2011 BMW 5 SERIES radio

Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page
294.
Using this Owner's Manual
6 Notes
At a glance
12 Cockpit
16 iDrive
22 Voice activation system
24 Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
28 Opening and closing
44 Adjusting
54 Transporting children safely
58 Driving
67 Displays
80 Lamps
85 Safety
95 Driving stability control systems
102 Driving comfort
126 Climate control
132 Interior equipment
138 Storage compartments
Driving tips
146 Things to remember when driving
Navigation
154 Navigation
Entertainment
172 Tone
174 Radio
181 CD/multimedia
201 Rear entertainment Communication
210
Telephone
221 Office
230 Contacts
232 BMW ConnectedDrive
Mobility
240 Refueling
241 Fuel
242 Wheels and tires
255 Engine compartment
257 Engine oil
260 Maintenance
262 Replacing components
269 Breakdown assistance
274 Care
Reference
280 Technical data
285 Short commands of the voice activation
system
294 Everything from A to Z
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For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials
and high-performance electronics, re‐
quires suitable maintenance and repair meth‐
ods.
Therefore, have this work performed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord‐
ing to BMW repair procedures with appropri‐
ately trained personnel.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.
Parts and Accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts and ac‐
cessories approved by BMW. When you pur‐
chase accessories tested and approved by
BMW and Genuine BMW Parts, you simultane‐
ously acquire the assurance that they have been
thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure optimum
performance when installed on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from de‐
fects in material and workmanship. BMW will not
accept any liability for damage resulting from in‐
stallation of parts and accessories not approved
by BMW. BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to verify if it can be used
on a BMW safely and without risk to either the
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants. Genuine
BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and other prod‐
ucts approved by BMW, together with profes‐
sional advice on using these items, are available
from all BMW centers. Installation and operation
of non-BMW approved accessories such as
alarms, radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake dust
shields, telephones, including operation of any
mobile phone from within the vehicle without
using an externally mounted antenna, or trans‐
ceiver equipment, for instance, CBs, walkie-
talkies, ham radios or similar accessories, may
cause extensive damage to the vehicle, com‐
promise its safety, interfere with the vehicle's
electrical system or affect the validity of the
BMW Limited Warranty. See your BMW center for additional information. Maintenance, re‐
placement,
or repair of the emission control de‐
vices and systems may be performed by any au‐
tomotive repair establishment or individual
using any certified automotive part.
California Proposition 65 Warning
California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of automobile
components and parts, including components
found in the interior furnishings in a vehicle, con‐
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cal‐
ifornia to cause cancer and birth defects and re‐
productive harm. In addition, certain fluids
contained in vehicles and certain products of
component wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash your
hands after handling. Used engine oil contains
chemicals that have caused cancer in laboratory
animals. Always protect your skin by washing
thoroughly with soap and water.
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly. Your vehicle is covered by the fol‐
lowing warranties:
▷ New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
▷ Rust Perforation Limited Warranty.
▷ Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty.
▷ Federal Emissions Performance Warranty.
▷ California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty.
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con‐
ditions and homologation requirements in your
country

and continental region in order to deliver
the full driving pleasure while the vehicle is op‐
erated under those conditions. If you wish to op‐
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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
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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
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White arrows pointing to the left or right indicate
that additional panels can be opened.
View of an opened menu
When
a menu is opened, it generally opens with
the panel that was last selected in that menu. To
display the first panel of a menu:
▷ Move the controller to the left repeatedly
until the first panel is displayed.
▷ Press the menu button on the controller
twice.
Opening the Options menu Press the button.
The "Options" menu is displayed. Additional options: move the controller to the
right

repeatedly until the "Options" menu is dis‐
played.
Options menu
The "Options" menu consists of various areas:
▷ Screen settings, e.g., "Split screen".
This area remains unchanged.
▷ Control options for the selected main menu,
e.g., for "Radio".
▷ If applicable, further operating options for
the selected menu, e.g.,

"Store station".
Changing settings
1. Select a field. 2.
Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed. 3.
Press the controller.
Activating/deactivating the functions
Several menu items are preceded by a check‐
box. It indicates whether the function is acti‐
vated or deactivated. Selecting the menu item
activates or deactivates the function. The function is activated.
The function is deactivated.
Example: setting the clock
Setting the clock
1. Press the button. The main menu is
displayed.
2. Turn the controller until "Settings" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller. 3.
If necessary, move the controller to the left
to display "Time/Date"

.
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iDrive
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4.
Turn the controller until "Time/Date" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller. 5.
Turn the controller until "Time:" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller. 6.
Turn the controller to set the hours and
press the controller.
7. Turn the controller to set the minutes and
press the controller.
Status information
Status field
The

following information is displayed in the sta‐
tus field at the top right:
▷ Time.
▷ Current entertainment source.
▷ Sound output, on/off.
▷ Wireless network reception strength.
▷ Telephone status.
▷ Traffic bulletin reception*.
Status field symbols
The symbols are grouped as follows. Radio symbols Symbol Meaning
Traffic bulletins* are switched on.
HD Radio™* is switched on.
Satellite radio* is switched on.
Telephone symbols
Symbol Meaning
Incoming or outgoing call*.
Missed call*.
Wireless network reception
strength*
Symbol flashes: searching
for network. Wireless network is not available*.
Bluetooth* is switched on.
Roaming* is active.
Text message* was received.
Check the SIM card*.
SIM card* is blocked.
SIM card* is missing.
Enter the PIN*.
Entertainment symbols
Symbol Meaning
CD/DVD* player.
Music collection*.
Gracenote® database*.
AUX-IN port.
Rear AUX-IN port on the left*.
Rear AUX-IN port on the right*. Seite 19
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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
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iDrive
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Example: playing back a CD
1.
Switch on the Entertainment sound output
if necessary.
2. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
3. ›C D and multimedia‹
The medium last played is played back.
4. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
5. ›C D track ...‹ e.g., CD track 4.
Setting the voice dialog
You can set whether the system should use the
standard dialog or a shorter version.
In the shorter variant of the voice dialog, the an‐
nouncements from the system are issued in an
abbreviated form.
On the Control Display:
1. "Settings"
2. "Language/Units"
3. "Speech mode:"
4. Select the setting. Adjusting the volume
Turn

the volume button while giving an instruc‐
tion until the desired volume is set.
▷ The volume remains constant even if the
volume of other audio sources is changed. ▷
The volume is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Notes on Emergency
Requests
Do
not use the voice activation system to initiate
an Emergency Request. In stressful situations,
the voice and vocal pitch can change. This can
unnecessarily delay the establishment of a tel‐
ephone connection.
Instead, use the SOS button*, refer to
page 269, in the vicinity of the interior mirror.
Environmental conditions
▷ Say the commands, numbers, and letters
smoothly and with normal volume, empha‐
sis, and speed.
▷ Always say commands in the language of
the voice activation system.
▷ When selecting a radio station, use the com‐
mon pronunciation of the station name.
▷ Keep the doors, windows, and glass sun‐
roof* closed to prevent noise interference.
▷ Avoid making other noise in the vehicle
while speaking.
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
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