
Controls overview
56
Controls overview
Odometer, outside 
temperature display, clock
1Knob in the instrument cluster
2Outside temperature and clock
3Odometer and trip odometer
Knob in the instrument cluster
>To reset the trip odometer while the ignition 
is switched on
>To display the time, outside temperature 
and odometer briefly while the ignition is 
switched off
Units of measure
To select the respective units of measure, miles 
or km for the odometer as well as 7 or 6 for 
the outside temperature, refer to Formats and 
units of measure on page60.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Time, outside temperature display
Setting the time, refer to page62.
Outside temperature warning
When the displayed temperature sinks to 
approx. +37 7/+36, a signal sounds and a 
warning lamp lights up. There is an increased 
risk of black ice.
Black ice can also form at temperatures 
above +37 7/+36. You should there-
fore drive carefully on bridges and shaded roads, for example; otherwise, there is an 
increased risk of an accident.<
Odometer and trip odometer
Resetting the trip odometer: 
With the ignition switched on, press button1 in 
the instrument cluster.
When the vehicle is parked
If you still want to view the time, outside tem-
perature and odometer reading briefly after the 
remote control has been taken out of the igni-
tion lock:
Press button 1 in the instrument cluster.
Tachometer
Never force the engine speed up into the red 
warning field, see arrow. In this range, the fuel 
supply is interrupted to protect the engine. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 57
Coolant temperature
A warning lamp will come on if the coolant, and 
therefore the engine, becomes too hot.
Check coolant level, refer to page117.
Engine oil temperature*
When the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature, the engine oil temperature is between 
approx. 2107/1006 and approx. 3007/
1506.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a warn-
ing lamp comes on in the instrument cluster.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 14 US gallons/
53 liters.
You can find information on refueling on 
page104.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period, 
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for 
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
Fuel display 135i: in speedometer.
Reserve
Once the fuel level has fallen to the reserve 
zone, the indicator lamp lights up briefly and the 
cruising range for the remaining amount of fuel 
is displayed. The indicator lamp stays on per-
manently when the remaining range is less than 
approx. 30 miles/50 km.
Refuel as soon as possible once your 
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km; otherwise, engine functions are not 
ensured and damage can occur.<
Computer
Displays in the instrument cluster
Calling up information
Press the button in the turn indicator lever. 

Controls overview
58 The following items of information are dis-
played in the order listed:
>Cruising range
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
>Current fuel consumption
>No information
To set the corresponding units of measure, 
refer to Formats and units of measure on 
page60.
Cruising range
Displays the estimated cruising range available 
with the remaining fuel. The range is calculated 
on the basis of the way the car has been driven 
over the last 18 miles/30 km and the amount of 
fuel currently in the tank.
It is important that you refuel as soon as 
possible once your cruising range falls 
below 30 miles/50 km; otherwise, engine func-
tions are not ensured and damage can occur.<
Average speed
Periods with the vehicle parked and the engine 
switched off are not included in the calculations 
of average speed.
To reset average speed: press the button in the 
turn indicator lever for approx. 2 seconds.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for 
the time during which the engine is running.
To reset average fuel consumption: press the 
button in the turn indicator lever for approx. 
2seconds.
Current fuel consumption
Displays the current fuel consumption. This 
allows you to see whether your current driving 
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 61
Service requirements
The remaining driving distance and the date of 
the next scheduled service are displayed briefly 
immediately after you start the engine or switch 
on the ignition.
The extent of service work required can 
be read out from the remote control by 
your BMW Service Advisor.
date individually in the instrument cluster.
1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page47.
2.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up 
or down repeatedly until the appropriate 
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the words "SERVICE-INFO".
3.Press button 2.
4.Use button 1 to scroll through the individual 
service items.
Possible displays
1Button for selecting functions
2Service requirements
3Engine oil
4Roadworthiness test
*
5Front brake pads
6Rear brake pads
7Brake fluid 

Controls overview
62 The sequence of displayed service items may 
vary. The data for the next service appointment 
is shown first.
Clock
Setting the time
In the instrument cluster
To set the 12h/24h format, refer to Formats and 
units of measure on page60.
1.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up 
or down repeatedly until the appropriate 
symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the time and the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Use button 1 to set the hours.
4.Press button 2 to confirm the entry.
5.Use button 1 to set the minutes.
6.Press button 2 to confirm the entry.
7.Press button 2.
The system accepts the new time.
Date
Setting the date
In the instrument cluster
To set the dd/mm or mm/dd date format, refer 
to Formats and units of measure on page60.
1.Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up 
or down repeatedly until the appropriate symbol appears in the display, accompa-
nied by the date and the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Use button 1 to set the day of the month.
4.Press button 2 to confirm the entry.
5.Set the month and the year in the same way.
6.Press button 2.
The system stores the new date.
Check Control
The concept
The Check Control monitors vehicle functions 
and alerts you to any malfunctions in the sys-
tems monitored. Such a Check Control mes-
sage includes indicator or warning lamps in the 
instrument cluster and, in some circumstances, 
an acoustic signal. 
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
Several of the lamps are checked for proper 
functioning and light up temporarily when the 
engine is started or the ignition is switched on. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
64
Technology for driving comfort and safety
Park Distance Control PDC*
The concept
The PDC assists you with maneuvering in tight 
parking spaces. Acoustic signals warn you of 
the presence of an object behind your vehicle. 
Four ultrasonic sensors in the bumper measure 
the distance.
An acoustic warning does not sound until an 
object is closer than approx. 2 ft/60 cm to the 
corner sensors, or closer than approx. 5 ft/
1.50 m to the center sensors.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate 
objects when they are approached 
slowly, as is usually the case when parking. 
Avoid approaching an object at high speed; oth-
erwise, physical circumstances may lead to the 
system warning being issued too late.<
Switching on automatically
With the engine running or the ignition switched 
on, the system is activated after approx. 1 sec-
ond when you engage reverse gear or move the 
automatic transmission selector lever to 
position R. Wait this short period before driving.
Switching off automatically
After approx. 55 yd/50 m of driving or above 
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system switches 
off and the LED goes out.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, its position is indicated 
correspondingly by an interval tone. As the dis-
tance between vehicle and object decreases, 
the intervals between the tones become 
shorter. If the distance to the nearest object 
falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a contin-
uous tone sounds.
An interval tone is interrupted after approx. 
3seconds:
>If you stop in front of an object that has been 
detected by only one of the corner sensors>If you are driving parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The indicator lamp in the instrument 
cluster comes on. PDC is malfunc-
tioning. Have the system checked.
To avoid this problem, keep the sensors clean 
and free of ice or snow in order to ensure that 
they will continue to operate effectively. When 
using a high-pressure cleaner, do not spray the 
sensors for extended periods of time and only 
from a distance of at least 1 ft/30 cm.
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for 
estimating the distance between the 
vehicle and any obstructions always remains 
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind spot in which objects can 
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms 
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those 
encountered with trailer towbars and hitches, 
thin or wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low objects 
that have already been displayed, e.g. curbs, 
can disappear again from the detection area of 
the sensors before or after a continuous tone 
sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g. ledges, 
cannot be detected. Loud sound sources out-
side or inside the car can drown out the PDC 
signal. Therefore, always drive cautiously; oth-
erwise, there is a risk of personal injury or prop-
erty damage.<
Driving stability control 
systems
Your BMW has a number of systems that help 
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in 
adverse driving conditions. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 65
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during 
braking. Safe steering response is maintained 
even during full braking. Active safety is thus 
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the 
engine. Braking safely, refer to page98.
Electronic brake-force distribution 
EBV
The system controls the brake pressure in the 
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system 
automatically produces the maximum braking 
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the 
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing 
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. The system also recognizes unstable 
driving conditions, for example if the rear of the 
car is about to swerve or if momentum is acting 
at an angle past the front wheels. In these 
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe 
course within physical limits by reducing engine 
output and through braking actions at the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed, 
even with DSC. An appropriate driving 
style always remains the responsibility of the 
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional 
safety margin again by taking risks, as this could 
result in an accident.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-
cator lamps for DSC in the instrument cluster 
light up. Dynamic Traction Control DTC and 
DSC have been simultaneously deactivated. 
Stabilizing and drive-output promoting actions 
are no longer executed.
In the same way as with a differential interlock
*, 
even if DSC is deactivated, brake actions are 
still performed on the rear axle to enhance drive 
output if the drive wheels experience a signifi-
cant loss of traction.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again 
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button again; the indicator lamps for 
DSC in the instrument cluster go out.
For better control
If the indicator lamp flashes: 
DSC is regulating the drive and braking 
forces.
If the indicator lamps are on: 
DSC is deactivated.
Dynamic Traction Control DTC
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions, 
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with 
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC 
under the following special circumstances: 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 67
1.Start the engine immediately before pulling 
away, but do not drive off yet.
2.Lightly push button 1 in the turn indicator 
lever up or down repeatedly until the corre-
sponding symbol appears in the display 
accompanied by the word "RESET".
3.Press button 2 to confirm your choice of the 
Flat Tire Monitor.
4.Press button 2 for approx. 5 seconds, until 
the reading shown below is displayed:
5.Start driving.
Initialization is completed while the car is on 
the move, without any feedback.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow 
and red. In addition, a signal sounds. 
There is a flat tire or substantial loss 
of tire pressure.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of 
50 mph/80 km/h.
If the car is not equipped with run-flat 
tires, refer to page112, the standard 
equipment by design, do not continue driv-ing. A severe accident could result if you 
continue driving after a tire puncture.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If all four tires are inflated to the cor-
rect pressures, the Flat Tire Monitor 
might not have been initialized. The system 
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of complete tire pressure loss, 
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the distance 
for which you can continue driving on the 
basis of the following guidelines:
>With a light load: 
1 to 2 persons without luggage: 
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load: 
2 persons, cargo area full, or 4 persons 
without luggage: 
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load: 
4 persons, cargo area full: 
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a 
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h; otherwise, 
there is a risk of an accident. In the event of 
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This 
includes reduced tracking stability in braking, 
extended braking distance and altered natural 
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibration or loud noises occur during 
the journey, this may be an indication that the 
damaged tire has finally failed. Reduce your 
speed and pull over as soon as possible at a 
suitable location. Otherwise, parts of the tire 
could come loose, resulting in an accident. Do 
not continue driving. Instead, contact your 
BMW center.<
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM*
The concept
RDC monitors the tire inflation pressure in the 
four mounted tires during a trip. The system 
notifies you if there is a significant loss of pres-
sure in one or more tires.