For cars with the iDrive (satelite navigation) option, two hidden menus exist.

Note: these hidden menus are not available anymore in newer (starting with September 2008 manufacturing) cars as they have a completely new iDrive system.

Hidden debug menu

The first one contains data mainly meant for debugging purposes, and is not of interest to most people.
To access this menu, follow these steps

• Make sure your in the main menu (the one with the 'i' in the centre and the 4 quadrants)

• Press the iDrive controller down, and keep it pressed for 8 to 10 seconds and release.
• Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks clockwise (right)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks counter-clockwise (left)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick counter-clockwise (left)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
• Press the iDrive controller down, and release

This screen will be shown, press the iDrive controller again to get to the next one.



You can scroll through the ECU list and press the iDrive controller to view data.
Note: It seems impossible to get to the 'Exit', 'Prev' and 'Next' buttons on these screens, and the same applies for scroll-bars.

To exit the diagnostics menu, simply hit the menu button below the iDrive controller.

Hidden navigation menu

The second one is a hidden menu for the navigation system, and is more interesting.
For instance here you can see your true speed as measured by the GPS (km/h only!)

Note: the iDrive controller on post March 2007 manufactured cars is no longer able to move diagonal, as such it is not possible to enter this hidden menu anymore (at least until someone finds/leaks an alternative way).

To enter this menu follow these steps:

• From the main menu, select the 'Navigation' option (move controller to the right)

• In the navigation menu, press the controller down three times, until your at the bottom 'row'
• now highlight (but do not press!) the "Map, indicating dir. of travel" option, and follow the following steps..

• Move the iDrive controller to the top-right corner (diagonal), and keep it there for 8 to 10 seconds and release.
• Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks clockwise (right)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks counter-clockwise (left)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick counter-clockwise (left)
• Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
• Press the iDrive controller down, and release

• Now move the controller right once, so you can scroll through the different options

Note: The above information is based on the 'Professional' version (the only version available in the US), the 'Business' version might be different.