
Driving
38
Driving
Ignition lock
0Steering locked
1Steering unlocked
2Ignition switched on
3Starting engine
Steering locked
The key can be inserted or removed in this posi-
tion only.
After removing the key, turn the steering wheel 
slightly to the left or right until you hear the lock 
engage.
Interlock with automatic transmission
The key can only be turned back to position0 
or removed if the selector lever is in position P: 
interlock.
Steering unlocked
A slight steering wheel movement often makes 
it easier to turn the key from0 to1.
Some power accessories are ready for opera-
tion.
Ignition switched on
All vehicle systems are ready for operation.
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed spaces; 
otherwise, inhalation of toxic exhaust 
gases can cause unconsciousness and death. 
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, 
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas. 
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with the 
engine running, since an unattended vehicle 
with a running engine is a safety hazard. 
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, always shift 
into neutral or selector lever position P and 
engage the handbrake firmly before leaving the 
vehicle with the engine running.<
Do not discontinue the starting procedure pre-
maturely, but also do not prolong it for more 
than 20 seconds. Release the ignition key 
immediately as soon as the engine starts.
When starting the engine, do not press the 
accelerator pedal.
Do not allow the engine to warm up while 
parked; instead, start driving immediately at a 
moderate engine speed.
Indicator lamps
The warning lamp lights up. Exhaust 
values are deteriorating. Have the vehi-
cle checked as soon as possible.
Under certain conditions, the indicator will flash. 
This indicates a serious rate of engine misfire. 
When this occurs, you should reduce speed 
and consult the nearest BMW Sports Activity 
Vehicle Center as soon as possible. Severe 
engine misfire, even for only a short period of 
time, can seriously damage emission control 
components, especially the catalytic converter.
Display of the previously described mal-
function on Canadian models.
The warning lamp lights up. Malfunc-
tion in the engine electronics. You can 
continue to drive with reduced engine  

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 41
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The 
transmission locks to prevent the rear wheels 
from turning.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can shift into neutral, for example, in auto-
matic car washes. This allows the vehicle to roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is the lowest when the vehicle is 
driven in position D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration. 
Press the accelerator pedal past the increased 
resistance point at the full-throttle position.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Move the selector lever from position D toward 
the left into the M/S shifting slot.
The Sport program is activated and SD appears 
in the instrument cluster. This position is rec-
ommended for a performance-oriented driving 
style.
When you push the selector lever forward or 
pull it back, this activates the manual mode and 
Steptronic changes gear. The instrument clus-
ter displays M1 to M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; as a result, for example, a downshift that would cause the 
engine to overrev will not be executed by the 
system. The gear selected will appear briefly in 
the instrument cluster, followed by the current 
gear.
To use the automatic function again, move the 
selector lever to the right into position D.
Malfunction
Red warning lamp
The transmission is overheated. 
Reduce speed immediately and stop at 
a suitable location so that the transmis-
sion can cool down again. It is possible to con-
tinue driving moderately.
Have the system checked immediately.
Yellow warning lamp
A malfunction has occurred in the trans-
mission system. Avoid heavy loads.
While it will still remain possible to move 
the selector lever to any desired position, the 
transmission will revert to its default mode with 
only a limited number of forward gears. 
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
Instructions on towing, tow starting and jump 
starting begin on page121.
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals 

Everything under control
46
Everything under control
Odometer
1Odometer
2Trip odometer
Odometer
You can activate the displays shown in the illus-
tration in ignition key position 0 or with the igni-
tion key removed by pressing the button in the 
instrument cluster.
Trip odometer
To reset to zero:
1.Ignition key in position 1.
2.Press and hold the button until the trip 
odometer is reset to zero.
Tachometer
Engine speeds in the red warning field must 
absolutely be avoided.
In this range, the fuel supply is interrupted to 
protect the engine.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 17.7 US gal./
67 liters. Instructions for refueling can be found 
on page92.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies, when you are driv-
ing in mountainous areas, for example, the indi-
cator may fluctuate slightly.
Reserve
If the LED1 starts to light up continuously, 
there are still approx. 2 US gal./8 liters of fuel 
left in the tank.
Refuel well before the tank is empty. If 
you drive down to the last drop, engine 
functions are no longer assured and damage 
can occur.<
When you switch on the ignition, the LED 
comes on briefly to confirm that the system is 
operational. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 47
Coolant temperature gauge
Blue
The engine is still cold. Drive at moderate 
engine and vehicle speeds.
Between blue and red fields
Normal operating range. It is permissible for the 
dial to drift up to the red field.
Red
Comes on while driving: 
The engine is overheated. Switch off the engine 
immediately and allow it to cool down.
Checking coolant level, refer to page105.
When you switch on the ignition, the warning 
lamp1 comes on briefly to confirm that the sys-
tem is operational.
Service Interval Display
Remaining distance until next service 
due
The displays shown in the illustration appear for 
a few seconds once the ignition key is in posi-
tion 1 or after starting the engine.Together with the message OIL SERVICE or 
INSPECTION, the next scheduled service and 
remaining distance to this service are dis-
played.
The remaining distance is determined on the 
basis of the past driving style.
A flashing display and a – sign before the 
numerical value mean that the service interval 
has been passed by the displayed number of 
miles/kilometers. Please make an appointment 
with your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.
Clock
If you wish to have a continuous clock display, 
you can also set the car radio display to show 
the time, refer to Owner's Manual for Radio.
You can set the clock or the time that appears in 
the car radio display as follows.
Setting time
With the ignition key in position 1 or higher:
Hours
1.Hold button2 pressed for a few seconds 
until the hours are displayed and the colon 
flashes.
2.Press button1 repeatedly until the desired 
hour is set.
Minutes
3.Press button2 to change to the minutes 
display.
4.Press button1 repeatedly until the desired 
minutes are set.
5.Press button2 to confirm the time. 

Everything under control
48 The set time is transferred to the display of the 
radio or displayed in the instrument cluster.
Display mode
Ignition key in position 0 or removed:
Press button1.
The time and display of the miles/kilometers 
appear for a few seconds.
Computer
Mode selection
With the ignition key in position 1 or higher, 
you can call up information from the computer 
using the BC button in the turn signal lever.
A new function appears each time you briefly 
press the BC button.
The following information is displayed in the 
sequence indicated:
>Time
>Outside temperature
>Average fuel consumption
>Cruising range
>Average speed
With the ignition key in position 1 or higher, the 
last active setting is displayed.
If you wish, you can display the following 
functions in a different unit of measure.<
Outside temperature
Changing units of measure 7/6
During the display, hold down the button in the 
turn signal lever until the display changes.
Outside temperature warning
If the outside temperature falls below approx. 
+37.57/+36, the computer switches auto-
matically to the outside temperature display. 
In addition, an acoustic signal sounds and the 
display flashes for a short time. There is an 
increased risk of icy conditions.
After an outside temperature warning has 
been issued, the display returns to the 
previous setting. You can have this activated/
deactivated.<
Ice can also occur at temperatures 
greater than +37.57/+36. For this rea-
son, drive carefully on bridges and shaded 
roadways, for example. Otherwise, there is an 
increased risk of accidents.<
Clock
12 or 24 hour mode
If your vehicle is equipped with a computer, you 
can have the time displayed in the 12 or 24 hour 
mode. 

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
50
Technology for comfort, convenience and 
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
PDC provides extra safety and convenience 
during parking maneuvers. Audible signals indi-
cate that you are approaching an object in front 
of or behind your vehicle. To measure the dis-
tance, there are four ultrasonic sensors in each 
bumper. 
An acoustic signal begins to sound when the 
front sensors and the rear corner sensors are 
within approx. 2 ft/60 cm of an obstacle and 
when the rear middle sensors are within approx. 
5 ft/1.50 m of an obstacle.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate 
objects when they are approached 
slowly, as is usually the case when parking. 
Avoid approaching objects too fast; otherwise, 
the system may give warning of physical obsta-
cles too late.<
If you are driving with a trailer, the rear sensors 
cannot take any meaningful measurements. 
Consequently, they do not switch on.
Automatic mode
In ignition key position 2, the system is auto-
matically activated after approx. 1 second each 
time you shift into reverse or move the selector-
lever into position R. Wait for one second to 
pass before moving.
You can have a signal tone programmed 
into the system to verify that the PDC is 
active.<
Activating manual mode
In ignition key position 2, press the button; the 
LED lights up.
Deactivating manual mode
Press the button again, the LED goes out.
The system is automatically deactivated once 
the vehicle travels approx. 160 ft/50 m or 
exceeds a speed of roughly 20 mph/30 km/h; 
the LED goes out. You can reactivate the sys-
tem manually as needed.
Signal tones
An intermittent tone from a rear speaker signals 
the distance to an object behind the vehicle as 
you approach it.
An intermittent tone from a speaker beneath 
the instrument cluster signals the distance to an 
object in front of the vehicle as you approach it.
As the distance between vehicle and object 
decreases, the intervals between the tones 
become shorter. The signal tone becomes con-
tinuous once the distance to the nearest object 
falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx. 
3seconds:
>If you remain in front of an object that is only 
detected by one of the corner sensors
>If you are moving parallel to a wall 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 53
Activating HDC
Press the button; the LED lights up.
The LED flashes when the brakes are applied 
automatically.
Deactivating HDC
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
HDC is deactivated immediately above approx. 
35 mph/60 km/h and after approx. 10 seconds 
when the ignition is switched off.
Using HDC
Manual transmission: 
Use HDC in low gears and in reverse.
Automatic transmission: 
You can use HDC in every drive position.
Malfunction
If the LED in the button goes out in the HDC 
mode or fails to light up when the button is 
pressed: 
HDC is temporarily not available, because the 
brake temperature is too high.
Malfunction in vehicle stability control 
systems
The warning lamp lights up yellow. 
The brake assistant is malfunctioning. 
Have the system checked as soon as 
possible.
Display of the previously described mal-
function on Canadian models.
If one of the malfunctions described 
below occurs, drive with restraint and 
caution and avoid full braking; otherwise, acci-dents can occur. When driving on poor road 
surfaces, avoid full throttle or kickdown position 
of the accelerator pedal as these could cause 
damage to the drive system.<
The warning lamp for the brake system 
lights up in red, together with the warn-
ing lamps for ABS and DSC/xDrive. In 
addition, a warning signal sounds. 
The driving stability control systems 
have failed. It is then possible to exert 
driving force only via the rear axle. 
If the brake system warning lamp lights 
up in yellow in the described combination, then 
the EBV Electronic brake-force distribution is 
still available. Have the system checked as soon 
as possible.
Display of the previously described mal-
function on Canadian models. 
The warning lamp lights up continu-
ously and a warning signal sounds:
Both DSC and DTC or the xDrive all-
wheel drive system have failed. 
The stabilizing interventions of DSC or the all-
wheel drive system xDrive are no longer avail-
able. It is then possible to exert driving force 
only via the rear axle. Have the system checked 
as soon as possible.
Acceleration assistant
The acceleration assistant allows you to conve-
niently start off on inclines. You do not have to 
use the handbrake.
1.Hold the vehicle with the brake pedal.
2.Step off the brake and immediately start off 
with no trouble.
The acceleration assistant holds the vehi-
cle for approx. 2 seconds after the brake 
is released. Depending on the load or when 
towing a trailer, it is also possible for the vehicle 
to roll backward slightly during this interval.  

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
54 After releasing the brake, start driving immedi-
ately; otherwise, the acceleration assistant will 
no longer hold the vehicle after approx. 
2 seconds and the vehicle will start to roll back-
ward.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp for the brake system 
lights up in yellow. The acceleration 
assistant has failed. The vehicle will not 
be held after the brake is released. Have the 
system checked as soon as possible.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects a pressure loss in 
a tire based on comparing the speeds of the 
individual wheels while driving.
In the event of a pressure loss, a change occurs 
in the rolling circumference and therefore the 
rotation speed of the corresponding wheel. 
This change is detected and signaled as a flat 
tire.
Functional requirement
To ensure the reliable signaling of a flat tire, the 
system must be initialized at the correct tire 
inflation pressure.
The initialization must be carried out after 
each correction of the tire inflation pres-
sure and after every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot predict sud-
den severe tire damage caused by out-
side factors and does not detect a natural, even 
pressure drop in all four tires.<
In the following situations, the system could be 
delayed or malfunction:
>When the system has not been initialized
>When driving on snow-covered or slippery 
road surfaces
>Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels, 
high lateral acceleration.>When driving with snow chains
*
When driving with a compact wheel, the Flat 
Tire Monitor cannot operate.
Initializing system
The initialization is completed while driv-
ing and can be interrupted at any time. 
The initialization automatically continues when 
driving resumes. 
Do not initialize the system when driving with 
snow chains
* or with a compact wheel.<
1.Start the engine just before driving, but do 
not begin to drive.
2.Press the button for at least 4 seconds, but 
not longer than 2 minutes. After the button 
is released, the indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up yellow for a few sec-
onds.
3.Begin driving.
The initialization is completed while driving, 
without requiring any further input from you.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red. In addi-
tion, 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.
If identification is not possible, con-
tact your BMW Sports Activity Vehi-
cle Center.<
3.Replace the damaged wheel, refer to 
Wheel changes on page115.