186n
BatteryCharging the battery Charge the battery in the vehicle only
when the engine is not running. Use the
connections provided in the engine
compartment (for correct connections,
refer to "Jump-starting" on page 190).
The service life specified for the
battery can be achieved only if it
is always kept adequately charged.
Have the charge condition of the
battery checked frequently if the vehicle
is used primarily for driving short
distances.<
Before performing any work on
the electrical system, disconnect
the cable from the negative terminal. If
you do not, short circuits can create the
risk of fire or personal injury.<
If you plan to park the vehicle longer
than 4 weeks, have the battery discon-
nected from the vehicle's electrical
system by disconnecting the cable from
the negative terminal. Then have the
battery charged with an appropriate
battery charger.
If the vehicle will not be driven for a
period longer than 12 weeks, have the
battery removed, charged and store it
in a clean and cool (frost-free) area.
Recharge the battery at least every
three months during storage. Also,
recharge the battery before it is
installed. If you fail to do so, it will not
be serviceable. Every time the battery is
discharged, especially over extended
periods, its service life is reduced. Do not disconnect the battery
when the engine is running. If
you do so, the ensuing voltage surge
will damage the vehicle's onboard elec-
tronics.
Do not make any modifications in the
wires to the positive terminal. If you do
so, the protective function of the safety
battery terminal is no longer ensured.
Repair and disposal must be performed
by trained technicians only.<
Return used batteries to a recy-
cling point or your BMW center.
Maintain the battery in an upright posi-
tion for transport and storage. Secure
the battery against tilting during trans-
port.<
190n
Do not use spray starter fluids to start
the engine.
If the battery is discharged, the engine
can be started with the use of two
jumper cables and the battery of
another vehicle. Always use jumper
cables with fully insulated handles on
the terminal clamps.
Do not touch the parts conducting
current while the engine is
running. Failure to comply with this
creates a risk of fatal injury.<
Carefully comply with the following
instructions to avoid personal injury and
damage to one or both vehicles:
1 Be sure that the battery on the
support vehicle is also rated at
12 volts, and that the capacities of
the two batteries (Ah) are roughly
comparable (printed on casing).
2 Leave your battery connected to the
vehicle's electrical system.
3 Make sure that there is no contact
between the bodywork of the two
vehicles – this creates a risk of short
circuits.
4 Start by connecting the jumper cable
from the positive terminal of the
support vehicle to the positive
terminal connector located in your
BMW's engine compartment The
cover of the auxiliary terminal for
jump starting is marked with a "+"
sign (refer to the illustration). To
remove the cover, tip up the cap
(arrow). The illustration shows the
auxiliary terminal for jump starting on
the BMW X5 4.4i. For the BMW
X5 3.0i: refer to "Engine compart-
ment" on page 152.530us126
5 Then connect the negative terminals.
Attach the cable to either the support
vehicle's negative battery terminal (-),
or to a suitable ground on its engine
or bodywork. Then connect the other
end of the cable to a ground on the
engine or on the bodywork of the
vehicle that is to be started. There is
a special nut for this on the left side
panel of your BMW. Refer to the
arrow in the illustration.
Follow the same sequence for
connecting the jumper cables
when helping other vehicles. If you do
not, there is the risk of injury if sparks
generate at the battery.< 530us127
Jump-starting
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
191n
Jump-starting Towing the vehicle 6 Start the engine on the support
vehicle and let it run.
7 Start the engine on the vehicle
needing the jump-start, and allow it
to run as usual. If the first start
attempt is not successful, wait a few
minutes before another attempt in
order to allow the discharged battery
to recharge.
8 Before disconnecting the jumper
cables from your BMW, turn on the
rear window defroster and set the
blower to the highest speed;
allow the engine to run approx.
10 seconds. This will prevent a
voltage surge from the voltage regu-
lator to the electrical accessories.
9 Then disconnect the jumper cables in
reverse sequence.
Have the battery recharged if neces-
sary.
Tow fitting The screw-in tow fitting is stored
beneath the cargo area floor. Carry it
with you at all times. This fitting is
designed for installation in the tow
sockets located at the front and rear of
the vehicle, and is intended for towing
on paved road surfaces only.
It should not be used to pull a vehicle
out of deep snow, mud, sand, etc.
Always observe all applicable towing
laws and regulations. Access to tow sockets Front:
Use a screwdriver on the left or right
side (arrows) to press the cover out. 530us128
Rear: Pull the cover off.
Screw the tow fittings in until they
are tight. If you do not, the threads
could be damaged.
Do not tow the vehicle by any compo-
nents of the running gear, or lash them
down in any way. If you do so, the
components could be damaged,
leading to possible accidents.<
Use only a nylon towing strap to tow
the vehicle, since the inherent resil-
ience of this material helps protect both
vehicles from sudden jerking move-
ments.
Avoid "off-center" towing. Be sure
that the tow rope is pulled tightly
when the towing vehicle begins to
move.< 530us129
192n
Towing the vehicle
The towed vehicle should always
be the lighter of the two vehicles.
If this is not the case, it is no longer
possible to control vehicle response.<
Tow-starting It is not possible to start the engine of a
vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission by towing or pushing.
For instructions on jump starting: refer
to page 190.
Never attempt to use your vehicle to
push another car. If you do so, damage
to the energy-absorbing bumpers could
result.
Towing a vehicle with automatic
transmission1 Place the selector lever in position N.
2 Towing speed:
Max. 45 mph (70 km/h).
3 Towing distance:
Max. 95 miles (150 km).
4 Leave the ignition key at position 1 to
ensure that the brake lamps, turn
signals, horn and windshield wipers
remain operative, and to prevent the
steering lock from engaging.
5 Switch on the hazard warning
flashers (comply with country-
specific regulations).
Find some means of identifying the
vehicle in tow, for instance, place a sign
or warning triangle in the rear window.
Make sure that the ignition key
remains in position 1 even when
the electrical system has failed. This will
prevent the steering lock from
engaging. The steering and brakes are
without power assist when the engine is
not running. This means that increased
effort is required for steering and
braking.<
Towing with a commercial tow
truck>Do not tow with sling-type equip-
ment.
>Use a wheel lift or flat bed carrier.
>Please comply with applicable towing
laws.
Never allow passengers to ride in
a towed vehicle for any reason.< 530us138
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
197n
The transmission of power to the four
drive wheels is provided permanently
through a transfer box. The distribution
of torque between the front and rear
axles is 38% to 62%.
Traditional differential locks at the front
and rear axles and in the transfer box
are not required. Their function is taken
over by automatic braking intervention
at all four wheels. These traction inter-
ventions are governed by Automatic
Differential Brake (ADB-X), a sub-func-
tion of DSC.
If a wheel tends to slip, it is braked
automatically by ADB-X until it once
again gains traction, and drive force
can be transmitted to that wheel. In
addition, the drive force is distributed
to the remaining wheels during this
530us133
system intervention. Engine output is
also reduced if necessary.
When the DSC is deactivated, the
ADB-X traction intervention is set for
the maximum drive force. However,
the engine intervention and the stability
controls are no longer available. For
this reason, DSC should only be deacti-
vated in the exceptional circumstances
described on page 95.
The BMW X5 is a vehicle for all types of
roads. The permanent four-wheel drive
provides a significant degree of vehicle
stability and tractive power under all
road conditions. It assists in critical
situations such as driving in extreme
winter conditions or on bad roads. Precision sensors monitor the wheel
speeds, the steering angle, lateral
acceleration, brake pressure and the
movement of the vehicle around its
vertical axis.
If differences in wheel speeds occur, the
system recognizes the danger of wheel-
spin and reduces the engine's drive
torque. If necessary, the system also
responds with additional braking inter-
vention at all four wheels.
In addition, DSC permanently monitors
the vehicle's current operating condition
and compares it with an ideal condition
that is calculated from the sensor
signals. If deviations from this occur
(understeering or oversteering, for
instance), DSC can stabilize the vehicle
in fractions of a second by adapting
engine output and with the assistance of
braking intervention at individual
wheels. This way, as long as the skid
can still be managed under the laws of
physics, these kinds of dangerous skids
are prevented even before they can
start.
You may need some time to become
accustomed to this system intervention.
However, it provides optimum drive
force and vehicle stability. The braking
intervention may be accompanied by
certain sounds specific to the system.
Four-wheel drive DSC
200nRain sensor* Front axle
The rain sensor controls windshield
wiper operation, depending on how wet
the windshield is.
Infrared light is carried along the
surface of the windshield in an optical
conductor in such a manner that it is
reflected completely when the wind-
shield is dry. The quantity of reflected
light is measured.
If the window is covered with beads of
water, the amount of light that is
reflected is decreased since the
infrared light at the surface of the wind-
shield can then escape. The quantity of
reflected light is thus a means of
gauging the degree of wetness on the
windshield.
390de133
When the system is set to the "Intermit-
tent" wiper speed, the wipers react
immediately — if water is splashed onto
the windshield by vehicles traveling
ahead of you, for example. As a result,
the rain sensor provides a contribution
to driving safety and comfort.
The double-jointed suspension strut
axle is based on the same concept as
the one in the 7 Series, but was totally
re-developed because of the require-
ments for all-wheel drive. Parts
subjected to particularly high stress
levels for guiding the wheels are
designed as steel-forged parts to meet
the demands made by rougher roads.
The load-bearing front axle has large-
volume, hydraulically cushioned rubber
bearings that allow the axle to absorb
the reactive forces from the engine and
the braking forces from the front
wheels. An integrated rigid plate over
the load-bearing front axle provides
superb support against the lateral
forces introduced by the control arm
(wishbone), and also serves as an
effective protective barrier for the oil
pan and steering.
530de035
Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
Overview
Controls and features Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical dataIndex
Advanced technology
205
n
Engine specifications 206
Dimensions 207
Weights 208
Capacities 209
Electrical system 210
Drive belts 210
Data
206n
An engine performance test is authorized only on an appropriate chassis \
dynamometer. BMW X5 3.0i BMW X5 4.4i
Displacement
Number of cylinders cu in (cm
3) 181.8 (2,979)
6 268.4 (4,398)
8
Maximum output
at engine speed hp
rpm 225
5,900282
5,400
Maximum torque
at engine speed Ib ft (Nm)
rpm 214 (290)
3,500324 (440)
3,600
Compression ratio 10.2 10.0
Stroke
Bore in (mm)
in (mm) 3.53 (89.6)
3.31 (84)3.26 (82.7)
3.62 (92)
Fuel-injection system Digital-electronic engine-management system
Engine specifications