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Technology for comfort, convenience and 
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking. 
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert 
you to the approach of an object from behind 
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there 
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper. 
The range of these sensors is approx. 7 ft/2 m. 
However, an acoustic warning first sounds for 
the sensors at the front and at the two rear cor-
ners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for the center 
rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate the 
presence of objects when they are being 
approached slowly, as is usually the case when 
parking. Avoid approaching an object at high 
speed, otherwise the physical circumstances 
would mean that the system warning was too 
late.<
Switching on automatically
The system starts to operate approx. one sec-
ond after you shift into reverse or move the 
selector lever into position R with the engine 
running or the ignition switched on.
Wait this short time before driving off.
Switching on manually
Press the button; the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over 
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is 
switched off and the LED goes out. You can 
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus, 
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle 
will be indicated by a signal tone from the left 
rear speaker, etc. As the distance between 
vehicle and object decreases, the intervals 
between the tones become shorter. If the dis-
tance to the nearest object falls to below 
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone 
sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx. 
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was 
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message 
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors 
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure 
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do 
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ing jets for long periods and maintain a distance 
of at least 4 in/10 cm to them.
PDC with visual warning*
You can also have the system show distances 
to objects on the Control Display. Objects that 
are farther away are already shown there before  

Lamps
104
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lights off and daytime running lamps*
1Parking lamps and daytime running lamps*
2Low beams and welcome lamps
3Automatic headlamp control, daytime run-
ning lamps
*, welcome lamps, Adaptive 
Head Light
* and high-beam assistant*
If you open the driver's door with the ignition 
switched off, the exterior lighting is switched off 
when the light switch is in position2 or 3. The 
daytime running lamps have already been 
switched off at the same time as the ignition.
For this reason, switch on the side marker 
lamps as needed, switch position1; otherwise, 
the vehicle is not lit.
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side 
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the 
parking lamps for parking.
The parking lamps drain the battery. Do 
not leave them switched on for long peri-
ods of time, otherwise it may no longer be pos-
sible to start the engine. It is preferable to 
switch on the roadside parking lamps on one 
side, refer to page106.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is 
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control
In switch position3, the system activates the 
low beams and switches them on or off in 
response to changes in ambient light condi-
tions, for instance, in a tunnel, at dawn and dusk 
and in case of precipitation. Adaptive Head 
Light
* is active. The LED next to the symbol 
lights up when the low beams are on.
You can also activate the daytime running 
lamps, refer to page105. In the situations 
described above, the lamps then switch to low 
beams.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can 
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain on independent of 
the ambient lighting conditions when you 
switch on the fog lamps.<
The automatic headlamp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for your personal 
judgment in determining when the lamps 
should be switched on in response to ambient 
lighting conditions. For example, the sensors 
cannot detect fog of hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should always switch on the 
low beams manually under these conditions.<
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in position2 or 3 
when parking the vehicle, then when you unlock 
the vehicle, the parking lamps and interior light-
ing remain illuminated for a brief time.
Activating/deactivating welcome 
lamps
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. 

Care
228 can result in water penetration. Follow the oper-
ating instructions for the high-pressure clean-
ing jets.<
When using high-pressure cleaning jets, 
do not remain in one place for a long time 
and be sure to maintain a distance of at least 
12 in/30 cm from sensors, e.g. Park Distance 
Control sensors or radar sensors.<
Hand washing
When washing the vehicle by hand, use plenty 
of water and car washing shampoo. Clean the 
vehicle with gentle pressure using a sponge or a 
washing brush.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unwanted wiper operation.<
Follow local guidelines for washing vehi-
cles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub dry and never use abrasives or 
strong solvents to clean the covers.
Loosen dirt, e.g. insects, with shampoo or 
insect remover and wash away with plenty of 
water.
Use a window de-icer to remove accumulated 
ice and snow, not a scraper.
Windows
Use a glass cleaner to clean the inside and out-
side surfaces of the windows and the glass sur-
faces of the mirrors.
Do not use quartz-containing cleansers 
to clean glass surfaces of the mirrors.<
Wiper blades
Clean with soapy water and replace regularly to 
prevent streaking.
The presence of wax and sealant residues 
and dirt on the windows leads to streaking 
during wiper operation and results in premature 
wear on wiper blades as well as interference 
with the rain sensor.<
Convertible top care
The appearance and service life of the convert-
ible top depend on proper care and operation.
Please follow these instructions:
>Never stow the convertible top in the con-
vertible top compartment when it is wet or 
frozen, since this can cause water marks, 
mildew stains, and scuff marks.
>Remove water marks on the headliner with 
a microfiber cloth and interior cleanser.
>When parking for long intervals in enclosed 
spaces, make sure there is sufficient venti-
lation.
>Remove bird droppings immediately 
because their caustic properties have a cor-
rosive effect on the convertible top and can 
damage the rubber seals.
Do not use stain remover, paint thinner, 
solvents, gasoline, or the like to remove 
stains. These substances can damage the rub-
ber coating. Improper care and cleaning can 
cause leaks to develop in the convertible top 
and its seams.<
In the event of more serious soiling, use a spe-
cial convertible top cleaner. 
When doing so, follow the manufacturer's 
directions for use.
After three to five washings, treat the convert-
ible top with sealant.
Caring for the vehicle finish
Regular care helps your vehicle retain its value 
and protects the paint from the long-term 
effects of aggressive substances.
Regionally occurring environmental factors can 
affect and damage vehicle finish. It is therefore 
important to tailor the frequency and extent of 
your car care accordingly.
Immediately remove particularly aggressive 
substances such as spilled fuel, oil, grease, 
brake fluid, tree resin, or bird droppings; other-
wise, they may damage your paint.