
Notes
6
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following 
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of 
automobile components and parts, 
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals 
known to the State of California to cause cancer 
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In 
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and 
certain products of component wear contain or 
emit chemicals known to the State of California 
to cause cancer and birth defects or other 
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash 
your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have 
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always 
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with 
soap and water.<
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication 
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited 
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is 
listed in the Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and 
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and 
designed to meet the particular operating con-
ditions and homologation requirements in your 
country and continental region in order to 
deliver the full driving pleasure while the vehicle 
is operated under those conditions. If you wish 
to operate your vehicle in another country or 
region, you may be required to adapt your vehi-
cle to meet different prevailing operating condi-
tions and homologation requirements. You 
should also be aware of any applicable warranty 
limitations or exclusions for such country or 
region. In such case, please contact Customer 
Relations for further information. 

Driving
56
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas; 
otherwise, the inhalation of toxic exhaust 
gases can cause loss of consciousness and 
death. The exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly 
toxic gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle 
with the engine running; otherwise, such a vehi-
cle represents a potential safety hazard. 
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, always shift into neutral or selector 
position P and apply the parking brake force-
fully to prevent the vehicle from rolling.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeated start attempts in 
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the 
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and 
there is a danger of overheating and damaging 
the catalytic converter.<
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the 
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right 
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with 
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to 
page34.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch and shift to neutral posi-
tion.
3.Press the start/stop button.The starter operates automatically for a certain 
time, and stops automatically as soon as the 
engine has started.
Automatic transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with 
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to 
page34.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Move the selector lever to position P.
3.Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain 
time, and stops automatically as soon as the 
engine has started.
Diesel engine
When the engine is cold and temperatures are 
below approx. 327/06, the starting process 
may take a little more time due to automatic 
preheating. The preheating indicator lamp in 
the instrument cluster comes on; at the same 
time a message appears on the Control Display.
Switching off the engine
Always take the remote control with you 
when you leave the vehicle. 
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully; otherwise, the vehicle could begin to roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Forcefully apply the parking brake.
4.Removing the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page55. 

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.< 

Controls
 73Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Computer
Displays in the instrument cluster
Calling up information
Press the button in the turn indicator 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
To set the corresponding units of measure, 
refer to Units of measure on page76.
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.
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.<
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 page74, you 
can have the average speed for another trip dis-
played.
To reset average speed: press the button in the 
turn indicator lever for approx. 2 seconds.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for 
the time during which the engine is running.
You can have the average consumption for 
another trip displayed, refer to Displays on the 
Control Display below.
To reset average fuel consumption: press the 
button in the turn indicator lever for approx. 
2seconds.
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. 

Driving tips
 123Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking 
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance between you and the vehicle in front of 
you. A defensive and smooth driving style 
keeps fuel consumption down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second 
and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation 
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before 
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into 
the highest applicable gear and drive with the 
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers 
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot off 
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
On a downhill slope, take your foot off the accel-
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy 
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy 
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings 
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx. 
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at 
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner, seat 
heating or rear window defroster draw large 
amounts of power and consume additional fuel. 
Especially in city traffic and in stop and go driv-
ing they have a considerable impact. Therefore, 
switch these functions off when they are not 
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve 
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW 
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a 
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page231.
General driving notes
Close the trunk lid/tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the trunk 
lid/tailgate and rear window are closed. 
Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter the inte-
rior of the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid/
tailgate open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to 
page104.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed 
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them. 
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
ing, 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, with the 
risk of serious personal injuries and property 
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust tail pipes. 
Otherwise, there is a risk of burns.< 

Things to remember when driving
124
Diesel particulate filter*
The diesel particulate filter collects soot parti-
cles and burns them periodically at high tem-
peratures. This cleaning process takes several 
minutes. During cleaning, you may notice that 
the engine temporarily runs less smoothly and 
that a somewhat higher engine speed is neces-
sary to achieve the accustomed performance. 
Also, noises may be heard and a slight amount 
of smoke may emerge from the exhaust, even 
for a short period after the engine is switched 
off.
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 situation, known as hydroplaning, 
means that the tire can completely lose contact 
with the road surface, so that neither the car can 
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page222.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is 
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only 
at walking speed at the most. 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 
assistant, refer to page87.
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 to ensure 
that 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 page59.
Never drive with the clutch held down, 
with the transmission 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. 
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other 
objects to protrude into the area around the 
pedals; otherwise, pedal function could be 
impaired.< 

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.< 

Mobility
 205Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Diesel exhaust fluid at the 
minimum level
Even if the display indicates -- mls, the engine 
continues running if it is not switched off and if 
all other requirements continue to be met, e.g. a 
sufficient supply of fuel.
Do not drive to the end of the indicated 
distance. Otherwise, it will not be possible 
to start the engine again after switching it off.<
Wrong fluid
A warning lamp lights up:
The wrong fluid was filled into the res-
ervoir.
Please contact your BMW center.
Having the diesel exhaust fluid refilled
Diesel exhaust fluid is refilled by your BMW 
center during regular service. If the service 
intervals are adhered to, it generally does not 
need to be refilled between service appoint-
ments.
Under certain conditions, e.g. especially fre-
quent accelerations or operation of the vehicle 
at high altitudes, it may become necessary to 
refill the fluid between service appointments.
When this reserve display appears in the instru-
ment cluster, have diesel exhaust fluid refilled to 
avoid not being able to start the engine.
You can have the fluid refilled by a BMW center.
Diesel exhaust fluid at low 
temperatures
Because of its physical properties, it may 
be necessary to refill diesel exhaust fluid 
between regular service appointments at tem-
peratures below +237/-56.
The need to add fluid is indicated by the reserve 
display in the instrument cluster, refer to 
page204.<
Refilling diesel exhaust fluid in 
exceptional cases
To be able to reach the next BMW center, you 
can refill diesel exhaust fluid yourself while 
adhering to the following warnings.
Do not come into contact with diesel 
exhaust fluid as it can lead to skin or eye 
irritations. Wear goggles and gloves, if neces-
sary. Follow the safety instructions on the bot-
tle.
Vapors with a sharp odor can escape from the 
bottle or container when it is opened. Before 
refilling, completely close the windows and 
doors of the vehicle to prevent the vapors from 
intruding into the interior. If handling diesel 
exhaust fluid in an enclosed area, ensure that 
the room is well ventilated.
After handling diesel exhaust fluid, wash your 
hands thoroughly; otherwise, for example, inad-
vertently touching your eyes may lead to eye 
irritations.
If eye irritations occur, rinse the eyes thoroughly 
with water and consult a physician if necessary.
If diesel exhaust fluid comes into contact with 
the surface of your vehicle, rinse the affected 
areas with water to prevent surface damage.
Keep diesel exhaust fluid away from children.<
Suitable diesel exhaust fluid
>Preferred: BMW Diesel Exhaust Fluid.
Diesel exhaust fluid can be refilled conve-
niently with this bottle and its special 
adapter.
>Alternatively: NOx reduction agent AUS 32
You can obtain diesel exhaust fluid from your 
BMW center.