
 
Contents
 © 2002 Bayerische Motoren Werke 
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the 
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 157 098
US English IX/2002
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper Ð
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling. 
Notes
Overview
Controls and features
 
About this Owner's Manual 8
Symbols used 8
The individual vehicle 8
Status at time of printing 9
For your own safety 9
Symbol on vehicle parts 10
Service and Warranty 10
Reporting safety defects 10Cockpit
14 
Instrument cluster 15 
Indicator and warning lamps 19 
Steering wheel with multifunction  buttons 23
Warning triangle 24
First-aid kit 24
Refueling 24
Fuel specifications 26
Tire inflation pressures 26
 
Locks and security systems: 
 
Keys30
Central locking system 30
Opening and closing  Ð via the remote control 31 
Opening and closing  Ð via the door lock 34
Opening and closing  Ð from the inside 35 
Liftgate 36
Tailgate 37
Alarm system 39
Electric power windows 40
Sliding/tilt sunroof with glass  moonroof 42
 
Adjustments: 
 
Safe seating position 44
Seats 44
Mechanical seat 45
Power seat 46
Head restraints 47
Power rear-seat backrest  adjustment 48
Safety belts 49
Seat, mirror and steering wheel 
memory 50
Seat heating 51
Steering wheel 52
Steering wheel heating 53
Mirrors 53
 
Inhalt 

44n
The condition for relaxed, fatigue-free 
driving is a seating position adjusted to 
your needs. Together with the safety 
belts and the airbags, the seating posi-
tion is very important for the passive 
safety of the occupants in the case of 
an accident. Therefore, observe the 
following instructions, as otherwise the 
protective function of the safety 
systems may be impaired.
For additional information on trans-
porting children safely, refer to 
page 58.
Sitting safely with airbags
Maintain a distance to the airbags. 
Always hold the steering wheel by 
the rim with the hands at the 9 and 
3-o'clock positions to keep any chance 
of injury to hands or arms to an abso-
lute minimum, should the airbag be 
deployed. No one and nothing is to 
come between the airbags and the seat 
occupant. Do not use the cover of the 
front airbag on the front passenger side 
as a storage area for objects, or as a 
rest for feet or legs.<
For the location of the airbags and 
additional information, refer to page 55.
Sitting safely with safety belts
Never allow more than one person 
to wear a single safety belt. Never 
allow infants or small children to ride in 
a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the 
belt while routing it firmly across the 
pelvis and shoulder, wear it as snugly 
against your body as possible. Do not 
allow the belt to rest against hard or 
fragile objects in your pockets. Never 
route the belt across your neck, do not 
run it across sharp edges and ensure 
that the belt does not become caught 
or jammed. Avoid wearing bulky 
clothing and pull on the lap belt periodi-
cally to retension it over your shoulders. 
In the event of a frontal impact, a loose 
lap belt could slide over your hips, 
leading to abdominal injury. In addition, 
the safety belt's restraint effectiveness 
is reduced if the belt is worn loosely. 
Expectant mothers should always wear 
their safety belts, taking care to position 
the lap belt against the lower hips, 
where it will not exert pressure against 
the abdominal area.<
For instructions on operating the safety 
belts, refer to page 49.
Observe the following before 
adjusting
Never try to adjust your seat while 
operating the vehicle. The seat 
could respond with unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle 
control could lead to an accident. Never 
ride with the backrest reclined to an 
extreme horizontal angle Ð especially 
important for front passengers to 
remember. 
If you do so there is a risk that you will 
slide under the safety belt in an acci-
dent, thus reducing the protection 
provided by the safety belt
.< 
Seat adjustment>Mechanical seat adjustment, refer to 
page 45
>Power seat adjustment, refer to 
page 46
>Head restraints, refer to page 47
>Power rear-seat backrest adjustment, 
refer to page 48
Safe seating position Seats 

133n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Brake systemDisc brakesWhen the vehicle is driven only occa-
sionally, during extended periods when 
the vehicle is not used at all, and in 
operating conditions where brake appli-
cations are less frequent, there is an 
increased tendency for corrosion of the 
rotors and accumulation of contamina-
tion on the brake pads. This occurs 
because the minimal pressure which 
must be exerted by the pads to clean 
the discs by brake applications is not 
reached. 
If the brake rotors are corroded, they 
will tend to respond to braking with a 
pulsating effect which even extended 
application will fail to cure.
When driving in wet conditions and in 
heavy rain, it is advisable to apply light 
pressure to the brake pedal from time 
to time. Watch traffic conditions to 
ensure that this maneuver does not 
endanger other road users. The heat 
which is generated by the brake appli-
cations helps to dry the brake pads and 
rotors. The braking force is then imme-
diately available when required.Extended or steep mountain descents 
should be driven in the gear in which 
only minimal periodic brake application 
is required. This avoids excessive strain 
on the brakes and possible impairment 
of the braking effect. 
Do not coast with the clutch 
depressed or with the transmis-
sion or selector lever in neutral. Do not 
drive with the engine switched off. The 
engine provides no braking effect when 
the clutch is depressed or the transmis-
sion is in neutral, and there is no 
power-assist for braking or steering 
when the engine is not running.
BMW recommends having brake 
inspections performed at a BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle center only. If 
you do not, parts of the four-wheel 
drive system could be damaged.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any 
other objects to protrude into the area 
around the accelerator, clutch and 
brake pedals and obstruct their move-
ment.< 
Brake pads
For your own safety: use only 
brake pads that BMW has 
released for your particular vehicle 
model. BMW cannot evaluate non-
approved brake pads to determine if 
they are suited for use, and therefore 
cannot ensure the operating safety of 
the vehicle if they are installed.< 

142n
Engine oil To add oilWhile you should wait until the level has 
dropped to just above the lower mark 
before adding oil, you should never 
allow the oil level to fall below this 
marking.
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.< 
Recommendation: have the oil changed 
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
center. 530de326
Continuous exposure to used oil 
has caused cancer in laboratory 
testing. For this reason, any skin areas 
that come into contact with oil should 
be thoroughly washed with soap and 
water.
Always store oils, grease and similar 
materials so that they are inaccessible 
to children. Comply with warning labels 
and information on containers.<
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating the 
disposal of used oil.< 
Specified engine oils The quality of the engine oil selected 
has critical significance for the opera-
tion and service life of an engine. Based 
on extensive testing, BMW has 
approved only certain engine oils. 
Use only approved BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil. 
If you are unable to obtain BMW High 
Performance Synthetic Oil, you can add 
small amounts of synthetic oil in 
between oil changes. Use only oils with 
the API SH specification or higher. 
Ask your BMW Sports Activity 
Vehicle center for details 
concerning the specific BMW High 
Performance Synthetic Oil or synthetic 
oils which have been approved.< 
You can also call BMW of North 
America at 1-800-831-1117 or visit this 
website: www.bmwusa.com to obtain 
this information. 
Viscosity ratings Viscosity is the oil flow rating as estab-
lished in SAE classes.
The selection of the correct SAE class 
depends on the climatic conditions in 
the area where you typically drive your 
BMW. 
Approved oils are in SAE classes 
5W-40 and 5W-30.< 
These oils may be used for driving in all 
ambient temperatures.  

165n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Towing the vehicle Towing a vehicle with automatic 
transmission1. Place the selector lever in position N 
2. Towing speed:
Maximum 45 mph/70 km/h
3. Towing distance:
Maximum 95 miles/150 km
4. Turn the ignition key to position 1 to 
ensure that the brake lamps, turn 
signal indicators, horn and wind-
shield wipers remain operative, and 
to prevent the steering lock from 
engaging 
5. Switch on the hazard warning 
flashers, comply with country-spe-
cific regulations.
In the event of electrical malfunction, 
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 equipment 
>Use a wheel-lift or flatbed carrier
>Please comply with applicable towing 
laws.
Never allow passengers to ride in 
a towed vehicle for any reason.< 530us138
Towing with a raised axle 1. Place the gearshift lever or selector 
lever in Neutral 
2. Turn the ignition key to position 0 or 
remove it
3. Towing speed: 
Maximum 30 mph/50 km/h 
4. Towing distance: 
Maximum 95 miles/150 km. 
Remove the rear driveshaft for 
longer towing distances with the 
front axle lifted; remove the front drive-
shaft for towing over longer distances 
with the rear axle lifted. Failure to 
comply with this will result in damage to 
the transfer box.<  

Everything from A to ZPPark Distance Control 
PDC90
Parking aid90
Parking brake20, 64
Parking lamps99
Particle filter104, 110
Passenger side mirror tilt 
function51
PDC Park Distance 
Control90
Please fasten safety belts 
warning lamp20
Poor driving conditions131
Power loss
sliding/tilt sunroof43
Power outlets
flashlight124
other appliances124
vacuum cleaner124
Power rating168
Power rear-seat 
backrests48
Power seat46
Power windows40
safety switch41
Pull-out cargo floor124
RRain sensor68
RDC Tire Pressure 
Monitor97
warning lamp19, 21
Rear backrests, folding 
down120
Rear lamps153
Rear passenger area climate 
control109
Rear seats, power48
Rear window 
defroster103, 108
Rear window wiper70
blade replacement150
Rear-seat backrest, folding 
down120
Rear-seat backrests, 
power48
Rearview mirrors
exterior53
interior54
Rechargeable flashlight115
Recirculated-air 
mode103, 108
Reclining seat44
Refueling24, 181
Releasing
hood139
tailgate following an 
electrical malfunction38Reminder signal Ð Memo83
Remote control31
computer89
Removal aid for the spare 
wheel156
Removing condensation 
from the 
windows104, 107
Replacing
antifreeze, radiator143
bulbs151
fuses160
windshield wiper 
blades150
Reporting safety defects10
Reservoir, washer 
system141
Residual heat106, 109
Reverse65
Rims137
Roller sun blinds111
Roof load capacity170
Roof-mounted luggage 
rack127
SSafe seating position44
with airbags44
with safety belts44
Safety belts49
height adjustment49Safety defects, reporting10
Safety lock buttons35
Seat adjustment44
Seat belts49
Seat, electric power46
Seat heating51
Seat, mechanical45
Seat memory50
Seat, mirror and steering 
wheel memory50
Securing cargo38, 126
Selector lever, automatic 
transmission66
Self-leveling 
suspension94, 131
inactive94
warning lamp21
Service and Warranty 
Information Booklet for US 
models145
Service Engine Soon 
indicator lamp21
Service Interval 
Display76, 145
Set temperature107
Shiftlock66
Shoulder support47
Side airbags55
Side Impact Head Protection 
System55 

Everything from A to Z
179n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Side lamps99
bulb replacement152
Sitting safely with 
airbags44
Sitting safely with safety 
belts44
Ski bag119
Sliding/tilt sunroof42
closing following an 
electrical malfunction43
convenience operation34
power loss43
remote control32
Snow chains138
Socket
power supplies118
vacuum cleaner118
Spare key30
Spare tire156
Spare wheel156
removal aid156
Spare wheel, driving159
Speaker116
Special features of winter 
tires138
Special wash program69
Speed88
Speed control71
Speed limit85, 86
Speedometer15, 17, 18Sports seat45
Standing lamps100
Starting assistance163
Starting problems63, 163
Starting the engine62, 63
Steering lock62
Steering wheel
adjustment52
adjustment, automatic52
heating53
lock62
memory50
Steering wheel with 
multifunction buttons23
Steptronic65
Stopwatch83
Storage compartments116
in the cargo area123
Summer tires137
Sunroof42
Sunshades111
Switching off the engine63
Switch-on times
input84
Symbols8
Synthetic oils142
System malfunction 
indicators77
TTachometer74
Tail lamps153
bulb replacement153
Tailgate37
opening from the 
outside36
release following an 
electrical malfunction38
remote control 
operation32
Tank capacity171
Technical 
modifications9, 146
Telephone preparation116
Temperature display, 
outside 
temperature73, 80
Temperature gauge75, 76
Temperature 
layering104, 109
Temperature setting107
Thigh support 
adjustment45
Third brake lamp153
Tilt alarm32
Tilt alarm sensor40
Tilt function, passenger side 
mirror51Time
calling up82
changing82
of arrival, estimated87
Timer
refer to Stopwatch
refer also to the Owner's 
Manual for the Onboard 
Computer
Tire134
damage134
pressure monitoring97
replacement135
tread134
Tire condition134
Tire inflation 
pressures26, 134
monitoring97
table27
Tire Pressure Monitor 
RDC97
warning lamp19, 21
Tire Quality Grading136
Tools150
Torque168
Tow fittings164
Towing the vehicle164
Tow-starting164
Track width169