
Opening and closing
34
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page27.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: 
doors, hood, trunk lid/tailgate or rear win-
dow are not properly closed. Even if you do 
not close the alerted area, the system 
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and 
the indicator lamp flashes continuously 
after approx. 10 seconds. The interior 
motion sensor and the tilt alarm sensor are 
not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking: 
your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote control is inserted in the 
ignition, but for no longer than approx. 
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed 
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm 
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel 
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must 
be completely closed
*.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following 
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains, 
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Press the  button on the remote control 
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are switched off until 
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-
cle without needing to hold the remote control 
in your hand. All you need to do is wear the 
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your 
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate 
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following 
functions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the trunk lid/tailgate separately
>Engine starting
>Convenient closing 

Controls
 85Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for 
estimating the distance between the 
vehicle and any obstructions always remains 
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind spot in which objects can 
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms 
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those 
encountered with trailer towbars and hitches, 
t h i n  o r  w e d g e - s h a p e d  o b j e c t s ,  e t c .  L o w  o b j e c t s  
that have already been displayed, e.g. curbs, 
can disappear again from the detection area of 
the sensors before or after a continuous tone 
sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g. ledges, 
cannot be detected. Therefore, always drive 
cautiously; otherwise, there is a risk of personal 
injury or property damage.
Loud sound sources outside or inside the car 
can drown out the PDC signal. Therefore, 
always drive cautiously; otherwise, there is 
a risk of personal injury or property damage.<
Driving stability control 
systems
Your BMW has a number of systems that help 
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in 
adverse driving conditions.
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during 
braking. Safe steering response is maintained 
even during full braking. Active safety is thus 
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the 
engine. Braking safely, refer to page124.
Electronic brake-force distribution 
EBV
The system controls the brake pressure in the 
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system 
automatically produces the maximum braking 
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the 
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing 
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. The system also recognizes unstable 
driving conditions, for example if the rear of the 
car is about to swerve or if momentum is acting 
at an angle past the front wheels. In these 
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe 
course within physical limits by reducing engine 
output and through braking actions at the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed, 
even with DSC. An appropriate driving 
style always remains the responsibility of the 
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional 
s a f e t y  m a r g i n  a g a i n  b y  t a k i n g  r i s k s ,  a s  t h i s  c o u l d  
result in an accident.< 

Driving tips
 125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their 
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage 
develops inside the tires. In some situations, 
this can result in sudden loss of tire pressure.<
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or 
leak from their containers in the cargo 
area, as this could result in damage to the vehi-
cle.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants 
and cargo should never exceed 
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading 
can result in damage to the vehicle and 
unstable driving conditions.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the 
driver and passengers that will be riding in 
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver 
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY 
pounds.
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. 
For example, if the YYY amount equals 
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 
650 lbs: 
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage 
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That 
weight may not safely exceed the available 
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated 
in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of 
the load from your trailer will be transferred 
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for 
transporting a trailer to determine how this 
may reduce the available cargo and luggage 
load capacity of your vehicle.