manual transmission BMW 750I SEDAN 2008 Owners Manual

At a glance
11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
9Steptronic: upshifting63
10Steptronic: downshifting63
12Buttons on steering wheel
13Info Display12
14Automatic transmission62
15Ignition lock5719Horn, the entire surface
23Fog lamps101
24Unlocking hood207 11Turn signals65
High beams,
headlamp flasher101
Roadside parking lamps101
Computer76
Check Control80
Computer76
Voice command system
*
activation/deactivation23
Entertainment volume,
increasing/decreasing152
Volume of hands-free unit,
increasing/decreasing179
Mobile phone:
Calling, redialing, accepting call or
ending call184
Sport program and manual
operation of the automatic
transmission63
Selecting radio station156
Selecting music track163, 166
Skipping chapter
*172
Programmable button52
16Switching ignition on/off57
and Starting/stopping engine57
17Windshield wipers65
Rain sensor65
18PDC Park Distance Control
*86
20Steering wheel heater
*52
Steering wheel adjustment51
21Opening luggage compartment
lid36
22Programmable cruise control67
Active cruise control
*69
Front fog lamps

Controls
51Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Adjusting manually
You can also adjust the mirrors manually by
pressing against the outer edges of their mirror
glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
At driving speeds up to approx. 15 mph/
20 km/h, you can fold the mirrors in and out by
pressing button3. This is an advantage, e.g. in
car washes and narrow streets, or for moving
mirrors that were manually folded in back into
the correct position.
Before entering an automatic car wash,
fold in the exterior mirrors by hand or with
button3, to prevent them from being damaged
due to the width of the vehicle.<
Automatic heating
Both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
whenever the ignition is switched on.
Tilting down passenger-side exterior
mirror – automatic curb monitor
Activating
1.Push the mirror selector switch into the
driver's mirror position, arrow1.
2.Engage transmission position R.
The mirror glass tilts downward somewhat
on the passenger's side. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adjacent
to the vehicle – such as a curb – when park-
ing, etc.
Deactivating
Push the mirror selector switch into the passen-
ger's mirror position, arrow2.
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature*
Two photocells in the interior rearview mirror
control this function. One is integrated into the
mirror's lens, the other is located offset from
this on the rear of the mirror housing.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do
not attach any kind of stickers to the windshield
in front of the mirror either.
Illuminated vanity mirror in rear
1.Press button1. The vanity mirror folds
down.
2.Pull the mirror downward slightly before
pivoting it.
3.Before folding mirror in, straighten it out and
then press upward.
Steering wheel adjustment
In order to prevent the risk of accident
due to an unexpected movement, do not
adjust the steering wheel while the vehicle is
moving.<

Driving
58 Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle remains stationary.
Instead, start driving right away, at a moderate
engine speed.
Switching off engine
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
remote control with you.<
With the vehicle stationary, briefly press the
Start/Stop button. Radio ready state is switched
on.
The transmission automatically shifts to posi-
tion P: interlock.
Before driving into a car wash
To permit the vehicle to roll, take the following
steps:
1.With Comfort Access: insert remote control
into ignition lock.
2.Shift transmission into position N.
3.Switch engine off.
4.Leave the remote control in the ignition
lock.
The transmission will shift into position P:
>automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>if you remove the remote control from the
ignition lock
Pay attention to the messages on the Info Dis-
play.
Removing remote control from ignition
lock
Press in the remote control briefly; it pops part-
way out. This procedure will also switch off the
ignition if it is on.
Comfort function
To switch off the engine when the vehicle is sta-
tionary, press the Start/Stop button for longer
than approx. 2 seconds. The remote control
pops partway out.
Parking brake
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with an electromechan-
ical parking brake.
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked.
You can use the parking brake in two ways:
>Manually, by briefly pressing the button
>Automatically, by activating the Automatic
Hold mode, refer to page59
An electrohydraulic mechanism then engages
the parking brake to prevent the rear wheels
from turning whenever you switch off the
engine.
When the engine is running, parking brake
engagement is controlled by the brake sys-
tem's hydraulic circuits, which act on the disc
brakes in the front and rear wheels.
Brake pedal feel
The hydraulic brake system can produce a
slightly different braking feel. Engagement may
also be accompanied by activation noise – this
is normal.
Manual engagement
Briefly press the button, the word PARK
appears on the Info Display.
When the parking brake is engaged, the indica-
tor lamp on the Info Display lights up red,
refer to page12.
The remote control does not have to be
inserted into the ignition lock for the parking
brake to be set.

Controls
59Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
It is only possible to disengage the parking
brake with the ignition on.
If exceptional circumstances should make it
necessary to engage the parking brake while
the vehicle is in motion, maintain pressure on
the button.
The indicator lamp on the Info Display lights up
in red, a chime sounds, and the brake lamps
light up.
The vehicle continues to brake forcefully for as
long as you maintain pressure on the button.
When you brake the vehicle almost to a stop,
i.e., down to a speed of approximately 2 mph/
3 km/h or below, the parking brake remains
engaged.
Manual release
Briefly press the button with the ignition
switched on.
The indicator lamp on the Info Display goes
out.
As long as the remote control is inserted
into the ignition lock, you can also release
the parking brake after the engine has been
switched off. This function is useful, for exam-
ple, in automatic car washes, refer to
page123<
When leaving the vehicle, always bring
the remote control with you; this precau-
tion prevents children from disengaging the
parking brake, for example.<
Automatic Hold
You can activate the system after starting the
engine; it then remains operational until the
next time the engine is switched off.
This feature provides additional assistance dur-
ing vehicle operation by automatically engaging
and releasing the parking brake during stops at
traffic lights, in stop-and-go traffic, etc. The
vehicle is automatically held in place so as to
suppress the tendency to creep when the
transmission is in drive.
It also prevents the vehicle from rolling back-
ward during uphill starts.
The parking brake engages automatically when
you stop the vehicle and switch off the engine.You can activate or deactivate Automatic Hold
via the "Settings" menu in iDrive.
Activation/deactivation
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 "AUTO P". Press the controller to
activate/deactivate the desired function.
>Automatic Hold is activated.
The green AUTO P status message on the
Info Display indicates that the system is
ready for operation.
>Automatic Hold is deactivated.
The green AUTO P status message disap-
pears from the Info Display.
You can program the programmable but-
ton on the steering wheel with the Auto-
matic Hold function, refer to page52. This gives
you the option of being able to quickly activate
or deactivate Automatic Hold without distract-
ing your attention from the road.<
Driving
The parking brake engages automatically when
the vehicle comes to a stop.
The indicator lamp on Info Display lights up
green.
To start off again, simply press the accelerator
pedal. The parking brake is released automati-
cally; the indicator lamp goes out.
Do not drive through an automatic car
wash with the Automatic Hold on and the
engine running. Otherwise, the system will

Driving
60 engage the parking brake the moment the vehi-
cle comes to a stop.<
Parking
The parking brake engages automatically when
you stop the vehicle and switch off the engine.
The indicator lamp changes from green to
red.
You can also release the parking brake
manually after the engine is switched off,
as long as the remote control is in the ignition
lock, refer to page59. You can use this function,
for example, in a car wash.
Automatic Hold is deactivated.<
When leaving the vehicle, release the
remote control from the detent in the igni-
tion lock; this precaution prevents children from
disengaging the parking brake etc.<
For your safety
Automatic Hold is automatically deactivated
when:
>the engine is switched off
>the system detects that the driver's seat is
not occupied while the engine is running
>the hood is opened while the engine is run-
ning
>the luggage compartment is opened while
the engine is running and the transmission
is in reverse
>and when the parking brake is used to brake
the vehicle to a stop during driving
The indicator lamp changes from green to
red, and the indication AUTO P on the Info Dis-
play disappears.
Before starting off again, briefly press the but-
ton to disengage the parking brake manually,
refer to page59, or reactivate Automatic Hold,
refer to page59.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine
running, always move the automatic
transmission's selector lever to position P and
make sure that the parking brake is engaged.
The vehicle could start to roll if you fail to take
these precautions. vated whenever the system detects any
tendency for the wheels to spin in response to
slippery road surfaces.
Pay attention to the messages on the Info Dis-
play. For additional information, refer to Check
Control on page80.<
Releasing parking brake manually
In the event of an electrical power loss or elec-
trical malfunction, you can release the parking
brake manually.
Before manually releasing the parking
brake and each time you park the vehicle
without engaging the parking brake, make sure
that the automatic transmission is in position P,
refer to page62. Be sure to pay attention to the
information on the Info Display.
If circumstances should force you to park on a
steeply inclined road surface, it is essential to
take additional precautions against inadvertent
rolling, e.g. by using the chock, refer to
page216. Otherwise, there is the danger of the
vehicle rolling, depending on the incline.<
If it becomes necessary to also unlock the
transmission lock of the automatic transmis-
sion, follow this sequence:
1.If necessary, start by releasing the parking
brake manually.
2.Then release the automatic transmission's
transmission lock manually, refer to
page64.
Jump starting and tow starting information,
refer to section starting on page220.

Driving
62
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
In addition to fully automatic operation, you can
also shift manually using the buttons on the
steering wheel, refer to page63.
Transmission range selection
P R N D
Displays on Info Display
P R N D S or M1 to M6
The transmission range is indicated, and in the
manual mode, the gear currently engaged.
Selecting transmission range
>Only engage transmission positions D, R,
or N when the engine is running: interlock.
>With the vehicle stationary, depress the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise, the shift command will not be
executed: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
maintain pressure on the brake pedal until
you are ready to start off. Activate Auto-
matic Hold to suppress the tendency to
creep, refer to page59. Display.
Selecting D, R or N
Lightly pull selector lever and engage desired
position:
>N Neutral:
To resistance point, arrowsN.
>D Drive:
Downward past resistance point, arrowD.
>R Reverse:
Upward past resistance point, arrowR.
The selector lever immediately returns to the
center position when released.
Selecting P
Press button P.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
rear wheels are locked.
Transmission automatically shifts into P
as soon as you switch off the engine
unless N is selected and the remote control is in
the ignition lock, refer to page58.<

Controls
63Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this position, for example, in car
washes. The vehicle can roll.
Transmission remains in N even after the
ignition is switched off whenever you
leave the remote control in the ignition lock.
This function is useful in automatic car washes,
etc.
After approx. 30 minutes the system automati-
cally shifts into position P. Pay attention to the
messages on the Info Display.
Switching off engine, refer to page58.<
D Drive, automatic position
This is the mode recommended for normal
vehicle operation. All forward gears are avail-
able.
Under normal operating conditions, the fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
position D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides you with maxi-
mum acceleration.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual operation
Press button1 on the steering wheel.
The sport program is activated and S appears
on the Info Display. This program is recom-
mended for a performance-oriented driving
style.
Press button1 again to switch into the manual
mode and then into the automatic program
again.
In the manual mode, the Steptronic changes
gears when one of the buttons2 on the front or
back of the steering wheel is briefly pressed.
The Info Display shows the manual ranges M1
through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
the system will not execute a downshift that
would cause the engine to overrev. In this case,
the requested gear appears briefly on the Info
Display, followed by the current gear.
Press button1 again to switch back into the
automatic program.

Driving
64
Manually unlocking and locking the
transmission lock
In the event of a power supply interruption, e.g.
when the battery is dead or disconnected or
when there is an electrical malfunction, the
transmission lock must be released manually;
otherwise, the rear wheels are locked and the
vehicle cannot be towed.
Step on the brake when manually unlock-
ing the transmission lock; otherwise,
there is a danger of the vehicle rolling.<
The transmission lock should only be released
for towing. Reengage the transmission lock
after parking the vehicle at its destination.
If it also becomes necessary to manually
release the parking brake, follow this sequence:
1.Start by manually releasing the parking
brake, refer to page60.
2.Then proceed to manually releasing the
transmission lock.
Releasing
1.Use the vehicle key to release the cover
panel beneath the instrument panel by turn-
ing the lock counterclockwise, then fold
down the cover.2.Pull out the release lever with the loop1
until it locks into place: the transmission
lock is unlocked.
Reengage the transmission lock after
parking the vehicle at its destination. Oth-
erwise, there is a danger of the vehicle rolling.<
Engaging locks
1.Disengage the release lever by pressing it
together with the red locking lever, refer to
arrow.
2.Guide the release lever all the way back into
its original position – the transmission lock
is engaged once more.
3.Fold up and lock the cover panel again. Now
– and not before – the key may be removed.
Jump starting and tow starting information,
refer to section starting on page220.

Controls
73Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
of you, for example when approaching a traffic
light or a parked vehicle. Also, the system does
not react to oncoming traffic, pedestrians or
other types of potential traffic such as a rider on
horseback. It is also possible that the system
may not detect smaller moving objects such as
motorcycles or bicycles. Be especially alert
when encountering any of these situations as
the system will neither automatically brake, nor
provide a warning to you. Also, be aware that
every decrease in the distance setting allows
your vehicle to come closer to a vehicle in front
of you and requires a heightened amount of
alertness.<
When your vehicle is actively following a vehicle
in front of you, if the vehicle ahead speeds up or
the lane ahead becomes clear, then your vehi-
cle will accelerate to the speed you have
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear,
unobstructed lane may also result in accelera-
tion of your vehicle.
Be certain to deactivate the system when
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp.<
Also, vehicles traveling in a staggered manner
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the
lane next to you. Always be ready to take action
or apply the brakes if necessary.
Active cruise control can only decelerate the
vehicle to approx. 20 mph/30 km/h. If the sys-
tem reduces vehicle speed below 20 mph/
30 km/h or if DSC/ABS is engaged while driving,
the system will automatically deactivate.
Remember, the system cannot stop your
vehicle. In addition, the system is deacti-
vated whenever the driver applies the vehicle
brakes, shifts the transmission from drive/D to
neutral/N, or deactivates DSC. After any deacti-
vation, the system will no longer automatically
activate the vehicle brakes, which means the
driver must intervene and resume manual brak-
ing. You should then reactivate the system only
when you are fully aware of the prior speed and
distance settings. reduce the stored desired speed; however, the
driver must constantly monitor traffic and inter-
vene if necessary.
When you switch off the engine or ignition,
active cruise control is fully switched off, too,
and any settings you have selected are can-
celed.
Swerving vehicles
When a vehicle moves from an adjacent lane
into your lane, active cruise control will not
detect this vehicle until it is fully in your lane
ahead of your vehicle.
Behavior in curves
Because of the limited range of the system, it is
possible that in curves or on the peaks and val-
leys of hilly roads, a vehicle ahead may be rec-
ognized late, or not at all. Therefore, it is up to
the driver to select a speed that is prudent in
view of the curves and terrain of the roadway.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
86
Technology for comfort, convenience and
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking.
Audible signals and an optical display indicate
that you are approaching an object in front of or
behind your vehicle. To measure the distance,
four ultrasonic sensors are provided in each
bumper. The range of these sensors is approx.
6 ft/2 m. However, an acoustic warning begins
to sound for the sensors at the front and at the
two rear corners 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
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.
Avoid approaching an object at high speed; oth-
erwise, the system may sound the warning of
physical obstacles too late.<
Automatically activating
The system is activated approx. 1 second after
you engage the transmission position R with
the engine running or the ignition switched on.
Wait this short period before proceeding.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system switches
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.
The signal tone becomes continuous once the
distance to the nearest object falls below
roughly 1 ft/30 cm.
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 Info Display. PDC has failed.
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.
When using high-pressure washers, do not
spray sensors for long periods and keep the
sprayer at least 4 in/10 cm away from the sen-
sors.
PDC with visual warning
You can also have the system show distances
to objects on the Control Display. Objects that
are farther away are displayed there before a
signal tone begins to sound.
iDrive, for principle details, refer to page16.