
11
Dashboard
At a glance
4
Exterior mirrors folding in and out 55
5 Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor 55
9 Instrument cluster 12 12
Ignition lock 61
13 Buttons on the steering wheel
15 Horn, entire surface
16 Adjusting the steering wheel 56
18 Releasing the hood 260
19 OBD socket 265
20 Opening the trunk lid 35
1
Convertible: opening and closing 
windows jointly
40 
2 Convertible: opening and closing 
rear windows
40 
3 Opening and closing front 
windows
40 
6 Parking lamps 110
Low beams 110
Automatic head lamp control110
Adaptive Light Control 112
High-beam Assistant 113
7 Fog lamps 114
8 Turn signals 71
High beams, headlamp 
flasher 112
High-beam Assistant 113
Roadside parking lamps 112
Computer 84
Settings and information about the 
vehicle 86
10 Windshield wipers 71
Rain sensor 72
11Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine
61
Telephone: accepting and ending 
a call; dialing the selected phone 
number; redialing if no phone 
number is selected
Convertible: microphone on steer-
ing column
Volume
Activating/deactivating the voice 
activation system 25
Convertible: microphone on steer-
ing column
Changing the radio station
Interrupting a traffic bulletin
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
Next entertainment source
Recirculated air mode 118
14 Steering wheel heating 56
17 Cruise control 75
Active Cruise Control 75
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37
Opening and closing
Controls
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 page 38
> When the car's inclination changes, for 
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up 
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to 
towing away
> When there has been an interruption of 
power supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry 
attempts for a short time by means of:
> An acoustic alarm
> Switching on the hazard warning flashers
> Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
General information
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.
Door lock with armed alarm system
In some national-market versions, unlocking via 
the door lock tr iggers the alarm.
To switch off this alarm, unlock the vehicle with 
the remote control or sw itch on the ignition.
Trunk lid with the alarm system armed
The trunk lid can be opened via the remote con-
trol even when the alarm system is armed.
Press the  button on th e remote control for 
approx. 1 second.
The trunk 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 page 32.
> Insert the remote contro l all the way into the 
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp on inside mirror
> The indicator lamp fl ashes continuously:
The system is armed.
> The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
The doors, hood, or trunk lid are not prop-
erly closed, the remaining components are 
secured.
Then the indicator lamp flashes continu-
ously after approx. 10 seconds. The interior 
motion sensor and tilt  sensor are not active.
> The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
The vehicle has not been tampered with.
> If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking 
until the remote contro l is inserted in the 
ignition, but for no longer than approx. 
5minutes: 
The vehicle has been tampered with.
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.
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38
ControlsOpening and closing
Interior motion sensor
Coupe
For proper function, the windows and glass 
sunroof must be closed.
Convertible
The interior of the car  is monitored up to the 
height of the seat cushions. Thus the alarm sys-
tem is activated togeth er with the interior 
motion sensor even if the hardtop is open. The 
alarm can be triggered un intentionally by falling 
objects such as leaves, refer to Avoiding unin-
tentional alarms.
Avoiding uninten tional alarms
The tilt sensor and interior motion sensor can 
be deactivated together,  for example in the fol-
lowing situations:
> In car washes
> In stacking garages
> During transport on car-carrying trains, 
boats/ships or on a trailer
> When leaving animals in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
Once the vehicle is locked, press the 
button on the remote control again 
within approx. 10 seconds.
The indicator lamp light s 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
The concept
It is possible to access  the vehicle without actu-
ating the remote control.  It is sufficient to have 
the remote control with you, for example in your 
jacket pocket. The vehicle automatically 
detects the remote control in the vicinity or in 
the passenger compartment.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
> Unlocking/locking the vehicle
> Convenient closing
> Unlocking the trunk lid separately
> Engine starting
Functional requirement
>There are no external sources of interfer-
ence in the vicinity.
> The remote control must be outside the 
vehicle to lock it.
> The next unlocking and locking cycle is not 
possible until after approx. 2 seconds.
> It is only possible to start the engine if the 
remote control is inside the vehicle.
Comparison to the standard remote 
control
The above functions can be controlled by 
pressing the remote control buttons or by using 
Comfort Access.
If you notice a brief delay while opening or 
closing windows, the glass roof or retract-
able hardtop, the system is checking whether a 
remote control is inside  the vehicle. Please 
repeat the opening or closing procedure, if nec-
essary. <
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71
Driving
Controls
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1
High beams
2 Headlamp flasher
3 Turn signal
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the 
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal indicator 
has failed. <
Signaling a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for 
as long as you wish to signal a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deac tivate this function.
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Triple turn signal" The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Wiper system
1
Switching on wipers
2 Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3 Activating/deactivating  intermittent wipe or 
rain sensor
4 Cleaning windshield and headlamps
5 Setting speed for intermittent wipe or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow  1.
The lever automati cally returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to operation in the inter-
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
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72
ControlsDriving
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance 
point. 
The system switches to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor
If the car is not equipped  with a rain sensor, the 
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time 
between wipes is contro lled automatically and 
depends on the intensity of  the rainfall. The rain 
sensor is mounted on the  windshield, directly in 
front of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating intermittent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button, arrow 3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Setting speed for intermittent wipe or 
sensitivity of the rain sensor
Turn thumbwheel 5 up or down.
Deactivating intermit tent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button again, arrow 3. 
The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain  sensor before enter-
ing an automatic car  wash. Failure to do 
so could result in damage caused by undesired 
wiper activation. <
Cleaning windshield and headlamps
Pull the lever, arrow  4.
Washer fluid is sprayed onto the windshield and 
the wipers are operated for a short time.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched 
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and 
appropriate intervals. Do not use the washers if there is any 
danger that the flui d will freeze on the 
windshield. If you do, your vision could be 
obscured. Antifreeze should therefore be 
added to the fluid, refer to Washer fluid. 
Do not use the washers when the washer fluid 
reservoir is empty; othe rwise, you will damage 
the washer pump. <
Windshield washer nozzles
Both windshield washer  nozzles are automati-
cally heated with the engine running or the igni-
tion switched on.
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifree ze is flammable. 
Therefore, keep it away from ignition 
sources and only store it  in the closed original 
container that is kept out of reach of children; 
otherwise, there is a risk of personal injury. 
Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainer. <
Washer fluid filler neck
Only refill washer fluid when the engine is 
cool to avoid contact with hot engine 
parts. Otherwise, fluid  spills constitute a fire 
hazard and a risk to personal safety. <
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77
Driving
Controls
Selecting distance
>
Press downward: 
Increase distance.
> Press upward: 
Decrease distance.
The selected distance is  displayed in the instru-
ment cluster.
Use good judgment to select the appro-
priate following distance given road con-
ditions, traffic, applicable laws and driving rec-
ommendations for safe  following distance. 
Otherwise, an accident risk could result.<
Deactivating cruise control
Press the lever upward or downward, arrow 3. 
The displays on the speedometer disappear.
In addition, the system  is automatically deacti-
vated:
> When the brakes are applied.
> The speed is reduced to below 20 mph or 
30 km/h due to a traffic situation.
> When the manual transmission is shifted 
very slowly or shifted into neutral.
> When the automatic transmission selector 
lever is moved into  the neutral position.
> When the selector lever of the Sports auto-
matic transmission with double clutch is 
moved into the neutral position.
> When Dynamic Traction Control DTC is 
activated.
> When Dynamic Stability Control DSC is 
deactivated.
> When DSC or ABS is intervening.
> The system does not recognize any objects 
for a longer time, e. g. on infrequently trav-
eled roads without a shoulder or guard rails, 
or if the radar sensor  is covered with dirt, 
refer to page 78.
> The parking brake is engaged.
When the system is deactivated, you 
must brake the vehicle yourself and/or 
maneuver as necessary; otherwise, there is a 
risk of accidents. <
Distance 1
Distance 2
Distance 3
Distance 4
This is always the preset dis-
tance when you use the system 
for the first time after starting the 
engine.
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78
ControlsDriving
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up when 
Active Cruise Co ntrol has been 
automatically deactivated, for exam-
ple due to a driving speed below 20 mph or 
30 km/h or a DSC intervention. A message 
appears on the Control Display.
Resuming stored desired speed and 
distance
Briefly press th e button, arrow 4 . 
The stored speed and distance are regained 
and maintained.
In the following instance s, the stored speed is 
deleted and can no longer be resumed:
> When driving stability control systems are 
intervening.
> In cars with manual transmission: when you 
shift gears very slowly or shift to neutral.
> In cars with automati c transmission: when 
you engage selector lever position N.
> In cars with Sport automatic transmission 
with double clutch: when you engage selec-
tor lever position N.
> When the ignition is switched off.
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2 Shows yellow: vehicle detected ahead
Flashes in red: system cannot maintain dis-
tance; driver must brake the vehicle
Flashes in yellow: driving stability control 
systems are intervening; cruise control is 
deactivated 3
Selected distance to vehicle ahead
The indicator lights up  as soon as the sys-
tem is activated.
4 Selected desired speed is temporarily dis-
played
If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears 
in the instrument cluster display, it is pos-
sible that the system prerequisites for operation 
are currently not met. Calling up Check Control 
messages, refer to page 93.<
Warning lamps
The indicator 2 flashes in red; a 
signal sounds. 
The system indicates that you 
must brake and/or maneuver the 
vehicle yourself. Active Cruise 
Control cannot automati cally restore the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead. 
This indicator does not release you from your 
responsibility to adapt your desired speed and 
driving style to prevailing driving conditions.
The indicator 2 flashes in yellow. 
The prerequisites for operating 
Active Cruise Control are not met, 
e.g. as a result of ABS or DSC 
interventions. Active Cruise Con-
trol is deactivated. Yo u can reactivate the sys-
tem, if desired, by briefly pressing or pulling the 
lever when road and traffic conditions permit. It 
is not possible to resume a stored speed.
Radar sensor
The sensor's ability to  detect vehicles ahead 
may be restricted as a result of heavy rain, dirt, 
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79
Driving
Controls
snow or ice. If necessary, clean the radar sensor 
located in the front bump
er, see arrow. Be sure 
to use particular care when removing any layers 
of snow or ice from the sensor.
The system cannot be activated if the sensor is 
incorrectly aligned.
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:
NF3 ACC2SCU 003YK04001 0000
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 devi ces could void the 
user’s authority to operate this equipment. <
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. 
The Active Cruise  Control is malfunc-
tioning. Have the system checked.
Online  Edition  for Part  no. 01 40 2 609  333 - \251  08/11  BMW AG