engine BMW 6 SERIES 2009 Owner's Manual

Controls
87Reference
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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
would mean that the system warning was 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.
Manual deactivation
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
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. 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 dis-
tance 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.
To prevent this problem, 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-
ing jets for long periods and maintain a distance
of at least 4 in/10 cm to them.
PDC with visual warning*
You can also have the system show distances
to objects on the Control Display. Objects that
are farther away are already shown there before

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
88 a signal tone sounds. The setting is stored for
the remote control currently in use.
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.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Turn the controller until "Vehicle / Tires" is
selected and press the controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "PDC" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Select "PDC display on" and press the con-
troller.
The PDC screen is activated.
The display appears on the Control Display as
soon as PDC is activated.
System limits
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstacles always remains with
the driver. Even when sensors are provided,
there is a blind spot in which objects can no
longer be detected. The system is also subject
to the physical limits that apply to all forms of ultrasonic measurement, such as those
encountered with tow bars and trailer cou-
plings, or thin and wedge-shaped objects etc.
Low objects already displayed, e. g. curbs, can
also disappear from the detection area of the
sensors again before or after a continuous tone
already sounds. Higher, protruding objects, e.g.
ledges, cannot be detected. For this reason,
drive with care; otherwise, there is a danger of
personal injury or property damage.
Loud sources of sound, inside and outside the
vehicle, could drown out the PDC signal tone.<
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW is equipped with an extended array
of systems designed to enhance and maintain
vehicle stability under extreme conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. For information on safe braking, refer to
page128.
CBC Cornering Brake Control
When braking during curves or when braking
during a lane change, driving stability and steer-
ing response are improved further.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Brake assistant
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
produces maximum braking force boosting and
thus helps to achieve the shortest possible
braking distance during full braking maneuvers.
This system exploits all of the benefits provided
by ABS.

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Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the full braking.
Adaptive brake assistant*
In conjunction with the active cruise control
with the stop-and-go function, the adaptive
brake assistant ensures that the brake
responds even more quickly during braking
with the brake assistant.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC prevents traction loss in the driving wheels
when starting off and accelerating. The system
also identifies unstable driving conditions, such
as a loss of traction at the rear of the vehicle or
sliding of the vehicle in its front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
output and through braking actions in the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style always remains the responsibility of the
driver. Therefore, do not restrict the additional
safety margin with a risky driving style, as other-
wise there is a risk of an accident.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the button until the DSC indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up, but not longer
than approx. 10 seconds. DTC Dynamic Trac-
tion Control and DSC are deactivated together.
Stabilizing and drive output promoting actions
are no longer executed. The stability-promoting
intervention of the active steering
* is also deac-
tivated, refer to page95.A message appears on the Control Display.
Please note any supplementary information
that appears there.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button; the indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DSC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DSC is deactivated.
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions,
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC
under the following special circumstances:
>When driving on snowy inclines, in slush, or
on unplowed, snow-covered road surfaces
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow or on loose ground
>When driving with snow chains
*
Activating DTC
Press the button briefly; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
90
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DTC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DTC is activated.
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes out.
Malfunction in driving stability control
systems
The warning lamp for the brake system
lights up yellow, together with the indi-
cator lamps for ABS, DSC, and for the
Tire Pressure Monitor or Flat Tire Mon-
itor. A message appears on the Control
Display. The driving stability control
systems have failed. While you may
continue, you should remember to pro-
ceed cautiously and drive defensively
while avoiding full brake applications.
The Tire Pressure Monitor or the Flat Tire Mon-
itor is also malfunctioning. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
Display of the previously described
malfunction in Canadian models.
The DSC indicator lamp lights up. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. A malfunction has occurred in the
DSC and DTC. The stabilizing actions are no
longer available. The vehicle remains opera-
tional. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
The brake system warning lamp lights
up yellow. A message appears on the
Control Display. The brake assistant is defective. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Display of the previously described
malfunction in Canadian models.
Starting assistant
The starting assistant enables you to start off
conveniently on slopes. The handbrake is not
required for this purpose.
1.Hold the vehicle with the brake.
2.Release the brake and begin to drive imme-
diately.
After releasing the brake, begin to drive
immediately; otherwise, the starting
assistant no longer holds the vehicle after
approx. 2 seconds and your vehicle will start to
roll backward.<
Dynamic Drive*
The concept
Dynamic Drive minimizes body roll and opti-
mizes vehicle stability during cornering and
evasive maneuvers.
Dynamic Drive is based on active stabilizers on
the front and rear axles. Suspension compli-
ance adapts to suit driving conditions, varying
from performance-oriented during cornering to
smooth and comfort-oriented when the vehicle
is proceeding in a straight line. During vehicle
operation, the system continuously runs
through closed-loop control cycles lasting only
fractions of a second.
The system assumes operational status each
time you start the engine.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects a pressure loss in
one tire by comparing the speeds of the individ-
ual wheels during driving.

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In the event of a pressure loss, there is a change
in the rolling circumference and therefore the
rotation speed of the corresponding wheel. The
system detects this change and reports it as a
flat tire.
Functional requirement
To ensure the reliable signaling of a flat tire, the
system must be initialized at the correct tire
inflation pressure.
The initialization must be repeated after
every correction of the tire inflation pres-
sure and after every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot indicate sudden
severe tire damage caused by outside factors
and does not detect a natural, even pressure
drop in all four tires.
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels,
high lateral acceleration
>Driving with snow chains
*
Initializing system
The initialization finishes during driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. The system is initialized
after this activation phase. The system is not
initialized when traveling with snow chains
*.<
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.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "FTM" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7.Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
9.Start to drive.
The message "resetting FTM …" is dis-
played.
The initialization finishes during driving.

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Green
The tire pressure matches the learned set state.
"TPM active" appears on the Control Display.
One wheel is yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in
the indicated tire. A message appears on the
Control Display.
All wheels are yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in
several tires. A message appears on the Control
Display.
Gray
The system cannot detect a flat tire.
Reasons for this can be:
>TPM is being reset
>Temporary interference due to systems or
devices which use the same radio fre-
quency
>Malfunction
Resetting system
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
Resetting finishes during driving, which can be
interrupted at any time. When driving resumes,
resetting is continued automatically.
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.5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "TPM" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7.Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
9.Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After a few minutes of driving, the set tire infla-
tion pressures in the tires are applied as the set
values to be monitored. Resetting finishes dur-
ing driving. The tires are shown in green on the
Control Display.
If a flat tire is detected during resetting
and applying the tire inflation pressures,
all tires are shown in yellow on the Control Dis-
play. The message "Tire low!" is displayed.<
Message with low tire inflation
pressure
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds. There is a flat tire or extensive inflation
pressure loss.

Lamps
104
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 switched off
when the light switch is in position2 or 3. The
daytime running lamps have already been
switched off at the same time as the ignition.
For this reason, switch on the side marker
lamps as needed, switch position1; otherwise,
the vehicle is not lit.
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 page106.<
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
lights up when the low beams are on.
You can also activate the daytime running
lamps, refer to page105. In the situations
described above, the lamps then switch to 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
106
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 page104.
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
page104.
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.
Manually switching between high
beams and low beams
If you wish or the situation requires, you can
intervene at any time.

Controls
113Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Open "Climate".
3.Select "Vent settings" and press the con-
troller.
The driver's and front passenger side can
be adjusted separately with the fields on the
right or left side.
4.Select the driver's or front passenger side
if necessary.
Move the controller to the right or left
repeatedly until the driver's or front passen-
ger side is selected.
5.Select the desired field by moving the con-
troller.
6.Turn the controller to adjust the air distribu-
tion.
Driver's side:
1Air directed toward the windshield and side
windows
2Air for the upper body
3Air to footwell
Front passenger side:
4Air for the upper body
5Air to footwell
Pressing the AUTO button cancels the
manual air distribution settings.<
The automatic mode for the air volume remains
effective with manual air distribution.
Switching cooling function on and off
The cooling function cools and
dehumidifies the incoming air
before also reheating it as
required, according to the temperature setting. This function is only available when the engine
is running.
The cooling function helps to avoid condensa-
tion on the window surfaces or to quickly
remove them.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
The cooling function is also switched on with
the AUTO program.
Maximum cooling
Maximally cooled air is obtained as
quickly as possible at an outside
temperature above approx. 327/
06 and with the engine running.
At the lowest temperature, the automatic cli-
mate control switches into recirculating air
mode. The maximum air volume flows out of the
vents for the upper body. Therefore, open these
vents for maximum cooling.
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control/recirculated-air mode
You can respond to pollutants or
unpleasant odors in the immediate
environment by suspending the
supply of outside air. The system then recircu-
lates the air currently within the vehicle. During
AUC operation, a sensor detects pollutants in
the outside air and controls the shut-off auto-
matically.
By pressing the button repeatedly, you can
request three operating modes:
>LED off: outside air flows in continuously.
>Right LED on, AUC mode: the system
detects pollutants in the outside air and
shuts off the supply as needed.
>Left LED on, recirculated-air mode: the
supply of outside air is permanently shut off.
Should the windows fog up in the recircu-
lated-air mode, press the AUTO button or
switch off the recirculated-air mode and
increase the air volume if necessary.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
over an extended period of time, as the air qual-

Climate
114 ity inside the vehicle deteriorates continu-
ously.<
Residual heat
The heat stored in the engine is
used to heat the passenger com-
partment, e.g. while stopped at a
school to pick up a child.
1.Switch off the engine.
2.Turn to the right, refer to arrow.
The function can be switched on when the fol-
lowing conditions are met:
>up to 15 minutes after switching off the
engine
>with engine at operating temperature
>with sufficient battery voltage
>at an outside temperature below 777/
256
From radio readiness the interior temperature,
the air volume and the air distribution can be
set.
Switching automatic climate control on
and off
1.Turn to the left to minimum air volume.
2.After approx. 1 second, turn to the left
again.
Y o u s w i t c h o n t h e s y s t e m a g a i n b y p r e s s i n g a n y
button of the automatic climate control.
Ventilation
1Knurled wheels to smoothly open and close
vent outlets
2Levers to change the vent outlet direction
Do not drop any foreign objects into the
vent outlets; otherwise, they could be cat-
apulted outwards and cause injuries.<
Ventilation for cooling
Adjust the vent outlets to direct the flow of cool
air in your direction, for instance, if the interior
has become too warm, etc.
Draft-free ventilation
Set the vent outlets so that the air flows past
you and is not directed straight at you.
Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter
The microfilter removes dust and pollen from
the incoming air. The activated-charcoal filter
provides additional protection by filtering gas-
eous pollutants from the outside air. Your BMW
center replaces this combined filter as a stan-
dard part of your scheduled maintenance.
You can have more detailed information shown
on the Control Display, refer to page79.
Parked car ventilation
The concept
The parked car ventilation blows air into the
passenger compartment to lower interior tem-
peratures.
It is ready to use in the parked car mode at any
outside temperature.