2001 BMW X5 4.4I catalytic converter

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

30nFuel specifications Tire inflation pressure
The engine uses lead-free gasoline
only.
Required fuel:
>Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
min. 91 AKI.
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Do not use leaded fuels. The use
of leaded fuels will cause perma-
nent damage to the system's oxygen
sensor and the catalytic converter. <
You will find tire inflation pressures on
the inside door pillar.
Check tire pressures
All pressure specifications are indicated
in psi (kilopascal) for tires at ambient
temperature (refer also to the next
page).
530us009
Check tire inflation pressures
regularly — at least every two
weeks and before beginning a longer
trip. Incorrect tire pressure can other-
wise lead to tire damage and accidents.
Check the tire inflation pressure of the
spare wheel. Inflate the spare tire to
the highest inflation of any tire on your
vehicle. <
Comply with tire approval
specifications
The inflation pressures in the table
apply to tires from BMW-approved
manufacturers. Your BMW center is
familiar with these pressures. Higher
pressures may be specified for tires
from other manufacturers. You will find
a list of approved tires beginning on
page 150.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires that
not only meet US standards, but also
European standards. We recommend
the exclusive use of BMW-approved
tires.

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
77nTachometer Energy control Fuel gauge
Do not operate the engine with the
needle in the red overspeed zone of the
gauge.
To protect the engine, the engine
management system automatically
interrupts the fuel supply in this range;
the resulting effect resembles that
associated with a sudden loss of
power.
390us004
Indicates the current fuel consumption
in mpg (in liters/100 km on Canadian
vehicles). This allows you to see
whether your current driving style is
conducive to fuel economy with
minimum exhaust emissions.
When the vehicle is stationary, the
display goes to "Maximum" (zero on
Canadian models).
390us005
When you switch on the ignition, the
indicator lamp comes on briefly to
confirm that the system is operational.
If the indicator lamp comes on and
stays on, there are approx.
>2.0 gallons (8 liters) – BMW X5 3.0i
> 2.5 gallons (10 liters) – BMW X5 4.4i
of fuel still in the tank.
Tank capacity: refer to page 209.
Certain operating conditions (such as
those encountered in mountainous
areas) may cause the needle to fluc-
tuate slightly.
Please refuel early, as driving to
the last drop of fuel can result in
damage to the engine and/or catalytic
converter. <
390us006

90n
Computer in the MID
*
Estimated time of arrivalWhen you have input the distance from
your destination, you can obtain an
estimated time of arrival display which
is continuously updated by the com-
puter as your average driving period
varies.
Press the right side of the button.
Press the right side of the button:
The estimated time of arrival is
displayed.
Cruising rangeThe distance which the vehicle should
cover on the remaining fuel in the tank
is displayed.
Press the right side of the button.
Press.
The display shows the probable range.
When you have only enough fuel
left to drive fewer than 30 miles
(50 km), then refuel, as otherwise the
engine or the catalytic converter could
be damaged.<
The computer will only register fuel
amounts over 1.8 gal (6 liters).
Fuel consumptionYou can have the average fuel
consumption displayed for two different
distances, for example a complete
journey and part of the journey .
To start the calculation, select the
CONS function with the engine running.
Press the right side of the button.
Press on the left or right:
The display will show the average fuel
consumption.
To restart the fuel consumption
calculation:
Press on the left or right.
Press the right side of the button.

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
133n
Under the hood:
Hood151
Engine compartment152
Washer fluid156
Washer nozzles156
Engine oil157
Coolant160
Brake fluid161
Vehicle Identification
Number161
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System162
Caring for your vehicle163
Airbags168
Vehicle storage168
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications169
California Proposition
65 Warning169
OBD interface socket170
Car care Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures134
Driving your BMW X5135
General driving notes136
Catalytic converter136
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)137
Disc brakes140
Brake system141
Winter operation141
Power steering143
Level control system143
Cellular phone144
Radio reception144
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure145
Tire condition145
Tire replacement146
Tire rotation147
Wheel and tire
combinations148
Special features of winter
tires149
Snow chains149
Approved wheel and tire
specifications150

136n
General driving notes Catalytic converter
Brakes:
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but
consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and
possibly even brake failure.
Aquaplaning:
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water may form between the
tires and the road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as aqua-
planing or hydroplaning. It is character-
ized by a partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and the road
surface. The ultimate results are loss of
steering and braking control.
Cargo area cover:
Do not place heavy or hard objects on
the cargo area cover. These objects
could endanger vehicle occupants
during heavy brake applications or
evasive maneuvers.
Clothes hooks:
When suspending articles of clothing
from the hooks, be sure that they will
not obstruct the driver's vision. Do not
hang heavy objects on the hooks. If you
do so, they could cause personal injury
during braking or evasive maneuvers.< The catalytic converter reduces harmful
exhaust emissions.
It is designed for use with unleaded fuel
only. Even minute quantities of lead
would be enough to permanently
damage both the catalytic converter
and the system oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and avoid potential damage:
>Be sure to comply with the scheduled
maintenance requirements.
>Fill the fuel tank well before it is
empty.
>Tow-start the vehicle only when the
engine is cold, since unburned fuel
may otherwise reach the catalytic
converter. It is better to start the
vehicle with an outside starting aid.
>Avoid other situations in which the
fuel is not burned, or burns incom-
pletely, such as engaging the starter
frequently or for extended periods, or
repeated start attempts in which the
engine does not start (stopping and
restarting an engine which is running
properly does not present a problem).
Never allow the engine to run with
any of the spark plug cables discon-
nected.

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
137n
Catalytic converter Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Be sure to comply with the
instructions above to prevent
unburned fuel from reaching the cata-
lytic converter. Otherwise, the catalytic
converter could respond by over-
heating, leading to serious damage.
Extreme temperatures occur at the
catalytic converter on this and every
catalyst-equipped vehicle. Heat shields
are installed adjacent to some sections
of the exhaust system. Never remove
these shields; do not apply under-
coating to their surfaces. When driving,
standing at idle, and parking the
vehicle, take care to avoid contact
between the exhaust system and flam-
mable materials (grass, hay, leaves,
etc.). Such contact could lead to a fire,
resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage.<
The concept ABS enhances active safety by helping
to prevent the wheels from locking
under braking. This is because: locked
wheels are dangerous. When the front
wheels slide, the driver loses steering
control over the vehicle. Traction loss at
the rear wheels can cause the rear end
to break into an uncontrolled skid.
With ABS, you will achieve the shortest-
possible braking distances under all
given conditions (braking while driving
straight ahead or in curves, different
road surfaces).
ABS is designed to meet two essential
requirements during every brake appli-
cation:
>To help provide vehicle stability.
>To help retain steering and maneu-
vering capability on all types of road
surfaces (asphalt, cement, dirt, wet
surfaces, snow and ice).
Braking with ABS The system becomes operative once
the vehicle exceeds a speed of approx.
6 mph (10 km/h). The ABS is inactive
again whenever the vehicle's speed
drops back below approx. 4 mph
(6 km/h).
To shorten the braking distance — espe-
cially on steep, poor road surfaces when
driving slowly straight ahead — the
system allows one or both front wheels
to lock for a short time. Nevertheless,
the vehicle still retains steering
response since this "poor road logic" is
deactivated again automatically as you
steer.
If you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply maxi-
mum brake pressure ("panic stop").
Since the vehicle maintains steering
responsiveness, you can avoid possible
obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort, despite the full brake application.
The ABS system's closed-loop control
circuit cycles in fractions of a second.
A pulsation at the brake pedal, together
with the sounds associated with the
hydraulic controls, tells you that the
brake system is within its maximum
limit range and reminds you that you

170n
OBD interface socket The Onboard Diagnostic (OBD) inter-
face socket is located on the left of the
driver's side at the bottom of the instru-
ment panel and under a cover.
The cover has the letters "OBD" on it.
The purpose of the OBD system is to
ensure proper operation of the emis-
sion control system for the vehicle's
lifetime. The system monitors emission-
related components and systems for
deterioration and malfunction.530us105
An illuminated lamp informs you
of the need for service, not of
the need to stop the vehicle.
However, the systems should be
checked by your BMW center at the
earliest possible opportunity.
Under certain conditions, the indicator
will blink or flash. This indicates a rather
severe level of engine misfire. When
this occurs, you should reduce speed
and consult the nearest BMW center as
soon as possible. Severe engine misfire
over only a short period of time can
seriously damage emission control
components, especially the catalytic
converter.
Service Engine Soon warning
lamp for Canadian models.
When the filler cap is not properly
tightened, the OBD system can
detect the vapor leak and the indicator
will light up. If the filler cap is subse-
quently tightened, the indicator should
go out within a few days.<