
Telephoning
186
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone 
preparation package. After pairing a suitable 
mobile phone in the vehicle once, you can oper-
ate the mobile phone via iDrive, with the buttons 
on the steering wheel and by voice.
A mobile phone that has been paired once is 
automatically detected again with the engine 
running or the ignition switched on as soon as 
it is in the vehicle interior. The logon data of up 
to four mobile phones can be stored simulta-
neously. If several mobile phones are detected 
simultaneously, the respective last mobile 
phone paired can be operated via the vehicle.
Using a phone in your vehicle
Using snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a mobile phone 
cradle, enables the battery to be charged and 
the mobile phone to be connected to the exter-
nal antenna of your vehicle. This ensures 
improved network reception and a consistent 
voice reproduction quality. Ask your BMW cen-
ter which mobile phones snap-in adapters are 
offered for.
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in 
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile 
phone's separate operating instructions for a 
detailed description of safety precautions and 
information, we request that you direct your 
particular attention to the following:
Only make entries when traffic conditions 
allow you to do so. Do not hold the mobile 
phone in your hand while you are driving; use 
the hands-free system instead. If you do not 
observe this precaution, your being distracted 
can endanger vehicle occupants and other road 
users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Ask your BMW center which mobile phones 
with a Bluetooth interface are supported by the 
mobile phone preparation package or which 
mobile phones snap-in adapters are available 
for. These mobile phones support the functions 
described in this Owner's Manual with a certain 
software version. Malfunctions can occur with 
other mobile phones.
Care instructions
You can find valuable information on this topic 
under Care, starting on page206 and the sepa-
rate operating instructions for the mobile 
phone.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone* using:
>Buttons on steering wheel, refer to page11
>iDrive, refer to page16
>Voice commands, refer to page197
>Programmable memory buttons, refer to 
page22
Avoid operating a mobile phone detected by 
the vehicle with the keypad of the mobile 
phone, otherwise malfunctions can occur.
Placing phone calls with BMW Assist 
system*: BMW Assist calls
You can use the BMW Assist system via the 
hands-free unit for BMW Assist calls.
When the status information "BMW Assist" or 
"BMW Service" is displayed in "Communica-
tion", only BMW Assist calls are possible.
It may not be possible to establish a telephone 
connection using the mobile phone while a con-
nection is being established to BMW Assist or 
while a call to BMW Assist is already in 
progress. If this happens, you must log off the 
* 

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Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
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. 

Telephoning
188 7.Move the highlight marker to the second 
field from the top, select "Phone" and press 
the controller.
8.Select "Pair new phone" and press the con-
troller.
9.Select "Start pairing" and press the control-
ler.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle is dis-
played.
Preparation with mobile phone
10.Additional operations must be carried out 
on the mobile phone and differ depending 
on the model, refer to the operating instruc-
tions of your mobile phone, e.g. find, con-
nect or pair under Bluetooth device. The 
Bluetooth name of the vehicle is also shown 
on the mobile phone display.
11.Select the Bluetooth name of the vehicle on 
the mobile phone display.
Pairing
Depending on your mobile phone, you will first 
be requested consecutively via the display of 
your mobile phone or iDrive to enter the Blue-
tooth passkey you specified.
12.Enter the Bluetooth passkey.
Depending on the mobile phone, approx. 
30 seconds are available for entering the 
Bluetooth passkey on the mobile phone 
and on the Control Display.
13.Move the highlight marker to the third field 
from the top, select "Confirm passkey" and 
press the controller.
14.Wait several seconds until the "Communi-
cation" menu is displayed.
The next time you use the mobile phone inside 
the vehicle, it will be recognized within a few 
minutes as long as the engine is running or the 
ignition is switched on.
With some mobile phone models it may 
be necessary to make certain settings for 
a permanent Bluetooth link, e.g. via the menu 
item Authorization or Secure connection. Refer 
to the operating instructions of your mobile 
phone.< 

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Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
As soon as a mobile phone is detected by the 
vehicle, the phone book entries stored on the 
SIM card or on your mobile phone are transmit-
ted to your vehicle. This transmission is depen-
dent on your mobile phone, refer to the operat-
ing instructions of your mobile phone if 
necessary, and can take several minutes.
If not all phone book entries are displayed:
>Transfer all phone book entries from the 
SIM card to the mobile phone if necessary.
>It may not be possible to display phone 
book entries with special characters.
Up to four mobile phones can be paired consec-
utively. When you pair a fifth mobile phone, the 
pairing data of the mobile phone for which the 
pairing data were stored first in the vehicle will 
be deleted.
Checking if pairing is unsuccessful
>Is the mobile phone supported by the 
mobile phone preparation package? Infor-
mation on this subject is also provided on 
the Internet at: bmwusa.com.
>Do the Bluetooth passkeys on the mobile 
phone and the vehicle match? The same 
Bluetooth passkey must be entered both on 
the mobile phone display and via iDrive.
>Have you required longer than 30 seconds 
to enter the Bluetooth passkey?
>Only a limited number of devices can be 
connected to the mobile phone. Delete the 
connection to other devices if necessary.
>The mobile phone no longer reacts? Switch 
the mobile phone off and then on again or 
disconnect the power supply.
To repeat pairing:1.Select "Restart pairing" and press the con-
troller.
2.Repeat steps 9 to 14.
If pairing was repeatedly unsuccessful, contact 
BMW Customer Relations.
To call BMW Customer Relations:
Select "Help" and press the controller.
The phone number of BMW Customer Rela-
tions and information required for pairing is 
shown on the display. With mobile phones 
already paired, you can select the phone num-
ber of BMW Customer Relations to establish 
the connection.
List of paired mobile phones
The mobile phones for which the vehicle has 
stored the pairing data can be displayed. If sev-
eral paired mobile phones are detected by the  

Telephoning
190 vehicle simultaneously, you can operate the 
mobile phone highest up in the list via the vehi-
cle.
You can change the order of the mobile phones 
in the list. As long as a mobile phone is selected 
in this list, the mobile phones cannot be oper-
ated via the vehicle.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the  button to open the start 
menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Bluetooth" and press the controller.
5.Move the highlight marker to the second 
field from the top, select "Phone" and press 
the controller.
6.Select the desired mobile phone.
With two drives:
>Move the controller backwards to 
change into the bottom field.
>Select the desired mobile phone and 
press the controller.
With a single drive:
>Select the desired mobile phone and 
press the controller.7.Select "Move device up" and press the con-
troller.
The selected mobile phone is moved 
upward by one position.
Unpairing mobile phone from vehicle
If you no longer want to operate a mobile phone 
via the vehicle, you can delete the pairing data 
of the mobile phone.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Switch off the mobile phone.
2.Press the   button to open the start 
menu.
3.Press the controller to open the   menu.
4.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
5.Select "Bluetooth" and press the controller.
"Bluetooth" is selected.
6.Move the highlight marker to the second 
field from the top, select "Phone" and press 
the controller.
7.Select the desired mobile phone.
With two drives:
>Move the controller backwards to 
change into the bottom field.
>Select the desired mobile phone and 
press the controller.