2009 BMW Z4 SDRIVE35I automatic transmission

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2 Indicator lamps for turn signals
3 Indicator and warning lamps 13
4 Tachometer 64
5 Engine oil temperature 65
6 Display for
>Clock 64
> Outside temperature 64
> Indicator and warning lamps 137
Display for
>Position of automatic transmission
*54
> Gear display for 7-gear sport automatic
transmission with dual clutch
*56
> Computer 65
> Date of next scheduled service, and
remaining distance to be driven 69
> Odometer and trip odometer 64
> Programs for Dynamic Driving
Control 79
> Checking the engine oil level
*198
> Settings and information 68
> There is a Check Control
message 73
8 Fuel gauge 65
9 Resetting the trip odometer 64

Opening and closing
36
Starting the engine
You can start the engine or switch on the igni-
tion when a remote control is inside the vehicle.
It is not necessary to insert a remote control into
the ignition swit ch, refer to page 50.
Switching off the engine in cars with
automatic transmission
The engine can only be switched off when the
selector lever is in position P, refer to page 52.
To switch the engine off when the selector lever
is in position N, the re mote control must be in
the ignition switch.
Before driving a vehicle with automatic
transmission in to a car wash
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
switch.
2. Depress the brake.
3. Move the selector lever to position N.
4. Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Malfunction
Convenient access may malfunction due to
local radio waves. If this happens, open or close
the vehicle via the buttons on the remote con-
trol or using the integr ated key. To start the
engine afterward, insert the remote control into
the ignition switch.
Warning lamps
The warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when you attempt to
start the engine: the engine cannot
be started. The remote co ntrol is not inside the
vehicle or is malfunctioning. Take the remote
control with you inside the vehicle or have it
checked. If necessary, insert another remote
control into the ignition switch.
The warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up while the engine is
running: the remote control is no
longer inside the vehicle. After the engine is
switched off, the engine can only be restarted
within approx. 10 seconds. The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on and a message
appears on the Control Display:
replace the battery in the remote control.
Replacing the battery
The remote control for convenient access con-
tains a battery that will ne ed to be replaced from
time to time.
1. Take the integrated ke y out of the remote
control, refer to page 28.
2. Remove the cover.
3. Insert the new battery wi th the plus side fac-
ing up.
4. Press the cover on to close.
Take the old battery to a battery collec-
tion point or to your BMW center.<
Windows
To prevent injuries, watch the windows
while closing them.
Take the remote contro l with you when you
leave the car, otherwise children could operate
the electric windows and possibly injure them-
selves. <

Driving
50
Driving
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the
ignition lock
Inserting the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
>Radio readiness is switched on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Convenient access*
If the car is equipped wi th convenient access,
only insert the remote control into the ignition
lock under special circ umstances, refer to
page 35.
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out
of the ignition lock as this may cause
damage. <
Before removing the remote control, push it all
the way in to release the locking mechanism.
> The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Automatic transmission
You can only take out the remote control if
transmission position P is engaged: Interlock
Start/stop button
Pressing the start/stop button switches radio
readiness or the ignition on or off.
The engine is started when you press the
start/stop button and depress the clutch if
the car has manual transmission, or the brake if
the car has automatic transmission. <
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
> When the remote cont rol is removed from
the ignition lock
> In cars with convenient access
*, by touch-
ing the surface above th e door lock, refer to
Locking on page 35
Ignition on
All electrical consumers can operate. The
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
When the engine is off, please switch off
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-
cal consumers in order to preserve the
battery. <
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warnin g lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.

Controls
51Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, otherwis e such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car wi th the engine running,
place the transmission in neutral or move the
selector lever to position P and set the parking
brake to prevent the car from moving. <
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeat ed start attempts in
which the engine does no t start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter. <
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 35.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Depress the clutch and shift to neutral
position.
3. Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
Automatic transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 35.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Move the selector lever to position P.
3. Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with con-
venient access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 35.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Press the start/stop button.
The engine starts, regardless of the current
selector lever position.

Driving
52
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you
when you leave the vehicle.
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll. <
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2. Shift into first gear or reverse.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50.
Automatic transmission
1. With the car at a stan dstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2. Press the start/stop button.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50.
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
1. With the car at a stan dstill, engage trans-
mission position P.
2. Press the start/stop button.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50.
Parking brake
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with an electromechan-
ical parking brake that can be set and released
by using a button.
The parking brake is primarily used to prevent
the vehicle from rolling when it is parked.
When the vehicle is stationary, the parking
brake acts on the rear wheels via an electrome-
chanical mechanism. When the vehicle is rolling
or being driven, the parking brake acts on the disc brakes of the front and rear wheels via the
hydraulic brake system.
Setting the brake
Pull the button. The parking brake is set.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster and the LED on the button light
up red. The parking brake is set.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
To set the parking brake, the remote control
does not need to be in the ignition lock.
While driving
In the rare case that the parking brake needs to
be used while driving, pull the button for a
lengthy period:
The vehicle brakes hard while the button is
being pulled. The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up red, a sound is issued
and the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
As soon as you brake the vehicle almost to a
standstill, approx. 2 mph/3 km/h, the parking
brake remains set.
Releasing
Take the remote cont rol with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for
example, cannot release the parking brake. <

Controls
53Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The parking brake can only be released while
the ignition is switched on or the engine is
running.
With manual transmission
Press the button of the parking brake. Depress
the brake and clutch pedals while doing so.
With automatic transmission or 7-gear
sport automatic transmission with dual
clutch
Press the parking brake button while the brake
is depressed or transmission position P is
engaged.
Indicator lamps
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against rolling
using a wheel chock, for example, if you leave
the vehicle.
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise
the engine could be da maged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear. <
Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to
page 54.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select position P and set the park-
ing brake before leavin g the vehicle with the
engine running. <
Disengaging the remote control
In order to remove the remote control from the
ignition lock, you must first move the selector
lever to position P and switch off the engine:
interlock. Removing th e remote control from
the ignition lock, refer to page 50.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –

Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system. The
gear selected is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment cluster, followed by the gear actually
in use.
Shifting gears via sh ift paddles* on the
steering wheel
The shift paddles allow yo u to shift gears with-
out taking your hands off of the steering wheel.
> When you use the shift paddles on the
steering wheel to shif t gears in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to
manual mode.
> If you do not accelerate or shift gears using
the shift paddles for a certain amount of
time, the transmission switches back to
automatic mode.
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear
plane, manual mode remains active. <
> To shift up: pull one of the shift paddles.
> To shift down: press one of the shift
paddles.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system. The
gear selected is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment cluster, followed by the gear actually
in use.
Overriding selector lever lock
Should the selector lever refuse to move out of
position P although the button on the selector
lever is pressed, the sele ctor lever lock can be
overridden:
1. Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out. 3.
Using the screwdriver from the onboard
tool kit, refer to page 208, press the red
lever while moving the selector lever to the
desired position.
7-gear sport automatic
transmission with dual
clutch*
The concept
This transmission is an automated manual
transmission with two clutches and two gear-
box components in which the gears are
changed without loss of torque.
You operate the transmission using the selector
lever and two shift paddles on the steering
wheel.
It offers the following functions:
> Selection between manual and automatic
operation: sequential mode or drive mode
> Automatic downshifting and protection
against selecting the wrong gear, even in
sequential mode
> Launch Control acceleration assistant, refer
to page 58
> Automatic double de-clutch
System limitations
This transmission is equipped with an over-
heating protection system that protects the
clutches against extremely high loads.

Driving
56
The indicator lamp lights up yellow if
the transmission becomes too warm.
Avoid high engine loads and driving off
frequently. If the transmission overheats, the
indicator lamp lights up red and power flow to
the engine is interrupted. You can only continue
driving after the transmi ssion has cooled down.
Avoid driving off frequently with a high acceler-
ation and do not hold the vehicle on inclines by
depressing the accelerato r lightly and dragging
the clutch; otherwise, the transmission may
overheat.
Transmission positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
P, R, N, D1 to D7, S1 to S7, M1 to M7
The transmission position and the gear cur-
rently engaged are displayed.
Engaging a transmission position
> Transmission position P can only be disen-
gaged if the engine is running.
> Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stat ionary, depress the
brake; otherwise, the transmission will not
shift.
Engaging N, D, R
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired
direction, beyond a resi stance point if neces-
sary. When shifting out of P or into R, press
button 1 at the same time.
The engaged transmission position is also dis-
played on the selector lever.
When you release the sele ctor lever, it returns
to its center position.
Engaging P
Press button P.
P Park
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
P engages when you open the driver's
door while the engine is running, your
safety belt is not fastened and you activate nei-
ther the brake pedal nor the accelerator.<
P is engaged automatically when you
switch off the engine, unless N is
engaged and the remote co ntrol is in the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50. As soon as you
remove the remote cont rol from the ignition
lock, P engages regardless of the position of the
selector lever. <