2011 BMW 550I GT check engine light

Engine oil
General information
The
engine oil consumption is dependent on the
driving style and driving conditions.
Therefore, check the engine oil level after every
refueling using the electronic engine oil level
check.
Checking the oil level
The concept
The oil level is monitored electronically and dis‐
played on the Control Display.
Requirements
▷ The engine must be running and warm after
the vehicle has been driven for at least
6 miles/10 km.
▷ The vehicle is stopped or being driven on a
level roadway.
Displaying the oil level
1. "Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Engine oil level" Possible messages
▷
"Engine oil level OK"
▷ "Measurement not possible at this time."
▷ "Measuring engine oil level..."
Duration with the engine running: ap‐
prox. 3 minutes. Duration while driving: approx. 5 minutes.
▷ "Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km.
▷ "Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Have the vehicle checked immediately.
Too much engine oil
Have the vehicle checked immedi‐
ately; otherwise, surplus oil can lead to en‐
gine damage.

◀ ▷
"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Note the newly calculated remaining mile‐
age until the next oil service. Have the sys‐
tem checked as soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Filler neck When the indicator lights up in the instrument
cluster, add 1 US quart/liter of engine oil within
the next 125 miles/200 km.
Recommended oil types, refer to page
254.
Protect children
Keep oil, grease, etc., out of reach of chil‐
dren and heed the warnings on the containers
to prevent health risks.◀ Seite 253
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Reference
Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

Oil types
Note
No oil additives
Oil
additives may lead to engine damage.◀
Approved oil types
Your service center can advise you on which en‐
gine oils have been approved by the manufac‐
turer of your vehicle.
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the
engine.
Only use approved BMW High Performance oil.
Approved oils belong to the viscosity grades
SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAE
5W-30.
Alternative oil types
If the approved engine oils are not available, up
to 1 US quart/liter of another oil with the follow‐
ing specification may be used.
API SM quality standards or higher. Coolant
General information
Danger of burns from hot engine
Do not open the cooling system while the
engine is hot; otherwise, escaping coolant may
cause burns.◀ Suitable additives
Only
use suitable additives; otherwise, en‐
gine damage may occur. The additives are
harmful to your health.◀
Coolant consists of water and additives.
Not all commercially available additives are suit‐
able for your vehicle. Ask your service center for
suitable additives.
Coolant level
If there is no Min– and Max– mark in the filler
neck of the coolant reservoir, have the coolant
level checked if necessary by your service cen‐
ter and add coolant as needed.
Checking
1. Let the engine cool.
2. Turn the cap of the coolant reservoir slightly
counterclockwise

to allow any excess pres‐
sure to dissipate, and then open it. 3.
The coolant level is correct if it lies between
the minimum and maximum marks in the
filler neck. 4.
If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level; do not overfill. Seite 254
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Engine oil

Maintenance
BMW Maintenance System
The maintenance system directs you to re‐
quired
maintenance measures and thereby sup‐
ports you in maintaining road safety and the op‐
erational reliability of the vehicle.
Condition Based Service CBS
Sensors and special algorithms take into ac‐
count the driving conditions of your vehicle.
Based on this, Condition Based Service deter‐
mines the maintenance requirements.
The system makes it possible to adapt the
amount of maintenance you need to your user
profile.
Details on the service requirements, refer to
page 82, can be displayed on the Control Dis‐
play.
Service data in the remote control
Information on the required maintenance is con‐
tinuously stored in the remote control. Your
service center will read out this data and suggest
the right array of service procedures for your ve‐
hicle.
Therefore, hand your service specialist the re‐
mote control that you used most recently.
Storage periods
Storage periods during which the vehicle bat‐
tery was disconnected are not taken into ac‐
count.
If this occurs, have a service center update the
time-dependent maintenance procedures,
such as checking brake fluid and, if necessary,
changing the engine oil and the microfilter/acti‐
vated-charcoal filter. Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models and Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please
consult your Service and Warranty Infor‐
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models for
additional information on service requirements.
Maintenance and repair should be performed by
your service center. Make sure to have regular
maintenance procedures recorded in the vehi‐
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models, and in the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models. These en‐
tries are proof of regular maintenance.
Socket for OBD Onboard
Diagnosis There is an OBD socket on the driver's side for
checking

the primary components in the vehicle
emissions.
Emissions
▷The warning lamp lights up:
Emissions are deteriorating. Have
the

vehicle checked as soon as pos‐
sible.
▷ The warning lamp flashes under cer‐
tain circumstances: Seite 256
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Maintenance

This indicates that there is excessive
misfiring in the engine.
Reduce the vehicle speed and have
the system checked immediately;
otherwise, serious engine misfiring
within a brief period can seriously
damage emission control compo‐
nents,
in particular the catalytic con‐
verter.
Fuel cap The indicator lamp lights up.
If the fuel cap is not properly tightened,
the

OBD system may conclude that fuel
vapor is escaping. If the cap is then tightened,
the display should go out in a short time.
Data memory
Your vehicle records data relating to vehicle op‐
eration, faults and user settings. These data are
stored in the remote control and can be read out
with suitable devices, particularly when the ve‐
hicle is serviced. The data obtained in this way
provide valuable information for service proc‐
esses and repair or for optimizing and develop‐
ing vehicle functions further.
In addition, if you signed a service contract for
Assist, certain vehicle data can be sent directly
from the vehicle to facilitate the desired serv‐
ices. Seite 257
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Reference
Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

Do not touch the bulbs
Do not touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare hands, as even minute amounts of
contamination will burn into the bulb's surface
and reduce its service life.
Use
a clean tissue, cloth or something similar, or
hold the bulb by its base.◀
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Light-emitting diodes installed behind a cover
serve as the light source for controls, display el‐
ements and other equipment.
These light-emitting diodes, which are related
to conventional lasers, are officially designated
as Class 1 light-emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers
Do not remove the covers, and never stare
into the unfiltered light for several hours; other‐
wise, irritation of the retina could result.◀
Headlamp glass
Condensation can form on the inside of the ex‐
ternal lamps in cool or humid weather. When the
light is switched on, the condensation evapo‐
rates after a short time. The headlamp glasses
do not need to be changed.
If there is a large amount of moisture, e.g., water
droplets form in the lamp, have it checked by
your service center.
Front lamps, bulb replacement
At a glance 1
Adaptive light control
2 Parking lamp, daytime running lights* 3
Low beams/high beams
4 Turn signal
Xenon lamps*
Because
of the long life of these bulbs, the like‐
lihood of failure is very low. Switching the lamps
on and off frequently shortens their life.
If a xenon bulb fails, switch on the front fog lamps
and continue the trip with great care. Comply
with local regulations.
Do not perform work/bulb replacement on
xenon headlamps
Have any work on the xenon lighting system, in‐
cluding bulb replacement, performed only by a
service center.
Due to the high voltage present in the system,
there is the danger of fatal injuries if work is car‐
ried out improperly.◀
For checking and adjusting headlamp aim,
please contact your BMW center.
Turn signals, incl. side indicators
Follow the general instructions on lamps and
bulbs, refer to page 258.
These lamps are made using LED technology.
Please contact your service center in the event
of a malfunction.
Adaptive light control
Follow the general instructions on lamps and
bulbs, refer to page 258.
The illustration shows the left side of the engine
compartment.
55-watt bulb, H3. Seite 259
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Reference
Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

Confirmation signal
37
Contacts 221, 230
Control Display 19
Control Display, settings 81
Controller 19
Control systems, driving sta‐ bility 99
Convenient opening 36
Coolant 254
Coolant temperature 77
Cooling function 129
Cooling, maximum 128
Cooling system 254
Corrosion on brake discs 148
Cruise control 113
Cruise control, active with Stop & Go 106
Cruising range 76
Cupholder 141
Curb weight 275
Current fuel consumption 77
Current location, storing 156
Customer Relations 235
D
Damage, tires 247
Damping control, dy‐ namic 101
Data, technical 274
Date 78
Daytime running lights 86
Defrosting, refer to Windows, defrosting 128
Destination distance 79
Destination guidance 161
Destination guidance with in‐ termediate destinations 160
Destination input, naviga‐ tion 154
Digital clock 78
Digital radio 175
Dimensions 274
Dimmable interior rearview mirror 61
Direction indicator, refer to Turn signals 71 Display in front wind‐
shield 125
Display,
instrument cluster 76
Display lighting, refer to Instru‐ ment lighting 88
Displays 14
Displays, cleaning 271
Disposal, coolant 255
Disposal, vehicle battery 263
Distance control, refer to PDC 115
Distance, selecting for ACC 107
Distance to destination 79
Divided screen view, split screen 23
Door lock, refer to Remote control 32
Doors, Automatic Soft Clos‐ ing 39
Downhill control 100
Drive-off assistant 99
Drive-off assistant, refer to DSC 99
Driving instructions, breaking in 146
Driving notes, general 146
Driving stability control sys‐ tems 99
Driving tips 146
DSC Dynamic Stability Con‐ trol 99
DTC Dynamic Traction Con‐ trol 100
DVD/CD 181
DVD/CD notes 187
DVD/CD player, rear 201
DVD changer 185
DVD settings 184
DVDs, storing 188
DVD, video 183
Dynamic Damping Con‐ trol 101
Dynamic destination guid‐ ance 167
Dynamic Drive 101
Dynamic Driving Control 103 Dynamic Stability Control
DSC 99
Dynamic Traction Control DTC 100
E
EfficientDynamics, refer to Saving fuel 150
Electronic displays, instru‐ ment cluster 16
Electronic engine oil level check 253
Electronic Stability Program ESP, refer to DSC 99
Emergency detection, remote control 33
Emergency release, door lock 38
Emergency release, fuel filler flap 240
Emergency release, parking brake 68
Emergency Request 264
Emergency service, refer to Roadside Assistance 265
Emergency start function, en‐ gine start 33
Emergency unlocking, tail‐ gate 42
Energy Control 77
Energy recovery 78
Engine compartment 251
Engine compartment, working in 251
Engine coolant 254
Engine oil 253
Engine oil, adding 253
Engine oil additives 254
Engine oil filler neck 253
Engine oil temperature 77
Engine oil types, alterna‐ tive 254
Engine oil types, ap‐ proved 254
Engine start during malfunc‐ tion 33
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Everything from A to Z

I
Ice warning, refer to External
temperature warning 77
Icy roads, refer to External temperature warning 77
Identification marks, tires 246
Identification number, refer to Engine compartment 251
iDrive 19
Ignition key, refer to Remote control 32
Ignition off 66
Ignition on 66
Indication of a flat tire 93
Indicator and warning mes‐ sages 14
Indicator lamps 14
Individual air distribution 127
Individual settings, refer to Personal Profile 33
Inflation pressure, tires 243
Info display, refer to Com‐ puter 78
Information on the navigation data 168
Initialization, Integral Active Steering 102
Initializing,
Tire Pressure Mon‐
itor TPM 93
Instrument cluster 14, 76
Instrument cluster, electronic displays 16
Instrument lighting 88
Integral Active Steering 102
Integrated key 32
Integrated universal remote control 133
Intensity, AUTO program 128
Interactive map 158
Interior equipment 133
Interior lamps 88
Interior lamps via remote con‐ trol 36
Interior motion sensor 45
Interior rearview mirror 60
Interior rearview mirror, auto‐ matic dimming feature 61 Intermediate destinations
160
Internet page 6
Intersection, entering for navi‐ gation 155
Interval display, service re‐ quirements 82
iPod/iPhone 193
J
Jacking points for the vehicle jack 262
Jack,
refer to Vehicle jack 262
Joystick, automatic transmis‐ sion 74
K
Key/remote control 32
Keyless Go, refer to Comfort Access 42
Key Memory, refer to Personal Profile 33
Kickdown, automatic trans‐ mission 74
Knee airbag 89
L
Lamp replacement 258
Lamp replacement, front 259
Lamp replacement, rear 260
Lamps 85
Lamps and bulbs 258
Lane departure warning 95
Lane margin, warning 95
Language on Control Dis‐ play 82
Lashing eyes, securing cargo 149
LATCH child restraint fixing system 63
Leather, care 270
LEDs, light-emitting di‐ odes 259
Length, vehicle 275
Letters and numbers, enter‐ ing 24 License plate lamp, bulb re‐
placement 261
Light-alloy wheels, care 270
Light control 86
Light-emitting diodes, LEDs 259
Lighter, front 135
Lighting 85
Lighting
via remote control 36
Light switch 85
Load 149
Loading 148
Loading position 138
Lock, door 38
Locking/unlocking from in‐ side 38
Locking/unlocking via door lock 38
Locking/unlocking with re‐ mote control 36
Locking, automatic 39
Locking, central 35
Locking via tailgate 40
Lock, power window 46
Locks, doors, and win‐ dows 65
Low beams 85
Low beams, automatic, refer to High-beam Assistant 87
Lower back support 51
Lug bolt lock 262
Luggage rack, refer to Roof- mounted luggage rack 149
Lumbar support 51
M
Maintenance 256
Maintenance require‐ ments 256
Maintenance, service require‐ ments 82
Maintenance System, BMW 256
Malfunction displays, refer to Check Control 83
Malfunction, self-leveling sus‐ pension 103
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Everything from A to Z