
At a glance
 13Reference
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Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
Several of the lamps are checked for proper 
functioning and light up temporarily when the 
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.
Text messages
Text messages at the top edge of the Control 
Display describe the meanings of the indicator 
and warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
You can call up more information on the Control 
Display, e.g. on the cause of a malfunction and 
on how to respond, via Check Control, refer to 
page84.
In urgent cases, this information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
High beams/headlamp flasher103
Fog lamps
*104
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability90
parking brake applied57
Canada: parking brake applied57
engine malfunction with adverse effect 
on emissions228
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on emissions228 

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>Settings for the display on the Control 
Display and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to 
page83
>Date format, refer to page84
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page87
>Language on the Control Display, refer 
to page87
>Units of measure, refer to page80
>Show visual warning for Park Distance 
Control PDC
*, refer to page89
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page101
>Pathway lighting, refer to page102
>Daytime running lights, refer to 
page102
>High-beam assistant, refer to page103
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function 
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-
ting temperature, air volume and distribu-
tion, refer to page107 ff
>Entertainment:
>Tone control, refer to page154
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer 
to page155
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Trunk lid
>Fuel filler flap
>Convertible: glove compartment
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
*
>In cars with Comfort Access*, via the 
handles on the driver's and front passenger 
doors
In addition, if the remote control is used, the 
welcome lamps, interior lamps and the door's 
courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. The 
alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system,
 refer to 
page32.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, 
refer to page30.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. You 
should therefore take the remote control with 
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter 
can be opened from outside.<
Convertible: to operate the retractable 
hardtop with the remote control, the 
doors and trunk lid must be closed and the 
cargo area partition must be folded down and 
engaged on both sides. Refer also to page39.<
Unlocking
Press the  button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the 
welcome lamps come on. 

Opening and closing
32
Unlocking separately
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 2.
Emergency release
Pull the lever in the cargo area. The trunk lid is 
unlocked.
Closing
The handle recesses on the interior trim of the 
trunk lid make it easier to pull down.
Make sure that the closing path of the 
trunk lid is clear; otherwise, injuries may 
result.<
Coupe
Convertible
To close the trunk lid, press it down 
lightly. The lid is closed automatically.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the trunk lid is 
opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior 
motion sensor, refer to page33
>When the car's inclination changes, for 
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up 
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to 
towing away
>When there has been an interruption of 
power supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry 
attempts for a short time by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the trunk lid even when the alarm 
system is armed, by pressing the  button on 
the remote control, refer to page28. The lid is 
locked and monitored again as soon as you 
close it.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find 
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the  button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
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. 

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Switching off the engine in cars with 
automatic transmission
The engine can only be switched off when the 
selector lever is in position P, refer to page57.
To switch the engine off when the selector lever 
is in position N, the remote control must be in 
the ignition lock.
Malfunction
Comfort Access may malfunction due to local 
radio waves. If this happens, open or close the 
vehicle via the buttons on the remote control or 
using the integrated key. To start the engine 
afterward, insert the remote control into the 
ignition lock.
Warning lamps
The warning lamp in the instrument 
cluster lights up when you attempt to 
start the engine: the engine cannot 
be started. The remote control is not inside the 
vehicle or is malfunctioning.
Take the remote control with you inside the 
vehicle or have it checked. If necessary, insert 
another remote control into the ignition lock.
The warning lamp in the instrument 
cluster lights up while the engine is 
running: the remote control is no 
longer inside the vehicle. After the engine is 
switched off, the engine can only be restarted 
within approx. 10 seconds.
The indicator lamp in the instrument 
cluster comes on and a message 
appears on the Control Display: 
replace the battery in the remote control.
Replacing the battery
The remote control for Comfort Access con-
tains a battery that will need to be replaced from 
time to time.
1.Take the integrated key out of the remote 
control, refer to page26.
2.Remove the cover.
3.Insert the new battery with the plus side fac-
ing up.
4.Press the cover on to close.
Take the old battery to a battery collec-
tion point or to your BMW center.<
Windows
To prevent injuries, watch the windows 
while closing them. 
Take the remote control with you when you 
leave the car; otherwise, children could operate 
the electric windows and possibly injure them-
selves.< 

Driving
68
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up when 
cruise control is deactivated due 
to control intervention by the DSC, 
for example. A message appears on the 
Control Display.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press the button, arrow4. The last stored 
speed is resumed and maintained.
In the following instances, the stored speed is 
deleted and can no longer be resumed:
>When driving stability control systems are 
intervening
>In cars with manual transmission: when you 
shift gears very slowly or shift to neutral
>In cars with automatic transmission: when 
you engage selector lever position N
>In cars with Sports automatic transmission 
with double clutch: when you engage selec-
tor lever position N
>When the ignition is switched off
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored speed
2Selected speed is displayed briefly
If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears 
in the instrument cluster display, it is pos-
sible that the system prerequisites for operation 
are currently not met. 
Calling up Check Control messages, refer to 
page85.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp comes on when 
the system has failed. A message 
appears on the Control Display. 
More information can be found beginning on 
page84.
Active cruise control*
The concept
With active cruise control, you can select a 
desired speed which is not only automatically 
maintained when driving on open roadways, but 
also varied to maintain a selected distance set-
ting as slower traffic is encountered.
Active cruise control is a technological advance 
over the familiar cruise control and is a welcome 
relief from the constant adjustment of speed 
that can accompany driving in traffic on high-
ways or other high-speed thoroughfares. Espe-
cially on longer trips, the system can reduce 
fatigue and tension, while increasing your 
enjoyment of driving. Please use it safely and 
responsibly.
Within the limits of its capability, the system 
automatically adapts the car's speed to that of a 
slower vehicle in front of you. You can specify 
the distance to be maintained from the vehicle 
in front in four stages. For safety reasons, the 
distance is speed-dependent. Based on your 
selected distance setting, the system automat-
ically decreases the throttle setting and lightly 
applies the brakes if necessary. The vehicle 
brake lamps will automatically illuminate to sig-
nal a following driver to take action. In addition, 
it may be necessary for the vehicle or the driver 
to downshift, depending on the kind of trans-
mission your vehicle is equipped with, to main-
tain the distance setting selected. If the vehicle 
ahead speeds up or when the lane ahead 
becomes clear, your vehicle will accelerate to 
the speed you have selected by increasing the 
throttle setting and shifting gears automatically 
or by the driver as needed. Your selected speed 
will be held when driving downhill, too. 

Controls
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>When you select the automatic transmis-
sion's neutral position N
>When you select the neutral position N with 
the Sports automatic transmission with 
double clutch
>When you activate the Dynamic Traction 
Control DTC
>When you deactivate the Dynamic Stability 
Control DSC
>When DSC or ABS is intervening
>When the system does not recognize any 
objects for a longer period of time, e.g. on 
infrequently traveled roads without a shoul-
der or guard rails, or if the radar sensor is 
covered with dirt, refer to page72
>When you apply the parking brake
When the system is deactivated, you 
must brake the vehicle yourself and/or 
maneuver as necessary; otherwise, there is a 
risk of accidents.<
Warning lamp
The warning lamp comes on when 
active cruise control has been auto-
matically deactivated, for example 
due to a driving speed below 20 mph or 30 km/
h or a DSC intervention. A message appears on 
the Control Display.
Resuming stored desired speed and 
distance
Briefly press the button, arrow 4. 
The stored speed and distance are regained 
and maintained.
In the following instances, the stored speed is 
deleted and can no longer be resumed:
>When driving stability control systems are 
intervening
>In cars with manual transmission: when you 
shift gears very slowly or shift to neutral
>In cars with automatic transmission: when 
you engage selector lever position N>In cars with Sports automatic transmission 
with double clutch: when you engage selec-
tor lever position N
>When the ignition is switched off
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2Shows yellow: vehicle detected ahead
Flashes in red: system cannot maintain dis-
tance; driver must brake the vehicle
Flashes in yellow: driving stability control 
systems are intervening; cruise control is 
deactivated
3Selected distance to vehicle ahead
The indicator lights up as soon as the sys-
tem is activated.
4Selected desired speed is temporarily dis-
played
If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears 
in the instrument cluster display, it is pos-
sible that the system prerequisites for operation 
are currently not met. Calling up Check Control 
messages, refer to page85.< 

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System limitations
Always remember that the range and abil-
ity of the system does have physical limi-
tations. It will not apply the brakes or decelerate 
your vehicle when there is a slow-moving vehi-
cle, stopped vehicle or stationary object ahead 
of you, as for example, at a traffic light or a 
parked vehicle. Also, the system does not react 
to oncoming traffic, pedestrians or other types 
of potential traffic such as a rider on horseback. 
It is also possible that the system may not 
detect smaller moving objects such as motor-
cycles or bicycles. Be especially alert when 
encountering any of these situations as the sys-
tem will neither automatically brake, nor provide 
a warning to you. Also, be aware that every 
decrease in the distance setting allows your 
vehicle to come closer to a vehicle in front of 
you and requires a heightened amount of alert-
ness.<
Active cruise control is not and must not 
be used as a collision avoidance/warning 
system.<
If while your vehicle is actively following a vehi-
cle in front of you and the vehicle ahead speeds 
up or the lane ahead becomes clear, then your 
vehicle will accelerate to the speed you have 
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear, 
unobstructed lane will also result in your vehicle 
accelerating.
Be certain to deactivate the system when 
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp.<
Also, vehicles traveling in a staggered manner 
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's 
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause 
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the lane next to you. Always be ready to take action 
or apply the brakes if necessary.
While active cruise control is capable of 
braking your vehicle automatically when 
you approach a slower vehicle ahead, it is 
important to be aware that the ability of the sys-
tem to apply the brakes is also limited, e.g. 
when you reduce your desired speed sharply. 
The system cannot stop your vehicle. It uses 
only a portion of braking system capacity and 
does not utilize the full capacity of the vehicle 
braking system. Therefore, the system cannot 
decrease your speed for large differences in 
speed between your vehicle and the vehicle 
ahead. Examples: when you approach a vehicle 
traveling at a much lower speed than your own 
speed such as approaching a toll booth or when 
a much slower vehicle cuts in front of you at 
close range.<
Active cruise control can only decelerate the 
vehicle to approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h. 

Controls
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Controls overview
Odometer, outside 
temperature display, clock
1Knob in the instrument cluster
2Outside temperature display and clock
3Odometer and trip odometer
Knob in the instrument cluster
>To reset the trip odometer while the ignition 
is switched on
>To display the time, outside temperature 
and odometer briefly while the ignition is 
switched off
Units of measure
To select the respective units of measure, miles 
or km for the odometer as well as 7 or 6 for 
the outside temperature, refer to page80.
The setting is stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
Time, outside temperature display
Setting the time, refer to page83.
Outside temperature warning
When the displayed temperature sinks to 
approx. +377/+36, a signal sounds and a 
warning lamp lights up. There is an increased 
risk of black ice.Black ice can also form at temperatures 
above +377/+36. You should there-
fore drive carefully on bridges and shaded 
roads, for example; otherwise, there is an 
increased risk of an accident.<
Odometer and trip odometer
Resetting the trip odometer: 
With the ignition switched on, press button1 in 
the instrument cluster.
When the vehicle is parked
If you still want to view the time, outside tem-
perature and odometer reading briefly after the 
remote control has been taken out of the igni-
tion lock:
Press button 1 in the instrument cluster.
Tachometer
Never force the engine speed up into the red 
warning field, see arrow. In this range, the fuel 
supply is interrupted to protect the engine.