
At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7Buttons on steering wheel
8Instrument cluster12
11Ignition lock5712Horn, entire surface
15Releasing hood211 Mobile phone
*178:
>Press: accepting and ending a 
call, starting dialing
* of 
selected phone number and 
redialing if no phone number is 
selected
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice acti-
vation system
* 22
Changing radio station155
Selecting music track160
Scrolling in phone book and in lists 
with stored phone numbers
Changing entertainment source
Switching recirculated-air mode 
on/off107
HDC
*86
Lane Departure Warning
*99
9
Windshield wipers63
Rain sensor64
Sports Wagon: rear window 
wiper64
10Starting/stopping engine and 
switching ignition on/off 57
13
Steering wheel heater*52
Steering wheel adjustment
*52
14
Cruise control
*65
Active cruise control66
16Opening luggage compartment lid/
tailgate31, 33
17
Head-up Display
*95
BMW Night Vision
*96
18Parking lamps100
Daytime running lamps
*101
Low beams100
Welcome lamps100
Automatic headlamp control
*100 
Daytime running lamps
*101
Welcome lamps100 
Adaptive Light Control
*101  
High-beam Assistant
*102
19
Instrument lighting104
Fog lamps
*104 

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 

Driving
64 4Cleaning windshield, headlamps and 
BMW Night Vision camera
*
5Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Switching on wipers
Pull the lever upward, arrow1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once. 
The system reverts to operation in the intermit-
tent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance 
point. 
The system reverts to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Rain sensor
The wiper operation is controlled automatically 
as a function of the rain intensity. The rain sen-
sor is located on the windshield, directly in front 
of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating rain sensor
Press the button, arrow3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the thumbwheel5.
Deactivating rain sensor
Press the button again, arrow3. The LED goes 
out.Deactivate the rain sensor when passing 
through an automatic car wash. Failure to 
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper operation.<
Cleaning windshield, headlamps* and 
BMW Night Vision camera*
Pull the lever, arrow4.
The system sprays washer fluid against the 
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief 
period.
With the vehicle lighting switched on, the head-
lamps and the BMW Night Vision camera are 
also cleaned simultaneously at suitable inter-
vals.
Do not use the washing mechanisms if 
there is any danger that the fluid will 
freeze on the windshield. If you do so, your 
vision could be obscured. To avoid freezing, 
use a washer fluid antifreeze, refer to Washer 
fluid. Do not use washing mechanisms when 
the washer fluid reservoir is empty, otherwise 
you will damage the washer pump.<
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are heated 
when the engine is running or the ignition is 
switched on.
Sports Wagon: 
Rear window wiper
1Intermittent mode. When reverse gear is 
engaged, continuous operation is switched 
on automatically
2Cleaning the rear window 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
96
Selecting displays
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Head-Up display"
3."Displayed information"
4.Select the desired displays in the Head-up 
Display.
 The information appears in the Head-up 
Display.
The settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
Setting brightness
The brightness of the display is adapted to the 
ambient lighting conditions. However, you can 
change the basic setting. 
With the low beams switched on, the brightness 
can also be adjusted with the thumbwheel of 
the instrument lighting.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Head-Up display"
3."Brightness"
4.Turn the controller.
The brightness is adjusted.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Notes
The visibility of the displays in the Head-up Dis-
play is influenced by:
>Sunglasses with certain polarization filters
>Certain seating positions>Objects on the cover of the Head-up Dis-
play
>Wet road surface and unfavorable lighting 
conditions
 If the image is distorted, please have the basic 
setting checked at a BMW center.
Special windshield
The windshield is part of the system. The shape 
of the windshield complies with the require-
ments of the Head-up Display to enable a pre-
cise display. A film in the windshield prevents 
the double images from being displayed. 
Windshield replacement should be carried out 
by a BMW center or a workshop that works 
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Care instructions
You can find valuable information on this topic 
under Care, starting on page217.
Only clean the cover of the Head-up Dis-
play with a soft, nonabrasive cloth or with 
a display cleaning cloth; otherwise, you may 
damage it.<
BMW Night Vision*
The concept
BMW Night Vision is a driver assistance system 
that is designed to provide enhanced vision for 
certain objects at night. This can be especially 
helpful for detecting people and larger animals. 
When objects are detected, the driver may be 
able to take appropriate action sooner. For 
example, the driver may identify and detect the  

Controls
 97Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
presence of persons or animals in the road 
ahead or off to the sides and can be more alert, 
slow down or stop, blow the horn, etc. The 
driver can decide which actions are appropriate 
and then react accordingly.
A certain area in front of the vehicle is viewed by 
an infrared camera and a generated image is 
shown on the Control Display. The resulting 
thermal image shows the relative heat radiation 
of the objects present in the camera's field of 
view. Warmer objects appear brighter and 
cooler objects appear darker. Contrast is 
dependent on the temperature difference 
between the objects and the background and 
on the amount of heat radiation of the object 
itself. As a result, it is quite possible that a per-
son is not continually recognizable as a person 
in shape, since the thermal radiation can be 
affected by different clothing which blocks heat 
loss. Objects with little temperature difference 
to the surrounding area, or little heat radiation 
are less noticeable, for example in cold weather.
Any improvement in detection depends on 
many factors such as the object size and tem-
perature compared to the surroundings, or 
other nearby objects, the visual recognition 
skills of the driver, weather conditions, and 
other factors.
Driving hints
With the system active, periodically but briefly, 
glance at the thermal image on the Control Dis-
play to notice objects that could be people or 
larger animals. The glance should be similar to 
glancing at the rear view mirror. Do not stare at 
the image for long periods while driving, as this 
will remove attention from the road. If you notice 
an object of interest ahead, be prepared to slow 
down or stop, blow the horn, or take other 
appropriate action.
System limits
The system is designed to supplement but not 
replace forward vision through the windshield. 
The driver is responsible for safe driving at 
night. BMW Night Vision is not designed to be 
used as a continuous viewing window for driv-
ing at night.No system, no matter how sophisticated, can 
operate without limitations. BMW Night Vision 
operation is subject to physical and environ-
mental limitations that will reduce the ability of 
the system to detect and display a clear thermal 
image. Some of the situations in which these 
limitations can occur are:
>on steep hilltops or depressions and in tight 
curves
>in tunnels, as the contrast is inherently low
>when the camera lens is dirty
>in dense fog, heavy rain or snowfall
>when displaying very hot objects such as 
transformers, car exhausts, etc.
>when the image briefly freezes during nor-
mal system adjustment.
BMW Night Vision's potential benefits 
can be limited by the driving style of the 
driver, the size and relative temperature of the 
detected objects, dirt or contamination on the 
camera lens, adverse weather like snow, rain or 
fog, and other factors not mentioned here. It will 
always be the driver's responsibility to drive at a 
speed and in a manner that recognizes potential 
hazards and adjust accordingly. 
BMW Night Vision is not a substitute or replace-
ment for the driver's responsibility to adapt to 
visibility and traffic conditions. The forward view 
illuminated by the headlamps must always be 
the basis for making safe driving decisions, oth-
erwise a safety risk will result.< 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
98
Activating BMW Night Vision
1.Turn the light switch to position2 or3, refer 
to page100.
2.With low beams switched on:
>Press the   button. Depending on the 
vehicle's equipment, the location of the 
button may differ somewhat.
>Press one of the programmable buttons 
on the steering wheel.
The image will be displayed on the Control Dis-
play after a few seconds. Depending on the last 
mode selected, either the normal or full screen 
image will be displayed.
Due to the system's need to adjust periodically, 
a still image is displayed at certain intervals for 
fractions of a second. This is normal and not an 
indication of a problem.
To prevent driving without headlamps, at a 
speed of more than approx. 3 mph/5 km/h and 
when dark, the thermal image on the Control 
Display is only shown when the low beams are 
on.
Deactivating BMW Night Vision
>Press the   button.
>Press the button on the steering wheel.>Press the   button.
>Via iDrive, refer to Selecting settings.
Selecting settings
For iDrive details, refer to page16.
1.Activate BMW Night Vision.
2.Press the controller.
3.Open the desired menu item.
>"Brightness"
>"Contrast"
>"Zoom & Curve mode"
The settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
To exit the menu: 
The image automatically disappears after 
approx. 5 seconds.
Cleaning camera
The function of the camera may be affected by 
heavy rain and fog, dirt, snow or ice on the lens. 
When this occurs, the displayed image on the 
Control Display may become gray.
To minimize icing, the camera lens is automati-
cally heated. However, it may be necessary to 
clean the camera lens manually under severe 
weather conditions. When doing so, cautiously  

Navigation
Driving tips
 145Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
3.Press the controller.
Changing the map section
Select the interactive map.
>To shift the map: move the controller in the 
required direction.
>To shift the map diagonally: move the con-
troller in the required direction and turn it.
Changing scale
1.Select the   symbol.
2.Turn the controller to adjust the scale.
Automatic scaling of the map
In the map view facing north, turn the controller 
in any direction until AUTO is displayed as the 
map scale.
The map shows the entire range from your loca-
tion to the destination.
Settings for the map view
The map is shown on the Control Display.
1.Open "Options".
2."Settings"
3.Set the optimized map view.
>"Day/night mode"
Select and create the necessary settings 
depending on the light conditions. When 
the traffic bulletin map is activated, this 
setting is disregarded.
>"Satellite images"
Satellite images
* are displayed depend-
ing on availability and resolution.
>"Perspective view in 3D"
Displays a spatial view. Prominent areas 
that are contained in the navigation data 
are displayed on the map in 3D.
>"Traffic Info map"
The map is optimized for displaying traf-
fic bulletins. Symbols for the special 
destinations are no longer displayed.
Map view for the split screen display
The map view for the split screen can be 
selected separately from the main screen.1.Open "Options".
2."Split screen"
The split screen is switched on.
3.Move the controller to the right repeatedly 
until the split screen content is selected.
4.Select the map view:
>"Arrow display"
>"Map facing north"
>"Map direction of travel"
>"Map view with perspective"
>"Exit ramp view"
Changing scale
1.Move the controller to the right until the 
split screen is selected.
2.turn the controller.
Traffic information*
You can display the traffic bulletins from radio 
stations that broadcast the TMC (Traffic Mes-
sage Channel) of a traffic information service.  
This information from the traffic information 
service is continuously updated on the basis of 
measurement data from traffic control centers 
and information on traffic congestion. 
During destination guidance, traffic bulletins 
that are relevant to areas along the route are 
automatically displayed and taken into account 
in the route planning. You can open all traffic 
bulletins manually via iDrive.
The traffic bulletins are shown in the map view.
Real Time Traffic Information End-User 
Provisions
Certain BMW models equipped with navigation 
have the capability to display real-time traffic 
information. If your system has this capability 
the following additional terms and conditions 
apply:
An End-User shall no longer have the right to 
use the Traffic Data in the event that the End-
User is in material breach of the terms and con-
ditions contained herein. 

Reference 251
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Automatic
– air distribution106
– air volume106
– cruise control66
– garage door opener110
– headlamp control100
– recirculated-air control 
AUC107
– steering wheel 
adjustment45
– tailgate operation34
Automatic climate control105
– automatic air 
distribution106
– parked car ventilation109
– settings via iDrive108
– switching on and off108
– ventilation in rear108
Automatic closing of doors, 
refer to Automatic soft 
closing31
Automatic curb monitor51
Automatic lighting
– refer to Automatic headlamp 
control100
– refer to Daytime running 
lamps101
– refer to Interior lamps104
– refer to Pathway lighting101
– refer to Welcome lamps100
Automatic lights
– refer to High-beam 
Assistant102
Automatic low beams, refer to 
High-beam Assistant102
Automatic luggage 
compartment roller cover, 
Sports Wagon117
Automatic Service 
Request196
Automatic soft closing31
Automatic speed reduction for 
descents, refer to HDC Hill 
Descent Control86Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic59
– interlock60
– kick down60
– manually unlocking and 
locking transmission lock61
– shiftlock60
– towing234
– tow-starting235
– with Comfort Access37
AUTO program for automatic 
climate control106
AUX-IN port172
Available services196
Average fuel consumption75
– setting units76
Average speed, refer to 
Computer75
Avoiding freeways for 
navigation142
Avoiding unintentional 
alarms36
Axle loads, refer to 
Weights241
B
Backrest contour, refer to 
Lumbar support45
Backrests, refer to Seats44
Backrest width adjustment44
Back seats, refer to Rear seats
Backup lamps, replacing 
bulbs224
Band-aids, refer to First aid 
kit232
Bass, refer to Tone 
control152
Battery, refer to Vehicle 
battery229
– jump starting232
Battery replacement
– remote control for Comfort 
Access38
BC button, refer to 
Computer75
Being towed234
Belts, refer to Safety belts48Beverage holder, refer to 
Cupholders114
Blower, refer to Air 
volume107
Bluetooth, activating/
deactivating180
BMW
– Car Shampoo219
BMW Assist, 
activating194,196
BMW Assist192
BMW homepage4
BMW maintenance 
system215
BMW Night Vision96
– activating98
– cleaning camera98
– cleaning camera, refer to 
Wiper system64
– deactivating98
– making settings98
BMW Search194
BMW website4
Bottle holder, refer to 
Cupholders114
Bracket for telephone or 
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter188
Brake assistant85
– adaptive85
Brake force display93
Brake lamps
– replacing bulbs224
– two-stage93
Brake rotors
– breaking-in124
– refer to Braking safely126