2009 BMW M5 SEDAN park

Controls
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Sun blinds for rear side windows
Pull the loop of the roller sun blind and hook
onto bracket.
Do not open the window with the roller
sun blind deployed. Otherwise, there is a
risk of damage and injury at higher speeds.<
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle. The light in the glove compart-
ment switches on.
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-
dent while the vehicle is being driven,
close the glove compartment immediately after
use.<
Closing
Raise the lid into the closed position.
Locking
Lock with a key.
If you only hand over the remote control
without the integrated key, e.g. for valet
parking, refer to page30, the glove compart-
ment cannot be unlocked.<
USB interface for data transmission
Port for importing and exporting data on USB
devices, e.g. music collections.
Observe the following when connecting:
>Do not use force when plugging the con-
nector into the USB-audio interface.
>Do not connect devices such as fans or
lamps to the USB-audio interface.
>Do not connect USB hard disks.
>Do not use the USB interface to recharge
external devices.
Front center armrest
The compartment in the center armrest is
divided into two sections.
Opening cover
Press the button. The cover opens somewhat
and can be folded upwards.
Depending on vehicle equipment, the upper
section contains a compartment with a mat that
can be removed for cleaning or a telephone cra-
dle
*.

Things to remember when driving
116
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. To ensure that your vehicle contin-
ues to provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Do not use the driving programs 5 and 6 during
break-in, refer to Drivelogic on page62.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds,
however do not exceed 5,500 rpm or 105 mph/
170 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during these
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km to
3,000 miles/5,000 km
The engine and driving speed can gradually be
increased up to a continuous vehicle speed of
135 mph/220 km/h. Only drive at top speed
briefly, e.g. when passing.
Transmission
The function of the transmission is only at its
optimized level after driving a distance of
approx. 300 miles/500 km. Do not exceed
engine speeds of 5,500 rpm during this time.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. With manual transmission:
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced
after subsequent driving operation.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is completely
closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could pene-
trate into the passenger compartment.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lug-
gage compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass sunroof.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page100.
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,

Driving tips
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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
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, refer also to Mini-
mum tire tread on page206.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at
walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
The pulsing of he brake pedal indicates that the
ABS is controlling braking.
In certain braking situations the perforated
brake rotors can cause operating noises which,
however, have not effect on the performance
and operating safety of the brake system.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent pressure on the brake can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear and pos-
sibly even brake failure.<
Sequential Manual Transmission: do not
drive in idle or with the engine switched
off, otherwise there will be no engine braking
action or support of the braking force and steer-
ing.
Manual transmission: do not drive with the
clutch depressed, in idle or with the engine
switched off, otherwise there will be no engine
braking action or support of the braking force
and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner sys-
tem during operation, and then exits under the

Navigation
Driving tips
139Reference
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Mobility
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.

Destination guidance
144 3.Select "Traffic Info" and press the control-
ler.
First the traffic information along the planned
route is shown sorted according to the distance
to the current vehicle position.
Depiction of traffic information in map
view
The traffic information symbols are shown in
the map view up to a scale of 100 miles/200 km.
The section of the route affected by a traffic
report as well as the number for the type of inci-
dent are displayed and hidden. This occurs as a
function of the scale selected.
Displaying detailed traffic information
Select a traffic information item from the list and
press the controller.
To exit from the menu:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Symbols for traffic information
Traffic event with map scales greater
than 5 miles/10 km, arrow points in
the direction of travel concerned.
Several traffic events have been
received. Select a smaller scale to
display these individually.
Traffic light failure
Roadwork
General traffic obstruction
Transport of hazardous load
Vehicle on wrong carriage way
Danger
Low clearance
No parking
Fog
Heavy rain
Slippery road
Cross winds
Smog
Road close
Slow traffic
Traffic back up
Stopped traffic
Icy roads
Uneven surface
Accident

Wheels and tires
204
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
The condition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure are crucial not only
to the tire's service life, but also to driving com-
fort and most importantly, driving safety.
Checking pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure when the tires
are cold. This means after a maximum of
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours. When tires are
warm, the tire inflation pressure increases.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct if necessary, including on the
spare wheel
*: at least twice a month and before
starting long trips. Otherwise driving instability
or tire damage, and therefore accidents, can
result from incorrect tire inflation pressures. Do
not drive with a depressurized, i.e. flat, tire. A flat
tire will seriously impair your vehicle's handling
and braking response. Attempts to drive on a
flat tire can lead to a loss of control over the
vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page84, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page86.<
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes and tire brands respectively
approved and recommended by BMW; a list of
these is available from your BMW center.<
For correct identification of the right tire infla-
tion pressure for your tires, observe the follow-
ing:
>Tire sizes of your vehicle>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
up to 100 mph/160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph/160 km/h,
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
column Traveling speeds up to max. 100 mph/
160 km/h to achieve optimum driving comfort.
These pressure specifications can be found on
the door post when you open the driver's door.
The maximum permissible speed for
these tire pressures is 100 mph/
160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed, otherwise
tire damage and accidents could occur.<
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please
o b s e r v e , a n d , i f n e c e s s a r y , a d j u s t t i r e p r e s s u r e s
for speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from
the relevant table on the following pages. Oth-
erwise tire damage and accidents could
occur.<

Mobility
213Reference
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Fast measurement
In addition to the automatic measurement, you
can also determine the current oil level manu-
ally, e.g. after adding engine oil, but with a lower
degree of measuring accuracy.
1.With the engine at operating temperature,
i.e. after at least 6 miles/10 km of uninter-
rupted driving, park the vehicle in a horizon-
tal position.
2.Allow the engine to run at idle.
3.Press the BC button on the turn signal lever
repeatedly until the oil level display is
shown in the instrument cluster.
4.Press the BC button for at least 2 seconds.
The oil level is determined. A clock symbol
is displayed during the measurement.
5.After approx. 1 minute the current oil level is
displayed.
Displaying via iDrive
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/1 liter of
engine oil at the next opportunity, refer also
to Adding engine oil below. Add at least
0.5 US quart/0.5 liters 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":

Care
218
Care
Car-care products
Regular cleaning and care make a significant
contribution to retaining your BMW's value.
For the cleaning and care of your vehicle, BMW
recommends using only products that BMW
has approved for this purpose.
Your BMW center will be glad to advise you
about products and services for the cleaning
and care of your BMW.
Genuine BMW Care Products are materi-
als tested, laboratory tested, and tested in
actual use. They offer optimum care and pro-
tection for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents; they can damage your vehi-
cle.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or pose health risks.
You should therefore heed the warnings and
hazard indications on the packaging. Open the
doors or windows on your vehicle whenever
cleaning the interior. Make sure there is suffi-
cient ventilation in enclosed spaces. Use only
products that are formulated for vehicle clean-
ing.<
Exterior care
Washing your vehicle
In the winter months, it is especially
important to ensure that the vehicle is
washed on a regular basis. Otherwise, signifi-
cant soiling and road salt can cause damage to
the vehicle.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them. Failure to do so
may lead to a reduction in braking efficiency and
also to corrosion of the brake rotors.<
Car washes
Give preference to cloth car washes.Before driving into the car wash, make sure that
it is suitable for your BMW. Pay attention to the
following points:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page238.
>If necessary, fold in the outside rearview
mirrors, refer to page50.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Preparations for driving into the car wash:
>Deactivate rain sensor to prevent unwanted
wiper activation.
>Deactivate Remove additional add-on
parts, e.g. spoilers or phone antennas, if
they could be damaged.
Sequential Manual Transmission
Before driving into the car wash, make sure the
vehicle is able to roll by making sure to:
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with comfort access.
2.Shift into transmission position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Switch off the engine.
5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
Steam cleaners/high-pressure
cleaning jets
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, ensure that you maintain suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient distance or excessive pressure or
temperature can damage parts of the vehicle or
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