warning BMW 550I SEDAN 2015 User Guide

General information
Steptronic Sport transmission: shift lights are
shown, when the SPORT+ driving program is
activated.
Manual transmission: shift lights are shown,
when the SPORT or SPORT+ driving program
is activated.
Switching on shift lightsSteptronic Sport transmission:1.Select SPORT+ using the Driving Dynam‐
ics Control.2.Activate the M/S manual mode of the
transmission.
Manual transmission:
1.Select SPORT or SPORT+ using the Driv‐
ing Dynamics Control.2.Deactivate DSC if needed.
Display in the instrument display
▷Current engine speed is displayed in the
tachometer.▷Arrow 1: successive yellow illuminated
fields indicate an increase in the speed.▷Arrow 2: successive orange illuminated
fields indicate the upcoming shift moment.▷Arrow 3: fields are illuminated in red. Do
not wait any further to shift.
When the maximum possible speed is
reached, the entire display flashes. When the
maximum speed is exceeded, the supply of
fuel is interrupted in order to protect the en‐
gine. Speeds in this range must be avoided.
Check Control
The concept The Check Control system monitors functions
in the vehicle and notifies you of malfunctions
in the monitored systems.
A Check Control message is displayed as a
combination of indicator or warning lights and
text messages in the instrument cluster and in
the Head-up Display.
In addition, an acoustic signal may sound and a text message may appear on the Control Dis‐
play.
Indicator/warning lights
General information
The indicator and warning lights in the instru‐
ment cluster can light up in a variety of combi‐
nations and colors.
Several of the lights are checked for proper
functioning and light up temporarily when the
engine is started or the ignition is switched on.
Red lights Safety belt reminder Flashing or illuminated: safety belt onthe driver or passenger side is not
buckled. The safety belt reminder can
also be activated if objects are placed on the
front passenger seat.
Make sure that the safety belts are positioned
correctly.
Airbag system Airbag system and belt tensioner aredefective.
Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐
ice center immediately.Seite 88ControlsDisplays88
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Parking brakeThe parking brake is set.
For additional information, refer to Release
parking brake, refer to page 74.
Brake system Continue to drive moderately.
Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐
ice center immediately.
Front-end collision warning Illuminated: advance warning is issued,
e.g., when there is the impending dan‐
ger of a collision or the distance to the
vehicle ahead is too small.
Increase distance.
Flashing: acute warning of the imminent dan‐
ger of a collision when the vehicle approaches
another vehicle at a relatively high differential
speed.
Intervention by braking or make an evasive ma‐
neuver.
Pedestrian warning Symbol in the instrument cluster.
Symbol in the instrument display.
If a collision with a person detected in this way
is imminent, the symbol lights up and a signal sounds.Orange lights
Active Cruise Control The number bars shows the selected
distance from the vehicle driving
ahead.
For additional information, refer to Active
Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, ACC,
refer to page 143.
Vehicle detection, Active Cruise Control Illuminated: vehicle driving ahead de‐
tected.
Flashing: the conditions are not ade‐
quate for operating the system.
The system was deactivated but applies the
brakes until you actively resume control by
pressing on the brake pedal or accelerator
pedal.
Yellow lights
Anti-lock Braking System ABS Avoid abrupt braking if possible. Brak‐
ing force boost in some cases defec‐
tive. Stop carefully. Take into account
longer brake travel. Have this checked
by the service center immediately.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control Flashing: DSC controls the drive and
braking forces. The vehicle is stabi‐
lized. Reduce speed and adapt driving
profile to the driving circumstances.
Illuminated: DSC failed. Have the system
checked by the service center.
For additional information, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control DSC, refer to page 135.Seite 89DisplaysControls89
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DSC Dynamic Stability Control is
deactivated or DTC Dynamic Traction
Control is activated
Dynamic Stability Control DSC is
switched off or Dynamic Traction Con‐
trol DTC is switched on.
For additional information, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control, refer to page 135, and Dy‐
namic Traction Control, refer to page 136.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM The Flat Tire Monitor signals a loss of
tire inflation pressure in a tire.
Reduce your speed and stop cau‐
tiously. Avoid sudden braking and steering ma‐
neuvers.
For more information, see Flat Tire Monitor, re‐
fer to page 115.
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM Illuminated: the Tire Pressure Monitor
signals a loss of tire inflation pressure
in a tire.
Reduce your speed and stop cautiously. Avoid
sudden braking and steering maneuvers.
Flashing and then continuously illuminated: no
flat tire or loss of tire inflation pressure can be
detected.▷Interference through systems or devices
with the same radio frequency: after leav‐
ing the area of the interference, the system
automatically becomes active again.▷TPM could not conclude the reset: perform
the reset of the system again.▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if needed.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.
For more information, see Tire Pressure Moni‐
tor, refer to page 111.
Steering system
Steering system in some cases defec‐tive.
Have the steering system checked by
the service center.
Engine functions Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐ice center.
For additional information, refer to On-
board Diagnostics socket, refer to page 237.
Lane departure warning System is switched on and under cer‐
tain circumstances warns if a detected
lane is left without flashing beforehand.
For additional information, refer to Lane depar‐
ture warning, refer to page 129.
Green lights Turn signal Turn signal on.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb
has failed.
For additional information, refer to Turn signal,
refer to page 76.
Parking lights, headlight control Parking lights or headlights are acti‐
vated.
For additional information, refer to
Parking lights/low beams, headlight control, re‐
fer to page 103.
Front fog lights Front fog lights are activated.Seite 90ControlsDisplays90
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For additional information, refer to Front fog
lights, refer to page 106.
High-beam Assistant High-beam Assistant is switched on.
High beams are activated and off auto‐
matically as a function of the traffic sit‐
uation.
For additional information, refer to High-beam
Assistant, refer to page 105.
Cruise control The system is switched on. It maintains
the speed that was set using the con‐
trol elements on the steering wheel.
Automatic Hold The vehicle is automatically held in
place when it is stationary.
On inclines, the system prevents the
vehicle from rolling backward when driving off.
For more information, see Automatic Hold, re‐
fer to page 74.
Blue lights
High beams High beams are activated.
For additional information, refer to High
beams, refer to page 76.
General lamps
Check Control At least one Check Control message is
displayed or is stored. The symbol is
shown in the display of the instrument
cluster.Text messages
Text messages in combination with a symbol
in the instrument cluster explain a Check Con‐ trol message and the meaning of the indicator
and warning lights.
Supplementary text messages
Additional information, such as on the cause of
an error or the required action, can be called up
via Check Control.
With urgent messages the added text will be
automatically displayed on the Control Display.
Symbols Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.▷ "Owner's Manual"
Display additional information about the
Check Control message in the Integrated
Owner's Manual.▷ "Service request"
Contact your service center.▷ "Roadside Assistance"
Contact Roadside Assistance.
Hiding Check Control messages
Press the onboard computer button on the
turn signal lever.
▷Some Check Control messages are dis‐
played continuously and are not cleared
until the malfunction is eliminated. If sev‐
eral malfunctions occur at once, the mes‐
sages are displayed consecutively.Seite 91DisplaysControls91
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These messages can be faded for approx.
8 seconds. After this time, they are dis‐
played again automatically.▷Other Check Control messages are faded
automatically after approx. 20 seconds.
They are stored and can be displayed
again later.
Displaying stored Check Control
messages
On the Control Display:
1."Vehicle info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Check Control"4.Select the text message.
Messages after trip completion Special messages displayed while driving are
displayed again after the ignition is switched
off.
Fuel gauge Vehicle tilt position may cause
the display to vary.
Depending on the equipment
version, the arrow beside the
fuel pump symbol shows which
side of the vehicle the fuel filler flap is on.
Hints on refueling, refer to page 204.
Tachometer Always avoid engine speeds in the red warning
field. In this range, the fuel supply is inter‐
rupted to protect the engine.
Engine oil temperature▷Cold engine: the pointer is at
the low temperature end.
Drive at moderate engine
and vehicle speeds.▷Normal operating tempera‐
ture: the pointer is in the
middle or in the left half of
the temperature display.▷Hot engine: the pointer is at the high end of
the temperature range. A Check Control
message is also displayed.
Coolant temperature
If the coolant along with the engine becomes
too hot, a Check Control message is displayed.
Check the coolant level, refer to page 234.
Odometer and trip odometer Display
▷Odometer, arrow 1.▷Trip odometer, arrow 2.
Show/reset kilometers Press the knob.
▷When the ignition is
switched off, the time, the
external temperature and
the odometer are displayed.▷When the ignition is switched on, the trip
odometer is reset.Seite 92ControlsDisplays92
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Resetting the fuel consumption or
speed
On the Control Display:1."Vehicle info"2."Onboard info"3."Consumpt." or "Speed"4."Yes"
Sport displays
The concept
On the Control Display, the current values for
performance and torque can be displayed if
the vehicle is appropriately equipped.
Displaying sport displays on the
Control Display
1."Vehicle info"2."Sport displays"
Speed warning
The concept Displays a speed, when reached, should cause
a warning to be issued.
The warning is repeated if the vehicle speed
drops below the set speed once by at least
3 mph/5 km/h.
Displaying, setting or changing the
speed warning
On the Control Display:
1."Settings"2."Speed"3."Warning at:"4.Turn the controller until the desired speed
is displayed.5.Press the controller.
Speed warning is stored.
Activating/deactivating the speed
warning
On the Control Display:1."Settings"2."Speed"3."Warning"4.Press the controller.
Setting your current speed as the
speed warning
On the Control Display:
1."Settings"2."Speed"3."Select current speed"4.Press the controller.
The current vehicle speed is stored as the
speed warning.
Settings on the Control
Display
Time
Setting the time zone
1."Settings"2."Time/Date"3."Time zone:"4.Select the desired time zone.
The time zone is stored.
Setting the time
1."Settings"2."Time/Date"3."Time:"4.Turn the controller until the desired hours
are displayed.5.Press the controller.Seite 99DisplaysControls99
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Knee airbagThe knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact.
Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
keep the risk of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible when the airbag is
triggered.▷There should be no person, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Dashboard and windshield on the front
passenger side must stay clear - do not at‐
tach adhesive labels or coverings and do
not attach brackets or cables, e. g., for GPS
devices or' mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sit‐
ting correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and
legs in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries
might occur when front airbag is activated.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as
jackets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
might occur when airbag is activated.▷Do not remove the airbag system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, do not cover them or
modify them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system.
This also applies to steering wheel covers,
the dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars
and the sides of the roofliner.◀
Even when you follow all instructions very
closely, injury from contact with the airbags
cannot be ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary
hearing impairment in sensitive individuals.
Malfunction, deactivation and after de‐
ploying the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered;
otherwise, you may risk burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
the service center or an authorized repair shop
for handling explosives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or
unintentional activation of the airbag - both
may lead to injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are also found on the sun visors.
Functional readiness of the airbag
system
When the ignition is reel on, the warn‐
ing lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up briefly and thereby indicates the op‐
erational readiness of the entire airbag system
and the belt tensioner.
Airbag system malfunctioning
▷Warning lamp does not come on when the
ignition is turned on.▷The warning lamp lights up continuously.Seite 109SafetyControls109
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Status control displayTire and system status are indicated by the
color of the wheels and a text message on the
Control Display.
All wheels green System is active and will issue a warning rela‐
tive to the tire inflation pressures stored during
the last reset.
One wheel is yellow A flat tire or major drop in inflation pressure in
the indicated tire.
All wheels are yellow A flat tire or major drop in inflation pressure in
several tires.
Wheels, gray The system cannot detect a flat tire. Reasons
for this may be:▷The system is being reset.▷Malfunction.
Status information
The status control display additionally shows
the current tire inflation pressures and, de‐
pending on the model, tire temperatures. It
shows the actual values read; they may vary depending on driving style or weather condi‐
tions.
Carry out reset Reset the system after each adjustment of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
On the Control Display and on the vehicle:
1."Vehicle info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Perform reset"4.Start the engine - do not drive off.5.Reset tire inflation pressure:"Perform
reset".6.Drive away.
The tires are shown in gray and the status is
displayed.
After driving faster than 19 mph/30 km/h for a
short period, the set tire inflation pressures are
accepted as reference values. The reset is
completed automatically while driving.
After a successfully completed Reset, the
wheels on the Control Display are shown in
green and "Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
active" is displayed.
You may interrupt this trip at any time. When
you continue the reset resumes automatically.
Low tire pressure message The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
Check Control message is displayed.
▷There is a flat tire or a major loss in
tire inflation pressure.▷No reset was performed for the system.
The system therefore issues a warning
based on the tire inflation pressures before
the last reset.1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with
regular tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 224, are la‐
beled with a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC marked on the tire's sidewall.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
A low tire inflation pressure might turn on DSC
Dynamic Stability Control.
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▷The tire inflation pressure has fallen below
the level of the last confirmation.
In this case:
▷Check the tire pressure and correct as
needed.▷Carry out a reset of the system after a tire
change.
System limits
The system does not function properly if a re‐
set has not been carried out, e.g., a flat tire is
reported though tire inflation pressures are
correct.
The tire inflation pressure depends on the
tire's temperature. Driving or exposure to the
sun will increase the tire's temperature, thus
increasing the tire inflation pressure. The tire
inflation pressure is reduced when the tire
temperature falls again. These circumstances
may cause a warning when temperatures fall
very sharply.
Malfunction The yellow warning lamp flashes and
then lights up continuously. A Check
Control message is displayed. No flat
tire or loss of tire inflation pressure can be de‐
tected.
Display in the following situations:
▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if needed.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.▷TPM was unable to complete the reset.
Reset the system again.▷Interference through systems or devices
with the same radio frequency: after leav‐
ing the area of the interference, the system
automatically becomes active again.Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
System
Each tire, including the spare (if provided)
should be checked monthly when cold and in‐
flated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres‐
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres‐
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel ef‐
ficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low
tire pressure telltale. Your vehicle has also
been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indi‐
cator to indicate when the system is not oper‐
ating properly. The TPMS malfunction indica‐
tor is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a malfunc‐
tion, the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illumi‐
nated. This sequence will continue upon sub‐
sequent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal‐
function exists. When the malfunction indicator
is illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of replace‐
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicleSeite 114ControlsSafety114
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that prevent the TPMS from functioning prop‐
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction tell‐
tale after replacing one or more tires or wheels
on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement
or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS
to continue to function properly.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor The conceptThe system detects tire inflation pressure losson the basis of rotation speed differences be‐
tween the individual wheels while driving.
In the event of a tire inflation pressure loss, the
diameter and therefore the rotational speed of
the corresponding wheel changes. This will be
detected and reported as a flat tire.
The system does not measure the actual infla‐
tion pressure in the tires.
Functional requirements
The system must have been initialized when
the tire inflation pressure was correct; other‐
wise, reliable flagging of a flat tire is not as‐
sured. Initialize the system after each correc‐ tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.
Status display
The current status of the Flat Tire Monitor can
be displayed on the Control Display, e.g.,
whether or not the FTM is active.
On the Control Display:1."Vehicle info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Flat Tire Monitor (FTM)"
The status is displayed.
Initialization
When initializing the once set inflation tire
pressures serve as reference values in order to
detect a flat tire. Initialization is started by con‐
firming the tire inflation pressures.
Do not initialize the system when driving with
snow chains.
On the Control Display:1."Vehicle info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Perform reset"4.Start the engine - do not drive off.5.Start the initialization with "Perform reset".6.Drive away.
The initialization is completed while driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
The initialization automatically continues when
driving resumes.
Indication of a flat tire The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
Check Control message is displayed.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire
inflation pressure.
1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with
regular tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 224, are la‐
beled with a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC marked on the tire's sidewall.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if needed.
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