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the washer system when the wash water con‐
tainer is empty.◀
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are automati‐
cally heated while the ignition is switched on.
Rear window wiper
Switching on the rear window wiper
Turn the switch from idle position 0 upward, ar‐
row 1: interval mode. When reverse gear is en‐
gaged, the system switches to continuous op‐
eration.
Cleaning rear window
In interval mode: turn the switch further, ar‐
row 2. The switch automatically returns to its
interval position when released.
In idle position: turn switch downward, arrow 3.
The switch automatically returns to its idle posi‐
tion when released.
Fold-out position of the wipers
Helpful when changing the wiper blades or un‐
der frosty conditions, for example.
WARNING
If the wipers start moving in the folded
away state, body parts can be jammed or dam‐
age may occur to parts of the vehicle. 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.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.
1.Switch on the ignition.2.Push wiper lever down. Wipers return to
their resting position and are ready again
for operation.
Washer fluid
General information
All washer nozzles are supplied from one reser‐
voir.
Prepare and dilute a mixture of tap water,
windshield washer concentrate, and possibly
antifreeze prior to filling.
Recommended minimum fill quantity:
0.2 US gal/1 liter.
Information
WARNING
Some antifreeze agents can contain
harmful substances and are flammable. There
is risk of fire and risk of injuries. Observe the in‐
structions 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
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usage instructions on the washer fluid con‐
tainer.
Use of BMW’s Windshield Washer Concentrate
or the equivalent is recommended.◀
WARNING
Washer fluid can ignite and catch fire on
contact with hot engine parts. There is risk of
injuries or risk of property damage. Only add
washer fluid when the engine is cooled down.
Next, fully close the lid of the washer fluid res‐
ervoir.◀
CAUTION
Silicon-containing additives in the washer
fluid for the water-repelling effect on the win‐
dows can lead to damage to the washing sys‐
tem. There is risk of property damage. Do not
add silicon-containing additives to the washer
fluid.◀
CAUTION
The use of undiluted and different wind‐
shield washer concentrate or antifreeze can
lead to damage to the washing system. There is
risk of property damage. Dilute windshield
washer concentrate or antifreeze prior to filling.
Observe the information and mixing ratios pro‐
vided on the containers. Do not mix windshield
washer concentrates of different manufactur‐
ers.◀
Overview
The washer fluid reservoir is located in the en‐
gine compartment.
Manual transmission
Information
CAUTION
When shifting to a lower gear, excessive
speeds can damage the engine. There is risk of
property damage. When shifting into 5th or 6th
gear, press the gearshift lever to the right.◀
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.
▷On uphill grades or on a slope, also secure
the vehicle, for example with a wheel
chock.◀
Shifting
General information
The engine speed during a shifting operation is
adjusted automatically for harmonious and dy‐
namic gear shifting.
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.
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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.
▷On uphill grades or on a slope, also secure
the vehicle, for example 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.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
The vehicle may roll. Use in automatic car
washes, for example.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
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 be‐
yond the resistance point at the full throttle po‐
sition.
Engaging selector lever positions
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after you
select a gear, maintain pressure on the brake
pedal until you are ready to start.
The selector lever can only be taken out of se‐
lector lever position P if the ignition is on or the
engine is running.
With the vehicle stationary, depress the brake
pedal before shifting out of selector lever posi‐
tion P or N; otherwise, the shift block will not be
deactivated and the shift command will not be
executed.
A block prevents the inadvertent switching to
selector lever position P or R or the inadvertent
change from selector lever position P.
Canceling the lock
Press unlock button on the front of the selector
lever, arrow.
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Sport program and manual mode M/S
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, for example, S1.
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 se‐
lector lever position D.
2.Push the selector lever forward or back‐
ward.
Manual mode M/S becomes active and the gear
is changed.
The engaged gear is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster, for example, 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.
Manual mode M/S: prevent automatic
upshifting
Once a particular engine speed is attained, M/S
manual mode is automatically upshifted as
needed.
For vehicles with Steptronic Sport transmission,
automatic shift operations are not performed if
one of the following conditions is met:
▷DSC is deactivated.▷TRACTION is activated.
In addition, there is no downshifting for kick‐
down.
With the respective transmission version, the
lowest possible gear can be selected by simul‐
taneously operating the kickdown and the left
shift paddle. This is not possible, when switch‐
ing briefly via the shift paddles from selector
lever position D to manual mode M/S.
Ending the sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shift paddles for Steptronic Sport
transmission
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.Seite 76CONTROLSDriving76
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▷Shift down: briefly pull left shift paddle.▷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.
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.
It is possible to switch into the automatic mode:
▷Pull and hold right shift paddle.
or
▷In addition to the briefly pulled right shift
paddle, briefly pull the left shift paddle.
Displays in the instrument cluster
The selector lever position is dis‐
played, for example: P.
Manually release the transmission lock
Should the selector lever be blocked in selector
lever position P despite the ignition being
turned on, the brake being depressed and the
unlock button being pressed, the transmission
lock can be manually canceled:
Before unlocking the transmission lock man‐
ually, set the parking brake to prevent the vehi‐
cle from rolling away.
1.Loosen the selector lever sleeve together
with the lower retaining ring and possibly
the Driving Dynamics Control from the cen‐
ter console. For this purpose, pull the re‐
taining ring and possibly the Driving Dy‐
namics Control upward on the rear edge.
2.Lift the sleeve. Unplug the cable connector
if needed.
3.Using the screwdriver from the onboard ve‐
hicle tool kit, refer to page 203, press the
yellow release lever downward, arrow.
4.Move the selector lever slightly toward the
rear; to do this press the unlock button on
the front of the selector lever.
Release the release lever.
5.Bring the selector lever into the desired po‐
sition.
Steptronic Sport transmission: Launch
Control
The concept
Launch Control enables optimum acceleration
on 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 162, 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, re‐
fer to page 117.
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 control
While the engine is running:
1. Press button and select SPORT with
Driving Dynamics Control, refer to
page 119.
The instrument cluster displays TRACTION
in combination with SPORT. The DSC OFF
indicator lamp lights up.
2.Engage selector lever position S.3.With the left foot, forcefully press down on
the brake.
4.Step on the accelerator pedal beyond the
resistance point at the full throttle position,
kickdown.
A flag symbol is displayed in the instrument
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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DisplaysVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Instrument cluster
Overview, instrument cluster
1Tachometer 842Indicator/warning lights3Speedometer4Fuel gauge 845Display/reset miles 846Electronic displays 80Seite 79DisplaysCONTROLS79
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Electronic displays1Driver assistance systems
Messages, e.g., Check Control
Time 84
External temperature 84
Selection lists 88
Total miles/trip odometer 84
On-board computer 882Selector lever position display 75
Gear shift indicator 86
3Driving Dynamics Control 119
Status
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 com‐
bination of indicator or warning lights and text
messages in the instrument cluster and in the
Head-up Display.
In addition, an acoustic signal may be output
and a text message may appear on the Control
Display.
Indicator/warning lights
General information
The indicator and warning lights can light up in
a variety of combinations 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 buck‐
led. The safety belt reminder can also
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