mirror BMW 3 SERIES 2010 Owners Manual

Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
3Folding exterior mirrors in and out*47
4Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb
monitor
*47
1Safety switch for electric rear
windows36
2
Opening and closing windows36 5
Parking lamps92
Low beams92
Automatic headlamp control
*92
Adaptive light control
*93
High-beam assistant
*94
6
Fog lamps95

Voice activation system
22
Voice activation system
The concept
The voice activation system allows you to con-
trol operation of various vehicle systems with-
out removing your hands from the steering
wheel.
Individual menu items on the Control Display
can be spoken as commands. It is not neces-
sary to use the controller.
The voice activation system transforms your
oral commands into control signals for the
selected systems and provides support in the
form of instructions or questions.
The voice activation system uses a special
microphone located in the area of the interior
rearview mirror, refer to page14.
Precondition
Via iDrive, select the language in which the
voice activation system is operating, so that the
spoken commands can be identified. Selecting
the language for iDrive, refer to page79.
Symbols in the Owner's Manual
Saying commands
Activating voice activation system
1.Press the button on the steering wheel. This symbol on the Control Display and
an acoustic signal indicate that the voice
activation system is ready to receive spo-
ken commands.
2.Say the command.
The command appears on the Control Dis-
play.
This symbol appears on the Control Display
when you can enter additional commands.
If no further commands are possible, continue
by operating the item of equipment via iDrive.
Terminating or canceling voice
activation system
Press the button on the steering wheel
or
In dialogs that call for a text of your choice, the
procedure can only be canceled using the but-
ton on the steering wheel.
Possible commands
The commands available in each case depend
on the menu item selected on the Control Dis-
play.
To have the available commands read aloud:
For example, if "CD/DVD" is selected, the com-
mands for operating CD/Multimedia are read
aloud.
*
{...} Say the specified commands word for
word.
{{...}} Indicates responses of the voice acti-
vation system.
{Cancel}
{Voice commands}

Controls
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could bump against the rear window while the
vehicle is in motion; otherwise, the heating ele-
ments of the rear window could be damaged.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the trunk lid/tail-
gate is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior
motion sensor, refer to page33
>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
>When there has been an interruption of
power supply from the battery
The alarm system signals unauthorized entry
attempts for a short time by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
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.
You can open the trunk lid/tailgate even when
the alarm system is armed, by pressing the
button on the remote control, refer to page28.
The lid is locked and monitored again as soon
as you close it.
Panic mode*
You can trigger the alarm system if you find
yourself in a dangerous situation:
Press the button for at least three seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page27.>Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood, trunk lid/tailgate or rear win-
dow 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. 10 seconds. The interior
motion sensor and the tilt alarm sensor are
not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>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.
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.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass roof must
be completely closed
*.

Controls
45Reference
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Depending on the equipment version, it may be
possible to fold down the outer rear head
restraints as well.
Only fold the head restraints down if no
passengers will be sitting in the rear. Fold
up the head restraints before transporting pas-
sengers in the rear.<
Heated seats*
Press the button once per temperature level.
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
To switch off:
Press button longer.
If you continue driving within approx. the next
15 minutes, the seat heating is automatically
activated at the previously set temperature.
The temperature is lowered or the heating is
switched off entirely to save on battery power.
The LEDs stay lit.
Seat and mirror memory*
You can store and call up two different combi-
nations of driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions.
Settings for the backrest width and lumbar sup-
port are not stored in memory.
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or the ignition,
refer to page54.
2.Adjust the seat and exterior mirrors to the
desired positions.
3.Press the button.
The LED in the button lights up.
4.Press the desired memory button 1 or 2: the
LED goes out.
The driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions are stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Call-up
Do not call up the memory while you are
driving; otherwise, unexpected seat
movement could result in an accident.<
Comfort function
1.Unlock and open the driver's door or switch
on radio readiness, refer to page54.
2.Briefly press the desired memory button1
or 2.
The adjusting procedure is halted immediately
when you touch a seat adjustment switch or
one of the memory buttons.
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and switch the igni-
tion on or off, refer to page54.
2.Press the desired memory button1 or2
and keep it pressed until the adjustment
process has been completed.
If the button was pressed accidentally:
Press the button again; the LED goes out.

Controls
47Reference
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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.<
Rear center safety belt
With through-loading system*:
Before using the center rear seat, release the
latch plate from the fixture on the rear window
shelf and insert it into the belt lock of the center
safety belt. Make sure you hear the latch plate
engage.
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.<1Adjustments
2Switching to the other mirror or automatic
curb monitor
*
3Folding 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.
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
press the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
At driving speeds up to approx. 12 mph/
20 km/h, you can fold the mirrors in and out by
pressing button3. 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.
Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors manually or
with button3 to prevent them from being dam-
aged, depending on the width of the vehicle.<
Automatic heating*
Depending on the outside temperature, both
exterior mirrors are heated automatically when
the engine is running or the ignition is switched
on.

Adjustments
48
Passenger side mirror tilt function –
automatic curb monitor*
Activating
1.Push the switch to the position for the
driver's side mirror, arrow 1.
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.
Deactivating
Push the switch to the position for the passen-
ger side mirror, arrow 2.
Interior rearview mirror
Turn the knob to reduce glare from the head-
lamps of cars behind you when driving at night.
Interior and exterior mirrors, automatic
dimming feature*
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.
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
i s a ri s k o f a n a c c id e n t d ue t o u n ex p e c t ed m o v e -
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.

Controls
59Reference
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Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually, press the lever to the
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal indicator
has failed.<
Indicating a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance point for
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."Triple turn signal"
Triple turn signal activation is activated and
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or
rain sensor
*
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
5Setting speed for intermittent wipe, or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow 1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to operation in the inter-
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance
point.
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.

Technology for driving comfort and safety
90
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags in the seat backrests
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page41 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
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.
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 windows 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 or
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 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.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
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.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
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

Lamps
94
High beams/roadside parking
lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
*
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 on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the pressure point for a longer
period, arrow 3.
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
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the
pressure point, arrow 3.
High-beam assistant*
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.
Activating the system
1.Turn the light switch to position3, refer to
page92.
2.With the low beams switched on, briefly
push the turn indicator lever in the direction
of the high beam.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the high beams
are activated. The system automati-
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.
Switching the high beams on and off
manually
Whenever you wish, or when the situation
requires, you can intervene:
>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.
>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.
To reactivate the system, briefly push the
turn indicator lever toward the high beams
again.
>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.<

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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
>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
>At low speeds
>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.
Switching off via iDrive
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."High beam assistant"
The high-beam assistant is activated and is
stored for the remote control currently in use.
Fog lamps
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.
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.<
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low
beams are switched on.
1.Push button 1 up or down repeatedly until
the appropriate symbol appears in the dis-
play, accompanied by the brightness set-
ting and scale the word "SET".
2.Press button 2.