engine BMW 760LI 2008 E66 User Guide
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Driving
62
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can 
also shift manually using the buttons on the 
steering wheel, refer to page63.
Transmission range selection
P R N D
Displays on Info Display
P R N D S or M1 to M6
The transmission range is indicated, and in the 
manual mode, the gear currently engaged.
Selecting transmission range
>Only engage transmission positions D, R, 
or N when the engine is running: interlock.
>With the vehicle stationary, depress the 
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N; 
otherwise, the shift command will not be 
executed: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
maintain pressure on the brake pedal until 
you are ready to start off. Activate Auto-
matic Hold to suppress the tendency to 
creep, refer to page59.<The engaged position is indicated on the Info 
Display.
Selecting D, R or N
Lightly pull selector lever and engage desired 
position:
>N Neutral: 
To resistance point, arrowsN.
>D Drive: 
Downward past resistance point, arrowD.
>R Reverse: 
Upward past resistance point, arrowR.
The selector lever immediately returns to the 
center position when released.
Selecting P
Press button P.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The 
rear wheels are locked.
Transmission automatically shifts into P 
as soon as you switch off the engine 
unless N is selected and the remote control is in 
the ignition lock, refer to page58.< 
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R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this position, for example, in car 
washes. The vehicle can roll.
Transmission remains in N even after the 
ignition is switched off whenever you 
leave the remote control in the ignition lock. 
This function is useful in automatic car washes, 
etc. 
After approx. 30 minutes the system automati-
cally shifts into position P. Pay attention to the 
messages on the Info Display. 
Switching off engine, refer to page58.<
D Drive, automatic position
This is the mode recommended for normal 
vehicle operation. All forward gears are avail-
able.
Under normal operating conditions, the fuel 
consumption is lowest when driving in 
position D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides you with maxi-
mum acceleration.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual operation
Press button1 on the steering wheel.
The sport program is activated and S appears 
on the Info Display. This program is recom-
mended for a performance-oriented driving 
style.
Press button1 again to switch into the manual 
mode and then into the automatic program 
again.
In the manual mode, the Steptronic changes 
gears when one of the buttons2 on the front or 
back of the steering wheel is briefly pressed. 
The Info Display shows the manual ranges M1 
through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, 
the system will not execute a downshift that 
would cause the engine to overrev. In this case, 
the requested gear appears briefly on the Info 
Display, followed by the current gear.
Press button1 again to switch back into the 
automatic program. 
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Driving
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Activating rain sensor
Briefly press the button, arrow, the wipers move 
once across the windshield. The LED lights up.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the knurled wheel 5.
Deactivating rain sensor
Briefly press the button again, arrow. The LED 
goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing 
through an automatic car wash. Failure to 
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield, headlamps and 
BMW Night Vision camera*
The system sprays washer fluid against the 
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief 
period.
With the vehicle lighting switched on, the head-
lamps and the BMW Night Vision camera are 
also cleaned simultaneously at suitable inter-
vals.
Do not use the washers if there is any 
danger that the fluid will freeze on the 
windshield. If you do so, your vision could be 
obscured. To avoid freezing, use a washer fluid 
antifreeze, refer to Washer fluid.
Avoid using the washer when the reservoir is 
empty. Otherwise, you could damage the 
pump.<
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles and the wind-
shield itself in the area around the wipers are heated automatically when the ignition is 
switched on.
Pivoting wipers into folded-out 
position
This position is important for changing wiper 
blades or when folding wiper arms away from 
windshield to prevent blades from sticking in 
the event of frost.
1.Switch off the engine and remove the 
remote control from the ignition lock.
2.Press the wiper lever upward past the resis-
tance point and maintain pressure for about 
3 seconds until the wipers stop in a roughly 
vertical position: pivot into the folded-out 
position.
After folding the wipers back against the wind-
shield you will need to reactivate the wiper sys-
tem:
1.Switch on radio ready state.
2.Briefly press wiper lever downward. The 
wipers return to their retracted position and 
are ready for normal operation.
To prevent damage to the wipers, always 
fold them back against the windshield 
before switching on either the radio ready state 
or the ignition.<
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable. 
Always keep it well away from sparks and 
open flames, and store it in tightly closed con-
tainers well out of the reach of children. Always 
follow the instructions for use provided on the 
containers.<
Wiper fluid filler neck
Only refill wiper fluid when the engine is 
cool in order to prevent contact with hot 
engine components. Otherwise, there is a risk 
of burns and personal injury if the fluid spills.< 
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All of the washer jets are supplied from a single 
tank.
Fill with water and – if required – with a washer 
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
In order to maintain the mixture ratio, mix 
the washer fluid before filling.<
Capacity
Approx. 6.3 US quarts/6 liters.
Programmable cruise control
The concept
The programmable cruise control is available 
for use at speeds of approx. 20 mph/30 km/h 
and higher. The vehicle maintains and stores 
the speed that you set using the lever mounted 
on the steering column.
You can also use the multilevel preset mode to 
store six desired speeds for later selection with 
the lever, refer to page67.
This feature assists you in quickly adapting the 
vehicle speed to specific road conditions, e.g. 
changes in speeds limits.
Do not use the programmable cruise con-
trol when unfavorable conditions do not 
permit you to drive at a constant speed, e.g. 
when driving on winding roads, in heavy traffic 
or under poor road conditions such as snow, 
rain, ice, or a loose road surface. If you do, you 
could lose control of the vehicle and cause an 
accident.<
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining speed, storing, and accelerat-
ing
2Maintaining speed, storing, and decelerat-
ing
3Interrupt or deactivate cruise control
4Resuming stored speed
Maintaining speed, storing, and 
accelerating
Press lever to resistance point, arrow 1: 
The system maintains and stores the current 
vehicle speed. The pointer5 in the speedome-
ter indicates this speed, refer to Displays in 
speedometer on page68. Each time the lever is 
pressed again briefly, the speed is increased by 
approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
Push the lever to the resistance point for a 
longer time: 
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on 
the accelerator pedal. The system maintains 
and stores your current speed as soon as you 
release the lever.
Press the lever past the resistance point if no 
desired speeds6 are stored:
The pointer5 jumps to the next multiple of 
5 mph or 10 km/h and then further, as long as 
the lever is held. The speed then indicated is 
reached and stored.
The vehicle may accelerate beyond the preset 
speed on steep downhill stretches where the 
engine's braking action alone may not be suffi-
cient to slow the vehicle. Speed can drop on 
uphill grades if the engine output is insufficient. 
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Deactivating system
>Press the lever up or down, arrow3 for 
approx. 3 seconds
>or switch off the ignition.
The stored speed5 is deleted, however the 
stored marks6 are retained.
Active cruise control*
The concept
With active cruise control you can select a 
desired speed which is not only automatically 
maintained when driving on open roadways, but 
also varied to maintain a selected distance set-
ting as slower traffic is encountered.
Active cruise control represents a technological 
advance over the familiar cruise control and is a 
welcome relief from the constant adjustment of 
speed that can accompany driving in traffic on 
highways or other high-speed thoroughfares. 
Especially on longer trips, the system can 
reduce fatigue and tension, while increasing 
your enjoyment of driving. Please use it safely 
and responsibly.
In addition to maintaining a steady cruising 
speed, if you encounter slower vehicles ahead, 
active cruise control will, within the scope of 
given possibilities, adjust your vehicle's speed 
automatically, permitting you to flow with the 
traffic without having to frequently intervene. 
If, for example, while cruising at the selected 
speed, you begin to approach a slower vehicle 
ahead of you in the same lane, the system will 
reduce your vehicle's speed to the same as that 
of the vehicle ahead to maintain your selected 
following distance between your vehicle and 
the vehicle ahead. You can vary the distance, 
which is additionally speed-dependent. Based 
on your selected distance setting, the system 
automatically decreases the throttle setting and 
lightly applies the brakes if necessary. The vehi-
cle brake lamps will automatically illuminate to 
signal a following driver to take action. In addi-
tion, it may be necessary for the vehicle to 
downshift to maintain the distance setting 
selected. If the vehicle ahead speeds up or when the lane ahead becomes clear, your vehi-
cle will accelerate to the speed you have 
selected by increasing the throttle setting and 
shifting gears as needed. This setting is also 
maintained on steep stretches, but the vehicle 
speed can fall below this on uphill grades if the 
engine output is insufficient to maintain speed.
Active cruise control is not and must not 
be used as a collision avoidance/warning 
system.<
Since this active cruise control system is 
a new technology and operates differ-
ently from conventional cruise control systems 
to which you may be accustomed, you are 
strongly urged to read all of the pages relating 
to this system before use. Pay special attention 
to the information contained in the Things to 
know about active cruise control section begin-
ning on page72.<
Brake pedal feel
>When the system brakes and you also 
depress the brake pedal, a somewhat differ-
ent braking feeling results.
>Any noises produced during automatic 
braking are normal.
Applications
As with conventional cruise control systems, 
active cruise control in no way diminishes or 
substitutes for the driver's own personal 
responsibility, alertness, and awareness in 
adjusting speed, braking, or otherwise control-
ling the vehicle. The driver should decide when 
to use the system on the basis of road, traffic, 
visibility, and weather conditions. Active cruise 
control is intended for use on highway-type 
roadways where traffic is moving relatively 
smoothly. Do not use this system in city driving; 
heavy traffic such as during rush hour; on curvy, 
winding roads, slippery roads or roads with 
sharp curves such as highway off-ramps; during 
inclement weather such as snow, strong rain or 
fog; or when entering interchanges, service/
parking areas or toll booths. It is also important 
to regulate your vehicle's speed and distance 
setting within applicable legal limits. Adapt the  
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Distance 1
Distance 2
Distance 3 
This distance is always set when 
the system is used for the first time 
after starting the engine.
Distance 4
Use good judgment to select the appro-
priate following distance given road con-
ditions, traffic, applicable laws and driving rec-
ommendations for safe following distance; 
failure to do so can constitute an accident haz-
ard.<
Deactivating cruise control
Press the lever up or down. The displays in the 
speedometer go out.
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-
vated:
>when the speed is reduced to below 20 mph 
or 30 km/h due to a traffic situation
>when DTC is activated or DSC is deacti-
vated
>when the system does not recognize any 
objects for an extended period of time, e.g. on infrequently traveled roads without a 
shoulder or guard rails, or if the radar sensor 
is covered with dirt, refer to page72
>when you actuate the parking brake during 
driving
>when you shift the transmission into posi-
tion N
If the system is deactivated, then it is nec-
essary for the driver to actively intervene 
by braking and possibly swerving. Otherwise, 
there is the danger of an accident.<
Background lighting
You can switch off the backlighting of the 
speedometer and tachometer when the system 
is deactivated if no other functions are being 
displayed, e.g. the advance warning field in the 
tachometer, refer to page75, or the route guid-
ance of the navigation system.
To do so, press the lever up or down for approx. 
1second.
Resuming stored desired speed and 
distance
Press button4: 
The displays appear in the speedometer.
When you switch off the ignition, the stored 
desired speed is deleted.
Info Display screen contents
1Stored desired speed display
2Lights up: vehicle detected ahead
3Selected distance to vehicle driving ahead
4The selected desired speed is displayed for 
a short time, refer to page70 
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of you, for example when approaching a traffic 
light or a parked vehicle. Also, the system does 
not react to oncoming traffic, pedestrians or 
other types of potential traffic such as a rider on 
horseback. It is also possible that the system 
may not detect smaller moving objects such as 
motorcycles or bicycles. Be especially alert 
when encountering any of these situations as 
the system will neither automatically brake, nor 
provide a warning to you. Also, be aware that 
every decrease in the distance setting allows 
your vehicle to come closer to a vehicle in front 
of you and requires a heightened amount of 
alertness.<
When your vehicle is actively following a vehicle 
in front of you, if the vehicle ahead speeds up or 
the lane ahead becomes clear, then your vehi-
cle will accelerate to the speed you have 
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear, 
unobstructed lane may also result in accelera-
tion of your vehicle.
Be certain to deactivate the system when 
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp.<
Also, vehicles traveling in a staggered manner 
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's 
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause 
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the 
lane next to you. Always be ready to take action 
or apply the brakes if necessary.
Active cruise control can only decelerate the 
vehicle to approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. If the sys-
tem reduces vehicle speed below 20 mph/
30 km/h or if DSC/ABS is engaged while driving, 
the system will automatically deactivate.
Remember, the system cannot stop your 
vehicle. In addition, the system is deacti-
vated whenever the driver applies the vehicle 
brakes, shifts the transmission from drive/D to 
neutral/N, or deactivates DSC. After any deacti-
vation, the system will no longer automatically 
activate the vehicle brakes, which means the 
driver must intervene and resume manual brak-
ing. You should then reactivate the system only 
when you are fully aware of the prior speed and 
distance settings.<Active cruise control may brake when you 
reduce the stored desired speed; however, the 
driver must constantly monitor traffic and inter-
vene if necessary.
When you switch off the engine or ignition, 
active cruise control is fully switched off, too, 
and any settings you have selected are can-
celed.
Swerving vehicles
When a vehicle moves from an adjacent lane 
into your lane, active cruise control will not 
detect this vehicle until it is fully in your lane 
ahead of your vehicle.
Behavior in curves
Because of the limited range of the system, it is 
possible that in curves or on the peaks and val-
leys of hilly roads, a vehicle ahead may be rec-
ognized late, or not at all. Therefore, it is up to 
the driver to select a speed that is prudent in 
view of the curves and terrain of the roadway. 
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Everything under control
Odometer, outside temperature display, clock
1Outside temperature display, clock
2Odometer
3Trip odometer
4Press button:
>with ignition switched on to reset trip 
odometer
>with ignition switched off to briefly dis-
play odometer, outside temperature, 
and time
Outside temperature display, clock, 
date
The outside temperature and the time displays 
are active with the ignition lock in radio ready 
state or higher.
You can change the units of measure, 7/6, 
in the "Settings" menu, refer to page84.
Setting the clock, refer to page84.
The date is displayed in the assistance win-
dow
*, refer to page21.
Setting date, refer to page84.
Outside temperature warning
If the display drops to +377/+36, a signal 
sounds and a message appears on the Info Dis-
play. There is an increased danger of ice.
Even at temperatures above +377/
+36, ice can form. Therefore, drive care-
fully, e.g. on bridges and shaded roadways; oth-
erwise, there is an increased accident risk.<
Odometer and trip odometer
The display area is also used for the computer 
and the Check Control.
Regardless of the current display, you can 
briefly display the odometer for a short time by 
briefly pressing button4.
Pressing the button again resets the trip odom-
eter to zero.
Check Control, refer to page80. 
Computer, refer to page76.
Tachometer
The orange advance warning field, arrow, is dis-
played as a function of the engine temperature. 
The segments disappear in sequence as the 
engine temperature increases.
Avoid allowing the engine speed to rise as far as 
the orange advance warning field whenever 
possible. 
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Everything under control
76
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant, and with it the engine 
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In 
addition, a message appears on the Control 
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page210.
Computer
Requesting functions
You can use the buttons in the turn signal lever 
to display the computer information on the Info 
Display.
1Info Display on left
2Info Display on right
A new function appears each time you briefly 
press the button.
Displays on Info Display
The display sequence:
>Fuel gauge
>Range and distance to destinationThe display sequence:
>Odometer
>Energy Control/current fuel consumption
>Average fuel consumption
>Average speed
>Time of arrival
Hiding messages
Maintain pressure on button1 to hide the com-
puter display. Briefly press the button again to 
return to the last display.
It is not possible, though, to hide a Check 
Control message.<
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge mode appears automatically 
once the fuel level falls into the reserve range. 
The tanks still contains the following quantities 
of fuel:
>750i/Li: approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters.
>760i/Li: approx. 3.1 US gal/12 liters.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies, when you are driv-
ing in mountainous areas, for example, the indi-
cator may fluctuate slightly.
After reaching the reserve quantity, the 
Info Display can no longer be hidden. 
However, you can still display the remaining 
range.<
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 23.2 US gal/
88 liters. You can find information on refueling 
on page198.
Refuel well before the tank is empty. If 
you drive down to the last drop, engine 
functions are not assured and damage can 
occur.< 
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Cruising range
Displays the estimated cruising range available 
with the remaining fuel. It is projected by taking 
into account the driving style over the last 
20 miles/30 km.
When your cruising range falls below 
30 miles/50 km, be sure to refuel. Other-
wise, engine functions are not assured and 
damage can occur.<
The computer only registers refueling amounts 
greater than approx. 1.3 US gal/5 liters.
Distance to destination
When you enter a destination into the naviga-
tion system, refer to page131, or manually 
enter a distance in the computer, refer to 
page78, prior to departure, then the system 
displays the remaining distance to your desti-
nation.
The system automatically adopts the distance 
to your destination on the route recommended 
by the navigation system.
When you enter a destination into the 
navigation system, any manual distance 
entries will be overwritten once the vehicle has 
traveled approx. 1,640 ft/500 m of the calcu-
lated distance.<
Energy Control/current fuel 
consumption
Shows the current fuel consumption. This 
allows you to see whether your current driving 
style is conducive to fuel economy with mini-
mum exhaust emissions.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is determined 
for the time during which the engine is running.
Average speed
Periods with the vehicle parked and the engine 
off are not included in the calculations of aver-
age speed.
You can reset value for average fuel consump-
tion and average speed, refer to Resetting val-
ues, page78.
For different route segments
You can display the average speed and average 
fuel consumption for two different route seg-
ments:
>refer to Displays on Control Display below
>refer to Trip computer on page78
Time of arrival
A display of your estimated time of arrival is 
available whenever you enter a destination into 
the navigation system, refer to page131, or 
enter the distance manually into the computer, 
refer to page78, prior to departure.
A prerequisite for this is that you have the 
time set correctly, refer to page84.<
Displays on Control Display
You can also access the computer via iDrive, for 
principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the   button to open the start 
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Car Data".
3.Select "BC" and press the controller.
>Anticipated arrival time at destination and 
remaining distance:
>To enter a distance into the computer 
manually, refer to Entering a distance 
manually
>To enter a destination into the naviga-
tion system, refer to page131
>Cruising range
>Average fuel consumption
>Average speed