2012 BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE steering

Practical interior accessories
108 >Do not connect USB hard discs.
>Do not use the USB interface to recharge
external devices.
Center armrest
Storage compartment
The center armrest between the front seats
contains a credit card holder and, depending on
the equipment version, a compartment or a
snap-in adapter
*.
Opening
Press the button, see arrow.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks
over the car's loudspeaker system:
>AUX-IN port, refer to page166
>USB audio interface
*/additional connection
of the music player in the mobile phone
*,
refer to page166
Storage compartments inside
the vehicle
Compartments are located next to the steering
column
*, on the doors and in the center con-
sole.
Coupe: clothes hooks
There are clothes hooks in the rear.
Items of clothing hung from the hooks
must not obstruct the driver's view. Do
not hang heavy objects from the hooks; other-
wise, they could endanger the car's occupants,
e.g. in case of heavy braking or sudden swerv-
ing.<
Cupholders
Use lightweight and shatterproof contain-
ers and do not transport hot beverages;
otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury in
the event of the accident. Do not force contain-
ers that are too large into the cupholders; other-
wise, damage could result.<
There is one cupholder in the center console.
You can mount an attachable cupholder
* on the
side of the center console.

Things to remember when driving
118 with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page213.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise, greater
clutch wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page84.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Objects in the movement range of the
pedals
Keep floor mats, carpet, and other objects
out of the movement range of the pedals;
otherwise, they may inhibit the function of the
pedals during driving.
Do not place additional floor mats onto an exist-
ing one or onto other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be appropriately fastened.
Make sure that the floor mats are securely fas-
tened again after they have been removed, e.g.
for cleaning.<
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page61.
Sport automatic transmission with double
clutch never drive with the transmission in
neutral or with the engine switched off; other-
wise, there will be no engine braking action and
no power assistance to the brakes and steering.
Manual transmission: never drive with the
clutch held down, with the transmission in neu-
tral or with the engine switched off; otherwise,
there will be no engine braking action and no
power assistance to the brakes and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals; otherwise, pedal function could be
impaired.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum

Things to remember when driving
120
Stowing cargo
Coupe
Convertible
>Position heavy objects as low and as far for-
ward as possible, ideally directly behind the
respective seat backrests.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
opposite buckle.
Securing cargo
>Secure smaller and lighter items using draw
straps
*.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. To attach the cargo
straps, there are two lashing eyes on the
inside wall of the cargo area.
Comply with the information enclosed with
the load-securing devices.
Always position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden
braking or swerving is necessary.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page245, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car, since they could be thrown
around, for example as a result of heavy braking,
sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-
pants.
Only attach the cargo straps using the lashing
eyes shown in the illustration. Do not secure
cargo with the anchors for tether straps, refer to
page55, otherwise, these could be damaged.<
Coupe: roof-mounted
luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Comply with the directions given
in the installation instructions.
Mounting points
Fold open the cover.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
vehicle handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page245.
The roof load must be distributed uniformly and
should not be too large in area. Heavy items
should always be placed at the bottom. Be sure

Navigation
Driving tips
131Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Destination entry via voice*
General information
For instructions on the voice activation system,
refer to page23.
>During the destination entry by voice, you
can switch between voice entry and entry
via iDrive at any time. To do so, reactivate
the voice activation system if necessary.
>Having the possible spoken commands
read aloud: {Voice commands}
Saying the entries
>With the Professional navigation system:
City/town, street, and house number can be
entered with a single command
*.
>Countries, towns and cities, streets and
intersections can be spoken as whole
words
* in the system language, refer to
page81, or can be spelled.
Example: to enter a destination in a US state
as a complete word, the system language
must be English.
>Spell the entry if the language spoken in the
area is different from the system language.
>Say the letters smoothly, and avoid exag-
gerating the pronunciation and inserting
lengthy pauses between the letters.
>The methods of entry depend on the navi-
gation data in use and on the country and
language settings.
Entering an address in a command*
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
3.Wait for a request from the system.
4.Say the address aloud in the suggested
order.
5.Continue making the entry as prompted by
the system.
If necessary, individually name the separate
components of the address, e.g. the town/city.
Entering a town/city
The town/city name can be spoken as a com-
plete word
* or spelled.
With the destination entry menu displayed:
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
3.Wait for the system to prompt you for the
town/city.
4.Say the name of the town/city or say at least
the first three letters.
Depending on the entry, up to 20 towns/cit-
ies may be suggested.
6.Continue making the entry as prompted by
the system.
If there are several towns/cities with the same
name:
Towns/cities that sound the same are compiled
in a separate list and are displayed as one town/
city followed by three dots.
1.Select an entry:
2.Select the desired town/city.
The town/city can also be selected from the list
via iDrive: turn the controller until the town/city
is selected and press the controller.
Entering a street or intersection
The street or intersection is entered in the same
manner as the town/city. 2.{Enter address}
2.{City} or {Spell city}.
5.Select a location:
>To select a recommended town/city:
{Yes}
>To select other town/city: {New
entry}
>To select an entry, e. g. {Entry …}
>To spell an entry: {Spell city}
{Yes} or {Entry …} e.g. entry 2.

On/off and tone
144
On/off and tone
The following audio and video sources share
the same control elements and adjustments:
>Radio
>CD/DVD player
>CD changer
*
>Video*
>External devices, e.g. MP3 player
Controls
The audio and video sources can be controlled
using the:
>Buttons near the CD/DVD player
>iDrive
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page10
>Programmable memory keys, refer to
page21
>Voice activation system
Buttons in the area of the CD/DVD
player
1Sound output for entertainment on/off, vol-
ume
>Press: switch on/off
When you switch on the unit, the last set
radio station or track is played.
>Turn: adjusting the volume
2Eject the CD/DVD
3CD/DVD drive
*
4FM/AM: change the radio station wave-
band
5MODE: change the audio and video
sources
6Station scan/track search
>Change the radio station
>Select the track for the CD/DVD player,
CD changer and certain multimedia
devices
Switching on/off
To switch the entertainment audio output on or
off:
Press knob1 next to the CD/DVD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indicates
that sound output is switched off.
The sound output is available for approx.
20 minutes after the ignition was switched off.
For sound output, switch the unit back on.
Adjusting volume
Turn knob1 next to the CD/DVD player until the
desired volume is obtained.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page10.
Tone control
You can alter various tone settings, e.g. treble
and bass or the speed-dependent volume
increase.
The tone settings are applied to all audio
sources.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
147Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
Radio
Your radio is designed for reception of the fol-
lowing stations:
>FM and AM
>HD Radio
*
>Satellite radio*
Selecting a station
Press the knob if the sound output is switched
off.
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3.Select the desired station.The selected station is stored for the remote
control currently in use.
Changing stations
Turn the controller and press it
or
press the button for the corresponding
direction
or
press the buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page10.
Selecting a station manually
Station selection using the frequency.
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3."Manual"
4.Select the frequency: turn the controller.
To store the station: press the controller for an
extended period.
Storing stations
Via iDrive
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3.Select the desired station.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
163Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
4.Select the desired category.
5.To select the desired entry:
>Open "A-Z search" and enter the
desired input.
or
>Select the desired entry from the list.
6.Select additional categories if desired.
The tracks found are listed in alphabetical
order.
Not all categories need to be selected. For
example, to search for all tracks by a certain
artist, call up that artist only. All of the tracks
by that artist are then displayed.
7."Start play"
The list of tracks is automatically repeated.
Restarting the music search
"New search"
Music search by voice*
For instructions on the voice activation system,
refer to page23.
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
To select a track directly:
Say the voice command and the name of the
desired track in one command.
Current playback
The list of tracks that was generated last by the
music search or the album selected last.
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3."Current playback"
4.Select the desired track, if necessary.
Top 50
List of the 50 most frequently played tracks.
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3."Top 50"
4.Select the desired track, if necessary.
Albums
All stored albums, listed in order of their storage
dates. Symbols indicate the format.
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection" 2.{Music search}
3.Open the desired category, e.g. {Select
artist}.
4.Say the desired entry in the list.
5.Select additional categories if desired.
{Title …}
SymbolFormat
Audio CD
Compressed audio files

Telephone
176
Telephone
At a glance
The concept
Mobile phones or other external devices, e.g.
audio players, can be connected to the vehicle
via Bluetooth.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Blue-
tooth® SIG, Inc.
After being paired once, when the ignition is
switched on, these devices are automatically
detected as soon as they are present in the
vehicle and can be controlled via iDrive, the but-
tons on the steering wheel, and by voice
*.
Depending on whether they are functioning as a
telephone and/or as an audio source, external
devices can be used via the vehicle. The tele-
phone functions will be described below. Oper-
ation of audio functions, refer to page169.
Up to four external devices can be paired.
It may be necessary for some functions to be
activated by the mobile phone provider or ser-
vice provider.
Only make entries when traffic conditions
permit. Do not hold the mobile phone in
your hand while you are driving; use the hands-
free system instead. Otherwise, you may
endanger vehicle occupants and other road
users.<
Snap-in adapter*
The snap-in adapter makes it possible:
>Accommodate the mobile phone.
>Recharge its battery.
>Connect it to an external antenna of the
vehicle.
This assures a better network connection
and constant sound quality.
Suitable mobile phones
For precise information about which mobile
phones and external devices with a Bluetooth interface are supported by the mobile phone
preparation, go to www.bmwusa.com/blue-
tooth.
Displaying vehicle identification
number and software part number
Checking which mobile phones are supported
by the mobile phone preparation requires the
vehicle identification number and software part
number. The software version of the mobile
phone may also be required.
1."Telephone"
2.Open "Options".
3."Bluetooth® info"
4."Display system information"
With a certain software version, these suitable
mobile phones support the vehicle functions
described below.
With other mobile phones or software versions,
malfunctions may occur.
A mobile phone that is connected to the vehicle
should not be operated via the mobile phone
keypad; otherwise, malfunctions may occur.
It is possible to perform a software update, refer
to page172.
Pairing/unpairing mobile
phone
General information
The following functions are available:
>Using the mobile phone as a telephone.
>Using the mobile phone as an auxiliary
phone
*.
>Using the mobile phone as an audio source.
>Using an audio device as an audio source,
refer to page169.
*