2011 BMW 550I Climate Control

Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page
294.
Using this Owner's Manual
6 Notes
At a glance
12 Cockpit
16 iDrive
22 Voice activation system
24 Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
28 Opening and closing
44 Adjusting
54 Transporting children safely
58 Driving
67 Displays
80 Lamps
85 Safety
95 Driving stability control systems
102 Driving comfort
126 Climate control
132 Interior equipment
138 Storage compartments
Driving tips
146 Things to remember when driving
Navigation
154 Navigation
Entertainment
172 Tone
174 Radio
181 CD/multimedia
201 Rear entertainment Communication
210
Telephone
221 Office
230 Contacts
232 BMW ConnectedDrive
Mobility
240 Refueling
241 Fuel
242 Wheels and tires
255 Engine compartment
257 Engine oil
260 Maintenance
262 Replacing components
269 Breakdown assistance
274 Care
Reference
280 Technical data
285 Short commands of the voice activation
system
294 Everything from A to Z
Seite 5
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490 Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

All around the center console
1
Headliner  15
2 Control Display   16
3 Glove compartment  138
4 Air vent  129
5 Hazard warning system  269
Central locking system  35
6 Radio  174
CD/Multimedia   181
7 Automatic climate control   126
8 Controller with buttons  16
9 Parking brake  
60 Auto Hold*  60 10 PDC Park Distance Con‐
trol*  111
Top View*  116
Backup camera*  113
Parking assistant*  118
Side View*  117
11 Dynamic Driving Control*  99
DSC Dynamic Stability Con‐
trol  95
12 Transmission selector lever
Seite 14
14 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490Cockpit

Display profile list during start
The profile list can be displayed during each
start for selecting the desired profile.
1.
"Settings"
2. "Profiles"
3. Open "Options".
4. "Display user list at startup"
Personal Profile settings
The following functions and settings can be
stored in a profile.
More information on the settings can be found
under:
▷ Active Cruise Control: collision warning, re‐
fer to page 108.
▷ Exterior mirror position, refer to page 51.
▷ CD/Multimedia, refer to page 181: audio
source listened to last.
▷ Dynamic Driving Control: sport program, re‐
fer to page 99.
▷ Driver's seat position, refer to page 33: au‐
tomatic retrieval after unlocking.
▷ Programmable memory buttons, refer to
page 20: assignment.
▷ Head-up Display, refer to page 124: selec‐
tion, brightness and position of the display.
▷ Headlamp courtesy delay feature, refer to
page 80: time setting.
▷ Tone, refer to page 172: tone settings.
▷ Automatic climate control, refer to
page 126: settings.
▷ Steering wheel position, refer to page 53
▷ Navigation, refer to page 154: map views,
route criteria, voice output on/off.
▷ Night Vision with pedestrian detection, refer
to
page 122: selection of functions and type
of display.
▷ Daytime running lights*, refer to page 81:
current setting.
▷ Park Distance Control PDC, refer to
page 173:

adjusting the signal tone volume. ▷
Radio, refer to page 174: stored stations,
station listened to last, special settings.
▷ Backup camera, refer to page 113: selec‐
tion of functions and type of display.
▷ Side View, refer to page 117: selection of
the display type.
▷ Language on the Control Display, refer to
page 79.
▷ Lane departure warning, refer to page 91:
last setting, on/off.
▷ Active Blind Spot Detection, refer to
page 92: last setting, on/off.
▷ Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page 62.
▷ Locking the vehicle, refer to page 35: after
a brief period or after starting to drive.
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system becomes active
when the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and re‐
leases the locks on the following:
▷ Doors.
▷ Trunk lid.
▷ Fuel filler flap.
Operating from the outside
▷ Via the remote control.
▷ Via the driver's door lock*.
▷ Via the door handles*.
▷ Via the button in the trunk lid*.
The following takes place simultaneously when
locking/unlocking the vehicle via the remote
control:
▷ Anti-theft protection is switched on/off.
Doors cannot be unlocked using the lock
buttons or the door opener.
▷ The welcome lamps, interior lamps and
courtesy lamps* are switched on and off.
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Front seat heating*
Switching on
Press the button once for each temper‐
ature level.
The maximum temperature is reached when
three LEDs are lit.
Switching off
Press the button longer.
The LEDs go out.
The temperature may be reduced or seat heat‐
ing may be switched off entirely to save battery
power.
Temperature distribution*
The heating action in the seat cushion and back‐
rest can be distributed in different ways.
1. "Climate"
2. "Seat heating distribution"
3. Select the required seat. 4.
Turn the controller to set the temperature
distribution. Rear seat heating*
Switching on
Press the button once for each temper‐
ature level.
The maximum temperature is reached when
three LEDs are lit.
Switching off
Press the button longer.
The LEDs go out.
Front active seat ventilation*
The seat cushion and backrest surfaces are
cooled by means of integrated fans.
The ventilation rapidly cools the seat, e.g., if the
vehicle interior is overheated or for continuous
cooling at high temperatures. Switching on
Press
the button once for each ventila‐
tion level.
The highest level is active when three LEDs are
lit. Seite 47
47Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Climate control
Automatic climate control
*1
Air distribution, left
2 Temperature, left
3 AUTO program, left
4 Air volume, AUTO intensity, residual heat,
left
5 Remove ice and condensation
6 Maximum cooling
7 Display
8 Air volume, AUTO intensity, right
9 AUTO program, right
10 Temperature, right 11
Air distribution, right
12 Seat heating*, right   47
13 Active seat ventilation*, right  47
14 Automatic recirculated-air control/recircu‐
lated-air mode
15 Cooling function
16 Rear window defroster
17 ALL program
18 Active seat ventilation*, left  47
19 Seat heating*, left   47
Climate control functions in detail
Manual air distribution Press the button repeatedly to select a
program:
▷ Upper body region.
▷ Upper body region and footwell. ▷
Footwell.
▷ Windows and footwell: driver's side only.
▷ Windows, upper body region and footwell:
driver's side only.
If the windows are fogged over, press the AUTO
button
on the driver's side to utilize the conden‐
sation sensor.
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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.
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 windshield, side windows, upper
body, and into the footwell.
The cooling function, refer to page 128, is
switched on automatically with the AUTO pro‐
gram.
At the same time, a condensation sensor con‐
trols the program so as to prevent window con‐
densation as much as possible.
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.
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. The selected air volume is shown on the display
of the automatic climate control.
The air volume of the automatic climate control
may be reduced automatically to save battery
power.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
Press the button.
Ice and condensation are quickly re‐
moved from the windshield and the front side
windows.
The air volume can be adjusted when the pro‐
gram is active.
If the windows are fogged over, additionally
switch on the cooling function or press the
AUTO
button to utilize the condensation sensor.
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.
The air volume can be adjusted when the pro‐
gram is active.
Automatic recirculated-air control/
recirculated-air mode
You can respond to unpleasant odors or pollu‐
tants in the immediate environment by tempo‐
rarily suspending the supply of outside air. The
system

then recirculates the air currently within
the vehicle.
Press the button repeatedly to select
an operating mode:
▷ LEDs off: outside air flows in continuously. Seite 127
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

▷
Left LED on, automatic recirculated-air con‐
trol: a sensor detects pollutants in the out‐
side air and controls the shut-off automati‐
cally.
▷ Right LED on, recirculated-air mode: the
supply of outside air into the vehicle is per‐
manently blocked.
If the windows are fogged over, switch off the
recirculated-air mode and press the AUTO but‐
ton on the driver's side to utilize the condensa‐
tion sensor. Make sure that air can flow onto the
windshield.
Continuous recirculated-air mode
The recirculated-air mode should not be
used for an extended period of time, as the air
quality inside the vehicle deteriorates steadily.◀
Cooling function
The passenger compartment can only be
cooled with the engine running.
Press the button.
The air is cooled and dehumidified and
– depending on the temperature setting –
warmed again.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog up briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is switched on automati‐
cally with the AUTO program.
When using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water, refer to page 148, develops
that exits underneath the vehicle.
Rear window defroster
Press the button.
The rear window defroster switches off
automatically after a certain period of time.
ALL program
Press the button.
The current settings on the driver's side
for temperature, air volume, air distribution, and
AUTO program are transferred to the front pas‐
senger side and to the left and right rear*. The program is switched off if the settings on
the front passenger side or in the rear* are
changed.
Residual heat
The

heat stored in the engine is used to heat the
interior.
Functional requirement
▷ Up to 20 minutes after the engine has been
switched off.
▷ Warm engine.
▷ The battery is sufficiently charged.
▷ External temperature below 77 ℉/25 ℃.
Switching on
1. Switch off the ignition.
2. Press the right side of the button on
the driver's side. is shown on the display of the automatic cli‐
mate control.
The

interior temperature, air volume and air dis‐
tribution can be adjusted with the ignition
switched on.
Switching off
At the lowest fan speed, press the left side of the
button on the driver's side. on the display of the automatic climate control
goes out.
Switching the system on/off
Switching off
▷ Complete system:
At the lowest fan speed, press the
left

side of the button on the driver's
side. ▷
On the front passenger side:
At the lowest fan speed, press the
left side of the button on the front
passenger side. Seite 128
128 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 469 - 03 11 490
Climate control

▷
Lever for changing the air flow direction, ar‐
row 2.
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*  47
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 temperature 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. Seite 130
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Climate control