
47
Adjustments
Controls
Adjustments
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and 
optional equipment that is offered in the model 
range is described. As a result, some equip-
ment described may not be
 available in a partic-
ular vehicle, for example due to the options or 
national-market version selected. This also 
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fati gue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safe ty 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 page 57.
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, 
e.g. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard; 
otherwise, leg injuries ca n occur if the front air-
bag deploys.
Make sure that passen gers 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 e ffect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information 
on airbags, refer to page 107.
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 page 50.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants 
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the 
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has four se ats, 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 be lt 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 withou t being twisted. Other-
wise, the belt could slide over your hips and 
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53
Adjustments
Controls
Seat heating
Press the button once per temperature level. 
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
To switch off:
Press button longer.
If you continue driving within approx. the next 
15 minutes, the seat heating is automatically 
activated at the previo
usly set temperature.
The temperature is lowered or the heating is 
switched off entirely to save on battery power. 
The LEDs stay lit.
Seat and mirror memory
You can store and call up two different combi-
nations of driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions.
Settings for the backrest width and lumbar sup-
port are not stored in memory.
Storing
1. Switch on radio readiness or the ignition, 
refer to page 61. 2.
Adjust the seat and exterior mirrors to the 
desired positions.
3. Press the  button.
The LED in the button lights up.
4. Press the desired memory button 1 or 2: 
the LED goes out.
The driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions are stored for th e remote control cur-
rently in use.
Call-up
Do not call up the memory while you are 
driving; otherwise,  unexpected seat 
movement could result in an accident. <
Comfort function
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or switch 
on radio readiness, refer to page 61.
2. Briefly press the desired memory button 1 
or 2.
The adjusting procedure  is halted immediately 
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or 
one of the memory buttons.
Safety feature
1. Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off, refer to page 61.
2. Press the desired memory button 1 or 2 
and keep it pressed until the adjustment 
process has been completed.
If the  button was pr essed accidentally:
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Safety belts
Observe the adjustment instructions on 
page 48 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection. <
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants 
wear their safety belts.  Airbags complement the 
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute.
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54
ControlsAdjustments
Closing
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in 
the belt buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of 
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, refer to page 48.
Opening
1. Grasp the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the buckle.
3. Guide the belt into its reel.
"Fasten safety belts" reminder for 
driver's and front passenger seat
The indicator lamps light up and an 
acoustic signal sounds. In addition, a 
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. Check whether the safety belt 
has been fastened correctly.
The 'Fasten safety belts'  reminder is issued as 
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-
tened. The "Fasten safety  belts" reminder is 
also activated at road speeds above approx. 
5 mph or 8 km/h if the front passenger safety 
belt is not fastened, if objects are placed on the 
front passenger seat, or if driver or front pas-
senger unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belt s are damaged or 
stressed in an accident: have the belt sys-
tem, including any belt tensioners or child 
restraint systems, replaced and the belt 
anchors checked. Have this work carried out  only at your BMW center. Otherwise correct 
operation of this safety
 equipment is not guar-
anteed. <
Coupe: belt hand-over
The concept
The belt hand-over makes  it easier for you to 
fasten your safety belt. When you close the 
door and switch on radio readiness or the igni-
tion, the belt hand-ove r extends automatically 
and presents the in a position that is convenient 
for fastening it around  you. After you have fas-
tened your safety belt , the belt hand-over 
retracts to its original position.
Even if you have not ye t fastened your safety 
belt, the belt hand-over will retract if you:
> Wait for more than approx. one minute
> Open the corresponding door
> Start driving.
Closing the respective do or reactivates the belt 
hand-over if the ignition  or radio readiness is on.
Front passenger seat
The belt hand-over will exte nd only if the seat is 
occupied and after the front passenger door is 
closed.
Pinch protection system
If the belt hand-over en counters resistance on 
moving in or out, it mo ves back slightly in the 
opposite direction and stops in this position. To 
reactivate the belt hand -over: open and close 
the door or switch the ignition off and on.
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55
Adjustments
Controls
Although there is a pinch protection sys-
tem, always check that the maneuvering 
area of the belt hand-ove r is clear. Otherwise it 
cannot be ensured that the system will stop 
moving in certain extreme situations. <
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The front passenger's mirror is more con-
vex than the driver's mirror. The objects 
seen in the mirror are cl oser than they appear. 
Do not gauge your distan ce from traffic behind 
you on the basis of what you see in the mirror; 
otherwise, there is an in creased risk of an acci-
dent. <
1 Adjustments
2 Switching to the other mirror or to the auto-
matic curb monitor
3 Folding mirrors in and out
The setting for the exterior mirrors is stored for 
the remote control currently in use. The stored 
position is called up  automatically when the 
vehicle is unlocked.
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually: 
press the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out
At driving speeds up to approx. 12 mph/
20 km/h, you can fold the mirrors in and out by 
pressing button 3. This can be beneficial in 
narrow streets, for example, or for moving mir- rors that were folded in by hand back out into 
their correct positions. 
Mirrors that have been 
folded in fold out automatically at a speed of 
approx. 24 mph/40 km/h.
Before entering an automatic car wash, 
fold in the exterior mirrors manually or 
with button 3 to prevent them from being dam-
aged, depending on the width of the vehicle. <
Automatic heating
Depending on the outside temperature, both 
exterior mirrors are heated automatically when 
the engine is running or the ignition is switched 
on.
Passenger side mirror tilt function – 
automatic curb monitor
Activating
1. Push the switch to the position for the 
driver's side mirror, arrow  1.
2. Shift into reverse or  engage the selector 
lever- or transmission position R.
The glass of the mirror on the passenger 
side tilts slightly down. This allows the 
driver to see the area immediately adjacent 
to the vehicle, e.g. a curb, when backing into 
a parking space.
Deactivating
Push the switch to the position for the passen-
ger side mirror, arrow  2.
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61
Driving
Controls
Driving
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and 
optional equipment that is offered in the model 
range is described. For this reason, descrip-
tions will be given of some equipment that may 
not be available in a vehi
cle, for example due to 
the special options or  national-market version 
selected. This also app lies to safety related 
functions and systems.
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the 
ignition lock
Insert the remote contro l all the way into the 
ignition lock.
> Radio readiness is switched on.
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Comfort Access
If the car is equipped with Comfort Access, only 
insert the remote control  into the ignition lock 
under special circumstances, refer to page 38.
Removing the remote control from the 
ignition lock
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out 
of the ignition lock as this may cause 
damage. < Before removing the remote control, push it all 
the way in to release 
the locking mechanism.
> The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Automatic transmission
You cannot take out the  remote control unless 
the selector lever is in  the P position: interlock.
Start/Stop button
Pressing the Start/Stop button switches radio 
readiness or the ignition on or off.
Manual transmission: when you press the 
Start/Stop button and depress the clutch, 
the engine starts.
Automatic transmission and Sport automatic 
transmission with doub le clutch: when you 
press the Start/Stop button and depress the 
brake pedal, the engine starts. <
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate. 
The time and the outside temperature are dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
> When the remote control is removed from 
the ignition lock
> In cars with Comfort  Access, by touching 
the surface above the door lock, refer to 
Locking on page 39
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62
ControlsDriving
Ignition on
All electrical consumers can operate. The 
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in 
the instrument cluster.
When the engine is off, please switch off 
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-
cal consumers in order to preserve the bat-
tery.<
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning  lamps as well as dis-
plays in the instrument cluster go out.
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas; 
otherwise, the inhalati on of toxic exhaust 
gases can cause loss of consciousness and 
death. The exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly 
toxic gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle 
with the engine running; otherwise, such a vehi-
cle represents a pote ntial safety hazard. 
Before leaving the vehicl e with the engine run-
ning, always shift into ne utral or selector lever/
transmission position P and apply the parking 
brake forcefully to prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing. <
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion as well as repeated start attempts in 
which the engine does no t start. Otherwise, the 
fuel is not burned or  incompletely burned and 
there is a danger of overheating and damaging 
the catalytic converter. <
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the 
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right 
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with 
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to 
page 38.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Depress the clutch an d shift into neutral.
3. Press the Start/Stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain 
time, and stops automatically as soon as the 
engine has started.
Automatic transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with 
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to 
page 38.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Move the selector lever to position P.
3. Press the Start/Stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain 
time, and stops automatically as soon as the 
engine has started.
Sport automatic transmission with 
double clutch
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with 
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to 
page 38.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
The engine starts independent of the current 
transmission position.
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63
Driving
Controls
Switching off the engine
Always take the remo
te control with you 
when you leave the vehicle. 
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully; otherwise, the vehicle could begin to roll. <
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the Start/
Stop button.
2. Shift into first  gear or reverse.
3. Forcefully apply  the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote co ntrol from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 61.
Automatic transmission
1. With the car at a stan dstill, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
3. Forcefully apply  the parking brake.
4. Removing the remote co ntrol from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 61.
Sport automatic transmission with 
double clutch
1. With the car at a standstill, press the Start/
Stop button.
If the transmission is shifted into N when the 
engine is switched off,  you will be notified 
visually and acoustically of this fact.
2. Forcefully apply  the parking brake.
3. Remove remote contro l from the ignition 
lock, refer to page 61. The transmission is 
automatically shifted  into transmission 
position P.
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it 
brakes the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you 
drive off an acoustic signal sounds in 
addition. The parking brake is still 
applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in po sition automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and 
lower the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake 
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do 
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake 
lever. 
Otherwise, excessive force on the parking 
brake can lock up the rear wheels and cause the 
rear of the car to swerve. <
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the parking 
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming 
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-
ing brake is applied. <
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64
ControlsDriving
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press 
the gearshift lever to  the right. Otherwise, 
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear. <
Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary. 
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a 
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic
In addition to fully auto matic operation, you can 
also manually shift with  the Steptronic, refer to 
page 65.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, 
always select position P and apply the 
parking brake before le aving the vehicle with 
the engine running. <
Disengaging the remote control
In order to remove the  remote control from the 
ignition lock, you must first move the selector 
lever to position P and  switch off the engine: 
interlock. Removing the remote control from 
the ignition lock, refer to page 61.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
The selector lever position is displayed and, in 
manual mode, the engaged gear, e.g. M4.
Changing selector  lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine 
running, the selector  lever can be moved 
out of position P.
> Before moving the lever away from P or N 
with the vehicle statio nary, first depress the 
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will 
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
depress the brake until you are ready to 
start. <
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel 
the lock, press the butto n on the front of the 
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary. 
The rear wheels are locked.
Online  Edition  for Part  no. 01 40 2 609  333 - \251  08/11  BMW AG