2009 BMW 6 SERIES navigation

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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
very direct. In the higher speed range, on the
other hand, the steering angle is reduced more
and more. This improves the handling capability
of your BMW over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar-
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes. This stability-pro-
moting intervention is deactivated when DSC is
switched off, refer to page89.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow and
a message is shown on the Control Dis-
play. Active steering is malfunctioning
or is temporarily deactivated. At low speed,
larger steering wheel movements are required,
while the vehicle reacts more sensitively to
steering wheel movements in the higher road
speed range. The stability-promoting interven-
tion can also be deactivated. Proceed cau-
tiously and drive defensively. Have the system
checked if the active steering is malfunctioning.
Brake force display
>On the left: normal braking.
>On the right: heavy braking.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Coupe: Head airbags
3Side airbags4Knee airbag
5Knee airbag

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Operating state of front passenger
airbags
The illustration here shows a possible arrange-
ment in the Coupe. With some vehicle equip-
ment packages or in the Convertible, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front,
knee and side airbags on the front passenger
side depending on whether the seat is occu-
pied. The indicator lamp shows whether the
front passenger airbags are activated or deacti-
vated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint system intended for the
purpose is properly detected on the seat.
The front, knee and side airbags on the front
passenger side are deactivated.
Most child's seats are detected by the
system. Especially the child's seats
required by the NHTSA at the time the vehicle is
manufactured. After installing a child's seat,
make sure that the indicator lamp for the front
passenger airbags lights up. This indicates that
the child's seat has been detected and the front
passenger airbags are not activated.<
>The indicator lamp does not light up if, for
example, the system detects a person of
sufficient size seated correctly on the seat.
The front, knee and side airbags on the front
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
But the front, knee and side airbags on the
front passenger side are still deactivated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
From radio readiness, refer to page60, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, indicating the
operational readiness of the entire airbag sys-
tem and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up from radio
readiness.
>Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction, otherwise
there is a danger that the airbag system may not
respond in the expected manner in an accident
despite an impact of corresponding intensity.<
Convertible: rollover
protection system
The rollover protection system is automatically
activated in the event of an accident or a critical
driving situation, extreme inclination on the lon-
gitudinal axis, or loss of ground contact. The
rollover bars located behind the rear head
restraints are deployed within fractions of a sec-
ond.
As a supplement to the rollover bar integrated
into the windshield frame, the rollover protec-
tion system ensures that all vehicle occupants
have the necessary headroom.
Always keep the path of movement of the
rollover protection system clear.
In minor accidents, you are protected by the
fastened safety belt and, depending on acci-
dent severity, by the safety belt tensioner and
multi-phase airbag retention system.<

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
98
Lowering
If the rollover protection system experienced no
impact after automatic activation, then it can be
lowered again. No tools are necessary for this
purpose.
1.Press the release backward and hold in that
position.
2.Press the rollover protection unit halfway
down from above.
3.Let go of the release.
4.Press the rollover protection unit down until
it snaps into place.
5.Use the same procedure for the second roll-
over protection unit.
Have the rollover protection system checked
after unexpected triggering.
Never move the convertible top when the
rollover protection system is raised.
No changes of any nature may be made to the
individual components of the rollover protec-
tion system and wiring.
Work on the rollover protection system may
only be performed at a BMW center.
Unprofessional attempts to service the system
can lead to failure or malfunction.
For a system check and to ensure long-term
functioning, you must comply with the mainte-nance intervals of the service requirements,
refer to page79.<
Head-Up Display*
The concept
With the Head-Up Display important informa-
tion is projected into the driver's field of view,
e.g. navigation instructions. This enables you to
take in this information without looking away
from the road.
Switching on/off
Press the button.

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1Navigation instructions
2Display
>Cruise control
>Active cruise control
>Leaving lane warning
3Speed
Selecting displays
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Display settings" and press the
controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Head-Up Display" is
selected and press the controller.
6.Change into the second field from the top.
Turn the controller until "Head-Up Display"
is selected and press the controller.
7.Select desired information of Head-Up Dis-
play.8.Press the controller.
The information appears in the Head-
Up Display.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Setting brightness
The brightness of the display is adapted to the
ambient lighting conditions. However, you can
change the base setting.
With the low beams switched on, the brightness
can also be adjusted with the knurled wheel of
the instrument lighting.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Display settings" and press the
controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Head-Up Display" is
selected and press the controller.
6.Change into the second field from the top.
Turn the controller until "Brightness" is
selected and press the controller.
7.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is selected.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Notes
The visibility of the displays in the Head-Up Dis-
play is influenced by:
>Sunglasses with certain polarization filters

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used as a continuous viewing window for driv-
ing at night.
No system, no matter how sophisticated, can
operate without limitations. BMW Night Vision
operation is subject to physical and environ-
mental limitations that will reduce the ability of
the system to detect and display a clear thermal
image. Some of the situations in which these
limitations can occur are:
>on steep hilltops or depressions and in tight
curves
>in tunnels, as the contrast is inherently low
>when the camera lens is dirty
>in dense fog, heavy rain or snowfall
>when displaying very hot objects such as
transformers, car exhausts etc.
>when the image briefly freezes during nor-
mal system adjustment.
BMW Night Vision's potential benefits
can be limited by the driving style of the
driver, the size and relative temperature of the
detected objects, dirt or contamination on the
camera lens, adverse weather like snow, rain or
fog, and other factors not mentioned here. It will
always be the driver's responsibility to drive at a
speed and in a manner that recognizes potential
hazards and adjust accordingly.
BMW Night Vision is not a substitute or replace-
ment for the driver's responsibility to adapt to
visibility and traffic conditions. The forward view
illuminated by the headlamps must always be
the basis for making safe driving decisions, oth-
erwise a safety risk will result. 1.Turn the light switch to position2 or3, refer
to page104.
2.With low beams switched on:
>Press the button. Depending on the
vehicle's equipment, the location of the
button may differ somewhat.
>Press one of the programmable buttons
on the steering wheel, refer to page57.
The image will be displayed on the Control Dis-
play after a few seconds. Depending on the last
mode selected, either the normal or full screen
image will be displayed.
Due to the system's need to adjust periodically,
a still image is displayed at certain intervals for
fractions of a second. This is normal and not an
indication of a problem.
To prevent driving without headlamps, at a
speed of more than approx. 3 mph/5 km/h and
when dark, the thermal image on the Control
Display is only shown when the low beams are
on.
Deactivating BMW Night Vision
>Press the button.
>Press the button on the steering wheel.

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Switching on/off
Press the button on the steering wheel.
>The two lines1 indicate that the system is
activated.
>The two arrows2 mean that the system has
detected one or two lane limit lines from a
speed of approx. 40 mph/70 km/h and
warns accordingly.
If you activate the system below a speed of
approx. 40 mph/70 km/h, a message will appear
stating that the system is not active until this
speed is reached.
A warning will be canceled:
>after approx. 3 seconds
>if you return to your lane
>if you brake heavily
>if you signal
System limits
The leaving lane warning cannot serve as
a substitute for your personal judgment in
determining the course of the road.
If the system issues a warning, do not move the
steering wheel with unnecessary severity, as
otherwise you could loose control of the vehi-
cle.<
The function of the system may be limited in the
following example situations:
>in heavy fog, rain or snowfall
>with worn-away, poorly visible limit lines, or
lines that run together or apart or are
unclear, e.g. in road construction areas
>when limit lines are covered by snow, ice,
dirt or a great deal of water
>in tight curves or on narrow roads>when limit lines are not white
>when limit lines are covered by objects
>when driving up close behind a vehicle driv-
ing ahead
>with bright counter light
>when the windshield is fogged up, dirty or
covered with stickers, vignettes etc. in the
area of the inside rearview mirror

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5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Lighting" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "Welcome light" and press the con-
troller.
The welcome lamps are switched on.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Pathway lighting
When you activate the headlamp flasher after
parking the vehicle and switching off the lamps,
the low beams will come on for a brief period.
You can set the duration or deactivate the func-
tion via iDrive.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Lighting" is selected and
press the controller.6.Select "Pathway lighting" and press the
controller.
7.Turn the controller to select the desired
duration.
8.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Daytime running lamps*
The daytime running lamps light up in
position0, 1 and 3. If the light switch remains in
position1, the parking lamps light up after the
ignition is switched off.
Activating/deactivating daytime
running lamps*
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Lighting" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "Daytime running lamps" and press
the controller.
The daytime running lamps are
switched on.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.

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>If the high-beam assistant has switched on
the high beams, but you wish to use the low
beams, just switch on the low beams with
the turn signal lever. This deactivates the
high-beam assistant.
In order to reactivate the system, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
>If the high-beam assistant has switched on
the low beams, but you wish to use the high
beams, simply switch on the high beams as
usual. This deactivates the system and it is
up to you to switch back to low beams.
In order to reactivate the system, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
>When the low beams are on, use the head-
lamp flasher as usual.
System limits
The high-beam assistant is designed to
maximize the amount of time that high
beams can be safely used and to quickly switch
back to low beams when traffic approaches.
The system cannot completely replace driver
intervention when unusual conditions are
encountered. For this reason, switch to low
beams when circumstances so dictate. Failure
to do so can pose a safety risk.<
Below are a few examples of situations in which
the system may not react or may only function
to a limited degree, requiring personal interven-
tion:
>in extremely unfavorable weather condi-
tions such as fog or heavy precipitation
>in sensing road users with poor inherent
illumination such as pedestrians, cyclists,
equestrians, horse-drawn vehicles, railroad
or shipping traffic close to the road, and at
deer crossings
>in tight curves, on steep crests or dips, with
cross-traffic, or with partially hidden
oncoming traffic on divided highways
>in poorly illuminated areas and in the pres-
ence of highly reflective signs
>in the low speed range>when the windshield is fogged up, dirty or
covered with stickers, decals etc. in the area
of the inside rearview mirror
>when the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor
on the front side of the inside rearview mir-
ror with a cloth slightly moistened with glass
cleaner
Moreover, no system can operate without limi-
tations. High-beam assistant operation is sub-
ject to conditions that may reduce the system's
ability to recognize the difference between
actual vehicle head lamps or tail lamps and, for
example, highly reflective signs, markers, and
streetlights. To be on the safe side, the system
may periodically interpret these situations as
conditions that require low beams. Below are
some of the situations in which premature
switching to low beams can occur:
>approaching large and/or highly reflective
signs
>approaching certain lights, such as drive-
way lighting and porch lights
>approaching certain traffic signals
>approaching large reflective markers
In these situations, the system may interpret
the above conditions as a vehicle ahead requir-
ing a switch to low beams. When the conditions
return to normal, the system will reactivate the
high beams.
The high-beam assistant cannot replace the
driver's responsibility for complying with state
laws on high-beam switching or for adapting to
visibility and traffic conditions.
Switching off via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.