
Care
218
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 
page238.
>If necessary, fold in the outside rearview 
mirrors, refer to page50.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Preparations for driving into the car wash:
>Deactivate rain sensor to prevent unwanted 
wiper activation.
>Deactivate Remove additional add-on 
parts, e.g. spoilers or phone antennas, if 
they could be damaged.
Sequential Manual 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 cleaners/high-pressure 
cleaning jets
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-
ating instructions for the high-pressure clean-
ing jets.<
When using high-pressure cleaning jets, 
do not remain in one place for a long time 
and be sure to maintain a distance of at least  

Mobility
 219Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
12 in/30 cm from sensors, e.g. Park Distance 
Control sensors or radar sensors.<
Hand washing
When washing the vehicle by hand, use plenty 
of water and car washing shampoo. Clean the 
vehicle with gentle pressure using a sponge or a 
washing brush.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unwanted wiper operation.<
Follow local guidelines for washing vehi-
cles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub dry and never use abrasives or 
strong solvents to clean the covers.
Loosen dirt, e.g. insects, with shampoo or 
insect remover and wash away with plenty of 
water.
Use a window de-icer to remove accumulated 
ice and snow, not a scraper.
Windows
Use a glass cleaner to clean the inside and out-
side surfaces of the windows and the glass sur-
faces of the mirrors.
Do not use quartz-containing cleansers 
to clean glass surfaces of the mirrors.<
Wiper blades
Clean with soapy water and replace regularly to 
prevent streaking.
The presence of wax and sealant residues 
and dirt on the windows leads to streaking 
during wiper operation and results in premature 
wear on wiper blades as well as interference 
with the rain sensor.<
Caring for the vehicle finish
Regular care helps your vehicle retain its value 
and protects the paint from the long-term 
effects of aggressive substances.
Regionally occurring environmental factors can 
affect and damage vehicle finish. It is therefore important to tailor the frequency and extent of 
your car care accordingly.
Immediately remove particularly aggressive 
substances such as spilled fuel, oil, grease, 
brake fluid, tree resin, or bird droppings; other-
wise, they may damage your paint.
Repairing paint damage
Repair stone damage or scratches imme-
diately, depending on the severity of the 
damage, to prevent the formation of rust.<
BMW recommends having paint damage pro-
fessionally repaired using Genuine BMW finish 
materials in accordance with factory guidelines.
Waxing
Sealant is required when water no longer beads 
on the clean surface of the paint. Use only prod-
ucts that contain carnauba wax or synthetic wax 
to seal your finish.
Rubber gaskets
Treat only with water or a rubber care product.
To avoid noise or damage, do not use 
products that contain silicone to care for 
rubber gaskets.<
Chrome components
Particularly after exposure to road salt, thor-
oughly cleanse parts like the radiator grille, door 
handles, or window frames with plenty of water 
with shampoo added to it. For additional treat-
ment, use chrome polish.
Alloy wheels
Depending on your system, braking can gener-
ate dust, which settles on the light-alloy wheels. 
Remove this dust regularly with acid-free wheel 
cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acid-containing, 
strongly alkaline, or coarse cleansers and 
do not use steam cleaners at temperatures 
greater than 1407/606; otherwise you may 
damage your vehicle.< 

Care
220
Outside sensors
Sensors on the outside of the vehicle, such as 
Park Distance Control sensors or radar sensors, 
should be kept clean and free of ice to retain 
their full function.
Interior care
Upholstery materials/cloth-covered 
paneling
Clean regularly with a vacuum cleaner in order 
to remove surface dirt.
In the event of more serious soiling such as bev-
erage stains, use a soft sponge or a lint-free 
microfiber cloth in combination with suitable 
interior cleaners. Follow the instructions on the 
packaging.
Clean upholstery material over a large 
area extending out to the seams. Avoid 
intense friction.<
Open Velcro fasteners on pants or other 
items of clothing can cause damage to 
the seat covering. Make sure that the Velcro 
fasteners are closed.<
Leather/leather-covered paneling
The leather used by BMW is a high quality 
natural product. Slight patterns in the 
grain are part of the typical properties of a natu-
ral leather.
Dust and dirt from the road chafe in pores and 
folds and result in considerable wear and cause 
the leather surface to become prematurely brit-
tle. We therefore suggest that you clean the 
leather with a dust cloth or vacuum cleaner at 
regular intervals.<
Particularly with light-colored leather, make 
sure to clean it regularly since it has a greater 
tendency to become soiled.
Treat the leather twice a year with a leather 
lotion since dirt and grease harm the protective 
layer of the leather.
Carpets/luggage compartment
Carpeting, floor mats, and luggage compart-
ment rugs and paneling can be cleaned with a 
vacuum or in the event of more serious soiling, 
cleansed with an interior cleaner.
Floor mats and luggage compartment rugs can 
be removed for cleaning. When inserting into 
place, make sure that the seat rails do not pro-
trude over the floor mats; otherwise floor mats 
can be damaged.
Fluff on new floor mats is a result of the produc-
tion process and can be removed by repeated 
vacuuming.
Plastic components inside
Clean the glass cover of the instrument panel, 
imitation leather surfaces, lamp lenses, and 
matte components with water and, if necessary, 
a solvent-free plastic cleaner.
Fine wooden components
Use a damp cloth to clean fine wooden trim 
panels and components. Follow up by drying 
with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Do not use cleansers to clean the safety 
belts since this can destroy the web-
bing.<
Inside sensors
Clean inside sensors such as those of the high-
beam assistant using a lint-free cloth moist-
ened with glass cleaner.
Displays
Clean displays like the radio or the Control Dis-
play using a display-cleaning cloth or a soft, 
nonabrasive lint-free cloth.
Avoid using excessive pressure when 
cleaning displays; otherwise, you could 
damage them.<
Never use chemical-based cleansers or 
household scouring products. Keep all 
liquids away from the equipment. Otherwise  

Reference 259
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Station, refer to Radio154
"Status"71
Status information on Control 
Display21
Status of this Owner's Manual 
at time of printing5
Steam cleaners218,219
Steering wheel
– adjustment51
– automatic adjustment, refer 
to Steering wheel 
memory45
– buttons on steering 
wheel11
– easy entry/exit51
– heating51
– lock, refer to Ignition lock57
– MDrive button52
– memory45
– programmable button51
– shift paddles62
"Steering wheel button"52
"Stop" for stopwatch75
Stopwatch75
Storage compartments108
"Store in address book" in 
navigation134
"Store" in radio 
mode157,163
Storing221
Storing current position134
Storing radio stations156
Storing sitting position, refer 
to Seat, mirror and steering 
wheel memory45
Storing tires208
Storing your vehicle221
"Street" in destination 
entry128
Summer tires, refer to Wheels 
and tires204
Sun blinds106
"Surround Settings", tone 
control152,153
SW, waveband154
Switches, refer to Cockpit10Switching automatically 
between high beams and 
low beams, refer to High-
beam assistant95
Switching off engine58
Switching on
– audio150
– CD changer150
– CD player150
– radio150
Switching on hour signal76
Swiveling
– headlamps, refer to Adaptive 
Head Light95
Symbols4
– indicator/warning lamps13
– navigation system144
– status information21
– traffic information with 
navigation system142
T
Tachometer67
Tail lamps224
– replacing bulbs224
Tank contents, refer to 
Capacities239
Target cursor for 
navigation131
Technical alterations, refer to 
For your own safety5
Technical data238
– capacities239
– dimensions238
Telematics, refer to 
BMW Assist191
Telephone
– installation location, refer to 
Center armrest107
– refer to Mobile phone176
"Telephone list"52Temperature
– adjusting in upper body 
region99
– adjusting with automatic 
climate control99
– changing units of 
measure77
– refer to Coolant 
temperature67
Temperature display
– changing units of 
measure77
– outside temperature 
warning68
Temperature gauge
– engine oil68
Tempomat, refer to Cruise 
control65
"Text language"78
"Theater", tone control153
The individual vehicle5
Third brake lamp, refer to 
Center brake lamp224
Through-loading system111
Tightening torque of the lug 
bolts, refer to After 
mounting229
Tilt alarm sensor37
– switching off38
Tilting down passenger-side 
exterior mirror50
"Time"76
"Time format"76
Timer, refer to Preselecting 
activation times103
"Timer 2" for parked-car 
ventilation103
"Timer 1" for parked-car 
ventilation103
Tire inflation pressures204
Tire pressure
– loss85,86
Tire Pressure Monitor 
TPM
85
Tire Quality Grading206
Tire replacement
– new wheels and tires207