2012 BMW 640I CONVERTIBLE steering

Switching on/off manually
Press the button.
▷ On: the LED lights up.
▷ Off: the LED goes out.
If Top View is displayed, switch on the backup
camera via the iDrive, refer to page 113.
Visual warning
The
approach of the vehicle to an object can be
shown on the Control Display.
When the distance to an object is small, a red bar
is shown in front of the vehicle, as it is in the PDC
display. The display appears as soon as Top View is ac‐
tivated.
If

the backup camera image was selected last, it
again appears on the display. To switch to Top
View: "Rear view camera" Select the symbol on
the Control Display.
The

setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use. Display on the Control Display
Switching on the backup camera via
iDrive
With Top View switched on:
"Rear view camera"
The
backup camera image is displayed. The set‐
ting is stored for the remote control currently in
use.
Brightness
With Top View switched on:
1. "Brightness"
2. Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached and press the controller.
Contrast
With Top View switched on:
1. "Contrast"
2. Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached and press the controller.
Displaying the turning circle and
pathway lines
▷ The static, red turning circle line shows the
space needed to the side of the vehicle
when the steering wheel is turned all the
way.
▷ The variable, green pathway line assists you
in assessing the amount of space actually
needed to the side of the vehicle.
The pathway line is dependent on the cur‐
rent steering angle and is continuously ad‐
justed with the steering wheel movement. "Parking aid lines"
Turning circle and pathway lines are displayed.
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Controls At a glance

Cameras
The two camera lenses are located on the sides
of the bumper.
The image quality may be impaired by dirt.
Clean the lens, refer to page
257.
Parking assistant
*
The concept This system assists the driver in parking parallel
to the road.
Ultrasound

sensors measure parking spaces on
both sides of the vehicle.
The parking assistant calculates the best pos‐
sible parking line and takes control of steering
during the parking procedure.
When parking, also take note of the visual and
acoustic information issued by the PDC and the
parking assistant and accelerate or brake ac‐
cordingly.
A component of the parking assistant is the PDC
Park Distance Control*, refer to page 107.Personal responsibility
The

parking assistant does not relieve the
driver of responsibility for the vehicle during the
parking procedure.
Watch the parking space and parking procedure
closely and intervene if necessary; otherwise,
there is the danger of an accident.◀
Requirements
For measuring parking spaces
▷ Maximum speed while driving forward ap‐
prox. 22 mph/35 km/h.
▷ Maximum distance to row of parked vehi‐
cles: 5 ft/1.5 m.
Suitable parking space
▷ Gap between two objects with a minimum
length of approx. 5 ft/1.5 m.
▷ Minimum length: own vehicle length plus
approx. 4 ft/1.2 m.
▷ Minimum depth: approx. 5 ft/1.5 m.
For parking procedure
Closed doors.
Switching on
Using the button Press the button.
The LED lights up.
The parking assistant is activated automati‐
cally.
The current status of the parking space search
is indicated on the Control Display. Seite 115
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Controls At a glance

By engaging reverse
Engage transmission position R.
The current status of the parking space search
is indicated on the Control Display.
Activate:
"Parking Assistant" Select the
symbol in the Control Display.
Display on the Control Display
System status Symbol Meaning
Gray: the system is not available.
White: the system is available but not
activated. The system is activated.
Gray: the system is not activated.
Parking space search.
Blue: the system is activated. A
suitable parking space was
found.
The parking procedure is active.
Steering

control has been seized. Status of the parking space search
▷
Gray, arrow 1: parking space search.
▷ Blue, arrow 2: parking space is suitable.
The

vehicle is parked in the parking space if
the parking procedure is active.
▷ No display: no parking space search.
Parking using the parking assistant Personal responsibility
The

parking assistant does not relieve the
driver of responsibility for the vehicle during the
parking procedure.
Watch the parking space and parking procedure
closely and intervene if necessary; otherwise,
there is the danger of an accident.◀
Check the traffic situation as well
Loud sounds outside and within the vehi‐
cle can drown out the signal tones of the parking
assistant and PDC.
Check the traffic situation around the vehicle
with your own eyes; otherwise, there is the dan‐
ger of an accident.◀
1. Switch on the parking assistant and activate
it if necessary.
The

status of the parking space search is in‐
dicated on the Control Display.
2. Follow the instructions on the Control Dis‐
play.
The end of the parking procedure is indi‐
cated on the Control Display.
3. Adjust the parking position yourself if nec‐
essary. Seite 116
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Driving comfort

Notes
▷
The parking assistant takes control of steer‐
ing
for as long as the symbol for active park‐
ing appears on the display.
▷ The system maneuvers the vehicle to posi‐
tion

it properly in smaller parking spaces, for
example.
▷ To achieve the best possible parking posi‐
tion, wait for the automatic steering wheel
movement after the gear change when the
vehicle is stationary.
▷ When parking in parking spaces on the driv‐
er's

side, the corresponding turn signal must
be set.
Interrupting manually
The parking assistant can be interrupted at any
time by:
▷ Grasping the steering wheel and steering
yourself.
▷ "Deactivate Parking Assistant" Select
the symbol on the Control Display.
Interrupting automatically
The procedure is interrupted automatically:
▷ If the vehicle speed exceeds approx. 6 mph/
10 km/h.
▷ On snow-covered or slippery road surfaces
if necessary.
▷ If doors are open.
A Check Control message is displayed.
Continuing
An interrupted parking procedure can be con‐
tinued if necessary.
Follow

the instructions on the Control Display to
do this.
Switching off
The system can be deactivated as follows:
▷ Press the button. ▷
Switch off the ignition. Malfunction
A Check Control message is displayed.
The parking assistant failed. Have the system
checked.
System limits
Changes to the parking space
Changes to the parking space after it was
measured

are not taken into account by the sys‐
tem.
Therefore, always be alert and ready to inter‐
vene; otherwise, there is the danger of an acci‐
dent occurring.◀
Transporting loads
Loads that extend beyond the perimeter
of the vehicle are not taken into account by the
system during the parking procedure.
Therefore, always be alert and ready to inter‐
vene; otherwise, there is the danger of an acci‐
dent occurring.◀
Curbs
The parking assistant may steer the vehi‐
cle over or onto curbs.
Therefore, always be alert and ready to inter‐
vene; otherwise, the wheels, tires, or the vehicle
may become damaged.◀
No parking assistance
The parking assistant does not provide assis‐
tance in parking.
▷ In tight curves.
Functional limitations
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
▷ When sensors are dirty or iced over.
▷ In heavy fog, rain or snowfall.
▷ On bumpy road surfaces such as gravel
roads.
▷ When leaves or snow has collected in the
parking space. Seite 117
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Controls At a glance

Pedestrian detection
The pedestrian detection and warning system
only
operates in darkness and only when a heat
image is displayed.
Warm objects that are similar in shape to human
beings are detected by the system.
People detected by the system are displayed
with a slight yellow hue.
Under good ambient conditions, the pedestrian
detection system operates within a range of ap‐
prox. 50 ft/15 m to approx. 330 ft/100 m. Environmental influences can limit the availabil‐
ity of pedestrian detection.
If

pedestrian detection is not available, a symbol
is displayed in the heat image.
This symbol disappears when the function be‐
comes available again. Warning of people in danger If the system detects a person in the defined
area

in front of the vehicle and if there is the dan‐
ger of a collision with this person, a warning
symbol appears in the Control Display and
Head-up Display*.
Although both the shape and the heat radiation
are analyzed, false warnings cannot be ruled out.
Warning area in front of the vehicle The warning area in front of the vehicle is divided
into two areas.
▷
Central area 1 directly in front of the vehicle.
▷ Expanded area 2 to the right and left.
The entire area moves along with the vehicle in
the direction of the steering angle and changes
with

the vehicle speed. As the vehicle speed in‐
creases, the area becomes longer and wider, for
example.
Symbols
This symbol is displayed when a person
is detected in the central area, arrow 1,
immediately in front of the vehicle.
This symbol is displayed when a person
detected in the extended area, arrow 2, Seite 119
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Controls At a glance

Climate control windshield*
The marked area is not covered with heat re‐
flective coating.
Use this area for garage door openers, devices
for electronic toll collection, etc.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It
is advised that you do not use mobile commu‐
nication devices, e.g., mobile phones, inside the
vehicle without connecting them directly to the
external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle elec‐
tronics and mobile communication devices can
interfere with each other. In addition, there is no
assurance that the radiation generated during
transmission will be discharged from the vehicle
interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀ Driving through water
Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 9.8 inches/25 cm and at this height, no
faster

than walking speed, up to 6 mph/10 km/h.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking
speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the elec‐
trical systems and the transmission may be
damaged.◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum
of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.
Objects in the area around the pedals
No objects in the area around the pedals
Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other
objects out of the area of motion of the pedals;
otherwise, the function of the pedals could be
impeded while driving
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.
Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again after they were removed for cleaning, for
example.◀
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly
exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every
few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger other
road users. Seite 139
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Driving tips Controls At a glance

The heat generated in this process helps dry the
brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive
long or steep downhill gradients in the gear
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise,
the brake system may overheat, resulting in a
reduction in the brake system efficiency.
Manual transmission:
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, going all the way to first gear, if
necessary.
Automatic transmission*:
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down in the manual mode of the auto‐
matic transmission, refer to page 72.
Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the brake
system. Light but consistent brake pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear and pos‐
sibly even brake failure.◀
Do not drive in neutral
Do not drive in neutral or with the engine
stopped, as doing so disables engine braking. In
addition, steering and brake assist is unavailable
with the engine stopped.◀
Brake disc corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination
on the brake pads are furthered by:
▷ Low mileage.
▷ Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.
▷ Infrequent use of the brakes.
Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure
that must be exerted by the pads during brake
applications to clean the discs is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐
fect that generally cannot be corrected. Condensation under the parked vehicle
When
using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water develops that exits underneath
the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
Loading
Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carrying
capacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.
Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐
creases the rate at which damage develops in‐
side the tires. This could result in a sudden loss
of tire inflation pressure.◀
No fluids in the trunk
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
trunk; otherwise, the vehicle may be damaged.◀
Determining the load limit 1.
Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard*:
▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicle

and unstable driving situations may
result.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and

passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds. Seite 140
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Things to remember when driving

Specifying the street
If
the system does not recognize a street, one of
the following is displayed:
▷ The name of a street in the vicinity.
▷ The county.
▷ The coordinates of the destination.
Additional functions
Additional functions are available on the inter‐
active map after the controller is pressed. ▷ Select the symbol.
"Start guidance" or "Add as another
destination"
Add a destination as a further destination,
refer to page 152.
▷ "Exit interactive map": return to the map
view.
▷ "View in northern direction" or "View in
driving direction"
▷ "Display destination": the map section
around the destination is displayed.
▷ "Display current location": the map section
around your current location is displayed.
▷ "Find
points of interest": the search for spe‐
cial destinations is started.
Destination entry by voice*
General information
▷ Instructions for voice activation system, re‐
fer to page 25.
▷ When making a destination entry by voice,
you can change between voice operation
and iDrive. ▷
To have the available spoken instructions
read out loud: ›Voice commands

‹
Saying the entries
▷ the town/city, street, and house number can
be entered as a single

command*.
▷ Countries, towns and cities, streets, and in‐
tersections can be said as whole words* or
spelled in the language of the system, refer
to page 80.
Example: to enter a town/city in a US state
as

a whole word, the language of the system
must be English.
▷ Spell the entry if the spoken language and
the language of the system differ.
▷ Say the letters smoothly, and avoid exag‐
gerating the pronunciation and inserting
lengthy pauses between the letters.
▷ The options available for entering data de‐
pend

on the navigation data and the country
and language settings.
entering an address using a command*
1. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
2. ›Enter address‹
3. Wait for a request from the system.
4. Say the address in the suggested order.
5. Continue making the entry as prompted by
the system.
If necessary, individually name the separate
components of the address, e.g., the town/city.
Entering a town/city separately
The name of the town/city can be said as a
word* or spelled out.
With the destination entry menu displayed:
1. Press the button on the steering
wheel.
2. ›City‹ or ›Spell city‹.
3. Wait for the system to prompt you for the
town/city.
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