BMW M6 convertible 2012 User manual


M6 Owner's Manual for Vehicle
Thank you for choosing a BMW M6.
The more familiar you are with your vehicle, the better control you
will have on the road. We therefore strongly suggest:
Read this Owner's Manual before starting off in your new
BMW M6. Also use the Integrated Owner's Manual in your vehicle.
It contains important information on vehicle operation that will
help you make full use of the technical features available in your
BMW M6. The manual also contains information designed to en‐
hance operating reliability and road safety, and to contribute to
maintaining the value of your BMW M6.
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for the printed or
integrated Owner's Manual are located in the appendix of the
printed quick reference for the vehicle.
Supplementary information can be found in the additional bro‐
chures in the onboard literature.
We wish you a safe and enjoyable drive.
BMW AG
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 900 735 - 03 12 490

© 2012 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the written
consent of BMW AG, Munich.
US English II/12, 03 12 490
Printed on environmentally friendly paper, bleached
without chlorine, suitable for recycling.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 900 735 - 03 12 490

Contents
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 286.
6Notes
At a glance
12 Cockpit
16 iDrive
22 Voice activation system
25 Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
30 Opening and closing
51 Adjusting
61 Transporting children safely
64 Driving
77 Displays
90 Lamps
95 Safety
106 Driving stability control systems
110 Driving comfort
125 Climate control
130 Interior equipment
135 Storage compartments
Driving tips
140 BMW M6 technology
142 Things to remember when driving
145 Loading
147 Saving fuel
Navigation
152 Navigation system
Entertainment
172 Tone
175 Radio
183 CD/multimedia
Communication
206 Telephone
218 Office
227 Contacts
229 ConnectedDrive
Mobility
238 Refueling
240 Fuel
241 Wheels and tires
250 Engine compartment
252 Engine oil
254 Coolant
255 Maintenance
257 Replacing components
263 Breakdown assistance
268 Care
Reference
274 Technical data
277 Short commands of the voice activation
system
286 Everything from A to Z
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Notes
Using this Owner's Manual
The fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic is by using the index.
An initial overview of the vehicle is provided in
the first chapter.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for
the Owner's Manuals are located in the appen‐
dix of the printed quick reference for the vehicle.
Additional sources of information
Should you have any questions, your service
center will be glad to advise you at any time.
Information on BMW, e.g., on technology, is
available on the Internet: bmwusa.com.
Symbols
Indicates precautions that must be followed
precisely in order to avoid the possibility of per‐
sonal injury and serious damage to the vehicle.
◄ Marks the end of a specific item of informa‐
tion.
"..." Identifies Control Display texts used to se‐
lect individual functions.
›...‹ Verbal instructions to use with the voice ac‐
tivation system.
››...‹‹ Identifies the answers generated by the
voice activation system.
Refers to measures that can be taken to help
protect the environment.
Symbols on vehicle components
Indicates that you should consult the rele‐
vant section of this Owner's Manual for infor‐
mation on a particular part or assembly.
Vehicle equipment
This Owner's Manual describes all models and
all standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series.
Therefore, in this Owner's Manual, equipment is
also described and illustrated that is not availa‐
ble in your vehicle, e.g. because of the selected
optional equipment or the country-specific var‐
iants.
This also applies for safety-related functions
and systems.
For options and equipment not described in this
Owner's Manual, please refer to the Supple‐
mentary Owner's Manuals.
On right-hand drive vehicles, some controls are
arranged differently than shown in the illustra‐
tions.
Status of the Owner's Manual
The manufacturer of your vehicle pursues a pol‐
icy of constant development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to embody
the highest quality and safety standards. In rare
cases, therefore, the features described in this
Owner's Manual may differ from those in your
vehicle.
Updates made after the editorial
deadline
Any updates made after the editorial deadline for
the Owner's Manuals are located in the appen‐
dix of the printed quick reference for the vehicle.
For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs
Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern
materials and high-performance electronics, re‐
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Notes
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quires suitable maintenance and repair meth‐
ods.
Therefore, have this work performed only by a
BMW center or a workshop that works accord‐
ing to BMW repair procedures with appropri‐
ately trained personnel.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.
Parts and Accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts and ac‐
cessories approved by BMW. When you pur‐
chase accessories tested and approved by
BMW and Genuine BMW Parts, you simultane‐
ously acquire the assurance that they have been
thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure optimum
performance when installed on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from de‐
fects in material and workmanship. BMW will not
accept any liability for damage resulting from in‐
stallation of parts and accessories not approved
by BMW. BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to verify if it can be used
on a BMW safely and without risk to either the
vehicle, its operation, or its occupants. Genuine
BMW Parts, BMW Accessories and other prod‐
ucts approved by BMW, together with profes‐
sional advice on using these items, are available
from all BMW centers. Installation and operation
of non-BMW approved accessories such as
alarms, radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake dust
shields, telephones, including operation of any
mobile phone from within the vehicle without
using an externally mounted antenna, or trans‐
ceiver equipment, for instance, CBs, walkie-
talkies, ham radios or similar accessories, may
cause extensive damage to the vehicle, com‐
promise its safety, interfere with the vehicle's
electrical system or affect the validity of the
BMW Limited Warranty. See your BMW center
for additional information. Maintenance, re‐
placement, or repair of the emission control de‐
vices and systems may be performed by any au‐
tomotive repair establishment or individual
using any certified automotive part.
California Proposition 65 Warning
California laws require us to state the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of automobile
components and parts, including components
found in the interior furnishings in a vehicle, con‐
tain or emit chemicals known to the State of Cal‐
ifornia to cause cancer and birth defects and re‐
productive harm. In addition, certain fluids
contained in vehicles and certain products of
component wear contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash your
hands after handling. Used engine oil contains
chemicals that have caused cancer in laboratory
animals. Always protect your skin by washing
thoroughly with soap and water.
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly. Your vehicle is covered by the fol‐
lowing warranties:
▷New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
▷Rust Perforation Limited Warranty.
▷Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty.
▷Federal Emissions Performance Warranty.
▷California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty.
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and
designed to meet the particular operating con‐
ditions and homologation requirements in your
country and continental region in order to deliver
the full driving pleasure while the vehicle is op‐
erated under those conditions. If you wish to op‐
erate your vehicle in another country or region,
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Notes
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you may be required to adapt your vehicle to
meet different prevailing operating conditions
and homologation requirements. You should
also be aware of any applicable warranty limita‐
tions or exclusions for such country or region. In
such case, please contact Customer Relations
for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle regularly to sustain the road
safety, operational reliability and the New Vehi‐
cle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance meas‐
ures:
▷BMW Maintenance system
▷Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models
▷Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
If the vehicle is not maintained according to
these specifications, this could result in serious
damage to the vehicle. Such damage is not cov‐
ered by the BMW New Vehicle Limited War‐
ranty.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following only applies to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the Na‐
tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone
1-800-831-1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your dealer,
or BMW of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safe‐
rcar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about mo‐
tor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada, De‐
fect Investigations and Recalls, may telephone
the toll-free hotline 1-800-333-0510. You can
also obtain other information about motor vehi‐
cle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety.
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Notes
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Notes
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At a glance
These overviews of buttons, switches and
displays are intended to familiarize you with your
vehicle. You will also become quickly acquainted
with the available control concepts and options.
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Cockpit
Vehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
All around the steering wheel
1Opening and closing the rear win‐
dow 43
2Open and close side windows to‐
gether 43
3Open and close rear windows 42
4Open and close front windows 42
5Exterior mirror operation 57
6Driver assist systems
Active Blind Spot Detec‐
tion 104
Lane departure warning 102
Night Vision with pedestrian de‐
tection 119
Head-up Display 122
7Lamps
Parking lamps 90
Low beams 90
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At a glance Cockpit
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Automatic headlamp con‐
trol 91
Daytime running lights 91
Adaptive light control 92
High-beam Assistant 92
Instrument lighting 93
8Steering column stalk, left
Turn signal 74
High beams, head‐
lamp flasher 74
High-beam Assistant 92
Roadside parking lamps 91
Computer 85
9Shift paddles 70
10 Steering wheel buttons, left
M Drive 1 activation 60
M Drive 2 activation 60
Store speed 110
Resume speed 111
Cruise control on/off, interrupt‐
ing 110
Cruise control rocker switch 111
11 Instrument cluster 77
12 Steering wheel buttons, right
Entertainment source
Volume
Voice activation 22
Telephone 206
Thumbwheel for selection lists 84
13 Steering column stalk, right
Windshield wipers 74
Rain sensor 75
Clean the windshields and head‐
lamps 75
14 Start/stop the engine and switch
the ignition on/off 65
15 Automatic Engine Start/Stop
Function 65
16 Horn
17 Steering wheel heating 59
18 Adjust the steering wheel 59
19 Unlocking the hood
20 Open the trunk lid 38
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Cockpit At a glance
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All around the center console
1All around the interior rearview mir‐
ror 15
2Control Display 16
3Glove compartment 135
4Air vent 128
5Hazard warning system 263
Central locking system 37
6Radio 175
CD/multimedia 183
7Automatic climate control 125
8Controller with buttons 16
9Parking brake 67
10 Opening and closing the
convertible top 45
11 PDC Park Distance Control 112
Top View 117
Backup camera 114
Side View 118
12 Drivelogic 70
13 DSC Dynamic Stability Con‐
trol 106
Engine Dynamics 73
Electronic Damper Control
EDC 108
Servotronic 109
14 Transmission selector lever
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At a glance Cockpit
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iDrive
Vehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
The concept
The iDrive combines the functions of a multitude
of switches. Thus, these functions can be oper‐
ated from a central location.
Using the iDrive during a trip
To avoid becoming distracted and posing
an unnecessary hazard to your vehicle's occu‐
pants and to other road users, never attempt to
use the controls or enter information unless traf‐
fic and road conditions allow this.◀
Controls at a glance
Controls
1Control Display
2Controller with buttons
The buttons can be used to open the menus
directly. The controller can be used to select
menu items and create the settings.
Control Display
Notes
▷To clean the Control Display, follow the care
instructions.
▷Do not place objects close to the Control
Display; otherwise, the Control Display can
be damaged.
Switching off
1. Press the button.
2. "Switch off control display"
Switching on
Press the controller again to switch the screen
back on.
Controller
Select menu items and create settings.
1. Turn.
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At a glance iDrive
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2. Press.
3. Move in four directions.
Buttons on controller
Press the button Function
MENU Open the main menu.
RADIO Opens the Radio menu.
CD Opens the CD/Multimedia
menu.
NAV Opens the Navigation
menu.
TEL Opens the Telephone
menu.
BACK Displays the previous
panel.
OPTION Opens the Options menu.
Operating concept
Opening the main menu
Press the button.
The main menu is displayed.
All iDrive functions can be called up via the main
menu.
Selecting menu items
Menu items shown in white can be selected.
1. Turn the controller until the desired menu
item is highlighted.
2. Press the controller.
Menu items in the Owner's Manual
In the Owner's Manual, menu items that can be
selected are set in quotation marks, e.g.,
"Settings".
Changing between panels
After a menu item is selected, e.g., "Radio", a
new panel is displayed. Panels can overlap.
▷Move the controller to the left.
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iDrive At a glance
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The current panel is closed and the previous
panel is displayed.
The previous panel is opened again by
pressing the BACK button. In this case, the
current panel is not closed.
▷Move the controller to the right.
A new panel is opened on top of the previous
display.
White arrows pointing to the left or right indicate
that additional panels can be opened.
View of an opened menu
When a menu is opened, it generally opens with
the panel that was last selected in that menu. To
display the first panel of a menu:
▷Move the controller to the left repeatedly
until the first panel is displayed.
▷Press the menu button on the controller
twice.
Opening the Options menu
Press the button.
The "Options" menu is displayed.
Additional options: move the controller to the
right repeatedly until the "Options" menu is dis‐
played.
Options menu
The "Options" menu consists of various areas:
▷Screen settings, e.g., "Split screen".
This area remains unchanged.
▷Control options for the selected main menu,
e.g., for "Radio".
▷If applicable, further operating options for
the selected menu, e.g., "Store station".
Changing settings
1. Select a field.
2. Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed.
3. Press the controller.
Activating/deactivating the functions
Several menu items are preceded by a check‐
box. It indicates whether the function is acti‐
vated or deactivated. Selecting the menu item
activates or deactivates the function.
The function is activated.
The function is deactivated.
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At a glance iDrive
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Example: setting the clock
Setting the clock
1. Press the button. The main menu is
displayed.
2. Turn the controller until "Settings" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller.
3. If necessary, move the controller to the left
to display "Time/Date".
4. Turn the controller until "Time/Date" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller.
5. Turn the controller until "Time:" is high‐
lighted, and then press the controller.
6. Turn the controller to set the hours and
press the controller.
7. Turn the controller to set the minutes and
press the controller.
Status information
Status field
The following information is displayed in the sta‐
tus field at the top right:
▷Time.
▷Current entertainment source.
▷Sound output, on/off.
▷Wireless network reception strength.
▷Telephone status.
▷Traffic bulletin reception.
Status field symbols
The symbols are grouped as follows.
Radio symbols
Symbol Meaning
HD Radio™ is switched on.
Satellite radio is switched on.
Telephone symbols
Symbol Meaning
Incoming or outgoing call.
Missed call.
Wireless network reception
strength Symbol flashes: searching
for network.
Wireless network is not available.
Bluetooth is switched on.
Roaming is active.
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iDrive At a glance
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Symbol Meaning
Text message was received.
Check the SIM card.
SIM card is blocked.
SIM card is missing.
Enter the PIN.
Entertainment symbols
Symbol Meaning
CD/DVD player.
Music collection.
Gracenote® database.
AUX-IN port.
USB audio interface.
Mobile phone audio interface.
Additional symbols
Symbol Meaning
Spoken instructions are switched off.
Request of the current vehicle posi‐
tion.
Split screen
General information
Additional information can be displayed on the
right side of the split screen, e.g., information
from the onboard computer.
In the divided screen view, the so-called split
screen, this information remains visible even
when you change to another menu.
Switching the split screen on and off
1. Press the button.
2. "Split screen"
Selecting the display
1. Press the button.
2. "Split screen"
3. Move the controller until the split screen is
selected.
4. Press the controller or select "Split screen
content".
5. Select the desired menu item.
Programmable memory
buttons
General information
The iDrive functions can be stored on the pro‐
grammable memory buttons and called up di‐
rectly, e.g., radio stations, navigation destina‐
tions, phone numbers and entry points into the
menu.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Saving a function
1. Highlight the function via the iDrive.
2. Press the desired button for more
than 2 seconds.
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At a glance iDrive
20 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 900 735 - 03 12 490
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