Page 11 of 317
At a glance
This overview of buttons, switches and displays
is intended to familiarize you with your vehicle's
operating environment. The section will also
assist you in becoming acquainted with the control concepts and options availablefor operating the various systems.
At a glance
Page 13 of 317

At a glance
11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
9BMW X6: upshifting or downshifting
with automatic transmission 71
10 Instrument panel 12
13 Ignition lock 65
14 Buttons on steering wheel 15
Horn, entire surface
18 Releasing hood 258
8
Turn signals 73
High beams, headlamp flasher 73
Roadside parking lamps
*112
Time, date, outside temperature,
Check Control 78, 86
Computer 80
11 Windshield wipers 74
Rain sensor 74
BMW X5: rear window wiper 75
12 Starting/stopping engine and
switching ignition on/off
65
Telephone
*:
> Press: accepting and ending
call, starting dialing
* for
selected phone number and
redialing if no phone number is
selected
> Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice
activation system
* 23
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling in phone book and in lists
with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable 59
Individually programmable 59
Steering wheel heating
*59
16 Steering wheel adjustment 58
17 Cruise control
*75
Page 17 of 317

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for hands-free mode for
telephone
* and for voice activation
system
*23
2 Initiating
an emergency request 279
3 Reading lamps 113
4 Glass sunroof 42, 45
5 Interior lamps 113
6 Passenger airbag status lamp 105
7 Control Display 16
Displays for menu navigation
8 Hazard warning flashers
9 Central locking system 29
10 Opening glove compartment 126
11 Automatic climate control with 2-zone
control 115
Automatic climate control with 4-zone
control
*119
12 Ejecting audio CD
13 Changing
>radio station 174
> track 174 14
Selecting radio, CD and CD changer
15 Selecting AM or FM waveband
16 Ejecting navigation DVD with navigation
system
*148
18 Controller 16
Turn, press or move horizontally in
four directions
19 Opening start menu on Control Display 17
20 Automatic Hold 67
21 Parking brake 67
22 Adaptive Drive
*99
23 Programmable memory buttons 21
24 Switching Entertainment sound output
on/off and adjusting volume 174
Manual air distribution
116
Automatic air distribution and
volume 115
Cooling function 117
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control 117
Maximum cooling 117
Air volume 116
Residual heat utilization 118
Defrosting windows and
removing condensation 116
Rear window defroster 116
Seat heating
*55, 56
Active seat ventilation
*56
17 Opening liftgate 33, 35
Active seat
*57
PDC Park Distance Control
*91
Rear view camera
*93
DTC Dynamic Traction Control 97
HDC Hill Descent Control 98
Page 18 of 317
iDrive
16
iDrive
iDrive combines the functions of a large number
of switches. This allows these functions to be
operated from a central position. The following
section provides an introduction to basic menu navigation. The control of the individual func-
tions is described in co
nnection with the rele-
vant equipment.
Controls
1 Control Display
2 button
Opening start menu
3 Controller
With the controller you can select menu
items and make settings:
>move in four directions, arrows 4
> turn, arrow 5
> press, arrow 6
To avoid posing an unnecessary hazard
due to inattention, bo th to your own vehi-
cle's occupants and to other road users: never
attempt to use the cont rols or make entries
unless traffic and road conditions allow. <
Page 19 of 317

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.
Page 20 of 317

iDrive
18
Opening menu items of start menu
With the start menu you can open the menu
items Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller to
the left, right, front or rear.
You can open the menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Comfort opening of menu items
Comfort opening offers you:
> Opening of a menu item of the start menu in
the last display shown
> Direct changing between Communication,
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate
without pressing the button
For this purpose, move the controller in the cor-
responding direction and hold it for longer than
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1 Each menu is divided into fields.
The respective active field is highlighted.
2 A symbol indicates the last selected menu
item of the start menu:
1 Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2 In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility
of accessing other menu items that are not
currently visible.
3 Settings are displayed graphically or
numerically.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
menu
Page 23 of 317

At a glance
21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Switching assistance window off/on
1.Move the controller to th e right to change to
the assistance window and press the con-
troller.
2. Select "Assist. window off" and press the
controller.
To switch on, change to the assistance window
and press the controller.
Switching Control Display
off/on
1. Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Select "Display off" and press the control-
ler.
To switch on, press the controller.
Programmable memory
buttons
You can save and run certain functions of iDrive
on the programmable memory buttons:
> Destinations of navigation
> Telephone, phone numbers
*
>Entertainment:
>Radio station
> CD
> CD compartment of CD changer
*
>AUX
The assignment of the programmable buttons
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Saving function
Destinations of navigation
1. Select destination, e.g. in the destination
list or the address book.
2. Press the ... button longer
than 2 seconds.
Special features:
> With the destination guidance system and
the map view started, the current destina-
tion is stored.
> During destination entry via a map, the
coordinates at the cursor are stored, not the
current destination.
Telephone, phone numbers
1.Enter the phone number or select it in a
list of the stored phone numbers, e.g. of the
"A - Z" list.
2. Press the ... button longer
than 2 seconds.
If a name is assigned to the phone number, the
name will also be stored.
Entertainment
In the Entertainment menu, the sound source
currently heard, e.g. a radio station, is stored,
regardless of the selection on the Control Dis-
play.
Page 24 of 317

iDrive
22
1.
Select the desired function, e.g. radio sta-
tion or CD.
2. Press the ... button longer
than 2 seconds.
If the vehicle is equipped with two drives,
the current track is stored for CDs with
compressed audio files. <
Running function
Press the ... button.
The function is run imme diately. This means,
for example, that when a phone number is
selected, the connection is also established, or
when a navigation destin ation is called up, des-
tination guidance is started.
Displaying button assignment
You can display the assi gnment of the buttons
by touching them with your finger. Please do
not wear gloves when doing so. Touching with
an object, e.g. a pen, does not function.
Displaying short info
Touch the ... button.
The assignment of the buttons is displayed.
Destination of navigation system
Entertainment source
Telephone, phone number
Not assigned
Displaying detailed information
Touch and hold the ... button.
Deleting button assignments
1. Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Select "Settings" an d press the controller.
4. Select "Vehicle / Tire s" and press the con-
troller.
5. Select "Programmable Memory Keys" and
press the controller.
6. Select "Delete assignment of all memory
keys" and press the controller.
7. Select "Yes" and press the controller.