2011 BMW 550I XDRIVE GT light

Adjusting
Sitting safely
The
ideal seating position can make a vital con‐
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:
▷ Safety belts, refer to page 55.
▷ Head restraints, refer to page 56.
▷ Airbags, refer to page 89.
Front seats
Adjusting
General information Do not adjust the seat while driving
Never attempt to adjust the driver's seat
while driving.
The

seat could respond with unexpected move‐
ment and the ensuing loss of vehicle control
could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Do not incline the backrest on the front passen‐
ger side too far to the rear during driving. Oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of sliding under the
safety belt in an accident. This would eliminate
the protection normally provided by the belt.◀
The seat setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use. When the vehicle is unlocked
via the remote control, the position is automati‐
cally retrieved if this function, refer to page 37,
was activated. At a glance: partially powered seats
1
Thigh support*
2 Tilt
3 Forward/backward
4 Lumbar support*
5 Height
6 Backrest
Adjustments in detail: partially
powered seats Forward/back:
Pull the lever and slide the seat in the desired
direction.
After

releasing the lever, move the seat forward
or back slightly to make sure it engages prop‐
erly.
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Active seat*
Active adjustment of the seat cushion's con‐
tours reduces muscular tension and fatigue to
help prevent lower back pain.
Press the button. The LED lights up.
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.
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.
After a short time, the system automatically
moves down one level in order to prevent ex‐
cessive cooling.
Switching off
Press the button longer.
The LEDs go out. Seite 52
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Adjusting

Rear seats
Adjusting
Overview: manual seats
1
Forward/backward
2 Backrest
Settings in detail: manual seats Do not adjust the seat while driving
Never attempt to adjust the seat while
driving. Otherwise, the restraining effect of the
seat can be limited in an accident.
◀Forward/back:
Pull the lever and slide the seat in the desired
direction.
After releasing the level, move the seat forward
or back slightly until it engages. Backrest tilt:
Pull

the lever and apply your weight to the back‐
rest or lift it off.
Overview: Power* seats 1
Forward/backward
2 Shoulder support
3 Backrest, head restraint
The seats cannot be adjusted if the safety
switch for the power windows has been
pressed.
Settings in detail:

Power* seats
1. Forward/back. Seite 53
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Controls At a glance

Buckling the belt
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in the
belt buckle.
Unbuckling the belt
1.
Hold the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the belt buckle.
3. Guide the belt back into its reel.
Safety belt reminder for the driver's and
front passenger seat The indicator lamp flashes or lights up
and a signal sounds. Make sure that the
safety belts are positioned correctly.
The safety belt reminder is active at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be ac‐
tivated if objects are placed on the front pas‐
senger seat.
Damage to safety belts
In the case of strain caused by accidents or
damage:
Have the safety belts, including the safety belt
tensioners, replaced and have the belt anchors
checked.
Checking and replacing safety belts
Have the work performed only by your
service center; otherwise, it cannot be ensured
that this safety feature will function properly.◀ Front head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk
of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event of
an accident.
Adjusting the head restraint
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occupied seats; otherwise, there is an increased
risk of injury in an accident.◀
Height
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is ap‐
proximately at ear level.
Distance
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint is
as close as possible to the back of the head.
Active head restraint
In the event of a rear-end collision with a certain
severity, the active head restraint automatically
reduces the distance from the head.
Reduced protective function
▷Do not use seat or head restraint cov‐
ers.
▷ Do not hang objects, e.g., clothes hangers,
on the head restraints.
▷ Only attach accessories approved by BMW
to the seat or head restraint.
Otherwise, the protective function of the active
head
restraint will be impaired and the personal
safety of the occupants will be endangered.◀ Seite 56
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Adjusting

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

tomatically retrieved if the setting for this
function is active.
Selecting a mirror
To change over to the other mirror:
Slide the mirror changeover switch.
Adjusting electrically The
setting corresponds to the direction
in which the button is pressed.
Storing positions*
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page 58.
Adjusting manually
If an electrical malfunction occurs, for example,
press the edges of the mirror glass.
Automatic Curb Monitor*
When the reverse gear is engaged, the mirror
glass tilts downward slightly on the front pas‐
senger side. This improves your view of the curb
and other low-lying obstacles when parking, for
example.
Activating
1. Slide the mirror changeover switch
to the driver's side mirror position.
2. Engage transmission position R.
Deactivating
Slide the mirror changeover switch to the pas‐
senger's side mirror position.
Fold in and out* Press the button.
Possible up to approx. 15 mph/20 km/h.
For example, this is advantageous
▷ In car washes.
▷ In narrow streets. ▷
For folding back mirrors that were folded
away manually.
Mirrors that were folded in are folded out auto‐
matically
at a speed of approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Fold in the mirror in a car wash
Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors by hand or with the
button; otherwise, they could be damaged, de‐
pending on the width of the vehicle.◀
Automatic heating
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
whenever the engine is running.
Automatic dimming feature
Both exterior mirrors are automatically dimmed.
Photocells are used for control in the Interior rear
view mirror, refer to page 61.
Interior rearview mirror
Reducing the blinding effect From behind when driving at night: turn the
knob. Seite 60
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Adjusting

Interior rearview mirror, automatic
dimming feature
*Photocells are used for control:
▷
In the mirror glass.
▷ On the back of the mirror.
For proper operation:
▷ Keep the photocells clean.
▷ Do not cover the area between the inside
rearview mirror and the windshield.
Steering wheel
General information Do not adjust while driving
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving; otherwise, an unexpected movement
could result in an accident.◀
Manual steering wheel adjustment 1.
Fold the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel to the preferred
height and angle to suit your seating posi‐
tion.
3. Fold the lever back. Power* steering wheel adjustment
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four di‐
rections.
Storing the position
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page
58.
Steering wheel heating

*
Switching on/off Press the button.
▷ On: the LED lights up.
▷ Off: the LED goes out. Seite 61
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Exposing the lower LATCH anchors
1.
Reach between the seat cushion and the
backrest.
2. Detach the seat cover from the Velcro® fas‐
tener.
3. Pull the seat cover forward.
Mounting LATCH child restraint fixing
systems
1. Move the seat to its rearmost position.
2. For better accessibility, tilt the backrest
back slightly.
3. Fold the leather cover on the seat forward.
4. Mount the child restraint fixing system; refer
to the operating instructions of the system.
5. Make sure that both lower LATCH anchors
have
properly engaged and that the child re‐
straint fixing system is resting snugly
against the backrest.
6. After mounting the system, move the back‐
rest back up slightly so that the child re‐
straint

fixing system rests against the back‐
rest.
Mounting LATCH child restraint fixing
systems on power rear seats
*
1. Before mounting, adjust the seats to their
basic position, refer to page 54.
2. Mount the child restraint fixing system; refer
to the operating instructions of the system.
3. Ensure that both LATCH anchors are prop‐
erly connected. Child restraint fixing system with a
tether strap
Mounting points
Depending on the vehicle equipment, there are
two outer or three mounting points for child re‐
straint fixing systems with a tether strap.
Fold up the middle mounting point.
LATCH mounting eyes
Only

use the mounting eyes for the upper
LATCH retaining strap to secure child restraint
fixing systems; otherwise, the mounting eyes
could be damaged.◀
Retaining strap guide
Retaining strap
Make sure that the upper retaining strap is
not routed over the head restraints or sharp
edges and is free of twisting on its way to the
upper mounting point; otherwise, the belt can‐
not properly secure the child restraint fixing sys‐
tem in an accident.◀ 1
Direction of travel
2 Head restraint.
3 Hook for upper retaining strap Seite 64
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Transporting children safely