2012 BMW 5 SERIES maintenance

ContentsThe fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 324.6Notes
At a glance
12Cockpit16iDrive22Voice activation system25Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
30Opening and closing47Adjusting58Transporting children safely62Driving75Displays89Lamps94Safety107Driving stability control systems114Driving comfort139Climate control146Interior equipment153Storage compartments
Driving tips
160Things to remember when driving163Loading166Saving fuel
Navigation
172Navigation
Entertainment
190Tone192Radio200CD/multimedia221Rear entertainmentCommunication230Telephone242Office251Contacts253ConnectedDrive
Mobility
262Refueling264Fuel265Wheels and tires282Engine compartment284Engine oil288Maintenance290Replacing components298Breakdown assistance304Care
Reference
310Technical data314Short commands of the voice activation
system324Everything from A to Z
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

NotesUsing this Owner's Manual
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic is by using the index.
An initial overview of the vehicle is provided in
the first chapter.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for
the Owner's Manuals are located in the appen‐
dix of the printed quick reference for the vehicle.
Additional sources of information
Should you have any questions, your service
center will be glad to advise you at any time.
Information on BMW, e.g., on technology, is
available on the Internet: bmwusa.com.
Symbols
Indicates precautions that must be followed
precisely in order to avoid the possibility of per‐
sonal injury and serious damage to the vehicle.
◄ Marks the end of a specific item of informa‐
tion.
"..." Identifies Control Display texts used to se‐
lect individual functions.
›...‹ Verbal instructions to use with the voice ac‐
tivation system.
››...‹‹ Identifies the answers generated by the
voice activation system.
Refers to measures that can be taken to help
protect the environment.
Symbols on vehicle components
Indicates that you should consult the rele‐
vant section of this Owner's Manual for infor‐
mation on a particular part or assembly.
Vehicle equipment
This Owner's Manual describes all models and
all standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series.
Therefore, in this Owner's Manual, equipment is
also described and illustrated that is not availa‐
ble in your vehicle, e.g. because of the selected
optional equipment or the country-specific var‐
iants.
This also applies for safety-related functions
and systems.
For options and equipment not described in this
Owner's Manual, please refer to the Supple‐
mentary Owner's Manuals.
On right-hand drive vehicles, some controls are
arranged differently than shown in the illustra‐
tions.
Status of the Owner's Manual
The manufacturer of your vehicle pursues a pol‐
icy of constant development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to embody
the highest quality and safety standards. In rare
cases, therefore, the features described in this
Owner's Manual may differ from those in your
vehicle.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for
the Owner's Manuals are located in the appen‐
dix of the printed quick reference for the vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials and high-performance electronics, re‐Seite 6Notes6
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

quires suitable maintenance and repair meth‐
ods.
Therefore, have this work performed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord‐
ing to BMW repair procedures with appropri‐
ately trained personnel.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.
Parts and Accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts and ac‐
cessories approved by BMW. When you pur‐
chase accessories tested and approved by
BMW and Genuine BMW Parts, you simultane‐
ously 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 de‐
fects in material and workmanship. BMW will not
accept any liability for damage resulting from in‐
stallation of parts and accessories 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
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants. Genuine
BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and other prod‐
ucts approved by BMW, together with profes‐
sional advice on using these items, are available
from all BMW centers. Installation and operation
of non-BMW approved accessories 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 trans‐
ceiver equipment, for instance, CBs, walkie-
talkies, ham radios or similar accessories, may
cause extensive damage to the vehicle, com‐
promise 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, re‐
placement, or repair of the emission control de‐
vices and systems may be performed by any au‐tomotive repair establishment or individual
using any certified automotive part.
California Proposition 65 Warning
California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of automobile
components and parts, including components
found in the interior furnishings in a vehicle, con‐
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cal‐
ifornia to cause cancer and birth defects and re‐
productive 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 accessories
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 vehicle is covered by the fol‐
lowing warranties:▷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 op‐
erated under those conditions. If you wish to op‐
erate your vehicle in another country or region,
Seite 7Notes7
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

you may be required to adapt your vehicle to
meet different prevailing operating conditions
and homologation requirements. You should
also be aware of any applicable warranty limita‐
tions or exclusions for such country or region. In
such case, please contact Customer Relations
for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle regularly to sustain the road
safety, operational reliability and the New Vehi‐
cle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance meas‐
ures:▷BMW Maintenance system▷Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models▷Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
If the vehicle is not maintained according to
these specifications, this could result in serious
damage to the vehicle. Such damage is not cov‐
ered by the BMW New Vehicle Limited War‐
ranty.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following only applies to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the Na‐
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone
1-800-831-1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your dealer,
or BMW of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safe‐
rcar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about mo‐
tor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada, De‐
fect Investigations and Recalls, may telephone
the toll-free hotline 1-800-333-0510. You can
also obtain other information about motor vehi‐
cle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety.Seite 8Notes8
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

The range is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Current fuel consumption Displays the current fuel con‐
sumption. You can check
whether you are currently driving
in an efficient and environmen‐
tally-friendly manner.
Displaying the current fuel
consumption1."Settings"2."Info display"3."Additional indicators"
The bar display for the current fuel consumption
is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Energy recovery The energy of motion of the ve‐
hicle is converted to electrical en‐
ergy while coasting. The vehicle
battery is partially charged and
fuel consumption can be low‐
ered.
Service requirements
Display The driving distance or the time
to the next service is displayed
briefly after the ignition is
switched on.
The current service require‐
ments can be read out from the remote control
by the service specialist.
Data regarding the maintenance status or legally
mandated inspections of the vehicle are auto‐
matically transmitted to your service center be‐
fore a service due date, Automatic Service Re‐
quest, refer to page 254.
Detailed information on service
requirements
More information on the scope of service re‐
quired can be displayed on the Control Display.1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Service required"
Required maintenance procedures and le‐
gally mandated inspections are displayed.4.Select an entry to call up detailed informa‐
tion.
Symbols
SymbolsDescriptionNo service is currently required.The deadline for service or a le‐
gally mandated inspection is
approaching.The service deadline has al‐
ready passed.
Entering appointment dates
Enter the dates for the required inspections.
Ensure that the vehicle date and time are set
correctly.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Service required"4."§ Vehicle inspection"5."Date:"6.Create the settings.7.Confirm.
The entered date is stored.Seite 82ControlsDisplays82
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Service Request
Data regarding the maintenance status or legally
mandated inspections of the vehicle are auto‐
matically transmitted to your service center be‐
fore a service due date.
You can check when your service center was
notified.1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3.Open "Options".4."Last Service Request"
Gear shift indicator
The concept
The system recommends the most fuel efficient
gear in the current driving situation.
Displays
Indicators to shift up or down are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
SymbolsDescriptionFuel efficient gear is engaged.Shift up to fuel efficient gear.Shift down to fuel efficient gear.Shift into neutral.Selection lists in the
instrument cluster
The concept
The following can be operated using the buttons
and the thumbwheel on the steering wheel:
▷Current audio source.▷Redial on telephone.▷Activation of the voice activation system.
Activating a list and creating the
setting
On the right side of the steering wheel, turn the
thumbwheel to activate the corresponding list.
Using the thumbwheel, select the desired set‐
ting and confirm it by pressing the thumbwheel.
Seite 83DisplaysControls83
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

Message when the system was not
reset
A Check Control message is displayed.
The system detected a wheel change but was
not reset.
Warnings regarding the current tire inflation
pressure are not reliable.
Check the tire inflation pressure and reset the
system.
Malfunction The yellow warning lamp flashes and
then lights up continuously. A Check
Control message is displayed. No flat
tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if necessary.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.▷TPM could not be fully reset. Reset the sys‐
tem again.▷Disturbance by systems or devices with the
same radio frequency: after leaving the area
of the disturbance, the system automatically
becomes active again.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
System
Each tire, including the spare (if provided)
should be checked monthly when cold and in‐
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la‐
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla‐
tion pressure for those tires.) As an added safety
feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that il‐
luminates a low tire pressure telltale when one
or more of your tires is significantly under-in‐
flated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a sub‐
stitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached
the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low
tire pressure telltale. Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not operating prop‐
erly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is com‐
bined with the low tire pressure telltale. When
the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then re‐
main continuously illuminated. This sequence
will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups
as long as the malfunction exists. When the mal‐
function indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for
a variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the re‐
placement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor
The concept
The system does not measure the actual infla‐
tion pressure in the tires.
It detects a pressure loss in a tire by comparing
the rotational speeds of the individual wheels
while moving.Seite 100ControlsSafety100
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com

Switching on1.Switch off the ignition.2. Press the right side of the button on
the driver's side.
is shown on the display of the automatic cli‐
mate control.
The interior temperature, air volume and air dis‐
tribution can be adjusted with the ignition
switched on.
Switching off
At the lowest fan speed, press the left side of the
button on the driver's side.
on the display of the automatic climate control
goes out.
Switching the system on/off
Switching off
▷Complete system: At the lowest fan speed, press the
left side of the button on the driver's
side.▷On the front passenger side:
At the lowest fan speed, press the
left side of the button on the front
passenger side.
Switching on
Press any button.
Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter
The microfilter removes dust and pollen from
the incoming air.
The activated-charcoal filter removes gaseous
pollutants from the outside air that enters the
vehicle.
This combined filter should be replaced during
scheduled maintenance, refer to page 288, of
your vehicle.
Ventilation
Front ventilation▷Thumbwheels for adjusting the tempera‐
ture, arrows 1.
Toward blue: colder.
Toward red: warmer.▷Lever for changing the air flow direction, ar‐
row 2.▷Thumbwheels for opening and closing the
vents continuously, arrows 3.
Ventilation levels
▷Draft-free ventilation:
Thumbwheel, arrow 3, in level
: the air
current is fanned out.
▷Maximum air volume:
Thumbwheel, arrow 3, in level
: the air is
partially fanned out and partially bundled.
This maximizes the air supply.
▷Direct ventilation:
Thumbwheel, arrow 3, in level
: the air is
bundled and can be directed to a specific
point.
Adjusting the ventilation
▷Ventilation for cooling:
Adjust the vent to direct the air in your di‐
rection, e.g., if the vehicle interior is hot from
the sun.▷Draft-free ventilation:
Adjust the vent to let the air flow past you.Seite 142ControlsClimate control142
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 879 - 09 11 490
ProCarManuals.com