
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use 
the index, refer to page270.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
24Voice command system
Controls
30Opening and closing
47Adjusting
58Transporting children safely
62Driving
79Everything under control
90Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
108Lamps
114Climate
121Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
134Things to remember when driving
Navigation
142Starting navigation system
144Destination entry
156Destination guidance
165What to do if …
Entertainment
168On/off and tone
172Radio
179Satellite radio
182CD player and CD changer
188AUX-IN connection
189USB-audio interface/mobile phone audio 
interface
Communications
194Telephoning
209BMW Assist
Mobility
220Refueling
222Wheels and tires
232Under the hood
237Maintenance
239Care
243Replacing components
253Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
260Technical data
265Short commands of voice command 
system
270Everything from A to Z 

At a glance
 15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for hands-free mode for tele-
phone
* and for voice command 
system
*24
2Reading lamps113
3SOS: initiating
 an emergency request253
4Interior lamps112
5Glass sunroof
*, electric43
Panorama glass sunroof45
6Passenger airbag status lamp101
7Control Display16 
Displays for menu navigation
8Hazard warning flashers
9Central locking system35
10Automatic climate control114
11Changing
>radio station172
>track168
12Ejecting
>navigation DVD
*142
>audio CD182
13Programmable memory buttons22
14Drive for navigation DVDs
*14215Drive for audio CDs182
16Switching Entertainment sound output on/
off and adjusting volume168
18Controller16 
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four 
directions
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Selecting AM or FM waveband
21Selecting radio, CD and CD changer Temperature setting, left/
right115
Automatic air distribution and 
volume115
Cooling function117
AUC Automatic recirculated-air 
control117
Recirculated-air mode117 
Maximum cooling117
Air volume116
Defrosting windows and removing 
condensation116
Rear window defroster116
17
Heated seats*53
Active seat ventilation
*54
Adjusting active backrest 
width
*49
Active seat
*54
PDC Park Distance Control
*90
DTC Dynamic Traction Control92
Opening luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
*36,37 

iDrive
18
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying 
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>AUX-IN connection
>USB-audio interface
* for external audio 
device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Seat heater distribution
*
>Parked car operation*
 menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central 
locking system
>Display of maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page62, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is hidden after approx. 10 sec-
onds.
Start menu
You can open all of the iDrive functions using 
five menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the   button. 

iDrive
22
Switching assistance window off/on
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Assist. window off" and press the 
controller.
To switch on, change to the assistance window 
and press the controller.
Switching Control Display 
off/on
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
To switch on, press the controller.
Programmable memory 
buttons
You can save and request certain functions of 
iDrive on the programmable memory buttons:
>Destinations of navigation>Telephone, phone numbers
>Entertainment:
>radio station
>CD
>CD compartment of CD changer
*
>AUX
>USB-audio interface
*
The assignment of the programmable buttons 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Saving function
Destinations of navigation
1.Select navigation destination, e.g. in the 
destination list or the address book.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
Special features:
>With the destination guidance system and 
the map view started, the current destina-
tion is stored.
>During destination entry via a map, the 
coordinates at the cursor are stored, not the 
current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select it in a list 
of the stored phone numbers, e.g. of the A-
Z list.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds.
If a name is assigned to the phone number, the 
name will also be stored.
Entertainment
In the Entertainment menu, the sound source 
currently heard, e.g. a radio station, is stored, 
regardless of the selection on the Control Dis-
play.
1.Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2.Press the   ...   button longer 
than 2 seconds. 

At a glance
 25Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
To have the system list the possible com-
mands:
For instance, if you have selected "CD", the 
commands available for operating the CD 
player and CD changer
* are read out.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a 
function, e.g.: 
Running functions directly with short 
commands
With short commands you can run certain func-
tions directly, regardless of which menu item is 
selected, refer to page265.
Opening start menuExample: selecting a track
1.Switch on Entertainment sound output if 
necessary.
2.Press the   button on the steering wheel.
5.Press the   button on the steering wheel. {Options}
{Help}
{Radio on} or {Turn radio on}
{Main menu}
3.{Entertainment} 
The system says: 
{{Entertainment}}
4.{CD} 
The system says: 
{{CD on}}
6.Select track, e.g.: 
{Track 1} 
The system says: 
{{Track 1}} 

On/off and tone
168
On/off and tone
The following audio sources have shared con-
trols and setting options:
>Professional
* radio or 
Business radio
>CD player
>CD changer
*
Controls
The audio sources can be operated using:
>Buttons in the area of the CD player
>iDrive
>Buttons on steering wheel, refer to page11
>Programmable memory buttons, refer to 
page22
Buttons in area of CD player
The layout of the buttons can vary depending 
on your vehicle's equipment.
One drive:
Two drives:1Entertainment sound output on/off, volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When the system is switched on, the 
most recently selected radio station or 
CD track is played.
>Turn: adjust volume.
2Drive for audio CDs
3 Eject CD
4 Station scan/track search
>Change radio station.
>Select track for CD player and 
CD changer.
5Drive for navigation DVDs
Operation via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
You have the following choices:
>"FM" and "AM": radio reception
>"WB": weatherband station
>"SAT": satellite radio
>"CD": CD player or CD changer
*
>"AUX"AUX-IN connection
>USB-audio interface
*
>"Set": depending on the audio source, 
other adjustments can be made, e.g. with 
the radio: update station with strongest  

CD player and CD changer
182
CD player and CD changer
Listening to CDs
Compressed audio files*
CDs with compressed audio files, i.e. MP3, can 
be played by the CD player, but not by the CD 
changer.
CD player: starting CD
With two drives:
The upper drive is for audio CDs.
Inserting CD
Insert the CD into the drive with the labeled side 
up. The CD is retracted.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is on. For CDs with compressed audio files, 
it can take up to approx. 1 minute to read in the 
data depending on the directory structure.
Via iDrive
To start playback when there is already a CD in 
the drive:
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "CD" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.With a CD changer, change to the second 
field from the top and turn the controller 
until "CD" is selected and press the control-
ler.
The CD player is started.
Playback starts automatically if the sound out-
put is switched on.About programmable memory buttons
You can store the CD player function on the 
programmable memory buttons. To start the 
CD player, refer to page22.
Eject CD
Press the   button next to CD player.
The CD emerges slightly from the drive.
CD changer: starting CD
Fill the CD magazine and insert, refer to 
page186.
* 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 183Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
Via iDrive
1.Press the   button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open 
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "CD" is selected and press 
the controller.
4.Change to the second field from the top if 
necessary. Turn the controller until the 
desired CD, CD 1 - 6, is selected and press 
the controller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD will be 
selected.
If the CD magazine has been newly filled, play-
back begins with the lowest CD, e.g. CD 1, 
track 1.
The CD magazine's load status is indicated on 
the Control Display.
About programmable memory buttons
You can store a CD compartment of the CD 
changer on the programmable memory but-
tons. To start the CD changer, refer to page22.
Selecting a track
Buttons next to CD player
Press the  button for the corresponding 
direction repeatedly until you reach the desired 
track.
The CD will start play at the start of the track. 
The track is displayed on the Control Display.
You can also change the track with buttons on 
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Via iDrive
Select a track by turning the controller.
Compressed audio files*
1.Select the directory if necessary and press 
the controller.
2.Select the track and press the controller.
To change the directory:
Select the directory and press the controller.