page 85 BMW 550I 2013 User Guide

such as mobile phones, metal objects, overhead
power lines, transmission towers, etc.
In this case, open or close the vehicle using the
buttons on the remote control or use the
integrated key in the door lock.
If there is a malfunction, open the trunk lid with
the remote control button or with the button on
the trunk lid.
Alarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds to:▷Opening of a door, the hood or the trunk lid.▷Movements in the vehicle.▷Changes in the vehicle tilt, e.g., during at‐
tempts to steal a wheel or when towing the
car.▷Interruptions in battery voltage.
The alarm system briefly indicates tampering:
▷By sounding an acoustic alarm.▷By switching on the hazard warning system.▷By flashing the high beams.
Arming and disarming the alarm
system
General information
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control, Comfort Access or at the
door lock the alarm system is armed or disarmed
at the same time.
Door lock and armed alarm system
Unlocking via the door lock will trigger the alarm
on some country-specific versions.
In order to terminate this alarm, unlock vehicle
with the remote control or switch on the ignition,
if necessary, by emergency detection of the re‐
mote control.
Trunk lid and armed alarm system
The trunk lid can be opened even when the
alarm system is armed.
Press the button on the remote control
for approx. 1 second.
With Comfort Access the trunk lid opens with
no-touch activation, refer to page 41.
After the trunk lid is closed, it is locked and
monitored again if the doors are locked. The
hazard warning system flashes once.
In some vehicle equipment variants, the trunk lid
can only be opened using the remote control if
the vehicle was unlocked first.
Panic mode
You can trigger the alarm system if you find
yourself in a dangerous situation.
Press the button on the remote control
for at least 3 seconds.
To switch off the alarm: press any button.
Switching off the alarm▷Unlock the vehicle using the remote control.▷With Comfort Access: If you are carrying the
remote control with you, pull on the driver
side or front passenger side door handle.
Indicator lamp on the interior rear view
mirror
▷The indicator lamp flashes briefly every
2 seconds:
The system is armed.Seite 42ControlsOpening and closing42
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

▷The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
The doors, hood or trunk lid is not closed
properly, but the rest of the vehicle is se‐
cured.
After 10 seconds, the indicator lamp flashes
continuously. Interior motion sensor and tilt
alarm sensor are not active.▷The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
The vehicle has not been tampered with.▷The indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the engine ignition is switched on, but
no longer than approx. 5 minutes:
An alarm has been triggered.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored.
The alarm system responds in situations such
as attempts to steal a wheel or when the car is
towed.
Interior motion sensor
The windows and glass sunroof must be closed
for the system to function properly.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
can be switched off together, such as in the fol‐
lowing situations:
▷In automatic car washes.▷In duplex garages.▷During transport on car-carrying trains, at
sea or on a trailer.▷When animals are to remain in the vehicle.
Switching off the tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the remote control button again
within 10 seconds as soon as the vehicle
is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up for approx. 2 sec‐
onds and then continues to flash.
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
are switched off until the vehicle is locked again.
Power windows
General information Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot operate the power windows and injure
themselves.◀
Opening
▷ Press the switch to the resistance
point.
The window opens while the switch is held.▷ Press the switch beyond the resist‐
ance point.
The window opens automatically.
Pressing again stops the motion.
Convenient opening, refer to page 34, via the
remote control.
Closing Keep the closing path clear
Monitor the closing process and make
sure that the closing path of the window is clear;
otherwise, injuries may result.◀
▷ Pull the switch to the resistance point.
Seite 43Opening and closingControls43
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

The window closes while the switch is held.▷ Pull the switch beyond the resistance
point.
The window closes automatically.
Pressing the switch stops the motion.
Convenient operation, refer to page 34, via the
remote control.
Convenient closing, refer to page 41, with Com‐
fort Access.
Pinch protection system
If the closing force exceeds a specific value as a
window closes, the closing action is interrupted.
The window reopens slightly.
Danger of pinching even with pinch pro‐
tection
Even with the pinch protection system, check
that the window's closing path is clear; other‐
wise, the closing action may not stop in certain
situations, e.g., if thin objects are present.◀
No window accessories
Do not install any accessories in the range
of movement of the windows; otherwise, the
pinch protection system will be impaired.◀
Closing without the pinch protection
system
Keep the closing path clear
Monitor the closing process and make
sure that the closing path of the window is clear;
otherwise, injuries may result.◀
For example, if there is an external danger or if
ice on the windows prevents a window from
closing normally, proceed as follows:
1.Pull the switch past the resistance point and
hold it there.
Pinch protection is limited and the window
reopens slightly if the closing force exceeds
a certain value.2.Pull the switch past the resistance point
again within approx. 4 seconds and hold it
there.
The window closes without pinch protec‐
tion.
Safety switch
The safety switch in the driver's door can be
used to prevent children, for example, from
opening and closing the rear windows using the
switches in the rear.
Switching on and off Press the button.
The LED lights up if the safety function
is switched on.
Safety switch for rear operation
Press the safety switch when transporting
children in the rear; otherwise, injury may result
if the windows are closed without supervision. ◀
Roller sunblinds
General information
If you are no longer able to move the roller sun‐
blind for the rear window after having activated
it a number of times in a row, the system is
blocked for a limited time to prevent overheat‐
ing. Let the system cool.
The roller sunblind for the rear window cannot
be moved at low interior temperatures.
Seite 44ControlsOpening and closing44
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

Opening/closing the glass sunroof and
sliding visor together
Briefly press the switch twice in
succession in the desired direc‐
tion past the resistance point.
The glass sunroof and sliding vi‐
sor move together. Pressing the
switch again stops the motion.
Convenient operation, refer to page 34, via the
remote control.
Convenient closing, refer to page 41, with Com‐
fort Access.
Pinch protection system
If the closing force when closing the glass sun‐
roof exceeds a certain value, the closing move‐
ment is stopped, beginning at approximately the
middle of the opening in the roof, or from the
tilted position during closing.
The glass sunroof opens again slightly.
Danger of pinching even with pinch pro‐
tection
Despite the pinch protection system, check that
the roof's closing path is clear; otherwise, the
closing action may not be interrupted in certain
extreme situations, such as when thin objects
are present.◀
Closing from the open position without
pinch protection
For example, if there is an external danger, pro‐
ceed as follows:1.Press the switch forward beyond the resist‐
ance point and hold.
Pinch protection is limited and the roof re‐
opens slightly if the closing force exceeds a
certain value.2.Press the switch forward again beyond the
resistance point and hold until the roof
closes without pinch protection.Closing from the raised position
without pinch protection
If there is an external danger, push the switch
forward past the resistance point and hold it.
The roof closes without pinch protection.
Initializing after a power failure
After a power failure during the opening or clos‐
ing process, the roof can only be operated to a
limited extent.
Initializing the system
The system can be initialized when the vehicle
is stationary and the engine is running.
During the initialization, the roof closes without
pinch protection.
Keep the closing path clear
Monitor the closing process and make
sure that the closing path of the glass sunroof is
clear; otherwise, injuries may result.◀
Press the switch up and hold it
until the initialization is complete:▷Initialization begins within
15 seconds and is completed
when the sunroof and sliding
visor are completely closed.▷The roof closes without pinch protection.Seite 46ControlsOpening and closing46
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

AdjustingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Sitting safely
The ideal seating position can make a vital con‐
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:▷Safety belts, refer to page 51.▷Head restraints, refer to page 52.▷Airbags, refer to page 99.
Seats
General information Do not adjust the seat while driving
Do not adjust the driver's seat while driv‐
ing, or the seat could respond with unexpected
movement and the ensuing loss of vehicle con‐
trol could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Also on the front passenger side, do not incline
the backrest on the front passenger side too far
to the rear during driving, or there is a risk of
slipping under the safety belt in the event of an
accident. This would eliminate the protection
normally provided by the belt.◀
Semi-electrically adjustable seats
At a glance1Thigh support2Tilt3Forward/backward4Lumbar support5Height6Backrest
Tilt
Pull the lever and move the seat to the desired
tilt. After releasing the lever, apply your weight
to the seat or lift it off to make sure the seat en‐
gages properly.
Seite 47AdjustingControls47
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

Forward/backward
Pull the lever and slide the seat in the desired
direction.
After releasing the lever, move the seat forward
or back slightly to make sure it engages prop‐
erly.
Height
Move the button in the required direction.
Backrest
Move the button in the required direction.
Electrically adjustable seats
At a glance1Lumbar support2Backrest width3Shoulder support4Backrest5Forward/back, height, tilt6Thigh support
Note
The seat setting for the driver's seat is stored for
the remote control currently in use. When the
vehicle is unlocked via the remote control, the
position is automatically retrieved if the Func‐
tion, refer to page 35, for this is activated.
Adjustments in detail
1.Forward/back.Seite 48ControlsAdjusting48
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

Press the button. The LED lights up.
Front seat heating
Switching on Press the button once for each temper‐
ature level.
The maximum temperature is reached when
three LEDs are lit.
If the drive is continued within approx. 15 mi‐
nutes, the seat heating is activated automati‐
cally with the temperature selected last.
When ECO PRO, refer to page 179, is activated,
the heater output is reduced.
Switching off Press the button longer.
The LEDs go out.
Temperature distribution
The heating action in the seat cushion and back‐
rest can be distributed in different ways.
1."Climate"2."Seat heating distribution"3.Select the required seat.4.Turn the controller to set the temperature
distribution.
Rear seat heating
Switching on
Press the button once for each temper‐
ature level.
The maximum temperature is reached when
three LEDs are lit.
If the drive is continued within approx. 15 mi‐
nutes, the seat heating is activated automati‐
cally with the temperature selected last.
When ECO PRO, refer to page 179, is activated,
the heater output is reduced.
Switching off Press the button longer.
The LEDs go out.
Active seat ventilation, front
The seat cushion and backrest surfaces are
cooled by means of integrated fans.
Seite 50ControlsAdjusting50
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

Saving positions
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page 54.
Adjusting manually
If an electrical malfunction occurs, for example,
press the edges of the mirror glass.
Automatic Curb Monitor
When the reverse gear is engaged, the mirror
glass tilts downward slightly on the front pas‐
senger side. This improves your view of the curb
and other low-lying obstacles when parking, for
example.
Activating1. Slide the mirror changeover switch
to the driver's side mirror position.2.Engage transmission position R.
Deactivating
Slide the mirror changeover switch to the pas‐
senger's side mirror position.
Fold in and out Press the button.
Possible up to approx. 15 mph/20 km/h.
For example, this is advantageous
▷In car washes.▷In narrow streets.▷For folding back mirrors that were folded
away manually.
Mirrors that were folded in are folded out auto‐
matically at a speed of approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Fold in the mirror in a car wash
Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors by hand or with the
button; otherwise, they could be damaged, de‐
pending on the width of the vehicle.◀
Automatic heating
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
whenever the engine is running.
Automatic dimming feature
Both exterior mirrors are automatically dimmed.
Photocells are used for control in the Interior rear
view mirror, refer to page 56.
Interior rearview mirror
Reducing the blinding effect
From behind when driving at night: turn the
knob.
Interior rearview mirror, automatic
dimming feature
The concept
Photocells are used for control:
▷In the mirror glass.▷On the back of the mirror.Seite 56ControlsAdjusting56
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

Functional requirement
For proper operation:▷Keep the photocells clean.▷Do not cover the area between the inside
rearview mirror and the windshield.
Steering wheel
General information Do not adjust while driving
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving; otherwise, an unexpected movement
could result in an accident.◀
Manual steering wheel adjustment
1.Fold the lever down.2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred
height and angle to suit your seating posi‐
tion.3.Fold the lever back.Power steering wheel adjustment
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four di‐
rections.
Storing the position
Seat, mirror, and steering wheel memory, refer
to page 54.
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off Press the button.
▷On: the LED lights up.▷Off: the LED goes out.Seite 57AdjustingControls57
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13

Transporting children safelyVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
The right place for children
Note Children in the vehicle
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger them‐
selves and other persons, e.g., by opening the
doors.◀
Children should always be in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is in the back seat.
Transporting children in the rear
Only transport children younger than
13 years of age or shorter than 5 ft/150 cm in the
rear in child restraint fixing systems provided in
accordance with the age, weight and size of the
child; otherwise, there is an increased risk of in‐
jury in an accident.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
fixing system can no longer be used, due to their
age, weight and size.◀
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it ever be necessary to use a child re‐
straint fixing system in the front passenger seat,
make sure that the front, knee and side airbags
on the front passenger side are deactivated. Au‐tomatic deactivation of front passenger airbags,
refer to page 101.
Note Deactivated front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀
Installing child restraint fixing
systems
Before mounting
If the rear seat backrests are adjustable or can
be folded down:
Lock the rear seat backrests in position
Before mounting child restraint fixing sys‐
tems, place the seat backrest as far as possible
at an angle at which the child seat is resting
firmly against the backrest and all backrests can
be locked securely in place. Otherwise, the child
seat will not be as stable as it should be, and
there is increased danger of injury due to unex‐
pected movement of the seat backrest.◀
Notes Manufacturer's information for child re‐
straint fixing systems
To select, mount and use child restraint fixing
systems, observe the information provided by
the system manufacturer; otherwise, the pro‐
tective effect can be impaired.◀Seite 58ControlsTransporting children safely58
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 917 522 - II/13