Controls
91Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
System limitations
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as
a substitute for the driver's personal judg-
m e n t o f w h e n t o u s e t h e high beams. Therefore,
manually switch off the high beams in situations
where this is required to avoid a safety risk.<
The system is not fully functional in situations
such as the following, and driver intervention
may be necessary:
>In very unfavorable weather conditions,
such as fog or heavy precipitation
>In detecting poorly-lit road users, such as
pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and
wagons; when driving close to train or ship
traffic; and at animal crossings
>In tight curves, on hilltops or in depressions,
in cross traffic or half-obscured oncoming
traffic on highways
>In poorly lit towns and cities and in the pres-
ence of highly reflective signs
>At low speeds
>When the windshield in front of the interior
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov-
ered with stickers, etc.
>If the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor on
the front of the interior rearview mirror using
a cloth moistened with a small amount of
glass cleaner.
Switching off via iDrive
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."High beam assistant"
The high-beam assistant is activated and
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low
beams are switched on.
1.Push button 1 up or down repeatedly until
the appropriate symbol appears in the dis-
play, accompanied by the brightness set-
ting and scale the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.
3.Push button 1 up or down to select the
desired brightness level.
4.Press button 2.
The display again shows the outside tem-
perature and the time.
Things to remember when driving
114 The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page198.
Driving through water
Drive though calm water only if it is not
deeper than 1 ft/25 cm and at this height
no faster than walking speed, up to 6 mph/
10 km/h. Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the
electrical systems and the transmission may be
damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise, greater
clutch wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page80.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
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. Full
braking efficiency will then be available when
you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even light but consistent brake pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page54.
7-gear sport automatic transmission with
dual clutch: Never drive with the trans-
mission in neutral or with the engine switched
off; otherwise, engine braking action will not be
present or there will be no power assistance to
the brakes or steering.
Manual transmission: Never drive with the
clutch held down, with the transmission in neu-
tral or with the engine switched off; otherwise,
engine braking action will not be present or
there will be no power assistance to the brakes
or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals; otherwise, pedal function could be
impaired.<
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
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
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.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
BMW Assist
186
Vehicle equipped with BMW Assist or
TeleService
1."BMW Assist"
2."Roadside Assistance"
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
countries.
T h i s s o f t w a r e i s b a s e d i n p a r t o n t h e w o r k o f t h e
Independent JPEG Group.
Requirements
>Subscription to the optional Conve-
nience Plan.
>The vehicle is located within wireless net-
work coverage.
>The date setting on the Control Display is
current.
Mobility
219Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
In vehicles equipped with BMW Assist or
TeleService, you can establish contact with
BMW Roadside Assistance for breakdown
assistance directly via iDrive, refer to page185.
First aid pouch*
Some of the articles contained in the first aid
pouch have a limited service life. Therefore,
check the expiration dates of the contents reg-
ularly and replace any items in good time, if nec-
essary.
The first aid pouch is located on the lateral stor-
age shelf behind the seats.
Warning triangle*
The warning triangle is located in a holder in the
luggage compartment lid. Press the tabs to take
it out.
Jump-starting
If the car's own battery is flat, your BMW's
engine can be started by connecting two
jumper cables to another vehicle's battery. You can also use the same method to help start
another vehicle. Only use jumper cables with
fully-insulated clamp handles.
Do not touch any electrically live parts
when the engine is running, or a fatal acci-
dent may occur. Carefully adhere to the follow-
ing sequence, both to prevent damage to one or
both vehicles, and to guard against possible
personal injuries.<
Preparation
1.Check whether the battery of the other
vehicle has a voltage of 12 volts and
approximately the same capacitance in Ah.
This information can be found on the
battery.
2.Switch off the engine of the assisting
vehicle.
3.Switch off any consumers in both vehicles.
There must not be any contact between
the bodies of the two vehicles; otherwise,
there is a danger of shorting.<
Connecting jumper cables
Connect the jumper cables in the correct
order, so that no sparks which could
cause injury occur.<
Your BMW has a jump-starting connection in
the engine compartment which acts as the bat-
tery's positive terminal, refer also to the Engine
compartment overview on page202. The cap is
marked with +.
1.Pull the cap of the BMW jump-starting con-
nection up to remove.
Mobility
221Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Rear
Release the cover panel in the bumper:
Press on the recess at the bottom center in the
cover panel.
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on,
refer to page50; otherwise, the low-beam
headlamps, tail lamps, turn signal indicators and
windshield wipers may be unavailable.
If the electrical system fails, do not tow-start or
tow the vehicle. The electrical steering wheel
lock cannot be released and the vehicle cannot
be steered. Jump-starting, refer to page219.
Power steering assistance is not available when
the engine is not running. Thus, braking and
steering will require increased effort.<
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral position.
Automatic transmission
Selector lever in position N.
Changing selector lever positions, refer
to page54.
Do not exceed a towing speed of 31 mph
or 50 km/h and a towing distance of
31 miles/50 km; otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged.<
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
Ensure that transmission lock P is not
engaged as the rear wheels will otherwise
be blocked.
When using the car wash function, refer to
page209, note that the parking lock P is
engaged automatically after approx. 30 min-
utes, blocking the rear wheels.
If an electrical malfunction occurs or if towing
takes longer than approx. 20 minutes, manually
release the parking lock, refer to page58.<
Do not exceed a towing speed of 31 mph
or 50 km/h and a towing distance of
31 miles/50 km; otherwise, the 7-gear sport
automatic transmission may be damaged.<
Towing methods
Do not lift the vehicle by a tow fitting or
body and chassis parts; otherwise, dam-
age may result.<
With a tow bar
The towing vehicle must not be lighter
than the towed vehicle; otherwise, it may
be impossible to maintain control.<
The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an angle,
please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be sharply limited during cornering.
>The tow bar will generate lateral forces if it is
attached offset.
Attach the tow bar to the tow fittings only,
as attaching it to other parts of the vehicle
could result in damage.<
Reference 237
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Automatic high beams and
low beams, refer to High-
beam assistant90
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC98
Automatic Service
Request188
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic53
– interlock53,54
– overriding selector lever
lock55
– shiftlock, refer to Changing
selector lever position54
– sport program54
– towing220
– tow-starting220
AUTO program for automatic
climate control97
AUX-IN port104,163
Available services188
Average fuel consumption66
– setting the units68
Average speed66
Avoid highways in
navigation130
Avoiding unintentional
alarms34
Axle loads, refer to
Weights228
B
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support43
Backrests, refer to Seat
adjustment42
Backrest width adjustment43
Backup lamps
– replacing bulb214
Backup lamps, refer to Tail
lamps214
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
pouch219
Bar, refer to Towing
methods221Base plate for telephone or
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter180
– refer to Snap-in adapter in
the center armrest storage
compartment104
Bass, tone setting140
Battery216
– charging216
– disposal36,216
– jump-starting219
– remote control28
– temporary power failure216
Battery for mobile phone181
Battery renewal
– remote control36
– remote control for vehicle36
Being towed221
Belts, refer to Safety belts44
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety
belts44
Beverage holders, refer to
Cupholders105
Blower, refer to Air flow
rate94,97
Bluetooth, activating/
deactivating173
Bluetooth, refer to separate
Owner's Manual
BMW
– car shampoo211
BMW Assist,
activating186,188
BMW Assist184
BMW Homepage4
BMW Maintenance
System206
BMW Search186
BMW webpage4
Bottle holders, refer to
Cupholders105
Brake
– parking brake52
Brake Assist, refer to Dynamic
Brake Control DBC78Brake fluid, refer to Service
requirements69
Brake Force Display85
Brake lamps
– Brake Force Display85
– replacing bulb214
Brake pads112
– breaking in112
Brake rotors114
– brakes112
– breaking in112
Brakes
– ABS78
– BMW Maintenance
System206
– breaking in112
– service requirements69
Brakes, refer to Braking
safely114
Brake system112
– BMW Maintenance
System206
– breaking in112
– disc brakes114
Breakdown services, refer to
Roadside Assistance218
Breaking in the clutch112
Breaking in the differential,
refer to Engine and
differential112
Break-in period112
Brightness of Control
Display76
Bulb changing, refer to Lamps
and bulbs212
Button for starting the engine,
refer to Start/stop button50
Buttons on the steering
wheel11
C
California Proposition 65
warning6
Reference 239
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Comfort area, refer to Around
the center console14
Compartment for remote
control, refer to Ignition
lock50
Compass102
Computer65
– displays on Control
Display66
Computer, refer to iDrive16
Concierge service185
Condensation, refer to When
the vehicle is parked114
Condition Based Service
CBS206
Configuring settings, refer to
Personal Profile28
Confirmation signals for
locking/unlocking the
vehicle31
Congestion
– refer to Route, bypassing
sections131
Connecting vacuum cleaner,
refer to Connecting
electrical appliances106
Consumption, refer to
Average consumption66
Consumption display
– average consumption66
Contacts
– creating182
Control Center, refer to
iDrive16
Control Display, refer to
iDrive16
– adjusting brightness76
Controller, refer to iDrive16
controls and displays10
Control unit, refer to iDrive16
Convenient loading30
Convenient operation31
– retractable hardtop30
– windows30
Convertible
– enlarging cargo area38,106
Coolant204
– checking level204
Coolant temperature65Cooling, maximum97
Cooling fluid, refer to
Coolant204
Cooling system, refer to
Coolant204
Copyright2
Corner-illuminating lamps,
refer to Adaptive light
control89
Cornering lamps, refer to
Adaptive light control89
Correct tires199
Country codes DVD153
Courtesy lamps, refer to
Interior lamps
92
Criteria for route130
Cross-hairs in navigation126
Cruise control61
– malfunction63
Cruising range66
Cupholders105
Curb weight, refer to
Weights228
Current playback
– external devices165
– of music collection160
Customer Relations187
D
Dashboard, refer to
Cockpit10
Dashboard, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Dashboard lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting91
Data, technical226
– dimensions227
– engine226
– weights228
Data recorders207
Data transfer188
Date
– date format73
– setting72
Daytime running lights89
DBC Dynamic Brake
Control78DCC, refer to Cruise
control61
Deactivating passenger
airbags86
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking30
Defect
– door lock31
– fuel filler flap192
Defogging windows95
Defrosting windows95
Defrost position, refer to
Defrosting windows95
Destination, entering by town/
city name121
Destination address
– entering121,127
Destination entry via BMW
Assist125
Destination for navigation
– entering by voice127
– entering via map126
– entry121
– home address124
– manual entry121
Destination guidance130
– bypassing a route
section131
– changing specified
route130
– continuing130
– starting130
– voice instructions132
– volume of voice
instructions132
Detour, selecting136
Digital clock64
Digital compass102
Digital radio, refer to HD
Radio144
Dimensions227
Directional indicators, refer to
Turn signals59
Direction instructions, refer to
Voice instructions132
Directory for navigation, refer
to Address book123
Displacement, refer to Engine
data226
Everything from A to Z
240 Display, refer to iDrive
controls16
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting91
Displays
– on the Control Display16
Displays, refer to Instrument
cluster12
Displays and controls10
Disposal
– coolant204
– remote control battery36
– vehicle battery216
Distance remaining to service,
refer to Service
requirements69
Distance warning, refer to
Park Distance Control
PDC77
Door key, refer to Remote
control with integrated
key28
Door lock31
Doors, emergency
operation31
DOT Quality Grades197
Draft-free ventilation95,98
Drinks holders, refer to
Cupholders105
Drive mode56
Drive-off assistance, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC78
Drive-off assistant80
Driving lamps, refer to Parking
lamps/low beams88
Driving notes112
Driving off on hills, refer to
Drive-off assistant80
Driving position, engaging,
refer to Transmission
positions56
Driving stability control
systems78,79
Driving through water114
Driving tips, refer to Driving
notes112
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control78Dual clutch transmission55
– kickdown56
DVD
– country codes153
– settings154
– video playback153
DVD changer155
– malfunctions157
DVD changer, refer to CD
changer151
DVD menu154
DVD player, refer to CD
player151
DVD video153
Dynamic Brake Control
DBC78
Dynamic destination
guidance131
Dynamic Driving Control79
E
Eject button, refer to Buttons
on the CD/DVD player140
Electrical malfunction
– door lock31
– driver's door31
– fuel filler flap192
– M dual clutch transmission
with Drivelogic58
Electric seat adjustment42
Electric steering wheel lock
– with Comfort Access35
Electronic brake-force
distribution EBV78
Electronic oil level check202
Electronic Stability Program
ESP, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control DSC78
Emergency actuation,
automatic transmission,
refer to Overriding selector
lever lock55
Emergency operation
– fuel filler flap, manual
release192
Emergency operation, refer to
Manual operation
– door lock31Emergency release
– luggage compartment lid
from inside33
Emergency Request218
Emergency services, refer to
Roadside Assistance218
Energy, saving
– saving fuel112
Engine
– breaking in112
– data226
– overheated, refer to Coolant
temperature65
– speed226
– starting51
– starting, Comfort Access34
– switching off52
Engine compartment202
Engine coolant, refer to
Coolant204
Engine oil
– adding204
– additives, refer to Specified
engine oils204
– alternative oil types204
– BMW Maintenance
System206
– capacity228
– checking level202
– intervals between changes,
refer to Service
requirements69
– specified engine oils204
Engine output, refer to Engine
data226
Engine speed, refer to Engine
data226
Engine starting, refer to
Starting the engine51
Entering special destinations
by name126
Entering the
address121,127
Entry lamps, refer to Interior
lamps92
Entry map for destination126
Equalizer, tone setting141
Error messages, refer to
Check Control73