2001 BMW X5 3.0I check engine

70nAutomatic transmission with Steptronic*Indicator/Headlamp flasher
Electronic transmission control
module
If the indicator lamp comes on
or the message "TRANS.FAIL-
SAFE PROG" appears in the
Check Control
*, there is a fault in the
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop. Move the
transmission selector lever to "P." Set
the parking brake and turn the engine
off (ignition key to position 0).
Wait a few seconds, then start the
engine.
If the indicator lamp goes out after a
few seconds, normal transmission
performance has been restored. You
may continue to drive as usual. If the
indicator lamp does not go out, you can
place the selector lever in all positions.
However, the vehicle will now only drive
forward with limited gear selection.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine
loads and consult the nearest BMW
center.
Do not work in the engine
compartment when a drive gear
(forward or reverse) is engaged. If you
do this, the vehicle could move. <
Information on jump-starting, tow-
starting and towing begins on
page 190.
1 High beams (blue indicator)
2 Headlamp flasher (blue indicator)
3 Turn signal indicator (green indicator
accompanied by periodic clicking
sound from the relay)
If the indicator lamp and the clicking
from the relay are both faster than
normal, one of the turn signal indicators
has failed.
To signal briefly
Press the lever up to but not beyond
the detent. It then returns to the center
position when released.
530us043

78nCoolant temperature gauge Service Interval Display
Blue
The engine is still cold. Drive at
moderate engine and vehicle speeds.
Red
When you switch on the ignition, the
warning lamp comes on briefly to
confirm that the system is operational.
If the warning lamp comes on while
driving or the message "COOLANT
TEMPERATURE" appears in the Check
Control
*: the engine is overheated.
Shut off the engine immediately and
allow it to cool down.
390de007
Between the blue and red zones
Normal operating range. It is not
unusual for the needle to rise as far as
the edge of the red zone in response to
high outside temperatures or severe
operating conditions.
Checking coolant level: refer to
page 160.
The range of available displays varies
according to your individual vehicle's
equipment.
Green lamps
The number of illuminated lamps
decreases as the time for your next
maintenance visit approaches.
Yellow lamp
This field appears together with
OILSERVICE or INSPECTION.
Maintenance is due. Please contact
your BMW center for an appointment.
Red lamp
The maintenance deadline has been
passed.
390us008

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
79nCheck Control
Graphic display*
The following alerts or status messages
are displayed with icons from ignition
key position 2 and up until the defects
are corrected:
1 Check low beams
2 Add washer fluid (goes out after
approx. 1 minute)
3 Door open
4 Tailgate open
5 Check brake and tail lamps. A defective center brake lamp is indi-
cated by the upper symbol
When you open the door after stopping,
a warning signal sounds without a
visual indicator for:
> LIGHTS ON and
> KEY IN IGNITION LOCK.
390de121
Alphanumeric display*
Text messages are used to alert the
driver to system malfunctions when the
ignition key is turned to position 2. The
alert is accompanied by a gong.
1 Status report symbol
2 Display
3 CHECK button
Messages concerning system faults are
differentiated based on two priorities:
390us111
Priority 1
These defects are immediately indi-
cated by a gong and a flashing warning
symbol 1. Simultaneous defects will be
displayed consecutively. These status
messages remain in the display until the
defects are corrected. They cannot be
deleted by pressing the CHECK
button 3:
> RELEASE PARKINGBRAKE
> COOLANT TEMPERATURE
The coolant is overheated. Stop the
vehicle immediately and switch off
the engine. Refer to pages 78
and 160.
> STOP!ENGINE OILPRESS
The oil pressure is too low. Stop the
vehicle immediately and switch off
the engine. Refer to page 22.

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
81nCheck Control
>TRANS. FAILSAFE PROG
Please consult the nearest BMW
center. Refer to page 70.
> CHECK BRAKE LININGS
Have the brake linings inspected by
your BMW center. Refer to page 141.
> CHECK COOLANT LEVEL
Coolant too low, top up at the next
opportunity. Refer to page 160.
> ENGINE FAILSAFE PROG
There is a fault in the engine's elec-
tronic control system.
You can continue to drive with
reduced engine output or engine
speed. Have the system checked by
your BMW center. Displays after completion of trip
All of the malfunctions registered during
the trip appear consecutively when the
ignition key is turned to position 0.
The following displays will appear when
appropriate:
>LIGHTS ON
> KEY IN IGNITION LOCK
> CHECK ENGINE OIL LEV
Add engine oil at the next opportunity
(next stop for fuel). Refer to
page 157.
This display appears when you open
the driver's door after parking the
vehicle. A supplementary gong is also
heard.
Status reports remain available for a
period of approx. three minutes after
the display goes out and the key is
removed from the ignition. Press the
CHECK button 3. If there were multiple
reports, press the CHECK button
repeatedly to view them all in
sequence.
To check the Check Control
Press the CHECK button 3 with the
ignition key in position 2: CHECK
CONTROL OK appears in the display.
No malfunctions are present in the
monitored systems.
Computer
You will find a description of the
computer in the Owner's Manual for
the Radio and Information System or
the Owner's Manual for the Onboard
Computer.
You can have the Check Control
and computer messages
displayed in a different language. <

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
135n
Driving your BMW X5 Your BMW is right at home on all roads
and byways – even where the pavement
ends. It combines permanent four-
wheel drive with the agility of a typical
passenger car. On bad roadsWhen you are driving on bad roads,
there are a few points which you should
strictly heed — for your own safety, for
that of your passengers, and for the
safekeeping of the vehicle:
>Familiarize yourself with the vehicle
before you begin driving. Do not take
risks with the vehicle under any
circumstances.
>Always adapt vehicle speed to road
conditions – the steeper and more
uneven the road surface is, the
slower the vehicle's speed should be.
>You can operate your vehicle on
uphill and downhill gradients with a
maximum slope of 50 %. If you intend
to drive on either an uphill or downhill
gradient of this steepness, check to
be sure in advance that the engine oil
and coolant levels are both near the
"MAX" mark. Refer to pages 157
and 160.
When driving down steep slopes, use
the Hill Descent Control (HDC). Refer
to page 95. Starting from a full stop is possible on
uphill gradients of up to 32 %.
The permitted side tilt is also 50 %.
>While driving, watch carefully for
obstacles such as rocks or holes. Try
to avoid these obstacles whenever
possible.
>On hill crests and bumpy roads, for
example, be careful to prevent the
body from "bottoming" (contact
between the body and the ground).
The ground clearance of the vehicle
is:
– 8 inches (200 mm) with up to four
passengers
– 7 inches (180 mm) fully loaded.
>Do not drive in water that is deeper
than 20 inches (50 cm). If you must
drive through water up to that depth,
drive at a walking speed and do not
stop.
After leaving the water, press on the
footbrake gently several times while
driving at a low speed. The brake
applications will help to dry the
brakes, thus preventing a reduction in
braking performance caused by the
moisture.
Back onto the paved road In recommending that you observe the
following points after driving on adverse
road surfaces, it is not as a "beauty
treatment" for your BMW. Instead, it is
intended for the maintenance of driving
safety:
>Clean accumulations of dirt from the
body and check the undercarriage for
damage.
>Clean mud, snow, ice and other
materials from the wheels and tires.
Check the tires for damage.
>Check to determine whether rocks,
gravel or accumulations of dirt on the
brake discs and calipers could influ-
ence braking performance. Remove
all such foreign objects.
>In order to clean the brake discs,
apply the footbrake gently several
times while driving at a low speed. Be
sure that following traffic is not
endangered by this.
>For cleaning the parking brake, apply
the lever slightly at approx. 25 mph
(40 km/h) and continue to drive for
approx. 200 yards (200 meters),
provided that traffic conditions allow
you to do so.

138n
Antilock Brake System (ABS)should adapt road speed to the road
conditions.
On road surfaces that have a loose
surface layer on a firm base with good
traction (on gravel, deep sand or snow,
for example), braking distances may be
longer than with locked wheels.This is
also true if snow chains are mounted.
However, ABS continues to provide
enhanced vehicle stability and steering
response under these conditions. Information for your safety Not even ABS can suspend the laws of
physics. ABS alone cannot prevent
accidents when the brakes are applied
without an adequate safety distance
between vehicles, if the vehicle is
driven with excessive speed, or if aqua-
planing occurs. Responsibility for these
types of situations remains in the hands
(and at the feet) of the driver. You
should never allow the added safety of
ABS to lull you into a false sense of
security, or mislead you into taking
increased risks that could affect your
own safety and that of others.
Do not make any modifications to
the ABS system.
Service procedures on ABS are to be
performed by authorized technicians
only.<
Cornering Brake Control (CBC) CBC is an advanced engineering
design of the ABS. When braking
during cornering with high lateral accel-
eration, or when braking during a lane
change, vehicle stability is further
improved and the steering response is
enhanced. Electronic Brake Force
Distribution (EBV) EBV governs brake application pres-
sure at the rear wheels to achieve
stable brake response.
If the EBV fails (refer to the next
page), avoid full or "panic" brake
applications. Full or panic brake appli-
cations can result in overbraking at the
rear axle, and braking stability is no
longer ensured.<
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)

If you apply the brakes rapidly, this
system automatically produces the
maximum braking force boost and thus
helps to achieve the shortest possible
braking distance during "panic stops."
All of the benefits of the ABS system
are exploited under these circum-
stances.
Do not reduce the pressure on the
brake pedal for the duration of the
brake application. When the brake
pedal is released, the DBC is deacti-
vated.
In the event of a malfunction,
the yellow warning lamp comes
on. Have the system checked
and repaired at your BMW
center as soon as possible.
Refer to the "Information for your
safety" covering the ABS system.
This information also applies in general
for DBC.<

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
139n
Antilock Brake System (ABS) In the event of a fault
If the brake warning lamp
comes on red together with the
yellow indicator lamps for ABS
and DSC (refer to pages 22
to 24), ABS, CBC, DSC, DBC,
EBV and HDC have failed. You
may continue driving, but drive
defensively and with extra
caution. Avoid full brake applications
because the vehicle could become
unstable and go out of control.
Have the system checked by the
nearest BMW center.
If all three warning lamps come on
yellow:
ABS, CBC, DSC, DBC and HDC have
failed. The effect of the EBV Brake
Force Distribution at the rear wheels,
which achieves stable brake response,
is largely preserved. Optimum brake
force and braking stability are no longer
assured. Continue to drive; drive
cautiously and defensively and avoid
full brake applications.
Have the system checked by your BMW
center as soon as possible.
Following an interruption in
battery power, the ABS, CBC,
DSC, DBC and HDC systems are no
longer available. After you drive for only
a few yards or meters or if you turn the
steering wheel from stop to stop while
the vehicle is stationary and the engine
is running, the functions are activated
again and the three warning lamps will
go out.<
Indicator and warning lamps for
Canadian models.

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
157n
Engine oilChecking oil level1 Park the vehicle on a level surface.
2 Shut the engine off after it has
reached normal operating tempera-
ture.
3 After approx. 5 minutes, pull the
dipstick out and wipe it off with a
clean lint-free cloth, paper towel, or
similar material.
4 Push the dipstick carefully all the way
into the guide tube and pull it out
again.
5 The oil level should be in between the
two marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption
is directly influenced by your driving
style and vehicle operating conditions. 530us100
The oil volume between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts (1 liter). Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine.530us205
Adding engine oilWait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark before adding oil.
However, do not wait until the oil level
drops below the lower mark.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This is also true for the
manual transmission, the automatic
transmission, the differential, and the
power steering system.< 530us101