tow BMW M5 2008 User Guide

Controls
101Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>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.
You switch on the system again by pressing any
button of the automatic climate control.
Front 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 these could be
catapulted outwards and lead to 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.
Rear ventilation
1Knurled wheel to smoothly open and close
vent outlets
2Knurled wheel to adjust the temperature:
>Turn toward blue: colder
>Turn toward red: warmer
3Levers to change the vent outlet direction
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.
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.
You can set two different times for the system
to start. The parked car ventilation can also be
switched on and off directly. It remains
switched on for 30 minutes.
Since the system uses a substantial amount of
electrical current, you should refrain from acti-
vating it twice in succession without allowing
the battery to be recharged in normal operation
between use.

Controls
107Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Opening upper compartment
Press button and fold cover upward.
Accessing lower compartment
Press the button at the front and fold the upper
compartment or the telephone cradle upward.
Ventilating lower compartment*
Push the slide in the lower compartment
upward.
Depending on the automatic climate con-
trol setting, the temperature inside the
ventilated compartment may be higher than in
the rest of the interior. Should this be the case,
push the slide downward to close off the venti-
lation.<
Adjusting
Push the illustrated section of the center arm-
rest into the desired position.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks
over the vehicle's loudspeaker system:
>AUX-In connection, refer to page168.
>USB/audio interface
*, refer to page169.
Storage compartments
Storage compartments are located in the cen-
ter console and in the rear.
Storage nets are located on the backrests of the
front seats, and a net
* is provided in the front
passenger footwell.
Do not stow hard or sharp-edged objects
in the storage nets or the net, otherwise
there is an increased risk of injury in an acci-
dent.<

Practical interior accessories
110
Center armrest, rear
Storage tray:
Pull the cover upward, arrow1.
Access to cup holders:
Press button2 and open the cover.
Through-loading system*
Opening
1.Open the buckle of the center safety belt in
the rear and insert the latch plate at the end
of the belt into the fixture on the rear win-
dow shelf.
2.Push the corresponding head restraint
down as far as it will go, refer to page45.
3.To release the rear backrest, pull the corre-
sponding lever in the cargo bay.4.The unlocked rear backrest moves forward
slightly. Fold the backrest forward by the
head restraint.
Closing
1.Fold the rear backrest into the seating posi-
tion and engage.
When you return the seat to its upright
position, make sure that the catch
engages properly. If it is not properly engaged,
transported cargo could enter the vehicle dur-
ing braking or evasive maneuvers and endanger
the vehicle occupants.<
2.Release the latch plate from the bracket on
the rear window shelf and insert it into the
buckle of the center safety belt. Make sure
the latch plate audibly engages.
The lashing eyes in the cargo bay provide you
with a way to attach cargo-bay nets
* or luggage
straps for securing suitcases and luggage, refer
to page117.
Ski bag*
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport
o f up to 4 pairs of s tandard skis or up to 2 snow-
boards.
With the ski bag you can stow skis with a length
o f u p t o 6 . 9 f t / 2 . 1 0 m . W h e n s k i s o f 6 . 9 f t / 2 . 1 0 m
in length are loaded, the ski bag will tend to con-
tract, reducing its overall capacity.

Controls
111Reference
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Communications
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Mobility
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest, press the
button and open the cover.
2.Press the button again; the cover in the
cargo bay opens. If you press the button
firmly the first time, this also opens the
cover in the cargo bay.
3.Extend the ski bag between the front seats
and fill it. The zipper facilitates access to the
stowed items and drying of the ski bag.
4.Insert the latch plate of the ski bag retaining
strap into the center safety belt buckle that
is marked CENTER.
Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges to prevent damage.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you fail to
do so, it could endanger vehicle occu-
pants during braking or evasive maneuvers.<
To store the ski bag, perform the above steps in
reverse order.
Removing ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for
faster drying or to allow you to put it to other
uses.
1.Pull the handle forward and pull the ski bag
up and out.
2.Close the cover in the cargo bay.
Your BMW center will be glad to provide
you with more detailed information on the
various items of equipment.<

Things to remember when driving
116
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner sys-
tem during operation, and then exits under the
vehicle. Traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page48,
otherwise they could be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
General information on the care and mainte-
nance of your BMW is contained in the Caring
for your vehicle brochure.
Ground clearance
Make sure that sufficient ground clear-
ance is available. To drive down curbs,
select the "Sport" program of the EDC Elec-
tronic Damping Control, refer to page82, to
keep the ground clearance as uniform as possi-
ble. Otherwise the vehicle may be damaged.<
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo
bay; otherwise the vehicle could be dam-
aged.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg, as otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.

Driving tips
117Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Load
The permissible load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage
can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and as low
as possible, placing it directly behind the
rear backrest.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
opposite buckle.
>Do not pile objects higher than the top edge
of the backrest.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net*, luggage straps, or
securing straps to hold down small and
lightweight luggage and cargo.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. Four lashing eyes
mounted in the cargo bay are used to
secure these heavy-duty cargo straps, refer
to illustration.
>Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the heavy-duty cargo straps.
Position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the vehicle's occupants, for example if sud-
den braking or evasive maneuvers are neces-
sary.
Use only the lashing eyes to secure heavy-duty
cargo straps, refer to illustration, otherwise the
cargo straps could become detached or the
vehicle could be damaged.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page232, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
You should never transport unsecured heavy or
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as
they could fly around and pose a safety hazard
to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.<

Things to remember when driving
118
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Please comply with the precau-
tions included with the installation instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are located in the door
openings.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
its handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights under
Weights on page232.
Distribute the roof load uniformly. The load
must not be too large in area. Always stow the
heaviest pieces on the bottom. Be sure that
adequate clearance is maintained for raising the
glass sunroof, and that objects do not project
into the opening path of the luggage compart-
ment lid.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.

Destination entry
124
Destination entry
In entering your destination you can select from
among the following options:
>Entering a destination manually, see below
>Entering destination via voice*, refer to
page127
>Selecting destination using information,
refer to page129
>Selecting destination from a list, refer to
Destination list, page130
>Selecting destination from address book,
refer to page131
>Selecting home address, refer to page133
After selecting your destination you can pro-
ceed to start the destination guidance, refer to
page136.
You can also store a navigation destination on
the programmable memory/direct selection
buttons, refer to page21.
Enter data only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary, and always give priority to the
applicable traffic regulations in the event of any
contradiction between traffic and road condi-
tions and the instructions issued by the naviga-
tion system. If you do not observe this precau-
tion, you can endanger the vehicle occupants
and other road users.<
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller to the right to open
"Navigation".
3.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
The Control Display shows:
>the arrow view or map view during destina-
tion guidance
>the destination list when destination guid-
ance is switched offEntering a destination
manually
The system's word matching principle makes it
easier for you to enter the names of streets or
towns, refer to page135. This allows you to
enter different spellings and completes your
entry automatically so that stored names can be
called up quickly.
1.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Navigation" is selected and
press the controller.
"New destination" is selected.
2.Press the controller.
3.Select "Enter address" and press the con-
troller.
The system also supports you with the follow-
ing features:
>If you do not enter a street, the system will
guide you to the downtown area of a town/
city.
>You can skip the entry of country and local-
ity if the current entries should be retained
for your new destination.

Navigation
Driving tips
125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
Selecting country
1.Select "State / Province" or the displayed
country and press the controller.
The list of available countries appears on
the display.
2.Select the country of destination and press
the controller.
In order to be able to start the destination guid-
ance, at least the town/city of the destination or
its zip code must be entered.
Entering destination via town/city
name
1.Select "Town / City" or the displayed town/
city and press the controller.
2.Select the starting letter and press control-
ler.
A list of all towns/cities starting with this let-
ter appears on the Control Display.
3.To delete the letter entered if necessary:
>Delete individual numbers or letters:
Move the controller toward the right to
select and press the controller.
>Delete all numbers or letters:
Move the controller toward the right to
select and press and hold the con-
troller.4.If necessary, enter more letters.
The list gradually grows smaller each time
you enter a new letter.
>Enter blank space if necessary:
Select the symbol and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to the third field from the top if nec-
essary. Turn the controller until the town/
city name is selected from the list and press
the controller.
Entering destination by zip code
1.Select "Town / City" and press the control-
ler.
2.Enter the zip code:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.

Destination entry
126 >Enter a blank space:
Select the symbol and press the con-
troller.
>Delete individual numbers or letters:
Move the controller toward the right to
select and press the controller.
>Delete all numbers or letters:
Move the controller toward the right to
select and press and hold the con-
troller.
3.Select the zip code and press the controller.
The corresponding destination is displayed.
4.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until the destination is
selected and press the controller.
Entering street, house number and
intersection
After the street you can also enter the intersec-
tion or the house number.
Entering street and intersection
1.Select "Street" or the displayed street and
press the controller.
2.Enter the street.
The street is entered exactly like the desti-
nation.
The intersection is entered in the same way as
the street.
Entering a street without entering
destination
You can also enter a street without entering
a destination. In this case all streets of the
entered country are offered for selection. The related town/city is displayed after the
street name.
If a town/city has already been entered, you can
undo this entry. This may be practical if the
desired street does not exist in the entered des-
tination, because, for example, it belongs to
another part of the town/city.
1.Change to upper field.
The arrow is selected.
2.Turn the controller to the right until the
request for the entry of a street in the coun-
try appears and press the controller.
3.Change to the second field from the top and
enter the street.
Entering house number
All house numbers stored for the street on the
navigation DVD can be entered.
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.Enter the house number:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
3.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until the house number
is selected and press the controller.