BMW 750I 2008 E65 Owners Manual

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Deactivating DTC
Select "DTC" and press the controller.
The LED on the Control Display and the DTC
indicator lamp on the Info Display go out.
Dynamic Drive
The concept
Dynamic Drive minimizes body roll and opti-
mizes vehicle stability during cornering and
evasive maneuvers.
Active stabilizers at the front and rear axles form
the basis for Dynamic Drive. Suspension com-
pliance adapts to suit driving conditions, vary-
ing from performance-oriented during corner-
ing to smooth and comfort-oriented when the
vehicle is traveling in a straight line. During vehi-
cle 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.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow and
a message appears on the Info Display.
A malfunction has occurred in the
Dynamic Drive system. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
If a malfunction occurs, please remember
to adapt your speed accordingly, espe-
cially in curves.
The suspension will be noticeably softer and
the vehicle will display a greater tendency to tilt
during cornering and in crosswinds.<
If a Check Control message indicates an oil loss,
stop as soon as possible at a suitable location
and switch off the engine. Do not continue driv-
ing, contact your BMW center.
Self-leveling suspension*
Malfunction
The warning lamp for self-leveling sus-
pension lights up yellow and a message
appears on the Info Display.
A malfunction has occurred in the level control
system.
Stop driving and check the vehicle:
>The vehicle is considerably lower at the rear
than at the front, possibly also on one side,
at the rear left compared to the rear right.
>The ground clearance is reduced or the
driving comfort is noticeably reduced.
>The position of the vehicle is normal, but a
malfunction is indicated.
Drive to the nearest BMW center or a workshop
that works in accordance with BMW guidelines
and uses appropriately trained personnel. Drive
with appropriate caution in the meantime.
EDC Electronic Damping
Control*
If the influencing variables such as road surface
quality or operating conditions such as steer-
ing, braking etc. change, the damping automat-
ically adjusts to the new conditions.
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Settings".
3.Select "Vehicle" and press the controller.
4.Select "EDC" and press the controller.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
90 There are two programs.
With each press of the controller, you can
switch back and forth between "Comfort" and
"Sport".
Comfort program
The Comfort program is suitable for use
throughout the vehicle's entire speed range and
regardless of load.
Sport program
You should select the Sport program for consis-
tently performance-oriented response from
shock absorbers and steering.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor keeps track of the infla-
tion pressures in the four mounted tires as you
drive. The system triggers an alert whenever
the inflation pressure drops significantly in rela-
tion to the pressure in another tire.
When a loss of pressure occurs, the rolling
radius changes and with it, the rotational speed
of the wheels. This change is detected and sig-
naled as a flat tire.
Functional requirements
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:
>When the system has not been initialized.>When driving on snow-covered or slippery
road surfaces.
>Performance-oriented style of driving: slip
in the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration.
>When driving with snow chains
*.
Initializing system
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time.
The initialization automatically continues when
driving resumes. Do not initialize the system
when driving with snow chains
*.<
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Select "Settings".
2.Select "Vehicle" and press the controller.
3.Select "Tires: FTM" and press the control-
ler.
The initialization menu appears.
4.Start the engine, but do not begin to drive.
5.Select "Reset tire pressure" and press the
controller.
During the initialization, "Reset will be com-
pleted while driving. A tire pressure loss
cannot be detected while resetting. Status:
resetting FTM…" appears on the Control
Display.

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6.Start driving.
It takes at least 10 minutes before the Flat
Tire Monitor is once again able to detect
and report a flat tire.
The initialization is completed during driving.
To exit the menu:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red and a
message appears on the Info Display. In
addition, a signal sounds. A flat tire or a
major air loss has occurred.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Identify the damaged tire.
If identification is not possible, con-
tact your BMW center.<
3.Replace the damaged tire, refer to Chang-
ing wheels on page215.
Run-flat tires*
1.Cautiously reduce the vehicle speed to
below 50 mph/80 km/h. Avoid hard braking
and steering maneuvers and do not exceed
50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page205, do not
continue to drive. Continued driving after a
flat tire can result in serious accidents.<
2.Check the air pressure in all four tires at the
next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor
may not have been initialized. The system
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of a total loss of inflation pres-
sure, 0 psi/kPa, or obvious tire damage, you
can estimate the possible distance for con-
tinued driving on the basis of the following
guide values:
>With low load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km.>With medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 95 miles/150 km.
>With full load:
4 or more persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km.
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distances, and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations or loud noises occur while
the vehicle is being driven, this can indicate final
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible;
otherwise, pieces of the tire could come off and
cause an accident. Do not continue driving,
contact your BMW center.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow and
a message appears on the Info Display.
The Flat Tire Monitor has failed. Have
the system checked as soon as possible.
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor*
The concept
TPM checks the tire inflation pressure in the
four mounted tires. The system indicates if the
tire inflation pressure has dropped considerably
in one or several tires.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must have been reset with the
correct tire inflation pressure.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics; oth-
erwise, the system cannot be assured of func-
tioning properly.
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
92
System limits
TPM cannot warn you of sudden serious
tire damage caused by external influ-
ences.<
The system does not work correctly if it has not
been reset; for example, a flat tire may be indi-
cated even though the tire inflation pressures
are correct.
If a wheel without TPM electronics has been
mounted or if the TPM experiences temporary
interference from other systems or devices that
use the same radio frequency, then the system
is inactive and unable to report a flat tire.
Status display on Control Display
The tire and system status is indicated by the
color of the tires.
TPM takes into account the fact that the tire
pressure changes during driving. A correction is
only required if the color of the TPM display
indicates that it is necessary.
Green
The tire pressure matches the learned set state.
"Status: TPM active" appears on the Control
Display.
One wheel is yellow
There is a flat tire or a major drop in inflation
pressure in the indicated tire. A message
appears on the Control Display.
All wheels are yellow
There is a 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 include:
>TPM is in the process of being reset
>Temporary interference due to systems or
devices that use the same radio frequency
>Malfunction
Resetting system
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
The reset process is completed during driving
and can be interrupted at any time. When driv-
ing resumes, the process resumes automati-
cally.
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller toward "Settings".
3.Select "Vehicle" and press the controller.
4.Select "Tires: TPM" and press the control-
ler.
5.Start the engine, but do not begin to drive.
6.Select "RESET" and press the controller.
7.Select "YES" and press the controller.
8.Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Status:
Resetting TPM..." is displayed.
After a few minutes of driving, the newly cor-
rected inflation pressures in the tires are
adopted as the set-point values to be moni-
tored. The resetting process is completed dur-

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ing driving. The tires are displayed in green on
the Control Display.
If a flat tire is detected during the reset-
ting and adoption of the tire inflation pres-
sures, all tires are shown in yellow on the Con-
trol Display. The message "Status: Tire low!" is
displayed.<
Low tire pressure message
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, a signal sounds. A flat
tire or a major air loss has occurred.
1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle care-
fully. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2.Check whether your vehicle is equipped
with standard tires or run-flat tires.
You will recognize run-flat tires by a
circular symbol containing the letters
RSC on the side of the tire, refer to
page205.<
Standard tires
1.If all four wheels are shown in yellow, iden-
tify the damaged tire on the vehicle.
2.Replace the damaged wheel or wheels,
refer to Changing wheels on page215.
The spare wheel is equipped with the neces-
sary TPM electronics and when mounted, will
also be monitored once the system has been
reset.
Have the tire replaced by a BMW center or a
workshop that is familiar with handling TPM and
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Run-flat tires*
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid hard braking and steering
maneuvers and do not exceed 50 mph/
80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires, refer to page205, do not
continue to drive. Continued driving after a
flat tire can result in serious accidents.<2.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guide values:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 95 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distance and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations occur while the vehicle is
being driven, this can indicate final failure of the
damaged tire. Reduce speed and stop as soon
as possible; otherwise, pieces of the tire could
come loose and cause an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving, contact your BMW center.<
Malfunction
The yellow warning light flashes and
then lights up continuously. The tires
are shown in gray on the Control Dis-
play and a message is displayed. No flat tire can
be detected. Have system checked.
A message like this is displayed in the following
situations:
>When a malfunction is occurring.
Have the system checked.
>When a wheel without TPM electronics is
mounted.
>When TPM is experiencing temporary inter-
ference from other systems or devices that
use the same radio frequency.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
94
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire, including the spare, should be
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the
inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion 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 fea-
ture, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system TPMS that illumi-
nates a low tire pressure indicator lamp when
one or more of your tires are significantly
under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure indicator lamp comes on, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's han-
dling and stopping ability. Please note that the
TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if underin-
flation has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure indicator
lamp.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure indicator lamp. When
the system detects a malfunction, the indicator
lamp will flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously lit. This sequence will
continue upon subsequent vehicle startups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction indicator lamp after replac-
ing 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 func-
tion properly.Brake force display
Left: normal braking.
Right: heavy braking.

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Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags in front and rear
*
4Knee airbags
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
please follow the adjustment instructions on
page43.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head. The knee air-
bags help protect the legs against impact
against the cockpit.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e.g. less severe acci-
dents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag retention
system from the vehicle. Never modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the individual
components in the airbag system. This cate-
gory includes the upholstery in the center of the
steering wheel, on the instrument panel, the
doors and the roof pillars along with the sides of the headliner. Do not attempt to remove or dis-
mantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns. In the event
of malfunctions, deactivation, or triggering of
the airbag restraint system, have the testing,
repair, removal, and disposal of airbag genera-
tors executed only by a BMW center or a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information about the airbags is
also provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The system
appropriately activates or deactivates the front,
knee, and side airbag on the front passenger
side.
The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags in the following.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, pay attention to the
safety information and follow the handling
instructions under Transporting children safely,

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
96 refer to page54.
In certain sitting positions, teenagers and adults
can deactivate the front, knee and side airbag
on the front passenger side; when this occurs,
the indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags lights up. In these cases, change the sit-
ting position so that the front passenger airbags
are activated and the indicator lamp goes out.
If the desired status cannot be produced by
changing the sitting position, have the person
ride in the back. Do not place slip covers, seat
cushions, beaded mats, or other objects on the
passenger seat that are not specifically recom-
mended by BMW. Do not lay objects under the
seat which could press against the seat from
below. Otherwise, a correct evaluation of the
occupied seat surface cannot be assured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operational status of the
front, knee and side airbag on the front passen-
ger side depending on whether the seat is
occupied. The indicator lamp shows whether
the front passenger airbags are activated or
deactivated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child
properly seated in a child restraint system
intended for the purpose is detected on the
seat.
Front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are deactivated.
Most child seats are detected by the
system. It is particularly advisable to
use child seats approved by NHTSA at the
time that the vehicle was produced. After
installing a child's seat, make sure that the indicator light for the front passenger air-
bags is illuminated. This indicates that the
system has detected the child's seat and
has deactivated the front passenger air-
bags.<
>The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient height is detected on the seat.
Front, knee and side airbag on the front
passenger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
The front, knee, and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated in
this case either.
Operational readiness of the airbag
system
Once the radio ready position is reached, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, thus indicating
the operational readiness of the entire airbag
system and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up from radio
ready state.
>Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction; otherwise,
there is a danger that the airbag system may not
respond in the expected manner in an accident
despite an impact of corresponding intensity.<

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BMW Night Vision*
The concept
BMW Night Vision is a driver assistance system
that is designed to provide enhanced vision for
certain objects at night. This can be especially
helpful for detecting people and larger animals.
When objects are detected, the driver may be
able to take appropriate action sooner. For
example, the driver may identify and detect the
presence of persons or animals in the road
ahead or off to the sides and can be more alert,
slow down or stop, blow the horn, etc. The
driver can decide which actions are appropriate
and then react accordingly.
A certain area in front of the vehicle is viewed by
an infrared camera and a generated image is
shown on the Control Display. The resulting
thermal image shows the relative heat radiation
of the objects present in the camera's field of
view. Warmer objects appear brighter and
cooler objects appear darker. Contrast is
dependent on the temperature difference
between the objects and the background and
on the amount of heat radiation of the object
itself. As a result, it is quite possible that a per-
son is not continually recognizable as a person
in shape, since the thermal radiation can be
affected by different clothing which blocks heat
loss. Objects with little temperature difference
to the surrounding area, or little heat radiation
are less noticeable, for example in cold weather.
Any improvement in detection depends on
many factors such as the object size and tem-
perature compared to the surroundings, or
other nearby objects, the visual recognition
skills of the driver, weather conditions, and
other factors.
Driving hints
With the system active, periodically but briefly,
glance at the thermal image on the Control Dis-
play to notice objects that could be people or
larger animals. The glance should be similar to
glancing at the rear view mirror. Do not stare at
the image for long periods while driving, as this
will take your attention away from the road. If you notice an object of interest ahead, be pre-
pared to slow down or stop, blow the horn, or
take other appropriate action.
System limits
The system is designed to supplement but not
replace forward vision through the windshield.
The driver is responsible for safe driving at
night. BMW Night Vision is not designed to be
used as a continuous viewing window for driv-
ing at night.
No system, no matter how sophisticated, can
operate without limitations. BMW Night Vision
operation is subject to physical and environ-
mental limitations that will reduce the ability of
the system to detect and display a clear thermal
image. Some of the situations in which these
limitations can occur are:
>on steep hilltops or depressions and in tight
curves
>in tunnels, as the contrast is inherently low
>when the camera lens is dirty
>in dense fog, heavy rain or snowfall
>when displaying very hot objects such as
transformers, car exhausts etc.
>when the image briefly freezes during nor-
mal system adjustment.
BMW Night Vision's potential benefits
can be limited by the driving style of the
driver, the size and relative temperature of the
detected objects, dirt or contamination on the
camera lens, adverse weather like snow, rain, or
fog, and other factors not mentioned here. It will
always be the driver's responsibility to drive at a
speed and in a manner that recognizes potential
hazards and to adjust accordingly.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
98 BMW Night Vision is not a substitute or replace-
ment for driver responsibility or for adapting to
the visibility conditions and the traffic situation.
The forward view illuminated by the headlamps
must always be the basis for making safe driv-
ing decisions; otherwise, a safety risk will
result.<
Activating BMW Night Vision
1.Turn the light switch to position2 or3, refer
to page100.
2.When the low beams are switched on:
>Press the button.
>Press the button.
Programming button on the steering
wheel, refer to page52.
The image will be displayed on the Control Dis-
play after a few seconds. Depending on the last
mode selected, either the normal or full screen
image will be displayed.
Due to the system's need to adjust periodically,
a still image is displayed at certain intervals for
fractions of a second. This is normal and not an
indication of a problem.
To prevent driving without headlamps, at a
speed of more than approx. 3 mph/5 km/h and
when dark, the thermal image on the Control Display is only shown when the low beams are
on.
BMW Night Vision is not available on the
rear screen. When the system is active,
neither the navigation system nor BMW Assist
can be started from the rear screen.<
Deactivating BMW Night Vision
>Press the button.
>Press the button.
>Press the button.
>Make a selection with the controller, i. e.:
change the radio station or make a phone
call. For iDrive details, refer to page16.
Selecting settings
1.Activate BMW Night Vision.
2.Press the controller to display the menu
items.
3.Select the menu item and press the control-
ler:
>"Zoom":
At higher speeds, the image is zoomed
in.
>"Curve mode":
Depending on the steering angle and
other parameters, the image section fol-
lows the course of the road to some
degree.
>"Full screen":
The image is shown on the entire Con-
trol Display.
>"Contrast":
The contrast of the screen can be
adjusted, refer to page172.