Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use
the index, refer to page250.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
21Letters and numbers
22Voice activation system
Controls
26Opening and closing
43Adjusting
53Transporting children safely
57Driving
74Controls Overview
84Technology for comfort, convenience
and safety
100Lamps
105Climate
110Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
124Things to remember when driving
Navigation
132Navigation system
133Destination entry
142Destination guidance
148What to do if...
Entertainment
152On/off and tone
155Radio
158Satellite radio
160CD/DVD player and CD changer
167Music collection
172External devices
Communications
178Telephone
190Contacts
192BMW Assist
Mobility
200Refueling
202Wheels and tires
211Under the hood
215Maintenance
217Care
221Replacing components
231Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
238Technical data
243Short commands of voice activation
system
250Everything from A to Z
Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Indicator lamps for turn signals
2Speedometer
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Displays for
>Active cruise control
*70
>Lane Departure Warning
*99
5Tachometer74
6Energy Control75
7Display for
>Clock/date74
>Outside temperature74
>Indicator and warning lamps80
>Speed of cruise control
*66
>Desired speed for active cruise
control
*708Display for
>Odometer and trip odometer74
>Computer75
>Date and remaining travel distance
for service requirements77
>Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
*59
>Sport automatic transmission
*62
>Hill Descent Control HDC
*86
>High-beam Assistant
*102
> Check Control message present79
9Fuel gauge75
10Resetting trip odometer74
Controls
27Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
sonal Profile ensures that most of these set-
tings are stored for the remote control currently
in use without you having to do anything. When
the vehicle is unlocked, the corresponding
remote control is detected and the settings
stored for it are called up and carried out.
This means that you will always find your BMW
set to your own personal settings even if
another person with his/her own remote control
and settings has used the vehicle since the last
time you drove it. The individual settings are
stored for a maximum of four remote controls,
for two with Comfort Access
*.
Personal Profile settings
Details on the settings are provided on the
specified pages.
>Behavior of the central locking system
when unlocking vehicle, refer to page28
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to
page30
>Displays on Control Display:
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer
to page83
>Measuring units for consumption, route/
distances, temperature, and pressure,
refer to page76
>12h/24h clock format, refer to page79
>Date format, refer to page79
>Language on Control Display, refer to
page82
>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page63
>Welcome lamps, refer to page100
>Pathway lighting, refer to page101
>Daytime running lamps
*, refer to
page101
>High-beam Assistant
*, refer to
page102
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page84
>Head-up Display
*: selection and brightness
of display, refer to page96>BMW Night Vision
*: display settings, refer
to page98
>Automatic climate control: AUTO program
and intensity, cooling function, and auto-
matic recirculated air control/recirculated-
air mode, temperature, air distribution, tem-
perature in the upper body region, refer to
text starting on page106
>Navigation system
*: voice instructions for
destination guidance, refer to page143
In addition, the following, most recently
selected settings are recalled during unlocking:
>Programmable memory buttons: selecting
stored functions, refer to page20
>Positions of driver's seat, outside mirrors,
and steering wheel
*, refer to page45
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings,
refer to page152
>Radio:
>Display of stored stations, refer to
page157
>Switching RDS Radio Data System on/
off
*, refer to page156
>Phone: volume setting, refer to page181
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
>Luggage compartment lid or tailgate and
rear window
>Fuel filler flap
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Using door lock
>With Comfort Access
* via the door handles
Opening and closing
28 In addition, it the remote control is used, the
welcome lamps, the interior lamps and the
courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. The
alarm system
is armed/disarmed at the same
time.
You can find more detailed information on the
alarm system
on page35.
Operating from inside
Via the button for central locking, refer to
page30. The fuel filler flap is not locked.
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 remote control
Persons or animals left unattended in a
parked vehicle can lock the doors from
the inside. Always take along the remote control
when leaving the vehicle so that the vehicle can
then be opened from the outside.<
Unlocking
Press the button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
*, and
the welcome lamps are switched on.
Setting unlocking behavior
You can set whether the first press of the button
unlocks only the driver's door or the entire vehi-
cle.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"3."Unlock button"
4.Select a menu item:
>"All doors"
Press the button once to unlock the
entire vehicle.
>"Driver's door only"
Pressing the button once unlocks the
driver's door and the fuel filler flap.
Pressing the button twice unlocks the
entire vehicle.
>"Comfort opening"
5.Press the controller.
Comfort opening
Hold the button down. The windows and the
glass sunroof
* open.
Locking
Press the button.
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if
persons are inside, as unlocking from the
inside is not possible without special knowl-
edge.<
Switching on interior lamps
With vehicle locked:
Press the button.
You can also use this function to locate your
vehicle in parking garages, etc.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system in case of dan-
ger:
Press the button for at least 3 seconds.
Switching off alarm: press any button.
Opening and closing
30 Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could void the
user's authority to operate this equipment.<
Opening and closing:
Using door lock
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if
persons are inside, as unlocking from the
inside is not possible without special knowl-
edge.<
When unlocking
1.Turning the key once unlocks the driver's
door and the fuel filler flap.
2.Turning the key a second time unlocks the
remaining doors and the luggage compart-
ment lid/tailgate.
Convenient opening and closing
You also have the option of operating the win-
dows and the glass sunroof
* from the driver's
door lock.
Turn and hold the key in the positions for
unlocking or locking.
Watch during the closing process to be
sure that no one is injured. Releasing the
key stops the operation.<
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can
turn a key all the way to the right or left in the
door lock to lock or unlock the driver's door.
Opening and closing: from
inside
This button serves to unlock or lock doors and
the luggage compartment lid or tailgate and
rear window with the front doors closed, but
does not activate the anti-theft system. The fuel
filler flap remains unlocked.
Automatic locking
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3.Select the desired function:
>"Lock if no door is opened"
The central locking system locks again
after a short time if no door has been
opened.
>"Lock after start. to drive"
The central locking system locks the
vehicle as soon as you start to drive.
Automatic locking is switched on and is
stored for the remote control currently in use.
Unlocking and opening
>Either unlock the doors together with the
button for the central locking system and
Driving
58
Radio readiness and ignition switched
off
All indicator and warning lamps in the instru-
ment cluster go out.
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas,
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause loss of consciousness and
death. The exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly
toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a
potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, select the idling position, or shift the trans-
mission into position P and firmly apply the
parking brake, otherwise the vehicle can begin
to roll.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or inadequately burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter.<
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle remains stationary.
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine
speed.
Manual transmission
Remote control in ignition lock or with Comfort
Access in vehicle, refer to page36.1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Depress the clutch pedal and shift into
idling position.
3.Press the Start/Stop button.
Automatic and sport automatic
transmission*
Remote control in ignition lock or with Comfort
Access in vehicle, refer to page36.
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Press the Start/Stop button.
Switching off engine
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
remote control with you.
When parking, firmly apply the parking brake, as
otherwise the vehicle could roll.<
Manual transmission
1.Press the Start/Stop button with the vehicle
stopped.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Firmly apply the parking brake.
4.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page57.
Automatic and sport automatic
transmission*
1.Shift transmission into position P with the
vehicle stopped.
2.Press the Start/Stop button.
3.Firmly apply the parking brake.
4.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page57.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle can roll if you proceed according to
the following steps:
1.With Comfort Access: insert the remote
control into the ignition lock.
2.Depress brake pedal.
3.Shift into transmission position N.
Controls Overview
74
Controls Overview
Odometer, outside
temperature display, clock,
date
1Time, outside temperature and date
2Odometer and trip odometer
3Press button:
>with ignition switched on, trip odometer
is reset
>with ignition switched off, time, outside
temperature, and odometer are briefly
displayed.
From radio readiness the outside temperature
and the time are displayed.
Date retrieval:
Press CHECK button on turn signal lever, refer
to page81.
Time and date setting, refer to page78.
You can set the unit of measure 7 or 6 on the
Control Display, refer to Units of measure on
page76.
Outside temperature warning
If the display drops to +377/+36, a signal
sounds and a warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. There is
an increased danger of ice.
Even at temperatures above +377/
+36 ice can form. Therefore, drive care-
fully, e.g., on bridges and sections of road in the
shade, otherwise there is an increased accident
risk.<
Tachometer
Avoid engine speeds in the white-striped
advance warning field, arrow1, if possible.
Never force the engine speed up into the red
warning field, see arrow2. Never operate the
engine with the needle in the red overspeed
z o n e o f t h e g a u g e . A t h i g h r e v s i n t h i s r a n g e , t h e
flow of fuel is interrupted to protect the engine.
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant, and with it the engine
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In
addition, a message appears on the Control
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page214.
Controls
75Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Energy Control
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.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 18.5 US gal/
70 liters, including the reserve capacity of
approx. 2.1 US gal/8 liters.
550i: approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters reserve
capacity.
You will find information on refueling on
page200.
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.
Reserve
After the reserve quantity has been reached, a
message briefly appears on the Control Display;
the remaining range is shown in the computer.
Below a range of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the
message remains on the Control Display.
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 instrument cluster
Press the button on the turn signal lever.
The following information is displayed in the
specified order:
>Cruising range
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
>No information
Cruising range
Displays the estimated cruising range available
with the remaining fuel. The range is projected
based on the driving style over the last 20 miles/
30 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.<
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 BC button on
turn signal lever for approx. 2 seconds.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for
the time during which the engine is running.