steering BMW 525I 2005 Owner's Manual

Controls
83Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags for driver and front passenger
2Head airbags in front and rear
3Side airbags in front and rear
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please observe the adjustment instructions on
page38.<
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 are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e. g. less severe acci-
dents, certain roll-over conditions, or rear-end
collisions.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated by a BMW center.
Labels in the rear door opening should indicate
the status of your rear seat side airbags. If you
are uncertain of their status, or wish to have the
airbags activated or deactivated, please contact
your BMW center.<
For information on the correct sitting position,
refer to page38.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way. Do not attempt to remove the airbag retention system from the
vehicle. Never modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in the air-
bag system. This category includes the uphol-
stery in the center of the steering wheel, on the
instrument panel, the side trim panels on the
doors and the roof pillars along with the sides of
the headliner. Do not attempt to remove or dis-
mantle the steering wheel. Do not touch the
individual components immediately 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 airbag generators executed only
by a BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel and has the
required explosives licenses. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could lead to
failure in an emergency or undesired airbag
activation, either of which could result in per-
sonal injury.<
Airbag warning information is also provided on
the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
Your BMW has a seat occupation detection
system. By evaluating the weight on the front
passenger seat, the system detects whether or
not the seat is occupied by a child in the child-
restraint system or an adult.
>When a child is seated in the child-restraint
system or with an empty seat, the front and
side airbags are automatically deactivated
on the passenger side.

Lamps
88 The low beams remain switched on inde-
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps.
With the daytime driving lamps
* activated, the
low beams are always switched on when the
ignition key is in position 2.<
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. To avoid safety risks, you
should always switch on the lamps manually
under these conditions.<
Adaptive Head Light*
The concept
Adaptive Head Light is a variable headlamp
control system that enables better illumination
of the road surface. Depending on the steering
angle and other assumptions, the light from the
headlamp follows the course of the road.
Activating Adaptive Head Light
In the switch position3, the Adaptive Head
Light is active and the automatic headlamp con-
trol
* is switched on.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adaptive
Head Light
>is not active when driving in reverse
>is only active toward passenger side when
stationary
Malfunction
The LED next to the symbol for automatic head-
lamp control flashes. Adaptive Head Light is
faulty or has failed. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
High beams/roadside parking
lamps
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Roadside parking lamps
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
You also enjoy the option of lighting up just one
side of your vehicle when parking. When using
this function, comply with national regulations:
With the ignition off, press the lever in the
desired direction3, past the resistance point.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Do not switch them on for long peri-
ods of time, otherwise it may no longer be pos-
sible to start the engine.<
Front 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 whenever the
high beams are switched on.

Driving tips
107Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communication
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Portable phone in the vehicle
BMW discourages the use of mobile
communications devices, e. g. portable
phones, inside the vehicle without a direct con-
nection to an outside antenna. Otherwise, the
vehicle electronics and mobile communication
device can influence one another. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation which
results from transmission will be dissipated
from the vehicle interior.<
Interior and exterior mirrors, automatic
dimming feature*
This feature is controlled by two photocells in
the inside rearview mirror. One is integrated into
the glass of the mirror, while the other is located
at an offset position on the rear of the mirror
housing.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do
not attach stickers of any kind to the windshield
in front of the mirror, either.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, refer also to Mini-
mum tire tread on page173.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at
walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Using handbrake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle with
the clutch; use the handbrake. Otherwise
greater clutch wear will result.<
SMG Sequential manual transmission
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold
the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accel-
erator, but apply the handbrake instead. Other-
wise overheating can occur in the transmission
region.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.

Things to remember when driving
108
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can further enhance the engine's braking
action by selecting a lower gear in the automatic
transmission's manual mode, downshifting as
far as first gear on extremely steep stretches,
refer to page56. This strategy helps you avoid
placing excessive loads on the brake system.
Never drive with the clutch pressed or
allow the vehicle to coast with the trans-
mission in Neutral – or with the engine switched
off – there is no engine braking when the trans-
mission is in Neutral, and no power-assist for
brakes and steering when the engine is not run-
ning.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
accelerator and brake pedals and obstruct their
movement.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner sys-
tem during operation, and then exits under the
vehicle.
Traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are therefore normal
.
Before driving into a car wash
To prevent the exterior mirrors on this vehicle
from being damaged, always fold them in by
hand before entering an automatic car wash.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, this could
damage the vehicle and produce unstable
vehicle operating conditions.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.

Things to remember when driving
110
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Please comply with the precau-
tions included with the installation instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are located in the door
openings.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
its handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof weight, the approved
gross vehicle weight or the axle loads when
loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights on page198.
The load on the roof must be evenly distributed
and must not extend outward to beyond the lim-
its of the loading surface. Always load the heavi-
est pieces first – at the bottom. Be sure that
adequate clearance is maintained for raising the
glass sunroof, and that objects do not project
into the opening path of the luggage compart-
ment lid.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.

Destination guidance
126 4.Select "Languages" and press the control-
ler.
5.Select "Navigation voice instructions on"
and press the controller.
The voice instructions are switched on.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Repeat voice instructions and cancel
With the programmable buttons on the steering
wheel, you can also execute the following func-
tions, refer to page46:
>Repeat the voice instruction:
Press button.
>Switch voice instructions on/off:
Hold the button down.
Adjusting volume
1.Repeat the last voice instruction, if neces-
sary.
2.Turn the button during the voice instruction
to select the desired volume.
This volume is independent of the volume of the
audio and video sources.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Route display
You have the option of displaying various views
of the route during destination guidance.
Displaying arrow view
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select "Arrow display" and press the con-
troller.
Displaying route map
You can have your current position displayed on
a map. After starting the destination guidance,
the planned route is shown on the map.

On/off and tone
132
On/off and tone
The following audio sources have shared
controls and setting options:
>Radio Business
>CD player
>CD changer
*
Controls
The audio sources can be operated using:
>Buttons in the region of the CD player
>Control Center
>Remote control
*
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page10
Buttons in the region of the CD player
The layout of the buttons can vary depending
on your vehicle's equipment.
Equipment with single drive:Equipment with two drives:
1Sound output for entertainment on/off,
volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When you switch on, the last set radio
station or CD track is played.
>Turn: adjust volume.
2Drive for audio CDs
3 Eject CD
4Station scan/track search
>Change radio station.
>Select track for CD player and
CD changer.
5Drive for navigation DVDs

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
133Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communication
Mobility
Operation using Control Center
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Press button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller back to open "Enter-
tainment".
You have the following choices:
>"FM" and "AM": select radio reception.
>"WB": request weather station.
>"SAT": select satellite radio.
>"CD": select CD player or CD changer.
>"Set": depending on the audio source,
other adjustments can be made, e.g. with
the radio: update station with strongest
reception, save station, tone control, sam-
ple stations.
Switching on/off
In order to switch the Entertainment sound out-
put on and off:
Press knob1 next to the CD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off.
Adjusting volume
Turn knob1 next to the CD player until the
desired volume is set.
You can also adjust the volume on the steering
wheel.
The setting for the remote control currently in
use is stored.
Tone control
You can alter various tone settings, e. g. treble
and bass, or the speed-dependent volume
increase.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Changing tone settings
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Press button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
139Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communication
Mobility
To change between these different selection
criteria of stations:
1.Move the controller forward to change the
field.
2.Select a selection criterion.
3.Press the controller.
You can also change the station on the steering
wheel.
Buttons next to CD player:
Press the button for the corresponding
direction.
The system switches to the next displayed sta-
tion.
Sampling stations, scan
The system automatically plays a brief sample
from each of the stations on the current wave-
band.
In "Manual", you can set stations that are
received in addition to those displayed.
Buttons next to CD player:
To start scan, hold down the correspond-
ing direction button.
To stop scanning, press button.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Select "FM" or "AM".
2.Press the controller.
3.Press the controller again.
Other menu items are displayed.4.Select "Scan" and press the controller.
Scan starts.
To stop the scan:
1.Press the controller.
2.Select "Scan" and press the controller.
This cancels the scan search, and the radio
remains on the current station.
Selecting frequency manually
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Select "FM" or "AM".
2.Press the controller.
3.Move the controller forward to change the
field.
4.Select "Manual" and press the controller.
5.Turn the controller to set a certain fre-
quency.
Updating stations with best reception
If you are on a longer journey and leave the
transmission range of the stations originally set,
you can update the list of stations with the best
reception.

CD player and CD changer
146
CD changer: starting CD
1.Fill the CD magazine and insert, refer to
page147.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
2.Press button.
This opens the start menu.
3.Move the controller back to open "Enter-
tainment".
4.Select "CD" and press the controller.
5.Select the desired CD and press the con-
troller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD will be
selected.
If new CDs have been placed in the CD maga-
zine, playback starts with the lowest CD, e. g.
CD 1, track 1.
The CD magazine's load status is indicated on
the Control Display.
Selecting a track
Buttons next to CD player:
Press the button for the corresponding
direction repeatedly, continuing until you reach
the desired track on the current CD.The CD will start play at the start of the track.
The track is displayed on the Control Display.
You can also select the track on the steering
wheel.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
Select a track by turning the controller.
Repeating a track
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page16.
1.Select "Set" and press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
2.Select "Repeat" and press the controller.
The current music track on the CD is repeated.