
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 page258.
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
52Transporting children safely
55Driving
75Controls overview
88Technology for driving comfort and 
safety
101Lamps
106Climate
111Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
126Things to remember when driving
Navigation
134Navigation system
135Destination entry
144Destination guidance
151What to do if …
Entertainment
154On/off and tone
157Radio
160Satellite radio
165CD/DVD player and CD changer
172Music collection
177External devices
Communications
184Telephone
196Contacts
198BMW Assist
Mobility
206Refueling
208Wheels and tires
222Under the hood
227Maintenance
229Care
233Replacing components
238Giving and receiving assistance
Reference
246Technical data
251Short commands for the voice activation 
system
258Everything from A to Z 

Controls
 69Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Since this active cruise control system is a new 
technology and operates differently from con-
ventional cruise control systems which you may 
be accustomed to, you are strongly urged to 
read all of the pages relating to this system 
before use. Pay special attention to the System 
limitations section beginning on page73.
Braking sensation
>If you step on the brake pedal while the sys-
tem is braking, pedal sensation will be 
slightly different from the usual.
>Possible noises during automatic braking 
are normal.
Manual transmission
You can shift gears while cruise control is acti-
vated. The system is deactivated when you 
drive at very low engine speeds for an extended 
period.
Range of applications
The minimum desired speed is 20 mph or 
30 km/h, the maximum desired speed is 
110 mph or 180 km/h.
As with conventional cruise control sys-
tems, active cruise control in no way 
diminishes or substitutes for the driver’s own 
personal responsibility, alertness and aware-
ness in adjusting speed, braking or otherwise 
controlling the vehicle. The driver should 
decide when to use the system on the basis of 
road, traffic, visibility, and weather conditions. 
Active cruise control is intended for use on 
highway-type roadways where traffic is moving 
relatively smoothly. Do not use this system in 
city driving; heavy traffic such as during rush 
hour; on curvy, winding roads, slippery roads or 
roads with sharp curves such as highway off-
ramps; during inclement weather such as snow, 
strong rain or fog; or when entering inter-
changes, service/parking areas or toll booths. 
It is also important to regulate your vehicle's 
speed and distance setting within applicable 
legal limits. Always be ready to take action or 
apply the brakes if necessary, especially when 
the system is actively following a vehicle in front of you. Otherwise, driving situations could 
result that pose the risk of accidents.<
One lever for all functions
1Store and increase desired speed
2Store and decrease desired speed
3Deactivate system, refer to page70
4Resume stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page71
5Select distance to vehicle driving ahead, 
refer to page70
Storing current speed
Briefly push lever, arrow1, or pull lever, arrow 2, 
at a driving speed of more than approx. 20 mph 
or 30 km/h.
The car's current speed is stored. It is displayed 
on the speedometer and briefly in the instru-
ment cluster. 

Controls
 107Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Automatic climate control
Comfortable interior climate
AUTO program7 offers the ideal air distribution 
and air volume for almost all conditions, refer to 
AUTO program below. All you need to do is 
select an interior temperature which is comfort-
able for you.
The following sections inform you in detail 
about how to adjust the settings.
Most settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile 
settings on page26.
Adjusting air distribution manually
The air distribution can be 
switched on and off manually. The 
air is directed to the windshield, to 
the upper body area and to the 
footwell.
The automatic air distribution can be switched 
back on by pressing the AUTO button. The 
cooling function is switched on automatically 
and the manual air distribution setting is 
cleared.
Temperature
Turn to set the desired tempera-
ture.
The automatic climate control 
achieves this temperature as 
quickly as possible regardless of the season, 
using maximum cooling or heating power if nec-
essary, and then maintains it.
Avoid rapid switching between different tem-
perature settings. The automatic climate con-
trol will not have sufficient time to adjust the set 
temperature.
Maximum heating power can be obtained with 
the highest setting, regardless of the outside 
temperature.
The system cools steadily in the lowest setting, 
regardless of the outside temperature.
Maximum cooling
Press the  button.
The system is set to the lowest 
temperature, maximum air volume 
and recirculated-air mode.
Air flows out of the vent outlets for the upper 
body region. Open them for this purpose.
Air is cooled as quickly as possible:
>Above an outside temperature of approx. 
327/06
>When the engine is running
AUTO program
Press the  button.
Air volume, air distribution and 
temperature are controlled auto-
matically.
Depending on the selected temperature, AUTO 
intensity and outside influences, the air is 
directed toward the windshield, the side win-
dows, the upper body and the footwell.
Pressing the AUTO button automatically 
switches on the cooling function.
At the same time, a condensation sensor con-
trols the program so as to prevent window con-
densation as much as possible.
The program is switched off when the air distri-
bution is set manually or the button is pressed 
again.
Intensity of the AUTO program
With the AUTO program switched on, auto-
matic control of the air volume and air distribu-
tion can be adjusted:
Press the left side of the button 
to reduce the intensity. Press 
the right side of the button to 
increase it.
The selected intensity is shown on the display 
of the automatic climate control. 

Navigation system
134
Navigation system
General information
With the help of satellites and vehicle sensors, 
the navigation system is able to ascertain the 
precise position of the vehicle and reliably guide 
you to any destination you enter.
Enter data only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary, and always give priority to the 
applicable traffic regulations in the event of any 
contradiction between traffic and road condi-
tions and the instructions issued by the naviga-
tion system. Failure to take to this precaution 
can place you in violation of the law and put 
vehicle occupants and other road users in dan-
ger.<
Navigation data
General information
Navigation data are stored in the vehicle and 
can be updated.
Navigation data and authorization codes are 
available from your BMW center.
Depending on the data volume, a data update 
may take several hours.
>The data are updated while you are driving.
>The update is resumed automatically when 
a trip is continued after an interruption.
>Basic navigation functions are available 
during the trip.
>The data are stored in the vehicle.
>After the update, the system restarts.
>The medium that holds the navigation data 
can be removed after the update is com-
pleted.
Updating the navigation data
Inserting navigation DVD
1.Insert the navigation DVD into the DVD 
player with the labeled side facing up.
2.Follow the instructions on the 
Control Display.
3.Enter the authorization code of the naviga-
tion DVD and change the DVD if needed.
Removing navigation DVD
1.Press button 1.
The DVD emerges slightly from the drive.
2.Remove the DVD.
Information about navigation data
1."Navigation"
2.Open "Options".
3."Navigation system version":
Information on the data version is displayed.
* 

Navigation
Driving tips
 147Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Information in the map view
>Time, entertainment source, sound output, 
map orientation
>Distance from destination/intermediate 
destination, estimated time of arrival, if des-
tination guidance is active.
>Any traffic obstructions are highlighted in 
color.
To show/hide information on the map:
Press the controller.
Viewing the map
1.Select the  symbol.
2.Select a setting:
>"View facing north"
>"View in dir. of travel"
>"Perspective view"
>"Arrow display"
3.Press the controller.
Changing the map section
Select "Interactive map".
>To shift the map: move the controller in the 
required direction.
>To shift the map diagonally: move the con-
troller in the required direction and turn it.
Changing scale
1.Select the  symbol.
2.Turn the controller to adjust the scale.
Automatic scaling of the map
In the map view facing north, turn the controller 
in any direction until AUTO is displayed as the 
map scale.
The map shows the entire range from your loca-
tion to the destination.
Settings for the map view
The map is shown on the Control Display.
1.Open "Options".
2."Settings"3.Set the optimized map view.
>"Day/night mode"
Select and create the necessary settings 
depending on the light conditions. If the 
"Traffic conditions/gray map" is acti-
vated, this setting is not taken into 
account.
>"Satellite images"
Depending on the availability and resolu-
tion, satellite images
* are displayed in 
scales of approx. 1 mile to 600 miles/
2 km to 1,000 km .
>"Perspective view in 3D"
Displays a spatial view. Prominent areas 
that are contained in the navigation data 
are displayed on the map in 3D.
>"Traffic conditions/gray map"
The map is optimized for displaying traf-
fic bulletins. Symbols for the special 
destinations are no longer displayed.
Map view for the split screen display
The map view for the split screen can be 
selected separately from the main screen.
1.Open "Options".
2."Split screen"
The split screen is switched on.
3.Move the controller to the right repeatedly 
until the split screen content is selected.
4.Select the map view:
>"Arrow display"
>"Map facing north"
>"Map direction of travel"
>"Map view with perspective"
>"Exit ramp view"
Changing scale
1.Move the controller to the right until the 
split screen is selected.
2.turn the controller. 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 157Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
Radio
Your radio is designed for reception of the fol-
lowing stations:
>FM and AM
>HD Radio
*
>Satellite radio*
Selecting a station
Press the button if the sound output is switched 
off.
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3.Select the desired station.The selected station is stored for the remote 
control currently in use.
Changing stations
Turn the controller and press it
or
press the  button for the corresponding 
direction
or
press the buttons on the steering wheel, refer to 
page10.
Selecting a station manually
Station selection using the frequency.
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3."Manual"
4.Select the frequency: turn the controller.
To store the station: press the controller for an 
extended period.
Storing stations
Via iDrive
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM" 

Satellite radio
160
Satellite radio
General information
The channels are offered in predefined pack-
ages. The packages must be enabled by tele-
phone.
Navigation bar overview
The functions of the navigation bar symbols can 
also be stored on the programmable memory 
buttons, refer to page20.
Managing a subscription
To be able to enable or unsubscribe from the 
channels, you must have reception. It is usually 
at its best when you have an unobstructed view 
of the sky. The channel name is displayed in the 
status line.
Enabling the channels
The Unsubscribed Channels category contains 
all disabled channels.
1."Radio"
2."Satellite radio"3."Category"
4.Select the Unsubscribed Channels cate-
gory.
5.Select the desired channel.
The phone number and an electronic serial 
number, ESN, are displayed.
6.Select the phone number to have the chan-
nel enabled.
You can also unsubscribe from the channels via 
this phone number.
Unsubscribing from channels
1."Radio"
2."Satellite radio"
3.Open "Options".
*
SymbolFunction
Changing the list view
Selecting a category
Direct channel entry
Timeshift
  Opening the favorites, opening 
the My Favorites category
Managing the favorites
Traffic Jump 

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
 161Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
4."Manage subscription"
The phone number and an electronic serial 
number, ESN, are displayed.
5.Call Sirius to unsubscribe from the chan-
nels.
Selecting a channel
You can only listen to enabled channels.
The selected channel is stored for the remote 
control currently in use.
Via iDrive
1."Radio"
2."Satellite radio"
3.Select "All channels" or the desired cate-
gory.
4.Select the desired channel.
Via the button in the area of the CD/
DVD player
 Press the button for the corresponding 
direction.
The next channel is selected.
Via direct channel entry
1."Radio"
2."Satellite radio"
3."Select channel"
4.Turn the controller until the desired channel 
is reached and press the controller.
Storing a channel
1."Radio"
2."Satellite radio"
3.If necessary, open "All channels" or the 
desired category.
4.Select the desired channel.
5.Press the controller again.
6.Press the controller again to confirm the 
highlighted channel.
7.Select the desired memory location.
The channels are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
You can also store the channels on the pro-
grammable memory keys, refer to page20.
Changing the list view
The list view changes every time the first sym-
bol on the navigation bar is pressed.
Information on the channel is displayed.
SymbolFunction
Channel name
Artist
Track