2011 BMW 550I turn signal

To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the adaptive
light control directs light towards the front pas‐
senger side when the vehicle is at a standstill.
When
driving in reverse, only the turning lamp is
active.
Self-leveling headlights
The self-leveling headlights feature adapts the
light distribution to the contours of the road.
The light distribution is lowered on hilltops to
avoid blinding oncoming traffic and tilted in de‐
pressions to increase visibility.
Malfunction
A Check Control message is displayed.
Adaptive light control is malfunctioning or has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as pos‐
sible.
Headlamp range control*
The headlamp range of the low beams can be
manually adjusted for the vehicle load to avoid
blinding oncoming traffic.
The values following the slash apply to trailer
operation.
0 / 1 = 1 to 2 people without luggage.
1 / 1 = 5 people without luggage.
1 / 2 = 5 people with luggage.
2 / 2 = 1 person, full cargo area.
High-beam Assistant*
The concept
When the low beams are switched on, this sys‐
tem automatically switches the high beams on
and off. The procedure is controlled by a sensor
on the front of the interior rearview mirror. The
assistant ensures that the high beams are
switched on whenever the traffic situation al‐
lows. The driver can intervene at any time and
switch the high beams on and off as usual. Activating the High-beam Assistant
1.
Turn the light switch to or .
2. Press the button on the turn signal lever, ar‐
row.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
When the lights are switched on, the
high beams are switched on and off automati‐
cally.
The system responds to light from oncoming
traffic

and traffic driving ahead of you, and to ad‐
equate illumination, e.g., in towns and cities.
Switching the high beams on and off
manually ▷
High beams on, arrow 1.
▷ High beams off/headlamp flasher, arrow 2.
To reactivate the High-beam Assistant, press
the button on the turn signal lever.
System limits
Personal responsibility
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as
a substitute for the driver's personal judgment
of

when to use the high beams. Therefore, man‐ Seite 82
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Lamps

or more of your tires is significantly under-in‐
flated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them
to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a sub‐
stitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached
the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low
tire pressure telltale. Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not operating prop‐
erly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is com‐
bined with the low tire pressure telltale. When
the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then re‐
main continuously illuminated. This sequence
will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups
as long as the malfunction exists. When the mal‐
function indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for
a variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the re‐
placement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Lane departure warning*
The concept
This system issues a warning at speeds above
approx. 40 mph/65 km/h if the vehicle is about
to leave the lane on roads with lane markings.
The steering wheel begins vibrating gently.
The system does not provide a warning if the
turn signal is set before leaving the lane. Switching on/off
Press the button.
▷ On: the LED lights up.
▷ Off: the LED goes out.
The system can issue warnings at speeds above
approx. 40 mph/65 km/h.
The state is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Display ▷
Lines, arrow 1: the system is activated.
▷ Arrows, arrow 2: at least one lane marking
was detected and warnings can be issued.
Issued warning
If you leave the lane and if a lane marking has
been detected, the steering wheel begins vi‐
brating.
If

the turn signal is set before changing the lane,
a warning is not issued.
End of warning
The warning ends:
▷ Automatically after approx. 3 seconds.
▷ When returning to your own lane. Seite 91
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

▷
When braking hard.
▷ When using the turn signal.
System limits Personal responsibility
The system cannot serve as a substitute
for
the driver's personal judgment of the course
of the road and the traffic situation.
In the event of a warning, do not jerk the steering
wheel, as you may lose control of the vehicle.◀
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
▷ In heavy fog, rain or snowfall.
▷ In the event of worn, poorly visible, merging,
diverging,

or multiple lane markings such as
in construction areas.
▷ When lane markings are covered in snow,
ice, dirt or water.
▷ In tight curves or on narrow lanes.
▷ When the lane markings are covered by ob‐
jects.
▷ When driving very close to the vehicle in
front of you.
▷ When driving toward bright lights.
▷ When the windshield in front of the interior
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov‐
ered with stickers, etc.
Malfunctions
Steering wheel vibration
Frequent

activation of the steering wheel vibra‐
tion causes the system to overheat.
This causes the lane departure warning to be‐
come deactivated.
Let the system cool and reactivate it by pressing
the button. Camera
The camera is located on the front of the interior
rearview mirror.
Keep the area in front of the interior rearview
mirror clear.
Active Blind Spot Detection

*
The concept Two radar sensors below the rear bumper mon‐
itor the area behind and next to the vehicle at
speeds above approx. 30 mph/50 km/h.
The

system indicates whether there are vehicles
in the blind spot, arrow 1, or approaching from
behind on the adjacent lane, arrow 2.
The lamp in the exterior mirror housing lights up
dimly.
Before you change lanes after setting the turn
signal, the system issues a warning in the situa‐
tions described above.
The lamp in the housing of the exterior mirror
flashes and the steering wheel vibrates.
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Safety

Switching on/off
Press the button.
▷ On: the LED lights up.
▷ Off: the LED goes out.
The system can issue warnings at speeds above
approx. 30 mph/50 km/h.
The state is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Display Information stage
The dimmed lamp in the mirror housing indi‐
cates when there are vehicles in the blind spot
or approaching from behind.
Warning
If the turn signal is set while a vehicle is in the
critical zone, the steering wheel vibrates briefly
and the lamp in the mirror housing flashes
brightly.
The warning stops when the turn signal is
switched
off, or the other vehicle leaves the crit‐
ical zone. System limits
Personal responsibility
The system cannot serve as a substitute
for the driver's personal judgment of the traffic
situation.
In

the event of a warning, do not jerk the steering
wheel, as you may lose control over the vehi‐
cle.◀
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
▷ When a vehicle is approaching at a speed
much faster than your own.
▷ In heavy fog, rain or snowfall.
▷ In tight curves or on narrow lanes.
Malfunctions
Steering wheel vibration
Frequent

activation of the steering wheel vibra‐
tion causes the system to overheat.
This causes Active Blind Spot Detection to be‐
come deactivated.
Let the system cool and reactivate it by pressing
the button.
Radar sensors The radar sensors are located under the rear
bumper.
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
▷
Dirty or icy bumper.
▷ Stickers on the bumper.
A Check Control message is displayed when the
system is not fully functional. Seite 93
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Gray: the system is not activated.
Parking space search.
Blue: the system is activated. A
suitable parking space was
found.
The parking procedure is active.
Steering
control has been seized.
Status of the parking space search ▷
Gray, arrow 1: parking space search.
▷ Blue, arrow 2: parking space is suitable.
The

vehicle is parked in the parking space if
the parking procedure is active.
▷ No display: no parking space search.
Parking using the parking assistant Personal responsibility
The

parking assistant does not relieve the
driver of responsibility for the vehicle during the
parking procedure.
Watch the parking space and parking procedure
closely and intervene if necessary; otherwise,
there is the danger of an accident.◀ Check the traffic situation as well
Loud sounds outside and within the vehi‐
cle

can drown out the signal tones of the parking
assistant and PDC.
Check the traffic situation around the vehicle
with your own eyes; otherwise, there is the dan‐
ger of an accident.◀
1. Switch on the parking assistant and activate
it if necessary.
The

status of the parking space search is in‐
dicated on the Control Display.
2. Follow the instructions on the Control Dis‐
play.
The end of the parking procedure is indi‐
cated on the Control Display.
3. Adjust the parking position yourself if nec‐
essary.
Notes
▷ The parking assistant takes control of steer‐
ing

for as long as the symbol for active park‐
ing appears on the display.
▷ The system maneuvers the vehicle to posi‐
tion

it properly in smaller parking spaces, for
example.
▷ To achieve the best possible parking posi‐
tion, wait for the automatic steering wheel
movement after the gear change when the
vehicle is stationary.
▷ When parking in parking spaces on the driv‐
er's

side, the corresponding turn signal must
be set.
Interrupting manually
The parking assistant can be interrupted at any
time by:
▷ Grasping the steering wheel and steering
yourself.
▷ "Deactivate Parking Assistant" Select
the symbol on the Control Display.
Interrupting automatically
The procedure is interrupted automatically: Seite 120
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Driving comfort

▷
If the vehicle speed exceeds approx. 6 mph/
10 km/h.
▷ On snow-covered or slippery road surfaces
if necessary.
▷ If doors are open.
A Check Control message is displayed.
Continuing
An interrupted parking procedure can be con‐
tinued if necessary.
Follow
the instructions on the Control Display to
do this.
Switching off
The system can be deactivated as follows:
▷ Press the button. ▷
Switch off the ignition.
Malfunction
A Check Control message is displayed.
The parking assistant failed. Have the system
checked.
System limits Changes to the parking space
Changes to the parking space after it was
measured

are not taken into account by the sys‐
tem.
Therefore, always be alert and ready to inter‐
vene; otherwise, there is the danger of an acci‐
dent occurring.◀
Transporting loads
Loads that extend beyond the perimeter
of the vehicle are not taken into account by the
system during the parking procedure.
Therefore, always be alert and ready to inter‐
vene; otherwise, there is the danger of an acci‐
dent occurring.◀
Curbs
The parking assistant may steer the vehi‐
cle over or onto curbs. Therefore, always be alert and ready to inter‐
vene;

otherwise, the wheels, tires, or the vehicle
may become damaged.◀
No parking assistance
The parking assistant does not provide assis‐
tance in parking.
▷ In tight curves.
Functional limitations
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
▷ When sensors are dirty or iced over.
▷ In heavy fog, rain or snowfall.
▷ On bumpy road surfaces such as gravel
roads.
▷ When leaves or snow has collected in the
parking space.
Limits of ultrasonic measurement
The
detection of objects can reach the physical
limits of ultrasonic measurement, for instance:
▷ With tow bars and trailer hitches.
▷ With thin or wedge-shaped objects.
▷ With elevated, protruding objects such as
ledges or cargo.
▷ With objects with corners and sharp edges.
▷ With objects with a fine surface structure,
such as fences.
The parking assistant may identify parking
spaces that are not suitable for parking.
Ultrasound sensors The ultrasounds sensors used to measure park‐
ing spaces are located in the side turn signals.
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Controls At a glance

When surround is activated, multi-channel play‐
back is simulated when a stereo audio track is
played.
Volume
▷
"Speed volume": speed-dependent volume
control.
▷ "PDC": volume of the PDC signal* com‐
pared to the entertainment sound output.
▷ "Gong": volume of the signal, such as the
safety belt reminder, compared to the en‐
tertainment sound output.
▷ "Microphone": volume of the microphone*
during a phone call.
▷ "Loudspeak.":
volume of the loudspeakers*
during a phone call.
The following volumes are only stored for the
respective paired telephone:
"Microphone",
"Loudspeak.".
Adjusting the volume
1. "CD/Multimedia", "Radio" or "Settings"
2. "Tone"
3. "Volume settings"
4. Select the desired volume setting. 5.
To adjust: turn the controller.
6. To store: press the controller.
Resetting the tone settings
1. "CD/Multimedia", "Radio" or "Settings"
2. "Tone"
3. "Reset" Opening the tone settings in
the Options menu

*
1. "CD/Multimedia" or "Radio"
2. If necessary, select additional entries, for ex‐
ample, "FM" or

"CD/DVD".
3. Open "Options".
4. "Tone"
5. Set the desired tone.
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Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

1.
"Radio"
2. "FM" or "AM"
3. "Manual"
4. To select the frequency: turn the controller. To store the station: press the controller for an
extended period.
RDS*
RDS
broadcasts additional information, such as
the station name, in the FM wave band. When
playing a station with multiple frequencies, the
system automatically switches to the frequency
with the best reception, if needed.
Switching the RDS on/off
1. "Radio"
2. "FM"
3. Open "Options".
4. "RDS" The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
HD Radio™ reception

*
Many stations broadcast both analog and digital
signals.
License conditions HD Radio™ technology manufactured under li‐
cense from iBiquity Digital Corp. U. S. and For‐
eign Patents. HD Radio™ and the HD and HD
Radio logos are proprietary trademarks of iBiq‐
uity Digital Corp.
Activating/deactivating digital radio
reception
1.
"Radio"
2. "FM" or "AM"
3. Open "Options".
4. "HD Radio Reception"
The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use. This symbol is displayed in the status line
when the audio signal is digital.
In areas in which the station is not continuously
received in digital mode, the playback switches
between analog and digital reception. Due to
time delayed broadcasting, there may be repe‐
titions or interruptions. In this case, switch off
digital radio reception.
Displaying additional information
Some

stations broadcast additional information
on the current track, such as the name of the ar‐
tist.
1. Select the desired station.
2. Open "Options".
3. "Station info"
Selecting a substation This symbol indicates that a main station also
broadcasts additional substations. The station
name of the main station ends in HD1. Station
names

of the substations end in HD2, HD3, etc.
1. Select the desired station.
2. Press the controller.
3. Select the substation.
When reception is poor, the substation is muted
for several seconds. If reception is interrupted
for an extended period, it switches back to the
main station.
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Reference Mobility Communication
Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance