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The individual vehicle
When you ordered your BMW, you chose vari-
ous items of equipment. This Owner's Manual 
describes the entire array of options and equip-
ment available with a specific BMW model.
Please bear in mind that the manual may con-
tain information on accessories and equipment 
that you have not specified for your own vehicle. 
Sections describing options and special equip-
ment are marked by asterisks 
* to assist you in 
identifying possible differences between the 
descriptions in this manual and your own vehi-
cle's equipment.
If equipment in your BMW is not described in 
this Owner's Manual, please refer to the accom-
panying Supplementary Owner's Manuals.
Editorial notice
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, ongoing 
development that is conceived to ensure that 
our vehicles continue to embody the highest 
quality and safety standards combined with 
advanced, state-of-the-art technology. For this 
reason, it is possible in exceptional cases that 
features described in this Owner's Manual 
could differ from those on your vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of 
modern materials and powerful electron-
ics, requires specially adapted maintenance 
and repair methods. You should therefore have 
the corresponding work on your vehicle per-
formed only by your BMW center or at a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair pro-
cedures with correspondingly trained 
personnel. If this work is not carried out prop-
erly, there is a danger of subsequent damage 
and related safety hazards.<
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts 
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested and 
approved by BMW and Original BMW Parts, you 
simultaneously acquire the assurance that they 
have been thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure 
optimum performance when installed on your 
vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from 
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for damage 
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made by other 
manufacturers to verify if it can be used on a 
BMW safely and without risk to either the vehi-
cle, its operation, or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and 
other products approved by BMW, together 
with professional advice on using these items, 
are available from all BMW centers.
Installation and operation of accessories not 
approved by BMW, such as alarms, radios, 
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension 
components, brake dust shields, telephones, 
including operation of any mobile phone from 
within the vehicle without using an externally 
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment, for 
instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radio or sim-
ilar accessories, may cause extensive damage 
to the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere 
with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the 
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty. See your 
BMW center for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of 
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive 
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following 
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of 
automobile components and parts,  

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Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
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.
Text messages
Text messages at the top edge of the Control 
Display describe the meanings of the indicator 
and warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
You can call up more information on the Control 
Display, e.g. on the cause of a malfunction and 
on how to respond, via Check Control, refer to 
page77.In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
High beams/headlamp flasher94
Fog lamps95
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability83
Parking brake applied56
Canada: parking brake applied56
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on emissions224
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on emissions224 

Voice activation system
22
Voice activation system
The concept
The voice activation system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering 
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display 
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary to use the controller.
The voice activation system transforms your 
oral commands into control signals for the 
selected systems and provides support in the 
form of instructions or questions.
The voice activation system uses a special 
microphone located in the area of the interior 
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, select the language in which the 
voice activation system is operating, so that the 
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting 
the language for iDrive, refer to page79.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice activation system
1.Press the   button on the steering wheel. This symbol on the Control Display and 
an acoustic signal indicate that the voice 
activation system is ready to receive spo-
ken commands.
2.Say the command.
The command appears on the Control Dis-
play.
 This symbol appears on the Control Display 
when you can enter additional commands. 
If no further commands are possible, continue 
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice 
activation system
Press the   button on the steering wheel
or
In dialogs that call for a text of your choice, the 
procedure can only be canceled using the but-
ton on the steering wheel.
Possible commands
The commands available in each case depend 
on the menu item selected on the Control Dis-
play.
To have the available commands read aloud:
For example, if "CD/DVD" is selected, the com-
mands for operating CD/Multimedia are read 
aloud.
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for 
word. 
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice acti-
vation system.
{Cancel}
{Voice commands} 

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Calling up functions immediately via 
short commands
Short commands enable you to perform certain 
functions immediately, irrespective of which 
menu item is selected, refer to page249.
Example: selecting the track of a CD
1.If necessary, switch on entertainment audio 
output.
2.Press the   button on the steering wheel.
Setting the voice dialog
You can set whether the system should use the 
standard dialog or a shorter variant. In the 
shorter variant of the voice dialog, the prompts 
and responses from the system are abbrevi-
ated.
1."Settings"
2."Language/Units"
3."Speech mode:"
4.To select the setting:
>"Default"
>"Short"
Notes
To operate the phone by voice, refer to 
page181.<
For voice commands, bear in mind the follow-
ing:>Do not use the voice activation system to 
initiate an Emergency Request. In stressful 
situations, the voice and vocal pitch can 
change. This can unnecessarily delay the 
establishment of a telephone connection.
>Pronounce the commands and digits 
smoothly and at normal volume, avoiding 
excessive emphases and pauses. This also 
applies when spelling out and saying a full 
word during destination entry.
>When selecting a radio station, use the 
standard pronunciation of the station name.
>For entries in the voice-activated phone 
book, only use names in the language of the 
voice activation system and no abbrevia-
tions.
>Keep the doors, windows and glass roof/
panorama glass roof closed to prevent 
interference from outside noise.
>Avoid ambient noise in the vehicle while 
speaking. 3.Select the music track, e.g.: 
{C D track 4}
System says: 
{{Track 4}} 

Opening and closing
26
Opening and closing
Remote control
Each remote control contains a rechargeable 
battery that is automatically recharged when it 
is in the ignition lock while the car is being 
driven. Use each remote control at least twice a 
year for longer road trips in order to maintain the 
batteries' charge status. In cars with Comfort 
Access
*, the remote control contains a 
replaceable battery, refer to page35.
The settings called up and implemented when 
the car is unlocked depend on which remote 
control is used to unlock the car, refer to Per-
sonal Profile, next column.
In addition, information about service require-
ments is stored in the remote control, refer to 
Service data in the remote control, page223.
Integrated key
Press button1 to release the key.
The integrated key fits the following locks:
>Glove compartment, refer to page105
>Driver's door, refer to page29
New remote controls
Your BMW center can supply new remote con-
trols with integrated keys as additional units or 
as replacements in the event of loss.
Personal Profile
The concept
You can set many of your BMW's functions to 
suit your personal needs and preferences. 
Without any action on your part, Personal Pro-
file ensures that most of these settings are 
stored for the remote control currently in use. 
When you unlock the car, the remote control 
used for the purpose is recognized and the set-
tings stored for it are called up and imple-
mented.
This means that your personal settings will be 
activated for you, even if in the meantime your 
car was used by someone else with another 
remote control and the corresponding settings. 
The individual settings are stored for a maxi-
mum of four remote controls. They are stored 
for two remote controls if Comfort Access
* is in 
use.
Personal Profile settings
For more information on specific settings, refer 
to the specified pages.
>Assignment of programmable memory 
keys, refer to page20
>Response of the central locking system 
when the car is unlocked, refer to page27
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to 
page30
>Automatic call-up
* of the driver's seat posi-
tion, refer to page45
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page59 

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 29Reference
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If the car can no longer be locked with a remote 
control, the battery in the remote control is dis-
charged. Use the remote control on an 
extended trip to recharge the battery, refer to 
page26. The remote control for Comfort 
Access
* contains a battery that may have to be 
changed, refer to page35.
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply with 
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications 
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-
erned by the following:
FCC ID:
LX8766S 
LX8766E 
LX8CAS
Compliance statement: 
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC 
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two 
conditions:
>This device must not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>this device must accept any interference 
received, including interference that may 
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or 
changes to these devices could void the 
user's authority to operate this equipment.<
Opening and closing:
Using the door lock
You can set the way in which the car is 
unlocked, refer to page27.In vehicles without an alarm system
* or 
Comfort Access
*, only the driver's door 
can be locked via the door lock.<
To lock all doors, the fuel filler flap and the trunk 
lid at once:
1.With the doors closed, lock the vehicle 
using the button for the central locking sys-
tem in the interior, refer to page30.
2.Unlock and open the driver's or front pas-
senger door, refer to page30.
3.Lock the vehicle.
>Lock the driver's door using the inte-
grated key in the door lock, or
>press down the lock button of the front 
passenger door and close the door from 
the outside.
Convenient operation
If the vehicle is equipped with an alarm system* 
or Comfort Access*, you can also operate the 
windows and the glass roof
*/panorama glass 
roof
* via the door lock.
Hold the key in the position for unlocking or 
locking.
Watch during the closing process to 
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing 
the key stops the operation.<
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can 
lock and unlock the driver's door by turning the 
integrated key to the corresponding limit posi-
tions in the door lock. 

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 31Reference
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Opening from outside
Sedan
Press the button, see arrow, or the   button on 
the remote control for a longer period. The 
trunk lid will open slightly. It can now be swung 
upwards.
In the event of a malfunction, please con-
tact your BMW center or a workshop that 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel.<
Sports Wagon
Press the button, see arrow, or the   button on 
the remote control for a longer period. The tail-
gate will open slightly. It can now be swung 
upwards.
When the button on the roller cover is 
pressed, refer to page110, the roller 
cover is raised. Before closing the tailgate, 
press the roller cover downward until it 
engages.<
Opening manually
Sports Wagon
In the event of an electrical malfunction:1.From the cargo area, swing the cover on the 
tailgate upward.
2.Pull the ring upward. The tailgate is 
unlocked.
3.Open the tailgate and close the cover again.
The tailgate is locked as soon as it is pressed 
shut.
Locking or unlocking separately
The switch is located in the glove compartment.
1Locking the trunk lid
2Unlocking the trunk lid
Locking separately
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 1. 
The trunk lid is locked and cannot be unlocked 
using the central locking system. 
If you give the remote control without the inte- 

Controls
 33Reference
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could bump against the rear window while the 
vehicle is in motion; otherwise, the heating ele-
ments of the rear window could be damaged.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the trunk lid/tail-
gate is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior 
motion sensor, refer to page33
>When the car's inclination changes, for 
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up 
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to 
towing away
>When there has been an interruption of 
power supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry 
attempts for a short time by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the trunk lid/tailgate even when 
the alarm system is armed, by pressing the   
button on the remote control, refer to page28. 
The lid is locked and monitored again as soon 
as you close it.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find 
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the   button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page27.>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: 
doors, hood, trunk lid/tailgate or rear win-
dow are not properly closed. Even if you do 
not close the alerted area, the system 
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and 
the indicator lamp flashes continuously 
after approx. 10 seconds. The interior 
motion sensor and the tilt alarm sensor are 
not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking: 
your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote control is inserted in the 
ignition, but for no longer than approx. 
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed 
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm 
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel 
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must 
be completely closed
*.