Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic-
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page238.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
21Letters and numbers
22Voice activation system
Controls
26Opening and closing
42Adjustments
53Transporting children safely
55Driving
68Everything under control
81Technology for driving comfort and
safety
92Lamps
96Climate
101Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
116Things to remember when driving
121BMW M3 engineering
Navigation
126Navigation system
127Destination entry
137Destination guidance
143What to do if …
Entertainment
146On/off and tone
149Radio
152Satellite radio
154CD player and CD changer
161Music collection
165AUX-IN port
166USB-audio interface/mobile phone audio
interface
Communications
172Telephone
183Contacts
185BMW Assist
Mobility
194Refueling
196Wheels and tires
202Under the hood
207Maintenance
209Care
213Replacing components
221Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
228Technical data
232Short commands for the voice activation
system
238Everything from A - Z
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At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for voice activation system*
and for telephone in hands-free mode*
2SOS: initiating an Emergency Request
call
*221
3Reading lamps95
4Coupe: glass roof, electric
*37
5Interior lamps94
6Passenger airbag status lamp
*89
7Control Display16
8Hazard warning flashers
9Flat Tire Monitor FTM
*84
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
*85
10Central locking system30
11Automatic climate control
12CD/DVD drive146
13Changing the audio and entertainment
sources14Selecting AM or FM waveband
15Changing
>Radio station149
>Track154
17Controller16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four
directions
18Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Dynamic Stability Control DSC82
21Electronic Damper Control EDC
*83
22M Engine Dynamics Control POWER64
23Programmable memory keys20
24Switching audio sources on/off and adjust-
ing volume146
25Ejecting CD/DVD146 Air distribution to the
windshield97
Air distribution to the upper body
area97
Air distribution to the footwell97
Automatic air distribution and flow
rate97
Cooling function99
Automatic recirculated-air control
AUC98
Recirculated-air mode98
Maximum cooling97
Residual heat mode98
Air flow rate98
Defrosting windows99
Rear window defroster99
16
Heated seats*46
Coupe:
Roller sun blind
*104
19Convertible:
Opening and closing retractable
hardtop39
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At a glance
23Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
In dialogs that call for a text of your choice, the
procedure can only be canceled using the but-
ton on the steering wheel.
Possible commands
The commands available in each case depend
on the menu item selected on the Control Dis-
play.
To have the available commands read aloud:
For example, if "CD/DVD" is selected, the com-
mands for operating CD/Multimedia are read
aloud.
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
Calling up functions immediately via
short commands
Short commands enable you to perform certain
functions immediately, irrespective of which
menu item is selected, refer to page232.
Example: selecting the track of a CD
1.If necessary, switch on entertainment audio
output.
2.Press the button on the steering wheel.
Setting the voice dialog
You can set whether the system should use the
standard dialog or a shorter variant. In the
shorter variant of the voice dialog, the prompts
and responses from the system are abbrevi-
ated.
1."Settings"
2."Language/Units"3."Speech mode:"
4.To select the setting:
>"Default"
>"Short"
Notes
For information on voice control of the
telephone, refer also to the separate
Owner's Manual.<
For voice commands, bear in mind the follow-
ing:
>Do not use the voice activation system to
initiate an Emergency Request. In stressful
situations, the voice and vocal pitch can
change. This can unnecessarily delay the
establishment of a telephone connection.
>Pronounce the commands and digits
smoothly and at normal volume, avoiding
excessive emphases and pauses. This also
applies when spelling out and saying a full
word during destination entry.
>When selecting a radio station, use the
standard pronunciation of the station name.
>For entries in the voice-activated phone
book, only use names in the language of the
voice activation system and no abbrevia-
tions.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass roof
closed to prevent interference from outside
noise.
>Avoid ambient noise in the vehicle while
speaking. {Voice commands}
{Radio on} or {Radio}
3.Select the music track, e.g.:
{CD track 4}
System says:
{{Track 4}}
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Controls
27Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Calling up the preferred program of the M
Engine Dynamics Control POWER and
Electronic Damper Control EDC
* when
starting the vehicle, refer to Configuring
settings on page50
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page64
>Settings for the displays on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to
page75
>Date format, refer to page76
>Brightness of Control Display, refer to
page79
>Language on the Control Display, refer
to page79
>Units of measure, refer to page71
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page81
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page92
>Pathway lighting, refer to page93
>Daytime running lamps, refer to page93
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air flow rate and distribu-
tion, refer to page97 ff
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to page146
>Tone control, refer to page146
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer
to page147
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>Luggage compartment lid
>Fuel filler door
>Convertible: glove compartment
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
*
>In cars with convenient access*, via the
handles on the driver's and front passen-
ger's doors
In addition, if the remote control is used, the
welcome lamps, interior lamps and the door's
courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. The
alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system,
refer to
page32.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer
to page30.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the
central locking system unlocks automatically. In
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle
could lock the doors from the inside. You
should therefore take the remote control with
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter
can be opened from outside.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable
hardtop with the remote control, the
doors and luggage compartment lid must be
closed and the cargo bay partition must be
folded down and engaged on both sides. Refer
also to page39.<
Unlocking
Press the button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the
welcome lamps come on.
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Controls
105Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
USB interface for data transmission
Port for importing and exporting data on USB
devices, e.g. music collections, refer to
page164.
Observe the following when connecting:
>Do not forcibly connect the plug to the USB
interface.
>Do not connect devices such as fans or
lamps to the USB interface.
>Do not connect USB hard disks.
>Do not use the USB interface to recharge
external devices.
Center armrest
Storage compartment
The center armrest between the front seats
contains either a compartment or the cover for
the snap-in adapter
*, depending on the equip-
ment version. For more information about this
mobile phone base plate refer to the separate
Owner's Manual.
Opening
Press the button, see arrow.
Settings*
Slide the center armrest into the desired posi-
tion on the driver's side.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks
over the car's loudspeaker system:
>AUX-IN port, refer to page165
>USB-audio interface
*, refer to page166
Storage compartments inside
the vehicle
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, you
will find compartments beside the steering col-
umn
*, in the front doors and in the center con-
sole
*.
There are nets
on the front-seat backrests.
Storage compartments in the rear
console
Depending on your vehicle's equipment ver-
sion, the following storage compartments can
be found in the rear console:
>Storage tray
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Controls
107Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Emptying
Lift out the insert.
Lighter
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, press in the cigarette lighter.
The lighter can be pulled out as soon as it pops
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
When leaving the car, always remove the
remote control so that children cannot operate
the cigarette lighter and burn themselves.<
Ashtray, rear
Opening
Push the ridge on the cover.
Emptying
Lift out the insert.
Connecting electrical
appliances
In your BMW, when the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on, you can use electrical
devices such as a flashlight, car vacuum
cleaner, etc., up to approx. 200 watts at
12 volts, as long as one of the following sockets
is available. Avoid damaging the sockets by
attempting to insert plugs of unsuitable shape
or size.
Cigarette lighter socket*
To access the socket: take the cigarette lighter
out of the socket.
Socket in the center armrest
External audio device, refer to page105.
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Entertainment
Operation of the radio, CD equipment and
external audio devices as well as their tone
settings are described in this chapter.
Entertainment
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On/off and tone
146
On/off and tone
The following audio and video sources share
the same control elements and adjustments:
>Radio
>CD player
>CD changer
*
>Video
>External devices, e.g. MP3 player
Controls
The audio and video sources can be controlled
using the:
>Buttons near the CD player
>iDrive
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page10
>Programmable memory keys, refer to
page20
>Voice activation system
Buttons near the CD player
1Sound output for entertainment on/off, vol-
ume
>Press: switch on/off.
When you switch on the unit, the last set
radio station or track is played.
>Turn: adjust volume.
2 Eject the CD
3CD/DVD drive
4FM/AM: change the radio station wave-
band5MODE: change the audio and video
sources
6 Station scan/track search
>Change the radio station.
>Select the track for CD player and CD
changer.
Switching on/off
In order to switch the entertainment sound out-
put on and off:
Press button1 next to the CD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off.
If equipped with a single drive, the sound output
is available for approx. 20 minutes after the igni-
tion is switched off.
For sound output, switch the unit back on.
Adjusting volume
Turn button1 next to the CD player until the
desired volume is obtained.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page10.
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond,
the setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Tone control
You can alter various tone settings, e.g. treble
and bass or the speed-dependent volume
increase.
The tone settings are applied to all audio
sources.
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond,
the settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
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