© 2000 BMW AG
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order no. 01 41 0 155 558
US English IX/2000
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
(bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling).
4n
Notes on the Owner's Manual
We have made every effort to ensure
that you are able to find what you need
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as
possible. The fastest way to find certain
topics is by using the detailed index at
the end. If you desire an initial overview
of your vehicle, this can be found in the
first chapter. The detailed list of
contents that directly follows the
summary of contents is intended to
stimulate your curiosity regarding your
BMW and to encourage you to read the
manual.
Should you wish to sell your BMW at
some time in the future, please
remember to hand over the Owner's
Manual to the new owner; it is part of
the vehicle.
If you have any questions, a
BMW center will be glad to advise
you.
Symbols used
Indicates instructions or precau-
tions that must be followed
precisely in order to avoid the possibility
of personal injury and serious damage
to the vehicle.
<
Contains information that will
assist you in gaining the optimum
benefit from your vehicle and enable
you to care more effectively for your
vehicle.
<
Refers to measures that can
be taken to help protect the
environment.
<
<
Marks the end of a specific item of
information.
*
Indicates special equipment, country-
specific equipment and optional extras.
t
Identifies index entries that refer to
owner service procedures or topics on
car care.
Identifies systems or components,
which your BMW center can either
activate or adapt to suit an individual
driver's requirements ("Car Memory",
"Key Memory"). Refer to page 56.
<
The individual vehicle
On buying your BMW, you have
decided in favor of a model with individ-
ualized equipment and features. This
Owner's Manual describes all models
and equipment that BMW offers within
the same group.
We hope you will understand that
equipment and features are included
that you might not have chosen for your
vehicle. Any differences can easily be
identified, since all optional accessories
and special equipment are marked with
an asterisk
*
.
If your BMW features equipment which
is not described in this Owner's Manual
(car radio or telephone, for instance),
Supplementary Owner's Manuals are
enclosed. We ask you to read these
manuals as well.
Notes
Symbols
The individual vehicle
6n
For your own safety
Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight (that is,
15 % MTBE or 3% methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent) will
not void the applicable warranties
respecting defects in materials or work-
manship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel
quality (volatility, composition, addi-
tives, etc.) among gasolines offered for
sale in the United States and Canada.
The use of poor quality fuels may result
in driveability, starting and stalling
problems especially under certain envi-
ronmental conditions such as high
ambient temperature and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be
related to the fuel you are using, we
recommend that you respond by
switching to a recognized high-quality
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when
you are handling gasoline.
<
Important safety information.
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed
on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damage resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product from
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.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional 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 portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna) or trans-
ceiver equipment (for instance, CBs,
walkie-talkie, ham radio or similar
accessories) may cause extensive
damage to the vehicle, compromise its
safety, interfere with the vehicle's elec-
trical system or affect the validity of the
BMW Limited Warranty. See your BMW
center for additional information.
<
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of the emission control
devices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.
<
Symbol on vehicle parts
Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this
Owner's Manual for information on a
particular part or assembly.
For your own safety
7n
The following applies only to vehicles owned and operated in the US.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect that could cause a crash o\
r could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (\
NHTSA) in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, Inc., P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227, Tel\
ephone (201) 307-4000.
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, N\
HTSA cannot become involved in indi-
vidual problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of North America, Inc.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free \
at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in
Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transport\
ation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You can
also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotlin\
e.
11n
Controls and features
Operation, care and maintenance
Technology for safety and
driving convenience:
Park Distance Control (PDC) 93
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) 94
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 95
Lamps:
Side lamps/Low beams97
Instrument lighting 97
High beams/Parking lamps 98
Fog lamps 98
Interior lamps 98
Reading lamps 99
Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:
Air conditioner100
Automatic climate control 106
Seat heating 112
Steering wheel heating 113
Roller sun blind 113
Independent ventilation system 114
Cabin convenience:
BMW Universal Transmitter 115
Glove compartment 117
Storage compartments 118
Cellular phone 118
Cup holders 119
Glasses compartment 119
Ashtray, front 120
Cigarette lighter, front 120
Ashtray, rear 121
Cigarette lighter, rear 121
Loading and transporting:
Ski bag122
Cargo area Fold the rear backrests
down 124
Cargo area cover 124
Partition net 125
Cover panels in the cargo
area 126
Power outlets 127
Pull-out cargo floor 128
Cargo loading 129
Roof-mounted luggage rack 130
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures134
Driving your BMW X5 135
General driving notes 136
Catalytic converter 136
Antilock Brake System (ABS) 137
Disc brakes 140
Brake system 141
Winter operation 141
Power steering 143
Level control system 143
Cellular phone 144
Radio reception 144
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure 145
Tire condition 145
Tire replacement 146
Tire rotation 147
Wheel and tire combinations 148
Special features of winter tires 149
Snow chains 149
Approved wheel and tire
specifications 150
26nMultifunction steering wheel
The controls integrated in the multi-
function steering wheel (MFL) are
provided so that you can operate a
number of accessories quickly and
without being distracted from traffic
conditions. You may operate:
>Selected functions of the radio as
well as the CD and cassette modes,
> recirculated air control of the air
conditioner system
or
> the steering wheel heating,
> the cruise control,
> selected cellular phone
* functions
and
> voice recognition
*.
In order to operate a system via
the MFL, the corresponding
system controls must be activated. <
The illustration shows the maximum
possible number of controls, corre-
sponding to a full range of optional
equipment. Refer to the individual
accessory manuals for more detailed
descriptions.
1 Press briefly: Receive a phone call, initiate dialing,
terminate a call.
Press longer:
Turn voice recognition on and off
2 Radio/Telephone: select
3 Radio/Telephone: scan backward or scan station buttons or scroll in the
phone listings.
Reverse scan in the CD mode and
rewind in the cassette operation
4 Radio/Telephone: volume
380de702
5 Radio/Telephone: scan forward or scan station buttons or scroll in the
phone listings
Forward scan in the CD mode and
fast forward in the cassette operation
6 Horn: the entire surface
7 Cruise control: activate stored setting (resume)
8 Cruise control: store and accelerate (+); decelerate
and store (–)
9 Cruise control: activate/interrupt/ deactivate
10 Recirculated air mode and AUC or steering wheel heating: activate and
deactivate
Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
27nSports steering wheel*
The controls integrated in the sports
steering wheel are provided so that you
can operate a number of accessories
quickly and without being distracted
from traffic conditions.
You may operate:
>Selected radio functions as well as
the CD and cassette modes,
> the cruise control,
> selected cellular phone
* functions
and
> voice recognition
*.
In order to operate a system via
the sport steering wheel, the
corresponding system controls must be
activated. <
Refer to the individual accessory
manuals for more detailed descriptions.
1 Radio/Telephone: select
2 Press briefly: Receive a phone call, initiate dialing,
and terminate a call.
Press longer:
Turn voice recognition on and off
3 Radio/Telephone: volume
4 Radio/Telephone: scan backward or scan station buttons or scroll in the
phone listings.
Reverse scan in the CD mode and
rewind in the cassette operation
463de057
5 Radio/Telephone: scan forward or scan station buttons or scroll in the
phone listings
Forward scan in the CD mode and
fast forward in the cassette operation
6 Horn: the entire surface
7 Cruise control: activate stored setting (resume)
8 Cruise control: store and accelerate (+); decelerate
and store (–)
9 Cruise control: activate/interrupt/ deactivate
Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
Overview
Controls and features Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical dataIndex
Advanced technology
33
n
Technology for safety and
driving convenience:
Park Distance Control (PDC) 93
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) 94
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 95
Lamps:
Side lamps/Low beams 97
Instrument lighting 97
High beams/Parking lamps 98
Fog lamps 98
Interior lamps 98
Reading lamps 99
Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:
Air conditioner 100
Automatic climate control 106
Seat heating 112
Steering wheel heating 113
Roller sun blind 113
Independent ventilation system 114 Cabin convenience:
BMW Universal Transmitter
115
Glove compartment 117
Storage compartments 118
Cellular phone 118
Cup holders 119
Glasses compartment 119
Ashtray, front 120
Cigarette lighter, front 120
Ashtray, rear 121
Cigarette lighter, rear 121
Loading and transporting:
Ski bag 122
Cargo area Fold the rear backrests
down 124
Cargo area cover 124
Partition net 125
Cover panels in the cargo
area 126
Power outlets 127
Pull-out cargo floor 128
Cargo loading 129
Roof-mounted luggage rack 130
84n
Multi-Information Display (MID)
*
Central displayThe MID serves as the central display
and operation for the following onboard
systems:
>Digital clock (e. g. time display, date)
>Audio systems (radio, cassette, CD)
>Computer ( e.g. fuel consumption,
cruising range)
>Cellular phone ( e.g. dialing).
You will find explanations and notes
for operating the digital clock and the
computer on the following pages.
Please refer to the separate Owner's
Manuals for operating the audio
systems, the cellular phone and the
Onboard Computer.
Any unrealistic numerical entries
will not be accepted.
All stored data will be lost if the power
supply is interrupted. Time display,
switch-on times for independent
heating and ventilation, distance and
cruise control speed limit may have to
be reset once the power supply has
been re-established.<
1 Function button for audio systems
2 Function button for the cellular
phone
*
3 Indicator lamp for independent
ventilation
*
>remains on if switch-on time is
active
>flashes while operating
4 Function button for the digital clock
and computer
5 Indicator display for the various
computer systems390us705
6 Display for the entry and query but-
tons. Depending on the operating
mode, the functions and alternatives
that can be selected at the buttons
are displayed here
7 Entry and query buttons for operating
the various computer systems