
Checking and replacing safety belts
Have the work performed only by your
service center; otherwise, it cannot be ensured
that this safety feature will function properly.◀
Front Head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event
of an accident.
Adjusting the head restraint
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occupied seats; otherwise, there is an in‐
creased risk of injury in an accident.◀
Height Adjust the head restraint so that its center is
approximately at ear level.
Distance
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint
is as close as possible to the back of the head.
Active head restraint In the event of a rear-end collision with a cer‐
tain severity, the active head restraint automat‐
ically reduces the distance from the head.
Reduced protective function▷Do not use seat or head restraint
covers.▷Do not hang objects, e.g., clothes hangers,
on the head restraints.▷Only attach accessories approved by BMW
to the seat or head restraint.
Otherwise, the protective function of the active
head restraint will be impaired and the per‐
sonal safety of the occupants will be endan‐
gered.◀
In the case of strain caused by accidents or
damage:
Have the active headrest checked and if nec‐
essary replaced.
Adjusting the height
Adjusting electrically.
Distance to the back of the head
▷Forward: pull.▷Back: press the button and push the head
restraint toward the rear.
Adjusting the side extensions
Fold forward for increased lateral support in
the resting position.
Seite 49AdjustingControls49
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
keep the danger of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible if the airbag is trig‐
gered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e., do not
cover with adhesive labels or coverings,
and do not attach holders such as for navi‐
gation instruments and mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sit‐
ting correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and
legs in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries
can occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as
jackets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system.
This also applies to steering wheel covers,
the dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars
and the sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary
hearing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered;
otherwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explo‐
sives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired triggering of the airbag, either of
which could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Functional readiness of the airbag
system
When the ignition is switch on, the
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up briefly and thereby indicates
the operational readiness of the entire airbag
system and the belt tensioner.
Airbag system malfunctioning
▷Warning lamp does not come on when the
ignition is turned on.▷The warning lamp lights up continuously.Seite 94ControlsSafety94
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

When there is a malfunction, have the
airbag system checked immediately
When there is a malfunction, have the airbag
system checked immediately; otherwise, there
is a risk that the system does not function as
expected in the event of an accident despite
corresponding severity of the accident.◀
Automatic deactivation of the front passenger airbags
The system determines whether the front pas‐
senger seat is occupied by measuring the re‐
sistance of the human body.
The front, knee, and side airbag on the front passenger side are activated or deactivated
accordingly.
Leave feet in the footwell
Make sure that the front passenger
keeps his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise,
the front passenger airbags may not function properly.◀
Child restraint fixing system in the front
passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the front pas‐
senger seat, refer to the safety notes and in‐
structions under Children on the front passen‐
ger seat.◀
Malfunction of the automaticdeactivation system
When transporting older children and adults,
the front passenger airbags may be deacti‐
vated in certain sitting positions. In this case,
the indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags lights up.
In this case, change the sitting position so that
the front passenger airbags are activated and
the indicator lamp goes out.
If it is not possible to activate the airbags, have
the person sit in the rear.
To make sure that the occupied seat cushion
can be evaluated correctly▷Do not attach covers, cushions, ball mats
or other items to the front passenger seat
unless they are specifically recommended
by the manufacturer of your vehicle.▷Do not place any electronic devices on the
passenger seat if a child restraint system is
to be installed on it.▷Do not place objects under the seat that
could press against the seat from below.
Indicator lamp for the front passenger
airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags indicates the operating state of the front
passenger airbags.
The lamp indicates whether the airbags are ac‐
tivated or deactivated.
▷The indicator lamp lights up
when a child who is properly
seated in a child restraint fix‐
ing system intended for that
purpose is detected on the
seat or the seat is empty.
The airbags on the front
passenger side are not acti‐
vated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient size is detected on the seat. The
airbags on the front passenger side are ac‐
tivated.Seite 95SafetyControls95
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

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.Identify the damaged wheel. Do so by
checking the tire inflation pressure using
the Mobility System. Correcting the tire in‐
flation pressure, refer to page 169.3.Repair flat tire with the Mobility System, re‐
fer to page 166, or replace the damaged
wheel.
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.
Seite 97SafetyControls97
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

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‐
sured. Initialize the system after each correc‐ tion of the tire inflation pressure and afterevery 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.Identify the damaged wheel. Do so by
checking the tire inflation pressure using
the Mobility System. If the tire inflation
pressure in all tires is correct, the Flat Tire
Monitor may not have been initialized. In
this case, initialize the system.3.Repair flat tire with the Mobility System, re‐
fer to page 166, or replace the damaged
wheel.
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.
Intelligent Safety
The concept
Depending on how the vehicle is equipped, In‐
telligent Safety consists of one or more of the
Seite 99SafetyControls99
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

FuelVehicle equipmentAll 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.
Fuel recommendation Gasoline For the best fuel economy, the gasoline should
be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur content.
Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as con‐
taining metal must not be used.
Refuel only with unleaded gasoline with‐
out metallic additives.
Do not refuel with any leaded gasoline or gaso‐
line with metallic additives, e. g. manganese or
iron, or permanent damage to the catalytic
converter and other components.◀
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of
10 %, i. e., E10, may be used for refueling.
Ethanol should satisfy the following quality
standards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
Do not refuel with ethanol E85
Do not refuel with E85, i.e., fuel with an
ethanol content of 85 %, or with Flex Fuel, as
this would damage the engine and fuel supply
system.◀Gasoline quality
BMW recommends AKI 93.
Minimum fuel grade
BMW recommends AKI 91.
Minimum fuel grade
Do not use any gasoline below the mini‐
mum fuel grade as this may impair engine per‐
formance.◀
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Fuel quality
The use of poor-quality fuels may result
in harmful engine deposits or damage. Addi‐
tionally, problems relating to drivability, start‐ ing and stalling, especially under certain envi‐
ronmental conditions such as high ambient
temperature and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI num‐
ber — for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful en‐
gine deposits, it is highly recommended to
purchase gasoline from BP or Top Tier retail‐
ers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled main‐
tenance.◀Seite 160MobilityFuel160
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
In case of tire damage
If there are indications of tire damage, re‐
duce your speed immediately and have the
wheels and tires checked right away; other‐
wise, there is the increased risk of an accident.
Drive carefully to the nearest service center. If
necessary, have the vehicle towed.
Otherwise, tire damage can be life-threatening
for vehicle occupants and other traffic partici‐
pants.◀
Repair of tire damage
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends that you do not have
damaged tires repaired; they should be re‐
placed. Otherwise, damage can occur as a re‐
sult.◀
Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Information on mounting tires
Have mounting and balancing performed
only by a service center.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.◀
Wheel and tire combination
Information on the correct wheel-tire combina‐
tion and rim versions for your vehicle can be
obtained from your service center.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair
the function of a variety of systems such as
ABS or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
Approved wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle recom‐
mends that you use only wheels and tires that
have been approved for your particular vehicle
model.
For example, despite having the same official
size ratings, variations can lead to body con‐
tact and with it, the risk of severe accidents.
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot eval‐
uate non-approved wheels and tires to deter‐
mine if they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of the vehi‐
cle if they are mounted.◀
Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your ve‐
hicle recommends certain tire brands. These
can be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.
With proper use, these tires meet the highest
standards for safety and handling.
New tires Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full
traction potential until after an initial breaking-
in period.
Seite 165Wheels and tiresMobility165
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13

Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
Retreaded tires
Possibly substantial variations in the de‐
sign and age of the tire casing structures can
limit service life and have a negative impact on
road safety.◀
Winter tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle recommends
winter tires for winter roads or at temperatures
below +45 ℉/+7 ℃.
Although so-called all-season M+S tires do
provide better winter traction than summer
tires, they do not provide the same level of per‐
formance as winter tires.
Maximum speed of winter tires If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,
then display a corresponding sign in the field
of vision. You can obtain this sign from the tire
specialist or from your service center.
Maximum speed for winter tires
Do not exceed the maximum speed for
the winter tires; otherwise, tire damage and ac‐
cidents can occur.◀
Rotating wheels between axles The manufacturer of your vehicle advisesagainst switching wheels between the front
and rear axles.
This can impair the handling characteristics.
Rotating the tires is not permissible when us‐
ing different types of tires.Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres‐
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.
Repairing a flat tire Safety measures in case of a breakdown
Park the vehicle as far away as possible
from passing traffic and on solid ground.
Switch on the hazard warning system.
Turn the steering wheel until the front wheels are in the straight-ahead position and engage
the steering wheel lock.
Secure vehicle against rolling away by setting
the parking brake and switching off the igni‐
tion.
Have all vehicle occupants get out of the vehi‐
cle and ensure that they remain outside the
immediate area in a safe place, such as behind
a guardrail.
If necessary, set up a warning triangle at an ap‐
propriate distance.
Comply with all safety guidelines and regula‐
tions.◀
Mobility System Notes▷Follow the instructions on using the Mobi‐
lity System found on the compressor and
sealant bottle.▷Use of the Mobility System may be ineffec‐
tive if the tire puncture measures approx.
1/8 in/4 mm or more.▷Contact the nearest service center if the
tire cannot be made drivable.Seite 166MobilityWheels and tires166
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 910 796 - VI/13