Lamps
102 lamps are active and illuminate the outer area of
curves.
High beams/
roadside parking lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
You also enjoy the option of lighting up just one
side of your vehicle when parking.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the resistance point, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Do not leave them switched on for
long periods of time, otherwise it may no longer
be possible to start the engine.<
Switching off
Briefly press the lever in the opposite direction
up to the resistance point, arrow3.
High-beam Assistant*
The concept
This system automatically switches the high
beams on and off. A sensor on the front side of
the inside rearview mirror controls the process.
The assistant makes sure that the high beams
are switched on whenever traffic conditions
permit. This relieves you of the burden of con-stantly switching back and forth and simulta-
neously provides you with the best possible vis-
ibility. Naturally, you can intervene at any time to
switch the high beams on and off as usual.
Activating system
1.Turn the light switch to position3, refer to
page100.
2.With the low beams switched on, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the High-beam
Assistant is activated. The system
automatically switches between high beams
and low beams, reacting to oncoming traffic,
vehicles ahead of you, and sufficiently lit areas,
e.g., in built-up zones.
Manually switching between high
beams and low beams
If you wish or the situation requires, you can
intervene at any time.
>If the High-beam Assistant has switched on
the high beams, but you wish to use the low
beams, just switch on the low beams with
the turn signal lever. This deactivates the
High-beam Assistant.
In order to reactivate the system, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
>If the High-beam Assistant has switched on
the low beams, but you wish to use the high
beams, simply switch on the high beams as
usual. This deactivates the system and it is
up to you to switch back to low beams.
In order to reactivate the system, briefly
Controls
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Air volume, manual
You can adjust the air volume by
turning. You can reactivate the
automatic mode for the air volume
with the AUTO button.
The air volume is reduced to save battery
power. The display stays the same.
Air distribution, manual
You can route the air flowing out into the vehicle
interior via various programs, separately for the
driver's and passenger's side:
>Upper body region
>Upper body region and footwell
>Footwell
>Driver's side: windows and footwell
Selecting program
Press the button repeatedly until
the desired air distribution of the
respective program is shown on
the Control Display.
Switching cooling function on and off
The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air
before also reheating it as
required, according to the temperature setting.
This function is only available when the engine
is running.
The cooling function helps to avoid condensa-
tion on the window surfaces or to quickly
remove them.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is also switched on with
the AUTO program.
Maximum cooling
Maximally cooled air is obtained as
quickly as possible at an outside
temperature above approx. 327/
06 and with the engine running.
At the lowest temperature, the automatic cli-
mate control switches into recirculated-air mode. The maximum air volume flows out of the
vents for the upper body. Therefore, open these
vents for maximum cooling.
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control/recirculated-air mode
You can respond to pollutants or
unpleasant odors in the immediate
environment by suspending the
supply of outside air. The system then recircu-
lates the air currently within the vehicle. During
AUC operation, a sensor detects pollutants in
the outside air and controls the shut-off auto-
matically.
By pressing the button repeatedly, you can
request three operating modes:
>LED off: outside air flows in continuously.
>Right LED on, AUC mode: the system
detects pollutants in the outside air and
shuts off the supply as needed.
>Left LED on, recirculated-air mode: the
supply of outside air is permanently shut off.
Should the windows fog up in the recircu-
lated-air mode, press the AUTO button or
switch off the recirculated-air mode and
increase the air volume if necessary.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
over an extended period of time, as the air qual-
ity inside the vehicle deteriorates continu-
ously.<
Residual heat
The heat stored in the engine is
used to heat the passenger com-
partment, e.g., while stopped at a
school to pick up a child.
1.Switch off the engine.
2.Turn to the right, refer to arrow.
The function can be switched on when the fol-
lowing conditions are met:
>up to 15 minutes after switching off the
engine
>with engine at operating temperature
>with sufficient battery voltage
Driving tips
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Thinking ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
To do so, maintain the appropriate distance
from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory
and smooth driving style reduces fuel con-
sumption.
Avoiding high engine speeds
Use 1st gear only for starting off. Accelerate
rapidly in 2nd gear and above. Avoid high
engine speeds in doing so and shift into the
next gear early.
When you have reached the desired speed,
shift into the highest possible gear and drive
with the lowest possible engine speed while
maintaining a constant vehicle speed.
In general: driving at a low engine speed
reduces fuel consumption and minimizes wear.
Taking advantage of coasting
When approaching a red light, let off the gas
and allow the vehicle to coast to a stop in the
highest possible gear.
On steep roadways, let off the gas and allow the
vehicle to roll in the appropriate gear.
The flow of fuel is interrupted when coasting.
Switching off the engine during longer
stops
Switch off the engine at longer stops such as
traffic signals, railroad crossings, or in traffic
jams. Even having the engine switched off for
approx. 4 seconds results in fuel savings.
Switching off functions currently not
required
Functions such as the cooling function of the
automatic climate control, seat heating or rear
window defroster draw large amounts of power
and consume additional fuel. Their influence is
p a r t i c u l a r l y p r o n o u n c e d i n c i t y t r a f f i c a n d s t o p &
go operation. For this reason, it is a good idea to
switch these functions off when they are not
really needed.
Having maintenance carried out
Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to
achieve the optimum economy and service life
of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the
maintenance performed by a BMW center. Also
please pay attention to the BMW maintenance
system, refer to page215.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid/tailgate is com-
pletely closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could
enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lug-
gage compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass sunroof or
panorama glass sunroof.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page107.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated on the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury. Do not touch hot exhaust tail
pipes. Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
Navigation
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Music collection
Backing up the music collection
The entire music collection can be stored on a
USB device. Make sure there is enough free
memory capacity on the USB device.
Depending on the number of tracks, backing up
the music collection may take several hours.
Therefore, it is best to perform the backup dur-
ing a long trip.
1.Start the engine.
2.Connect the USB device to the USB inter-
face in the glove compartment.
3."CD/Multimedia"
4."Music collection"
5.Open "Options".
6."Music data import/export"
7."Backup music on USB"
Restoring the music collection in the
vehicle
When storing music from the USB device,
the existing music collection in the vehi-
cle is replaced.<
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"3.Open "Options".
4."Music data import/export"
5."Restore music from USB"
Deleting the music collection
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3.Open "Options".
4."Delete music collection"
179
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>Depending on the mobile phone, certain
settings may be necessary on the mobile
phone, e. g. via the following menu items:
>Bluetooth activated
>Connection must be allowed without
requiring further confirmation
>Reconnect
>Depending on the mobile phone model, the
setting energy saving mode can, for exam-
ple, result in vehicle failing to detect the
paired mobile phone.
>For pairing, define a 4- to 16-digit number
of your choice as the Bluetooth Passkey,
e.g. 25081107. A long and complex number
offers better protection against unautho-
rized access. This Bluetooth passkey is no
longer required following successful pair-
ing.
>The ignition is switched on.
Only pair the mobile phone with the vehi-
cle stopped, otherwise the passengers
and other road users can be endangered due to
a lack of attentiveness on the part of the
driver.<
Switching on ignition
1.Insert the remote control as far as possible
into the ignition lock.
2.Switch on the ignition by pressing the Start/
Stop button without depressing the brake
or clutch pedal.
Preparation via iDrive
3."Telephone"
4."Bluetooth"
5."Add new phone"The Bluetooth name of the vehicle is dis-
played.
Preparation with mobile phone
6.Additional operations must be carried out
on the mobile phone and differ depending
on the model, refer to the operating instruc-
tions of your mobile phone, e.g., find, con-
nect or pair under Bluetooth device.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle appears
on the mobile phone display.
7.Select the Bluetooth name of the vehicle on
the mobile phone display.
Pairing
Depending on your mobile phone, you will first
be requested consecutively via the display of
your mobile phone or iDrive to enter the Blue-
tooth passkey you specified.
8.Enter the Bluetooth passkey.
Depending on the mobile phone, approx.
30 seconds are available for entering the
Bluetooth passkey on the mobile phone
and on the Control Display.
If pairing was successful, the mobile phone
appears at the top of the list of mobile phones.
Following the initial pairing
>The mobile phone is detected/connected in
the vehicle within 2 minutes if the engine is
running or the ignition is switched on.
>As soon as a mobile phone is detected by
the vehicle, the phone book entries stored
on the SIM card or on your mobile phone are
transmitted to your vehicle. This transmis-
sion is dependent on your mobile phone,
refer to the operating instructions of the
193
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in advance. This shortens the duration of
the service appointment.
>In the event of a breakdown, data on the
vehicle's condition can be sent directly to
Roadside Assistance
*.
>The service varies by country.
>Connection costs may ensue.
>Services may be restricted abroad.
Requirements
>BMW Assist is activated.
>Wireless reception is available.
>The engine is running.
Concierge service*
When you call the BMW Assist Concierge, you
can obtain information about, for example, res-
taurants, emergency pharmacy services, gas
stations or hotels, as well as receive the corre-
sponding telephone numbers and addresses.
You can then dial a phone number directly or
use an address for destination guidance
*.
Starting the Concierge service
1."BMW Assist"
2."Concierge"
3."Start service"
A voice connection is established to the BMW
Concierge.
You are connected to the BMW Concierge ser-
vice to obtain the required information. You can
then have the phone number and address sent
to you and, for example, use it for destination
guidance in the navigation system. Many hotels can be booked directly through the BMW Assist
Concierge service. When an information mes-
sage is received, a list of the received messages
is displayed automatically. Open the message
via the message list, refer to page184.
Roadside Assistance
You can call Roadside Assistance* of the
BMW Group should you require help in the
event of a breakdown.
Starting Roadside Assistance
Vehicle not equipped with BMW Assist
or TeleService
1."BMW Assist"
2."Roadside Assistance"
The Roadside Assistance number is displayed.
3.Select the number. If a mobile phone
* is
paired, a connection is established to BMW
Roadside Assistance.
Vehicle equipped with BMW Assist or
TeleService
1."BMW Assist"
2."Roadside Assistance"
BMW Assist
194 3."Start service"
TeleService Diagnosis*
TeleService Diagnosis enables the wireless
transmission of detailed vehicle data that are
important for vehicle diagnosis. TeleService
Diagnosis can be started after a prompt by
Roadside Assistance and termination of the
voice connection.
TeleService Help*
TeleService Help enables an in-depth diagno-
sis of the vehicle by Roadside Assistance via
wireless transmission. TeleService Help can be
started after a prompt by Roadside Assistance
and termination of the voice connection.
Starting TeleService Help
1.Park the vehicle in a safe place.
2.Set the parking brake.
3.The engine is running.
4."TeleService Help"
After completion of TeleService Help, a voice
connection is established to Roadside Assis-
tance.
Activating BMW Assist*
If the services included in a valid BMW Assist
subscription are not displayed, they may need
to be activated.
1.Make sure that the vehicle can determine its
current position. Reception is usually best
when you have an unobstructed view to the
sky.
2.Switch on the ignition.3."Activate BMW Assist"
Activation may take several minutes. If another
menu is opened, activation continues running in
the background.
BMW Search*
BMW Search is an online portal that makes cer-
tain services available for use in your vehicle,
e.g., information on restaurants along your
route.
License conditions:
This product contains NetFront Browser soft-
ware of ACCESS Co., Ltd. Copyright © 2007
ACCESS Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. NetFront
is a trademark or registered trademark of
ACCESS CO., LTD., in Japan and other coun-
tries.
T h i s s o f t w a r e is b a s e d in p a rt o n t he w o r k o f t h e
Independent JPEG Group.
Requirements
>Subscription to the optional Convenience
Plan.
>The vehicle is located within wireless net-
work coverage.
>The date setting on the Control Display is
current.
Starting BMW Search
1."BMW Assist"
2."BMW Search"
3.Select "OK", if necessary.
The BMW Search start page is displayed.
Mobility
201Reference
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Place the fuel filler cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler flap.
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid raising the filler
nozzle during refueling; otherwise this leads to
>premature pump shutoff
>a reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor
recovery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
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.
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.<
Fuel filler cap
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Do not crush the band attached to the
cap; otherwise, the cap may not properly
seal and fuel vapors can escape.<
A message
* is displayed if the cap is loose or
missing.
Fuel specifications
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise
permanent damage to the catalytic con-verter will result.
Do not use E85, i.e., fuel that consists of 85%
ethanol, or Flex Fuel. Otherwise permanent
damage to the engine and the fuel supply sys-
tem will result.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is 87.
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified
minimum quality, otherwise engine dam-
age can result.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co solvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<