2013 BMW 5 SERIES Drive

The turning lamps are automatically switched
on depending on the steering angle or the use
of turn signals.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adap‐
tive Light Control does not swivel to the driv‐
er's side when the vehicle is at a standstill.
When driving in reverse, only the turning lamp
is active.
Self-leveling headlamps The self-leveling headlamps compensate for
acceleration and braking operations in order
not to blind the oncoming traffic and to achieve
optimum illumination of the roadway.
Malfunction
A Check Control message is displayed.
Adaptive light control is malfunctioning or has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
High-beam Assistant
The concept When the low beams are switched on, this sys‐
tem automatically switches the high beams on
and off or suppresses the light in the areas that
blind oncoming traffic. The procedure is con‐
trolled by a sensor on the front of the interior
rearview mirror. The assistant ensures that the
high beams are switched on whenever the traf‐
fic situation allows. The driver can intervene at
any time and switch the high beams on and off
as usual.Activating1.Turn the light switch to .2.Press the button on the turn signal lever,
arrow.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
When the lights are switched on, the
high beams are switched on and off automati‐
cally.
The system responds to light from oncoming
traffic and traffic driving ahead of you, and to
adequate illumination, e.g., in towns and cities.
The blue indicator lamp in the instru‐
ment cluster lights up when the system
switches on the high beams. Depend‐
ing on the version of the system in the vehicle, the high beams may not switch off for oncom‐
ing vehicles, but may only be dimmed in the
areas that blind oncoming traffic. In this case,
the blue indicator light will stay on.
Switching the high beams on and off
manually
▷High beams on, arrow 1.Seite 98ControlsLamps98
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▷High beams off/headlamp flasher, arrow 2.
The High-beam Assistant can be switched off
when manually adjusting the light. To reacti‐
vate the High-beam Assistant, press the but‐
ton on the turn signal lever.
System limits Personal responsibility
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as
a substitute for the driver's personal judgment
of when to use the high beams. Therefore,
manually switch off the high beams in situa‐
tions where this is required to avoid a safety
risk.◀
The system is not fully functional in situations
such as the following, and driver intervention
may be necessary:
▷In very unfavorable weather conditions,
such as fog or heavy precipitation.▷In detecting poorly-lit road users, such as
pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and
wagons; when driving close to train or ship
traffic; and at animal crossings.▷In tight curves, on hilltops or in depres‐
sions, in cross traffic or half-obscured on‐
coming traffic on freeways.▷In poorly-lit towns and cities and in the
presence of highly reflective signs.▷At low speeds.▷When the windshield in front of the interior
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov‐
ered with stickers, etc.Camera
The camera is located near the base of the
mirror.
Keep the windshield in the area behind the in‐
terior rear view mirror clean and clear.
Fog lamps
Front fog lamps The parking lamps or low beams must be
switched on.
Press the button. The green indicator
lamp lights up.
If the automatic headlamp control, refer to
page 97, is activated, the low beams will come
on automatically when you switch on the front
fog lamps.
Instrument lighting Adjusting The parking lamps or low beams
must be switched on to adjust
the brightness.
Adjust the brightness using the
thumbwheel.
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SafetyVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
Airbags
1Front airbag, driver2Front airbag, front passenger3Head airbag4Side airbag5Knee airbagsFront airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest and lap area.Head airbags
In a lateral impact, the head airbag supports
the head.
Knee airbagThe knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact.Seite 101SafetyControls101
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Detected child seatsThe system generally detects children seated
in a child seat, especially in the child seats that
were required by NHTSA when the vehicle was
manufactured. After installing a child seat,
make sure that the indicator lamp for the front
passenger airbags lights up. This indicates that the child seat has been detected and the
front passenger airbags are not activated.
Strength of the driver's and front
passenger airbag
The strength with which the driver's and front
passenger airbags are triggered depends on
the position of the driver's and front passenger
seats.
To maintain the accuracy of this function over
the long-term, calibrate the front seats when a
corresponding message appears on the Con‐
trol Display.
Calibrating the front seats A corresponding message appears on the
Control Display.1.Move the respective seat forward all the
way.2.Move the respective seat forward again. It
moves forward briefly.3.Readjust the seat to the desired position.
The calibration procedure is completed when
the message on the Control Display disap‐
pears.
If the message continues to be displayed, re‐
peat the calibration.
If the message does not disappear after a re‐
peat calibration, have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Unobstructed area of movement
Ensure that the area of movement of the
seats is unobstructed to avoid personal injury
or damage to objects.◀
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
The concept The system monitors tire pressure in the four
mounted tires. The system warns you if there
is a significant loss of pressure in one or more
tires. For this purpose, sensors in the tire
valves measure the tire pressure and tire tem‐
perature.
Hints Tire damage due to external factors
Sudden tire damage caused by external
influences cannot be indicated in advance.◀
Pay attention to the other information and indi‐
cations under Tire inflation pressure, refer to
page 207, as well when using the system.
Functional requirements
The system must have been reset with the
correct tire inflation pressure; otherwise, relia‐
ble signaling of tire pressure loss is not en‐
sured.
Reset the system again after each correction
of the tire inflation pressure and after every tire
or wheel change.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics to
ensure that the system will operate properly.
Status display
The current status of the Tire Pressure Moni‐
tor TPM can be displayed on the Control Dis‐
play, e.g., whether or not the TPM is active.1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Tire Pressure Monitor"
The status is displayed.
Status display The tire and system status is indicated by the
color of the wheels and a text message on the
Control Display.
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All wheels green
System is active and will issue a warning rela‐
tive to the tire inflation pressures stored during
the last reset.
One wheel is yellow
A flat tire or major drop in inflation pressure in
the indicated tire.
All wheels are yellow A flat tire or major drop in inflation pressure in
several tires.
Wheels, gray
The system cannot detect a flat tire. Reasons
for this may be:▷The system is being reset.▷Malfunction.
Additional information
The status display additionally shows the cur‐
rent tire inflation pressures and tire tempera‐
tures. The values shown are current measure‐
ment values and may vary depending on
driving style or weather conditions.
Carry out reset Reset the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Perform reset"4.Start the engine - do not drive away.5.Carry out the reset with "Perform reset".6.Drive away.
The tires are shown in gray and the status is
displayed.
After driving faster than 19 mph/30 km/h for a
short period, the tire inflation pressures set are
accepted as reference values. The reset is
completed automatically during driving.
After a successfully completed Reset, the
wheels on the Control Display are shown in
green and "Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
active" is displayed.
The trip can be interrupted at any time. If you
drive away again, the reset resumes automati‐
cally.
Low tire pressure message The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
Check Control message is displayed.▷There is a flat tire or a major loss in
tire inflation pressure.▷No reset was performed for the system.
The system therefore issues a warning
based on the tire pressures before the last
reset.1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with
regular tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 222, are la‐
beled with a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC marked on the tire sidewall.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
When a low inflation pressure is indicated,
DSC Dynamic Stability Control is switched on
if necessary.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is correct, it is possible that a reset was notSeite 105SafetyControls105
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carried out for the Tire Pressure Monitor. In
that case, carry out a reset.
If an identification is not possible, please
contact the service center.2.Rectify the flat tire.
Use of tire sealant, e.g., the Mobility Sys‐
tem, may damage the TPM wheel elec‐
tronics. In this case, have the electronics
checked at the next opportunity and have
them replaced if necessary.
Run-flat tires
Maximum speed
You can continue driving with a damaged tire
at speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at
the next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is correct, it is possible that a reset was not
carried out for the Tire Pressure Monitor. In
that case, carry out a reset.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on the cargo load
and the driving style and conditions.
For a vehicle containing an average load, the
possible driving distance is approx.
50 miles/80 km.
When the vehicle is driven with a damaged tire,
its handling characteristics change, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance, and altered self-steering
properties. Adjust your driving style accord‐
ingly. Avoid abrupt steering maneuvers or driv‐
ing over obstacles, e.g., curbs, potholes, etc.
Because the possible driving distance de‐
pends on how the vehicle is used during the
trip, the actual distance may be smaller or
greater depending on the driving speed, road
conditions, external temperature, cargo load,
etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering
properties.◀
Final tire failure
Vibrations or loud noises while driving
can indicate the final failure of the tire. Reduce
speed and stop; otherwise, pieces of the tire
could come loose and cause an accident. Do
not continue driving, and contact your service
center.◀
Required inflation pressure check
message
A Check Control message is displayed.
Check the tire inflation pressure and carry out
a reset of the system.
In some cases, a wheel was changed without
having carried out a reset.
System limits
The system does not function properly if a re‐
set has not been carried out, e.g., a flat tire is
reported even though the tire inflation pres‐
sures are correct.
The tire pressure depends on the temperature
of the tire. If the tire temperature rises, e.g.,
due to driving or because of the heat of the
Sun, the tire inflation pressure increases also.
The tire pressure is reduced when the tire
temperature falls again. This behavior may
cause a warning to be issued if temperatures
fall very sharply.Seite 106ControlsSafety106
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MalfunctionThe yellow warning lamp flashes andthen lights up continuously. A Check
Control message is displayed. No flat
tire or loss of tire pressure can be detected.
Display in the following situations:▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if neces‐
sary.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.▷TPM was unable to complete the reset.
Reset the system again.▷Disturbance by systems or devices with
the same radio frequency: after leaving the
area of the disturbance, the system auto‐
matically 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 label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres‐
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. 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 pres‐
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel ef‐
ficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute 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 indi‐
cator to indicate when the system is not oper‐
ating properly. The TPMS malfunction indica‐
tor is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a malfunc‐
tion, the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illumi‐
nated. This sequence will continue upon sub‐
sequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal‐
function exists. When the malfunction 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 replace‐
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle
that prevent the TPMS from functioning prop‐
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction tell‐
tale after replacing one or more tires or wheels
on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement
or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor The conceptThe 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.
In the event of a pressure loss, the diameter
and therefore the rotational speed of the corre‐
sponding wheel change. This is detected and
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirements
The system must have been initialized when
the tire inflation pressure was correct; other‐
wise, reliable signaling of a flat tire is not en‐Seite 107SafetyControls107
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sured. Initialize the system after each correc‐
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.
Status display The current status of the Flat Tire Monitor can
be displayed on the Control Display, e.g.,
whether or not the FTM is active.1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Flat Tire Monitor (FTM)"
The status is displayed.
Initialization
The initialization process adopts the set infla‐
tion tire pressures as reference values for the
detection of a flat tire. Initialization is started by
confirming the inflation pressures.
Do not initialize the system when driving with
snow chains.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Perform reset"4.Start the engine - do not drive away.5.Start the initialization with "Perform reset".6.Drive away.
The initialization is completed while driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
The initialization automatically continues when
driving resumes.
Indication of a flat tire The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
Check Control message is displayed.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire
inflation pressure.
1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with
regular tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 222, are la‐
beled with a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC marked on the tire sidewall.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if necessary.
System limits Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
A natural, even pressure loss in all four tires
cannot be detected. Therefore, check the tire
inflation pressure regularly.
The system could be delayed or malfunction in
the following situations:
▷When the system has not been initialized.▷When driving on a snowy or slippery road
surface.▷Sporty driving style: slip in the drive
wheels, high lateral acceleration.▷When driving with snow chains.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor may not
have been initialized. In this case, initialize
the system.Seite 108ControlsSafety108
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