2011 BMW 550I GT tailgate

3.
Turn the controller until the desired opening
height is selected. Opening the large tailgate
Note the opening height of the large tail‐
gate
The tailgate pivots back and up when it opens.
Ensure that there is sufficient clearance when
the
large tailgate opens; otherwise, damage may
result.
Adjust the opening height of the large tailgate
according to the given situation.◀
The large tailgate opens automatically to the ad‐
justed opening height. ▷
Press the button on the exterior of the tail‐
gate, arrow 2.
▷ Press the button on the remote
control

for approx. 1 second and re‐
lease. Pressing the button again stops the motion.
The opening process is interrupted as well:
▷
When starting the engine.
▷ When the vehicle starts moving.
▷ By pressing the button in the driver's foot‐
well. ▷
By pressing the button on the inside of the
tailgate.
Opening the large tailgate further Press and hold the button on the inside of the
large

tailgate, arrow 2, to open the large tailgate
to the maximum opening height.
Releasing the button stops the motion.
Closing the large tailgate ▷
Press the button, arrow 1, on the inside of
the large tailgate.
The tailgate closes automatically.
Pressing again stops the motion. ▷
With Comfort Access:
Press the button on the open tailgate.
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Controls At a glance

Tailgate closes automatically and the vehi‐
cle is locked.
▷
Press the button on the exterior of the tail‐
gate, arrow 2.
Pressing again stops the motion.
The closing operation is interrupted:
▷ When starting the engine.
▷ The vehicle starts off with jerks.
Danger of pinching
Make sure that the closing path of the tail‐
gate is clear; otherwise, injuries may result.◀
Do not place the remote control in the
cargo area
Take the remote control with you and do not
leave it in the cargo area; otherwise, the remote
control may be locked inside the vehicle when
the tailgate is closed.◀
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction, operate
the unlocked tailgate manually with a slow and
smooth motion.
Do not operate the tailgate manually if it is
blocked
If the tailgate is blocked, do not operate it man‐
ually as the tailgate may otherwise become
damaged and injury may result.
Contact your service center.◀
Locking separately
The tailgate can be locked separately, using the
switch in the front center armrest. ▷
The tailgate is locked, ar‐
row 1.
The small and large tailgates
are locked.
▷ The tailgate is unlocked, ar‐
row 2.
Slide the switch into the arrow 1 position. This
secures
the tailgate and disconnects it from the
central locking system.
When the center armrest is locked, the tailgate
cannot be accessed. This is beneficial when the
vehicle is parked using valet service. The infra‐
red remote control can be handed out without
the key.
Emergency unlocking* Pull the handle inside the cargo area.
The tailgate is unlocked.
Comfort Access*
The concept
The vehicle can be accessed without activating
the remote control.
All you need to do is to have the remote control
with you, e.g., in your jacket pocket.
The vehicle automatically detects the remote
control when it is nearby or in the passenger
compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following func‐
tions:
▷
Unlocking/locking of the vehicle.
▷ Convenient closing.
▷ Unlocking of the tailgate separately. Seite 42
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Opening and closing

▷
Starting the engine.
Functional requirements
▷ There are no external sources of interfer‐
ence nearby.
▷ To lock the vehicle, the remote control must
be located outside of the vehicle.
▷ The next unlocking and locking cycle is not
possible until after approx. 2 seconds.
▷ The engine can only be started if the remote
control is inside the vehicle.
Comparison with ordinary remote
control
The
functions can be controlled by pressing the
buttons or via Comfort Access.
Unlocking Fully grasp a door handle, arrow 1. This corre‐
sponds to pressing the
button.
Locking Press the area on the door handle, arrow 2, with
your finger for approx. 1 second.
This corresponds to pressing the
button.
To save battery power, ensure that the ignition
and all electronic systems and/or power con‐ sumers are switched off before locking the ve‐
hicle.
Convenient closing
Press the area, arrow 2, with your finger and
hold.
In

addition to locking, the windows and the glass
sunroof* are closed.
Monitor the closing process
Monitor the closing process to ensure that
no one becomes trapped.◀
Unlocking the tailgate separately
Press the middle button on the exterior of the
tailgate, refer to page 39, to open the small tail‐
gate.
This corresponds to pressing the button.
Press the right-hand button on the exterior of
the tailgate to open the large tailgate.
With automatic trunk lid operation

*:
This corresponds to pressing the button.
Do not place the remote control in the
cargo area
Take the remote control with you and do not
leave

it in the cargo area; otherwise, the remote
control may be locked inside the vehicle when
the tailgate is closed.◀
Malfunction
Comfort Access may not function properly if it
experiences interference from external sources
such as mobile phones, metal objects, overhead
power lines, transmission towers, etc.
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 33. Seite 43
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Controls At a glance

Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds to:
▷
Opening of a door, the hood or the tailgate.
▷ Movements in the vehicle: interior motion
sensor, refer to page 45.
▷ 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.
Tailgate and armed alarm system
The tailgate 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 re‐
lease.
The small tailgate opens slightly. ▷
With automatic trunk lid operation*:
Press the button on the remote
control for approx. 1 second and release.
The large tailgate opens automatically. Note the opening height of the large tail‐
gate
The tailgate pivots back and up when it opens.
Ensure that there is sufficient clearance when the large tailgate opens; otherwise, damage may
result.◀
After

the tailgate is closed, it is locked and moni‐
tored again by the alarm system. The hazard
warning system flashes once.
In some vehicle equipment variants, the tailgate
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 tailgate 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. Seite 44
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Opening and closing

Rear
Two different seat positions can be stored and
retrieved.
Storing
1.
Switch on the ignition.
2. Set the desired position.
3. Press the button. The LED in the
button lights up.
4. Press the desired button 1 or 2. The LED
goes out.
If the M button is pressed accidentally: Press the button again.
The LED goes out.
Calling up settings Do not retrieve the memory while driving
Do not retrieve the memory setting while
driving,
as an unexpected movement of the seat
or steering wheel could result in an accident.◀
Comfort function
1. Open the driver's door.
2. Switch off the ignition.
3. Briefly press the desired button 1 or 2.
The corresponding seat position is performed
automatically.
The procedure stops when a switch for adjust‐
ing the seat or one of the buttons is pressed.
Safety mode
1. Close the driver's door or switch on the ig‐
nition. 2.
Press and hold the desired button 1 or 2 until
the adjustment procedure is completed.
Calling up of a seat position
deactivated
After

a brief period, the calling up of stored seat
positions is deactivated to save battery power.
To reactivate calling up of a seat position:
▷ Open or close the door or tailgate.
▷ Press a button on the remote control.
▷ Press the Start/Stop button.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
At a glance 1
Adjusting
2 Left/right, Automatic Curb Monitor*
3 Fold in and out*
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‐ Seite 59
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

▷
approx. 7 ft/2 m to the rear.
In this way, obstacles up to the height of the ex‐
terior mirrors are detected early.
System limits
Top
View cannot be used in the following situa‐
tions:
▷ With a door open.
▷ With the tailgate open.
▷ With an exterior mirror folded in.
▷ In poor light.
A Check Control message is displayed in some
of these situations.
Check the traffic situation as well
Check the traffic situation around the ve‐
hicle

with your own eyes. Otherwise, an accident
could result from road users or objects located
outside the picture area of the cameras.◀
Switching on automatically
Select transmission position R with the engine
running.
The Top View and PDC images are displayed if
the system is switched on via iDrive.
Switching off automatically
The system switches off and the LED goes out:
▷ After approx. 160 ft/50 m when driving for‐
ward.
▷ Above approx. 22 mph/36 km/h when driv‐
ing forward.
Switch on the system again if necessary.
Switching on/off manually Press the button.
▷ On: the LED lights up.
▷ Off: the LED goes out.
If Top View is displayed, switch on the backup
camera via the iDrive, refer to page 118.
Visual warning
The

approach of the vehicle to an object can be
shown on the Control Display.
When the distance to an object is small, a red bar
is shown in front of the vehicle, as it is in the PDC
display. The display appears as soon as Top View is ac‐
tivated.
If

the backup camera image was selected last, it
again appears on the display. To switch to Top
View: "Rear view camera" Select the symbol on
the Control Display.
The

setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Display on the Control Display
Switching on the backup camera via
iDrive
With Top View switched on: "Rear view camera"
The
backup camera image is displayed. The set‐
ting is stored for the remote control currently in
use.
Brightness
With Top View switched on: Seite 118
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Driving comfort

▷
On: the LED lights up.
▷ Off: the LED goes out.
The PDC is shown on the Control Display.
Switch on the backup camera via the iDrive, refer
to page 121.
Assistance functions
Functional requirement
▷ The backup camera is switched on.
▷ The tailgate is fully closed.
Pathway lines ▷
Can be shown in the backup camera image
when in transmission position R.
▷ Help you to estimate the space required
when parking and maneuvering on level
roads.
▷ Are dependent on the current steering angle
and are continuously adjusted to the steer‐
ing wheel movements.
Show the parking aid lines, refer to page 121.
Turning circle lines ▷
Can be shown in the backup camera image. ▷
Show the course of the smallest possible
turning circle on a level road.
▷ Only one turning circle line is displayed
when the steering wheel is turned.
Show the parking aid lines, refer to page 121.
Parking using pathway and turning
circle lines
1. Position the vehicle so that the turning circle
lines lead to within the limits of the parking
space. 2.
Turn the steering wheel to the point where
the pathway line covers the corresponding
turning circle line. Obstacle marking
▷
Spatially-shaped markings can be shown in
the backup camera image.
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Driving comfort

Their colored steps match the markings of the
PDC. This simplifies estimation of the distance
to the object shown.
Activating the assistance functions
More
than one assistance function can be active
at the same time.
Showing the parking aid lines "Parking aid lines"
Pathway and turning circle lines are displayed.
Showing the obstacle marking "Obstacle marking"
Spatially-shaped markings are displayed.
Display on the Control Display
Switching on the backup camera via
iDrive
With PDC activated: "Rear view camera"
The
backup camera image is displayed. The set‐
ting is stored for the remote control currently in
use.
Brightness
With the backup camera switched on:
1. Select the symbol.
2. Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached and press the controller.
Contrast
With the backup camera switched on:
1. Select the symbol.
2. Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached and press the controller. Camera
The camera lens is located in the handle of the
tailgate. The image quality may be impaired by
dirt.
Clean the lens, refer to page
271.
Side View*
The concept
Side View provides an early look at cross traffic
at

blind driveways and intersections. Road users
concealed by obstacles to the left and right of
the vehicle can only be detected relatively late
from the driver's seat. To improve visibility, two
cameras in the front of the vehicle record the
traffic situation on each side.
System limits
The maximum recording range of the camera is
330 ft/100 m.
Display
The images from both cameras are shown si‐
multaneously on the Control Display.
Check the traffic situation as well
Check the traffic situation around the ve‐
hicle on blind driveways and intersections with
your own eyes. Otherwise, an accident could re‐
sult from road users or objects located outside
the picture area of the Side View cameras.◀
Switching off automatically
System switches off: above approx. 9 mph/
15 km/h.
Switch on the system again if necessary. Seite 121
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance