2011 BMW 528I Vehicle info

If this occurs, open or close the vehicle using the
buttons
on the remote control or use a key in the
door lock.
To subsequently start the engine, hold the re‐
mote control against the marked area on the
steering column, refer to page 29.
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds to:
▷ Opening of a door, the hood or the trunk lid.
▷ Movements in the vehicle: interior motion
sensor, refer to page 40.
▷ Changes in the vehicle tilt, e.g., during at‐
tempts to steal a wheel or when towing the
car.
▷ Interruptions in battery voltage.
The alarm system briefly indicates tampering:
▷ By sounding an acoustic alarm.
▷ By switching on the hazard warning system.
▷ By flashing the high beams.
Arming and disarming the alarm
system
General information
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.
Door lock and armed alarm system
Unlocking via the door lock will trigger the alarm
on some country-specific versions.
Trunk lid and armed alarm system
The trunk lid can be opened using the remote
control, even if the alarm system is armed.
Press the button on the remote control
for approx. 1 second and release.
After the trunk lid is closed, it is locked and
monitored again by the alarm system. The haz‐
ard warning system flashes once. In some vehicle equipment variants, the trunk lid
can only be opened using the remote control if
the vehicle was unlocked first.
Panic mode*
Press

the button on the remote control
for at least 3 seconds.
Switching off the alarm
▷ Unlock the vehicle using the remote control.
▷ With Comfort Access: If you are carrying the
remote control with you, pull on the door
handle.
Indicator lamp on the interior rearview
mirror ▷
The indicator lamp flashes briefly every
2 seconds:
The system is armed.
▷ The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
The doors, hood or trunk lid is not closed
properly, but the rest of the vehicle is se‐
cured.
After

10 seconds, the indicator lamp flashes
continuously. The interior motion sensor is
not active.
▷ The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
The vehicle has not been tampered with.
▷ The indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until

the engine is started, but no longer than
approx. 5 minutes:
An alarm has been triggered.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. Seite 39
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Controls At a glance

The alarm system responds in situations such
as attempts to steal a wheel or tow the car.
Interior motion sensor
The
windows and glass sunroof* must be closed
for the system to function properly.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
can be switched off together, such as in the fol‐
lowing situations:
▷ In automatic car washes
▷ In duplex garages.
▷ During transport on car-carrying trains, at
sea or on a trailer.
▷ When animals are to remain in the vehicle.
Switching off the tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor Press the button on the remote control
twice in succession.
The indicator lamp lights up for approx. 2 sec‐
onds and then flashes continuously.
The

tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
are switched off until the vehicle is locked again.
Power windows
General information
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot operate the power windows and injure
themselves.◀ Opening
▷
Press the switch to the resistance
point.
The window opens while the switch is held.
▷ Press the switch beyond the resist‐
ance point.
The window opens automatically.
Pressing again stops the motion.
Closing
Danger of pinching
Monitor the closing process and make
sure

that the closing path of the window is clear;
otherwise, injuries may result.◀
▷ Pull
the switch to the resistance point.
The window closes while the switch is held.
▷ Pull the switch beyond the resistance
point.
The window closes automatically.
Pressing the switch stops the motion.
Convenient operation, refer to page 32, via the
remote control.
Convenient

closing, refer to page 38, with Com‐
fort Access*.
Pinch protection
If the closing force exceeds a specific value as a
window closes, the closing action is interrupted.
The window reopens slightly.
Danger of pinching even with pinch pro‐
tection
Even with the pinch protection system, check
that the window's closing path is clear; other‐
wise, the closing action may not stop in certain
situations, e.g., if thin objects are present.◀
Window accessories
Do not install any accessories in the range
of movement of the windows; otherwise, the
pinch protection system will be impaired.◀ Seite 40
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Opening and closing

Adjusting
Sitting safely
The
ideal seating position can make a vital con‐
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:
▷ Safety belts, refer to page 48.
▷ Head restraints, refer to page 49.
▷ Airbags, refer to page 85.
Seats
Adjusting
General information Do not adjust the seat while driving
Never attempt to adjust the driver's seat
while driving.
The

seat could respond with unexpected move‐
ment and the ensuing loss of vehicle control
could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Do not incline the backrest on the front passen‐
ger side too far to the rear during driving. Oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of sliding under the
safety belt in an accident. This would eliminate
the protection normally provided by the belt.◀
The seat setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use. When the vehicle is unlocked
via the remote control, the position is automati‐
cally retrieved if this function, refer to page 33,
was activated. At a glance: partially powered seats
1
Thigh support*
2 Tilt
3 Forward/backward
4 Lumbar support*
5 Height
6 Backrest
Adjustments in detail: partially
powered seats Forward/back:
Pull the lever and slide the seat in the desired
direction.
After

releasing the lever, move the seat forward
or back slightly to make sure it engages prop‐
erly.
Seite 44
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Adjusting

General information
The
mirror on the passenger side is more curved
than the driver's side mirror.
Estimating distances correctly
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. Do not estimate the distance
to the traffic behind you based on what you see
in the mirror, as this will increase your risk of an
accident.◀
The mirror setting is stored for the remote con‐
trol currently in use. When the vehicle is un‐
locked via the remote control, the position is au‐
tomatically retrieved if the setting for this
function is active.
Selecting a mirror
To change over to the other mirror:
Slide the mirror changeover switch.
Adjusting electrically The setting corresponds to the direction
in which the button is pressed.
Storing positions*
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page 51.
Adjusting manually
If an electrical malfunction occurs, for example,
press the edges of the mirror glass.
Automatic Curb Monitor*
When the reverse gear is engaged, the mirror
glass tilts downward slightly on the front pas‐
senger side. This improves your view of the curb
and other low-lying obstacles when parking, for
example.
Activating
1. Slide the mirror changeover switch
to the driver's side mirror position.
2. Engage transmission position R. Deactivating
Slide the mirror changeover switch to the pas‐
senger's side mirror position.
Fold in and out*
Press the button.
Possible up to approx. 15 mph/20 km/h.
For example, this is advantageous
▷ In car washes.
▷ In narrow streets.
▷ For folding back mirrors that were folded
away manually.
Mirrors that were folded in are folded out auto‐
matically
at a speed of approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Fold in the mirror in a car wash
Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors by hand or with the
button; otherwise, they could be damaged, de‐
pending on the width of the vehicle.◀
Automatic heating
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
whenever the engine is running.
Automatic dimming feature
Both exterior mirrors are automatically dimmed.
Photocells are used for control in the Interior rear
view mirror, refer to page 53.
Interior rearview mirror
Reducing the blinding effect From behind when driving at night: turn the
knob. Seite 52
52 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Adjusting

Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Note
Children in the vehicle
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger them‐
selves and other persons, e.g., by opening the
doors.◀
Children should always be in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is in the back seat.
Transporting children in the rear
Only transport children younger than
13
years of age or shorter than 5 ft/150 cm in the
rear in child restraint fixing systems provided in
accordance with the age, weight and size of the
child; otherwise, there is an increased risk of in‐
jury in an accident.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
fixing system can no longer be used, due to their
age, weight and size.◀
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it ever be necessary to use a child re‐
straint fixing system in the front passenger seat,
make sure that the front, knee and side airbags
on the front passenger side are deactivated. Au‐
tomatic deactivation of front passenger airbags,
refer to page 86.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀ Installing child restraint fixing
systems
Before mounting
If the rear seat backrests are adjustable:
Before mounting child restraint fixing systems,
return all of the rear seat backrests to the basic
position.
Notes
Manufacturer's information for child re‐
straint fixing systems
To select, mount and use child restraint fixing
systems, observe the information provided by
the system manufacturer; otherwise, the pro‐
tective effect can be impaired.
◀
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child restraint fixing system in
the front passenger seat, make sure that the
front, knee and side airbags on the front pas‐
senger side are deactivated.
Deactivate the front passenger airbags auto‐
matically, refer to page 86.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀
Seat position and height
Before installing a child restraint fixing system,
move the front passenger seat as far back as
possible and adjust its height to the middle po‐
sition to obtain the best possible position for the
belt and to offer optimal protection in the event
of an accident.
Do not change the seat position and height after
this. Seite 54
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Transporting children safely

Starting the engine
General information
Enclosed areas
Do not let the engine run in enclosed
areas; otherwise, breathing of exhaust fumes
may lead to loss of consciousness and death.
The
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless but highly toxic gas.◀
Unattended vehicle
Do not leave the car unattended with the
engine running; otherwise, it presents a poten‐
tial source of danger.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
set the parking brake and place the transmission
in position P or neutral to prevent the car from
moving.◀
Frequent starting in quick succession
Avoid repeated futile attempts at starting
the car and avoid starting the car frequently in
quick succession. Otherwise, the fuel is not
burned or is inadequately burned, and there is
the danger of overheating and damaging the
catalytic converter.◀
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving at mod‐
erate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Starting the engine
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Press on the clutch and shift to neutral.
3. Press the Start/Stop button.
The ignition is activated automatically for a cer‐
tain time and is stopped as soon as the engine
starts.
Automatic transmission

*
Starting the engine
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Press the Start/Stop button. The ignition is activated automatically for a cer‐
tain time and is stopped as soon as the engine
starts.
Engine stop
General information
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving

the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot operate the windows and injure them‐
selves.◀
Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the vehi‐
cle, for example, by turning the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb. ◀
Before driving into a car wash
In order for the vehicle to be able to roll into a car
wash, heed the information regarding Washing
in automatic car washes, refer to page 274.
Manual transmission
Switching off the engine
1. With the vehicle at a standstill, press the
Start/Stop button.
2. Shift into first gear or reverse.
3. Set the parking brake.
Automatic transmission*
Switching off the engine
1. Engage transmission position P with the ve‐
hicle stopped.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
The engine is switched off.
The radio ready state is switched on.
3. Set the parking brake. Seite 59
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Controls At a glance

Windshield washer nozzles
The washer jets are automatically heated*
whenever the ignition is switched on.
Fold-out position of the wipers
Required when changing the wiper blades or
under frosty conditions, for example.
1.
Switch off the ignition.
2. Under frosty conditions, ensure that the
wiper blades are not frozen onto the wind‐
shield.
3. Press the wiper lever up beyond the point of
resistance
and hold it for approx. 3 seconds,
until the wiper remains in a nearly vertical
position.
After the wipers are folded back down, the wiper
system must be reactivated.
Fold the wipers back down
Before switching the ignition on, fold the
wipers

back down to the windshield; otherwise,
the wipers may become damaged when they are
switched on.◀
1. Switch on the ignition.
2. Press the wiper levers down. The wipers
move

to their resting position and are ready
for operation.
Washer fluid
General information Antifreeze for washer fluid
Antifreeze is flammable. Therefore, keep
it away from sources of ignition.
Only

keep it in the closed original container and
inaccessible to children.
Follow the instructions on the container.◀ Washer fluid reservoir
Adding washer fluid
Only add washer fluid when the engine is
cool, and then close the cover completely to
avoid

contact between the washer fluid and hot
engine parts.
Otherwise, there is the danger of fire and a risk
to personal safety if the fluid is spilled.◀ All washer nozzles are supplied from one reser‐
voir.
Fill with water and – if required – with a washer
antifreeze,

according to the manufacturer's rec‐
ommendations.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to maintain
the correct mixing ratio.
Capacity
Approx. 5.3 US quarts/ 5 liters
Manual transmission
Shifting
Shifting into 5th or 6th gear
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, push
the gearshift lever to the right; otherwise inad‐
vertent shifting into the 3rd or 4th gear could
lead to engine damage.◀
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. When
the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a slight
resistance needs to be overcome. Seite 64
64 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Driving

Overview: indicator/warning lamps
Symbol Function or system
Turn signal
Parking brake
Parking brake in Canadian models
Automatic Hold*
Front fog lamps*
High beams
High-beam Assistant*
Parking lamps, headlamp control
Active Cruise Control*
Vehicle detection, Active Cruise
Control*
Cruise control*
Lane departure warning*
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC Dynamic Stability Control or
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
Tire Pressure Monitor* Symbol Function or system
Safety belts
Airbag system
Steering system
Emissions
Brake system
Brake system in Canadian models
Antilock Brake System ABS
Antilock Brake System ABS in Cana‐
dian models
Text messages
Text
messages in combination with a symbol in
the instrument cluster explain a Check Control
message and the meaning of the indicator and
warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
Addition information, such as on the cause of a
fault or the required action, can be called up via
Check Control. The supplementary text of ur‐
gent messages is displayed automatically.
It is shown on the Control Display.
Symbols
Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.
▷ "Owner's Manual"
Display additional information about the
Check Control message in the integrated
owner's manual.
Seite 71
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance