2012 BMW 128I control arm

5Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The individual vehicle
When you ordered your BMW, you chose vari-
ous items of equipment. This Owner's Manual
describes the entire array of options and equip-
ment available with a specific BMW model.
Please bear in mind that the manual may con-
tain information on accessories and equipment
that you have not specified for your own vehicle.
Sections describing options and special equip-
ment are marked by asterisks
* to assist you in
identifying possible differences between the
descriptions in this manual and your own vehi-
cle's equipment.
If equipment in your BMW is not described in
this Owner's Manual, please refer to the accom-
panying Supplementary Owner's Manuals.
Status of this Owner's Manual
at time of printing
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, ongoing
development that is conceived to ensure that
our vehicles continue to embody the highest
quality and safety standards combined with
advanced, state-of-the-art technology. For this
reason, it is possible in exceptional cases that
features described in this Owner's Manual
could differ from those on your vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repair
Advanced technology, e.g. the use of
modern materials and powerful electron-
ics, requires specially adapted maintenance
and repair methods. You should therefore have
the corresponding work on your vehicle per-
formed only by your BMW center or at a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair pro-
cedures with correspondingly trained
personnel. If this work is not carried out prop-
erly, there is a danger of subsequent damage
and related safety hazards.<
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested and
approved by BMW and Original BMW Parts, you
simultaneously acquire the assurance that they
have been thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed on your
vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for damage
resulting from installation of parts and accesso-
ries not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made by other
manufacturers to verify if it can be used on a
BMW safely and without risk to either the vehi-
cle, its operation, or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and
other products approved by BMW, together
with professional advice on using these items,
are available from all BMW centers.
Installation and operation of accessories not
approved by BMW, such as alarms, radios,
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension
components, brake dust shields, telephones,
including operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radio or sim-
ilar accessories, may cause extensive damage
to the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere
with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty. See your
BMW center for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual using any cer-
tified automotive part.<

Notes
6
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accesso-
ries contain lead and lead compounds. Wash
your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water.<
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con-
ditions and homologation requirements in your
country and continental region in order to
deliver the full driving pleasure while the vehicle
is operated under those conditions. If you wish
to operate your vehicle in another country or
region, you may be required to adapt your vehi-
cle to meet different prevailing operating condi-
tions and homologation requirements. You
should also be aware of any applicable warranty
limitations or exclusions for such country or
region. In such case, please contact Customer
Relations for further information.

Controls
29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Settings for the display on the Control Dis-
play and in the instrument cluster:
>12h/24h format of the clock, refer to
page76
>Date format, refer to page78
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer
to page81
>Language of the Control Display, refer to
page81
>Units of measure for fuel consumption,
distance covered/remaining distances,
and temperature, refer to page74
>Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-
trol PDC, refer to page82
>Light settings:
>Welcome lamps, refer to page94
>Pathway lighting, refer to page95
>Daytime running lights, refer to page95
>High-beam Assistant
*, refer to page96
>Automatic climate control: activating/deac-
tivating AUTO program, cooling function
and automatic recirculated air control, set-
ting temperature, air volume and distribu-
tion, refer to page100 ff
>Entertainment:
>Tone control, refer to page144
>Speed-dependent volume control, refer
to page144
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Trunk lid
>Fuel filler flap
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
*
>In cars with Comfort Access*, via the han-
dles on the driver's and front passenger
doors
In addition, if the remote control is used, the
welcome lamps
*, interior lamps and the door's
courtesy lamps
* are switched on or off. The
alarm system
* is also armed or disarmed.
For further details on the alarm system
*, refer
to page34.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer
to page32.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the
central locking system unlocks automatically. In
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using the remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle
could lock the doors from the inside. You
should therefore take the remote control with
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter
can be opened from outside.<
Convertible: to operate the convertible
top with the remote control, the doors and
trunk lid must be closed and the cargo area par-
tition must be folded down and engaged on
both sides. Refer also to page42.<
Unlocking
Press the button.
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps
* and the
welcome lamps come on.
Setting unlocking characteristics
You can set whether only the driver's door or
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the
button is pressed for the first time.

Controls
31Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
3."Flash when lock/unlock"
4.Press the controller.
Calling up the driver's seat position
The driver's seat position last set is stored for
the remote control currently in use.
You can select whether or not the seat is reset
to that position automatically.
When this Personal Profile function is
used, first make sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is free of obstacles.
Failure to do so could cause injury to persons or
damage to objects as a result of a rearward
movement of the seat.<
The adjusting procedure is halted when you
touch a seat adjustment switch or one of the
memory buttons.
Selecting automatic call-up
1."Settings"
2."Door locks"
3."Last seat position auto."
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Malfunctions
The remote control may malfunction due to
local radio waves. If this occurs, unlock and lock
the car at the door lock with the integrated key.
Coupe: in vehicles without an alarm system
* or
Comfort Access
*, only the driver's door can be
unlocked and locked using the integrated key in
the door lock.
If the car can no longer be locked with a remote
control, the battery in the remote control is dis-
charged. Use the remote control on an
extended trip to recharge the battery, refer to
page28. The remote control for Comfort
Access contains a battery that may have to be
changed, refer to page37.
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply with
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-
erned by the following:
FCC ID:
LX8766S
LX8766E
LX8CAS
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
>This device must not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could void the
user's authority to operate this equipment.<

Controls
33Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Unlocking and opening doors
>Either unlock the doors together using the
button for the central locking system and
then pull the door handle above the armrest
or
>pull on the door handle of each door twice:
the first time unlocks the door, the second
time opens it.
Locking
>Use the central locking button to lock all of
the doors simultaneously, or
>press down the safety lock button of a door.
To prevent you from being locked out, the
open driver's door cannot be locked using
the lock button.
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle
could lock the doors from the inside. You
should therefore take the remote control with
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter
can be opened from outside.<
Trunk lid
In order to avoid damage, make sure there
is sufficient clearance before opening the
trunk lid.<
Opening from inside
Press the button: the trunk lid opens unless it
has been locked.
Opening from outside
Press the button, see arrow, or the button
on the remote control for a longer period. The
trunk lid opens slightly and can be swung
upward.
In the event of a malfunction, please con-
tact your BMW center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.<
Locking or unlocking separately
The switch is located in the glove compartment.
1Locking the trunk lid
2Unlocking the trunk lid

Opening and closing
34
Locking separately
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 1.
The trunk lid is locked and cannot be unlocked
using the central locking system.
If you give the remote control without the inte-
grated key to someone else while the glove
compartment is locked, the trunk lid cannot be
opened. This is an advantage when valet park-
ing, for example. Locking the glove compart-
ment, refer to page107.
Unlocking separately
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 2.
Emergency release
Pull the lever in the cargo area. The trunk lid is
unlocked.
Closing
The handle recesses on the interior trim of the
trunk lid make it easier to pull down.
Make sure that the closing path of the
trunk lid is clear; otherwise, injuries may
result.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the trunk lid is
opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: interior
motion sensor, refer to page35
>When the car's inclination changes, e.g.
if an attempt is made to jack it up and steal
the wheels or to raise it prior to towing away:
tilt alarm sensor, refer to page35
>When there has been an interruption of
power supply from the battery
Depending on the market-specific version, the
alarm system briefly signals unauthorized entry
attempts by:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on
* the hazard warning flashers
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
You can open the trunk lid using the button
of the remote control even if the alarm system is
armed, refer to page30. The lid is locked and
monitored again as soon as it is closed.
Panic mode
You can trigger the alarm system if you find
yourself in a dangerous situation.
Press the button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page29, or
>insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.

Controls
35Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood or trunk lid are not properly
closed. Even if you do not close the alerted
area, the system begins to monitor the
remaining areas, and the indicator lamp
flashes continuously after approx.
10 seconds. The interior m o t i o n s e n s o r a n d
the tilt alarm sensor are not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted in the
ignition, but for no longer than approx.
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
Coupe
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof
* must
be completely closed.
Convertible
The interior of the car is monitored up to the
height of the seat cushions. This way, the anti-
theft alarm system including the interior motion sensor are armed, even if the convertible top is
open. Falling objects, e.g. tree leaves, may trig-
ger a false alarm, refer to Avoiding false alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>During transport on car-carrying trains,
boats/ships or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote control
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are switched off until
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-
cle without needing to hold the remote control
in your hand. All you need to do is wear the
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-
sponding remote control within the immediate
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the trunk lid separately
>Engine starting
>Convenient closing
Functional requirement
>The vehicle or the trunk lid can only be
locked when the vehicle detects that the
remote control currently in use is outside of
the vehicle.

Controls
45Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seated position
has a major influence on your safety in the event
of an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instructions
contained in the following section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page54.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions,
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered
off.
No one and nothing should come between the
airbags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Make
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly,
i.e. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard;
otherwise, leg injuries can occur if the front air-
bag deploys.
Make sure that passengers keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not lean
against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise,
serious injuries can result if the airbag
deploys.<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page90.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page48.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additional safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has four seats, each of which is
equipped with a safety belt.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's
lap. Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits
low across the hips and does not press against
the abdomen.
The safety belt must not rest against the throat,
run across sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt
so that it sits as snugly as possible against the
lap and shoulder without being twisted. Other-
wise, the belt could slide over your hips and
injure your abdomen in the event of a frontal
collision. Avoid wearing bulky clothing and reg-
ularly pull the belt in the upper-body area taut;
otherwise, its restraining effect could be
impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page50.