2011 BMW 550I GT climate control

Rear automatic climate
control*
At a glance
1
Temperature
2 AUTO program
3 Vent settings
4 Air volume, AUTO intensity
5 Display
6 Maximum cooling
7 Seat heating*  54
8 Active seat ventilation*   55
Note
The air volume of the automatic climate control
may be reduced automatically to save battery
power.
Switching the rear automatic climate
control on/off
1. "Settings"
2. "Climate"
3. "Rear climate control"
The rear automatic climate control is not opera‐
tional if the automatic climate control is
switched off or if the function for defrosting or
defogging the windows is active.
AUTO program Press the button.
Air volume, air distribution, and tem‐
perature are controlled automatically: Depending on the selected temperature, AUTO
intensity, and outside influences, the air is di‐
rected to the upper body and into the footwell.
The cooling function is switched on automati‐
cally with the AUTO program.
Intensity of the AUTO program
With
the AUTO program switched on, automatic
control of the air volume and air distribution can
be adjusted.
Press the left or right side of the button:
decrease or increase the intensity.
The selected intensity is shown on the display
of the automatic climate control.
Temperature Turn the wheel to set the desired
temperature.
The automatic climate control achieves this
temperature as quickly as possible, if necessary
with the maximum cooling or heating capacity,
and then keeps it constant.
Avoid rapidly switching between different tem‐
perature settings. The automatic climate control
will not have sufficient time to adjust the set
temperature.
Manual air distribution
The air distribution can be adjusted to individual
needs. Press the button repeatedly to select a
program:
▷ Upper body region.
▷ Upper body region and footwell.
▷ Footwell.
Air volume, manual
To be able to manually adjust the air volume,
switch off the AUTO program first. Press

the left or right side of the button:
decrease or increase air volume. Seite 131
131Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

The selected air volume is shown on the display
of the automatic climate control.
Switching the system on/off
Switching off
At the lowest fan speed, press the left
side of the button on the driver's side.
Switching on
Press any button.
Maximum cooling Press the button.
The system is set to the lowest tem‐
perature,
maximum air volume and recirculated-
air mode.
Air flows out of the vents for the upper body re‐
gion. Open them for this purpose.
Air is cooled as quickly as possible:
▷ At an external temperature of approx. 32 ℉/
0 ℃.
▷ When the engine is running.
Parked-car ventilation
The concept
The

parked-car ventilation ventilates the vehicle
interior and lowers its temperature, if necessary.
The system can be switched on and off directly
or by using two preset switch-on times. It re‐
mains switched on for 30 minutes.
They can be operated via iDrive.
Parked-car ventilation
Using the preset switch-on time or when oper‐
ated directly: any external temperature.
Open the vents to allow air to flow out.
Switching on/off directly
1. "Settings"
2. "Climate" 3.
"Activate parked-car vent." The symbol on the automatic climate control
flashes if the system is switched on.
The

system continues to run for some time after
being switched off.
Preselecting the switch-on time
1. "Settings"
2. "Climate"
3. "Timer 1:" or "Timer 2:"
4. Set the desired time.
Activating the switch-on time
1. "Settings"
2. "Climate"
3. "Activate Timer 1" or "Activate Timer 2" The symbol on the automatic climate control
lights up when the switch-on time is activated. The symbol on the automatic climate control
flashes
when the system has been switched on.
The system will only be switched on within the
next 24 hours. After that, it needs to reactivated.
Seite 132
132 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490
Climate control

Climate control windshield*
The marked area is not covered with heat re‐
flective coating.
Use this area for garage door openers, devices
for electronic toll collection, etc.
Climate
control laminated tinted safety
glass*
The vehicle glass provides full protection
against the harmful effects of UV radiation on the
skin.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is advised that you do not use mobile commu‐
nication devices, e.g., mobile phones, inside the
vehicle without connecting them directly to the
external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle elec‐
tronics and mobile communication devices can
interfere with each other. In addition, there is no
assurance that the radiation generated during
transmission will be discharged from the vehicle
interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle. Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.

◀
Driving through water
Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 9.8 inches/25 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to 6 mph/10 km/h. Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking
speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the elec‐
trical systems and the transmission may be
damaged.◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum
of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.
Objects in the area around the pedals
No objects in the area around the pedals
Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other
objects out of the area of motion of the pedals;
otherwise, the function of the pedals could be
impeded while driving
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.
Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again after they were removed for cleaning, for
example.◀ Seite 147
147Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation
Driving tips Controls At a glance

Driving in wet conditions
When
roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly
exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every
few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger other
road users.
The heat generated in this process helps dry the
brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the gear
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise,
the brake system may overheat, resulting in a
reduction in the brake system efficiency.
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down in the manual mode of the auto‐
matic transmission, refer to page 73.
Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the brake
system. Light but consistent brake pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear and pos‐
sibly even brake failure.◀
Do not drive in neutral
Do not drive in neutral or with the engine
stopped, as doing so disables engine braking. In
addition, steering and brake assist is unavailable
with the engine stopped.◀
Brake disc corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination
on the brake pads are furthered by:
▷ Low mileage.
▷ Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.
▷ Infrequent use of the brakes.
Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure
that must be exerted by the pads during brake
applications to clean the discs is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐
fect that generally cannot be corrected. Condensation under the parked vehicle
When
using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water develops that exits underneath
the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
Loading
Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carrying
capacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.
Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐
creases the rate at which damage develops in‐
side the tires. This could result in a sudden loss
of tire inflation pressure.◀
No fluids in the trunk
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
trunk; otherwise, the vehicle may be damaged.◀
Determining the load limit 1.
Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard*:
▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicle

and unstable driving situations may
result.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and

passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds. Seite 148
148 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490
Things to remember when driving

Audio/video playback
Audio
Audio
can be played back via rear entertainment
from any source in the vehicle.
Operation is the same as for the front audio play‐
back, refer to page 181.
Video
Video can be played back in the rear from the
following sources:
▷ DVD changer*.
▷ Rear CD/DVD player.
▷ External device in rear.
If a video image is being played back in the rear,
the rear CD/DVD player cannot be selected in
the front.
Operation

is the same as for the front video play‐
back, refer to page 183.
Radio
When the same radio source is selected in the
front and rear (e.g., FM/AM), the same radio sta‐
tion is played.
Operation is the same as for the front radio, refer
to page 174.
CD/multimedia
CD/DVD
When the same audio source (front CD/DVD
player, rear CD/DVD player, DVD changer) is se‐
lected in the front and rear, the same material is
played.
Operation is the same as for the front CD/DVD,
refer to page 181.
Notes on CDs/DVDs, refer to page 187.
Music collection*
Music can only be stored and data can only be
exported and imported via the front CD/DVD
player or the USB interface in the glove com‐
partment. When music collections are selected in the front
and rear, they are played back separately.
Operation

is the same as for the front music col‐
lection, refer to page 188.
Tone
Only treble and bass can be set in the rear. The
settings are made separately for the left and
right headphones.
Operation is the same as for the front tone, refer
to page 172.
Contacts*
Operation is the same as for the front contacts.
Navigation*
Route planning can be performed separately on
the left and right sides in the rear. Destination
guidance can only be started from the front.
Operation is the same as for the front navigation,
refer to page 154.
Suggesting a destination
A destination or trip can be sent to the front as
a suggestion. The suggestion can be adopted,
stored, or declined in the front. This function is
not available with the following setting: "Driver
control".
1. Enter the destination.
2. "Suggest destination"
BMW Assist*
Operation is the same as for BMW Assist in the
front, refer to page 232.
Adjusting
The following settings are available:
▷ "Rear displays"
▷ "Language/Units": language can be set
globally for all screens.
▷ "Tone"
▷ If necessary. "Climate".
Seite 203
203Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication
Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

Short commands of the voice activation
system*
General information
Instructions
for voice activation system, refer to
page 25. To have the available spoken instructions read
out loud: ›Voice commands‹
Adjusting
Vehicle
Function
Command
Open the main menu. ›Main menu‹
Open the options. ›Options‹
Open the settings. ›Settings‹
Info display of the instrument cluster. ›Info Display‹
Settings on the Control Display. ›Control display‹
Open the time and date. ›Time and date‹
Open the language and units. ›Language and units‹
Open the speed limit. ›Speed‹
Open the light. ›Lighting‹
Open the door lock. ›Door locks‹
Open the profiles. ›Profiles‹Equipment*

Function
Command
Open the air conditioning settings. ›Climate‹
Open the Head-up Display. ›head up display‹
Enable the rear. ›Allow rear control‹ Seite 277
277Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS, Antilock Brake Sys‐
tem 99
ACC, Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go 106
Activated-charcoal filter 130
Active Blind Spot Detec‐ tion 96
Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, ACC 106
Active seat, front 52
Active seat ventilation, front 52
Active seat ventilation, rear 55
Active Steering, integral 102
Adaptive brake assistant 99
Adaptive brake lights, refer to Brake force display 98
Adaptive drive 101
Adaptive light control 86
Adaptive
light control, bulb re‐
placement 259
Additional telephone 210
Additives, oil 254
Adjustments, seats/head re‐ straints 49
Airbags 89
Airbags, indicator/warning light 90
Air circulation, refer to Recir‐ culated-air mode 128
Air distribution, manual 127
Air drying, refer to Cooling function 129
Air pressure, tires 243
Air vents, refer to Ventila‐ tion 130
Air volume, automatic climate control 128
Alarm system 44
Alarm, unintentional 45 All around the center con‐
sole 17
All around the headliner 18
All around the steering wheel 12
ALL program, automatic cli‐ mate control 129
All-season tires, refer to Win‐ ter tires 249
All-wheel-drive 100
Alternating-code hand-held transmitter 134
Alternative oil types 254
AM/FM station 174
Announcement, navigation, refer to Spoken instruc‐
tions 163
Antifreeze, washer fluid 73
Antilock Brake System, ABS 99
Anti-slip control, refer to DSC 99
Appointments 226
Approved engine oils 254
Apps 236
Armrest, refer to Center arm‐ rest 140
Arrival time 80
Ashtray 135
Assist 232
Assistance, Roadside Assis‐ tance 265
Assistance when driving off 99
Audio playback 181
Audio playback, Blue‐ tooth 196
AUTO intensity 128
Automatic car wash 269
Automatic climate con‐ trol 127
Automatic Cruise Control with Stop & Go 106 Automatic Curb Monitor
60
Automatic deactivation, front passenger airbags 90
Automatic headlamp con‐ trol 86
Automatic Hold 69
Automatic locking 39
Automatic recirculated-air control 128
Automatic Soft Closing, doors 39
Automatic Soft Closing, tail‐ gate 40
Automatic transmission with Steptronic 73
Automatic trunk lid 40
AUTO program, automatic cli‐ mate control 128
AUTO program, intensity 128
AUX-IN port 192
Average fuel consumption 79
Average speed 79
Axle loads, weights 275
B
Backrest curvature, refer to Lumbar support 51
Backrest, seats 49
Backrest, width 51
Back seats, adjusting 53
Backup camera 119
Backup lamps, bulb replace‐ ment 261
Balance 172
Band-Aids, refer to First aid kit 265
Bar for tow-starting/tow‐ ing 267
Basic position, rear seats 54
Bass 172
Seite 286
286 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490
Everything from A to Z

Battery replacement, remote
control, rear entertain‐
ment 202
Battery replacement, vehicle battery 262
Battery replacement, vehicle remote control 32
Battery, vehicle 262
Before entering the car wash 269
Belts, safety belts 55
Beverage holder, cu‐ pholder 141
Blinds, sun protection 46
Bluetooth audio 196
BMW Apps 236
BMW Apps, video play‐ back 195
BMW Assist 232
BMW EfficientDynamics, refer to Saving fuel 150
BMW homepage 6
BMW Internet page 6
BMW Maintenance Sys‐ tem 256
BMW Online 234
Bottle holder, refer to Cu‐ pholder 141
Brake assistant 99
Brake assistant, adaptive 99
Brake discs, breaking in 146
Brake force display 98
Brake lamps, brake force dis‐ play 98
Brake lamps, bulb replace‐ ment 261
Brake lights, adaptive 98
Brake pads, breaking in 146
Braking, notes 147
Breakdown assis‐ tance 264, 265
Breaking in 146
Brightness of Control Dis‐ play 82
Bulb replacement 258
Bulb replacement, front 259
Bulb replacement, rear 260
Bulbs and lamps 258 Button, RES 108
Button, Start/Stop 66
Bypassing, refer to starting
aid 265
C
Calendar 226
California Proposition 65 Warning 7
Camera, backup camera 121
Camera, care 271
Camera, Side View 122
Camera, Top View 119
Can holder, refer to Cu‐ pholder 141
Car battery 262
Car care products 270
Care, displays 271
Care, vehicle 270
Cargo 148
Cargo area 136
Cargo area, enlarging 136
Cargo area lid 39
Cargo area, storage compart‐ ments 142
Cargo partition 138
Cargo straps, securing cargo 149
Car key, refer to Remote con‐ trol 32
Carpet, care 271
Car wash 269
Catalytic converter, refer to Hot exhaust system 146
CBS Condition Based Serv‐ ice 256
CD/DVD 181
CD/DVD player, rear 201
CDs, storing 188
Cell phone 210
Center armrest 140
Center console 17
Central locking system 35
Central
screen, refer to Control
Display 19
Changes, technical, refer to Safety 7 Changing parts
258
Changing wheels/tires 248
Check Control 83
Children, seating position 62
Children, transporting safely 62
Child restraint fixing sys‐ tem 62
Child restraint fixing system LATCH 63
Child restraint fixing systems, mounting 62
Child-safety locks 65
Child seat, mounting 62
Child seats 62
Chrome parts, care 270
Cigarette lighter 135
Cleaning, displays 271
Climate control 127
Climate control wind‐ shield 147
Clock 78
Closing/opening from in‐ side 38
Closing/opening via door lock 38
Closing/opening with remote control 36
Clothes hooks 141
Collision warning 112
Combination instrument 14
Combination
instrument, elec‐
tronic displays 16
Combination switch, refer to Turn signals 71
Combination switch, refer to Wiper system 71
Comfort Access 42
COMFORT program, Dynamic Driving Control 104
Computer 78
Concierge service 233
Condensation on win‐ dows 128
Condensation under the vehi‐ cle 148
Condition Based Service CBS 256
Seite 287
287Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 445 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance