2011 BMW 5 SERIES buttons

At a glance
These overviews of buttons, switches and
displays are intended to familiarize you with your
vehicle. You will also become quickly acquainted with the available control concepts and options.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490ProCarManuals.com

8
Steering column stalk, left Turn signal  62
High beams, head‐
lamp flasher  62
High-beam Assistant*  82
Roadside parking lamps  81
Computer  75
9 Steering wheel buttons, left Store speed*  110  103
Resume speed  111  104
Cruise control on/off, interrupt‐
ing  110  102
Increase distance*  104
Decrease distance*  104
10 Instrument cluster   67
11 Steering wheel buttons, right Entertainment source
Volume Voice activation*  22
Telephone*  210
12 Steering column stalk, right Windshield wipers  62
Rain sensor*  
63 Clean the windshields and head‐
lamps*  62
13 Start/stop the engine and switch
the ignition on/off  59
14 Horn
15 Steering wheel heating*  53
16 Adjust the steering wheel  
53
17 Open the trunk lid  
35
18 Unlocking the hood
Seite 13
13Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance
ProCarManuals.com

All around the center console
1
Headliner  15
2 Control Display   16
3 Glove compartment  138
4 Air vent  129
5 Hazard warning system  269
Central locking system  35
6 Radio  174
CD/Multimedia   181
7 Automatic climate control   126
8 Controller with buttons  16
9 Parking brake  
60 Auto Hold*  60 10 PDC Park Distance Con‐
trol*  111
Top View*  116
Backup camera*  113
Parking assistant*  118
Side View*  117
11 Dynamic Driving Control*  99
DSC Dynamic Stability Con‐
trol  95
12 Transmission selector lever
Seite 14
14 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490Cockpit
ProCarManuals.com

iDrive
The concept
The
iDrive combines the functions of a multitude
of switches. Thus, these functions can be oper‐
ated from a central location.
Using the iDrive during a trip
To avoid becoming distracted and posing
an unnecessary hazard to your vehicle's occu‐
pants and to other road users, never attempt to
use the controls or enter information unless traf‐
fic and road conditions allow this.◀
Controls at a glance
Controls 1
Control Display
2 Controller with buttons
The

buttons can be used to open the menus
directly. The controller can be used to select
menu items and create the settings.
Control Display
Notes
▷ To clean the Control Display, follow the care
instructions.
▷ Do not place objects close to the Control
Display; otherwise, the Control Display can
be damaged. Switching off
1.
Press the button.
2. "Switch off control display" Switching on
Press the controller again to switch the screen
back on.
Controller
Select menu items and create settings.
1.
Turn. 2.
Press. Seite 16
16 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
iDrive
ProCarManuals.com

3.
Move in four directions. Buttons on controller
Press the button Function
MENU
Open the main menu.
RADIO Opens the Radio menu.
CD Opens the CD/Multimedia
menu.
NAV Opens the Navigation map
view.
TEL Opens the Telephone
menu.
BACK Displays the previous
panel.
OPTION Opens the Options menu. Operating concept
Opening the main menu
Press the button. The main menu is displayed. All iDrive functions can be called up via the main
menu.
Selecting menu items
Menu items shown in white can be selected.
1.
Turn the controller until the desired menu
item is highlighted. 2.
Press the controller.
Menu items in the Owner's Manual
In the Owner's Manual, menu items that can be
selected are set in quotation marks, e.g.,
"Settings".
Changing between panels
After a menu item is selected, e.g.,
"Radio", a
new panel is displayed. Panels can overlap.
▷ Move the controller to the left.
The

current panel is closed and the previous
panel is displayed.
The previous panel is opened again by
pressing the BACK button. In this case, the
current panel is not closed.
▷ Move the controller to the right.
A

new panel is opened on top of the previous
display. Seite 17
17Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance
ProCarManuals.com

Symbol Meaning
USB audio interface*.
Mobile phone audio interface*.
Additional symbols
Symbol Meaning
Spoken instructions* are switched
off. Request of the current vehicle posi‐
tion*. Split screen*
General information
Additional information can be displayed on the
right side of the split screen, e.g., information
from the computer.
In the divided screen view, the so-called split
screen, this information remains visible even
when you change to another menu.
Switching the split screen on and off
1.
Press the button.
2. "Split screen"
Selecting the display
1. Press the button.
2. "Split screen"
3. Move the controller until the split screen is
selected. 4.
Press the controller or select "Split screen
content".
5. Select the desired menu item. Programmable memory
buttons
General information
The iDrive functions can be stored on the pro‐
grammable memory buttons and called up di‐
rectly, e.g., radio stations, navigation destina‐
tions, phone numbers and entry points into the
menu.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Saving a function
1.
Highlight the function via the iDrive.
2. Press the desired button for more
than 2 seconds.
Running a function Press the button.
The function will run immediately. This
means, for example, that the number is dialed
when a phone number is selected.
Displaying the button assignment
Use a finger to touch the buttons. Do not wear
gloves or use objects.
The
key assignment is displayed at the top edge
of the screen. Seite 20
20 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
iDrive
ProCarManuals.com

▷
To display short information: touch the but‐
ton.
▷ To display detailed information: touch the
button for an extended period.
Deleting the button assignments
1. Press buttons 1 and 8 simultaneously for
approx. five seconds.
2. "OK"
Entering letters and numbers
1. Turn the controller: select letters or num‐
bers.
2. Select additional letters or numbers if
needed.
3. "OK": confirm the entry. Symbol Function
Press the controller: delete the letter
or number. Press the controller for an extended
period: delete all letters or numbers. Enter a blank space.
Switching between letters and
numbers
Depending on the menu, you can switch be‐
tween entering letters and numbers:
Symbol Function
Enter the letters.
Enter the numbers. Switching between upper and lower
case letters
Depending on the menu, you can switch be‐
tween entering upper and lower case letters:
Symbol Function
Move the controller up: switch
from upper to lower case letters. Move the controller up: switch
from lower to upper case letters. Entry comparison
Entry of names and addresses: the selection is
narrowed
down every time a letter is entered and
letters may be added automatically.
The entries are continuously compared to the
data stored in the vehicle.
▷ Only those letters are offered during the en‐
try for which data is available.
▷ Destination search: town/city names can be
entered

using the spelling of language avail‐
able on the Control Display.
Seite 21
21Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance
ProCarManuals.com

1. Press the button or move the controller
to the right repeatedly until the "Options"
menu is displayed.
2. "Display Owner's Manual"
Opening when a Check Control
message is displayed
Directly

from the Check Control message on the
Control Display:
"Display Owner's Manual"
Changing between a function and the
Owner's Manual
To change from a function, e.g., radio, to the
Owner's Manual on the Control Display and to
switch between the two displays:
1. Press the button or move the controller
to the right repeatedly until the
"Options"
menu is displayed.
2. "Display Owner's Manual"
3. Select the desired page in the Owner's
Manual.
4. Press
the button again to return to the
function displayed last.
5. Press the button to return to the page
of the Owner's Manual displayed last.
To switch back and forth repeatedly between
the function displayed last and the page of the
Owner's Manual displayed last, repeat steps 4
and 5. This opens a new panel every time.
Programmable memory
buttons
General information
The Owner's Manual can be stored on the pro‐
grammable memory buttons and called up di‐
rectly. Storing
1.
Select "Owner's Manual" via the iDrive.
2. Press the desired button for more
than 2 seconds.
Executing Press the button.
The Owner's Manual is displayed im‐
mediately. Seite 25
25Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance
ProCarManuals.com