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
Contents
Operation, maintenance
Owner service procedures
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures130
Driving your BMW X5131
General driving notes132
Antilock Brake System132
Brake system132
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressures134
Tire condition134
Tire replacement135
Wheel and tire
combinations137
Winter tires138
Snow chains138
Under the hood:
Hood139
Engine compartment
essentials140
Washer fluid141
Engine oil141
Coolant143
Brake fluid144
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System145
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications146
California Proposition
65 Warning146
OBD interface socket147
Replacement procedures:
Onboard tool kit150
Windshield wiper blades150
Lamps and bulbs151
Changing a wheel154
Battery160
Fuses160
Assistance, giving and
receiving:
Jump-starting162
Towing the vehicle164
21n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Indicator and warning lamps
Automatic transmission
*
Because of a malfunction, the
automatic transmission shifts
only in the emergency program. Please
consult the nearest BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center.
For additional information: refer to
page 67.
Brake pads
*
l
Have the brake pads checked.
For additional information: refer
to page 132.
Self-leveling suspension
* l
Self-leveling suspension is inac-
tive. Please consult the nearest
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
For additional information: refer to
page 94.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC l
Fault in the DBC system.
Conventional braking perfor-
mance remains available with no loss of
efficiency.
Please have the system checked and
repaired by your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center.
For additional information: refer to
page 92.
Dynamic Brake Control DBC
warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC
l
Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is active and governs drive
and braking force.
The warning lamp comes on and stays
on while driving:
DSC has been switched off with the
button. If, after repeatedly pressing the
DSC button, the warning lamp still does
not go off, then that means that the
DSC, HDC and the vehicle's road-
holding ability are defective.
Please have the system checked by the
nearest BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center.
For additional information: refer to
pages 91 and 93.
Engine electronics
*
There is a fault in the engine's
electronic control system. You
can continue to drive with reduced
engine output or engine speed. Please
have the system checked by your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
Tire Pressure Monitor RDC
* l
Check tire inflation pressures,
refer to pages 26, 97.
Service Engine Soon l
If the indicator lamp comes on
either continuously or intermit-
tently, this indicates a fault in the
emissions-related electronic systems.
Although the vehicle remains opera-
tional, you should have the systems
checked by your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center at the earliest possible
opportunity.
For additional information: refer to
page 147.
Service Engine Soon warning
lamp for Canadian models.
Check Filler Cap
* l
This indicator lamp comes on
when the fuel filler cap is loose
or missing.
Close the filler cap tightly: refer to
page 25.
26n
Fuel specifications Tire inflation pressures 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.<
Check tire pressures All pressure specifications are indicated
in psi/kilopascal for tires at ambient
temperature, refer also to the table on
the next page.
Vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitor
RDC:
After correcting the inflation pressures,
reactivate the system, refer to page 97.530de225
Check tire inflation pressures
regularly Ñ at least every two
weeks and before beginning a longer
trip. Incorrect tire pressure can other-
wise lead to poor handling, tire damage
and accidents.
Check the tire inflation pressure of the
spare tire. Inflate the spare tire to
the highest inflation pressure of any tire
on your vehicle.<
Comply with tire approval
specificationsThe inflation pressures in the table
apply to tire sizes and tires from BMW-
approved manufacturers. Your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center is
familiar with these pressures. A
different inflation pressure may be
required for tire makes not approved by
BMW.
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.
27n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Tire inflation pressures BMW Tires
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires,
cold = ambient temperature
X5 All sizes 32/220 32/220 32/220 39/270
78n
Check Control>CHECK BRAKE FLUID
Indicates that brake fluid is down to
approximately the minimum level.
Top off the brake fluid at the next
opportunity, refer to page 144. Have
the cause of the brake fluid loss diag-
nosed and corrected by your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle center
>TIRE LOW/FLAT
*
Reduce vehicle speed immediately
and stop the vehicle. Avoid hard
brake applications. Do not oversteer,
refer to page 98
>SELFLEVEL SUSP.INACT
*
Please consult the nearest
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center
>SELFLEVEL SUSP.INACT
*
max. 35 mph/max. 60 km/h
*
These displays appear consecutively.
Do not exceed a maximum speed of
35 mph/60 km/h.
Please consult the nearest BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle center
>LIMIT
*
You will see this message if the pro-
grammed speed limit has been
exceeded, refer to page 85.Priority 2
These displays appear for 20 seconds
when the ignition key is turned to posi-
tion 2. The warning symbols remain
after the message disappears. You can
call up the messages again for display
by pressing the CHECK button.
>TRUNKLID OPEN
This message appears only at the
start of a trip
>DOOR OPEN
This message appears after a min-
imal defined road speed has been
exceeded
>FASTEN SEAT BELTS
*
In addition to this message, an indi-
cator lamp with the safety belt icon
appears and an acoustical signal is
sounded
>WASHER FLUID LOW
The fluid level is too low; top off at
the next opportunity, refer to
page 141
>CHECK ENGINE OIL LEV
The oil level is at the absolute min-
imum; refill as soon as possible, refer
to page 141. Do not drive more than
approx. 30 miles/50 km until you add
oil >CHECK FILLER CAP
Check to see whether the fuel filler
cap has been closed properly, refer
to page 25
>OUTSIDE TEMP. +23 7/Ð5 6
This display is only an example. The
current temperature is displayed at
outside temperatures of +37.5 7/
+3 6 and below, refer also to
page 73
>TIRE PRESSURE SET
*
The RDC has imported the current
inflation pressure in the tires as the
target values which the system will
monitor, refer to page 97
>CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
*
Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure to specifications at the ear-
liest opportunity, e.g. next stop to
refuel, refer to page 97
>TIRECONTROL INACTIVE
*
A temporary interference of the RDC
or a system fault, refer to page 98
>CHECK BRAKE LIGHTS
A lamp has failed or the electrical
circuit has a fault, refer to page 153
or consult a BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center
97n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Tire Pressure Monitor RDC*The conceptRDC monitors the tire pressures at all
four tires, even when the vehicle is
moving. The system provides an alert
whenever the inflation pressure drops
significantly below the specified pres-
sure in one or more tires.
In order for the system to learn the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure, check the
inflation pressures in all tires, refer to
the table on page 27 and make any
necessary corrections. Then activate
the system.
This indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster or the Check Con-
trol will inform you if the tire
pressure is different from the learned
values.
To switch the system on1. Turn the ignition key to position 2, do
not start the engine
2. Maintain pressure on the button until
the yellow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster comes on for sev-
eral seconds or the message Ð TIRE
PRESSURE SET Ð appears in the
Check Control
3. After you have driven for a few min-
utes, the RDC will import the current
inflation pressure in the tires as the
reference values which the system
will monitor.
You will only have to repeat this proce-
dure if the tire inflation pressure must
be corrected. Otherwise, the RDC func-
tions automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2, and thus operates
whenever the vehicle is driven.530de232
Loss of tire pressureIf, after a certain period of time, the
inflation pressure has gone down sig-
nificantly, which is normal for any tire,
the yellow indicator lamp comes on or
the message Ð CHECK TIRE PRES-
SURE Ð appears in the Check Control.
This alerts you that you should have the
tires inflated to the specified pressures
as soon as possible.
If you are prompted to check the
tire pressure shortly after a cor-
rection has been made, this indicates
that the corrected values were not
accurate. Please check the inflation
pressure again and make corrections
according to the inflation pressure
table. After that reactivate the system.<
98n
Tire Pressure Monitor RDC
*
Adaptive brake light
Flat tireIf there is a tire failure with a loss of
inflation pressure, the red indicator
lamp comes on or the message Ð TIRE
LOW/FLAT Ð appears in the Check
Control. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds.
If this occurs, reduce vehicle speed
immediately and stop the vehicle in a
safe location. Avoid hard brake applica-
tions. Do not oversteer. Replace the flat
tire.
The spare tire which is available in
your vehicle as standard equip-
ment is equipped with the electronics
required for RDC and, following activa-
tion of the system, is also monitored
after it is mounted.<
RDC cannot alert you to severe
and sudden tire damage caused
by external factors.<
Have the tires changed at your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center.
Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center has the information needed for
working with RDC and is equipped with
the necessary special tools.<
System malfunctionDuring the period of the malfunction,
the yellow indicator lamp comes on or
the message Ð TIRECONTROL INAC-
TIVE Ð appears in the Check Control.
You will also see the same message
>in the event of a system malfunction
>if a wheel is mounted without the
RDC electronics
>if, in addition to the spare tire, addi-
tional wheels with RDC electronics
are on board
>after installation of one or several
wheels with an electronics system
still unknown to the system.
It takes a few minutes to learn the
new wheel electronics ID numbers
after system activation. Only then can
RDC detect and report a flat tire.
Please contact your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center for additional
information.The adaptive brake light provides
drivers of following vehicles with an
indication of the intensity with which
the brakes are being applied in your
own vehicle.
The display occurs in two stages:
>Normal braking:
The brake light units within the tail
lamps and the high-mount brake
lamp integrated within the rear
spoiler both light up with normal
intensity
>Hard braking or braking with ABS
active:
The tail lamps also come on, lighting
up with the same intensity as the
brake lamps to provide a more con-
spicuous warning.