
Dashboard
10
Dashboard
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
1Convertible: opening and closing 
windows jointly36 
2Convertible: opening and closing 
rear windows35 
3Opening and closing front 
windows35
4Folding exterior mirrors in and out
*49
5Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*49
6
Parking lamps91
Low beams92
Automatic 
headlamp control
*91
Adaptive light control
*92
High-beam assistant
*93 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
7
Fog lamps*94
8
Turn signals64
High beams, headlamp flasher93
High-beam assistant
*93
Roadside parking lamps
*93
Computer69
Settings and information about the 
vehicle71
9Instrument cluster12
10
Windshield wipers65
Rain sensor
*65
11Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine55
12Ignition lock55
13Buttons
 on the steering wheel
Telephone
*:
Accepting and ending a call; dial-
ing
* the selected phone number; 
redialing if no phone number is 
selected
Volume
Activating/deactivating the voice 
activation system
*
Changing the radio station
Interrupting a traffic bulletin
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
Next entertainment source
Recirculated-air mode98
14
Steering wheel heating
*51
15Horn, entire surface
16Adjusting the steering wheel51
17
Cruise control
*66
18Releasing the hood202
19Opening the trunk lid31 

Dashboard
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
135i: with fuel gauge
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer68
5Fuel gauge69
135i: engine oil temperature69
6Display for
>Clock68
>Outside temperature68
>Indicator and warning lamps767Display for
>Position of automatic transmission
*57
>Gear indicator in 7-gear Sports auto-
matic transmission with double 
clutch
*60
>Computer69
>Date of next scheduled service, and 
remaining distance to be driven72
>Odometer and trip odometer68
>High-beam assistant
*93
>Checking the oil level203
>Settings and information71
8Resetting the trip odometer68 

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
Several of the lamps are checked for proper 
functioning and light up temporarily when the 
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.
Text messages
Text messages at the upper edge of the Control 
Display explain the meaning of the displayed 
indicator and warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
You can call up more information on the Control 
Display, e.g. on the cause of a malfunction and 
on how to respond, via Check Control, refer to 
page76.In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
High beams/headlamp flasher93
Fog lamps
*94
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability82
Canada: parking brake applied57
Parking brake applied57
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on emissions208
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on emissions208 

Controls
 27Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page74
>Date format, refer to page76
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page79
>Language of the Control Display, refer to 
page79
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, 
distance covered/remaining distances, 
and temperature, refer to page72
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC, refer to page80
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page91
>Pathway lighting, refer to page92
>Daytime running lights, refer to page92
>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page93
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function 
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air volume and distribu-
tion, refer to page97 ff
>Entertainment:
>Tone control, refer to page140
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page140
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Trunk lid
>Fuel filler flap
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
*
>In cars with Comfort Access*, via the han-
dles on the driver's and front passenger 
doors
In addition, if the remote control is used, the 
welcome lamps
*, interior lamps and the door's 
courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. The 
alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details on the alarm system
*, refer 
to page32.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page30.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. You 
should therefore take the remote control with 
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter 
can be opened from outside.<
Convertible: to operate the convertible 
top with the remote control, the doors and 
trunk lid must be closed and the cargo area par-
tition must be folded down and engaged on 
both sides. Refer also to page40.<
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on.
Setting unlocking characteristics
You can set whether only the driver's door or 
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the 
button is pressed for the first time. 

Driving
64
Launch Control
Launch Control enables an optimum accelera-
tion when starting off on a road surface with 
good traction.
Do not use Launch Control too often; oth-
erwise, the powerful stresses on the vehi-
cle will lead to premature component wear.<
Launch Control is ready for use when the 
engine is at operating temperature, i.e. after 
uninterrupted travel of at least 6.2 miles/10 km.
1.With the engine running, step on the brake 
with your left foot.
2.Activate Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), 
refer to page, 82.
3.Activate Driving dynamics control, refer to 
page62.
4.With the vehicle stationary, activate the 
manual mode and select 1
stgear.
5.With your right foot, push the accelerator 
pedal past the resistance point. The accel-
eration speed is adjusted. A flag symbol 
appears in the instrument cluster.
6.When you release the brake pedal, the vehi-
cle accelerates. Keep the accelerator pedal 
floored.
7.The upshifting occurs automatically as long 
as you keep the accelerator pedal pressed 
past the resistance point.
Launch Control will be ready for use again after 
you drive a certain distance.
Launch Control is not available for use during 
the break-in phase, refer to page112.
To maintain driving stability, keep DSC 
activated whenever possible.<
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the 
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp and the turn signals indicates that 
one of the turn signal bulbs has failed.<
Indicating a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for 
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."Triple turn signal" 

Controls
 69Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Coolant temperature
A warning lamp will come on if the coolant, and 
therefore the engine, becomes too hot.
In addition, a message will appear on the Con-
trol Display.
Check coolant level, refer to page206.
Engine oil temperature*
When the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature, the engine oil temperature is between 
approx. 2107/1006 and approx. 3007/
1506.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a mes-
sage appears on the Control Display.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 14 US gallons/
53 liters.
You can find information on refueling on 
page192.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period, 
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for 
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
Fuel display 135i: in speedometer.
Reserve
Once the fuel level has fallen to the reserve 
zone, a message briefly appears on the Control 
Display and the remaining cruising range is dis-
played on the computer. Under a cruising range 
of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the message 
appears continuously in the Control Display.
Refuel as soon as possible once your 
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km; otherwise, engine functions are not 
ensured and damage can occur.<
Computer
Displays in the instrument cluster
Calling up information
Press the button in the turn signal/high beam 
lever.
The following items of information are dis-
played in the order listed:
>Cruising range
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption
>Current fuel consumption
>No information 

Controls overview
70 To set the corresponding units of measure, 
refer to Setting the units of measure on 
page72.
Cruising range
Displays the estimated cruising range available 
with the remaining fuel. The range is calculated 
on the basis of the way the car has been driven 
over the last 18 miles/30 km and the amount of 
fuel currently in the tank.
It is important that you refuel as soon as 
possible once your cruising range falls 
below 30 miles/50 km; otherwise, engine func-
tions are not ensured and damage can occur.<
Average speed
Periods with the vehicle parked and the engine 
switched off are not included in the calculations 
of average speed.
With the trip computer, refer to page71, you 
can have the average speed for another trip dis-
played.
To reset average speed: press the button in the 
turn signal/high beam lever for approx. 
2seconds.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for 
the time during which the engine is running.
With the trip computer, refer to page71, you 
can have the average consumption for another 
trip displayed.
To reset average fuel consumption: press the 
button in the turn signal/high beam lever for 
approx. 2 seconds.
Current fuel consumption
Displays the current fuel consumption. This 
allows you to see whether your current driving 
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.
Displays on the Control Display
The computer can also be opened via iDrive.1."Vehicle Info"
2."Onboard info" or "Trip computer"
Displays in "Onboard info":
>Cruising range
>Distance from destination
>Estimated time of arrival if:
>A distance was manually entered in the 
computer, refer to the information 
below.
>A destination was entered in the naviga-
tion system
*, refer to page121.
Displays in "Trip computer":
>Departure time
>Trip duration
>Trip distance