2012 BMW 7 SERIES suspension

For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials
and high-performance electronics, re‐
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‐
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance

NORMAL
Balanced tuning between the COMFORT and
SPORT programs.
COMFORT
Comfort-oriented
tuning of the shock absorbers
for optimal traveling comfort.
Integral Active Steering*
The concept
Integral Active Steering is a combination of Ac‐
tive Steering and rear axle steering.
Active Steering varies the steering angle of the
wheels in relation to the steering wheel move‐
ment as a function of the speed.
At speeds up to approx. 37 mph/60 km/h, e.g.,
in curves, the steering angle is increased, i.e.,
steering becomes more direct.
The rear axle steering acts to increase maneu‐
verability by turning the rear wheels slightly in a
direction opposite to the front wheels.
At higher speeds, the steering angle is increas‐
ingly reduced.
The rear wheels are turned to the same angle as
the front wheels.
In critical situations, Integral Active Steering can
specifically steer the front and rear wheels to
stabilize the vehicle before the driver intervenes,
e.g., when braking where road conditions differ
on the left and right sides of the vehicle.
Initializing
In rare cases, it may become necessary to initi‐
alize the Integral Active Steering.
The warning lamp lights up. A Check
Control message is displayed.
1. With the engine running, turn the steering
wheel

all the way to the left and right several
times in a uniform manner until the warning
lamp disappears.
2. Have the system checked if the warning
lamp

does not go out after moving the steer‐ ing wheel approx. 6 times or if the steering
wheel is at an angle.
Using snow chains
Ensure
that the rear axle steering is deactivated
when using snow chains, refer to page 252.
Programs
The system offers two different programs.
The programs can be selected via Dynamic Driv‐
ing Control, refer to page 102.
SPORT
Consistently sporty tuning of the Integral Active
Steering for greater driving agility.
NORMAL
Balanced tuning of the Integral Active Steering
for optimal traveling comfort.
Malfunction
In the event of a malfunction, the steering wheel
must be turned further, while the vehicle re‐
sponds more sensitively to steering wheel
movements in the higher speed range.
The stability-enhancing intervention may be de‐
activated.
Proceed cautiously and drive defensively.
Have the system checked.
Self-leveling suspension*
The concept
The self-leveling suspension keeps the vehicle
height and ground clearance constant. The
height of the vehicle at the rear axle is main‐
tained at a predefined level under all load con‐
ditions.
The system ensures consistent comfort by
keeping spring travel constant in all driving sit‐
uations.
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Controls At a glance

The indicator lamp lights up: TRACTION
is activated.
SPORT+
Sporty driving with optimized chassis and sus‐
pension during limited driving stabilization.
Dynamic Traction Control is switched on.
The driver handles several of the stabilization
tasks.
Activating SPORT+ Press the button repeatedly until
SPORT+ appears in the tachometer
and the DSC indicator lamp lights up in the in‐
strument cluster.
Indicator/warning lamps
SPORT+ is displayed in the instrument cluster.
The indicator lamp lights up: DTC Dy‐
namic Traction Control is activated.
SPORT
Consistently
sporty tuning of the suspension for
greater driving agility with maximum driving sta‐
bilization.
The program can be configured to individual
specifications.
The configuration is stored for the remote con‐
trol currently in use.
Activating SPORT
Press the button repeatedly until
SPORT appears in the tachometer.
Configuring SPORT
When the display is activated on the Control
Display, refer to page 104, the sport program
can be set to individual specifications.
After the sport program is activated, select
"Configure SPORT mode" on the displayed
panel and configure the program.
Optionally, the sport program can be configured
before it is activated: 1.
"Settings"
2. "SPORT mode" 3.
Configure the program.
This configuration is retrieved when the sport
program is activated.
NORMAL
For

a balanced tuning with maximum driving sta‐
bilization.
Activating NORMAL
Press the button repeatedly until the
program display in the tachometer
goes out.
In certain situations, the system automatically
changes to the NORMAL program, automatic
program change, refer to page 102.
COMFORT*
Comfort-oriented tuning of the shock absorbers
for optimal traveling comfort with maximum
driving stabilization.
Activating COMFORT Press the button repeatedly until COM‐
FORT appears in the tachometer.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Selected program The selected program is dis‐
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Controls At a glance

Seats 48
Seats, rear, adjusting 51
Seat ventilation, front 51
Seat ventilation, rear 53
Selection list in instrument cluster 77
Selector lever, automatic transmission 73
Self-leveling suspension, air suspension 101
Self-leveling suspension, mal‐ function 102
Sensors, care 273
Service and warranty 7
Service requirements, CBS Condition Based Serv‐
ice 258
Service requirements, dis‐ play 81
Service, Roadside Assis‐ tance 267
Settings on Control Dis‐ play 80
Settings, storing for seat, mir‐ rors, steering wheel 57
Shifting, automatic transmis‐ sion 72
Short commands 280
Shoulder support 49
Side airbags 88
Side View 118
Signaling, horn 12
Signals when unlocking 37
Sitting safely 48
Size 276
Ski bag 136
Slide/tilt glass roof 46
Smallest turning circle 277
Smoker's package 134
Snap-in adapter, mobile phone 221
Snow chains 251
Socket 134
Socket, OBD Onboard Diag‐ nostics 258
Software applications, iPhone 238
Software update 197 Spare fuse 265
Special destinations, naviga‐ tion 155
Specified engine oil types 256
Speed, average 78
Speed limit, setting 79
Speedometer 14
Split screen 23
Split
screen map settings 163
Spoken instructions, naviga‐ tion 161
SPORT+ program, Dynamic Driving Control 103
SPORT program, Dynamic Driving Control 103
Sport program, transmis‐ sion 74
Stability control systems 98
Start/Stop button 65
Start function during malfunc‐ tion 33
Starting aid 267
Starting the engine 65
State/province, selecting for navigation 152
Stations, stored 178
Station, storing 172
Status display, tires 91
Status information, iDrive 22
Status of Owner's Manual 6
Steering, Integral Active Steering 101
Steering wheel, adjusting 60
Steering wheel heating 60
Steering wheel memory 57
Steptronic, automatic trans‐ mission 72
Stopping the engine 66
Storage compartments 138
Storage compartments, loca‐ tions 138
Storage, tires 251
Storing the vehicle 273
Street, entering for naviga‐ tion 153
Summer tires, tread 249 Supplementary text mes‐
sage 83
Surround View 115
Suspension settings 102
Switch for Dynamic Driving Control 102
Switch-on times, parked-car ventilation 131
Switch, refer to Cockpit 12
Symbols 6
T
Tachometer 76
Tail and brake lamps 263
Tailgate 39
Tailgate, automatic 40
Tailgate
via remote control 37
Tail lamps 263
Tail lamps, bulb replace‐ ment 263
Tasks 229
Technical changes, refer to Safety 7
Technical data 276
TeleService 234
Temperature, automatic cli‐ mate control 126
Temperature display, external temperature 76
Temperature, engine oil 76
Tempomat, refer to Active Cruise Control 105
Terminal, starting aid 268
Text messages 226
Text message, supplemen‐ tary 83
Theft alarm system, refer to Alarm system 43
Theft protection, lug bolts 264
Theft protection, refer to Cen‐ tral locking system 35
Thermal camera, refer to Night Vision 120
Thigh support 48
Tilt alarm sensor 44
Tilt, seats 48
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance