Clean the windshield, headlights
Pull the wiper lever towards you.
The system sprays washer fluid on the wind‐
shield and activates the wipers briefly.
In addition, the headlights are cleaned at regu‐
lar intervals when the vehicle's lights are acti‐
vated.
Do not use the washer system at freezing
temperatures
Do not use the washers if fluid could freeze
onto the windshield which might impede your
viewing field. Therefore use antifreeze fluid.
Avoid using the washer when the reservoir is
empty; operation might damage pump.◀
Windshield washer nozzles The windshield washer nozzles are automati‐
cally heated while the ignition is switched on.
Fold-out position of the wipers Fold wipers back when you want to change the
blades or with pending low temperatures.
1.Switch the ignition on and off again.2.With icy conditions make sure that blades
are not frozen to the windshield.3.Press the wiper lever up beyond the point
of resistance and hold it for approx. 3 sec‐
onds, until the wiper remains in a nearly
vertical position.
After the wipers are folded back down, the
wiper system must be reactivated.
Folding wipers back down
Before switching the ignition on, fold the
wipers back down to the windshield; other‐
wise, the wipers may become damaged when
they are activated.◀1.Switch on the ignition.2.Push wiper lever down. Wipers move to
their resting position and are ready again
for operation.
Washer fluid
General information Antifreeze for washer fluid
Antifreeze is flammable and can cause
injury if it is used incorrectly.
Therefore, keep it away from possible sources
of ignition.
Only keep it in the closed original container
and inaccessible to children.
Follow the notes and instructions on the con‐
tainer.
United States: The washer fluid mixture ratio is
regulated by the U.S. EPA and many individual
states; do not exceed the allowable washer
fluid dilution ratios limits that apply. Follow the
usage instructions on the washer fluid con‐
tainer. Use BMW’s Windshield Washer Con‐
centrate or the equivalent.◀
Washer fluid reservoir Adding washer fluid
Only add washer fluid when the engine is
cool, and then close the cover completely to
avoid contact between the washer fluid and
hot engine parts.
Otherwise, there is a danger of fire and a risk to
personal safety if the fluid is spilled.◀
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All washer nozzles are supplied from one res‐
ervoir.
Fill with a mixture of windshield washer con‐
centrate and tap water and – if required – with a
washer antifreeze, according to the manufac‐
turer's recommendations.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to find the
right mixture.
Do not add windshield washer concentrate and
antifreeze undiluted and do not fill with pure
water; this could damage the wiper system.
Do not mix window washer concentrates of dif‐
ferent manufacturers because they can clog
the windshield washer nozzles.
Recommended minimum fill quantity:
0.2 US gal/1 liter.
Manual transmission
Shifting Shifting into 5th or 6th gear
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, push
the gearshift lever to the right; otherwise, inad‐
vertent shifting into 3rd or 4th gear could lead
to engine damage.◀
Reverse gear Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
To overcome the resistance push the selector
lever dynamically to the left and engage the re‐
verse gear.
Steptronic transmission
Selector lever positions
D Drive Selector lever position for normal vehicle oper‐
ation. All gears for forward travel are activated
automatically.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral: The vehicle may roll. Use in automatic car
washes, e.g.
When the ignition is switched off, refer to
page 63, selector lever position P is engaged
automatically.
P Park Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
P is engaged automatically:▷After the engine is switched off when the
vehicle is in radio-ready state, refer to
page 64, or when the ignition is switched
off, refer to page 63, and when position R
or D is set.▷With the ignition off, if selector lever posi‐
tion N is set.▷If the safety belt is unbuckled, the driver's
door is opened, and the brake pedal is not
pressed while the vehicle is stationary and
position D or R is set.
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that se‐
lector lever position P is set. Otherwise, the ve‐
hicle may begin to move.
Kickdown Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Step on the accelerator pedal
beyond the resistance point at the full throttle
position.
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Engaging selector lever positionsPress on the brake pedal until you start
driving
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after you
select a gear, maintain pressure on the brake
pedal until you are ready to start.◀▷It is not possible to shift out of selector
lever position P until the engine is running
and the brake is applied.▷With the vehicle is stationary, press on the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise, the shift command will not be
executed: shift lock.
Engaging D, R and N
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired di‐
rection, beyond a resistance point if needed.
After releasing the selector lever, it returns to
its center position.
Press unlock button, in order to:
▷Engage R.▷Shift out of P.Engaging P
Press button P.
Sport program and manual mode
Activating the sport program
Press the selector lever to the left out of selec‐
tor lever position D.
The sport program of the transmission is acti‐
vated.
Activating the M/S manual mode
1.Press the selector lever to the left out of
selector lever position D.2.Push the selector lever forward or pull it
backward.
Manual mode becomes active and the gear is
changed.
The engaged gear is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster, e.g., M1.
Once maximum engine speed is attained, M/S
manual mode is automatically upshifted as
needed.
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Switching to manual mode▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.▷To shift up: pull the selector lever rear‐
wards.
Gears will only be shifted at appropriate engine
and road speeds, for example downshifting is
not possible if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the currently se‐
lected gear.
Not M235i: Steptronic Sport transmission: prevent automatic
upshifting in M/S manual mode
In cars with Steptronic Sport transmission, au‐
tomatic shift operations are not performed e.g.
at maximum engine speed, if one of the follow‐
ing conditions is met:
▷DSC deactivated.▷TRACTION activated.▷SPORT+ activated.
In addition, the kickdown is deactivated.
M235i: prevent automatic upshifting in M/S manual mode
Once maximum engine speed is attained, up‐
shifting is not automatically performed in M/S
manual mode.
In addition, the kickdown is deactivated.
The lowest possible gear is selected by simul‐
taneously operating the kickdown and the left
shift paddle.
However, this effect is not produced via the
shift paddles when switching briefly from D to
manual mode.
Ending the sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shift paddles
The shift paddles on the steering wheel allow
you to shift gears quickly while keeping both
hands on the steering wheel.
▷Shift up: briefly pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: briefly pull left shift paddle.▷Shift down into the lowest possible gear:
pull and hold left shift paddle.
Gears will only be shifted at appropriate engine
and road speeds, for example downshifting is
not possible if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
If the shift paddles on the steering wheel are
used to shift gears in automatic mode, the
transmission temporarily switches to manual
mode.
If the selector lever is still in selector lever po‐
sition D, it is possible to reel back into the au‐
tomatic mode:
▷Pull and hold right shift paddle.
Or
▷In addition to the briefly pulled right shift
paddle, briefly pull the left shift paddle.
In the manual mode, if there has been no ac‐
celeration or shifting of the shift paddles within
a certain amount of time, the transmission
switches back to automatic mode.
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Displays in the instrument clusterThe selector lever position is dis‐played, e.g.: P.
Electronic unlocking of the
transmission lock
General information
Electronically unlock the transmission lock to
maneuver vehicle from the danger area.
Unlocking is possible, if the started can spin
the engine.
Engaging selector lever position N1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Press the Start/Stop button. The starter
must audibly start.3.Press and hold the selector lever into posi‐
tion N.
A corresponding Check Control message
is displayed.4.Press the selector lever again into posi‐
tion N within approx. 6 seconds.
Position N is displayed in the instrument
cluster.5.Release brake, as soon as the starter
stops.6.Maneuver the vehicle from the danger area
and secure it against moving on its own.
Steptronic Sport transmission:
Launch Control
The concept Launch Control enables optimum accelerationon surfaces with good traction.
Hints
Component wear
Do not use Launch Control too often;
otherwise, this may result in premature wear of
components due to the high stress placed on
the vehicle.◀
Do not use Launch Control during the break-in,
refer to page 150, period.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC
again as soon as possible.
An experienced driver may be able to achieve better acceleration values in DSC OFF mode.
Requirements
Launch Control is available when the engine is
warmed up, that is, after uninterrupted driving
of at least 6 miles/10 km.
To start with Launch Control do not steer the
steering wheel.
Start with launch controlWhile the engine is running:1. Press button or select Sport+ with
the Driving Dynamics Control.
TRACTION is displayed in the instrument
cluster and the indicator lamp for DSC OFF
lights up.2.Engage selector lever position S.3.With the left foot, forcefully press down on
the brake.4.Press and hold down the accelerator pedal
beyond the resistance point at the full
throttle position.
A flag symbol is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster.5.The starting engine speed adjusts. Within
3 seconds, release the brake.
Before using Launch Control, allow the trans‐
mission to cool down for approx. 5 minutes.
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▷Current fuel consumption, refer to
page 81.▷Navigation display, see User's manual for
Navigation, Entertainment and Communi‐
cation.▷Range, refer to page 81.▷Status, Driving Dynamics Control, refer to
page 113.▷Service requirements, refer to page 81.▷Speed limit detection, refer to page 83.▷Time, refer to page 81.
Check Control
The concept The Check Control system monitors functions
in the vehicle and notifies you of malfunctions
in the monitored systems.
A Check Control message is displayed as a
combination of indicator or warning lights and
text messages in the instrument cluster.
In addition, an acoustic signal may sound and atext message may appear on the Control Dis‐
play.
Indicator/warning lights
General information
The indicator and warning lights in the instru‐
ment cluster can light up in a variety of combi‐
nations and colors.
Several of the lights are checked for proper
functioning and light up temporarily when the
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.
Red lights Safety belt reminder Flashing or illuminated: safety belt on
the driver or passenger side is not
buckled. The safety belt reminder can
also be activated if objects are placed on the
front passenger seat.
Make sure that the safety belts are positioned
correctly.
Airbag system Airbag system and belt tensioner are
defective.
Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐
ice center immediately.
Parking brake, brake system For additional information, refer to Re‐lease parking brake, refer to page 67.
Front-end collision warning Illuminated: advance warning is issued,
e.g., when there is the impending dan‐
ger of a collision or the distance to the
vehicle ahead is too small.
Increase distance.
Flashing: acute warning of the imminent dan‐
ger of a collision when the vehicle approaches
another vehicle at a relatively high differential
speed.
Intervention by braking or make an evasive ma‐
neuver.
Pedestrian warning Symbol in the instrument cluster.
If a collision with a person detected in this way
is imminent, the symbol lights up and a signal
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Yellow lights
Antilock Brake System ABS It reduces the braking distance to a
minimum during emergency stops.
Illuminated: avoid abrupt braking if pos‐
sible. Braking force boost in some
cases defective. Stop carefully. Take
into account longer brake travel. Have this
checked by the service center immediately.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control Flashing: DSC controls the drive and
braking forces. The vehicle is stabi‐
lized. Reduce speed and adapt driving
profile to the driving circumstances.
Illuminated: DSC failed. Have the system
checked by the service center.
For additional information, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control DSC, refer to page 111.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control is
deactivated or DTC Dynamic Traction
Control is activated
Dynamic Stability Control DSC is
switched off or Dynamic Traction Con‐
trol DTC is switched on.
For additional information, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control, refer to page 111, and Dy‐
namic Traction Control, refer to page 112.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor The Flat Tire Monitor signals a loss of
tire inflation pressure in a tire.
Reduce your speed and stop cau‐
tiously. Avoid sudden braking and steering ma‐
neuvers.
For more information, see Flat Tire Monitor, re‐
fer to page 100.Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
Illuminated: the Tire Pressure Monitorsignals a loss of tire inflation pressure
in a tire.
Reduce your speed and stop cautiously. Avoid
sudden braking and steering maneuvers.
Flashing and then continuously illuminated: no
flat tire or loss of tire inflation pressure can be
detected.▷Interference through systems or devices
with the same radio frequency: after leav‐
ing the area of the interference, the system
automatically becomes active again.▷RDC could not conclude the reset: perform
the reset of the system again.▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if needed.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.
For more information, see Tire Pressure Moni‐
tor, refer to page 97
Steering system Steering system in some cases defec‐tive.
Have the steering system checked by
the service center.
Engine functions Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐ice center.
For additional information, refer to On-
board Diagnostics socket, refer to page 185.
Lane departure warning System is switched on and under cer‐
tain circumstances warns if a detected
lane is left without flashing beforehand.
For additional information, refer to Lane depar‐
ture warning, refer to page 108.
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Hiding Check Control messages
Press the onboard computer button on the
turn signal lever.
▷Some Check Control messages are dis‐
played continuously and are not cleared
until the malfunction is eliminated. If sev‐
eral malfunctions occur at once, the mes‐
sages are displayed consecutively.
These messages can be faded for approx.
8 seconds. After this time, they are dis‐
played again automatically.▷Other Check Control messages are faded
automatically after approx. 20 seconds.
They are stored and can be displayed
again later.
Displaying stored Check Control
messages
On the Control Display:
1."Vehicle info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Check Control"4.Select the text message.
Messages after trip completion Special messages displayed while driving are
displayed again after the ignition is switched
off.
Fuel gauge
Vehicle tilt position may cause
the display to vary.
Depending on the equipment
version, the arrow beside the
fuel pump symbol shows which
side of the vehicle the fuel filler flap is on.
Hints on refueling, refer to page 166.
Tachometer
Always avoid engine speeds in the red warning
field. In this range, the fuel supply is inter‐
rupted to protect the engine.
Coolant temperature If the coolant along with the engine becomes
too hot, a Check Control message is displayed.
Check the coolant level, refer to page 184.
Odometer and trip odometer
Display▷Odometer, arrow 1.▷Trip odometer, arrow 2.
Show/reset kilometers Press the knob.
▷When the ignition is
switched off, the time, the
external temperature and
the odometer are displayed.▷When the ignition is switched on, the trip
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