Driving tips
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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 page225.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Only drive with the luggage compartment
lid completely closed, otherwise exhaust
can penetrate into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lug-
gage compartment lid open:
1.Coupe: close both windows and the glass
sunroof.
Convertible: with closed top, close all win-
dows.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page112.
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
Navigation
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2.Select "Stop guidance" and press the con-
troller.
When you park the vehicle before reaching the
entered destination, the following question is
displayed before beginning the next trip:
"Continue guidance to destination?".
The destination guidance starts automatically
after a short time.
To start the destination guidance:
Select "Yes" and press the controller.
Displaying route
You have the option of displaying various views
of the route during destination guidance.
From another menu, you can change
directly to the screen last displayed,
refer to Comfort opening of menu items,
page19.<
Displaying arrow display
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Change into the fourth field from the top.
Turn the controller until "Arrow display" is
selected and press the controller.The arrow display is shown.
1Switching voice instructions on/off
2Manually displaying traffic information
*
3Selecting route criteria
4Starting/ending destination guidance
5Arrow to destination from a bird's eye view
6Distance to the next change of direction
7Current position
8Direction of travel
>Outline arrow:
Destination guidance on the calculated
route.
>Solid arrow:
Arrow shows the route to be calculated
from a bird's eye view when the vehicle
is not located in an area contained on the
navigation DVD, e.g. in a parking struc-
ture.
Depending on the equipment, the estimated
time of arrival and the distance to the destina-
tion are displayed in the top or bottom line of the
Control Display.
Before a change in direction, the representation
of the arrow changes.
Navigation
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What to do if …
What to do if …
>a navigation DVD is inserted, but an instruc-
tion to insert the DVD appears on the Con-
trol Display?
The navigation DVD may not be the correct
DVD for the navigation system. This infor-
mation is indicated on the DVD label.
>you request the current position of your
vehicle, but do not receive a precise dis-
play?
The system is unable to receive enough
GPS signals at your current position due to
obstructions, your position is not yet avail-
able on your navigation DVD, or the system
is in the process of calculating your posi-
tion. Reception is best when you have an
unobstructed view to the sky.
>the destination guidance does not accept a
destination?
The data of the destination is not stored on
the navigation DVD that is loaded. Select a
destination that is as close as possible to
the original.
>the destination guidance does not accept
an address without the street name?
On the navigation DVD, no downtown area
can be determined for the city or town
entered. Enter any street, or a destination
such as the railway station in the selected
town, and then start the destination guid-
ance.
>you want to enter a destination for the des-
tination guidance, but it is not possible to
select the letters for your desired entry?
The data of the destination is not stored on
the navigation DVD that is loaded. In this
case, the system will not offer you any let-
ters to choose from. Select a destination
that is as close as possible to the original.
>the system stops furnishing directions on
which way to turn as you approach intersec-
tions?
You are driving in an area that has not yet
been completely recorded on the naviga-tion DVD. Instead of an arrow indicating a
turn, you will see an arrow which indicates
the general direction of your planned route.
Or you have left the recommended route
and the system requires a few seconds to
calculate a new recommended route.
>the navigation system does not react to
entries?
If the battery was disconnected, it takes
about 10 minutes before the system is once
again operational.
187
Entertainment
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mobile phone from the vehicle if you wish to
place a call with the mobile phone.
Commissioning
Pairing mobile phone in vehicle
The following prerequisites must be met:
>Suitable mobile phone: the mobile phone is
supported by the full mobile phone prepara-
tion package. Information on this subject is
also provided on the Internet at:
bmwusa.com
>The mobile phone is ready to operate.
>The Bluetooth link on the vehicle, refer to
page191, and on the mobile phone is
active.
>Depending on the mobile phone, the mobile
phone may need presetting: e.g. using the
following menu items:
>Bluetooth activated
>Connection must be allowed without
requiring further confirmation
>Reconnect
>Depending on the mobile phone model, the
setting energy saving mode can, for exam-
ple, result in vehicle failing to detect the
paired mobile phone.
>For pairing purposes, define any 4-16-digit
number as a Bluetooth passkey,
e. g. 25081107. A long and complex num-
ber offers the best protection against unau-
thorized access. This Bluetooth passkey is
no longer required after pairing is success-
ful.
>The ignition is switched on.
Only pair the mobile phone with the vehi-
cle stopped, otherwise the passengers
and other road users can be endangered due to
a lack of attentiveness on the part of the
driver.<
Switching on ignition
1.Insert the remote control as far as possible
into the ignition lock.
2.Switch on the ignition by pressing the Start/
Stop button without depressing the brake
or clutch pedal.
Preparation via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
3.Press the button to open the start
menu.
4.Press the controller to open the menu.
5.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
6.Select "Bluetooth" and press the controller.
Under the hood
222
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking engine oil level
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic oil
level check.
The condition for the most accurate indication
of the oil level possible is measurement with the
engine at operating temperature, i.e. following
an uninterrupted drive of at least 6 miles/10 km.
You can display the oil level on the Control Dis-
play while driving or when stopped on a level
surface with the engine running.
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.Turn the controller until "Info sources" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Turn the controller until "Service Info" is
selected and press the controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Service requirements" is
selected and press the controller.6.Change to the second field from the top if
necessary. Turn the controller until "Engine
oil level" is selected and press the control-
ler. The oil level is displayed.
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level O.K."
>"No measurement available: Updating
engine oil level measurement...":
The engine oil level is measured. This pro-
cess can take approx. 1 minute when
stopped on a level surface with the engine
running and approx. 5 minutes while driv-
ing.
If the engine oil has been topped off, the
measurement of the oil level can take up to
30 minutes.
>"Oil level at the minimum! Refill with 1 quart
of engine oil.":
Add a maximum of 1 US quart/liter of
engine oil at the next opportunity, refer also
to Adding engine oil below. Add at least
0.5 US quart/liter of oil; otherwise, the oil
level check cannot reliably display the new
oil level.
If the oil level displayed is below minimum,
add engine oil immediately. Failure to do so
may lead to engine damage.
>"Engine oil level too high":
Have the vehicle checked immedi-
ately, otherwise engine damage may
result if too much oil has been added.<
>"Please observe recalculated service inter-
val for engine oil":
Do not add engine oil. Before continuing to
drive, note the recalculated remaining mile-
age until the next oil change service, refer to
Service requirements on page79. Have the
system checked as soon as possible.
Giving and receiving assistance
238
Access to screw thread
Press the arrow symbol on the cover in the
bumper.
Front
Rear
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on,
refer to page60, otherwise the low
beams, tail lamps, turn signals and windshield
wipers would not be available. Do not tow the
vehicle with the rear axle raised, as otherwise
the steering can turn to the left or right.When
the engine is stopped, there is no power assist.
This then requires increased effort for braking
and steering. Active steering is deactivated and
larger steering wheel movements are
required.<
Switch on the hazard warning flashers depend-
ing on the local regulations. If the electrical sys-
tem fails, mark the vehicle to be towed, e.g. with
a sign or warning triangle in the rear window.
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
Sport automatic transmission
Before towing, manually release the
transmission lock, even if there is no mal-
function in the transmission. Otherwise there is
a risk that the transmission lock will engage dur-
ing towing.<
Manually unlocking and locking transmission
lock, refer to page64.
Do not exceed a towing speed of
45 mph/70 km/h and a towing distance of
90 miles/150 km; otherwise, the sport auto-
matic transmission may be damaged.<
Towing methods
Do not lift vehicle by tow fitting or body
and chassis parts; otherwise, damage
may result.<
In some countries, towing with tow bars or
ropes in public traffic is not permitted. Familiar-
ize yourself with the regulations on towing in the
respective country.
With tow bar
The towing vehicle may not be lighter
than the vehicle to be towed, otherwise it
will not be possible to reliably control vehicle
response.<
The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an offset
angle, please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be sharply limited during cornering.
>When mounted at an angle, the tow bar will
exert lateral forces, tending to push the
vehicle sideways.
Only attach the tow bar to the tow fittings,
as attachment to other vehicle parts can
lead to damage.<
With tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
Mobility
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towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Only attach tow ropes to the tow fittings, as
attachment to other vehicle parts can lead to
damage.<
With tow truck
Have the BMW transported with a tow truck
with a so-called lift bar or on a flat bed.
Tow-starting
Do not tow-start the vehicle if possible, but
instead start the engine by means of jump start-
ing, refer to page236. Vehicles equipped with a
catalytic converter should only be tow-started
when the engine is cold. When equipped with a
sport automatic transmission, the engine can-
not be started by tow-starting.
1.Switch on the hazard warning flashers,
comply with country-specific regulations.
2.Switch on the ignition, refer to page60.
3.Shift into 3rd gear.
4.Tow-start with the clutch completely
depressed and slowly release the clutch.
After the engine starts, immediately
depress the clutch again completely.
5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope and switch off the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
6.Have the vehicle checked.
Reference 247
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Onboard info
Entertainment
To display destination list143{Destination list}
To display address book144{Address book}
To display route criteria146{Route preference}
To start destination guidance148{Start guidance}
To end destination guidance148{Stop guidance}
To display arrow display134{Arrow display}
To display map display150{Map}, {Map facing north},
{Map direction of travel} or
{Perspective}
To change scale150{Scale ... miles} or
{Scale ... feet}
To display roads or towns/cities along route151{Route list}
To switch on voice instructions151{Navigation info on}
To switch off voice instructions151{Navigation info off}
To repeat voice instructions152{Repeat navigation info}
To open route149{Route menu}
To open "New route"152{New route}
To display current position155{Current position}
FunctionCommand
FunctionCommand
To open "Car Data"78{Car data}
To display computer78{Onboard info}
To display trip computer78{Trip computer}
To open stopwatch83{Stopwatch}
To open speed limit83{Limit}
To activate speed limit83{Limit on}
To deactivate speed limit83{Limit off}
FunctionCommand
Tone control161{Audio}
To switch on radio164{Radio on},
{FM} or
{AM}
To open "FM"164{FM menu}
To open "AM"164{AM menu}