2011 BMW 550I XDRIVE GT ignition

The bar display for the current fuel consumption
is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Energy recovery
The energy of motion of the ve‐
hicle
is converted to electrical en‐
ergy while coasting. The vehicle
battery is partially charged and
fuel consumption can be low‐
ered.
Odometer and trip odometer ▷Odometer, arrow 1.
▷ Trip odometer, arrow 2.
Display/reset miles Press the knob.
▷When the ignition is switched
off,

the time, external temper‐
ature and odometer are dis‐
played.
▷ When the ignition is switched on, the trip
odometer is reset.
Time The time is displayed at the bot‐
tom of the instrument cluster.
Setting

the time and time format,
refer to page 81.
Date The date is displayed in the in‐
strument cluster.
Setting the date and date format,
refer to page 81. Selection lists in the
instrument cluster
The concept
The following can be operated using the buttons
and the thumbwheel on the steering wheel:
▷
Current audio source.
▷ Redial on telephone*.
▷ Activation of the voice activation system*.
Activating a list and creating the
setting Press a button on the right side of the steering
wheel

or turn the thumbwheel to activate the re‐
quired list.
Create the setting using the thumbwheel.
Computer
Indication in the info display
The information from the com‐
puter is shown in the Info display
in the instrument cluster. Seite 78
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Displays

The date format is stored.
Language
Setting the language
To set the language on the Control Display:
1.
"Settings"
2. "Language/Units"
3. "Language:" 4.
Select the desired language.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Setting the voice dialog
*
Voice dialog for the voice activation system*,
refer to page 26.
Units of measure
Setting the units of measure
To set the units for fuel consumption, route/dis‐
tance and temperature:
1. "Settings"
2. "Language/Units"
3. Select the desired menu item. 4.
Select the desired unit. The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Brightness
Setting the brightness
To set the brightness of the Control Display:
1.
"Settings"
2. "Control display"
3. "Brightness" 4.
Turn the controller until the desired bright‐
ness is set.
5. Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Depending on the light conditions, the bright‐
ness control may not be clearly visible.
Service requirements
Display The driving distance or the time
to the next service is displayed
briefly after the ignition is
switched on.
The current service require‐
ments can be read out from the remote control
by the service specialist.
Data

regarding the maintenance status or legally
mandated inspections of the vehicle are auto‐
matically transmitted to your service center be‐
fore a service due date, Automatic Service Re‐
quest, refer to page 232. Seite 82
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Displays

Detailed information on service
requirements
More information on the scope of service re‐
quired can be displayed on the Control Display.
1.
"Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Service required"
Required maintenance procedures and le‐
gally mandated inspections are displayed.
4. Select an entry to call up detailed informa‐
tion.
Symbols Symbols Description
No service is currently required.
The deadline for service or a le‐
gally mandated inspection is
approaching. Please make a
service appointment.
The service deadline has al‐
ready passed.
Entering appointment dates
Enter the dates for the required inspections.
Ensure that the vehicle date and time are set
correctly.
1.
"Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Service required"
4. "§ Vehicle inspection"
5. "Date:"
6. Create the settings.
7. Confirm.
The entered date is stored.
Automatic Service Request*
Data regarding the maintenance status or legally
mandated inspections of the vehicle are auto‐ matically transmitted to your service center be‐
fore a service due date.
You can check when your service center was
notified.
1.
"Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. Open "Options".
4. "Last Service Request"
Check Control
The concept
The Check Control system monitors functions
in

the vehicle and notifies you of malfunctions in
the monitored systems.
A Check Control message is displayed as a
combination of indicator or warning lamps and
text messages in the instrument cluster and in
the Head-up Display*.
In addition, an acoustic signal may be output and
a text message may appear on the Control Dis‐
play.
Indicator/warning lamps The indicator and warning lamps can light up in
a variety of combinations and colors.
Several of the lamps are checked for proper
functioning and light up temporarily when the
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.
Text messages
Text

messages in combination with a symbol in
the instrument cluster explain a Check Control
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

message and the meaning of the indicator and
warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
Addition information, such as on the cause of a
fault or the required action, can be called up via
Check Control. The supplementary text of ur‐
gent messages is displayed automatically.
It is shown on the Control Display.
Symbols
Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.
▷
"Owner's Manual"
Display additional information about the
Check Control message in the integrated
owner's manual.
▷ "Service request"
Contact the service partner.
▷ "Roadside Assistance"
Contact Roadside Assistance.
Hiding Check Control messages Press the computer button on the turn signal
lever.
▷
Some Check Control messages are dis‐
played
continuously and are not cleared un‐
til the malfunction is eliminated. If several
malfunctions occur at once, the messages
are displayed consecutively.
These messages can be hidden for approx.
8 seconds. After this time, they are dis‐
played again automatically.
▷ Other Check Control messages are hidden
automatically after approx. 20 seconds. They are stored and can be displayed again
later.
Displaying stored Check Control
messages
1. "Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Check Control"
4. Select the text message.
Messages after trip completion
Malfunctions indicated during a trip are dis‐
played again after the ignition is switched off.
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Displays

Lamps
At a glance
1
Rear fog lamps*
2 Front fog lamps*
3 Automatic headlamp control / adaptive light
control* / high-beam assistant* / welcome
lamps / daytime running lights
*
4 Lamps off / daytime running lights*
5 Parking lamps / daytime running lights*
6 Low beams / welcome lamps / high-beam
assistant*
7 Instrument lighting
Parking lamps/low beams,
headlamp control
Parking lamps
Switch position : the vehicle lamps light
up on all sides, e.g., for parking.
Do not use the parking lamps for extended pe‐
riods; otherwise, the battery may become dis‐
charged

and it would then be impossible to start
the engine.
When parking, it is preferable to switch on the
one-sided roadside parking lamps, refer to
page 86.
Low beams
Switch position with the ignition switched
on: the low beams light up. Welcome lamps
When parking the vehicle, leave the switch in
position or : the parking and interior
lamps light up briefly when the vehicle is un‐
locked.
Activating/deactivating
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Welcome light" The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Headlamp courtesy delay feature
The

low beams stay lit for a short while after the
ignition is switched off, if the lamps are switched
off and the headlamp flasher is switched on.
Setting the duration
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Pathway light.: s" 4.
Set the duration.
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Controls At a glance

The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Automatic headlamp control
Switch
position : the low beams are switched
on and off automatically, e.g., in tunnels, in twi‐
light or if there is precipitation. The indicator
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams always stay on when the fog
lamps are switched on.
Personal responsibility
The automatic headlamp control cannot
serve

as a substitute for your personal judgment
in determining when the lamps should be
switched on in response to ambient lighting
conditions.
For example, the sensors are unable to detect
fog or hazy weather. To avoid safety risks, you
should always switch on the lamps manually un‐
der these conditions.◀
Daytime running lights*
With the ignition switched on, the daytime run‐
ning lights light up in position 0, or .
After the ignition is switched off, the parking
lamps light up in position

.
Activating/deactivating
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Daytime running lamps" The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use. Roadside parking lamps
The vehicle can be illuminated on one side.
Switching on
With the ignition switched off, press the lever
either up or down past the resistance point for
approx. 2 seconds.
Switching off
Briefly press the lever to the resistance point in
the opposite direction.
Adaptive light control*
The concept
Adaptive light control is a variable headlamp
control system that enables dynamic illumina‐
tion of the road surface.
Depending on the steering angle and other pa‐
rameters, the light from the headlamp follows
the course of the road.
In tight curves, e.g., on mountainous roads or
when turning, an additional, corner-illuminating
lamp is switched on that lights up the inside of
the curve when the vehicle is moving below a
certain speed.
Controls
Activating
Switch position
with the ignition switched
on.
The turning lamps are automatically switched
on depending on the steering angle or the use
of turn signals.
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Lamps

▷
Keep the dashboard and window on the
front
passenger side clear, i.e., do not cover
with adhesive labels or coverings, and do not
attach holders such as for navigation instru‐
ments and mobile phones.
▷ Make sure that the front passenger is sitting
correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and legs
in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.
▷ Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.
▷ Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as jack‐
ets, over the backrests.
▷ Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.
▷ Do not remove the airbag restraint system.
▷ Do not remove the steering wheel.
▷ Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.
▷ Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents

or the wiring in the airbag system. This
also applies to steering wheel covers, the
dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars and the
sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term

and, in most cases, temporary hear‐
ing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered; oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explosives. Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem

could lead to failure in an emergency or un‐
desired triggering of the airbag, either of which
could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Functional readiness of the airbag
system
When the ignition is switch on, the warn‐
ing lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up briefly and thereby indicates the op‐
erational readiness of the entire airbag system
and the belt tensioner.
Airbag system malfunctioning
▷ In radio ready state, the warning lamp does
not come on.
▷ The warning lamp lights up continuously.
When there is a malfunction, have the air‐
bag system checked immediately
When there is a malfunction, have the airbag
system checked immediately; otherwise, there
is

a risk that the system does not function as ex‐
pected in the event of an accident despite cor‐
responding severity of the accident.◀
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
The system determines whether the front pas‐
senger seat is occupied by measuring the re‐
sistance of the human body.
The front, knee, and side airbag on the front
passenger side are activated or deactivated ac‐
cordingly.
Leave feet in the footwell
Make sure that the front passenger keeps
his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise, the front
passenger airbags may not function properly.◀ Seite 90
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Safety

Reduce distance
Press the button repeatedly until the
desired distance is set.
The
selected distance, refer to page 109, is dis‐
played in the instrument cluster.
Increase distance
Press the button repeatedly until the
desired distance is set.
The selected distance, refer to page 109, is dis‐
played in the instrument cluster.
Calling up the desired speed and
distance
While driving
Press the button with the system
switched on.
In the following cases, the stored speed value is
deleted and cannot be called up again:
▷ When the system is switched off.
▷ When the ignition is switched off.
While standing Before leaving the vehicle, secure it
against rolling.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning, engage position P of the automatic trans‐
mission

and apply the parking brake. Otherwise,
the vehicle may begin to roll.◀
The system brought the vehicle to a complete
standstill.
▷ Green mark in the speedometer during a
brief idle phase:
The vehicle ahead of you drives away while
the mark is green: your vehicle accelerates
without anything having to be done.
▷ Switch to orange of the mark in the speed‐
ometer after approx. 2 sec.:
The

vehicle ahead of you drives away, while
the mark is orange: in order to accelerate,
briefly press the accelerator or press the
RES button or SET button. Rolling bars in the distance indicator mean that
the vehicle ahead of you has driven off.
You actively braked your vehicle to a halt by
pressing on the brake pedal and it is standing
behind another vehicle:
1.
Press the button to call up a stored
desired speed.
2. Release the brake pedal.
3. Press on the accelerator briefly, or press the
RES button or the rocker switch when the
vehicle ahead of you drives away.
Displays in the instrument cluster 1
Display of desired speed
2 Distance to vehicle ahead of you
3 Vehicle symbol
4 Brief status display
Desired speed
Marking in the speedometer ▷The marking lights up in
green: the system is active.
▷ The marking lights up in or‐
ange: the system has been
interrupted.
▷ The marking does not light up: the system is
switched off.
Brief status display Selected desired speed.
If --- appears briefly on the display for Check
Control
messages, it is possible that the system Seite 108
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Driving comfort