2001 BMW X5 4.4I Owners Manual

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
185n
Battery
Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds. Wash hands after
handling.
Battery location The battery is located in the floor of the
vehicle below the spare wheel. Battery careThe battery is maintenance-free, that is,
the original electrolyte will normally last
for the service life of the battery under
moderate climatic conditions.
For all questions that regard the
battery, please consult your BMW
center. Since the battery is mainte-
nance-free, the following is for your
information only.<
SymbolsYou will find the following symbols on
your vehicle battery. To avoid injury,
please comply with the corresponding
precautions whenever you work with or
near the battery.
Before handling the battery,
please read the following infor-
mation.
Wear eye protection. Do not
allow particles containing
battery acid or lead to come into
contact with your eyes, your skin, or
your clothing.
Battery acid is extremely corro-
sive. Wear eye protection and
protective gloves. Do not tip the
battery. Battery acid can leak from the
ventilation openings.
Do not allow children to have
access to batteries and battery
acid.
Never allow sparks or open
flame near the battery. Do not
smoke in the vicinity of the
battery. Avoid sparks from electrical
cables or electrical equipment. Turn the
key to position 0 in the steering lock
when you are disconnecting or
connecting the battery. Never short-
circuit the battery terminals. This
creates a risk of injury from high-energy
sparks.
A highly-explosive gas is
generated when the battery is
charged.
If you happen to get acid in your
eyes, rinse thoroughly for
15 minutes with clear water.
Following that, consult a physician
immediately. If you get acid spray on
your skin or clothing, rinse with plenty
of water. If electrolyte is accidentally
swallowed, consult a physician immedi-
ately.
In order to protect the battery
case from ultraviolet radiation,
do not place it in direct sunlight.
A discharged battery can freeze. Store
the battery in areas where temperature
remains above freezing.

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.<

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
187n
FusesWhen an electrical accessory fails to
operate, switch it off and inspect the
fuse. In the glove compartment1 Open the glove compartment and
turn the two quick-release fasteners
to the left. Spare fuses and plastic
tweezers are located on the fuse
holder.
2 Use the plastic tweezers to remove
the fuse for the accessory or equip-
ment that has stopped working.
3 If the fuse is burned through (the
metal strip will have melted and
separated), replace it with a new fuse
of the same ampere rating (color
code).530us121
A list of the fuses, their respective
ampere ratings and the equipment in
their circuits is provided below the fuse
holder.
Close the fuse holder by holding the top
of the cover in place and screwing the
two quick-release fasteners to the right.
Additional fuses are provided in the
cargo area.
The fuse for continuous positive current
is located in a separate fuse box in front
of the spare wheel. If this fuse is defec-
tive, refer the problem to your BMW
center for repair.
Do not attempt to repair a burned
fuse or replace it with a fuse
having a different color or ampere
rating. To do this could cause a fire in
the vehicle resulting from a circuit over-
load.<
If the fuse continues to burn through,
have the problem corrected by a BMW
center.
In the cargo area Open the right cover by pulling the
handle.
A list of the fuses, their respective
ampere ratings and the equipment in
their circuits is provided on the rear of
the side trim panel. 530us122

188n
Manual release In the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can release the fuel filler door
manually:
1 Open the cover on the right in the
cargo area: lift the handle on the
cover.
2 Pull the button with the fuel pump
symbol (arrow). 530us123
Manual operationIn the event of an electrical system
malfunction, you can operate the
sliding/tilt sunroof manually:
1 Open the glasses compartment
(refer to page 119).
2 Insert the Allen wrench from the
vehicle tool kit (refer to page 174) in
the opening provided and turn the
sliding/tilt sunroof in the desired
direction.530us124
Manual release In the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can release the liftgate manually:
1 Remove the plastic plug from inside
the cargo area and pull toward the
interior (arrow). The liftgate will be
released.
2 Reinstall the plug. 530us125
Fuel filler door Sliding/Tilt sunroof Liftgate

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
189n
TailgateManual release In the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can release the tailgate manually.
1 Unfasten the trim panel clip with the
vehicle key or with a screwdriver
(arrow 1) and remove it toward the
top (arrow 2).530us091
2 Using the same tool, press the latch
in the direction of the arrow; the
tailgate is released.
3 Reinstall the trim panel. 530us092

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