
Practical interior accessories
114
Sedan:
Through-loading system*
Opening
1.Open the belt lock of the rear center safety 
belt. To do so, press the red button in the 
belt lock2 using the latch plate1.
2.Insert the latch plate at the end of the belt 
into the specially designated fixture on the 
rear window shelf.
3.Push the corresponding head restraint 
down as far as it will go, refer to page45.
4.To release the rear seat backrest, pull the 
corresponding lever in the cargo area.5.The unlocked rear seat backrest moves for-
ward slightly. Fold the backrest forward by 
the head restraint.
Closing
1.Return the rear seat backrest to its upright 
position and engage it.
When returning the backrest to its 
seating position, make sure that the 
seat's locking mechanism engages prop-
erly. Otherwise, cargo could be thrown 
around in the event of sharp braking or 
swerving and endanger the occupants.<
2.Release the latch plate from the fixture on 
the rear window shelf and insert it into the 
belt lock of the center safety belt. Make sure 
you hear the latch plate engage in the belt 
buckle. 

Controls
 115Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The lashing eyes in the cargo area provide you 
with a way to attach cargo area nets
* or draw 
straps for securing suitcases and luggage, 
refer to page126.
Sports Wagon:
Cargo area
Roller cover
Pull out the cover and hook it into the retaining 
fixtures.
Do not place objects on the cover; other-
wise, they could endanger the car's occu-
pants, e.g. in the case of braking or sudden 
swerving. 
Do not let the cover retract; otherwise, it could 
be damaged.<
Raising the roller cover
Press the button: the roller cover is raised.
Before closing the rear window or tailgate, 
press the roller cover downward until it 
engages.
Expanding the cargo area
The rear seat backrest is divided. You can fold 
down either division in order to expand the 
cargo area.
Reach into the recess and pull forwards.
When folding the backrest back up, make 
sure that the catch engages properly. If 
you cannot see a red warning area in the recess, 
the catch is properly engaged. Otherwise, 
cargo can be thrown around inside the passen-
ger compartment and endanger the car's occu-
pants, e.g. in the case of braking or sudden 
swerving.<
Observe the instructions concerning the 
safety belt on page42 to ensure the best 
possible personal protection.< 

Practical interior accessories
118
Ski bag*
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport 
of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up to 
2snowboards.
With the ski bag you can stow skis with a length 
of up to 6.9 ft 10 in/2.10 m. When skis of 6.9 ft 
10 in/2.10 m length are loaded, the overall 
capacity of the ski bag is reduced due to its 
tapered design.
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest.
2.Press the button, reach into the recess and 
fold down the cover.
3.Open the Velcro fastener, spread the ski 
bag between the front seats and insert the 
skis or snowboards. 
The zip fastener makes objects in the ski 
bag easier to reach.
4.Insert the latch plate of the ski bag's retain-
ing strap in the center belt buckle.
Only place clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp 
edges to prevent damage.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Secure the ski bag in the manner 
described; otherwise, it could endanger 
the car's occupants, e.g. in case of heavy brak-
ing or sudden swerving.<
To store the ski bag, perform the steps 
described for loading in reverse order.
Removing the ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for 
faste r drying or  to  allow you to use other inserts.
1.Fold down the center panel in the rear seat 
backrest.
2.Pull the handle, arrow1.
3.Pull out the insert, arrow 2.
For more information on the various 
inserts available, contact your BMW cen-
ter.< 

Things to remember when driving
126
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of 
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the 
weight of the occupants, the less cargo/lug-
gage can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Position heavy objects as low and as far for-
ward as possible, ideally directly behind the 
respective seat backrests.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is 
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the 
opposite buckle.
Sedan
Sports Wagon
>Use the partition net to protect passengers, 
refer to page116. Make sure that objects 
cannot penetrate the partition net.
>Do not stack cargo higher than the upper 
edge of the backrests.
>Place protective material around any 
objects which could bump against the rear 
window while the vehicle is in motion.
Securing cargo
>Secure smaller and lighter items using 
retaining straps, a cargo area net
* or draw 
straps
*.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing 
larger and heavier objects are available at 
your BMW center. Four
* lashing eyes are 
provided for attaching the cargo straps. 
Two are located on the cargo area 
sidewalls1, two more are on the rear cargo 
area panel2.
Please comply with the information sup-
plied with the cargo straps.
Always position and secure the cargo as 
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden 
braking or swerving is necessary. 
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle 
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer 
to page257; otherwise, excessive loads can 
pose a safety hazard, and may also place you in 
violation of traffic safety laws. 
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried 
loose inside the car, since they could be thrown 
around, for example as a result of heavy braking, 
sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-
pants. 

On/off and tone
152
Volume
>"Speed volume": adjustment of volume 
depending on driving speed
>"PDC"
*: volume of the PDC signal tone rel-
ative to the entertainment sound output
>"Gong": volume of the signal tone, e.g. for 
the "Fasten safety belts" reminder, relative 
to the entertainment sound output
Adjustments
1."CD/Multimedia", "Radio" or "Settings".
2."Tone"
3."Volume settings"
4.Select the desired volume setting.
5.To adjust: turn the controller.
6.To store: press the controller.
Resetting tone settings
You can reset all tone settings to the default 
setting.
1."CD/Multimedia", "Radio" or "Settings".
2."Tone"
3."Reset" 

Mobility
 221Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire 
makes it easier to identify and choose the right 
tires.
Tire size
Speed code letter
Q = up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph or 300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of 
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in 
the tire coding: DOT … 1010 means that the 
tire was manufactured in week 10 of 2010.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires 
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last 
for 10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable 
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and 
maximum section width. For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA 
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear 
Traction AA A B C 
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to 
Federal Safety Requirements in addition 
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating 
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested 
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded 
150 would wear one and one-half (1γ) times as 
well on the government course as a tire graded 
100. The relative performance of tires depends 
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the 
norm due to variations in driving habits, service 
practices and differences in road characteris-
tics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are 
AA, A, B, and C. 
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop 
on wet pavement as measured under controlled 
conditions on specified government test sur-
faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C 
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is 
based on straight-ahead braking traction 
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.<
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B, 
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the 
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate 
e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ 
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter, in
front of the R on ZR tires225/45 R1791 V
e.g.
Manufacturer's 
code for tire make
Tire size and 
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 1010 

Mobility
 235Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Light-alloy wheels
For technical reasons, dust is generated during 
braking that is deposited on the light-alloy 
wheels. Remove the dust regularly using acid-
free rim cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly 
alkaline and abrasive cleaning agents or 
steam jets over 1407/606; otherwise, dam-
age may occur.<
Outside sensors/cameras
Keep the sensors and cameras on the 
outside of the vehicle, e.g. those for Park 
Distance Control, clean and free of ice to ensure 
that they remain fully functional.<
Interior care
Upholstery fabrics/cloth trims/
Alcantara fabrics
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner to 
remove superficial dirt.
To remove severe spots such as stains from 
beverages, use a soft sponge or lint-free 
microfiber cloth and suitable interior cleaners. 
Follow the instructions on the packaging.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams 
using a sweeping motion. Avoid strong 
rubbing.<
Opened Velcro fasteners on pants or 
other articles of clothing can damage the 
seat covers. Ensure that Velcro fasteners are 
closed.<
Leather/leather trim
The leather used by BMW is a high quality 
natural product. Slight irregularities in the 
leather are a typical characteristic of natural 
leather.<
Dust and road grit in the pores and folds of the 
leather have an abrasive effect, leading to 
increased wear and causing the leather surface 
to become brittle prematurely. Therefore, fre-
quently clean the leather of dust using a cloth or 
vacuum cleaner.Clean light-colored leather more frequently as 
dust and dirt are more noticeable.
Treat the leather at least once every two 
months using a leather lotion as dirt and grease 
will gradually attack the leather's protective 
layer.
Carpet/floor mats*
The floor mats can be removed for cleaning.
When heavily soiled, clean carpets with a 
microfiber cloth and water or textile cleaner. 
Rub back and forth in the direction of travel; oth-
erwise, the carpet may become matted.
Interior plastic parts
>Imitation leather surfaces
>Lamp glasses
>Display pane of instrument cluster
>Matte parts
Clean with water and solvent-free plastic 
cleaner if necessary.
Fine wood parts
Clean fine wood trim and fine wood parts with a 
damp cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Safety belts
Dirty belt straps impede the reeling action and 
thus have a negative impact on safety.
Do not clean chemically, as this may 
destroy the webbing.<
Interior sensors/cameras
To clean interior sensors and cameras, e.g. of 
the high-beam assistant, use a lint-free cloth 
moistened with glass cleaner. 

Reference 267
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Available services199
Average fuel consumption73
– setting the units76
Average speed73
Avoid highways in 
navigation140
Avoiding unintentional 
alarms34
Axle loads, refer to 
Weights257
B
Backrest contour, refer to 
Lumbar support44
Backrests, refer to Seat 
adjustment43
Backrest width adjustment44
Back seats
– refer to Rear seats45
Backup lamps
– replacing bulb242,243
Band-aids, refer to First aid 
pouch247
Bar, refer to Towing 
methods249
Base plate for telephone or 
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter192
– refer to Snap-in adapter in 
the center armrest storage 
compartment111
Bass, tone setting150
Battery244
– charging244
– disposal36,244
– jump-starting247
– remote control26
– replacing244
– temporary power failure245
Battery for mobile phone192
Battery renewal
– remote control36
– remote control for vehicle36
Being towed249Belts, refer to Safety belts47
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety 
belts47
Beverage holders, refer to 
Cupholders112
Black ice, refer to Outside 
temperature warning71
Blower, refer to Air 
volume104
Bluetooth, activating/
deactivating183
BMW
– car shampoo235
BMW Advanced Diesel204
BMW Assist195
BMW Assist, 
activating197,199
BMW Homepage4
BMW Maintenance 
System231
BMW Search197
BMW webpage4
Bottle holders, refer to 
Cupholders112
Brake Assist, refer to Dynamic 
Brake Control DBC85
Brake fluid, refer to Service 
requirements76
Brake Force Display93
Brake lamps
– Brake Force Display93
– replacing bulb242,243
Brake pads122
– breaking in122
Brake rotors125
– brakes122
– breaking in122
Brakes
– ABS85
– BMW Maintenance 
System231
– Brake Force Display93
– breaking in122
– parking brake57
– service requirements76Brakes, refer to Braking 
safely124
Brake system122
– BMW Maintenance 
System231
– breaking in122
– disc brakes125
Breakdown services, refer to 
Roadside Assistance246
Breaking in the clutch122
Breaking in the differential, 
refer to Engine and 
differential122
Break-in period122
Brightness of the Control 
Display83
Bulb changing, refer to Lamps 
and bulbs238
Button for starting the engine, 
refer to Start/stop button55
Buttons on the steering 
wheel11
C
California Proposition 65 
warning6
Call
– accepting184
– ending184
– rejecting184
Calling, refer to Phone 
numbers, dialing185
Calling, refer to Telephone 
owner's manual
Can holders, refer to 
Cupholders112
Capacities258
Capacity of the cargo area257
Car battery, refer to Vehicle 
battery244
Car care, refer to Care233