BMW 550I 2006 Owners Manual

Things to remember when driving
120
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net*, luggage straps, or
securing straps to hold down small and
lightweight luggage and cargo.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. Four lashing eyes
mounted in the luggage compartment or
cargo area are used to secure these heavy-
duty cargo straps, refer to illustration.
>Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the heavy-duty cargo straps.
Always position and secure the load as
described above. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers during braking or
evasive maneuvers.
Use only the lashing eyes to secure heavy-duty
cargo straps, refer to illustration, otherwise the
cargo straps could become detached or the
vehicle could be damaged.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page221, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
You should never transport heavy or hard
objects unsecured in the passenger compart-
ment, as they could fly around and pose a safety
hazard to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt
braking or evasive maneuvers.<
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 or on the roof rails
*.
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 load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights under
Weights on page221 ff.
The load on the roof must be evenly distributed
and must not extend outward beyond the limits
of the loading surface. Always stow the heaviest
pieces 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 compartment lid/
tailgate.
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.

Driving tips
121Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility

Navigation
This chapter describes how you can
enter destinations and specify your route
so that your navigation system guides you
reliably to your destination.
Navigation

Starting navigation system
124
Starting navigation system
Your navigation system can use satellites to
ascertain the precise position of your vehicle
and guide you reliably to any destination you
enter.
Navigation DVD
The navigation system requires a special navi-
gation DVD. You can obtain the latest version at
your BMW center.
Inserting navigation DVD
1.Insert the navigation DVD with the labeled
side up.
2.Allow several seconds for the system to
scan the data from the DVD.
Removing navigation DVD
1.Press button 1.
The DVD emerges slightly from the drive.
2.Remove the DVD.
If the DVD is not ejected from the drive, it is pos-
sible that it is blocked. A message appears on
the Control Display.
Display in assistance window
You can display the route or the current position
in the assistance window. This display remains
visible even if you change to another applica-
tion.
1.Move the controller to the right to enter the
assistance window.
2.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed.
3.Select the desired route view or "Current
position".
4.Press the controller.
The contents of the assistance window are con-
tinually updated as you drive.
*

Navigation
Driving tips
125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Destination entry
In entering your destination you can select from
among the following options:
>Entering a destination manually, see below
>Entering destination via voice*, refer to
page128
>Selecting destination using information,
refer to page130
>Selecting destination from a list, refer to
Destination list, page131
>Selecting destination from address book,
refer to page132
>Selecting home address, refer to page134
After selecting your destination you can pro-
ceed to start the destination guidance, refer to
page136.
Operating navigation system
Enter data only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary, and always give priority to the
applicable traffic regulations in the event of any
contradiction between traffic and road condi-
tions and the instructions issued by the naviga-
tion system. If you do not observe this precau-
tion, you may be in violation of the law, and can
endanger vehicle occupants and other road
users.<
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the right to open
"Navigation".3.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
Entering a destination
manually
The system's word-matching principle makes it
easier for you to enter the names of streets or
towns, refer to page135. This allows you to
enter different spellings and completes your
entry automatically so that stored names can be
called up quickly.
1.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Navigation" is selected and
press the controller.
"New destination" is selected.
2.Press the controller.
3.Change to the second field from the top if
necessary. Turn the controller until "Enter
address" is selected and press the control-
ler.

Destination entry
126 The system also supports you with the follow-
ing features:
>If you do not enter a street, the system will
guide you to the downtown area of a town or
city.
>You can skip the entry of country and local-
ity if the current entries should be retained
for your new destination.
Selecting country
1.Select "State / Province" or the displayed
country and press the controller.
The list of available countries appears on
the display.
2.Select the country of destination and press
the controller.
In order to be able to start the destination guid-
ance, at least the town/city of the destination or
its zip code must be entered.
Entering destination via town/city
name
1.Select "Town / City" or the displayed town/
city and press the controller.
2.Select the starting letter and press control-
ler.
A list of all towns/cities starting with this let-
ter appears on the Control Display.
3.To delete the letter entered if necessary:
>Delete individual numbers or letters:
Move controller toward the right to
select , and press controller.
>Delete all numbers or letters:
Move controller toward the right to
select , and hold the controller
down.
4.If necessary, input more letters.
The list gradually grows smaller each time
you enter a new letter.
>Enter blank space if necessary:
Select the symbol and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to the third field from the top if nec-
essary. Turn the controller until the town or

Navigation
Driving tips
127Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
city name is selected from the list and press
the controller.
Inputting destination by zip code
1.Select "Town / City" and press the control-
ler.
2.Input the zip code:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
>Enter blank space if necessary:
Select the symbol and press the con-
troller.
>Delete individual numbers or letters:
Move the controller toward the right to
select , and press the controller.
>Delete all numbers or letters:
Move controller toward the right to
select , and hold the controller
down.
3.Select the zip code and press the controller.
The corresponding destination is displayed.
4.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until the destination is
selected and press the controller.
Entering street, house number and
intersection
After the street you can also enter the intersec-
tion or the house number.
Entering street and intersection
1.Select "Street" or the displayed street and
press the controller.
2.Enter the street.
The street is entered exactly like the desti-
nation.
The intersection is entered in the same way as
the street.
Entering a street without entering
destination
You can also enter a street without entering a
destination. In this case all streets of the
entered country are offered for selection. The
related town/city is displayed after the street
name.
If a town/city has already been entered, you can
undo this entry. This may be practical if the
desired street does not exist in the entered des-
tination, because, for example, it belongs to
another part of the town/city.

Destination entry
128 1.Change to upper field.
The arrow is selected.
2.Turn the controller to the right until the
request for the entry of a street in the coun-
try appears and press the controller.
3.Changed to the second field from the top
and enter the street.
Entering house number
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.Enter the house number:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
3.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until the house number
is selected and press the controller.
Only house numbers stored for the street
on the navigation DVD can be entered.
Starting destination guidance with
manual destination entry
Select "Start guidance" and press the control-
ler.
Destination guidance starts immediately.
If the destination guidance does not need to be
started immediately:
Select "Add to destination list" and press the
controller.
The destination is saved in the destination list,
refer to page131.
Entering destination via
voice*
In conjunction with the Professional navigation
system, you can enter the desired destination
via the voice input system. When entering the
destination, it is possible to change between
speech input and iDrive at any time. Reactivate
the speech input function for this purpose if
necessary.
With {Options} you can have the possible
commands read aloud.<
1.Press the button on the steering wheel
or in the center console.
2.{Enter address}

Navigation
Driving tips
129Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Selecting country
Say the country of destination in the language
of the voice command system.
Entering destination
To enter the destination, spell it using the
orthography of the country of destination.
Say the letters smoothly and at normal volume,
avoiding excessive emphasis and pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 desti-
nations that match your entries. Up to
6 entries are displayed at once on the Con-
trol Display.
The town/city can also be selected from the list
via iDrive:
Turn the controller until the destination is
selected and press the controller.
Entering street and house number
The street is entered in the same way as the
destination.
To enter the house number:
Up to 4-digit house numbers can be entered.
Starting destination guidance
Destination guidance starts immediately.
Saving destination
The destination is added to the destination list
or can be saved in the address book.
Map-guided destination
selection
If you only know the location of the town or
street of the destination, then you can input the
destination by using a map. You can use the
cursor to localize the destination on the map
and then adopt it into the destination guidance.
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
"New destination" is selected.
2.Press the controller. Say country of destination.
1.Spell town/city name:
Say at least the first three letters of the
destination. The more letters you say,
the more exactly the system recognizes
the town/city.
A destination is suggested by the system.
2.Select location:
Select {Yes}
or
Select other town/city:
{No}
Select entry, e.g. {Entry 3}
The following options are available:
{Next page}: additional entries of the
list are displayed.
{Repeat}: the town/city can be
respelled.
Say the house number.
{Start guidance}
{Add to destination list} or
{add to address book}