park assist BMW 6 SERIES 2008 Owners Manual

Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
1Convertible: opening and closing rear
window39
2Convertible: opening and closing windows
together39
3Convertible: opening and closing rear
windows39
4Opening and closing front windows38
5Exterior mirrors, folding in and out53
6Adjusting exterior mirrors53
Automatic curb monitor547
Turn signals63
High beams,
headlamp flasher104
High-beam assistant
*104
Roadside parking lamps104
Check Control79
Computer75

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 info, e.g. for displaying of the aver-
age fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
>CD player and CD changer
*
Climate
>Vent settings
>Automatic programs
>Parked car operation
menu
>Switching off the 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 the telephone
Basic operation
From radio readiness, refer to page58, 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.

Controls
29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Personal Profile
The concept
You can set a number of functions of your BMW
individually according to your preferences.
Personal Profile ensures that most of these set-
tings are stored for the remote control currently
in use without you having to do anything. When
the vehicle is unlocked, the corresponding
remote control is detected and the settings
stored for it are called up and carried out.
This means that you will always find your BMW
set to your own personal settings even if
another person with his/her own remote control
and settings has used the vehicle since the last
time you drove it. The individual settings are
stored for a maximum of four remote controls.
Personal Profile settings
Details on the settings are provided on the
specified pages.
>Behavior of the central locking system
when unlocking vehicle, refer to page30
>Automatic locking of the vehicle, refer to
page33
>Programming buttons on steering wheel,
refer to page55
>Displays on Control Display:
>12h/24h clock mode, refer to page83
>Date format, refer to page83
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer
to page83
>Units of measure for consumption,
route/distances, temperature and pres-
sure, refer to page84
>Language on the Control Display, refer
to page84>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to
page64
>Welcome lamps, refer to page102
>Pathway lighting, refer to page103
>Daytime running lamps
*, refer to
page103
>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page104
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page86
>Head-Up Display
*: selection and bright-
ness of display, refer to page97
>BMW Night Vision
*: display settings, refer
to page100
>Automatic climate control: for AUTO pro-
gram and intensity, cooling function, and
automatic recirculated air control/recircu-
lated air mode, temperature, air distribution,
temperature in the upper body region, refer
to page109
>Navigation system
*: voice instructions for
destination guidance, refer to page132
The most recent settings for the following are
also called up during unlocking:
>Programmable memory/direct selection
buttons: selecting stored functions, refer to
page44
>Driver's seat, exterior-mirror and steering-
wheel position, refer to page49
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings,
refer to page159
>Radio: display of stored stations, refer to
page162
>Phone: adjusting volume, refer to page190

Controls
85Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Technology for comfort, convenience and
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking.
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert
you to the approach of an object from behind
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper.
The range of these sensors is approx. 7 ft/2 m.
However, an acoustic warning first sounds for
the sensors at the front and at the two rear cor-
ners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for the center
rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate the
presence of objects when they are being
approached slowly, as is usually the case when
parking. Avoid approaching an object at high
speed; otherwise, the physical circumstances
could cause the system warning to be activated
too late.<
Switching on automatically
The system starts to operate approx. one sec-
ond after you shift into reverse or move the
selector lever into position R with the engine
running or the ignition switched on.
Wait this short time before driving off.
Switching on manually
Press the button; the LED lights up.
Switching off manually
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is
switched off and the LED goes out. You can
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
An intermittent signal indicates the distance of
the vehicle from an object being approached.
Thus, an object detected to the left rear of the
vehicle will be indicated by a signal tone from
the left rear speaker, etc. As the distance
between vehicle and object decreases, the
intervals between the tones become shorter. If
the distance to the nearest object falls to below
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone
sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
As a preventive measure, keep the sensors
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ers for long periods and maintain a distance of
at least 4 in/10 cm to them.

Lamps
102
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lights off and daytime running lamps*
1Parking lamps and daytime running lamps*
2Low beams and welcome lamps
3Automatic headlamp control, daytime run-
ning lamps
*, welcome lamps, Adaptive
Head Light
* and high-beam assistant*
If you open the driver's door with the ignition
switched off, the exterior lighting is automati-
cally switched off when the light switch is in
position2 or 3.
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the
parking lamps for parking.
The parking lamps drain the battery. Do
not leave them switched on for long peri-
ods of time, otherwise it may no longer be pos-
sible to start the engine. It is preferable to
switch on the roadside parking lamps on one
side, refer to page104.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control
In switch position3, the system activates the
low beams and switches them on or off in
response to changes in ambient light condi-
tions, for instance, in a tunnel, at dawn and dusk
and in case of precipitation. Adaptive Head
Light
* is active. The LED next to the symbol is
illuminated when the low beams are on.
You can activate the daytime running lamps,
refer to page103. In the situations named
above, the system then automatically switches
over to the low beams.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain on independent of
the ambient lighting conditions when you
switch on the fog lamps.<
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 sensors
cannot detect fog of hazy weather. To avoid
safety risks, you should always switch on the
low beams manually under these conditions.<
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in position2 or 3
when parking the vehicle, then when you unlock
the vehicle, the parking lamps and interior light-
ing remain illuminated for a brief time.
Activating/deactivating welcome
lamps
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.

Lamps
104
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 parameters, the light from the
headlamp follows the course of the road.
Activating Adaptive Head Light
With the ignition switched on, turn the light
switch into position 3, refer to page102.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adaptive
Head Light is not active when driving in reverse
and points toward the passenger side when the
vehicle is stopped.
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:
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or
down beyond the resistance point, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Do not leave them switched on for
long periods of time, otherwise it may no longer
be possible to start the engine.<
Switching off
Briefly press the lever in the opposite direction
up to the resistance point, arrow3.
High-beam assistant*
The concept
This system automatically switches the high
beams on and off. A sensor on the front side of
the inside rearview mirror controls the process.
The assistant makes sure that the high beams
are switched on whenever traffic conditions
permit. This relieves you of the burden of con-
stantly switching back and forth and simulta-
neously provides you with the best possible vis-
ibility. Naturally, you can intervene at any time to
switch the high beams on and off as usual.
Activating system
1.Turn the light switch to position3, refer to
page102.
2.With the low beams switched on, briefly
press the turn signal lever in the high-beam
direction.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the high-beam
assistant is activated. The system
automatically switches between high beams
and low beams, reacting to oncoming traffic,
vehicles ahead of you, and sufficiently lit areas,
e.g. in built-up zones.

Lamps
106 3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Lighting" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "High-beam assistant" and press
the controller.
High-beam assistant is switched off.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Fog lamps
First switch on the parking lamps or the low
beams. The green indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up when the fog lamps are
switched on.
The fog lamps are switched off whenever the
high beams are switched on.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
You can control the lighting intensity by using
the knurled wheel.
Interior lamps
Control of the interior lamps, footwell lamps,
door entry lighting, courtesy lamps
* and sill
panel lighting
* is automatic.
With the courtesy lamps, LED lights are located
in the door handles to illuminate the exterior
area before the doors.
To protect the battery, all lamps in the
vehicle are switched off approx. 15 min-
utes after radio readiness is switched off, refer
to Start/Stop button on page58.<
Switching interior lamps on and off
manually
Press button 1.
If the interior lamps, footwell lamps, door entry
lighting, courtesy lamps and sill panel lighting
are to remain switched off continually, press the
button for approx. 3 seconds.

Mobility
229Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
There must not be any contact between
the bodies of the two vehicles; otherwise,
there is a danger of short circuiting.<
Connecting jumper cables
To avoid personal injury from sparks, fol-
low this sequence when connecting
jumper cables.<
In your BMW, the so-called jump-starting termi-
nal for jump starting in the engine compartment
serves as a positive terminal for the battery, also
refer to engine compartment overview on
page217. The cover cap is marked with a +.
1.Fold open the cover of the BMW jump-
starting terminal. To do so, pull the tab.
2.Attach one end of the jumper cable plus/+
to the positive terminal of the battery or a
jump-starting terminal of the vehicle provid-
ing assistance.
3.Attach the second end of the cable to the
positive terminal of the battery or to a jump-
starting terminal of the vehicle to be started.
4.Attach one end of the jumper cable minus/–
to the negative terminal of the battery or to
an engine or body ground of the vehicle
providing assistance.
Your BMW has a special nut as body ground
or negative terminal.5.Attach the second end of the cable to the
negative terminal of the battery or to the
engine or body ground of the vehicle to be
started.Starting engine
1.Start the engine on the assisting vehicle
and allow it to run at idle for several minutes
at slightly increased speed.
2.Start the engine on the other vehicle in the
usual way.
If the first starting attempt is not successful,
wait a few minutes before another attempt
in order to allow the discharged battery to
recharge.
3.Let the engines run for a few minutes.
4.Disconnect the jumper cables by reversing
the connection sequence.
Check the battery and recharge if necessary.
Never use spray fluids to start the
engine.<
Tow-starting and towing
Observe applicable laws and regulations
for tow-starting and towing.<
Do not transport any passengers other
than the driver in a vehicle that is being
towed.<
Using tow fitting
The threaded tow fitting is stored in the tool kit
mounted on the inside of the luggage compart-
ment under the floor mat, refer to page223, and
should always remain in the vehicle. It can be
screwed in at the front or rear of the BMW.
Only use the tow fitting that comes with
the vehicle and screw it in as far as possi-
ble. Use the tow fitting for towing only on roads.
Avoid lateral loading of the tow fitting, e.g. do
not lift the vehicle by the tow fitting. Otherwise,
the tow fitting and vehicle can be damaged.<

Everything from A to Z
242
Everything from A to Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display
texts used to select
individual functions, and
indicates where to find them
in the text.
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System86
– indicator lamp88
ACC, refer to Active cruise
control66
Accepted calls192
Accessories6
Accident, refer to Emergency
request227
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate
control112
Activating hour signal83
"Activation time" for parked-
car ventilation113
Active cruise control66
– indicator lamp70
– radar sensor71
– selecting distance69
– warning lamps70
Active front head restraints50
Active steering93
– warning lamp93
Adapter for spare key28
Adaptive brake assistant87
Adaptive brake lamps, refer to
Brake force display93
Adaptive Head Light104
"Add digits" for mobile
phone192
Additives
– coolant219
– engine oil, refer to Approved
engine oils219"Address book" for navigation
system142
Address for navigation
– deleting143
– entering134,137
– selecting142
– storing142
– storing current position142
"Add to address book"141
"Add to destination
list"137,139
Adjusting interior
temperature109
Adjusting thigh support48
Adjusting tone in audio mode,
refer to Tone control159
"After door opened"50
"After unlocking"50
Airbags94
– deactivating, refer to
Exception for front
passenger seat56
– indicator/warning lamp95
– indicator lamp for front
passenger airbags95
– sitting safely47
Air distribution
– automatic109
– manual110
Airing, refer to Ventilation112
Air outlets, refer to
Ventilation112
Air recirculation, refer to AUC
Automatic recirculated-air
control111
"Air recirculation on / off"55
Air supply, automatic climate
control108
Air volume110
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications209Alarm system35
– avoiding unintentional
alarms36
– interior motion sensor36
– switching off alarm35
– switching off tilt alarm
sensor and interior motion
sensor36
– tilt alarm sensor36
"All channels"170
"All doors"30
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires215
"All stations", calling up with
radio162,165
Alterations, technical, refer to
For your own safety6
"AM", reception
range158,162
Antenna, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
Antenna for mobile phone184
Antifreeze
– coolant219
– washer fluid65
Antilock Brake System
ABS86
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system35
Anti-theft system, refer to
Central locking system30
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights237
Approved engine oils219
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights237
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest117
Around the center console14
Around the steering wheel10

Reference 243
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Arrival time
– refer to Computer76
– refer to Starting destination
guidance146
"Arrow display" for navigation
system147
"Arrow display pop-up
instructions"133
Ashtray118
Assist, refer to
BMW Assist199
Assistance systems, refer to
Driving stability control
systems86
Assistance window20
"Assist. window off"21
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control111
"Audio"159,161,166
Audio158
– controls158
– switching on/off158
– tone control159
– volume159
Audio device, external117
Automatic
– air distribution109
– air volume109
– cruise control65,66
– headlamp control102
– recirculated-air control
AUC111
– service notification201
– steering wheel
adjustment49
– storing stations164
Automatic car washes127
– also refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
– also refer to Comfort
access38
Automatic climate control108
– automatic air
distribution109
– convertible program109
– switching on and off112
– ventilation with vehicle
parked112Automatic closing of doors,
refer to Automatic soft
closing34
Automatic curb monitor54
Automatic lighting
– refer to Automatic headlamp
control102
– refer to Daytime running
lamps103
– refer to High-beam
assistant104
– refer to Interior lamps106
– refer to Pathway lighting103
– refer to Welcome lamps102
"Automatic programs"109
Automatic soft closing34
Automatic station search163
"Automatic ventilation"113
AUTO program with
automatic climate
control109
"Autostore" on the
radio162,164
"AUX"158,178,180
– in audio mode178
AUX-In connection117,178
Average fuel consumption75
– setting units84
Average speed75
"Avoid ferries" for navigation
system145
"Avoid highways" for
navigation system144
Avoiding freeways for
navigation144
Avoiding unintentional
alarms36
"Avoid tollroads" for
navigation system145
Axle loads, refer to
Weights237
"A - Z"192
B
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support48
Backrests, refer to Seats48
Backup lamps, replacing
bulbs, refer to Tail
lamps224
"Balance", refer to Tone
control160
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
kit228
Bass, refer to Tone
control159
"Bass", tone control159
Battery
– jump starting228
– refer to Vehicle battery225
Battery replacement, remote
control for comfort
access38
BC button, refer to
Computer75
Being towed230
Belts, refer to Safety belts52
Beverage holder, refer to Cup
holders118
Blower, refer to Air
volume110
"Bluetooth"185
"BMW Assist"200
BMW Assist199
– activating204
– concierge service202
– contacting BMW Customer
Relations202
– displaying vehicle data205
– offered services199
– roadside assistance200
– TeleService201
– updating203
"BMW Contact"194
"BMW Contact
Numbers"194
BMW homepage4
BMW Maintenance
System221