
At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in 
different combinations and colors.
Some lamps are tested for proper function by 
briefly lighting up during starting of the engine 
or when the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the upper edge of the Control 
Display explain the meaning of the displayed 
indicator and warning lamps.
Additional information, e. g. on the cause and 
elimination of a malfunction, can be opened via 
the Check Control system, refer to page79.
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 signal particular 
functions:
High beams/headlamp flasher102
Fog lamps
*104
Parking brake applied59
Parking brake applied for Canadian 
models
Lamp flashes: 
DSC or DTC controls the drive and 
braking forces for maintaining vehicle 
stability86
DTC Dynamic Traction Control86
Exhaust-gas values216
Exhaust-gas values for Canadian 
models216 

Opening and closing
36
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm 
system reacts, e.g., in case of an attempted 
wheel theft or towing.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass sunroof
* 
must be completely closed.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g., in the following 
situations:
>In two-level garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains, 
by sea or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the   button on the remote control 
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are switched off until 
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access allows you to access your vehi-
cle without having to hold the remote control in 
your hand. It is sufficient to carry the remote 
control with you, e.g., in your jacket pocket. The 
vehicle automatically detects the associated 
remote control in the immediate vicinity or in 
the interior.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking vehicle
>Comfort closing
>Opening luggage compartment lid/tailgate 
separately>Sports Wagon: opening rear window sepa-
rately
>Starting engine
Functional requirement
>The vehicle or the luggage compartment 
lid/tailgate can only be locked if the vehicle 
detects that the remote control you are car-
rying is outside the vehicle.
>The next unlocking and locking cycle is not 
possible until after approx. 2 seconds.
>The engine can only be started if the vehicle 
detects that the remote control is located in 
the vehicle.
Comparison with ordinary remote 
control
You can control the functions mentioned previ-
ously with the Comfort Access or by pressing 
the buttons on the remote control. Therefore, 
please familiarize yourself with the information 
on opening and closing beginning on page26 
beforehand.
The special features when using Comfort 
Access are described in the following.
Should a short delay occur when opening 
or closing the windows or the glass sun-
roof, the system is checking whether a remote 
control is located in the vehicle. Please repeat 
opening or closing if necessary.<
Unlocking
Grasp a door handle fully, refer to arrow1, but 
do not touch the surfaces, arrow2 or 3 when 
doing so. This corresponds to pressing the   
button. 

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. 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
84
Technology for comfort, convenience and 
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking. 
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert 
you to the approach of an object from behind 
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there 
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper. 
The range of these sensors is approx. 7 ft/2 m. 
However, an acoustic warning first sounds for 
the sensors at the front and at the two rear cor-
ners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for the center 
rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
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 the physical circumstances would mean 
that the system warning was too late.<
Automatic activation
The system starts to operate approx. one sec-
ond after you shift into reverse or move the 
selector lever into position R with the engine 
running or the ignition switched on.
Wait this short time before driving off.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over 
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is 
switched off and the LED goes out. You can 
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus, 
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle 
will be indicated by a signal tone from the left 
rear speaker, etc. As the distance between 
vehicle and object decreases, the intervals 
between the tones become shorter. If the dis-
tance to the nearest object falls to below 
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone 
sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx. 
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was 
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message 
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors 
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure 
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do 
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ing jets for long periods and maintain a distance 
of at least 4 in/10 cm to them.
PDC with visual warning*
The approach of the vehicle to an object is 
shown on the Control Display. Objects that are 
farther away are already shown there before a 
signal tone sounds. The display appears on the 
Control Display as soon as PDC is activated. 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
88 1.Hold the vehicle with the brake.
2.Release the brake and begin to drive imme-
diately.
After releasing the brake, begin to drive 
immediately; otherwise, the drive-off 
assistant no longer holds the vehicle after 
approx. 2 seconds and your vehicle will start to 
roll backward.<
Dynamic Drive*
The concept
Dynamic Drive minimizes body roll and opti-
mizes vehicle stability during cornering and 
evasive maneuvers.
Dynamic Drive is based on active stabilizers on 
the front and rear axles. Suspension compli-
ance adapts to suit driving conditions, varying 
from performance-oriented during cornering to 
smooth and comfort-oriented when the vehicle 
is proceeding in a straight line. During vehicle 
operation, the system continuously runs 
through closed-loop control cycles lasting only 
fractions of a second.
The system assumes operational status each 
time you start the engine.
Sports Wagon: self-leveling 
suspension
Malfunction
The warning lamp for self-leveling sus-
pension lights up yellow and a message 
is shown on the Control Display. A mal-
function has occurred in the self-leveling sus-
pension. Stop and check the vehicle. If it is con-
siderably lower at the rear than at the front, and 
possibly also on one side – rear left compared to 
rear right – go to the nearest BMW center or a 
workshop that works according to BMW repair 
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Drive with appropriate caution in the 
meantime. The vehicle has reduced ground 
clearance and driving comfort may be notice-
ably reduced. Even if the position of the vehicle is normal, go to the nearest BMW center or a 
workshop that works according to BMW repair 
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects a pressure loss in 
one tire by comparing the speeds of the individ-
ual wheels during driving.
In the event of a pressure loss, there is a change 
in the rolling circumference and therefore the 
rotation speed of the corresponding wheel. The 
system detects this change and reports it as a 
flat tire.
Functional requirement
The system must have been initialized when the 
tire inflation pressure was correct; otherwise, 
reliable signaling of a flat tire is not ensured.
The initialization must be repeated after 
every correction of the tire inflation pres-
sure and after every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn 
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage 
caused by external factors, nor can it identify 
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably 
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of 
time.<
In the following situations, the system could be 
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels, 
high lateral acceleration
>Driving with snow chains
*
When you are driving with the compact wheel* 
the Flat Tire Monitor is unable to function. 

Controls
 89Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Initializing system
The initialization finishes during driving, 
which can be interrupted at any time. 
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. The system is initialized 
after this activation phase.
The initialization process adopts the set infla-
tion tire pressures as reference values for the 
detection of a flat tire. Initialization is started by 
confirming the inflation pressures.<
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16:
1."Vehicle Info"
2."Vehicle status"
3."Reset"
4.Start the engine - do not drive away.
5.Start the initialization using "Reset".
"Activating…" is displayed on the Control 
Display.
6.Start to drive.
The initialization finishes during driving, which 
can be interrupted at any time. "Flat Tire Moni-
tor active" is displayed on the Control Display.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. 
In addition, an acoustic signal sounds. 
There is a flat tire or extensive inflation pressure 
loss.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering 
maneuvers.
2.Identify damaged tire. 
If identification is not possible, con-
tact a BMW center.<3.Replace the damaged wheel, refer to 
Changing wheels on page226.
Run-flat tires*
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid severe braking and steering 
maneuvers and do not exceed a speed of 
50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page208, do not 
continue driving. Continuing to drive with a 
flat tire could cause severe accidents.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four 
tires is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor 
may 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 possible 
distance for continued driving on the basis 
of the following guide values:
>With a light load: 
1 to 2 persons without luggage: 
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load: 
2 persons, cargo bay full, or 
4 persons without luggage: 
approx. 94 miles/150 km
>With a full load: 
4 or more persons, cargo bay full: 
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive cautiously and do not exceed 
50 mph/80 km/h or else you run the risk of 
causing 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 vibrations or loud noises occur while 
the vehicle is being driven, this can indicate final 
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and 
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible, 
otherwise pieces of the tire could become 
detached and cause an accident. Do not con- 

Controls
 91Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Resetting finishes during driving, which can be 
interrupted at any time. When driving resumes, 
resetting is continued automatically. Do not 
reset the system when driving with a compact 
wheel
*.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the   button. 
This opens the main menu.
2."Vehicle Info"
3."Vehicle status"
4."Reset TPM"
5.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
6."Reset"
7."Yes"
Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting 
TPM..." is displayed.
8.After a few minutes of driving, the set tire 
inflation pressures in the tires are applied as 
the set values to be monitored. The system 
reset is completed during your drive, and 
can be interrupted at any time. When driving 
resumes, resetting is continued automati-
cally. On the Control Display, the tires are 
shown in green and "Status: TPM active" is 
displayed again.
If a flat tire is detected during resetting 
and applying the tire inflation pressures, 
all tires are shown in yellow on the Control Dis-
play. The message "Tire low!" is shown.<
Notification of low tire inflation 
pressure
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A 
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal sounds. There is a flat tire or extensive inflation 
pressure loss.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering 
maneuvers.
2.Check whether your vehicle is equipped 
with standard tires or run-flat tires.
You will recognize run-flat tires by a 
circular symbol containing the letters 
RSC on the side of the tire, refer to 
page208.<
Standard tires
1.If all four wheels are shown in yellow, iden-
tify the damaged tire on the vehicle.
2.Replace the damaged wheel or wheels, 
refer to Changing wheels on page226.
In contrast to a compact wheel, a spare wheel is 
equipped with the necessary TPM electronics 
and also monitored after mounting and after 
resetting the system.
Have the tire replaced by a BMW center or a 
workshop informed on handling TPM which 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Run-flat tires*
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid severe braking and steering 
maneuvers and do not exceed a speed of 
50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page208, do not 
continue driving. Continuing to drive with a 
flat tire could cause severe accidents.<
2.In the event of complete tire pressure loss, 
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible 
distance for continued driving on the basis 
of the following guide values:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, cargo bay full, or  

Controls
 111Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
You can operate the device when the engine is 
running or when the ignition is switched on.
If the device fails to function even after 
repeated programming, check whether 
the original hand-held transmitter uses an alter-
nating-code system. To do so, either read the 
instructions for the original hand-held transmit-
ter or hold down the programmed memory 
button1 of the integrated universal remote 
control. If the LED2 on the integrated universal 
remote control flashes rapidly for a short time 
and then remains lit for approx. 2 seconds, this 
indicates that the original hand-held transmitter 
uses an alternating-code system. In the case of 
an alternating-code system, program the mem-
ory buttons1 as described at Alternating-code 
hand-held transmitters.<
Alternating-code hand-held 
transmitters
To program the integrated universal remote 
control, consult the operating instructions for 
the equipment to be set. You will find informa-
tion there on the possibilities for synchroniza-
tion.
When programming hand-held transmitters 
that employ an alternating code, please observe 
the following supplementary instructions:
P r o g ra m m in g  w i ll  b e  ea s i er  w it h  t h e  a i d  o f  
a second person.<
1.Park your vehicle within the range of the 
remote-controlled device.
2.Program the integrated universal remote 
control as described above in the section 
Fixed-code hand-held transmitters.
3.Locate the button on the receiver of the 
device to be set, e. g. on the drive unit.
4.Press the button on the receiver of the 
device to be set. After step 4, you have 
approx. 30 seconds for step 5.
5.Press the programmed memory button1 
of the integrated universal remote control 
three times.
The corresponding memory button 1 is now 
programmed with the signal of the original 
hand-held transmitter.If you have any additional questions, 
please contact your BMW center.<
Deleting all stored programs
Press the left and right-hand memory button1 
for approx. 20 seconds until the LED2 flashes 
quickly:
All stored programs are deleted.
Individual programs cannot be deleted.
Rememorizing individual programs
1.Hold the original handheld remote control 
approx. 4 in/10 cm to 12 in/30 cm away 
from the memory buttons1.
The required distance between the 
hand-held transmitter and the mem-
ory buttons1 depends on the relevant sys-
tem of the original hand-held transmitter 
used.<
2.Press the desired memory button1 of the 
integrated universal remote control.
3.If the LED2 flashes slowly after approx. 
20 seconds, press the command button of 
the original hand-held transmitter. As soon 
as the LED2 flashes rapidly, release both 
buttons. If the LED2 does not flash rapidly 
after approx. 15 seconds, alter the distance 
and repeat the step.
Sun blinds*
Sun blind for rear window
Press the button on the driver's door.