
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 

Notes
6
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts 
and accessories approved by BMW. 
When you purchase accessories tested and 
approved by BMW and Genuine BMW Parts, 
you simultaneously acquire the assurance that 
they have been thoroughly tested by BMW to 
ensure optimum performance when installed 
on your vehicle. 
BMW warrants these parts to be free from 
defects in material and workmanship. 
BMW will not accept any liability for damage 
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries not approved by BMW. 
BMW cannot test every product made by other 
manufacturers to verify if it can be used on a 
BMW safely and without risk to either the vehi-
cle, its operation or its occupants. 
Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and 
other products approved by BMW, together 
with professional advice on using these items, 
are available from all BMW centers. 
Installation and operation of non-BMW 
approved accessories such as alarms, radios, 
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension 
components, brake dust shields, telephones, 
including operation of any mobile phone from 
within the vehicle without using an externally 
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment 
such as CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radios or the 
like may cause extensive damage to the vehicle, 
compromise its safety, interfere with the vehi-
cle's electrical system, or affect the validity of 
the BMW Limited Warranty. See your BMW 
center for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of 
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive 
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<
California Proposition 65 Warning
California law requires us to issue the following 
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of 
automobile components and parts, 
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals 
known to the State of California to cause cancer 
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In 
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and 
certain products of component wear contain or 
emit chemicals known to the State of California 
to cause cancer and birth defects or other 
reproductive harm. 
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash 
your hands after handling. 
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have 
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always 
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with 
soap and water.< 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7Buttons on the steering wheel
8Instrument cluster12
11Ignition lock6212Horn, entire surface
15Releasing hood232 Mobile phone
*194:
>Press: accepting and ending 
call, starting dialing
* for 
selected phone number and 
redialing if no phone number is 
selected
>Press and hold: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice com-
mand system
* 24
Changing radio station172
Selecting music track183
Scrolling in phone book and in lists 
with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable
*56 
Individually programmable
*56 
Leaving lane warning
*106
9
Windshield wipers69
Rain sensor69
Sports Wagon: rear window 
wiper70
10Starting/stopping engine and 
switching ignition on/off 62
13
Steering wheel heater*56
Steering wheel adjustment56
14
Cruise control
*70
Active cruise control71
16Opening luggage compartment lid/
tailgate36, 37
17
Head-Up Display
*102
BMW Night Vision
*104
18Parking lamp108
Daytime running lamps
*109
Low beams108
Welcome lamps108
Automatic headlamp control
*108 
Daytime running lamps
*109
Welcome lamps108 
Adaptive Head Light
*110
High-beam assistant
*110
19
Instrument lighting112
Fog lamps
*112 

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 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Buttons on the controllerFunction
MENU Opens the main menu
RADIO Opens the Radio menu
CD Opens the last Entertainment menu, e.g. CD or 
AUX
NAV Opens the Navigation menu
From the Navigation menu: opens the main 
menu
TEL Opens the Telephone menu
BACK Opens the previous menu
Not possible from the main menu
OPTION Opens the Options menu 

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. 

At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Status information
1Display for:
>Entertainment: 
Radio, CD, AUX, USB-audio interface
*
>Telephone* in "Communication": 
Name of linked mobile phone, network 
search or no network
>"BMW Assist"
*:
Active voice connection with a 
BMW Assist service
2Entertainment sound output off
3Station that transmits traffic information is 
received
*:
"TI": 
Reception of traffic information for the nav-
igation system
 is possible and activated
4Display for:
> New entries present in "Missed calls"
*
> Roaming active
5 Telephoning
* is possible if the mobile 
phone is paired in the vehicle
 Reception strength of mobile phone 
network, dependent on mobile phone
6Time
Other displays:
The status information is temporarily hidden 
when there are Check Control instructions or 
inputs via the voice command system
*.
Assistance window*
Additional information appears in the assis-
tance window:
>The computer or trip computer
*
>The arrow or map view with a navigation 
system
*
>The current location
Selecting display
1.Move the controller to the right to change to 
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2.Select a menu item.
3.Press the controller. 

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.