2009 BMW 6 SERIES buttons

At a glance
This overview of buttons, switches and displays
is intended to familiarize you with your vehicle's
operating environment.
The section will also assist you in becoming
acquainted with the control concepts
and options available for operating.
At a glance

At a glance
11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
8Buttons on steering wheel
9Instrument cluster12
12Ignition lock60
13Horn, entire surface16Releasing hood220 Mobile phone
*186:
>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 station164
Selecting music track175
Scrolling in phone book and in lists
with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable
*57
Individually programmable57
Leaving lane warning
*102
10
Windshield wipers66
Rain sensor66
11Starting/stopping engine and
switching ignition on/off 60
14
Steering wheel heater
*56
Steering wheel adjustment56
15
Cruise control*67
Active cruise control68
17Opening luggage compartment
lid35
18
Head-Up Display
*98
BMW Night Vision
*100
19
Parking lamps104
Low beams104
Welcome lamps104
Automatic headlamp control104
Daytime running lamps
*105
Welcome lamps104
Adaptive Head Light
*106
20
Instrument lighting108
Fog lamps108

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Coupe: glass sunroof, electric with raise
function
*42
2Coupe: microphone for hands-free mode
for telephone
* and voice command
system
*24
Convertible: microphone on steering col-
umn
3Reading lamps109
4Interior lamps108
5Coupe: initiating SOS emergency
request235
6Indicator lamp
for front passenger
airbags97
7Convertible: initiating SOS emergency
request
*235
8Control Display16
9Hazard warning flashers
10Central locking system34
11Automatic climate control11012Changing
>radio station164
>track175
13Ejecting
>navigation DVD
*134
>audio CD174
14Programmable memory buttons22
15Drive for navigation system DVD with Pro-
fessional
* navigation system134
16Drive for audio CDs174
17Entertainment sound output on/off
and adjusting volume161
19Bracket for cup holder120
20Controller16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four
directions
21Opening start menu on Control Display18
22Dynamic Driving Control64
23Selecting AM or FM waveband
24Selecting radio, CD and CD changer Temperature setting, left/
right111
Automatic air distribution and
volume111
Cooling function113
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control113
Recirculated-air mode113
Maximum cooling113
Residual heat mode114
Switching off automatic climate
control114
Air volume112
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation112
Rear window defroster112
18
Heated seats*55
PDC Park Distance Control
*87
DTC Dynamic Traction Control89
Convertible: opening the convert-
ible top44
Convertible: closing the convertible
top44

iDrive
16
iDrive
iDrive combines the functions of a large number
of switches. This allows these functions to be
operated from a central position. The following
section provides an introduction to basic menu navigation. The control of the individual func-
tions is described in connection with the rele-
vant equipment.
Controls
1Control Display
2Controller with buttons
You can use the buttons to open the menus
directly.The controller can be used to select
the menu items and create settings.
>Call up a menu directly, arrow3
>Move in four directions, arrows4
>Turn, arrow5
>Press, arrow6To avoid posing an unnecessary hazard
due to inattention, both to your own vehi-
cle's occupants and to other road users: never
attempt to use the controls or make entries
unless traffic and road conditions allow.<

At a glance
19Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Opening menu items of the start menu
In the start menu, you can open the Communi-
cation, Navigation, Entertainment and Climate
menu items by moving the controller to the left,
right, front or rear.
You can open the menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Comfort opening of menu items
Comfort opening offers you:
>Opening of a menu item of the start menu in
the last display shown
>Direct changing between Communication,
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate
without pressing the button
To do so, move the controller in the corre-
sponding direction and hold it there for longer
than 2 seconds or use the buttons on the con-
troller.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is divided into fields.
The respective active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the last selected menu
item of the start menu:
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility
of accessing other menu items that are not
currently visible.
3Settings are displayed graphically or
numerically.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
menu

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
23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
If the vehicle is equipped with two drives,
the current track is stored for CDs with
compressed audio files.<
Running function
Press the ... button.
When selecting a phone number, the connec-
tion is also established, or the destination guid-
ance is started when a navigation destination is
selected.
Displaying button assignment
You can display the assignment of the buttons
by touching them with your finger. Please do
not wear gloves when doing so. Touching with
an object, e.g. a pen, does not function.
Displaying short info
Touch the ... button.
The assignment of the buttons is displayed.
Destination of navigation system
Entertainment source
Telephone, phone number
Not assigned
Displaying detailed information
Touch the ... button longer.
Deleting button assignments
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.Select "Programmable Memory Keys" and
press the controller.
6.Select "Delete assignment of all memory
keys" and press the controller.
7.Confirm with "Yes".

Controls
31Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
the vehicle is unlocked, the corresponding
remote control is detected and the settings
stored for it are called up and carried out.
This means that you will always find your BMW
set to your own personal settings even if
another person with his/her own remote control
and settings has used the vehicle since the last
time you drove it. The individual settings are
stored for a maximum of four remote controls,
for two with comfort access
*.
Personal Profile settings
Details on the settings are provided on the
specified pages.
>Behavior of the central locking system
when unlocking vehicle, refer to page32
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to
page34
>Programming buttons on steering wheel,
refer to page57
>Displays on Control Display:
>12h/24h clock mode, refer to page85
>Date format, refer to page85
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer
to page85
>Units of measure for consumption,
route/distances, temperature and pres-
sure, refer to page86
>Language on the Control Display, refer
to page86
>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page66
>Welcome lamps, refer to page104
>Pathway lighting, refer to page105
>Daytime running lamps
*, refer to
page105
>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page106
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page87
>Head-Up Display
*: selection and bright-
ness of display, refer to page98>BMW Night Vision
*: display settings, refer
to page102
>Automatic climate control: for AUTO pro-
gram and intensity, cooling function, and
automatic recirculated air control/recircu-
lated air mode, temperature, air distribution,
temperature in the upper body region, refer
to page111
>Navigation system
*: voice instructions for
destination guidance, refer to page151
In addition, the following, most recently
selected settings are recalled during unlocking:
>Programmable memory buttons: selecting
stored functions, refer to page22
>Driver's seat, exterior-mirror and steering-
wheel position, refer to page51
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings,
refer to page161
>Radio: display of stored stations, refer to
page164
>Phone: adjusting volume, refer to page192
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Compartment in the front center console
>Luggage compartment lid
>Fuel filler door
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Using door lock
>With comfort access
* via the door handles
These actions operate the anti-theft system
* at
the same time. It prevents the doors from being
unlocked using the lock buttons or door han-
dles. The interior lamps and the courtesy
lamps
* are also switched on and off with the