2015 BMW 7 SERIES Owner's Manual

Setting the interval time or sensitivity
of the rain sensor
Turn the thumbwheel to adjust the frequency
or sensitivity of the rain sensor.
Up: short interval or high sensitivity of the rain
sensor.
Down: long interval or low sensitivity of the rain
sensor.
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.
WARNING
The washer fluid can freeze onto the win‐
dow at low temperatures and obstruct the
view. There is risk of an accident. Only use the
washer systems, if the washer fluid cannot
freeze. Use antifreeze if needed.◀
CAUTION
When the wiper water container is
empty, the wash pump cannot work as in‐
tended. There is risk of property damage. Do
not use the washer system when the wash wa‐
ter container is empty.◀
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are automati‐
cally heated while operating readiness is
switched on.
Fold-out position of the wipers Fold wipers back when you want to change the
blades or with pending low temperatures.
WARNING
If the wipers start moving in the folded
away state, damage may occur to parts of the vehicle or body parts can be jammed. There is
risk of injuries or risk of property damage.
Make sure that the vehicle is switched off
when the wipers are in the folded away state
and the wipers are folded in when switching
on.◀1.Turn on operations.2.With icy conditions make sure that blades
are not frozen to the windshield.3.Press and hold wiper lever downward, until
the wipers stop in a close to vertical posi‐
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After the wipers are folded back down, the
wiper system must be reactivated.1.Switch on drive readiness and press and
hold the wiper lever downward again.2.Wipers return to their resting position and
are ready again for operation.
Washer fluid
Information WARNING
Some antifreeze agents can contain
harmful substances and are flammable. There
is risk of fire and risk of injuries. Observe the
instructions on the containers. Keep antifreeze
away from ignition sources. Do not refill oper‐
ating materials into different bottles. Store op‐
erating materials out of reach of children.
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 ratio limits that apply. Follow the
usage instructions on the washer fluid con‐
tainer.
Use of BMW’s Windshield Washer Concen‐
trate or the equivalent is recommended.◀
WARNING
Improperly executed work under the
hood can damage components and lead to a
safety risk. There is risk of accidents or risk of
property damage. Have work under the hood
be executed by a dealer’s service center or an‐
other qualified service center or repair shop.◀
Washer fluid reservoir
All washer nozzles are supplied from one res‐
ervoir in the engine compartment.
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.
Steptronic transmission
Information WARNING
An unsecured vehicle can put itself into
motion and roll away. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Before exiting, secure the vehicle against
rolling.
In order to ensure that the vehicle is secured
against rolling away, observe the following:
▷Set the parking brake.▷On uphill grades or on a slope, turn the
front wheels in the direction of the curb.Seite 106ControlsDriving106
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▷On uphill grades or on a slope, also secure
the vehicle, e.g. with a wheel chock.◀
Selector lever positions
D Drive
Selector lever position for normal vehicle oper‐
ation. All gears for forward travel are activated
automatically.
To reduce fuel consumption, the engine is au‐
tomatically decoupled from the transmission
under the conditions described for Coasting,
refer to page 245.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral:
The vehicle may roll in selector lever posi‐
tion N.
Engage selector lever position N, e.g. in car
washes, refer to page 291.
With operating readiness switched off, refer to
page 20, selector lever position P is engaged
automatically.
P Park Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
Selector lever position P is engaged automati‐
cally:
▷After drive readiness, refer to page 97, is
switched off and selector lever position R
or D is engaged.▷If operating readiness is switched off and
selector lever position N is engaged.▷If the driver's safety belt is released, the
driver's door is opened, and the brake
pedal is not pressed while the vehicle is
stationary and selector lever position D or
R is set.Kickdown
Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Step on the accelerator pedal
beyond the resistance point at the full throttle
position.
Engaging selector lever positions General information 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 selector lever
position P or N; otherwise, the shift command
will not be executed: shift lock.
A block prevents the inadvertent switching to
selector lever position R or the inadvertent
change from selector lever position P.
Engaging selector lever position D, N, R
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.
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Canceling the lock
Press unlock button.Engage selector lever position 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 engaged gear is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster, e.g., S1.
The sport program of the transmission is acti‐
vated.
Activating the M/S manual mode1.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.
If the situation requires, the Steptronic trans‐
mission continues to shift automatically.
Example: once maximum engine speed is at‐
tained, M/S manual mode is automatically up‐
shifted as needed.
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.
Steptronic Sport transmission:
prevent automatic upshifting in M/S
manual mode
If drive mode SPORT, refer to page 111, is se‐
lected, the Steptronic Sport transmission does
not automatically upshift in M/S manual mode
once the maximum speed is reached.
In addition, there is no downshift for kickdown.
With the respective transmission version, the
lowest possible gear can be selected by simul‐
taneously operating the kickdown and the left
shift paddle. However, this effect is not pro‐
duced via the shift paddles when switching
briefly from selector lever position D to manual
mode.
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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.▷With the respective transmission version,
the lowest possible gear can be selected
by pulling and holding the 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 with the respective transmission ver‐
sion, it is possible to switch back into the auto‐
matic 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, after conservative driving
for a certain amount of time or if there has
been no acceleration or shifting of the shift
paddles within a certain amount of time, the
transmission switches back to automatic
mode.
Displays in the instrument cluster The selector lever position is
displayed, 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 and hold the Start/Stop button. The
starter must audibly start.3.Press and hold the selector lever into se‐
lector lever position N, until selector lever
position N is displayed in the instrument
cluster.
A corresponding Check Control message
is displayed.4.Release Start/Stop button and selector
lever.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.
Launch Control
The concept Launch Control enables optimum accelerationon surfaces with good traction.
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General information
The use of Launch Control causes premature
component wear since this function represents
a very heavy load for the vehicle.
Do not use Launch Control during the break-in,
refer to page 234, 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.
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, kickdown.
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.
Launch Control adjusts to the surrounding
conditions, e.g., wet pavement, when used
again.
Driving Dynamics Control
The conceptThe Driving Dynamics Control influences the
driving dynamics properties of the vehicle. The
vehicle can be adjusted depending on the sit‐
uation using various driving modes.
The following systems are affected:▷Engine characteristics.▷Steptronic transmission.▷Dynamic Damping Control.▷Air suspension▷Active roll stabilization.▷Integral Active Steering.▷Display in the instrument cluster.▷Cruise control.▷Backrest width for comfort seats.
Overview
Controls
Drive modes
Press but‐
tonDrive modeConfigurationSPORTINDIVIDUALCOMFORTPLUSECO PROINDIVIDUALADAPTIVESeite 110ControlsDriving110
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Selecting a driving modePress button for the desired driving mode
once.
Activating configuration of the driving mode
Press button for the desired driving mode sev‐
eral times.
Configure INDIVIDUAL driving mode1.Activate desired driving mode with Driving
Dynamics Control switch.2."Configure INDIVIDUAL"
Select desired setting.
The individual configuration of the driving
mode is taken over for the active profile. The
last set configuration is activated directly when
the driving mode is called up. With activating of
the drive-ready state, the COMFORT driving
mode is selected automatically.
Displays in the instrument cluster The selected drive mode is dis‐played in the instrument cluster.
Display on the Control Display
Drive mode changes can be briefly shown on
the Control Display.
About iDrive:
1."My Vehicle"2."Vehicle settings"3."Driving Experience Control"4."Driving mode information in control
display"Driving modes in detail
COMFORT
The concept
Balanced tuning between dynamic and con‐
sumption-optimized driving.
Switching on Press button repeatedly until COM‐
FORT is displayed in the instrument
cluster.
COMFORT PLUS
The concept
Particularly comfortable tuning for optimum traveling comfort.
Switching on Press button repeatedly until COM‐
FORT PLUS is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster.
SPORT
The concept
Dynamic tuning for higher agility.
Switching on Press button. SPORT is displayed in
the instrument cluster.
SPORT INDIVIDUAL The concept
Individual settings can be adjusted in the
SPORT INDIVIDUAL drive mode.Seite 111DrivingControls111
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Configuration
About iDrive:1."My Vehicle"2."Vehicle settings"3."Driving Experience Control"4."Configure SPORT INDIVIDUAL"5.Select desired setting.
The setting is stored for the drive profile cur‐
rently used.
Reset SPORT INDIVIDUAL to the standard
settings:
"Reset to SPORT STANDARD".
ECO PRO The concept
Consumption-optimized tuning, refer to
page 241.
Switching on Press button. ECO PRO is displayed
in the instrument cluster.
ECO PRO INDIVIDUAL The concept
Individual settings can be adjusted in the ECO
PRO INDIVIDUAL drive mode.
Configuration
About iDrive:
1."My Vehicle"2."Vehicle settings"3."Driving Experience Control"4."Configure ECO PRO INDIVIDUAL"5.Select desired setting.
The setting is stored for the drive profile cur‐
rently used.
Reset ECO PRO INDIVIDUAL to the standard
settings:
"Reset to ECO PRO STANDARD".
ADAPTIVE
The concept
Comfort-oriented drive mode, whose tuning is
automatically adjusted to the driving situation
and driving style.
If the navigation system is active, upcoming
road sections are considered as well.
Switching on Press button. ADAPTIVE is displayed
in the instrument cluster.Seite 112ControlsDriving112
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