BMW 550I 2007 User Guide

At a glance
This overview of buttons, switches and displays
is intended to familiarize you with your vehicle's
operating environment. The section will also
assist you in becoming acquainted with the
control concepts and options available for
operating the various systems.
At a glance

Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
1Sedan: sun blind* for rear window114
2Rear window safety switch41
3Opening and closing windows40
4Adjusting exterior mirrors52
Automatic curb monitor
*52
5
Turn signals65
High beams,
headlamp flasher105
Roadside parking lamps105
Check Control80
Computer76

At a glance
11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
6Buttons on steering wheel
7Instrument cluster12
10Ignition lock5911Horn, entire surface
14Releasing hood216
15Opening luggage compartment lid/
tailgate35,34 Mobile phone
*182:
>Press: accepting and ending
call, starting dialing
* for
selected phone number and
redialing if no phone number
is selected
>Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice
command system
* 22
Changing radio station164
Selecting music track174
Scrolling in phone book and in lists
with stored phone numbers
Individually programmable
*53
Individually programmable53
8
Windshield wipers66
Rain sensor66
Sports Wagon: rear window
wiper67
9Starting/stopping engine and
switching ignition on/off 59
12
Steering wheel heater*53
Steering wheel adjustment53
13
Cruise control
*68
Active cruise control
*69
16
Head-Up Display
*98
BMW Night Vision
*100
17
Parking lamps103
Low beams103
Daytime running lamps
*104
Automatic headlamp control
*103
Daytime running lamps
*104
Adaptive Head Light
*104
18
Instrument lighting105
Fog lamps
*105

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Indicator lamps for turn signals
2Speedometer
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Displays for active cruise control
*72
5Tachometer75
6Energy Control76
7Display for
>Clock/date75
>Outside temperature75
>Indicator and warning lamps80
>Speed of cruise control
*68
>Desired speed for active cruise
control
*698Display for
>Odometer and trip odometer75
>Computer76
>Date and remaining travel distance
for service requirements78
>Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
*64
>SMG Sequential Manual
Transmission
*62
>HDC Hill Descent Control
*89
> Check Control message present80
9Fuel gauge76
10Resetting trip odometer75

At a glance
13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in
different combinations and colors.
Some lamps are tested for proper function by
briefly lighting up during starting of the engine
or when the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the bottom edge of the Con-
trol Display explain the meaning of the dis-
played indicator and warning lamps.
Additional information, e.g. on the cause of a
malfunction and on the corresponding need to
take action can be displayed via the Check Con-
trol, refer to page80.In urgent cases, this information will be shown
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps indicate that the
associated functions are activated:
Handbrake applied61
Handbrake applied for Canadian
models
Fog lamps
*105
DTC Dynamic Traction Control88
High beams/headlamp flasher105
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC controls the drive and
braking forces for maintaining vehicle
stability88

Cockpit
14
Around the center console: controls and displays

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for hands-free mode for
telephone
*
and for voice command system*22
2Reading lamps106
3SOS: initiating
an emergency call231
4Interior lamps105
5Glass sunroof
*, electric41
Panorama glass sunroof43
6Passenger airbag status lamp97
7Control Display16
Displays for menu navigation
8Hazard warning flashers
9Central locking system33
10Automatic climate control107
11Changing
>radio station160
>track16012Ejecting
>navigation DVD
*134
>audio CD160
13Drive for navigation DVDs
*134
14Drive for audio CDs160
15Switching Entertainment sound output
on/off and adjusting volume160
17Controller16
Turn, press or move horizontally in four
directions
18Activating voice command system
*22
19Opening start menu on Control Display17
20Dynamic Driving Control
*63 Temperature setting,
left/right108
Automatic air distribution and
volume108
Cooling function109
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control110
Recirculated-air mode110
Maximum cooling109
Residual heat mode110
Switching off automatic climate
control110
Air volume109
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation109
Rear window defroster107
16
Heated seats*50
Active seat ventilation
*51
Adjusting active backrest
width
*47
Active seat
*51
PDC Park Distance Control
*86
DTC Dynamic Traction Control88

iDrive
16
iDrive
iDrive combines the functions of a large number
of switches. This allows these functions to be
operated from a central position. The following
section provides an introduction to basic menu navigation. The control of the individual func-
tions is described in connection with the rele-
vant equipment.
Controls
1Control Display
2 button
Opening start menu
3Controller
With the controller you can select menu
items and make settings:
>move in four directions, arrows4
>turn, arrow5
>press, arrow6To avoid posing an unnecessary hazard
due to inattention, both to your own vehi-
cle's occupants and to other road users: never
attempt to use the controls or make entries
unless traffic and road conditions allow.<

At a glance
17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or TeleService*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
>External audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Seat heater distribution
*
>Parked car operation*
menu
>Switching off Control Display
>Tone and display settings
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central
locking system
>Display of maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
>Settings for telephone
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page59, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is automatically hidden after
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
You can call up all the functions of iDrive using
five menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the button.
To open the start menu from the menu:
Press the button twice.

iDrive
18
Opening menu items of start menu
With the start menu you can open the menu
items Communication, Navigation, Entertain-
ment and Climate by moving the controller to
the left, right, front or rear.
You can open the menu by pressing the con-
troller.
Comfort opening of menu items
Comfort opening offers you:
>Opening of a menu item of the start menu in
the last display shown
>Direct changing between Communication,
Navigation, Entertainment and Climate
without pressing the button
For this purpose, move the controller in the cor-
responding direction and hold it for longer than
approx. 2 seconds.
Displays in menu
1Each menu is divided into fields.
The respective active field is highlighted.
2A symbol indicates the last selected menu
item of the start menu:
1Menu items are usually grouped in horizon-
tal or vertical lists.
2In these lists, arrows indicate the possibility
of accessing other menu items that are not
currently visible.
3Settings are displayed graphically or
numerically.
Communication
Navigation or onboard information
Entertainment
Climate
menu