dis-
play and a message is displayed. No flat tire can 
be detected.
A message like this is displayed in the following 
situations:
>In case of a malfunction;
have the system checked.
>If a wheel is mounted without TPM elec-
tronics.
>If TPM is temporarily interfered with by 
other systems or devices which use the 
same radio frequency.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring 
Systems
Each tire, including the spare, should be 
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the 
inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle 
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label. If your vehicle has tires of a 
different size than the size indicated on the 
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, 
you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires. As an added safety fea-
ture, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire 
pressure monitoring system, TPMS, that illumi-
nates a low tire pressure telltale when one or 
more of your tires are significantly underin-
flated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure 
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check 
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them 
to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly 
underinflated tire causes the tire to overheat 
and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also 
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and 
may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping 
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a sub-
stitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the 
driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire 
pressure, even if underinflation has not reached 
the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low 
tire pressure telltale.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined 
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys-
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash 
for approximately one minute and then remain 
continuously illuminated. This sequence will 
continue upon subsequent vehicle startups as 
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator lights up, the system may not 
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as 
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a 
variety of reasons, including the installation of 
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the 
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning 
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction 
telltale after replacing one or more tires or 
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the 
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow 
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Active steering*
The concept
The active steering is a system that actively var-
ies the steering angle of the front wheels in rela-
tion to the steering wheel movements.
When you are driving in the low road speed 
range, e. g. in a town or when parking, the steer-
ing angle increases, i.e. the steering becomes  

Things to remember when driving
134
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to 
each other. To ensure that your vehicle contin-
ues to provide optimized economy of operation 
throughout an extended service life, we request 
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds, 
however do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph/
160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the 
transmission's kick-down mode during these 
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be 
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their 
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in 
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the 
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of 
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized 
contact and wear patterns between brake pads 
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during 
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx. 
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period, 
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced 
after subsequent driving operation.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends 
on various factors. Through a few simple steps, 
your driving style, and regular maintenance, you 
can have a positive influence on your fuel con-
sumption and environmental impact.
Removing unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Removing add-on parts after use
Remove unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear 
luggage racks after use. Add-on parts attached 
to the vehicle impede the aerodynamics and 
increase the fuel consumption.
Closing windows and glass sunroof
An open glass sunroof or open windows like-
wise increase the drag coefficient and therefore 
the fuel consumption.
Checking tire inflation pressures 
regularly
Check and correct the tire inflation pressure as 
needed at least twice a month and before long 
trips.
An insufficient tire inflation pressure increases 
the rolling resistance and thus increases the 
fuel consumption and tire wear.
Driving off immediately
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicle remains stationary. 
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine 
speed. This is the fastest way for the cold 
engine to reach its operating temperature. 

Driving tips
 135Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Thinking ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking. 
To do so, maintain the appropriate distance 
from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory 
and smooth driving style reduces fuel con-
sumption.
Avoiding high engine speeds
Use 1st gear only for starting off. Accelerate 
rapidly in 2nd gear and above. Avoid high 
engine speeds in doing so and shift into the 
next gear early.
When you have reached the desired speed, 
shift into the highest possible gear and drive 
with the lowest possible engine speed while 
maintaining a constant a vehicle speed.
In general: driving at a low engine speed 
reduces fuel consumption and minimizes wear.
Taking advantage of coasting
When approaching a red light, let off the gas 
and allow the vehicle to coast to a stop in the 
highest possible gear.
On steep roadways, let off the gas and allow the 
vehicle to roll in the appropriate gear.
The flow of fuel is interrupted when coasting.
Switching off the engine during longer 
stops
Switch off the engine at longer stops such as 
traffic signals, railroad crossings, or in traffic 
jams. Even having the engine switched off for 
approx. 4 seconds results in fuel savings.
Switching off functions currently not 
required
Functions such as the cooling function of the 
automatic climate control, seat heating or rear 
window defroster draw large amounts of power 
and consume additional fuel. Their influence is 
particularly pronounced in city traffic and stop & 
go operation. For this reason, it is a good idea to 
switch these functions off when they are not 
really needed.
Having maintenance carried out
Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to 
achieve the optimum economy and service life 
of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the 
maintenance performed by a BMW center. Also 
please pay attention to the BMW maintenance 
system, refer to page237.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid/tailgate is com-
pletely closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could 
enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lug-
gage compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass sunroof or 
panorama glass sunroof.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to 
page116.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated on the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed 
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to 
them. When driving, standing at idle and while 
parking take care to avoid possible contact 
between the hot exhaust system and any highly 
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass, 
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it 
the risk of serious property damage as well as 
personal injury. Do not touch hot exhaust tail 
pipes. Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, 
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge 
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or 
complete loss of contact between the tires and  

Mobility
This section helps you maintain your car's
mobility by supplying important information
on vital topics, including fuels and lubricants,
wheels and tires, service, maintenance and
breakdown assistance.
Mobility