Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
78 Press the DSC OFF button; the DSC indicator
lamp lights up continuously. DSC and MDM are
deactivated.
A message appears on the Control Display.
Please note any supplementary information
that appears there.
Manual transmission
*:
Press and hold the MDM button.
Under unfavorable traction conditions, the
engine output may be briefly reduced even
when DSC is deactivated.
Reactivating DSC
Press the DSC OFF button; the indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes out.
You can also activate and deactivate DSC with
the button on the steering wheel, refer to
MDrive on page50.
Manual transmission
*:
Press the MDM button.
Malfunction in driving-stability control
systems
The warning lamp for the brake system
lights up yellow, together with the indi-
cator lamps for ABS, DSC and Tire
Pressure Monitor or Flat Tire Monitor.
A message appears on the Control Dis-
play. The driving stability control sys-
tems have failed. While you may con-
tinue, you should remember to proceed
cautiously and drive defensively while
avoiding full brake applications. The
Tire Pressure Monitor or the Flat Tire Monitor is
also malfunctioning. Have the system checked
as soon as possible.Display of the previously described
malfunction in Canadian models.
The DSC warning lamp lights up. A
malfunction has occurred in DSC
including MDM. The stability mainte-
nance functions are no longer available. The
vehicle remains operational. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
The brake system warning lamp lights
up yellow. A message appears on the
Control Display. The brake assistant is
defective. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Display of the previously described
malfunction in Canadian models.
Starting off
On slopes
The drive-off assistant enables you to start off
conveniently on slopes. The parking brake is
not required for this purpose.
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.<
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold
the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accel-
erator, but apply the brake pedal or parking
brake instead. Otherwise overheating and
heavy wear can result in the area of the Sequen-
tial Manual Transmission.<
To protect the clutch of the Sequential Manual
Transmission from overheating, the starting-off
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behavior is changed under heavy loading, e.g. a
rapid succession of starts on slopes. This can
be noticed from shaking during starting off.
On a slippery surface
1.Select the "P 400" program of M Engine
Dynamic Control, refer to page60.
2.Gently press accelerator pedal to prevent
wheels from spinning when starting off.
Clutch protection with manual
transmission
Be sure to avoid riding the clutch for longer peri-
ods.
Your BMW M6 is equipped with an overload
protection for the clutch. Riding the clutch for
longer periods is detected and the engine man-
agement system limits the engine speed to pro-
tect the clutch. This can result in the vehicle fail-
ing to accelerate when the clutch pedal is
partially depressed.
EDC Electronic Damping
Control
The concept
If the influencing variables such as road surface
quality or operating conditions such as steer-
ing, braking etc. change, the damping automat-
ically adjusts to the new conditions within a
fraction of a second.
You can choose from three programs.
"Comfort" program
Select the "Comfort" program if you want com-
fort-oriented coordination of shock absorbers
and steering.
"Normal" program
The "Normal" program offers control that is bal-
anced between comfort and sportiness.
"Sport" program
Select the "Sport" program if you want a con-
sistently sporty coordination of shock absorb-
ers and steering.
Selecting program
Sequential Manual Transmission with Drive-
logic:
Manual transmission:
Press the EDC button repeatedly:
>"Comfort": LED off.
>"Normal": one LED lights up.
>"Sport": both LEDs light up.
The last selected program is active each time
the engine is started.
You can also activate your preferred program
with the button on the steering wheel, refer
to MDrive on page50.
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.
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
80 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
*
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.
The system is not initialized when traveling with
snow chains
*.<
With Sequential Manual Transmission via the
button in the center console:1.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
2.Press the button for approx. 5 seconds.
After the button is released, the warning
lamp lights up in yellow for several seconds
in the instrument cluster, refer to Indication
of a flat tire. The message "Activating…"
appears on the Control Display for a few
seconds.
3.Start to drive.
The initialization finishes during the trip
without providing feedback.
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.
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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. To do this, check the
tire inflation pressure using the M Mobility
System, refer to Producing tire inflation
pressure on page207.
3.Repair the flat tire with the M Mobility Sys-
tem, refer to page205, or replace the dam-
aged wheel, refer to Changing wheels on
page207.
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor*
The concept
TPM checks the tire inflation pressure in the
four mounted tires. The system reports when
the tire inflation pressure has dropped consid-
erably in one or several tires.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must have been reset with the
correct tire inflation pressure.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics, oth-
erwise fault-free operation of the system is not
ensured.
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
TPM cannot announce sudden serious
tire damage caused by external influ-
ences.<
The system does not function properly if it has
not been reset, e.g. a flat tire is reported despite
correct tire inflation pressures.The system is inactive and cannot display a flat
tire if a wheel has been mounted without TPM
electronics, or if TPM is temporarily interfered
with by other systems or devices which use the
same radio frequency.
Status display on Control Display
The tire and system status is indicated by the
color of the tires.
TPM takes the fact that the tire pressure
changes during driving into account. A correc-
tion is only required if requested by TPM with
the color.
Green
The tire pressure matches the learned set state.
"TPM" appears on the Control Display.
One wheel is yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in
the indicated tire. A message appears on the
Control Display.
All wheels are yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in
several tires. A message appears on the Control
Display.
Gray
The system cannot detect a flat tire.
Reasons for this can be:
>TPM is being reset
>Temporary interference due to systems or
devices which use the same radio fre-
quency
>Malfunction
Resetting system
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
Resetting finishes during driving, which can be
interrupted at any time. When driving resumes,
resetting is continued automatically.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
82 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.If all four wheels are shown in yellow, iden-
tify the damaged tire on the vehicle.
3.Repairing flat tire with M Mobility System,
refer to page205, or replace the damaged
wheel or wheels, refer to Changing wheels*
on page207.
The spare tire
* is equipped with the necessary
TPM electronics and is 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.
Malfunction
The yellow warning lamp flashes and
then lights up continuously. The tires
are shown in gray on the Control Dis-
play and a message is displayed. No flat tire can
be detected.
A message like this is displayed in the following
situations:
>In case of a malfunction;
have the system checked.
>If a wheel is mounted without TPM elec-
tronics.
>If TPM is temporarily interfered with by
other systems or devices which use the
same radio frequency.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire, including the spare*, should be
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the
inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label. If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires. As an added safety fea-
ture, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
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pressure monitoring system, TPMS, that illumi-
nates a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires are significantly underin-
flated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
underinflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a sub-
stitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not reached
the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low
tire pressure telltale.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys-
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash
for approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence will
continue upon subsequent vehicle startups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator lights up, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Brake force display
>On the left: normal braking.
>On the right: heavy braking.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Coupe: Head airbags
3Side airbags
4Knee airbag
5Knee airbagProtective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page43.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
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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
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, refer also to Mini-
mum tire tread on page189.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at
walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
The pulsing of he brake pedal indicates that the
ABS is controlling braking.
In certain braking situations the perforated
brake rotors can cause operating noises which,
however, have not effect on the performance
and operating safety of the brake system.Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and thus reduced
efficiency of the brake system, downshift
to a gear in which only minimal brake applica-
tions are needed when descending long or
steep downhill stretches. Even light but consis-
tent pressure on the brake can lead to high tem-
peratures, brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
Sequential Manual Transmission: do not
drive in idle or with the engine switched
off, otherwise there will be no engine braking
action or support of the braking force and steer-
ing.
Manual transmission: do not drive with the
clutch depressed, in idle or with the engine
switched off, otherwise there will be no engine
braking action or support of the braking force
and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
Things to remember when driving
110 during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
This can also lead to long-lasting decreases in
comfort and squeaking noise during braking.
These decreases in comfort can also be pro-
duced by long braking maneuvers with a low
pedal pressure.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
For technical information about the brake sys-
tem, refer to page112.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner sys-
tem during operation, and then exits under the
vehicle. Traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are therefore normal.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blowout.<
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo
area; otherwise the vehicle could be dam-
aged.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg, as otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
800 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
200 lbs.:
800 lbs. minus 600 lbs. = 200 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.