2012 BMW 550I XDRIVE GRAN TURISMO power steering

CockpitVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipmentis also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
All around the steering wheel
1Seating comfort functionsSeat, mirror, steering wheel mem‐
ory   59Active seat   522Roller sunblinds   463Safety switch for the rear windows and roller
sunblinds   454Power windows   445Exterior mirror operation   606Driver assistance systemsActive Blind Spot Detec‐
tion   104Collision warning   120Lane departure warning   102Night Vision with pedestrian de‐
tection   131Head-up Display   1347LampsSeite 12At a glanceCockpit12
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

Malfunction
Comfort Access may not function properly if it
experiences interference from external sources
such as mobile phones, metal objects, overhead
power lines, transmission towers, etc.
In this case, open or close the vehicle using the
buttons on the remote control or use the
integrated key in the door lock.
To subsequently start the engine, hold the re‐
mote control against the marked area on the
steering column, refer to page 31.
Alarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds to:▷Opening of a door, the hood or the tailgate.▷Movements in the vehicle.▷Changes in the vehicle tilt, e.g., during at‐
tempts to steal a wheel or when towing the
car.▷Interruptions in battery voltage.
The alarm system briefly indicates tampering:
▷By sounding an acoustic alarm.▷By switching on the hazard warning system.▷By flashing the high beams.
Arming and disarming the alarm
system
General information
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control, Comfort Access or at the
door lock the alarm system is armed or disarmed
at the same time.
Door lock and armed alarm system
Unlocking via the door lock will trigger the alarm
on some country-specific versions.
In order to terminate this alarm, unlock vehicle
with the remote control or switch on the ignition,
if necessary, by emergency detection of the re‐
mote control.
Tailgate and armed alarm system
The tailgate can be opened using the remote
control, even if the alarm system is armed.▷Press the button on the remote
control for approx. 1 second.
The large tailgate opens slightly.▷Press the button on the remote
control for approx. 1 second and re‐
lease.
The small tailgate opens slightly.
Note the opening height of the large tail‐
gate
The tailgate pivots back and up when it opens.
Ensure that there is sufficient clearance when
the large tailgate opens; otherwise, damage may
result.◀
After the tailgate is closed, it is locked and moni‐
tored again by the alarm system. The hazard
warning system flashes once.
In some vehicle equipment variants, the tailgate
can only be opened using the remote control if
the vehicle was unlocked first.
Panic mode Press the button on the remote control
for at least 3 seconds.
Switching off the alarm
▷Unlock the vehicle using the remote control.▷With Comfort Access: if you are carrying the
remote control with you, pull on the door
handle.Seite 43Opening and closingControls43
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

Removing: manual head restraints
Only remove the head restraint if no one will be
sitting in the seat in question.1.Pull the head restraint upward as far as pos‐
sible.2.Press the button, arrow 1, and pull the head
restraint out completely.
Before transporting passengers
Reinstall the head restraint before trans‐
porting anyone in the seat; otherwise, the pro‐
tective function of the head restraint is unavail‐
able.◀
Removing: power head restraints
For technical reasons, the head restraint cannot
be removed.
Seat, mirror, and steering
wheel memory
General information
Front
Two different driver's seat, exterior mirror, and
steering wheel positions can be stored and re‐
trieved for each remote control. The adjustment
of the lumbar support is not stored.
Rear
Two different seat positions can be stored and
retrieved.
Storing
1.Switch on the ignition.2.Set the desired position.3. Press the button. The LED in the
button lights up.4.Press the desired button 1 or 2. The LED
goes out.
If the M button is pressed accidentally:
Press the button again.
The LED goes out.
Calling up settings Do not retrieve the memory while driving
Do not retrieve the memory setting while
driving, as an unexpected movement of the seat
or steering wheel could result in an accident.◀
Comfort function
1.Open the driver's door.2.Switch off the ignition.3.Briefly press the desired button 1 or 2.Seite 59AdjustingControls59
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

The corresponding seat position is performed
automatically.
The procedure stops when a switch for adjust‐
ing the seat or one of the buttons is pressed.
Safety mode1.Close the driver's door or switch on the ig‐
nition.2.Press and hold the desired button 1 or 2 until
the adjustment procedure is completed.
Calling up of a seat position
deactivated
After a brief period, the calling up of stored seat
positions is deactivated to save battery power.
To reactivate calling up of a seat position:
▷Open or close the door or tailgate.▷Press a button on the remote control.▷Press the Start/Stop button.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
At a glance
1Adjusting2Left/right, Automatic Curb Monitor3Fold in and out
General information
The mirror on the passenger side is more curved
than the driver's side mirror.
Estimating distances correctly
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. Do not estimate the distance
to the traffic behind you based on what you see
in the mirror, as this will increase your risk of an
accident.◀
Depending on how the vehicle is equipped, the
mirror setting is stored for the remote control in
use. When the vehicle is unlocked via the remote
control, the position is automatically retrieved if
the setting for this function is active.
Selecting a mirror To change over to the other mirror:
Slide the mirror changeover switch.
Adjusting electrically The setting corresponds to the direction
in which the button is pressed.
Storing positions
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page 59.
Adjusting manually
If an electrical malfunction occurs, for example,
press the edges of the mirror glass.
Automatic Curb Monitor
When the reverse gear is engaged, the mirror
glass tilts downward slightly on the front pas‐
senger side. This improves your view of the curb
and other low-lying obstacles when parking, for
example.
Activating1. Slide the mirror changeover switch
to the driver's side mirror position.2.Engage transmission position R.Seite 60ControlsAdjusting60
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

Steering wheel
General information Do not adjust while driving
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving; otherwise, an unexpected movement
could result in an accident.◀
Manual steering wheel adjustment1.Fold the lever down.2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred
height and angle to suit your seating posi‐
tion.3.Fold the lever back.
Power steering wheel adjustment
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four di‐
rections.
Storing the position
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page 59.
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off Press the button.▷On: the LED lights up.▷Off: the LED goes out.Seite 62ControlsAdjusting62
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

▷When the ignition is switched off: press ON/
OFF button on the radio.▷When the engine is running: press START/
STOP button.
Some electronic systems/power consumers re‐
main ready for operation.
Radio ready state switches off automatically:
▷After approx. 8 minutes.▷When the vehicle is locked using the central
locking system.▷Shortly before the battery is discharged
completely, so that the engine can still be
started.
Starting the engine
General information Enclosed areas
Do not let the engine run in enclosed
areas; otherwise, breathing of exhaust fumes
may lead to loss of consciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless but highly toxic gas.◀
Unattended vehicle
Do not leave the car unattended with the
engine running; otherwise, it presents a poten‐
tial source of danger.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
set the parking brake and place the transmission
in position P or neutral to prevent the car from
moving.◀
Frequent starting in quick succession
Avoid repeated futile attempts at starting
the car and avoid starting the car frequently in
quick succession. Otherwise, the fuel is not
burned or is inadequately burned, and there is
the danger of overheating and damaging the
catalytic converter.◀
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving at mod‐
erate engine speeds.
Starting the engine Press on the brake pedal and
press the Start/Stop button.
The engine is cranked until it
starts.
Engine stop
General information Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot release the parking brake.◀
Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the vehi‐
cle, for example, by turning the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb. ◀
Before driving into a car wash
In order for the vehicle to be able to roll into a car
wash, heed the information regarding Washing
in automatic car washes, refer to page 289.
Switching off the engine1.Engage transmission position P with the ve‐
hicle stopped.2.Press the Start/Stop button.
The engine is switched off.
The radio ready state is switched on.3.Set the parking brake.Seite 68ControlsDriving68
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

Parking brake
The concept
The parking brake is used to prevent the vehicle
from rolling when it is parked.▷Engine switched off: the parking brake acts
on the rear wheels.▷Engine running: the parking brake acts on
the disc brakes of the front and rear wheels
via the hydraulic brake system.
The parking brake can be set manually or auto‐
matically:
▷Manual: by pulling and pushing the switch.▷Automatic: by activating Automatic Hold.
Setting
Pull the switch.
The LED lights up.
The indicator lamp lights up in red. The
parking brake is set.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian
models
Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the vehi‐
cle, for example, by turning the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb. ◀
While driving
Use while driving serves as an emergency brak‐
ing function:
Pull the switch and hold it. The vehicle brakes
hard while the button is being pulled.
The indicator lamp lights up in red, a sig‐
nal sounds and the brake lamps light up.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian
models
If the vehicle is braked to a speed of approx.
2 mph/3 km/h, the parking brake remains set.
Releasing Press the switch while the brake pedal is
pressed or transmission position P is en‐
gaged.
The LED and indicator lamp go out.
The parking brake is released. Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot release the parking brake.◀
Manual release
The parking brake can be released manually in
the event of a power failure or electrical fault.
Before releasing, secure the vehicle
against rolling
Before releasing the parking brake manually,
and whenever you park the vehicle with the
parking brake released, ensure that position P of
the automatic transmission is engaged.
Secure the vehicle in a manner appropriate to
the inclination of the road, e.g., with a wheel
chock; otherwise, there is the danger of the ve‐
hicle rolling.◀Seite 69DrivingControls69
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490

Driving comfortVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Active Cruise Control with
Stop & Go function, ACC
The concept
This system can be used to select a desired
speed that the vehicle will maintain automati‐
cally on clear roads.
To the extent possible, the system automatically
adjusts the speed to a slower vehicle ahead of
you.
The distance that the vehicle maintains to the
vehicle ahead of you can be varied.
For safety reasons, it depends on the speed.
To maintain a certain distance, the system au‐
tomatically decelerates, applies the brakes
lightly, or accelerates again if the vehicle ahead
begins moving faster.
If the vehicle ahead of you brakes to a halt, the
system is able to detect this within the given
system limits. If the vehicle ahead of your drives
away again from a halt, your vehicle is able to
accelerate if operated accordingly.
Even if some time passes before the vehicle
drives away again, the BMW can still be accel‐
erated automatically and simply.
As soon as the road is clear, it accelerates to the
desired speed.
The speed is also maintained on downhill gra‐
dients, but may not be maintained on uphill
slopes if engine power is insufficient.Buttons at a glance1System on/off, interrupt2Resume speed3Store speed4Reduce distance5Store, maintain/change speed6Increase distance
Switching on/off and interrupting
cruise control
Switching on Press the button on the steering wheel.
The indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
light up and the mark in the speedometer is set
to the current speed.
Cruise control can be used.
Switching off Deactivated or interrupted system
If the system is deactivated or interrupted,
actively intervene by braking and, if necessary,
with evasive maneuvers; otherwise, there is the
danger of an accident occurring.◀
If switching off the system while stationary,
press on the brake pedal at the same time.
Press the button.
Seite 114ControlsDriving comfort114
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 607 855 - 09 11 490