2004-2011 BMW 1 Series 4 Door Controls User Manual
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USER MANUALS FOR EVERY MAKE & MODEL

Controls for Your BMW 1 Series 4 Door First Generation (2004-2011)

Controls  
This chapter is intended to provide you with  
information for complete control of your vehicle.  
All features and accessories that are useful for  
driving and your safety, comfort and  
convenience, are described here.  
 
Opening and closing  
New remote controls  
Remote control  
Your BMW center can supply new remote con-  
trols with integrated keys as additional units or  
as replacements in the event of loss.  
Personal Profile  
The concept  
You can set many of your BMW's functions to  
suit your personal needs and preferences.  
Without any action on your part, Personal Pro-  
file ensures that most of these settings are  
stored for the remote control currently in use.  
When you unlock the car, the remote control  
used for the purpose is recognized and the set-  
tings stored for it are called up and imple-  
mented.  
Each remote control contains a rechargeable  
battery that is automatically recharged when it  
is in the ignition lock while the car is being  
driven. Use each remote control at least twice a  
year for longer road trips in order to maintain the  
batteries' charge status. In cars with Comfort  
Access*, the remote control contains a  
replaceable battery, refer to page 34.  
This means that your personal settings will be  
activated for you, even if in the meantime your  
car was used by someone else with another  
remote control and the corresponding settings.  
The individual settings are stored for a maxi-  
mum of four remote controls. They are stored  
for two remote controls if Comfort Access* is in  
use.  
The settings called up and implemented when  
the car is unlocked depend on which remote  
control is used to unlock the car, refer to Per-  
sonal Profile, next column.  
In addition, information about service require-  
ments is stored in the remote control, refer to  
Service data in the remote control, page 203.  
Personal Profile settings  
Integrated key  
For more information on specific settings, refer  
to the specified pages.  
>
>
>
>
>
Programming the Programmable memory  
keys, refer to page 20  
Response of the central locking system  
when the car is unlocked, refer to page 27  
Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to  
page 30  
Automatic call-up* of the driver's seat posi-  
tion, refer to page 48  
Press button 1 to release the key.  
The integrated key fits the following locks:  
Triple turn signal activation, refer to  
page 60  
>
>
Driver's door, refer to page 29  
Convertible: glove compartment, refer to  
page 99  
26  
 
>
Settings for the display on the Control Dis-  
play and in the instrument cluster:  
>
>
Via the door lock*  
In cars with Comfort Access*, via the han-  
dles on the driver's and front passenger  
doors  
> 12h/24h format of the clock, refer to  
page 69  
> Date format, refer to page 71  
In addition, if the remote control is used, the  
welcome lamps*, interior lamps and the door's  
courtesy lamps* are switched on or off. The  
alarm system* is also armed or disarmed.  
For further details on the alarm system*, refer  
to page 32.  
> Brightness of the Control Display, refer  
to page 74  
> Language of the Control Display, refer to  
page 73  
> Units of measure for fuel consumption,  
distance covered/remaining distances,  
and temperature, refer to page 67  
Operating from inside  
By means of the button for central locking, refer  
to page 30.  
>
>
Show visual warning for Park Distance Con-  
trol PDC, refer to page 75  
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the  
central locking system unlocks automatically. In  
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-  
rior lamps come on.  
Light settings:  
> Welcome lamps, refer to page 86  
> Pathway lighting, refer to page 87  
> Daytime running lights, refer to page 87  
> High-beam assistant*, refer to page 88  
Opening and closing:  
Using the remote control  
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle  
could lock the doors from the inside. You  
should therefore take the remote control with  
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter  
can be opened from outside.<  
>
>
Automatic climate control: activating/deac-  
tivating AUTO program, cooling function  
and automatic recirculated-air control, set-  
ting temperature, air volume and distribu-  
tion, refer to page 92 ff  
Entertainment:  
> Tone control, refer to page 136  
Convertible: to operate the convertible  
top with the remote control, the doors and  
trunk lid must be closed and the cargo area par-  
tition must be folded down and engaged on  
both sides. Refer also to page 40.<  
> Speed-dependent volume control, refer  
to page 136  
Central locking system  
Unlocking  
The concept  
Press the  
button.  
The central locking system functions when the  
driver's door is closed.  
The interior lamps, the courtesy lamps* and the  
welcome lamps come on.  
The system simultaneously engages and  
releases the locks on the following:  
Setting unlocking characteristics  
You can set whether only the driver's door or  
the entire vehicle is to be unlocked when the  
button is pressed for the first time.  
>
>
>
Doors  
Trunk lid  
Fuel filler flap  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Door locks"  
Operating from outside  
>
Via the remote control  
27  
 
3. "Unlock button"  
Hold the  
button down.  
The convertible top and the windows are  
closed.  
Watch during the closing process to  
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing  
the button interrupts the closing process.<  
Switching on interior lamps  
While the car is locked:  
Press the  
button.  
You can also use this function to locate your  
vehicle in parking garages etc.  
4. Select a menu item:  
> "All doors"  
Press the  
entire vehicle.  
button once to unlock the  
Unlocking the trunk lid  
Press the  
button for a longer period.  
> "Driver's door only"  
The trunk lid opens a short distance, regardless  
of whether it was locked or unlocked.  
Pressing the  
button once unlocks  
the driver's door and fuel filler flap.  
Press the button twice to unlock the  
entire vehicle.  
The trunk lid swings backward and up  
when opened. Ensure that there is suffi-  
cient clearance.  
To avoid locking yourself out by accident, do  
not place the remote control in the cargo area.  
A previously locked trunk lid is locked again  
after closing.  
5. Press the controller.  
Coupe: Convenient opening  
Hold the  
button down.  
The windows and the glass roof* are opened.  
Before and after each trip, check that the trunk  
lid has not been inadvertently unlocked.<  
Convertible: Convenient opening*  
When you are close to the vehicle, the remote  
control for Comfort Access can be used to open  
the convertible top and windows.  
Confirmation signals  
You can activate or deactivate the confirmation  
signals.  
Hold the  
button down.  
1. "Settings"  
The windows and the convertible top are  
opened provided that the doors are closed.  
2. "Door locks"  
3. "Flash when lock/unlock"  
If you continue pressing the  
dows move up.  
button, the win-  
Watch during the opening process to  
ensure that no one is injured. Releasing  
the button interrupts the opening process.<  
Locking  
Press the  
button.  
Convertible: Convenient closing*  
4. Press the controller.  
When you are close to the vehicle, the remote  
control for Comfort Access can be used to  
close the convertible top and windows.  
Flashing when locking/unlocking the vehi-  
cle is switched on.  
28  
 
Malfunctions  
Opening and closing:  
Using the door lock  
The remote control may malfunction due to  
local radio waves. If this occurs, unlock and lock  
the car at the door lock with the integrated key.  
Coupe: in vehicles without an alarm system* or  
Comfort Access*, only the driver's door can be  
unlocked and locked using the integrated key in  
the door lock.  
If the car can no longer be locked with a remote  
control, the battery in the remote control is dis-  
charged. Use the remote control on an  
extended trip to recharge the battery, refer to  
page 26. The remote control for Comfort  
Access contains a battery that may have to be  
changed, refer to page 34.  
You can set the way in which the car is  
unlocked, refer to page 27.  
Coupe  
For US owners only  
In vehicles without an alarm system* or  
Comfort Access*, only the driver's door  
can be locked via the door lock.<  
The transmitter and receiver units comply with  
part 15 of the FCC/Federal Communications  
Commission regulations. Operation is gov-  
erned by the following:  
To lock both doors, the fuel filler flap and the  
trunk lid together:  
FCC ID:  
1. With the doors closed, lock the vehicle  
using the button for the central locking sys-  
tem in the interior, refer to page 30.  
LX8766S  
LX8766E  
LX8CAS  
2. Unlock and open the driver's or front pas-  
senger door, refer to page 30.  
Compliance statement:  
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC  
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two  
conditions:  
3. Lock the vehicle.  
> Lock the driver's door using the inte-  
grated key in the door lock, or  
>
This device must not cause harmful inter-  
ference, and  
> press down the lock button of the front  
passenger door and close the door from  
the outside.  
>
this device must accept any interference  
received, including interference that may  
cause undesired operation.  
Convenient operation*  
Any unauthorized modifications or  
changes to these devices could void the  
user's authority to operate this equipment.<  
Coupe: if the vehicle is equipped with an alarm  
system* or Comfort Access*, you can also  
operate the windows and glass roof* via the  
door lock.  
Convertible: you can operate the windows and  
convertible top via the door lock.  
Hold the key in the position for unlocking or  
locking.  
During each closing procedure, and when  
opening the convertible top, watch the  
process and ensure that no one becomes  
29  
 
trapped. Releasing the key stops the opera-  
tion.<  
vehicle after a short time, unless a door  
has been opened.  
> "Lock after start. to drive"  
The central locking system locks the  
vehicle when you drive away.  
Manual operation  
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can  
lock and unlock the driver's door by turning the  
integrated key to the corresponding limit posi-  
tions in the door lock.  
Opening and closing:  
From inside  
The function is switched on and is stored  
for the remote control currently in use.  
Unlocking and opening doors  
>
Either unlock the doors together using the  
button for the central locking system and  
then pull the door handle above the armrest  
or  
This button serves to unlock or lock doors and  
the trunk lid, but does not activate the anti-theft  
system. The fuel filler flap remains unlocked.  
>
pull on the door handle of each door twice:  
the first time unlocks the door, the second  
time opens it.  
Automatic locking  
Locking  
You can also set the situations in which the car  
locks:  
>
Use the central locking button to lock all of  
the doors simultaneously, or  
1. "Settings"  
>
press down the safety lock button of a door.  
To prevent you from being locked out, the  
open driver's door cannot be locked using  
the lock button.  
2. "Door locks"  
3. Select the desired function:  
> "Lock if no door is opened"  
The central locking system locks the  
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle  
could lock the doors from the inside. You  
should therefore take the remote control with  
you when you leave the vehicle so that the latter  
can be opened from outside.<  
Trunk lid  
In order to avoid damage, make sure there  
is sufficient clearance before opening the  
trunk lid.<  
30  
 
Opening from inside  
Locking separately  
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 1.  
The trunk lid is locked and cannot be unlocked  
using the central locking system.  
If you give the remote control without the inte-  
grated key to someone else while the glove  
compartment is locked, the trunk lid cannot be  
opened. This is an advantage when valet park-  
ing, for example. Locking the glove compart-  
ment, refer to page 99.  
Press the button: the trunk lid opens unless it  
has been locked.  
Unlocking separately  
Push the switch in the direction of arrow 2.  
Opening from outside  
Emergency release  
Press the button, see arrow, or the  
button on  
the remote control for a longer period. The  
trunk lid opens slightly and can be swung  
upward.  
Pull the lever in the cargo area. The trunk lid is  
unlocked.  
In the event of a malfunction, please con-  
tact your BMW center or a workshop that  
works according to BMW repair procedures  
with correspondingly trained personnel.<  
Closing  
Locking or unlocking separately  
The handle recesses on the interior trim of the  
trunk lid make it easier to pull down.  
Make sure that the closing path of the  
trunk lid is clear; otherwise, injuries may  
result.<  
The switch is located in the glove compartment.  
1
2
Locking the trunk lid  
Unlocking the trunk lid  
31  
 
Indicator lamp displays  
Alarm system*  
The concept  
The vehicle alarm system responds:  
>
>
>
When a door, the hood or the trunk lid is  
opened  
To movements inside the vehicle: interior  
motion sensor, refer to page 32  
When the car's inclination changes, for  
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up  
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to  
towing away: tilt alarm sensor, refer to  
page 32  
>
>
The indicator lamp under the inside rear-  
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-  
tem is armed.  
The indicator lamp flashes after locking:  
doors, hood or trunk lid are not properly  
closed. Even if you do not close the alerted  
area, the system begins to monitor the  
remaining areas, and the indicator lamp  
flashes continuously after approx.  
>
When there has been an interruption of  
power supply from the battery  
Depending on the market-specific version, the  
alarm system briefly signals unauthorized entry  
attempts by:  
>
>
An acoustic alarm  
10 seconds. The interior motion sensor and  
the tilt alarm sensor are not activated.  
Switching on* the hazard warning flashers  
>
>
The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:  
your vehicle has not been disturbed while  
you were away.  
Arming and disarming  
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with  
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm  
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.  
If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking  
until the remote control is inserted in the  
ignition, but for no longer than approx.  
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed  
while you were away.  
You can open the trunk lid using the  
button  
of the remote control even if the alarm system is  
armed, refer to page 28. The lid is locked and  
monitored again as soon as it is closed.  
Tilt alarm sensor  
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm  
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel  
or tow the vehicle.  
Panic mode  
You can trigger the alarm system if you find  
yourself in a dangerous situation.  
Press the  
button for at least three seconds.  
Interior motion sensor  
Coupe  
To switch off the alarm: press any button.  
Switching off an alarm  
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-  
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must  
be completely closed*.  
>
Unlock the car with the remote control, refer  
to page 27, or  
>
insert the remote control all the way into the  
ignition lock.  
Convertible  
The interior of the car is monitored up to the  
height of the seat cushions. Thus the alarm sys-  
tem is activated together with the interior  
32  
 
motion sensor even if the convertible top is  
open. An alarm can be triggered unintentionally  
by falling objects such as leaves, refer to Avoid-  
ing unintentional alarms.  
remote control currently in use is outside of  
the vehicle.  
>
>
The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked  
again until after approx. 2 seconds.  
The engine can only be started when the  
vehicle detects that the remote control cur-  
rently in use is inside the vehicle.  
Avoiding unintentional alarms  
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor  
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-  
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following  
situations:  
Comparison to the standard remote  
control  
>
>
In duplex garages  
In general, there is no difference between using  
Comfort Access or pressing the buttons on the  
remote control to carry out the functions men-  
tioned above. You should therefore first famil-  
iarize yourself with the instructions on opening  
and closing starting on page 26.  
During transport on car-carrying trains,  
boats/ships or on a trailer  
>
When animals are to remain in the vehicle  
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and  
interior motion sensor  
Special features regarding the use of Comfort  
Access are described below.  
Press the  
button on the remote control  
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.  
If you notice a brief delay while opening or  
closing windows, the glass roof or the  
convertible top, the system is checking whether  
a remote control is inside the vehicle. Please  
repeat the opening or closing procedure, if nec-  
essary.<  
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then  
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and  
the interior motion sensor are switched off until  
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-  
quently locked again.  
Unlocking  
Comfort Access*  
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-  
cle without needing to hold the remote control  
in your hand. All you need to do is wear the  
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your  
jacket pocket. The vehicle detects the corre-  
sponding remote control within the immediate  
vicinity or in the passenger compartment.  
Comfort Access supports the following func-  
tions:  
Grasp the handle on the driver's or front pas-  
senger door completely, arrow 1. This corre-  
>
>
>
>
Unlocking/locking the vehicle  
Unlocking the trunk lid separately  
Engine starting  
sponds to pressing the  
button.  
Locking  
Touch the surface, arrow 2, with your finger for  
Convenient closing  
approx. 1 second. This corresponds to pressing  
the  
button.  
Functional requirement  
To preserve the battery, please make  
sure that the ignition and all electrical  
>
The vehicle or the trunk lid can only be  
locked when the vehicle detects that the  
33  
 
consumers are switched off before locking the  
vehicle.<  
Malfunctions  
Comfort Access may malfunction due to local  
radio waves. If this happens, open and close the  
vehicle via the buttons on the remote control or  
using the integrated key. To start the engine  
afterward, insert the remote control into the  
ignition lock.  
Coupe: Convenient closing  
For Convenient closing, keep your finger on the  
surface, arrow 2.  
Convertible: window and convertible  
top operation  
Warning lamps  
With the ignition at radio readiness or beyond,  
you can open and close the windows and the  
convertible top when a remote control is  
located inside the vehicle.  
The warning lamp in the instrument  
cluster lights up when you attempt to  
start the engine: the engine cannot  
be started. The remote control is not inside the  
vehicle or is malfunctioning. Take the remote  
control with you inside the vehicle or have it  
checked. If necessary, insert another remote  
control into the ignition lock.  
Unlocking the trunk lid separately  
Press the button on the outside of the trunk lid.  
This corresponds to pressing the  
button.  
The warning lamp in the instrument  
cluster lights up while the engine is  
running: the remote control is no  
If the vehicle detects that a remote con-  
trol has been accidentally left inside the  
locked vehicle after the trunk lid is closed, the  
lid will reopen. The hazard warning flashers  
flash and a signal* sounds.<  
longer inside the vehicle. After the engine is  
switched off, the engine can only be restarted  
within approx. 10 seconds.  
The indicator lamp in the instrument  
cluster comes on and a message  
appears on the Control Display:  
Switching on radio readiness  
Radio readiness is switched on by pressing the  
start/stop button, refer to page 55.  
replace the battery in the remote control.  
Do not depress the brake or the clutch;  
otherwise, the engine will start immedi-  
ately.<  
Replacing the battery  
The remote control for Comfort Access con-  
tains a battery that will need to be replaced from  
time to time.  
Starting the engine  
You can start the engine or switch on the igni-  
tion when a remote control is inside the vehicle.  
It is not necessary to insert a remote control into  
the ignition lock, refer to page 55.  
1. Take the integrated key out of the remote  
control, refer to page 26.  
Switching off the engine in cars with  
automatic transmission  
The engine can only be switched off when the  
selector lever is in position P, refer to page 56.  
To switch the engine off when the selector lever  
is in position N, the remote control must be in  
the ignition lock.  
2. Remove the cover.  
3. Insert the new battery with the plus side fac-  
ing up.  
34  
 
4. Press the cover on to close.  
Individually  
Take the old battery to a battery collec-  
tion point or to your BMW center.<  
Windows  
To prevent injuries, watch the windows  
while closing them.  
Take the remote control out of the ignition  
when you leave the car; otherwise, children  
could operate the electric windows and possi-  
bly injure themselves.<  
>
>
Press the switch to the resistance point:  
The window opens as long as you press the  
switch.  
Coupe: opening, closing  
Press the switch beyond the resistance  
point:  
The window opens automatically. Press the  
switch again to stop the opening move-  
ment.  
You can close the windows in the same manner  
by pulling the switch. The rear windows cannot  
be closed automatically.  
Jointly  
>
>
Press the switch to the resistance point:  
The window opens as long as you press the  
switch.  
Press the switch beyond the resistance  
point:  
The window opens automatically. Press the  
switch again to stop the opening move-  
ment.  
You can close the windows in the same manner  
by pulling the switch.  
>
>
Press the switch to the resistance point:  
All windows open as long as you press the  
switch.  
Convertible: opening, closing  
Press the switch beyond the resistance  
point:  
Window operation with Comfort Access, refer  
also to page 28.  
All windows open automatically. Press the  
switch again to stop the opening move-  
ment.  
To close the side windows while driving,  
either close the rear windows first or all  
four windows together; otherwise, the windows  
may not close tightly at high speeds.<  
>
Pull the switch:  
All windows close as long as you pull the  
switch.  
35  
 
After switching off the ignition  
Coupe: glass roof*, electric  
When the remote control is removed or the igni-  
tion is switched off, you can still operate the  
windows for approx. 1 minute as long as no  
door has been opened.  
To prevent injuries, watch the glass roof  
while closing it.  
Take the remote control with you when you  
leave the car; otherwise, children could operate  
the roof and possibly injure themselves.<  
Convenient operation  
For information on Convenient operation via the  
remote control or the door lock, refer to page 27  
or 29. For information on Convenient closing  
with Comfort Access, refer to Locking on  
page 33.  
Pinch protection system  
If the closing force exceeds a specific value as a  
power window closes, the closing action is  
interrupted and the window reopens slightly.  
Raising  
Despite the pinch protection system  
check and clear the window's travel path  
prior to closing it; otherwise, the safety system  
might fail to detect certain kinds of obstruc-  
tions, such as thin objects, and the window  
would continue closing.  
Do not install any accessories that might inter-  
fere with window movement. Otherwise, the  
pinch protection system could be impaired.  
Convertible: the rear windows are not equipped  
with pinch protection. Therefore, watch them  
closely when closing to avoid personal injury.<  
Press the switch.  
>
>
The closed glass roof is raised and the slid-  
ing visor opens slightly.  
The open glass roof automatically travels  
into the raised position. The sliding visor  
remains completely open.  
Do not close the sliding visor forcibly with  
the roof in the raised position, as this  
would damage the mechanism.<  
Opening, closing  
>
Press the switch backwards to the resis-  
tance point.  
Closing without pinch protection  
If there is an external danger, or if ice on the win-  
dows, etc., prevents you from closing the win-  
dows normally, proceed as follows:  
The glass roof and the sliding visor open  
together as long as you hold the switch in  
this position.  
1. Pull the switch past the resistance point and  
hold it there. Pinch protection is limited and  
the window reopens slightly if the closing  
force exceeds a certain value.  
>
Press the switch backwards past the resis-  
tance point.  
The glass roof and the sliding visor open  
automatically. Briefly press the switch again  
to stop the opening movement.  
2. Pull the switch again past the resistance  
point within approx. 4 seconds and hold it  
there. The window closes without pinch  
protection.  
You can close the glass roof in a similar manner  
by pressing the switch forwards. The sliding  
visor remains open and can be closed by hand.  
For information on Convenient operation via the  
remote control or the door lock, refer to page 27  
or 29. For information on Convenient closing  
36  
 
with Comfort Access, refer to Locking on  
page 33.  
1. Unclip the front of the cover of the interior  
lamps using the screwdriver from the  
onboard vehicle tool kit, refer to page 209.  
After switching off the ignition  
When the remote control is removed or the igni-  
tion is switched off, you can still operate the roof  
for approx. 1 minute as long as no door has  
been opened.  
Pinch protection system  
If the glass roof encounters an obstruction dur-  
ing closing from approximately the middle of  
the opening in the roof, or during closing from  
the raised position, the closing movement is  
interrupted and the glass roof is opened again  
slightly.  
2. On both sides, use the screwdriver to press  
on the clip inside the opening.  
Despite the pinch protection system  
check and clear the roof's travel path prior  
to closing it; otherwise, the safety system might  
fail to detect certain kinds of obstructions, such  
as very thin objects, and the roof would con-  
tinue closing.<  
Closing without pinch protection  
If there is an external danger, press the switch  
forward past the resistance point and hold it  
there. The roof closes without pinch protection.  
3. Remove the control unit.  
4. Unplug the motor. Considerably less effort  
will be required for manual operation.  
Following interruptions in electrical  
power supply  
After a power failure, there is a possibility that  
the glass roof can only be raised. The system  
must be initialized. BMW recommends having  
this work done by your BMW center.  
Closing manually*  
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can  
move the glass roof manually:  
5. Insert the Allen wrench* supplied with the  
onboard vehicle tool kit, refer to page 209,  
37  
 
into the opening provided. Move the glass  
roof in the desired direction.  
over protection system is in the activated posi-  
tion.  
Always fully complete a convertible top move-  
ment. Driving with the convertible top incom-  
pletely opened or closed can result in damage  
or injury.  
Do not reach into the mechanism during the  
opening or closing procedure. Keep children  
away from the opening/closing path of the con-  
vertible top.  
For safety reasons, only move the convertible  
top when the vehicle is stationary, if possible.<  
6. Reattach the lamp cover and reinstall the  
control unit.  
The convertible top swings upward when  
opening and closing. When operating the  
convertible top in a garage, under a bridge, etc.,  
ensure that there are at least 6 ft 7 in/2 m of  
headroom; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam-  
aged.<  
Convertible: top  
The fully automatic top combines reliable  
weather protection with simple and easy-to-  
use operation.  
Before opening and closing  
>
Comply with the safety precautions  
described above.  
The following tips will enhance your driving  
pleasure in your Convertible:  
>
Ensure that the cargo area partition is  
folded down and engaged on both sides,  
refer to page 102; otherwise, it will not be  
possible to open the convertible top.  
>
It is advisable that you close the convertible  
top when you park the vehicle. Not only  
does the closed top protect the vehicle inte-  
rior against unanticipated weather damage,  
it also offers a certain amount of theft pro-  
tection. However, even when the top is  
closed, valuables should only be stored in  
the locked cargo area.  
>
>
Ensure that the cargo does not press  
against the cargo area partition from below.  
Ensure that the trunk lid is closed.  
Opening and closing  
>
>
Do not attach roof-mounted luggage sys-  
tems to the convertible top.  
Convertible top operation with Comfort Access,  
refer also to page 28.  
If the top is opened while it is wet, e.g. after  
driving in the rain, water may drip into the  
cargo area. If necessary, remove items from  
the cargo area beforehand to avoid water  
stains or soiling.  
As of radio readiness, refer to page 55:  
If possible, conserve the battery by only  
operating the convertible top when the  
engine is running.  
At temperatures below +147/–106, do  
not move the convertible top as this could  
Before closing the convertible top, remove all  
foreign objects from the windshield frame as  
result in damage.  
Do not keep the convertible top in the convert-  
ible top box for longer than one day if it is wet;  
otherwise, the moisture may cause damage.  
Do not place objects on the convertible top, as  
otherwise they may fall off when you operate  
the convertible top and cause damage or injury.  
Never move the convertible top when the roll-  
38  
 
these could prevent the hardtop from closing  
properly.<  
>
If the right-hand LED lights up red when the  
button is pressed, the cargo area partition is  
raised, the trunk lid is not closed or there is a  
malfunction. The convertible top cannot be  
moved.  
Interruption  
The automatic sequence of movements is  
interrupted if the button for the convertible top  
operation is released. The sequence can be  
continued in the desired direction by pushing or  
pulling the buttons.  
1
2
3
Push button: close convertible top  
Push button: open convertible top  
LEDs  
If the opening or closing procedure is inter-  
rupted for an extended period, the convertible  
top remains in the raised position for approx.  
10 minutes and then slowly moves to a stable  
position.  
The side windows move down when the  
convertible top is opened.<  
A convertible top that is not fully opened  
or closed is a safety hazard.<  
Operation while driving  
If the convertible top is not fully opened or  
closed, the trunk lid cannot be opened  
and the windows cannot be moved.<  
You can open or close the convertible top while  
driving, as long as the car is not moving faster  
than approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.  
If you accelerate to over 30 mph/50 km/h while  
the convertible top is moving, the procedure is  
interrupted.  
Convenient operation with remote  
control or via door lock  
Refer to pages 28 and 29.  
When operating the convertible top while  
driving, pay extra attention to the traffic to  
avoid an accident. If possible, do not move the  
convertible top while driving in reverse gear,  
because your view to the rear is severely limited  
during the procedure. Do not operate the con-  
vertible top while driving in windy conditions.  
Do not drive faster than 30 mph/50 km/h; other-  
wise, damage to the vehicle can occur.<  
Closing manually  
Only close the convertible top manually if  
it is absolutely necessary, and never open  
it manually. The convertible top box cover can-  
not be locked if there is an electrical defect and  
would then open while the vehicle is in motion.  
Incorrect handling can result in damage.<  
Closing the convertible top manually should be  
performed by two people. The rear seats must  
not be occupied.  
LEDs  
>
While the convertible top is being operated,  
the left LED lights up green. It goes out as  
soon as the top is fully opened or closed.  
In the following situations, a message appears  
on the Control Display or an acoustic signal  
sounds in addition to the LED lighting up:  
>
If the right-hand LED flashes red when you  
release the button, the opening or closing  
action has not yet finished.  
39  
 
do not close the convertible top box cover  
completely.  
Before closing  
1. Open the trunk lid.  
2. Take the screwdriver out of the onboard  
vehicle tool kit, refer to page 209.  
4. Lift out the front part of the convertible top,  
arrows 4, on both sides and swing it for-  
ward. At the same time keep the convertible  
top box cover from closing, e.g. using your  
shoulder.  
3. If the convertible top is locked, release the  
two button in the cargo area, arrows 1,  
using the screwdriver and pull forcefully all  
the way out. The convertible top box cover  
is unlocked.  
4. Close the trunk lid. After manually releasing  
the convertible top box cover, it is no longer  
possible to open the trunk lid.  
Closing  
1. Slide the protective cap, arrow 2, forward.  
2. Slowly and smoothly open the convertible  
5. Position the rear convertible top frame  
upright, arrow 5, and close the convertible  
top box cover, arrow 6. Then lower the rear  
convertible top frame.  
top box cover all the way, arrow 3.  
3. The locking pins must have engaged com-  
pletely. If they are still visible: close the con-  
vertible top box cover as far as necessary  
until the locking bolts engage audibly, then  
slowly open the cover. During this process,  
6. Together with another person, press down  
the front convertible top frame from the out-  
side and on both sides as far as possible.  
7. Carefully remove the cover in the center of  
the front convertible top frame using a  
pointed object.  
40  
 
Take the Allen wrench out of the onboard  
literature pouch.  
2. Press together the top and bottom parts of  
the wind deflector until the catch engages,  
arrow 2.  
8. Attach the handle of the screwdriver to the  
Allen wrench and insert the wrench into the  
opening provided.  
3. Position both locking pins of one side at the  
openings provided for them.  
9. Turn the Allen wrench all the way to the left,  
arrow 7, until the front convertible top frame  
is locked to the windshield frame. The rear  
convertible top frame is automatically  
4. Press the wind deflector into the openings,  
arrows 3, overcoming the tension in the  
springs, and push the free locking pin in the  
same direction, arrow 4.  
pressed down onto the convertible top box  
cover and is sealed tight under tension.  
5. Position the free locking pins at the corre-  
sponding openings and let the spring ten-  
sion lock the wind deflector in place, arrow  
5.  
The closing procedure must be fully com-  
pleted; otherwise, injury or damage may  
occur.<  
Please contact your BMW center to have the  
cause of the malfunction eliminated.  
Wind deflector*  
The wind deflector keeps air currents in the  
passenger compartment at a low level when the  
convertible top is down and provides for an  
even more pleasant journey at higher speeds.  
6. Fold up the top section of the wind deflec-  
Installation  
tor, arrow 6.  
1. Remove the wind deflector from the protec-  
With the wind deflector installed: do not  
recline the front-seat backrests too far if  
the seat is to be slid all the way back, as this  
would damage the wind deflector.<  
tive cover and unfold it, arrows 1.  
Removing the wind deflector  
Proceed in the reverse order as used for instal-  
lation.  
41  
 
Folding  
Slide the red release lever towards the middle of  
the wind deflector and push the two halves  
apart.  
42  
 
Adjustments  
Head restraint  
Sitting safely  
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-  
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-  
junction with the safety belts, the head  
restraints and the airbags, the seated position  
has a major influence on your safety in the event  
of an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-  
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we  
strongly urge you to observe the instructions  
contained in the following section.  
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the  
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.  
Adjust the head restraint in such a way  
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-  
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the  
event of an accident.<  
Head restraints, refer to page 45.  
Safety belt  
For additional information on transporting chil-  
dren safely, refer to page 52.  
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants  
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the  
safety belt as an additional safety device, but  
they do not represent a substitute.  
Airbags  
Always maintain an adequate distance  
between yourself and the airbags. Always  
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your  
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions,  
to minimize the risk of injury to the hands or  
arms in the event of the airbag being triggered  
off.  
Your vehicle has four seats, each of which is  
equipped with a safety belt.  
Never allow more than one person to  
wear a single safety belt. Never allow  
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's  
lap. Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits  
low across the hips and does not press against  
the abdomen.  
The safety belt must not rest against the throat,  
run across sharp edges, pass over hard or frag-  
ile objects or be pinched. Fasten the safety belt  
so that it sits as snugly as possible against the  
lap and shoulder without being twisted. Other-  
wise, the belt could slide over your hips and  
injure your abdomen in the event of a frontal  
collision. Avoid wearing bulky clothing and reg-  
ularly pull the belt in the upper-body area taut;  
otherwise, its restraining effect could be  
impaired.<  
No one and nothing should come between the  
airbags and the seat occupant.  
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the  
front passenger side as a storage area. Make  
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly,  
i.e. not resting feet or legs on the dashboard;  
otherwise, leg injuries can occur if the front air-  
bag deploys.  
Make sure that passengers keep their heads  
away from the side airbag and do not lean  
against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise,  
serious injuries can result if the airbag  
deploys.<  
Safety belts, refer to page 49.  
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries  
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be  
fully excluded, depending on the circum-  
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may  
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-  
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-  
porary.  
Seats  
Note before adjusting  
Never attempt to adjust your seat while  
the vehicle is moving. The seat could  
respond with unexpected movement, and the  
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an  
For airbag locations and additional information  
on airbags, refer to page 83.  
43  
 
accident.  
Backrest  
On the front passenger seat as well, do not  
incline the backrest too far to the rear while the  
vehicle is being driven; otherwise, there is a  
danger in the event of an accident of sliding  
under the safety belt, eliminating the protection  
normally provided by the belt.<  
Comply with the instructions on head restraint  
height on page 45, and on damaged safety  
belts on page 49.  
Pull lever 3 and apply your weight to the back-  
rest or lift it off, as necessary.  
Manual adjustment  
Observe the adjustment instructions  
above to ensure the best possible per-  
sonal protection.<  
Tilt*  
Pull the lever and apply your weight to the seat  
or lift it off, as necessary.  
Longitudinal direction  
Pull lever 1 and slide the seat to the desired  
position.  
Thigh support*  
After releasing the lever, move the seat gently  
forward or back to make sure it engages prop-  
erly.  
Height  
Pull lever 2 and apply your weight to the seat or  
lift it off, as necessary.  
Pull the lever and move the thigh support for-  
ward or back.  
Electrical adjustment*  
Observe the adjustment instructions  
above to ensure the best possible per-  
sonal protection.<  
44  
 
>
Shift curvature up or down: press the switch  
at the top or bottom, respectively.  
Backrest width*  
1
2
3
Longitudinal direction  
Height  
Angle  
You can change the width of the backrest to suit  
your individual preferences by adjusting the lat-  
eral-support pads.  
Press the front or rear end of the switch.  
Backrest width decreases or increases accord-  
ingly.  
4
Backrest  
The head restraints are adjusted manually, refer  
to Head restraints on page 45.  
Lumbar support*  
To move the front seats forward or backward  
from outside or from one of the rear seats: with  
the door open, press the front end 1 or rear end  
2 of the switch.  
Head restraints  
Correctly adjusted head restraint  
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest  
to obtain additional support in the lumbar  
region.  
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the  
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.  
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-  
plementary support to help you maintain a  
relaxed, upright sitting position.  
Adjust the head restraint in such a way  
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-  
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the  
event of an accident. Only remove a head  
restraint if no one will be sitting on the seat in  
question. Reinstall the head restraint before  
transporting anyone on that seat. Otherwise,  
>
Increase or decrease curvature: press the  
switch at the front or rear, respectively.  
45  
 
the passenger will be without protection from  
>
To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and  
the head restraint.<  
slide the head restraint down.  
Height  
Convertible: raising and lowering  
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is  
approximately at ear level.  
Only lower the head restraints if there are  
no passengers in the rear. Raise all low-  
ered head restraints before transporting pas-  
sengers in the rear.<  
Distance  
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint is  
as close as possible to the back of the head.  
Front seats  
Height adjustment  
>
>
To raise: pull up.  
To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and  
slide the head restraint down, arrow 2.  
Removing  
1. Pull it up as far as it will go.  
>
>
To raise: pull up.  
2. Press the button, arrow 1, and pull the head  
To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and  
slide the head restraint down.  
restraint all the way out.  
Coupe: folding head restraint down and  
up*  
Removing  
1. Pull it up as far as it will go.  
2. Press the button, arrow 1, and pull the head  
restraint all the way out.  
Rear seats  
Coupe: height adjustment  
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, it may  
contain foldable head restraints.  
Folding down:  
Press the button, arrow 1.  
Folding up:  
Pull the head restraint.  
Only fold down the head restraints if there  
are no passengers in the rear. Fold up the  
>
To raise: pull up.  
46  
 
head restraints again before transporting pas-  
sengers in the rear.<  
Seat with electrical longitudinal  
adjustment  
Seat with manual longitudinal  
adjustment  
Easy entry  
The easy entry feature includes a memory func-  
tion for the longitudinal adjustment and back-  
rest angle.  
Easy entry  
The easy entry feature includes a memory func-  
tion for the longitudinal adjustment and back-  
rest angle.  
1. Pull lever 1 and swing the backrest forward.  
2. Press the front end 2 of the switch until the  
seat has moved into the desired position.  
1. Pull lever 1 and swing the backrest forward.  
2. Push the seat forward.  
Previous position  
Press the rear end 3 of the switch until the seat  
automatically stops in its previous position, and  
fold the backrest back. If you release the switch  
before the previous seat position is reached,  
the seat will stop at its current position.  
Previous position  
Push the seat backward and swing the backrest  
back.  
When pushing the seat into its rearmost  
position, make sure that no one is injured  
and that no objects are damaged.  
Before driving off, engage both seats and back-  
rests so that they are locked in place. Other-  
wise, there is a risk an accident due to unex-  
pected movement.<  
When sliding the seat backward, make  
sure no one is injured and no objects are  
damaged.  
Before driving off, engage both seats and back-  
rests so that they are locked in place. Other-  
wise, there is a risk of an accident due to unex-  
pected movement.<  
47  
 
3. Press the  
button.  
Heated seats*  
The LED in the button lights up.  
4. Press the desired memory button 1 or 2: the  
LED goes out.  
Call-up  
Do not call up the memory while you are  
driving; otherwise, unexpected seat  
movement could result in an accident.<  
Comfort function  
Press the button once per temperature level.  
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.  
1. Unlock and open the driver's door or switch  
on radio readiness, refer to page 55.  
To switch off:  
Press button longer.  
2. Lightly push the desired memory button 1  
or 2.  
If you continue driving within approx.  
15 minutes, the seat heating is automatically  
activated at the previously set temperature.  
The adjusting procedure is halted when you  
touch a seat adjustment switch or one of  
the memory buttons.  
The temperature is lowered or the heating is  
switched off entirely to save on battery power.  
The LEDs stay lit.  
Safety feature  
1. Close the driver's door and switch the igni-  
tion on or off, refer to page 55.  
2. Press the desired memory button 1 or 2  
and keep it pressed until the adjustment  
process has been completed.  
Seat and mirror memory*  
You can store and call up two different combi-  
nations of driver's-seat and exterior-mirror  
positions.  
If the  
button was pressed accidentally:  
Press the button again; the LED goes out.  
Settings for the backrest width and lumbar sup-  
port are not stored in memory.  
Call-up with the remote control  
The driver's seat position last set is stored for  
the remote control currently in use.  
Storing  
You can select whether or not the seat is reset  
to that position automatically.  
When this Personal Profile function is  
used, first make sure that the footwell  
behind the driver's seat is free of obstacles.  
Failure to do so could cause injury to persons or  
damage to objects as a result of a rearward  
movement of the seat.<  
The adjusting procedure is halted when you  
touch a seat adjustment switch or one of the  
memory buttons.  
1. Switch on radio readiness or the ignition,  
refer to page 55.  
2. Adjust the seat and exterior mirrors to the  
desired positions.  
48  
 
Selecting automatic call-up  
1. "Settings"  
Opening  
1. Grasp the belt firmly.  
2. Press the red button in the buckle.  
3. Guide the belt into its reel.  
2. "Door locks"  
3. "Last seat position auto."  
"Fasten safety belts" reminder for front  
seats  
The indicator lamps light up and an  
acoustic signal sounds. In addition, a  
message appears on the Control Dis-  
play. Check whether the safety belt  
has been fastened correctly.  
The "Fasten safety belts" reminder is issued as  
long as the driver's safety belt has not been fas-  
tened. The "Fasten safety belts" reminder is  
also issued above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h if the  
front passenger safety belt has not been fas-  
tened, if there are objects on the front passen-  
ger seat or if the driver or front passenger  
unfasten their safety belts.  
The function for automatically calling up  
the last seat position is switched on and is  
stored for the remote control currently in use.  
Switching off automatic call-up  
Deactivate "Last seat position automatic".  
Damage to safety belts  
Safety belts  
Observe the adjustment instructions on  
page 43 to ensure the best possible per-  
sonal protection.<  
If the safety belts are damaged or  
stressed in an accident: have the belt sys-  
tem, including any belt tensioners or child  
restraint systems, replaced and the belt  
anchors checked. Have this work done only by  
your BMW center or at a workshop that works  
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-  
respondingly trained personnel. Otherwise, it is  
not guaranteed that the safety devices will func-  
tion properly.<  
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants  
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the  
safety belt as an additional safety device, but  
they do not represent a substitute.  
Mirrors  
Exterior mirrors  
The front passenger's mirror is more con-  
vex than the driver's mirror. The objects  
seen in the mirror are closer than they appear.  
Do not gauge your distance from traffic behind  
you on the basis of what you see in the mirror;  
otherwise, there is an increased risk of an acci-  
dent.<  
Closing  
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in  
the belt buckle.  
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of  
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-  
erly, refer to page 43.  
49  
 
Passenger-side mirror tilt function –  
automatic curb monitor*  
Activating  
1. Push the switch to the position for the  
driver's side mirror, arrow 1.  
1
2
Adjustments  
Switching to the other mirror or automatic  
curb monitor*  
3
Folding mirrors in and out*  
The setting for the exterior mirrors is stored for  
the remote control currently in use*. The stored  
position is called up automatically when the  
vehicle is unlocked.  
2. Engage reverse gear or move the selector  
lever to position R.  
The glass of the mirror on the passenger  
side tilts slightly down. This allows the  
driver to see the area immediately adjacent  
to the vehicle, e.g. a curb, when backing into  
a parking space.  
Manual adjustment  
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:  
press the edge of the glass.  
Folding mirrors in and out*  
Deactivating  
At driving speeds up to approx. 12 mph/  
20 km/h, you can fold the mirrors in and out by  
pressing button 3. This can be beneficial in nar-  
row streets, for example, or for moving mirrors  
that were folded in by hand back out into their  
correct positions. Mirrors that were folded in are  
folded out automatically at a speed of approx.  
25 mph/40 km/h.  
Push the switch to the position for the passen-  
ger-side mirror, arrow 2.  
Interior rearview mirror  
Automatic heating  
Depending on the outside temperature, both  
exterior mirrors are heated automatically when  
the engine is running or the ignition is switched  
on.  
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-  
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.  
50  
 
Do not use force to swing the lever  
back up; otherwise, the mechanism  
will be damaged.<  
Interior and exterior mirrors, automatic  
dimming feature*  
Steering wheel heating*  
The automatic dimming feature of the interior  
and exterior mirrors* is controlled by two photo  
cells in the interior rearview mirror. One photo  
cell is in the mirror frame, see arrow; the other is  
on the back of the mirror.  
Press the button.  
The LED in the button lights up when the steer-  
ing wheel heating is switched on.  
In order to ensure that the system functions  
correctly, keep the photo cells clean, do not  
cover the area between the interior rearview  
mirror and windshield, and do not affix adhesive  
labels or stickers of any kind to the windshield  
directly in front of the mirror.  
Steering wheel  
Adjustments  
Do not adjust the steering wheel position  
while the car is in motion; otherwise, there  
is a risk of an accident due to unexpected move-  
ment.<  
1. Fold the lever down.  
2. Move the steering wheel to the preferred  
height and angle to suit your seated posi-  
tion.  
3. Swing the lever back up.  
51  
 
Transporting children safely  
or improperly installed child restraint systems  
The right place for children  
can increase the risk of injury to children.  
Always follow the installation instructions for  
the system with the greatest care.  
Do not leave children unattended in the  
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger  
themselves and/or other persons by opening  
the doors, for example.<  
On the front passenger seat  
After installing a child restraint system on  
the front passenger seat, make sure that  
the front and side airbags for the front passen-  
ger are deactivated; otherwise, there is an  
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<  
Children always in the rear  
Accident research has shown that the safest  
place for children is on the rear seat.  
Children under the age of 13 or smaller  
than 5 ft/150 cm may be transported only  
in the rear in suitable child restraint systems  
appropriate for their age, weight and size. Oth-  
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the  
event of an accident.<  
Seat position  
Before installing a child restraint system, move  
the front passenger seat as far back and up as  
possible to obtain the best possible position for  
the belt. Do not change the seat position after  
this.  
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-  
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no  
longer is any child restraint system that is  
appropriate for their age, size and weight.  
Backrest width*  
The backrest width of the front passenger  
seat must be at its widest possible set-  
Exception for front passenger seat  
ting. Do not change the setting after installing  
the child seat. Otherwise, the child seat's stabil-  
ity on the front passenger seat is limited.<  
Should it be necessary to use a child  
restraint system on the front passenger  
seat, the front and side airbags for the front pas-  
senger must be deactivated. Otherwise, a child  
traveling on that seat will face a significant risk  
of injury if the airbags are triggered off, even  
with a child restraint system.<  
1. Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-  
ting, refer to page 45.  
2. Install the child seat.  
For more information on automatic deactivation  
of the front passenger airbags refer to page 83.  
Child seat security  
Installing child restraint  
systems  
Observe the child restraint system manu-  
facturer's instructions when selecting,  
installing and using child restraint systems.  
Otherwise, the protective effect may be dimin-  
ished. <  
The rear safety belts and the front passenger  
safety belt can be prevented from being pulled  
out in order to fasten child restraint systems.  
Standard child restraint systems are designed  
to be secured with a lap belt or with the lap-belt  
section of a lap-and-shoulder belt. Incorrectly  
52  
 
To lock the safety belt  
Coupe: rear seats  
1. Secure the child restraint system with the  
belt.  
2. Pull the belt strap all the way out.  
3. Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut  
against the child restraint system.  
The safety belt is locked.  
To unlock the safety belt  
1. Open the belt buckle.  
The anchor points for the lower LATCH  
anchors are located behind the labeled protec-  
tive caps.  
2. Remove the child restraint system.  
3. Allow the safety belt strap to retract all the  
way.  
Convertible: rear seats  
LATCH child restraint fixing  
system  
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHil-  
dren.  
To install and use the LATCH child  
restraint system, follow the operating and  
safety instructions provided by the manufac-  
turer of the system; otherwise, the protective  
function of the seat may be compromised.<  
The anchor points for the lower LATCH  
anchors are located at the positions indicated  
by arrows, in the gap between the seat and the  
backrest.  
Mounts for the lower LATCH anchors  
Before installing the child seat, pull the belt out  
of the area for the child restraint fixing system.  
Upper LATCH retaining strap  
Ensure that both lower LATCH anchors  
are correctly engaged and that the child  
restraint system is resting firmly against the  
backrest; otherwise, the protective function of  
the seat may be compromised.<  
Convertible  
For Canadian Customers Only.  
The following statement is required by Trans-  
port Canada.  
This vehicle is not equipped with user-ready  
tether anchorages. As such neither a child  
restraint system, nor a booster cushion, requir-  
ing the use of a tether strap can be properly  
secured in the vehicle.  
Coupe  
Use the top tether anchors to secure child  
restraint systems only; otherwise, the  
anchors could be damaged.<  
53  
 
4. Push the head restraint into its lowermost  
position.  
5. Pull the retaining strap taut.  
For child restraint systems with tether straps  
there are two additional anchors, see arrows.  
Placement of the tether strap  
Coupe  
Make sure the upper retaining strap does  
not run over sharp edges and is not  
twisted as it passes to the top anchor. Other-  
wise, the strap will not properly secure the child  
restraint system in the event of an accident.<  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Direction of travel  
Head restraint  
Hook for upper retaining strap  
Anchor  
Rear window shelf  
Seat backrest  
Upper retaining strap of child restraint sys-  
tem  
If necessary, fold the head restraints upward  
before use.  
1. Push the head restraint upward.  
2. Guide the upper retaining strap between  
the head restraint holders.  
3. Use the hook to clip the retaining strap to  
the anchor.  
54  
 
Driving  
Ignition lock  
Start/stop button  
Insert the remote control into the  
ignition lock  
Pressing the start/stop button switches radio  
readiness or the ignition on or off.  
The engine is started when you press the  
start/stop button and depress the clutch if  
the car has manual transmission, or the brake if  
the car has automatic transmission.<  
Insert the remote control all the way into the  
ignition lock.  
>
Radio readiness is switched on.  
Individual electrical consumers can operate.  
Radio readiness  
Comfort Access*  
Individual electrical consumers can operate.  
The time and the outside temperature are dis-  
played in the instrument cluster.  
If the car is equipped with Comfort Access, only  
insert the remote control into the ignition lock  
under special circumstances, refer to page 33.  
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:  
>
When the remote control is removed from  
the ignition lock  
Removing the remote control from the  
ignition lock  
Do not forcibly pull the remote control out  
of the ignition lock as this may cause  
damage.<  
>
In cars with Comfort Access*, by touching  
the surface above the door lock, refer to  
Locking on page 33  
Before removing the remote control, push it all  
the way in to release the locking mechanism.  
Ignition on  
All electrical consumers can operate. The  
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in  
the instrument cluster.  
>
The ignition is switched off if it was on.  
Automatic transmission  
When the engine is off, please switch off  
the ignition and any unnecessary electri-  
cal consumers in order to preserve the bat-  
tery.<  
You cannot take out the remote control unless  
the selector lever is in the P position: interlock.  
Radio readiness and ignition off  
All indicator and warning lamps as well as dis-  
plays in the instrument cluster go out.  
55  
 
Automatic transmission  
Starting the engine  
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with  
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to  
page 33.  
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas;  
otherwise, the inhalation of toxic exhaust  
gases can cause loss of consciousness and  
death. The exhaust gases contain carbon mon-  
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly  
toxic gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle  
with the engine running; otherwise, such a vehi-  
cle represents a potential safety hazard.  
Before leaving the car with the engine running,  
place the transmission in neutral or move the  
selector lever to position P and forcefully apply  
the parking brake to prevent the car from mov-  
ing.<  
1. Depress the brake.  
2. Move the selector lever to position P.  
3. Press the start/stop button.  
The starter operates automatically for a certain  
time, and stops automatically as soon as the  
engine has started.  
Switching off the engine  
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the  
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right  
away, but at moderate engine speeds.  
Always take the remote control with you  
when you leave the vehicle.  
When parking, apply the parking brake force-  
fully; otherwise, the vehicle could begin to roll.<  
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-  
sion as well as repeated start attempts in  
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the  
fuel is not burned or incompletely burned and  
there is a danger of overheating and damaging  
the catalytic converter.<  
Manual transmission  
1. With the car at a standstill, press the start/  
stop button.  
2. Shift into first gear or reverse.  
3. Forcefully apply the parking brake.  
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-  
tion lock, refer to page 55.  
Automatic transmission  
1. With the car at a standstill, move the selec-  
tor lever to position P.  
2. Press the start/stop button.  
3. Forcefully apply the parking brake.  
Manual transmission  
4. Removing the remote control from the igni-  
tion lock, refer to page 55.  
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with  
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to  
page 33.  
Before driving into a car wash  
1. Depress the brake.  
The vehicle is able to roll when you perform the  
following steps:  
2. Depress the clutch and shift to neutral posi-  
tion.  
1. Insert the remote control, even with Com-  
fort Access, into the ignition lock.  
3. Press the start/stop button.  
The starter operates automatically for a certain  
time, and stops automatically as soon as the  
engine has started.  
2. Depress the brake.  
3. Move the selector lever to position N.  
4. Switch off the engine.  
56  
 
Parking brake  
Manual transmission  
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-  
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it  
brakes the rear wheels.  
Indicator lamp  
The indicator lamp is lit, and when you  
drive off a signal sounds in addition.  
The parking brake is still applied.  
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.  
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press  
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise,  
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-  
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<  
Applying  
The lever locks in position automatically.  
Reverse gear  
Releasing  
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.  
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a  
slight resistance has to be overcome.  
Automatic transmission with  
Steptronic*  
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can  
also manually shift with the Steptronic, refer to  
page 58.  
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and  
lower the lever.  
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake  
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do  
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-  
tinuously press the button of the parking brake  
lever.  
Otherwise, excessive force on the parking  
brake can lock up the rear wheels and cause the  
rear of the car to swerve.<  
Vehicle parking  
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,  
always select position P and apply the  
parking brake before leaving the vehicle with  
the engine running.<  
Disengaging the remote control  
In order to remove the remote control from the  
ignition lock, you must first move the selector  
lever to position P and switch off the engine:  
interlock. Removing the remote control from  
the ignition lock, refer to page 55.  
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-  
ing action, occasionally apply the parking  
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming  
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable.  
The brake lamps do not light up when the park-  
ing brake is applied.<  
Selector lever positions  
P R N D M/S + –  
57  
 
Displays in the instrument cluster  
R Reverse  
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.  
N Neutral  
You can select this in a car wash, for example.  
The vehicle can roll.  
D Drive, automatic position  
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-  
ward gears are selected automatically.  
P R N D DS M1 to M6  
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-  
sumption is lowest when you are driving in posi-  
tion D.  
The selector lever position is displayed, or the  
current gear in the manual mode.  
Kickdown  
Changing selector lever positions  
Kickdown enables you to achieve maximum  
performance.  
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-  
throttle resistance point.  
>
With the ignition switched on or the engine  
running, the selector lever can be moved  
out of position P.  
>
Before moving the lever away from P or N  
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the  
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will  
refuse to move: shiftlock.  
Sport program and manual operation  
M/S  
To prevent the vehicle from creeping  
after you select a driving position,  
depress the brake until you are ready to  
start.<  
Move selector lever from position D toward the  
left into the M/S shifting slot:  
The sport program is activated and DS is dis-  
played on the instrument cluster. This position  
is recommended for a performance-oriented  
driving style.  
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-  
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel  
the lock, press the button on the front of the  
selector lever, see arrow.  
To deactivate the sport program or manual  
mode M/S, move the selector lever to the right  
into position D.  
P Park  
Shifting gears via the selector lever  
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.  
The drive wheels are locked.  
Move selector lever from position D toward the  
left into the M/S shifting slot:  
When you press the selector lever forwards or  
backwards, the manual mode is activated and  
58  
 
Steptronic changes gear. M1 through M6 are  
displayed on the instrument cluster.  
Overriding selector lever lock  
Should the selector lever refuse to move out of  
position P even though the ignition is switched  
on, the brake is depressed and the button on  
the selector lever is pressed, the selector lever  
lock can be overridden:  
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only  
when they will result in a plausible combination  
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,  
a downshift that would cause the engine to  
overrev will not be executed by the system. The  
gear selected is briefly displayed in the instru-  
ment cluster, followed by the gear actually in  
use.  
1. Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.  
2. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever  
until the sleeve is inside out.  
Shifting gears via shift paddles* on the  
steering wheel  
The shift paddles allow you to shift gears  
quickly since both hands can remain on the  
steering wheel.  
>
>
When you use the shift paddles on the  
steering wheel to shift gears in automatic  
mode, the transmission switches to manual  
mode.  
3. Using the screwdriver from the onboard  
vehicle tool kit, refer to page 209, press the  
red lever, see arrow, while moving the  
selector lever to the desired position.  
If you do not accelerate or shift gears using  
the shift paddles for a certain amount of  
time, the transmission switches back to  
automatic mode.  
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear  
plane, manual mode remains active.<  
Turn signals/  
headlamp flasher  
>
>
To shift up: pull one of the shift paddles.  
1
2
3
High beams  
To shift down: press one of the shift pad-  
dles.  
Headlamp flasher  
Turn signals  
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only  
when they will result in a plausible combination  
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,  
a downshift that would cause the engine to  
overrev will not be executed by the system. The  
gear selected is briefly displayed in the instru-  
ment cluster, followed by the gear actually in  
use.  
Using turn signals  
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.  
To turn off manually, press the lever to the  
resistance point.  
59  
 
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator  
lamp and the turn signals indicates that  
one of the turn signal bulbs has failed.<  
5
Setting speed for intermittent wipe, or sen-  
sitivity of the rain sensor  
Switching on wipers  
Indicating a turn briefly  
Press the lever upward, arrow 1.  
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for  
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.  
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-  
tion when released.  
Triple turn signal activation  
Normal wiper speed  
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.  
The turn signals flash three times.  
Press once.  
The system switches to operation in the inter-  
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.  
You can activate or deactivate this function.  
1. "Settings"  
Fast wiper speed  
2. "Lighting"  
Press twice or press beyond the resistance  
point.  
3. "Triple turn signal"  
The system switches to normal speed when the  
vehicle is stationary.  
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor*  
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the  
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.  
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time  
between wipes is controlled automatically and  
depends on the intensity of the rainfall. The rain  
sensor is mounted on the windshield, directly in  
front of the interior rearview mirror.  
Triple turn signal activation is activated and  
is stored for the remote control currently in use.  
Activating intermittent wipe or rain  
sensor  
Wiper system  
Press the button, arrow 3. The LED in the but-  
ton lights up.  
1
2
3
Switching on wipers  
Switching off wipers or brief wipe  
Setting speed for intermittent wipe or  
sensitivity of the rain sensor  
Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or  
rain sensor*  
Turn the thumb wheel 5.  
4
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*  
60  
 
Deactivating intermittent wipe or rain  
sensor  
Press the button again, arrow 3.  
The LED goes out.  
Deactivate the rain sensor before enter-  
ing an automatic car wash. Failure to do  
so could result in damage caused by undesired  
wiper activation.<  
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*  
All washer nozzles are supplied with washer  
fluid by the same reservoir.  
Pull the lever, arrow 4.  
Washer fluid is sprayed onto the windshield and  
the wipers are operated for a short time.  
Fill with water and, if required, with a washer  
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-  
mendations.  
When the vehicle lighting system is switched  
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and  
appropriate intervals.  
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling  
the washer fluid reservoir to make sure  
the correct concentration is maintained.<  
Do not use the washers if there is any  
danger that the fluid will freeze on the  
windshield. If you do, your vision could be  
obscured. Antifreeze should therefore be  
added to the fluid, refer to Washer fluid.  
Do not use the washers when the washer fluid  
reservoir is empty; otherwise, you will damage  
the washer pump.<  
Capacity  
Approx. 6.3 US quarts/6 liters.  
Cruise control*  
The concept  
Windshield washer nozzles  
You can use the cruise control feature begin-  
ning at approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. The car then  
stores and maintains the speed that you specify  
using the lever on the steering column.  
The windshield washer nozzles are heated  
automatically* while the engine is running or  
the ignition is switched on.  
Do not use cruise control when driving at  
constant speed is prevented by adverse  
conditions, e.g. winding roads, dense traffic or  
poor road conditions due to, e.g. snow, rain, ice  
or loose surfaces. Otherwise, you could lose  
control of the vehicle and cause an accident as a  
result.<  
Washer fluid  
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable.  
Therefore, keep it away from ignition  
sources and only store it in the closed original  
container that is kept out of reach of children;  
otherwise, there is a risk of personal injury.  
Comply with the instructions on the con-  
tainer.<  
Washer fluid filler neck  
Only refill washer fluid when the engine is  
cool to avoid contact with hot engine  
parts. Otherwise, fluid spills constitute a fire  
hazard and a risk to personal safety.<  
61  
 
speed is increased or the vehicle is accelerated,  
except that in this case the speed decreases.  
One lever for all functions  
Deactivating cruise control  
Tap the lever upwards or downwards, arrow 3.  
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-  
vated:  
>
>
When you brake the vehicle  
When you depress the clutch of a manual  
transmission or shift to neutral  
1
2
Storing and maintaining speed or accelerat-  
ing  
>
>
When you select the automatic transmis-  
sion's neutral position N  
Storing and maintaining speed or deceler-  
ating  
When the vehicle travels faster or slower  
than the set speed for an extended period,  
e.g. when the accelerator is depressed  
3
4
Deactivating cruise control  
Resuming a speed stored beforehand  
>
>
When you activate DTC or deactivate DSC  
When DSC is intervening  
Maintaining current speed  
Tap the lever, arrow 1, or pull it briefly, arrow 2.  
The car's current speed is stored and main-  
tained. It is briefly displayed in the instrument  
cluster.  
Resuming a speed stored beforehand  
Press the button, arrow 4.  
The last stored speed is resumed and main-  
tained.  
If the engine braking power is insufficient on a  
downhill slope, the set speed may be exceeded.  
On uphill gradients, it may prove impossible to  
maintain the set speed if engine power output is  
insufficient.  
The stored speed is briefly displayed in the  
instrument cluster.  
The stored speed is cleared when the ignition is  
switched off.  
Display in the instrument cluster  
Increasing speed  
Repeatedly press the lever, arrow 1, until the  
desired speed is reached.  
Each time the lever is pressed lightly, the speed  
is increased by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.  
Accelerating using the lever  
Press the lever, arrow 1, until the desired speed  
is reached.  
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on  
the accelerator pedal. The system stores and  
maintains the speed.  
When the speed at which the vehicle is traveling  
is stored or when a stored speed is called up,  
the speed is briefly displayed in the instrument  
cluster.  
Decreasing speed  
Repeatedly pull the lever, arrow 2, until the  
desired speed is reached.  
The functions are the same as when the set  
62  
 
Controls overview  
roads, for example; otherwise, there is an  
increased risk of an accident.<  
Odometer, outside  
temperature display, clock  
Odometer and trip odometer  
Resetting the trip odometer:  
With the ignition switched on, press button 1 in  
the instrument cluster.  
When the vehicle is parked  
If you still want to view the time, outside tem-  
perature and odometer reading briefly after the  
remote control has been taken out of the igni-  
tion lock:  
1
2
3
Knob in the instrument cluster  
Outside temperature and clock  
Odometer and trip odometer  
Press button 1 in the instrument cluster.  
Tachometer  
Knob in the instrument cluster  
>
To reset the trip odometer while the ignition  
is switched on  
>
To display the time, outside temperature  
and odometer briefly while the ignition is  
switched off  
Units of measure  
To select the respective units of measure, miles  
or km for the odometer as well as 7 or 6 for  
the outside temperature, refer to Units of mea-  
sure on page 67.  
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-  
rently in use.  
Time, outside temperature display  
Setting the time, refer to page 69.  
Outside temperature warning  
When the displayed temperature sinks to  
approx. +37 7/+36, a signal sounds and a  
warning lamp lights up. There is an increased  
risk of black ice.  
Never force the engine speed up into the red  
warning field, see arrow. In this range, the fuel  
supply is interrupted to protect the engine.  
Black ice can also form at temperatures  
above +37 7/+36. You should there-  
fore drive carefully on bridges and shaded  
63  
 
Reserve  
Coolant temperature  
Once the fuel level has fallen to the reserve  
zone, a message briefly appears on the Control  
Display and the cruising range for the remaining  
amount of fuel is displayed on the computer.  
Under a cruising range of approx. 30 miles/  
50 km, the message remains in the Control Dis-  
play.  
A warning lamp will come on if the coolant, and  
therefore the engine, becomes too hot.  
In addition, a message will appear on the Con-  
trol Display.  
Check coolant level, refer to page 202.  
Refuel as soon as possible once your  
cruising range falls below 30 miles/  
Engine oil temperature*  
50 km; otherwise, engine functions are not  
ensured and damage can occur.<  
Computer  
Displays in the instrument cluster  
Calling up information  
When the engine is at normal operating temper-  
ature, the engine oil temperature is between  
approx. 2107/1006 and approx. 3007/  
1506.  
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a mes-  
sage appears on the Control Display.  
Fuel gauge  
Press the button in the turn indicator lever.  
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 14 US gallons/  
53 liters.  
The following items of information are dis-  
played in the order listed:  
You can find information on refueling on  
page 188.  
>
>
>
>
>
Cruising range  
Average speed  
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period,  
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for  
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.  
Average fuel consumption  
Current fuel consumption  
No information  
Fuel display 135i: in speedometer.  
64  
 
To set the corresponding units of measure,  
refer to Setting the units of measure on  
page 67.  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Onboard info" or "Trip computer"  
Cruising range  
Displays the estimated cruising range available  
with the remaining fuel. The range is calculated  
on the basis of the way the car has been driven  
over the last 18 miles/30 km and the amount of  
fuel currently in the tank.  
It is important that you refuel as soon as  
possible once your cruising range falls  
below 30 miles/50 km; otherwise, engine func-  
tions are not ensured and damage can occur.<  
Displays on the "Onboard info":  
Average speed  
Periods with the vehicle parked and the engine  
switched off are not included in the calculations  
of average speed.  
With the trip computer, refer to page 66, you  
can have the average speed for another trip dis-  
played.  
To reset average speed: press the button in the  
turn indicator lever for approx. 2 seconds.  
>
>
>
Cruising range  
Distance from destination  
Estimated time of arrival if:  
Average fuel consumption  
> A distance was manually entered in the  
computer, refer to the information  
below.  
The average fuel consumption is calculated for  
the time during which the engine is running.  
With the trip computer, refer to page 66, you  
can have the average consumption for another  
trip displayed.  
> A destination was entered in the naviga-  
tion system*, refer to page 117.  
Displays on the "Trip computer":  
To reset average fuel consumption: press the  
button in the turn indicator lever for approx.  
2 seconds.  
Current fuel consumption  
Displays the current fuel consumption. This  
allows you to see whether your current driving  
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-  
mum exhaust emissions.  
Displays on the Control Display  
>
>
>
Departure time  
Trip duration  
Trip distance  
The computer can also be opened via iDrive.  
Both displays show:  
65  
 
>
>
The average speed and  
1. Select the respective menu item and press  
the controller.  
the average fuel consumption.  
2. Press the controller again to confirm your  
selection.  
Resetting the fuel consumption and  
speed  
Resetting the trip computer  
You can reset all values:  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
You can reset the values for average speed and  
average consumption:  
2. "Trip computer"  
3. "Reset"  
Settings and information  
Operating principle  
1
2
Button for:  
5
6
7
8
Checking oil level 199  
> Selecting display  
> Setting values  
Button for:  
Setting the time 69  
Setting the date 70  
Viewing service requirement display 67  
> Confirming selected display or set val-  
Exiting displays  
ues  
The outside temperature reading and the time  
reappear when you press button 2 or if you  
make no entries within approx. 15 seconds. If  
required, complete the current setting first.  
> Calling up computer information 64  
3
4
When the lights are on: instrument lighting  
brightness 89  
Calling up Check Control 71  
66  
 
Units of measure  
The units of measure can be set.  
Setting the units of measure  
You can change the units for fuel consumption,  
route/distance, temperature and pressure.  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Language/Units"  
1. Switch on the ignition, refer to page 55.  
2. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up  
or down repeatedly until the appropriate  
symbol appears in the display, accompa-  
nied by the words "SERVICE-INFO".  
3. Press button 2.  
4. Use button 1 to scroll through the individual  
service items.  
3. Select the desired menu item.  
4. Select the desired unit.  
The settings are stored for the remote control  
currently in use.  
Service requirements  
The remaining driving distance and the date of  
the next scheduled service are displayed briefly  
immediately after you start the engine or switch  
on the ignition.  
The extent of service work required can  
be read out from the remote control by  
your BMW Service Advisor.<  
For certain maintenance operations, you can  
view the respective distance remaining or due  
date individually in the instrument cluster.  
67  
 
Possible displays  
1
2
3
4
5
Button for selecting functions  
Service requirements  
Engine oil  
6
7
Rear brake pads  
Brake fluid  
The sequence of displayed service items may  
vary. The data for the next service appointment  
is shown first.  
Roadworthiness test*  
Front brake pads  
Required maintenance procedures and legally  
mandated inspections are displayed.  
More information  
Detailed information on service  
requirements  
You can request more detailed information on  
every entry:  
You can call up additional information on the  
maintenance regimen on the Control Display.  
Select the entry and press the controller.  
To exit from the menu:  
Move the controller to the left.  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
Symbols  
No service is currently required.  
The deadline for service or a legally man-  
dated inspection is approaching. Please  
schedule a service appointment.  
The service deadline has already passed.  
3. "Service required"  
68  
 
Entering deadlines for legally required  
inspections*  
Automatic Service Request*  
Data regarding the maintenance status or  
legally mandated inspections of the vehicle are  
automatically transmitted to your BMW center  
prior to a service due date.  
Make sure the date on the Control Display is  
always set correctly, refer to page 70; other-  
wise, the effectiveness of Condition Based Ser-  
vice CBS is not ensured.  
You can check when your BMW center was  
notified.  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
3. "Service required"  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
4. "§ Vehicle inspection"  
3. "Options"  
4. "Last Service Request"  
Clock  
The settings are stored for the remote control  
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile on  
page 26.  
Setting the time  
5. Open the menu for entering the deadline.  
6. "Date:"  
In the instrument cluster  
To set the 12h/24h format, refer to Setting the  
time format on page 70.  
7. Create the settings.  
8. Press the controller to apply the setting.  
The year is highlighted.  
9. Turn the controller to make the adjustment.  
10. Press the controller to apply the setting.  
The date entry is stored.  
To exit from the menu:  
Move the controller to the left.  
More information on the BMW Maintenance  
System can be found on page 203.  
1. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up  
or down repeatedly until the appropriate  
69  
 
symbol appears in the display, accompa-  
nied by the time and the word "SET".  
Setting the time  
1. "Settings"  
2. Press button 2.  
2. "Time/Date"  
3. Use button 1 to set the hours.  
4. Press button 2 to confirm the entry.  
5. Use button 1 to set the minutes.  
6. Press button 2 to confirm the entry.  
7. Press button 2.  
The system accepts the new time.  
Via iDrive  
1. Press the MENU button.  
3. "Time:"  
The main menu is displayed.  
4. Turn the controller until the desired hours  
are displayed, and then press the controller.  
5. Turn the controller until the desired minutes  
are displayed, and then press the controller.  
The time is stored.  
Setting the time format  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Time/Date"  
2. "Settings"  
3. "Format:"  
4. Select the desired format and press the  
controller.  
The time format is stored.  
Date  
The settings are stored for the remote control  
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile on  
page 26.  
Setting the date  
In the instrument cluster  
To set the dd/mm or mm/dd date format, refer  
to Setting the date format below.  
70  
 
4. Select the desired format.  
The date format is stored.  
Check Control  
The concept  
The Check Control monitors vehicle functions  
and alerts you to any malfunctions in the sys-  
tems monitored. Such a Check Control mes-  
sage includes indicator and warning lamps in  
the instrument cluster and, in some circum-  
stances, an acoustic signal as well as text mes-  
sages at the top of the Control Display.  
1. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up  
or down repeatedly until the appropriate  
symbol appears in the display, accompa-  
nied by the date and the word "SET".  
2. Press button 2.  
3. Use button 1 to set the day of the month.  
4. Press button 2 to confirm the entry.  
5. Set the month and the year in the same way.  
Indicator and warning lamps  
6. Press button 2.  
The system stores the new date.  
Via iDrive  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Time/Date"  
3. "Date:"  
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a  
variety of combinations and colors.  
4. Turn the controller until the desired day is  
displayed, and press the controller.  
Several of the lamps are checked for proper  
functioning and light up temporarily when the  
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.  
5. Create the necessary settings for the  
month and year.  
The date is stored.  
Setting the date format  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Time/Date"  
3. "Format:"  
indicates that Check Control messages have  
been stored. These Check Control messages  
can be viewed again later, refer to page 72.  
71  
 
>
Other Check Control messages are hidden  
automatically after approx. 20 seconds.  
They are stored and can be displayed again  
later.  
Text messages  
Text messages at the upper edge of the Control  
Display explain the meaning of the displayed  
indicator and warning lamps.  
They are marked with the symbol  
shown here.  
Supplementary text messages  
You can call up more information on the Control  
Display, e.g. on the cause of a malfunction and  
on how to respond, via Check Control.  
Displaying stored Check Control  
messages  
1. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up  
or down repeatedly until the appropriate  
symbol appears in the display, accompa-  
nied by the words "CHECK".  
The text of urgent messages is displayed auto-  
matically.  
To exit the display:  
Select "OK" and press the controller.  
2. Press button 2.  
"CHECK OK" appears if there are no Check  
Control messages. If a Check Control mes-  
sage has been stored, the corresponding  
lamp comes on. It is accompanied by a text  
message on the Control Display.  
Hiding Check Control messages  
3. Push button 1 to check for other messages.  
4. Press button 2.  
The display again shows the outside tem-  
perature and the time.  
Via iDrive  
Press the button on the turn indicator lever.  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
>
Some Check Control messages are dis-  
played continuously and remain visible until  
the malfunction has been rectified. If several  
malfunctions occur at once, the messages  
are displayed consecutively.  
These messages can be hidden for approx.  
8 seconds. After this, they are displayed  
again automatically.  
They are marked with the symbol  
shown here.  
72  
 
3. "Check Control"  
Applying your current speed as the  
limit  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Speed"  
3. "Select current speed"  
4. Select the text message.  
Speed limit  
You can enter a speed, and a Check Control  
message will indicate when you reach this  
speed. This enables you, for example, to  
receive warnings if you exceed a speed limit in  
an urban area.  
You are only warned of reaching this speed a  
second time if your vehicle speed falls below it  
again by at least 3 mph/5 km/h.  
4. Press the controller.  
The system adopts your current speed as the  
limit.  
Activating/deactivating the limit  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Speed"  
3. "Warning"  
Displaying, setting or changing the  
limit  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Speed"  
3. "Warning at:"  
4. Press the controller.  
The limit warning is switched on.  
Settings on the Control  
Display  
4. Turn the controller until the desired speed  
is displayed.  
Language on the Control Display  
5. Press the controller.  
The speed limit is stored.  
Setting the language  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Language/Units"  
73  
 
3. "Language:"  
3. "Brightness"  
4. Select the desired language.  
4. Turn the controller until the desired setting  
is selected.  
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-  
rently in use.  
5. Press the controller.  
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-  
rently in use. In bright conditions, for example,  
the brightness control may not be clearly visi-  
ble.  
Setting the voice dialog  
Switch between a standard dialog and a short  
dialog.  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Language/Units"  
3. "Speech mode:"  
4. Select the desired dialog.  
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-  
rently in use.  
Brightness of the Control Display  
The brightness is automatically adapted to the  
ambient lighting conditions. However, you can  
change the basic setting.  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Control display"  
74  
 
Technology for driving comfort and safety  
>
If you stop in front of an object that has been  
detected by only one of the corner sensors  
Park Distance Control PDC*  
The concept  
>
If you are driving parallel to a wall  
The PDC assists you with maneuvering in tight  
parking spaces. Acoustic signals and a visual  
indicator warn you of the presence of an object  
behind your vehicle. Four ultrasonic sensors in  
the bumper measure the distance.  
Malfunction  
The indicator lamp in the instrument  
cluster comes on. PDC is malfunc-  
tioning. A message appears on the  
Control Display. Have the system checked.  
These sensors have a range of approx. 6.5 ft/  
2 m. However, an acoustic warning does not  
sound until an object is approx. 2 ft/60 cm from  
the corner sensors, or approx. 5 ft/1.50 m from  
the center sensors.  
To avoid this problem, keep the sensors clean  
and free of ice or snow in order to ensure that  
they will continue to operate effectively. When  
using a high-pressure cleaner, do not spray the  
sensors for extended periods of time and only  
from a distance of at least 1 ft/30 cm.  
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate  
objects when they are approached  
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.  
Avoid approaching an object at high speed; oth-  
erwise, physical circumstances may lead to the  
system warning being issued too late.<  
PDC with visual warning  
The approach of the vehicle to an object is  
shown on the Control Display. Objects that are  
farther away are displayed on the Control Dis-  
play before a signal tone sounds. The display  
appears on the Control Display as soon as PDC  
is activated.  
Switching on automatically  
With the engine running or the ignition switched  
on, the system is activated after approx. 1 sec-  
ond when you engage reverse gear or move the  
automatic transmission selector lever to  
System limitations  
position R. Wait this short period before driving.  
Even with PDC, final responsibility for  
estimating the distance between the  
Switching off automatically  
vehicle and any obstructions always remains  
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-  
vided, there is a blind spot in which objects can  
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-  
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms  
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those  
encountered with trailer towbars and hitches,  
thin or wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low objects  
that have already been displayed, e.g. curbs,  
can disappear again from the detection area of  
the sensors before or after a continuous tone  
sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g. ledges,  
cannot be detected. Loud sound sources out-  
side or inside the car can drown out the PDC  
signal. Therefore, always drive cautiously; oth-  
erwise, there is a risk of personal injury or prop-  
erty damage.<  
After approx. 55 yd/50 m of driving or above  
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system switches  
off and the LED goes out.  
Signal tones  
When nearing an object, its position is indicated  
correspondingly by an interval tone. As the dis-  
tance between vehicle and object decreases,  
the intervals between the tones become  
shorter. If the distance to the nearest object  
falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a contin-  
uous tone sounds.  
An interval tone is interrupted after approx.  
3 seconds:  
75  
 
Deactivating DSC  
Driving stability control  
systems  
Your BMW has a number of systems that help  
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in  
adverse driving conditions.  
Antilock Brake System ABS  
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during  
braking. Safe steering response is maintained  
even during full braking. Active safety is thus  
increased.  
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-  
cator lamps for DSC in the instrument cluster  
light up. Dynamic Traction Control DTC and  
DSC have been simultaneously deactivated.  
Stabilizing and drive-output promoting actions  
are no longer executed.  
The ABS is operational every time you start the  
engine. Braking safely, refer to page 110.  
Electronic brake-force distribution  
EBV  
In the same way as with a differential interlock*,  
even if DSC is deactivated, brake actions are  
still performed on the rear axle to enhance drive  
output if the drive wheels experience a signifi-  
cant loss of traction.  
The system controls the brake pressure in the  
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.  
Dynamic Brake Control DBC  
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system  
automatically produces the maximum braking  
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-  
est possible braking distance during full brak-  
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-  
vided by ABS.  
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again  
as soon as possible.  
Activating DSC  
Press the button again; the indicator lamps for  
DSC in the instrument cluster go out.  
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the  
duration of the full braking application.  
For better control  
If the indicator lamp flashes:  
DSC is regulating the drive and braking  
forces.  
Dynamic Stability Control DSC  
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing  
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-  
erate. The system also recognizes unstable  
driving conditions, for example if the rear of the  
car is about to swerve or if momentum is acting  
at an angle past the front wheels. In these  
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe  
course within physical limits by reducing engine  
output and through braking actions at the indi-  
vidual wheels.  
If the indicator lamps are on:  
DSC is deactivated.  
Dynamic Traction Control DTC  
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-  
put is optimized for particular road conditions,  
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-  
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with  
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-  
sary to drive with appropriate caution.  
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,  
even with DSC. An appropriate driving  
style always remains the responsibility of the  
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional  
safety margin again by taking risks, as this could  
result in an accident.<  
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC  
under the following special circumstances:  
76  
 
>
When driving uphill on snow-covered roads,  
in slush or on unplowed, snow-covered  
roads  
assistant will no longer hold the car in place  
after approx. 2 seconds and the car will start to  
roll backwards.<  
>
>
When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-  
ing off in deep snow or on loose ground  
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*  
When driving with snow chains  
The concept  
Activating DTC  
The Flat Tire Monitor detects pressure loss in a  
tire by comparing the rotating speeds of the  
individual tires while moving.  
In the event of pressure loss, the rolling circum-  
ference changes and, thus, the rotating speed  
of the affected wheel. This change is detected  
and is reported as a flat tire.  
Functional requirement  
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat  
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-  
rect tire inflation pressure.  
Press the button; the indicator lamps for DTC in  
the instrument cluster come on.  
The system must be reinitialized each  
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-  
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<  
For better control  
If the indicator lamp flashes:  
DTC is regulating the drive and braking  
forces.  
System limitations  
If the indicator lamps are on:  
DTC has been activated.  
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn  
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage  
caused by external factors, nor can it identify  
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably  
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of  
time.<  
Deactivating DTC  
Press the button again; the DTC indicator  
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.  
In the following situations, the system could be  
delayed or malfunction:  
>
>
>
System has not been initialized  
Drive-off assistant  
The drive-off assistant enables you to drive off  
smoothly on uphill gradients. It is not necessary  
to use the parking brake for this.  
Driving on snowy or slippery road surface  
Performance-oriented style of driving: slip  
in the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration  
>
Snow chains are attached  
1. Hold the car in place by depressing the  
brake.  
Initializing the system  
2. Release the brake and drive off without  
delay.  
The initialization is completed during driv-  
ing, which can be interrupted at any time.  
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-  
tinued automatically.  
The drive-off assistant holds the car in  
place for approx. 2 seconds after the  
brake is released. Drive off without delay after  
releasing the brake. Otherwise, the drive-off  
Do not initialize the system while snow chains  
are attached.<  
77  
 
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
3. "Reset"  
for which you can continue driving on the  
basis of the following guidelines:  
> With a light load:  
1 to 2 persons without luggage:  
approx. 155 miles/250 km  
> With a medium load:  
2 persons, cargo area full, or 4 persons  
without luggage:  
approx. 90 miles/150 km  
> With a full load:  
4 persons, cargo area full:  
approx. 30 miles/50 km  
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a  
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h; otherwise,  
there is a risk of an accident. In the event of  
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This  
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,  
extended braking distance and altered natural  
steering characteristics.  
4. Start the engine – do not drive away.  
5. Start the initialization using "Reset".  
6. Start driving.  
The initialization is completed during the trip.  
"Status: Flat Tire Monitor active" is displayed  
again on the Control Display.  
If unusual vibration or loud noises occur during  
the journey, this may be an indication that the  
damaged tire has finally failed. Reduce your  
speed and pull over as soon as possible at a  
suitable location. Otherwise, parts of the tire  
could come loose, resulting in an accident. Do  
not continue driving. Instead, contact your  
BMW center.<  
Indication of a flat tire  
The warning lamps come on in yellow  
and red. A message appears on the  
Control Display. In addition, a signal  
sounds. There is a flat tire or substan-  
tial loss of tire pressure.  
1. Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/  
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-  
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of  
50 mph/80 km/h.  
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.  
If the car is not equipped with run-flat  
tires, refer to page 196, the standard  
equipment by design, do not continue driv-  
ing. A severe accident could result if you  
continue driving after a tire puncture.<  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
3. "Flat Tire Monitor"  
2. At the next opportunity, check the air pres-  
sure in all four tires.  
If all four tires are inflated to the cor-  
rect pressures, the Flat Tire Monitor  
might not have been initialized. The system  
must then be initialized.<  
3. In the event of complete tire pressure loss,  
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the distance  
The status is displayed.  
78  
 
"TPM active" appears on the Control Display.  
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM*  
One wheel yellow  
The concept  
There is a flat tire or substantial loss of tire pres-  
sure in the indicated tire. A message appears on  
the Control Display.  
RDC monitors the tire inflation pressure in the  
four mounted tires during a trip. The system  
notifies you if there is a significant loss of pres-  
sure in one or more tires.  
All wheels yellow  
Functional requirement  
There is a flat tire or substantial loss of tire pres-  
sure in several tires. A message appears on the  
Control Display.  
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat  
tire, the system must be reset while all tire infla-  
tion pressures are correct.  
Gray  
Always use wheels with TPM electronics. Oth-  
erwise, the system may malfunction.  
The system cannot detect a puncture.  
Possible reasons for this:  
Each time a tire inflation pressure has  
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been  
changed, reset the system.<  
>
>
TPM is being reset  
Temporary malfunction caused by systems  
or devices using the same radio frequency  
System limitations  
>
Malfunction  
TPM cannot warn you in advance of sud-  
den severe tire damage caused by out-  
side influences.<  
Resetting the system  
Each time a tire inflation pressure has  
been corrected or a wheel or tire has been  
changed, reset the system.<  
The system does not work correctly if it has not  
been reset; for example, a flat tire may be indi-  
cated even though the tire inflation pressures  
are correct.  
Resetting finishes during the trip, which can be  
interrupted at any time. When the trip is  
resumed, the reset is continued automatically.  
Do not reset the system when driving with a  
compact wheel*.  
The system is inactive and cannot indicate a flat  
tire if a wheel without TPM electronics, such as  
a compact spare wheel, has been mounted, or if  
TPM is temporarily malfunctioning due to other  
systems or devices using the same radio fre-  
quency.  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
3. "Reset TPM"  
Status indicator on the Control Display  
The color of the wheels represents the status of  
the tires and the system.  
TPM takes into account that tire pressures  
change while the vehicle is being driven. The  
tire pressures do not need to be corrected  
unless the TPM instructs you to do so by means  
of color indicators.  
Green  
4. Start the engine, but do not start driving.  
The tire inflation pressure corresponds to the  
established target value.  
5. "Reset"  
6. "Yes"  
79  
 
Start driving.  
without luggage:  
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting  
TPM..." is displayed.  
approx. 95 miles/150 km  
> With a full load:  
After driving a few minutes, the set inflation  
pressures in the tires are accepted as the target  
values to be monitored. The system reset is  
completed during your drive, and can be inter-  
rupted at any time. When the trip is resumed,  
the reset is continued automatically. On the  
Control Display, the wheels are shown in green  
and "Status: TPM active" is displayed again.  
4 persons, cargo area full:  
approx. 30 miles/50 km  
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a  
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of  
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This  
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,  
extended braking distance and altered natural  
steering characteristics.  
If a flat tire is detected while the system is  
resetting and determining the inflation  
pressures, all wheels on the Control Display are  
displayed in yellow. The message "Low tire!" is  
shown.<  
If unusual vibration or loud noises occur during  
the journey, this may be an indication that the  
damaged tire has finally failed. Reduce your  
speed and pull over as soon as possible at a  
suitable location. Otherwise, parts of the tire  
could come loose, resulting in an accident. Do  
not continue driving. Instead, contact your  
BMW center.<  
Message for low tire inflation pressure  
The warning lamps come on in yellow  
and red. A message appears on the  
Control Display. In addition, a signal  
sounds. There is a flat tire or substan-  
tial loss of tire pressure.  
Status display  
The current status of the Tire Pressure Monitor  
TPM can be displayed on the Control Display,  
e.g., whether or not the TPM is active.  
1. Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/  
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-  
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of  
50 mph/80 km/h.  
1. "Vehicle Info"  
2. "Vehicle status"  
3. "Tire Pressure Monitor - TPM"  
If the car is not equipped with run-flat  
tires, refer to page 196, the standard  
equipment by design, do not continue driv-  
ing. Otherwise, a severe accident could  
result after a tire puncture if you continue  
driving.<  
2. In the event of complete pressure loss,  
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible  
distance for continued driving on the basis  
of the following guidelines:  
The status is displayed.  
> With a light load:  
1 to 2 persons without luggage:  
approx. 155 miles/250 km  
Malfunction  
The small warning lamp flashes in  
yellow and then lights up continu-  
> With a medium load:  
2 persons, cargo area full, or 4 persons  
ously; the large warning lamp comes  
on in yellow. On the Control Display,  
the wheels are shown in gray and a message  
appears. No punctures can be detected.  
80  
 
This type of message is shown in the following  
situations:  
flation has not reached the level at which the  
TPMS low tire pressure telltale illuminates.  
>
>
>
If there is a malfunction  
Have the system checked  
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined  
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys-  
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash  
for approximately one minute and then remain  
continuously lit. This sequence will continue  
upon subsequent vehicle startups as long as  
the malfunction 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  
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the  
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning  
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction  
telltale 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.  
If a wheel without TPM electronics has  
been mounted  
If TPM is temporarily malfunctioning due to  
other systems or devices using the same  
radio frequency  
Message for unsuccessful system  
reset  
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A  
message appears on the Control Dis-  
play. The system is not reset, e.g.  
after a wheel change.  
Check the tire inflation pressure and reset the  
system, refer to page 79.  
Declaration according to NHTSA/  
FMVSS 138  
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems  
Active steering*  
Each tire should be checked monthly when cold  
and inflated to the inflation pressure recom-  
mended 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 infla-  
tion 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 sys-  
tem, TPMS, that illuminates a low tire pressure  
telltale when one or more of your tires are signif-  
icantly 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 pressure. Driving  
on a significantly underinflated tire causes the  
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.  
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and  
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s han-  
dling and stopping ability. Please note that the  
TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte-  
nance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to  
maintain correct tire pressure, even if underin-  
The concept  
Active steering varies the turning angle of the  
front wheels in relation to steering wheel move-  
ments. It also varies the steering force required  
to turn the wheels depending on the speed at  
which you are driving.  
When you are driving in the low road speed  
range, e.g. in a town or when parking, the steer-  
ing angle is increased, i.e. steering becomes  
very direct and less effort is required to turn the  
wheels. In the higher speed range, on the other  
hand, the steering angle is reduced as the  
speed increases. This improves the handling of  
your BMW over the entire speed range.  
In critical situations, the system can make tar-  
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-  
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle  
before the driver intervenes. This stabilizing  
intervention is simultaneously deactivated  
when DSC is switched off, refer to page 76.  
81  
 
Malfunction  
Brake Force Display*  
The warning lamps come on. Active  
steering is malfunctioning or is tem-  
porarily deactivated. At low speeds,  
greater steering wheel movements  
are required, whereas at higher speeds the  
vehicle reacts more sensitively to steering  
wheel movements. The stability-enhancing  
feature may also be deactivated. Drive cau-  
tiously and think well ahead.  
Deactivation  
On the left: normal braking.  
On the right: sharp braking.  
Active steering is deactivated to perform an ini-  
tialization. A message indicates that the feature  
is deactivated. Initialization may take several  
minutes.  
If the message does not disappear during the  
current trip, have the system checked.  
Defect  
If there is a defect, a corresponding text mes-  
sage appears. Have the system checked.  
Servotronic*  
The concept  
The Servotronic varies the steering force  
required to turn the wheels relative to the vehi-  
cle speed.  
At low speeds, the steering force is strongly  
assisted, i.e. less force is needed for steering.  
As the vehicle speed increases, the steering  
assisting power is reduced.  
This system functions automatically.  
Malfunctions  
Malfunctions are displayed via Check Control,  
refer to page 71.  
82  
 
Airbags  
The following airbags are located under the  
marked covers:  
the airbag retention system from the vehicle. Do  
not modify the individual components of the  
system or its wiring in any way. This includes  
the upholstered covers on the steering wheel,  
instrument panel, seats and roof posts, as well  
as the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to  
remove or dismantle the steering wheel.  
1
2
3
4
Front airbags  
Coupe: head airbags  
Side airbags in the seat backrests  
Convertible: knee airbags  
Do not touch the individual components imme-  
diately after the system has been triggered,  
because there is a danger of burns.  
Protective action  
Observe the adjustment instructions on  
page 43 to ensure the best possible per-  
sonal protection.<  
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation or  
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have  
the testing, repair, removal and disposal of air-  
bag generators executed only by a BMW center  
or a workshop that works according to repair  
procedures of BMW with correspondingly  
trained personnel and that has the required  
explosives licenses. Unprofessional attempts to  
work on the system could lead to failure in an  
emergency or to undesired airbag activation,  
either of which could result in personal injury.<  
The front airbags help protect the driver and  
front passenger by responding to frontal  
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-  
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the  
head and side airbags help provide protection in  
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-  
bag supports the side upper body area. The  
head air bag supports the head.  
The airbags have been designed to not be trig-  
gered in every collision situation, e.g. not in  
minor accidents or rear-end collisions.  
Warning notices and information about the air-  
bags can also be found on the sun visors.  
Do not apply adhesive materials to the  
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or  
modify them in any other way.  
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 navigation instruments and  
mobile phones.  
Do not attach seat covers, cushions or other  
objects not specifically approved for seats with  
integral side airbags to the front seats. Do not  
hang items of clothing such as coats or jackets  
over the backrests. Do not attempt to remove  
Automatic deactivation of the front  
passenger airbags  
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-  
senger seat cushion determines whether and  
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-  
bags for the front passenger are activated or  
deactivated by the system accordingly.  
The indicator lamp above the interior  
rearview mirror shows the current status  
of the front passenger airbags, deactivated or  
activated, refer to Status of front passenger air-  
bags below.<  
83  
 
Before transporting a child on the front  
passenger seat, read the safety precau-  
tions and handling instructions under Trans-  
porting children safely, refer to page 52.  
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-  
vated by adolescents and adults sitting in cer-  
tain positions; the indicator lamp for the front  
passenger airbags comes on. In such cases, the  
passenger should change his or her sitting  
position so that the front passenger airbags are  
activated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the  
desired airbag status cannot be achieved by  
changing the sitting position, transport the rele-  
vant passenger on a rear seat. Do not attach  
seat covers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or  
other items to the front passenger seat unless  
they are specifically recommended by BMW.  
Do not place any items under the seat which  
could press against the seat from below. Other-  
wise, a correct analysis of the seat cushion is  
not ensured.<  
cle production. After mounting a child seat,  
ensure that the indicator lamp for the front  
passenger airbag is lit. It indicates that the  
child seat has been detected and that the  
front passenger airbags are deactivated.<  
>
The indicator lamp does not come on when,  
for example, a person of sufficient size and  
in a correct sitting position is detected on  
the seat.  
The front and side airbags for the front pas-  
senger are activated.  
>
The indicator lamp does not come on if the  
seat is empty.  
The front and side airbags for the front pas-  
senger are not activated.  
Operational readiness of airbag system  
Status of front passenger airbags  
As of radio readiness, refer to page 55, the  
warning lamp comes on briefly to indicate that  
the entire airbag system and the belt tensioners  
are operational.  
Airbag system malfunction  
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-  
bags shows the functional status of the front  
passenger front and side airbags in accordance  
with whether and how the front passenger seat  
is occupied. The indicator lamp shows whether  
the front passenger airbags are activated or  
deactivated.  
>
Warning lamp does not light up at radio  
readiness or beyond.  
>
Warning lamp remains permanently on.  
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,  
have it checked without delay; otherwise,  
there is the risk that the system will not function  
as intended even if a sufficiently severe acci-  
dent occurs.<  
>
The indicator lamp lights up when a child in  
a specially designated child restraint sys-  
tem is detected, as intended, on the seat.  
The front and side airbags for the front pas-  
senger are not activated.  
Convertible: rollover  
protection system  
The rollover protection system is activated  
automatically in the event of an accident, a crit-  
Most child seats are detected by the  
system, especially child seats  
required by the NHTSA at the time of vehi-  
84  
 
ical driving situation, an extreme tilt in the car's  
longitudinal axis or upon loss of ground contact.  
The protection bars behind the rear head  
restraints deploy within fractions of a second.  
4. Push the protection bar down until it snaps  
into place.  
As a supplementary system to the reinforced  
windshield frame, the rollover protection sys-  
tem ensures that the necessary headroom is  
maintained for all vehicle occupants.  
Always keep the area of movement of the  
rollover protection system clear.  
In minor accidents, you are protected by the  
fastened safety belt and, depending on acci-  
dent severity, by the safety belt tensioner and  
multi-phase airbag retention system.<  
5. Repeat the procedure for the other protec-  
tion bar.  
Have the rollover protection system checked  
after an unexpected activation.  
Resetting  
Never move the convertible top when the  
rollover protection system is in the acti-  
vated position.  
Do not make any modifications to the individual  
components of the rollover protection system  
or its cabling.  
Work on the rollover protection system should  
only be performed by a BMW center.  
Incorrectly performed work on the system may  
lead to system failure or incorrect operation.  
To check the system and ensure flawless long-  
term operation, always observe the service  
intervals, refer to page 67.<  
If the rollover protection system was not  
impacted after being automatically activated, it  
can be reset by lowering the protection bars to  
their original positions. This does not require  
tools.  
1. Push the locking lever to one side and hold  
it there.  
2. Push the protection bar halfway down from  
above.  
3. Release the locking lever.  
85  
 
Lamps  
Automatic headlamp control*  
Parking lamps/low beams  
When the switch is in position 3, the low beams  
are switched on and off automatically depend-  
ing on ambient light conditions, e.g. in a tunnel,  
in twilight, or if there is precipitation. The adap-  
tive light control* is active. The LED next to the  
symbol is illuminated when the low beams are  
on. You can also activate the daytime running  
lights, refer to page 87. In the situations  
described above, the lamps then automatically  
switch from daytime running lights to low  
beams.  
0
Lamps off,  
The headlamps may also come on when the  
sun is sitting low on a blue sky.  
daytime running lights  
1
2
Parking lamps and daytime running lights  
The low beams remain switched on inde-  
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-  
tions when you switch on the fog lamps*.<  
Low beams,  
welcome lamps*  
3
Automatic headlamp control*, daytime run-  
ning lights, welcome lamps*, high-beam  
assistant*, adaptive light control*  
The automatic headlamp control cannot  
serve as a substitute for your personal  
judgment in determining when the lamps  
should be switched on in response to ambient  
lighting conditions. For example, the system  
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid  
safety risks, you should always switch on the  
low-beam headlamps manually under these  
conditions.<  
When you open the driver's door with the igni-  
tion switched off, the exterior lighting is auto-  
matically switched off if the light switch is in  
position 0, 2 or 3.  
Switch on the parking lamps if necessary,  
switch position 1.  
Parking lamps  
Welcome lamps  
In switch position 1, the front, rear and side  
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the  
parking lamps for parking.  
If you leave the light switch in position 2 or 3  
when you park the car, the parking lamps and  
the interior lamps light up briefly when you  
unlock the vehicle.  
The parking lamps will discharge the bat-  
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for  
unduly long periods of time; otherwise, the bat-  
tery might not have enough power to start the  
engine. It is preferable to switch on the left-  
hand or right-hand roadside parking lamps,  
refer to page 88.<  
Activating/deactivating welcome  
lamps  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Lighting"  
Low-beam headlamps  
The low beams light up when the light switch is  
in position 2 and the ignition is on.  
86  
 
3. "Welcome light"  
Activating/deactivating daytime  
running lights  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Lighting"  
3. "Daytime running lamps"  
Welcome lamps are activated and are  
stored for the remote control currently in use.  
Pathway lighting  
If you activate the headlamp flasher after  
switching off the ignition with the lamps  
switched off, the low beams come on and  
remain on for a certain time.  
Daytime running lights are activated and  
are stored for the remote control currently in  
use.  
Setting the duration or deactivating  
1. "Settings"  
Adaptive light control*  
2. "Lighting"  
The concept  
3. "Pathway light.:"  
Adaptive light control is a variable headlamp  
control system that enables better illumination  
of the road surface. Depending on the steering  
angle and other parameters, the light from the  
headlamp follows the course of the road.  
4. Set a time of duration, or 0 s to deactivate  
the function.  
In tight curves at speeds up to 40 mph/70 km/h,  
e.g. on mountainous roads or when turning, an  
additional, corner-illuminating lamp is switched  
on that lights up the inside area of the curve.  
Activating adaptive light control  
With the ignition switched on, turn the light  
switch to position 3, refer to page 86.  
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-  
rently in use.  
The corner-illuminating lamp is switched on  
automatically, depending on the steering wheel  
angle or turn signal indicator.  
Daytime running lights  
Standstill function*: to avoid blinding oncoming  
traffic, the adaptive light control directs light  
towards the front passenger side when the  
vehicle is at a standstill.  
The daytime running lights light up in switch  
position 0, 1 and 3. They are less powerful than  
the low beams.  
When you are reversing, only the corner-illumi-  
nating lamps are active and switched on on  
both sides.  
87  
 
Malfunction  
High-beam assistant*  
The LED next to the symbol for automatic head-  
lamp control flashes. Adaptive light control is  
malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system  
checked as soon as possible.  
The concept  
This system automatically switches the high  
beams on and off. The procedure is controlled  
by a sensor on the front of the interior rearview  
mirror. The assistant ensures that the high  
beams are switched on whenever the traffic sit-  
uation allows. It handles this task for you and  
gives you the benefit of the best possible view.  
You can intervene at any time and switch the  
high beams on and off as usual.  
High beams/roadside parking  
lamps*  
Activating the system  
1. Turn the light switch to position 3, refer to  
page 86.  
2. With the low beams switched on, briefly  
push the turn indicator lever in the direction  
of the high beam.  
1
2
3
High beams  
The indicator lamp in the instrument  
cluster lights up when the high beams  
are activated. The system automati-  
Headlamp flasher  
Roadside parking lamps*  
cally switches from high beams to low beams  
and vice versa in response to oncoming traffic,  
traffic ahead of you, and adequate ambient  
lighting, e.g. on city streets.  
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*  
There is an additional option of switching on the  
lamps on the side of the car facing the road  
when parked.  
Switching the high beams on and off  
manually  
Switching on  
Whenever you wish, or when the situation  
requires, you can intervene:  
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or  
down beyond the pressure point for approx.  
1 second, arrow 3.  
>
If the high-beam assistant switches on the  
high beams, but you would like to drive with  
the low beams, simply switch off the high  
beams using the turn indicator lever. This  
deactivates the high-beam assistant.  
To reactivate the system, briefly push the  
turn indicator lever toward the high beams  
again.  
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-  
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for  
unduly long periods of time; otherwise, the bat-  
tery might not have enough power to start the  
engine.<  
Switching off  
>
If the high-beam assistant switches on the  
low beams, but you would like to drive with  
the high beams, switch on the high beams  
as usual. This deactivates the system and  
the high beams need to be switched off  
manually, if necessary.  
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the  
pressure point, arrow 3.  
To reactivate the system, briefly push the  
88  
 
turn indicator lever toward the high beams  
again.  
3. "High beam assistant"  
>
Use the headlamp flasher as usual with the  
low beams switched on.  
System limitations  
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as  
a substitute for the driver's personal judg-  
ment of when to use the high beams. Therefore,  
manually switch off the high beams in situations  
where this is required to avoid a safety risk.<  
The high-beam assistant is activated and is  
stored for the remote control currently in use.  
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  
Fog lamps*  
>
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 depressions,  
in cross traffic or half-obscured oncoming  
traffic on highways  
In poorly lit towns and cities and in the pres-  
ence of highly reflective signs  
To switch on/off, press the button.  
>
>
At low speeds  
The parking lamps or low beams must  
be switched on for the fog lamps to  
operate. The green indicator lamp in  
the instrument cluster lights up whenever the  
fog lamps are on.  
When the windshield in front of the interior  
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov-  
ered with stickers, etc.  
>
If the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor on  
the front of the interior rearview mirror using  
a cloth moistened with a small amount of  
glass cleaner.  
The fog lamps are switched off while you acti-  
vate the headlamp flasher or switch on the high  
beams.  
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-  
vated, the low beams will come on auto-  
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<  
Switching off via iDrive  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Lighting"  
Instrument lighting  
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument  
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low  
beams are switched on.  
89  
 
Switching interior lamps on/off  
manually  
1. Push button 1 in the turn indicator lever up  
or down repeatedly until the appropriate  
symbol appears in the display, accompa-  
nied by the brightness level and the word  
"SET".  
Interior lamps, front and rear*:  
To switch on and off, press the button.  
To switch off the interior lamps, footwell  
lamps*, entry lamps* and courtesy lamps* per-  
manently, press the button for the front interior  
lamps for about 3 seconds.  
2. Press button 2.  
Reading lamps  
3. Push button 1 up or down to select the  
desired brightness level.  
4. Press button 2.  
The display again shows the outside tem-  
perature and the time.  
There are reading lamps at the front and rear*,  
next to the interior lamps. To switch on and off,  
press the button.  
Interior lamps  
The interior lamps, footwell lamps*, entry  
lamps*, cargo area lamp and courtesy lamps*  
are controlled automatically.  
The LEDs for the courtesy lamps are set in the  
door handles and illuminate the ground in front  
of the doors.  
To avoid draining the battery, all lamps  
inside the car are switched off about  
8 minutes after the ignition is switched off, refer  
to Start/stop button on page 55.<  
90  
 
Climate  
1
2
Airflow directed toward the windshield and  
side windows  
10 Automatic recirculated-air control AUC/  
Recirculated-air mode  
Air to the upper body area:  
Draft-free ventilation 94  
11 Setting the temperature, right side  
12 ALL program  
3
4
5
6
7
8
Air to the footwell  
13 Defrosting windows and removing conden-  
Air distribution, manual  
Setting the temperature, left side  
Maximum cooling  
sation  
14 Switching cooling function on/off manually  
15 Rear window defroster  
AUTO program  
16 Seat heating*, right side 48  
Air volume, manual adjustment; AUTO  
intensity  
17 Interior temperature sensor, please keep  
clear  
9
Display  
18 Seat heating*, left side 48  
91  
 
Maximum cooling  
Automatic climate control  
Press the button.  
Comfortable interior climate  
The system is set to the lowest  
temperature, maximum air volume  
and recirculated-air mode.  
AUTO program 7 offers the ideal air distribution  
and air volume for almost all conditions, refer to  
AUTO program below. All you need to do is  
select an interior temperature which is comfort-  
able for you.  
Air flows out of the vent outlets for the upper  
body region. Open them for this purpose.  
Air is cooled as quickly as possible:  
The following sections inform you in detail  
about how to adjust the settings.  
>
Above an outside temperature of approx.  
327/0 6  
Most settings are stored for the remote control  
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile  
settings on page 26.  
>
When the engine is running  
AUTO program  
Press the button.  
Adjusting air distribution manually  
Air volume, air distribution and  
temperature are controlled auto-  
The air distribution can be  
switched on and off manually. The  
air is directed to the windshield, to  
the upper body area and to the  
footwell.  
matically.  
Depending on the selected temperature, AUTO  
intensity and outside influences, the air is  
directed toward the windshield, the side win-  
dows, the upper body and the footwell.  
The automatic air distribution can be switched  
back on by pressing the AUTO button. The  
cooling function is switched on automatically  
and the manual air distribution setting is  
cleared.  
Pressing the AUTO button automatically  
switches on the cooling function.  
At the same time, a condensation sensor con-  
trols the program so as to prevent window con-  
densation as much as possible.  
Temperature  
Turn to set the desired tempera-  
ture.  
The program is switched off when the air distri-  
bution is set manually or the button is pressed  
again.  
The automatic climate control  
achieves this temperature as  
Intensity of the AUTO program  
quickly as possible regardless of the season,  
using maximum cooling or heating power if nec-  
essary, and then maintains it.  
With the AUTO program switched on, auto-  
matic control of the air volume and air distribu-  
tion can be adjusted:  
Avoid rapid switching between different tem-  
perature settings. The automatic climate con-  
trol will not have sufficient time to adjust the set  
temperature.  
Press the left side of the button to  
reduce the intensity. Press the  
right side of the button to increase  
it.  
Maximum heating power can be obtained with  
the highest setting, regardless of the outside  
temperature.  
The selected intensity is shown on the display  
of the automatic climate control.  
The system cools steadily in the lowest setting,  
regardless of the outside temperature.  
Convertible program  
The Convertible program is active when the  
convertible top is open and the AUTO program  
is switched on. In the Convertible program, the  
92  
 
automatic climate control is optimized for driv-  
ing with the convertible top down. In addition,  
the air volume is increased as vehicle speed  
increases.  
Via the button on the steering wheel  
You can switch quickly between the recircu-  
lated-air mode and the previous mode using a  
button on the steering wheel, refer to page 11.  
The effectiveness of the Convertible pro-  
gram can be enhanced considerably by  
installing the wind deflector.<  
ALL program  
Press the button.  
The current temperature setting  
on the driver's side is transferred to  
the front passenger side.  
Adjusting air volume manually  
To be able to manually adjust the air volume,  
switch off the AUTO program first.  
If the temperature setting on the driver's side is  
changed, the temperature on the front passen-  
ger side is changed as well.  
Press the left side of the button to  
reduce the air volume. Press the  
right side of the button to increase  
it.  
The program is switched off when the setting is  
adjusted on the front passenger side or the but-  
ton is pressed again.  
The air volume may be reduced or the blower  
may be switched off entirely to save on battery  
power. The display remains the same.  
Defrosting windows and removing  
condensation  
Automatic recirculated-air control  
AUC/Recirculated-air mode  
Press the button.  
Quickly removes ice and conden-  
sation from the windshield and  
front side windows.  
For this purpose, also switch on the cooling  
function.  
You can respond to unpleasant odors or pollut-  
ants in the immediate environment by tempo-  
rarily suspending the supply of outside air. The  
system then recirculates the air currently within  
the vehicle.  
Press the button repeatedly to  
select an operating mode:  
Switching cooling function on/off  
The passenger compartment can only be  
cooled while the engine is running.  
>
>
LED off: outside air flows in continuously.  
Press the button.  
Left-hand LED on, AUC mode: a sensor  
detects pollutants in the outside air and  
controls the shut-off automatically.  
The air is cooled and dehumidified  
and – depending on the tempera-  
ture setting – warmed again.  
>
Right-hand LED on, recirculated-air mode:  
the supply of outside air is permanently  
shut off. If the windows fog over, switch off  
recirculated-air mode and increase the air  
volume, if necessary. Make sure that air can  
flow onto the windshield.  
Depending on the weather, the windshield may  
fog up briefly when the engine is started.  
Pressing the AUTO button automatically  
switches on the cooling function.  
Rear window defroster  
The recirculated-air mode should not be  
used continuously for lengthy periods;  
Press the button.  
otherwise, the quality of the air inside the car  
will gradually deteriorate.<  
The defroster is switched off auto-  
matically after a certain time.  
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the  
upper wires serve as an antenna and are not  
part of the rear window defroster.  
93  
 
Switching the system on/off  
Switching off  
Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter  
The microfilter traps dust and pollen in the  
incoming air. The activated-charcoal filter pro-  
vides additional protection by filtering gaseous  
pollutants from the outside air. Your BMW cen-  
ter replaces this combined filter during routine  
maintenance.  
With the blower at its lowest set-  
ting, press the left side of the but-  
ton to switch off the automatic cli-  
mate control.  
All displays are cleared except for the rear win-  
dow defroster if it is switched on.  
Parked car ventilation*  
The outside air supply is blocked when  
the automatic climate control is switched  
off. If the air quality deteriorates or the window  
fogs over, switch the system back on and  
increase the air volume.<  
The concept  
The parked car ventilation provides ventilation  
to the passenger compartment and lowers its  
temperature, if necessary.  
Switching on  
The parked car ventilation system is operated  
via iDrive, refer to page 16. Two different  
switch-on times can be preselected.  
Press any button except the ALL or the rear  
window defroster button to reactivate the auto-  
matic climate control.  
The parked car ventilation remains switched on  
for approx. 30 minutes. The system can also be  
switched on and off directly. Due to its high  
power consumption, it should not be switched  
on twice in a row without driving in between to  
allow the battery to recharge.  
Ventilation  
The parked car ventilation system comes on if  
the outside temperature is above 59 7/15 6  
when the switch-on time was preselected, but  
is ready for use at any temperature when the  
system is switched on directly.  
The air emerges from the air vents for the upper  
body area in the instrument panel. The air vents  
must therefore be open.  
1
2
Use the thumbwheels to smoothly open  
and close the air vents  
Use the lever to change the direction of the  
airflow  
Switching on and off directly  
1. "Settings"  
Ventilation for cooling  
2. "Climate"  
Adjust the vent outlets to direct the flow of cool  
air in your direction, for instance if it has become  
too hot in the car.  
3. "Activate parked-car vent."  
Draft-free ventilation  
Set the vent outlets so that the air flows past  
you and not straight at you.  
94  
 
The parked car ventilation is switched on.  
The symbol on the automatic climate control  
display flashes.  
Preselecting switch-on times  
1. "Settings"  
2. "Climate"  
3. "Activate Timer 1" or "Activate Timer 2"  
4. "Timer 1:" or "Timer 2:"  
5. Turn the controller: set the hours.  
6. Press the controller: the setting is  
accepted.  
7. Turn the controller: set the minutes.  
8. Press the controller: the setting is  
accepted.  
The switch-on time is activated.  
The symbol on the automatic climate control  
display lights up.  
The symbol on the automatic climate control  
display flashes when the system has switched  
on.  
The respective system is switched on  
within the next 24 hours only. After these  
have elapsed, it must be reactivated.<  
95  
 
Practical interior accessories  
HomeLink is a registered trademark of Johnson  
Controls, Inc.  
Integrated universal remote  
control*  
Programming  
The concept  
The integrated universal remote control can  
replace as many as three hand-held transmit-  
ters for various remote-controlled devices,  
such as garage doors and gates or lighting sys-  
tems. The integrated universal remote control  
registers and stores signals from the original  
hand-held transmitters.  
The signal of an original hand-held transmitter  
can be programmed on one of the three mem-  
ory buttons 1. After this, the programmed  
memory button 1 will operate the system in  
question. The LED 2 flashes to confirm trans-  
mission of the signal.  
1
2
Memory buttons  
LED  
Fixed-code hand-held transmitters  
Should you sell your vehicle one day, be sure to  
delete the stored programs beforehand for your  
safety, refer to page 97.  
1. Switch on the ignition, refer to page 55.  
2. When starting operation for the first time:  
press the left and right memory buttons 1  
for approx. 20 seconds until the LED 2  
flashes rapidly. The three memory buttons  
are cleared.  
To prevent possible damage or injury,  
before programming or using the inte-  
grated universal remote control, always inspect  
the immediate area to make certain that no peo-  
ple, animals or objects are within the pivoting or  
travel range of the device being operated. Com-  
ply also with the safety instructions supplied  
with the original hand-held transmitter.<  
3. Hold the original hand-held transmitter at a  
distance of approx. 4 to 12 in/10 to 30 cm  
from the memory buttons 1.  
The required distance between the  
hand-held transmitter and the mem-  
ory buttons 1 depends on the system of the  
respective original hand-held transmitter  
used.<  
Checking compatibility  
If this symbol appears on the package  
or in the instructions supplied with the  
original hand-held transmitter, you can  
assume that the radio remote control device will  
be compatible with the integrated universal  
remote control.  
4. Simultaneously press the transmit key on  
the original hand-held transmitter and the  
desired memory button 1 on the integrated  
universal remote control. The LED 2 flashes  
slowly at first. As soon as the LED 2 flashes  
rapidly, release both buttons. If the LED 2  
does not flash rapidly after approx. 15 sec-  
onds, alter the distance and repeat this  
step.  
For additional information, please contact your  
BMW center or call: 1-800-355-3515.  
You can also obtain information on the Internet  
at:  
5. To program other original hand-held trans-  
mitters, repeat steps 3 and 4.  
96  
 
The corresponding memory button 1 is now  
programmed with the signal of the original  
hand-held transmitter.  
The corresponding memory button 1 is now  
programmed with the signal of the original  
hand-held transmitter.  
You can operate the device while the ignition is  
switched on.  
If you have any questions, please contact  
your BMW center.<  
If the device fails to function even after  
repeated programming, check whether  
Deleting all stored programs  
the original hand-held transmitter uses an alter-  
nating-code system. To do so, either read the  
instructions for the original hand-held transmit-  
ter or hold down the programmed memory  
button 1 of the integrated universal remote  
control. If the LED 2 on the integrated universal  
remote control flashes rapidly and then remains  
lit for about two seconds, the original hand-held  
transmitter uses an alternating-code system. If  
it uses an alternating-code system, program  
the memory buttons 1 as described under  
Alternating-code hand-held transmitters.<  
Press the left and right memory buttons 1 for  
approx. 20 seconds until the LED 2 flashes rap-  
idly: all stored programs are deleted.  
Reassigning individual programs  
1. Hold the original hand-held transmitter at a  
distance of approx. 4 to 12 in/10 to 30 cm  
from the memory buttons 1.  
The required distance between the  
hand-held transmitter and the mem-  
ory buttons 1 depends on the system of the  
respective original hand-held transmitter  
used.<  
Alternating-code hand-held  
transmitters  
2. Press the desired memory button 1 of the  
integrated universal remote control.  
To program the integrated universal remote  
control, consult the operating instructions for  
the device to be set. You will find information  
there on the possibilities for synchronization.  
When programming hand-held transmitters  
that employ an alternating code, please observe  
the following supplementary instructions:  
3. If the LED 2 flashes slowly after approx.  
20 seconds, press the transmit key of the  
original hand-held transmitter. Release  
both buttons as soon as the LED 2 flashes  
rapidly. If the LED 2 does not flash rapidly  
after approx. 15 seconds, alter the distance  
and repeat this step.  
Programming will be easier with the aid of  
a second person.<  
1. Park your vehicle within the range of the  
remote-controlled device.  
2. Program the integrated universal remote  
control as described above in the section  
Fixed-code hand-held transmitters.  
3. Locate the button on the receiver of the  
device to be set, e.g. on the drive unit.  
4. Press the button on the receiver of the  
device to be set. After step 4, you have  
approx. 30 seconds for step 5.  
5. Press the programmed memory button 1 of  
the integrated universal remote control  
three times.  
97  
 
Digital compass*  
>
>
>
>
Press briefly: switch display on/off  
3 to 6 seconds: set compass zone  
6 to 9 seconds: calibrate compass  
9 to 12 seconds: set left-hand/right-hand  
steering  
>
12 to 15 seconds: set the language  
Setting compass zones  
Set the compass zone corresponding to your  
vehicle's geographic location so that the com-  
pass can function correctly; refer to the world  
map with compass zones.  
1
2
Adjustment button  
Display  
The display shows you the main or secondary  
compass direction in which you are driving.  
To set the compass zone, press the adjustment  
button for approx. 3-4 seconds. The number of  
the compass zone set is shown in the display.  
Operating principle  
You can call up various functions by pressing  
the adjustment button with a pointed object  
such as a pen or similar item. The following  
adjustment options are displayed one after the  
other, depending on how long you keep the  
adjustment button pressed:  
To change the zone setting, briefly press the  
adjustment button repeatedly until the display  
shows the number of the compass zone corre-  
sponding to your current location.  
The compass is operational again after approx.  
10 seconds.  
>
An incorrect compass direction is shown.  
Calibrating the digital compass  
The digital compass must be calibrated in the  
following situations:  
98  
 
>
>
The compass direction shown does not  
change although the direction of travel  
does.  
Glove compartment  
Opening  
Not all compass directions are shown.  
Procedure  
1. Make sure that no large metal objects or  
overhead power lines are in the vicinity of  
your vehicle and that you have enough  
space to drive in a circle.  
2. Set the currently valid compass zone.  
3. Convertible: ensure that the convertible top  
is fully closed.  
Pull the handle.  
The light in the glove compartment comes on.  
4. Press the adjustment button for approx.  
6-7 seconds to call up C. Then drive in at  
least one full circle at a speed of no more  
than 4 mph or 7 km/h.  
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-  
dent while the vehicle is being driven,  
close the glove compartment immediately after  
use.<  
If calibration is successful, the display  
changes from C to a compass direction.  
Closing  
5. Convertible: open the convertible top fully  
and repeat step 4.  
Fold the cover up.  
Setting right-hand/left-hand steering  
Locking  
Your digital compass is factory-set to right-  
hand or left-hand steering, in accordance with  
your vehicle.  
To lock the glove compartment, use the inte-  
grated key of the remote control, refer to  
page 26.  
Setting the language  
USB interface for data transmission  
You can set the language of the display:  
Press the adjustment button for approx.  
12-13 seconds. Briefly press the adjustment  
button again to switch between English, "E",  
and German, "O".  
The setting is automatically saved after approx.  
10 seconds.  
Port for importing and exporting data on USB  
devices, e.g. music collections, refer to  
page 158.  
Observe the following when connecting:  
>
Do not forcibly connect the plug to the USB  
interface.  
>
Do not connect devices such as fans or  
lamps to the USB interface.  
99  
 
>
>
Do not connect USB hard drives.  
Items of clothing hung from the hooks  
must not obstruct the driver's view. Do  
not hang heavy objects from the hooks; other-  
wise, they could endanger the car's occupants,  
e.g. in case of heavy braking or sudden swerv-  
ing.<  
Do not use the USB interface to recharge  
external devices.  
Center armrest  
Storage compartment  
Cupholders  
The center armrest between the front seats  
contains a credit card holder and, depending on  
the equipment version, a compartment or a  
snap-in adapter*.  
Use lightweight and shatterproof contain-  
ers and do not transport hot beverages;  
otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury in  
the event of the accident. Do not force contain-  
ers that are too large into the cupholders; other-  
wise, damage could result.<  
Opening  
Press the button, see arrow.  
There is one cupholder in the center console.  
Connection for external audio device  
You can connect an external audio device such  
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks  
over the car's loudspeaker system:  
>
>
AUX-IN port, refer to page 159  
USB audio interface*/additional connection  
of the music player in the mobile phone*,  
refer to page 159  
You can mount an attachable cupholder* on the  
side of the center console.  
Storagecompartmentsinside  
the vehicle  
Compartments are located next to the steering  
column*, on the doors and in the center con-  
sole.  
There are nets* on the front-seat backrests.  
Coupe: clothes hooks  
There are clothes hooks in the rear.  
100  
 
remote control so that children cannot operate  
the cigarette lighter and burn themselves.<  
Ashtray*  
Opening  
Connecting electrical  
appliances  
In your BMW, when the engine is running or the  
ignition is switched on, you can use electrical  
devices such as a hand lamp, car vacuum  
cleaner, etc., up to approx. 200 watts at  
12 volts, as long as one of the following sockets  
is available. Avoid damaging the socket by  
attempting to insert plugs of unsuitable shape  
or size.  
Push the ridge on the cover.  
Emptying  
Cigarette lighter socket*  
To access the socket:  
Open the ashtray at the front and pull out the  
lighter to use the socket.  
In the cargo area*  
To access the socket:  
Fold open the cover.  
In the center console  
Lift out the insert.  
To access the socket, refer to External devices  
on page 159.  
Lighter  
With the engine running or the ignition switched  
on, press in the cigarette lighter.  
The lighter can be pulled out as soon as it pops  
back out.  
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by  
the knob only. Holding or touching it in  
other areas could result in burns.  
When leaving the car, always remove the  
101  
 
Coupe: through-loading  
system  
Convertible: cargo loading  
Enlarging the cargo area  
Opening  
When the convertible top is closed you can  
enlarge the cargo area:  
To do so, fold the cargo area partition upward.  
1. To release the rear seat backrest, pull the  
corresponding lever in the cargo area.  
Before opening the convertible top, pull the  
cargo area partition down until it engages.  
2. The unlocked rear seat backrest moves for-  
ward slightly. Fold the backrest forward by  
the head restraint.  
Ensure that pointed objects do not press  
against the cargo area partition from below.  
The convertible top can only be opened  
when the cargo area partition is folded  
down.<  
Storagecompartmentsinside  
the cargo area  
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the  
following storage spaces can be found in the  
cargo area:  
Closing  
Return the rear seat backrest to the upright  
seating position and engage it.  
>
Rubber strap* on the left trim panel for  
securing small objects such as a folding  
umbrella  
When returning the backrest into the  
seating position, make sure that the  
>
>
Net* for small objects on the right trim  
seat's locking mechanism is properly engaged.  
Otherwise, cargo could be thrown around and  
endanger the occupants in the event of sharp  
braking or swerving.<  
panel of the cargo area  
Retaining straps* on cargo area floor: for  
securing smaller objects or as an anti-slip  
surface when you place objects on the  
straps  
The lashing eyes in the cargo area provide you  
with a way to attach cargo area nets* or draw  
straps for securing suitcases and luggage, refer  
to page 110.  
The lashing eyes in the cargo area provide you  
with a way to attach cargo area nets* or draw  
straps* for securing suitcases and luggage,  
refer to page 112.  
102  
 
Securing cargo  
Coupe: ski bag*  
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport  
of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up to  
2 snowboards.  
With the ski bag you can stow skis with a length  
of up to 6.6 ft/2.0 m. When skis of 6.6 ft/2.0 m  
length are loaded, the overall capacity of the ski  
bag is reduced due to its tapered design.  
Loading  
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-  
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-  
sioning buckle for this purpose.  
Ensure that the skis are clean when they are  
loaded into the ski bag. Wrap sharp edges to  
prevent damage.  
Secure the ski bag in the manner  
described; otherwise, it could endanger  
the car's occupants, e.g. in case of heavy brak-  
ing or sudden swerving.<  
1. Fold down the center panel in the rear seat  
backrest.  
2. Press the button, reach into the recess and  
fold down the cover. To stabilize the cover  
in the folded-down position, place the cen-  
ter panel underneath it.  
To store the ski bag, perform the steps  
described for loading in reverse order.  
Removing the ski bag  
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for  
faster drying or to allow you to use other inserts.  
3. Open the Velcro fastener, spread the ski  
bag between the front seats and insert the  
skis or snowboards.  
The zip fastener makes objects in the ski  
bag easier to reach.  
1. Fold down the center panel in the rear seat  
backrest.  
4. Attach the hook of the ski bag retaining  
strap to the eyelet on the side of the ski bag  
opening.  
2. Pull the handle, arrow 1.  
3. Pull out the insert, arrow 2.  
For more information on the various  
inserts available, contact your BMW cen-  
ter.<  
103  
 
The zip fastener makes objects in the ski  
bag easier to reach.  
Convertible: through-loading  
opening with integrated  
transport bag*  
The transport bag is designed for safe, clean  
transport of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up  
to 2 snowboards.  
With the transport bag you can stow skis up to a  
length of 6.6 ft /2.0 m. When skis of 6.6 ft/2.0 m  
length are loaded, the overall capacity of the ski  
bag is reduced due to its tapered design.  
When using the transport bag, it is not  
permissible to transport passengers in  
the rear seats.<  
Ensure that the skis are clean when you load  
them into the transport bag. Wrap sharp edges  
to prevent damage.  
Loading  
Securing cargo  
1. Pull the grip in the filler piece of the rear  
backrest up and take out the filler piece.  
2. Place the filler piece onto the seat cushion  
with the backrest side facing up.  
After loading, secure the transport bag and its  
contents. Tighten the retaining strap on the  
tensioning buckle for this purpose.  
Secure the transport bag in the manner  
described; otherwise, it could endanger  
the car's occupants, e.g. in case of heavy brak-  
ing or sudden swerving.<  
3. In the cargo area: press the two recesses  
together and fold down the cover.  
To store the transport bag, perform the steps  
described for loading in reverse order.  
4. Release the strap, lay out the transport bag  
between the front seats and load it.  
104  
 
105  
 

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