
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The quickest way to find special topics is to 
consult the index, refer to page266.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
7Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16iDrive
21Letters and numbers
22Voice activation system
Controls
26Opening and closing
42Adjustments
51Transporting children safely
55Driving
71Controls overview
84Technology for driving comfort and 
safety
97Lamps
102Climate
107Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
122Things to remember when driving
Navigation
130Navigation system
131Destination entry
140Destination guidance
147What to do if …
Entertainment
150On/off and tone
153Radio
156Satellite radio
161CD/DVD player and CD changer
168Music collection
173External devices
Communications
180Telephone
193Contacts
195BMW Assist
Mobility
202Refueling
208Wheels and tires
225Under the hood
231Maintenance
233Care
237Replacing components
246Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
254Technical data
259Short commands for the voice activation 
system
266Everything from A to Z 

Controls overview
72
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 
Control Display.
Check coolant level, refer to page230.
Energy Control*
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.
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 
message appears on the Control Display.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 16.1 gallons/
61 liters.
You can find information on refueling on 
page203.
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.
Reserve
Once the fuel level has fallen to the reserve 
zone, a message briefly appears on the Control 
Display and the cruising range for the remaining 
amount of fuel is displayed on the computer. 
Under a cruising range of approx. 30 miles/
50 km, the message remains in the Control Dis-
play.
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.< 

Refueling
202
Refueling
Always switch off the engine before refu-
eling; otherwise, fuel cannot be added to 
the tank and a message will be displayed.<
Take all precautionary measures and 
observe all applicable regulations when 
handling fuel. Do not carry any spare fuel con-
tainers in your vehicle. They can develop a leak 
and cause an explosion or cause a fire in the 
event of an accident.<
Fuel filler flap
Opening
1.Open the fuel filler flap. To do so, lightly 
press the rear edge.
2.Turn the gas cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the gas cap in the bracket attached to 
the fuel filler flap.
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly 
hear a click.
Do not pinch the band attached to the 
cap; otherwise, the cap cannot be closed 
properly and fuel vapors can escape. A mes-
sage will be displayed if the gas cap is loose or 
missing.<
Manually releasing the fuel filler flap
In the event of a malfunction, you can release 
the fuel filler flap manually:
Sedan
1.Remove the cover from the right-hand side-
wall of the cargo area.
2.Pull the knob with the fuel pump symbol. 
The fuel filler flap is released.
Sports Wagon
1.Fold up the cargo area floor panel.
2.Remove the cover from the right-hand side-
wall of the cargo area. To do so, turn the 
screws, arrows 1, 90° and take out the 
cover, arrow 2.
3.Pull the knob with the fuel pump symbol. 
The fuel filler flap is released. 

Mobility
 203Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels, follow the safety 
instructions provided at filling stations; 
otherwise, there is a risk of personal injury or 
property damage.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid lifting the filler 
nozzle while filling the tank, as that would lead 
to
>Premature pump shutoff
>Reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor recov-
ery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks 
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
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.<
Gasoline engine
Approx. 16.1 US gallons/61 liters, including the 
reserve capacity of 2.1 US gallons/8 liters.
Diesel engine
Approx. 16.1 US gallons/61 liters, including the 
reserve capacity of 1.7 US gallons/6.5 liters.
Fuel specifications
Gasoline engine: required fuel
Do not refuel with leaded fuel; otherwise, 
the catalytic converter will be damaged.
Do not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel containing 
85Ξ ethanol, nor with FlexFuel. Otherwise, the 
engine and fuel supply system will be dam-
aged.<
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less 
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
>323i, 328i/xDrive: 87
>335i/xDrive: 89.
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds 
when starting at high outside temperatures. 
This has no effect on the engine life.
Do not use any gasoline below the speci-
fied minimum fuel grade. Otherwise, the 
engine could be damaged.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition, 
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale 
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10Ξ ethanol or other 
oxygenates with up to 2.8Ξ oxygen by weight, 
that is, 15Ξ MTBE or 3Ξ methanol plus an 
equivalent amount of cosolvent, will not void the 
applicable warranties with respect to defects in 
materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in 
drivability, starting and stalling problems 
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and 
high altitude. 
Should you encounter drivability problems 
which you suspect could be related to the fuel 
y o u  a r e  u s i n g ,  w e  r e c o m m e n d  t h a t  y o u  r e s p o n d  
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand 
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier 
Detergent Gasoline. 
Failure to comply with these recommendations 
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.< 

Refueling
204
BMW Advanced Diesel: required fuel
Ultra-low sulfur diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel 
with low sulfur content:
Ultra-low sulfur diesel ASTM D 975-07a.
Refuel with ultra-low sulfur diesel only. 
The percentage of biodiesel in the fuel 
m u s t  n o t  e x c e e d  5 % ;  t h i s  t y p e  o f  f u e l  i s  r e f e r r e d  
to as B5. Do not refuel with gasoline. If you have 
accidentally refueled with the wrong fuel, e.g. 
with gasoline, do not start the engine; other-
wise, engine damage may occur.<
If you have refueled with the wrong fuel, contact 
your BMW center.
The filler neck is designed for refueling at 
diesel fuel pumps.
If the filler nozzle cannot be inserted into your 
BMW's filler pipe, please ensure that you are 
refueling at a diesel fuel pump and that it is 
equipped with a diesel filler nozzle.<
In the event the Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel 
fuel cannot be fully inserted into the fuel 
filler neck, please contact BMW Roadside 
Assistance for instructions on how to add fuel. 
For more information on BMW Roadside Assis-
tance, refer to page246.<
Winter diesel
To ensure that the diesel engine remains oper-
ational in the winter, please use winter diesel, 
which is available at gas stations during winter 
months. The fuel filter heating system, included 
as a standard feature, prevents disruption of the 
fuel supply while driving.
Do not add additives, including gasoline; 
otherwise, engine damage may occur.<
BMW Advanced Diesel
The concept
BMW Advanced Diesel reduces nitrogen oxide 
in the diesel emissions of your vehicle by means 
of a mechanism that injects diesel exhaust fluid, 
a reduction agent, into the exhaust tract. 
A chemical reaction occurs in the catalytic 
converter that minimizes the nitrogen oxide 
content.
To be able to start the engine as usual, a suffi-
cient amount of diesel exhaust fluid must be 
present in a separate reservoir.
Warming the system
To warm the system to its operating tempera-
ture after starting with a cold engine, the auto-
matic transmission delays shifting to the next 
higher gear, if necessary.
Reserve display
A display in the instrument cluster informs you 
about the remaining distance you can drive with 
the fluid remaining in the reservoir.
The reserve display appears beginning at 
approx. 1,000 miles/1,600 km before the sup-
ply is used up.
When this reserve display appears in the 
instrument cluster, have diesel exhaust 
fluid refilled to avoid not being able to start the 
engine.< 

Refueling
206
Refilling quantity
Refilling quantity when the reserve display first 
appears:
Approx. 1 US gallon/3.7 liters
Opening the diesel exhaust fluid 
reservoir
1.Remove the cover in the bumper by press-
ing on it, see arrow.
2.Place the handle of the screwdriver from the 
onboard vehicle tool kit, page237, onto the 
bottom cap and open the cap, arrow.
Refilling BMW Diesel Exhaust Fluid
1.Attach the bottle and screw it all the way on, 
see arrow. The line on the bottle should 
point upward.
Hold the attached bottle to prevent 
the thread on the vehicle from becoming damaged by the weight of the 
bottle.<
2.Press the bottle toward the vehicle, see 
arrow.
The reservoir in the vehicle is filled.
3.The reservoir is full when the filling level in 
the bottle stops changing. It is not possible 
to overfill the reservoir. 
Pull back the bottle, see arrow, and unscrew 
it.
Closing the reservoir
After refilling, close the reservoir again using 
the handle of the screwdriver. 

Everything from A to Z
276 Radio position, refer to Radio 
readiness55
Radio readiness55
– switched off56
– switched on55
Radio-remote key, refer to 
Remote control with 
integrated key26
Rain sensor61
Random sequence
– external devices176
– music collection171
Rapeseed-oil methyl ester 
RME204
Reading lamps101
Rear lamps, refer to Tail 
lamps241
Rear seat backrest, 
folding115
Rear seats
– adjusting head restraints45
– folding115
– folding down 
backrests114,115
– folding head restraint down 
and up45
Rear ventilation105
Rearview mirror, refer to 
Mirrors48
Rear window
– cleaning62
– opening33
Rear window blind, refer to 
Roller sun blinds110
Rear window defroster104
Rear window safety switch37
Rear window wiper62
– changing rear wiper 
blade237
Receiving level of mobile 
phone, refer to Status 
information19
Reception
– quality154
– radio station154
Recirculated-air mode104
Recirculation of air, refer to 
Recirculated-air mode104Reclining seat, refer to 
Backrest43
Refueling202
Releasing
– hood225
Remaining distance, refer to 
Cruising range73
Remote control26
– battery renewal36
– Comfort Access34
– garage door opener107
– malfunction29,36
– removing from the ignition 
lock55
– service data231
– tailgate28
– trunk lid28
Replacement fuses, refer to 
Fuses245
Replacement remote 
control26
Replacing bulbs, refer to 
Lamps and bulbs238
Replacing tires223
Replacing tires, refer to New 
wheels and tires223
Reporting safety defects7
Reserve warning, refer to Fuel 
gauge72
Reset, refer to Resetting tone 
settings152
Restraint systems
– for children51
– refer to Safety belts47
Reverse
– CD changer163
– CD player163
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic58
– manual transmission57
RME, refer to Rapeseed-oil 
methyl ester204
Road map142
Roadside 
Assistance196,246
Roadside parking lamps99
– replacing bulbs238,240Roadworthiness test, refer to 
Service requirements76
Roller blind
– sun blinds110
Roof load capacity257
Roof-mounted luggage 
rack127
Rope, refer to Tow-starting, 
towing away250
Rotary/pushbutton, refer to 
iDrive16
Route140,141
– bypassing sections141
– changing140,141
– changing criteria140
– displaying streets or towns/
cities141
– map view142
– selecting140
Route instructions, refer to 
Destination guidance 
through voice 
instructions142
Route map, refer to Map 
view142
Route section, changing141
Route selection140
RSC Runflat System 
Component, refer to Run-
flat tires223
Runflat System Component 
RSC, refer to Run-flat 
tires223
Run-flat tires223
– continuing driving with a 
damaged tire89
– flat tire89
– Flat Tire Monitor89
– Inflation pressure208
– new tires223
– tire replacement223
– winter tires224
Runflat tyres, refer to Run-flat 
tires223