2010 BMW 550I SEDAN rear view mirror

Controls
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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.<

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remove any debris, ice or snow. To avoid dam-
age to the lens, do not use sharp or abrasive
instruments to clean ice, snow, or dirt off the
lens.
When the windshield is cleaned with the head-
lamps on, the camera lens area is automatically
sprayed as well. Refer to page64.
Lane Departure Warning*
The concept
This system warns you from a speed of approx.
40 mph/70 km/h when the vehicle is leaving the
lane you are currently in on roads with lane limit
lines. You feel this due to a slight vibration of the
steering wheel.
The system does not warn you if you signal
before leaving the lane.
It is best to use the system on well-developed
roads and freeways.
Switching on/off
Press the button on the steering wheel.
>The two lines1 indicate that the system is
activated.
>The two arrows2 mean that the system has
detected one or two lane demarcation lines
from a speed of approx. 40 mph/70 km/h
and warns accordingly.
If you activate the system below a speed of
approx. 40 mph/70 km/h, a message will appear
stating that the system is not active until this
speed is reached.
A warning will be canceled:
>after approx. 3 seconds>if you return to your lane
>if you brake heavily
>if you signal
System limits
The Lane Departure Warning cannot
serve as a substitute for your personal
judgment in determining the course of the road.
If the system issues a warning, do not move the
steering wheel with unnecessary severity, as
otherwise you could lose control of the vehi-
cle.<
The function of the system may be limited in the
following example situations:
>in heavy fog, rain or snowfall
>with worn-away, poorly visible demarcation
lines, or lines that run together or apart or
are unclear, e.g., in road construction areas
>when demarcation lines are covered by
snow, ice, dirt or a great deal of water
>in tight curves or on narrow roads
>when demarcation lines are not white
>when demarcation lines are covered by
objects
>when driving up close behind a vehicle driv-
ing ahead
>with bright oncoming light
>when the windshield is fogged up, dirty or
covered with stickers, vignettes, etc., in the
area of the inside rearview mirror

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

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press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
>When the low beams are on, use the head-
lamp flasher as usual.
System limits
The High-beam Assistant is designed to
maximize the amount of time that high
beams can be safely used and to quickly switch
back to low beams when traffic approaches.
The system cannot completely replace driver
intervention when unusual conditions are
encountered. For this reason, switch to low
beams when circumstances so dictate. Failure
to do so can pose a safety risk.<
Below are a few examples of situations in which
the system may not react or may only function
to a limited degree, requiring personal interven-
tion:
>in extremely unfavorable weather condi-
tions such as fog or heavy precipitation
>in sensing road users with poor inherent
illumination such as pedestrians, cyclists,
equestrians, horse-drawn vehicles, railroad
or shipping traffic close to the road, and at
deer crossings
>in tight curves, on steep crests or dips, with
cross-traffic, or with partially hidden
oncoming traffic on divided highways
>in poorly illuminated areas and in the pres-
ence of highly reflective signs
>in the low speed range
>when the windshield is fogged up, dirty or
covered with stickers, decals, etc., in the
area of the inside rearview mirror
>when the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor
on the front side of the inside rearview mir-
ror with a cloth slightly moistened with glass
cleaner
Moreover, no system can operate without limi-
tations. High-beam Assistant operation is sub-
ject to conditions that may reduce the system's
ability to recognize the difference between
actual vehicle head lamps or tail lamps and, for
example, highly reflective signs, markers, and
streetlights. To be on the safe side, the system may periodically interpret these situations as
conditions that require low beams. Below are
some of the situations in which premature
switching to low beams can occur:
>approaching large and/or highly reflective
signs
>approaching certain lights, such as drive-
way lighting and porch lights
>approaching certain traffic signals
>approaching large reflective markers
In these situations, the system may interpret
the above conditions as a vehicle ahead requir-
ing a switch to low beams. When the conditions
return to normal, the system will reactivate the
high beams.
The High-beam Assistant cannot replace the
driver's responsibility for complying with state
laws on high-beam switching or for adapting to
visibility and traffic conditions.
Switching off via iDrive
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."High beam assistant"
High beam assistant is activated and is
stored for the remote control currently in use.

Lamps
104
Fog lamps*
The parking lamps or low beams must be
switched on for the fog lamps to operate. The
green indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up whenever the fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps are switched off whenever the
high beams are switched on.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on when
you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
You can control the lighting intensity by using
the thumbwheel.
Interior lamps
Control of the interior lamps, footwell lamps,
door entry lighting, courtesy lamps
* and the
cargo bay lamps
* is automatic.
With the courtesy lamps,
LED lights are pro-
vided in the outside rearview mirrors to illumi-
nate the exterior area around the doors.
To protect the battery, all lamps in the
vehicle are switched off approx. 15 min-utes after radio readiness is switched off, refer
to Start/Stop button on page57.<
Switching interior lamps on and off
manually
Press the button.
If the interior lamps, footwell lamps, door entry
lighting and courtesy lamps are to remain
switched off continually, press the button for
approx. 3 seconds.
Reading lamps
Reading lamps are located in the front and rear
adjacent to the interior lamps. Press the button
to switch the lamps on and off.

Mobility
217Reference
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Controls
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Navigation
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Care
Car-care products
Regular cleaning and care make a significant
contribution to retaining your BMW's value.
For the cleaning and care of your vehicle, BMW
recommends using only products that BMW
has approved for this purpose.
Your BMW center will be glad to advise you
about products and services for the cleaning
and care of your BMW.
Genuine BMW Care Products are materi-
als tested, laboratory tested, and tested in
actual use. They offer optimum care and pro-
tection for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents; they can damage your vehi-
cle.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or pose health risks.
You should therefore heed the warnings and
hazard indications on the packaging. Open the
doors or windows on your vehicle whenever
cleaning the interior. Make sure there is suffi-
cient ventilation in enclosed spaces. Use only
products that are formulated for vehicle clean-
ing.<
Exterior care
Washing your vehicle
In the winter months, it is especially
important to ensure that the vehicle is
washed on a regular basis. Otherwise, signifi-
cant soiling and road salt can cause damage to
the vehicle.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them. Failure to do so
may lead to a reduction in braking efficiency and
also to corrosion of the brake rotors.<
Car washes
Give preference to cloth car washes.Before driving into the car wash, make sure that
it is suitable for your BMW. Pay attention to the
following points:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page239.
>If necessary, fold in the outside rearview
mirrors, refer to page51.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Avoid car washes with rail heights over
4in/10cm, otherwise there is danger of
damaging chassis parts.<
Preparations for driving into the car wash:
>Deactivate rain sensor to prevent unwanted
wiper activation.
>Deactivate rear window wiper
* and protect
it from damage. Take appropriate protec-
tive measures; inquiring with the car wash
operator as needed.
>Remove additional add-on parts, e.g., spoil-
ers or phone antennas, if they could be
damaged.
Automatic transmission
Before driving into the car wash, make sure the
vehicle is able to roll by making sure to:
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2.Shift into transmission position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Switch off the engine.
5.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
Steam jets/high-pressure washers
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, ensure that you maintain suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient distance or excessive pressure or
temperature can damage parts of the vehicle or
can result in water penetration. Follow the oper-

Everything from A to Z
258 Indicator lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting104
Inflation pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure202
Inflation pressure monitoring,
refer to Flat Tire Monitor88
Inflation pressure monitoring,
refer to TPM Tire Pressure
Monitor90
Initializing
– Flat Tire Monitor89
– radio, refer to Storing
stations156
– refer to Power failure229
– refer to Setting time and
date79
– seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory45
Installation location
– mobile phone112
Instructions for navigation
system, refer to Voice
instructions143
Instrument cluster12
Instrument lighting104
Instrument panel, refer to
Cockpit10
Integrated key26
Integrated universal remote
control110
Interactive map138
Interior lamps104
– switching on with remote
control28
Interior motion sensor36
– switching off36
Interior rearview mirror51
– automatic dimming
feature52
Intermittent mode of the
wipers64
iPod, connecting, refer to
AUX-IN port172
iPod, connecting, refer to USB
audio interface172
J
Jacking points228Joystick, refer to iDrive16
Jumpering, refer to Jump
starting232
Jump starting232
K
Keyless go, refer to Comfort
Access36
Keyless opening and closing,
refer to Comfort Access36
Key Memory, refer to Personal
Profile26
Keys26
– key-related settings, refer to
Personal Profile26
– spare key26
Kick down, Automatic
transmission with
Steptronic60
Knock control201
L
Lamps
– refer to High-beam
Assistant102
Lamps and bulbs221
Lane demarcation lines, refer
to Lane Departure
Warning99
Lane Departure Warning99
Lashing eyes, refer to
Securing cargo128
Last destinations136
LATCH child restraint fixing
system54
Leather care219
LEDs light-emitting
diodes222
Length, refer to
Dimensions239
License plate lamp, replacing
bulbs225
Light
– refer to Parking lamps/low
beams100
Light-emitting diodes
LEDs222Lighter114
Lighting
– instruments104
– lamps and bulbs221
– of the vehicle, refer to
Lamps100
Light switch100
Loading
– securing cargo128
– stowing cargo127
– vehicle126
Load securing equipment,
refer to Securing cargo128
Lock buttons in the doors,
refer to Lokking31
Locking28
– confirmation signals29
– from inside31
– from outside28
– without key, refer to Comfort
Access36
Locking and unlocking doors
– confirmation signals29
– from inside30
– from outside28
Low beams100
– automatic100
– replacing bulbs222
Lower back support, refer to
Lumbar support45
Lug bolts228
– tightening torque, refer to
After mounting228
– wrench227
Luggage compartment, refer
to Cargo bay
Luggage compartment lid31
– emergency operation, refer
to Manual operation
32
– emergency release32
– locking separately31
– opening from inside31
– opening from outside31
– unlocking and locking from
inside30
– unlocking manually32
Luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
– Comfort Access37

Reference 261
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Protective function, refer to
Pinch protection system
– glass sunroof, electric39
– panorama glass sunroof41
– windows38
R
Radio
– controls152
– HD Radio156
– satellite radio158
– selecting waveband155
– storing stations156
– switching on/off152
– tone control152
– volume152
– Weather Band, refer to
Weather news flashes157
Radio key, refer to Keys/
remote control26
Radio position, refer to Radio
readiness57
Radio readiness57
– switched off58
– switched on57
– with Comfort Access37
Rain sensor64
Random sequence
– external devices174
– music collection170
Reading lamps104
Rear armrest, refer to Center
armrest, rear116
Rear fog lamps
– indicator lamp13
Rear lamps, refer to Tail
lamps224
– replacing bulbs224
Rear seats
– adjusting head restraints47
– folding over backrest116
– heating50
– removing head restraints47
Rear socket116
Rear ventilation108
Rearview mirror50Rear window
– changing wiper blade221
– heating106
– opening and closing on
Sports Wagon32
– roller sun blinds, refer to Sun
blinds111
– wiper on Sports Wagon64
Rear window safety switch39
Reception
– quality156
– radio stations156
Recirculated-air mode107
– air recirculation107
– AUC Automatic
recirculated-air control107
Reclining seat, refer to
Seats44
Reflectors, refer to Tail
lamps224
Refueling
200
Releasing
– hood211
Releasing the locks, refer to
Unlocking36
Remaining distance, refer to
Cruising range75
Remaining distance to
destination, refer to
Computer76
Remote control26
– Comfort Access36
– garage door opener110
– luggage compartment lid29
– malfunction29,37
– replacing battery38
– tailgate29
Removing condensation on
the windows106
Replacement fuses230
Replacement of tires
– refer to Changing
wheels226
Replacement remote control,
refer to New remote
controls26
Replacing bulbs, refer to
Lamps and bulbs221
Replacing tires209Replacing wheels/tires, refer
to New wheels and tires208
Reporting safety defects7
Reserve
– warning, refer to Fuel
gauge75
Reset, refer to Resetting tone
settings154
Residual heat107
Restraint systems
– for children53
– refer to Safety belts48
Retaining straps, refer to
Storage area loading
options, Sports Wagon119
Retreaded tires209
Reverse
– CD changer162
– CD player162
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic60
– manual transmission59
Road map144
Roadside
Assistance193,232
Roadside parking lamps102
– replacing bulbs223
Roller blind
– refer to Sun blinds111
Roller cover
– refer to Luggage
compartment roller cover,
Sports Wagon117
Roof load capacity241
Roof-mounted luggage
rack
128
Rope, refer to Tow-starting
and towing233
Rotary/pushbutton, refer to
iDrive16
Route142,143
– bypassing sections143
– changing142,143
– changing criteria142
– displaying map view144
– displaying streets or towns/
cities143
– selecting142