
At a glance
 21Reference
Controls
Driving tips
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Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Letters and numbers
Entering letters and numbers
1.Turn the controller: select the letters or 
numbers.
2.Select additional letters or numbers if 
needed.
3."OK": confirm the entry.
Switching between letters and 
numbers
Depending on the menu, you can switch 
between entering letters and numbers:
Wordmatch concept during navigation
Entry of names and addresses: the selection is 
narrowed down every time a letter is entered 
and letters may be added automatically.
Destination search: the entries are continuously 
compared to the data stored in the vehicle.
>The only letters offered for entering 
addresses are those for which data are 
available.
>Town/city names can be entered with the 
spelling used in any of the languages avail-
able on the Control Display.
SymbolFunction
Press the controller: delete 
one letter or number
Press the controller for an 
extended period: delete all 
letters or numbers
Enter a blank space
SymbolFunction
Entering letters
Entering numbers 

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.
Coupe: the voice activation system uses a spe-
cial microphone located in the area of the inte-
rior rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Convertible: the voice activation system uses a 
special microphone located in the area of the 
steering column.
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
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for 
word. 
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice acti-
vation system.
{Cancel} 

At a glance
 23Reference
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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.
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 page242.
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 
page183.<
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 
closed to prevent interference from outside 
noise.
>Avoid ambient noise in the vehicle while 
speaking. {Voice commands}
3.Select the music track, e.g.: 
{C D track 4}
System says: 
{{Track 4}} 

Controls
 27Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page76
>Date format, refer to page77
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page80
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page79
>Units of measure, refer to page72
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC
*, refer to page81
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page93
>Pathway lighting, refer to page94
>Daytime running lights, refer to page94
>High-beam assistant, refer to page95
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function 
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air volume and distribu-
tion, refer to page99 ff
>Entertainment:
>Tone control, refer to page146
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page147
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Trunk lid
>Fuel filler flap
>Convertible: glove compartment
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control>Via the door lock
*
>In cars with Comfort Access*, via the han-
dles on the driver's and front passenger 
doors
In addition, if the remote control is used, the 
welcome lamps, interior lamps and the door's 
courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. The 
alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system,
 refer to 
page32.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page30.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. You 
should therefore take the remote control with 
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter 
can be opened from outside.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable 
hardtop with the remote control, the 
doors and trunk lid must be closed and the 
cargo area partition must be folded down and 
engaged on both sides. Refer also to page38.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on.
Setting unlocking characteristics
You can set whether only the driver's door or 
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the 
button is pressed for the first time.
1."Settings"
2."Door locks" 

Controls
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1."Settings"
2."Language/Units"
3.Select the desired menu item.
4.Select the desired unit.
The settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
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.<
For certain maintenance operations, you can 
view the respective distance remaining or due 
date individually in the instrument cluster.1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page55.
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. 

Controls
 79Reference
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3."Check Control"
4.Select the text message.
Speed limit
You can enter a speed, and a Check Control 
message will indicate when you reach this 
speed. This enables you, for example, to 
receive warnings if you exceed a speed limit in 
an urban area. 
You are only warned of reaching this speed a 
second time if your vehicle speed falls below it 
again by at least 3 mph or 5 km/h.
Displaying, setting or changing the 
limit
1."Settings"
2."Speed"
3."Warning at:"
4.Turn the controller until the desired speed 
is displayed.
5.Press the controller.
The speed limit is stored.
Applying your current speed as the 
limit
1."Settings"
2."Speed"
3."Select current speed"
4.Press the controller.
The system adopts your current speed as the 
limit.
Activating/deactivating the limit
1."Settings"
2."Speed"
3."Warning"
4.Press the controller.
 The limit warning is switched on.
Settings on the Control 
Display
Language on the Control Display
Setting the language
1."Settings"
2."Language/Units" 

Controls overview
80 3."Language:"
4.Select the desired language.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Setting the voice dialog
Switch between a standard dialog and a short 
dialog.
1."Settings"
2."Language/Units"
3."Speech mode:"
4.Select the desired dialog.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Brightness of the Control Display
The brightness is automatically adapted to the 
ambient lighting conditions. However, you can 
change the basic setting.
1."Settings"
2."Control display"3."Brightness"
4.Turn the controller until the desired setting 
is selected.
5.Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use. In bright conditions, for example, 
the brightness control may not be clearly visi-
ble. 

Controls
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At a glance
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Mobility
Digital compass*
1Adjustment button
2Display
The display shows you the main or secondary 
compass direction in which you are driving.
Operating principle
You can call up various functions by pressing 
the adjustment button with a pointed object such as a pen or similar item. The following 
adjustment options are displayed one after the 
other, depending on how long you keep the 
adjustment button pressed:
>Press briefly: switch display on/off
>3 to 6 seconds: set compass zone
>6 to 9 seconds: calibrate compass
>9 to 12 seconds: set left-hand/right-hand 
steering
>12 to 15 seconds: set the language
Setting compass zones
Set the compass zone corresponding to your 
vehicle's geographic location so that the com-
pass can function correctly; refer to the world 
map with compass zones.
To set the compass zone, press the adjustment 
button for approx. 3-4 seconds. The number of 
the compass zone set is shown in the display.
To change the zone setting, briefly press the 
adjustment button repeatedly until the display 
shows the number of the compass zone corre-
sponding to your current location.The compass is operational again after approx. 
10 seconds.
Calibrating the digital compass
The digital compass must be calibrated in the 
following situations:
>An incorrect compass direction is shown.