2003 BMW X5 4.6IS airbag

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

Controls and features

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags55
Transporting children safely58
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory61

Driving:

Ignition lock62
Starting the engine62
Switching off the engine63
Parking brake64
Manual transmission64
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic65
Indicator/Headlamp flasher68
Washer/Wiper system/Rain
sensor68
Cruise control71

Everything under control:

Odometer, outside temperature
display73
Tachometer74
Energy control74
Temperature gauge75
Fuel gauge75
Coolant temperature gauge76
Service Interval Display76
Check Control77
Computer80
Multi-Information Display
MID81
Digital clock in the MID82
Computer in the MID85

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control PDC90
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC91
Hill Descent Control HDC93
Self-leveling suspension94
2-axle self-leveling
suspension94
Tire Pressure Monitor RDC97
Adaptive brake light98

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams99
Instrument lighting100
High beams/Standing
lamps100
Fog lamps100
Interior lamps101

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Air conditioner102
Automatic climate control105
Roller sun blinds111
Independent ventilation
system111

Cabin convenience:

BMW Universal Transmitter112
Glove compartment115
Storage compartments116
Cellular phone116
Beverage holder116
Glasses compartment117
Ashtray, front117
Ashtray, rear118
Cigarette lighter, rear118

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag119
Cargo area
Fold the rear backrests
down120
Cargo area cover121
Partition net122
Cover panels in the cargo
area123
Power outlets124
Pull-out cargo floor124
Cargo loading126
Roof-mounted luggage rack127

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Indicator and warning lamps

Red or yellow: continue to drive;
drive cautiously

If the brake warning lamp
comes on red together with the
yellow warning lamps for ABS
and DSC:
Continue to drive; drive
cautiously and defensively and
avoid full brake applications.
Have the system checked by the
nearest BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center.
For additional information: refer to
pages 91 and 132.
If all three warning lamps come on
yellow:
Continue to drive; drive cautiously and
defensively and avoid full brake appli-
cations.
Have the system checked by your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center as
soon as possible.
Warning lamps for Canadian
models.

Red: an important reminder

Parking brake

*
Comes on when the parking
brake is engaged.
For additional information: refer to
page 64.
Parking brake

*
warning lamp


for
Canadian models.
Please fasten safety belts

l

Lights up either for a few
seconds or, depending on
model, until the belt is engaged.
Depending on model, together with an
acoustic signal

*
or a message

*
in the
Check Control.
For additional information on safety
belts: refer to page 49.
Airbags

l

Please have the system
inspected by your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center.
For additional information: refer to
page 55.

Yellow: check as soon as possible

Antilock Brake System ABS

l

ABS has been deactivated in
response to system malfunction.
Conventional braking performance
remains available with no loss of effi-
ciency. Please have the system
inspected by your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center.
For additional information: refer to
page 132.
ABS warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Engine oil level
Comes on while driving:
The oil level is at the absolute
minimum; refill as soon as possible. Do
not drive more than approx. 30 miles/
50 km until you do.
For additional information: refer to
page 141.
Engine oil level
Comes on after the engine has
been switched off: add engine
oil at your earliest opportunity, e.g.
when you stop to refuel.
For additional information: refer to
page 141.

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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

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Safety beltsDrive with your safety belt on Even though there is an airbag, wear a
safety belt every time you get in the
vehicle, because airbags enhance
safety by providing added protection.To lockMake sure you hear the lock engage in
the belt buckle.
Please fasten safety belts
warning lamp
Lights up either for a few
seconds or until the belt is engaged.To unlock1. Press the red button in the buckle
2. Hold the belt
3. Guide the belt back into its reel.530us034
In the rear, the belt buckle with
the word CENTER is intended
exclusively for passengers sitting in the
middle.
If it is not possible to extract the center
belt, this indicates that the larger back-
rest is not securely locked, refer to
page 120.<
Safety belt height adjustmentYou can adjust the safety belts to fit
your own physical dimensions by using
the safety belt height adjustment:
Slide the button up or down as
required.
Also observe the instructions on
adjusting the seats on page 44.
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses involved
in an accident or otherwise damaged:
Have the entire safety belt system
replaced by your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center. In addition, have your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center
inspect the safety belt anchors. Other-
wise, the safety function can no longer
be ensured.c530de259

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Airbags1 Front airbag for driver and front
passenger
2 Side Impact Head Protection System
for front and rear
3 Side airbags for front and rear
*
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety
belts by helping to provide additional
protection for the front-seat occupants
in the event of a severe frontal impact in
which the protection afforded by the
safety belts alone may no longer be suf-
Þcient. The Side Impact Head Protection
System and the side airbags help pro-
vide protection in the event of a side
impact. Each of the side airbags is
designed to help support the upper
body. 530us035
The side airbags in the rear
passenger area
* of your vehicle
may already have been deactivated
either at the time of manufacture or by a
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
You may have them activated if you
desire to do so. Please contact your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center for
additional information.<
For information on the correct seating
position, refer to page 44.
The airbags will not be triggered in
the event of a minor accident, a
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the
rear.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not attempt to remove the
airbag restraint system from the
vehicle. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation, or triggered actuation Ð as
a response to an accident Ð of the
airbag restraint system, consult your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center for
testing, repairs or service operations.
Do not modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in
the airbag system. These include the
padded steering wheel hub, the instru-
ment panel, the side trim panels of the
front or rear doors and the roof pillars or
the sides of the headliner. Do not
remove or dismantle the steering wheel
yourself. To ensure compliance with
official safety regulations, entrust
disposal of airbag generators to a
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
Unprofessional attempts to service the
system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation,
either of which could result in personal
injury. Do not touch the individual
components directly after the system
has been triggered, as otherwise there
is a danger of burns.<

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Airbags
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained
Ð infants and small children in appro-
priate child-restraint systems; larger
children and adults using the safety
belts.
Never let an occupant's head rest near
or on a side airbag because the inflating
airbag could cause a serious or fatal
injury. Please note that the word Airbag
imprinted on the door trim panel indi-
cates the airbag's location.
Accident research shows that the
safest place for children in an auto-
mobile is in the rear seat. However, a
child sitting in the rear seat and not
properly restrained may place his or her
head on or near the airbag, if so
equipped.
For example, a child Ñ even though
belted Ñ may fall asleep with his or her
head against the side airbag. It may be
difficult for a driver to ensure that chil-
dren in the rear seat will remain prop-
erly positioned at all times and do not
place their heads on or near the side
airbag. Therefore, we recommend that
the rear side airbags, if provided, be
deactivated if you plan to transport
children in the rear seat.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle center. Labels in
the rear door opening should indicate
the status of your rear seat side
airbags. If you are uncertain of their
status, or wish to have the airbags acti-
vated or deactivated, please contact
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center.<
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual
risk of injuries to the face, hands and
arms occurring from airbag deployment
in isolated instances. The ignition and
inflation noise may provoke a mild
temporary hearing loss in extremely
sensitive individuals.
Airbag warning information is also pro-
vided on both sun visors. This is the right way a child should sit in
a child-restraint device when rear side
airbags, refer to arrow, are provided.
530us026

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
AirbagsThis is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the safety belt when
rear side airbags, refer to arrow, are
provided. 530us099
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster shows the opera-
tional status of the airbag
system from ignition key position 1
and up.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
then goes out.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to come on
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
before going out and then lighting up
again.
If there is a system malfunction, have
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center inspect the system immediately.
If you do not, there is a risk that the air-
bags will not be triggered within their
normal response range, even if the level
of impact would normally have trig-
gered them.

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Transporting children safely

Center seating position:
The head restraint must be adjusted
into the lowest possible position. Pass
the tether strap over the head restraint.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.530au002
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the
front passenger. Because the backrest
on any rearward-facing child-restraint
system, of the kind designed for infants
under 1 year and 20 Ibs/9 kg, would be
within the airbag's deployment range,
you should never mount such a device
in the front passenger seat, since the
impact of the airbag against the child
restraint's backrest could lead to
serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child, not an
infant, to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the instrument panel as possible.
This important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the
airbag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with a safety
belt, after they have outgrown a booster
seat that is appropriate for their age,
height and weight.
Younger children should be secured in
an appropriate forward-facing child-
restraint system that has first been
properly secured with a safety belt.
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
child restraint's manufacturer when-
ever you use such a device.
Be sure that all occupants, of all ages,
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your
vehicle meet the recommendations of
SAE J1819, an industry-recommended
practice for securing child-restraint sys-
tems in motor vehicles.