Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use
the index, refer to page296.
Using this Owner's Manual
4 Notes
7 Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16 iDrive
23 Voice activation system
Controls
28Opening and closing
48 Adjusting
61 Transporting children safely
65 Driving
78 Everything under control
91 Technology for comfort, convenience
and safety
110 Lamps
114 Climate
123 Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
138Things to remember when driving
Navigation
148Starting navigation system
150 Destination entry
162 Destination guidance
170 What to do if …
Entertainment
174On/Off and settings
178 Radio
184 Satellite radio
187 CD player and CD changer
193 DVD changer
200 AUX-In connection
201 USB audio interface
204 DVD system in rear
Communications
220Telephoning
235 BMW Assist
Mobility
244Refueling
249 Wheels and tires
258 Under the hood
263 Maintenance
265 Care
269 Replacing components
279 Giving and rece iving assistance
Reference
286Technical data
291 Short commands of voice activation
system
296 Everything from A to Z
At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
> CD player and CD changer
*
>External audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
> Seat heater distribution
*
>Automatic programs
> Parked-car ventilation
*
menu
>Switching off Control Display
> Tone and display settings
> Settings for traffic information
*
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central
locking system
> Display of maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
> Settings for telephone
*
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page 65, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is automatically hidden after
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
You can call up all the fu nctions of iDrive using
five menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.
Voice activation system
24
Commands
Having possible commands read aloud
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands related to the selected menu
item on the Control Display.
To have the system list the possible com-
mands:
For example, if you have selected "CD", the
system will read aloud the possible commands
for operating the CD player and the CD
changer
*.
Opening help
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
Running functions directly with short
commands
With short commands you can carry out certain
functions directly, rega rdless of which menu
item is selected, refer to page 291.
Opening start menu Example: selecting a track
1.
Switch on Entertainment sound output if
necessary.
2. Press the button on the steering wheel.
5. Press the button on the steering wheel.
{
Options }
{ Help }
{ Radio on } or {Turn radio on }
{ Main menu }
3.{Entertainment }
The system says:
{{ Entertainment }}
4. {CD }
The system says:
{{ CD drive switched on }}
6. Select a track, e.g.:
{Track 1 }
The system says:
{{ Track 1 }}
Controls
127Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Center armrest front
A storage compartment is located under the
armrest between the front seats and, depend-
ing on the vehicle's equipment, also a cover for
the mobile phone bracket or the snap-in
adapter. Also refer to page 220.
Opening cover
Push cover down slightly and press the button.
The cover folds upward.
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 vehicle's speaker system:
>AUX-In connection, refer to page 200
> USB audio interface, refer to page 201
Storage compartments
Compartments are located in the doors, in the
center console in the front and rear
* as well as
in the rear console in the X6.
Storage nets
* are located on the backrests of
the front seats.
Do not stow hard or sharp-edged objects
in the storage nets; otherwise there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent. <
Clothes hooks
When hanging clothing on the hooks,
ensure that it will not obstruct the driver's
vision. Do not hang heavy objects on the hooks. If you do so, they could cause personal injury to
occupants during brak
ing or evasive maneu-
vers. <
BMW X5
Clothes hooks are located near the grab han-
dles in the rear.
BMW X6
To fold out, press against upper edge.
Cup holders
Use lightweight, unbreakable containers
and do not transport hot beverages; oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident. Do not force unsuitable
containers into the cup holders, as otherwise
damage can result. <
Front
Slide the cover back.
On/Off and settings
174
On/Off and settings
The following audio sources have shared con-
trols and setting options:
> Radio
> CD player
> CD changer
*
Controls
The audio sources can be controlled using:
>Buttons in the area of the CD player
> iDrive
> Buttons
on steering wheel, refer to page 11
> Programmable memory buttons, refer to
page 21
Buttons on CD player
Equipment with a single drive
1Entertainment sound output on/off, volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When the system is switched on, the
most recently select ed radio station or
CD track is played.
> Turn: adjust volume.
2 Eject CD
3 Drive for audio CDs
4 Station scan/track search
> Change radio station.
> Select track for CD player and
CD changer.
Equipment with two drives
1 Entertainment sound output on/off, volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When the system is switched on, the
most recently select ed radio station or
CD track is played.
> Turn: adjust volume.
2 Drive for audio CDs
3 Eject CD
4 Station scan/track search
> Change radio station.
> Select track for CD player and
CD changer.
5 Drive for navigation DVDs
Operation via iDrive
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Move the controller backwards to open
"Entertainment".
Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
175Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
You have the following choices:
>"FM" and "AM": radio reception
> "WB": Weather Band station
> "SAT": satellite radio
*
>"CD": CD player or changer*
>"AUX": AUX-In connection, USB audio
interface
*
>"Set": depending on the audio source,
other adjustments can be made, e.g. with
the radio: update st ation with strongest
reception, store station, tone control, sam-
ple stations.
From another menu, you can change
directly to the scr een last displayed,
refer to Comfort opening of menu items,
page 18.<
From radio readiness, the selected audio
source is stored for the remote control currently
in use.
Switching on/off
To switch the Entertainment sound output on
and off:
Press knob 1 on the CD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off.
For equipment with a single drive, the sound
output is available for approx. 20 minutes with
the ignition switched off.
Switch on the sound output again for this pur-
pose.
Adjusting volume
Turn knob 1 on the CD player until the desired
volume is set.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page 11.
From radio readiness, the setting is stored for
the remote control currently 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 set for all audio sources at
once.
From radio readiness, the settings are stored
for the remote contro l currently in use.
Changing tone settings
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4. Select "Audio" or "Tone / Volume" and
press the controller.
The tone settings can also be selected when
you have opened "Entertainment" in the start
menu:
Select "Set" and then "Tone", and press the
controller.
Treble and bass
1. Select "Treble / Bass" and press the con-
troller.
Radio
178
Radio
Your radio provides reception of the FM and AM
wavebands.
Listening to radio
Press the knob if the sound output is switched
off.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1. Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Move the controller backwards to open
"Entertainment".
3. Change to upper field if necessary. Select
"FM" or "AM".
4. Press the controller.
Stations are shown on the Control Display
on the basis of various selection criteria, e.g.
"Presets".
If "Autostore" does not display any stations or
if the stations displayed can no longer be
received in the AM reception range, update the
stations with the best reception, refer to
page 179.
Changing stations
Turn the controller.
Buttons on CD player
Press the button for the corresponding
direction.
The system changes to the next displayed sta-
tion.
You can also change stat ions with the buttons
on the steering wheel, refer to page 11.
Changing selection criteria
In addition to the stations currently displayed,
you can have stations with another selection
criterion displayed.
You can choose from the following selection
criteria:
> "All stations"
*:
Stations that can currently be received in
the "FM" waveband.
> "Autostore":
The stations with the strongest received
signals in the "AM" waveband.
With High Definition Radio: the stations with
the strongest received signals in the "FM"
waveband.
> "Presets":
Stations you have previously stored, refer to
page 180.
> "Manual":
To set stations that ca n be received in addi-
tion to those displayed, refer to Selecting
frequency manually on page 179.
Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
179Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
To change the selection criterion:
1.Change into the second field from the top.
2. Select the selection criterion and press the
controller.
Sampling stations, scan
The system automatically plays a brief sample
from each of the stations on the current wave-
band.
1.Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
"Set" is selected.
2. Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
3. Select "Scan" and press the controller.
The stations are sampled.
To end sampling:
1. Press the controller.
2. Select "Scan" and press the controller.
This cancels sampling of the stations, and the
radio remains on the current station.
Buttons on CD player
To sample the stations, press and hold the button for the corresponding direction.
To end scanning, press the button again.
Selecting frequency manually
With "Manual" you can se lect stations that can
be received in additi on to those displayed.
1. Select "FM" or "AM" and press the control-
ler.
2. Change into the second field from the top.
3. Select "Manual" and press the controller.
4. Turn the controller to set a certain fre-
quency.
Updating stations with best reception
If you are on a longer journey and leave the
transmission range of the stations originally set,
you can update the list of stations in the AM
range with the best reception.
1.Select "AM" and pr ess the controller.
2. Change into the second field from the top.
3. Select "Autostore" and press the controller.
"Set" is selected.
4. Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.