2004 BMW X3 3.0I Owner's Manual

Owner's Manual
for Vehicle

X3 2.5i
X3 3.0i

We are very glad that you have decided to purchase a
BMW.
The more familiar you are with it, the more secure you will
be on the roads. This is why we ask you:
Please read the information we have gathered for you in
this owner's manual before you set off with your new BMW.
You receive important information on vehicle operation
that enables you to make full use of the technical benefits
of your BMW. You will also find information on mainte-
nance that serves to retain the operating and road safety as
well as the best possible value retention of your vehicle.
You will find supplementary information in other brochures.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent
part of this vehicle. It should stay with the vehicle when
sold to provide the next owner with important operating,
safety and maintenance information.
We wish you good and safe driving.
BMW AG

© 2003 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprints, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 157 631
US English VIII/03
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper,
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility

Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to
use the index, refer to page 119.

Using this Owner's Manual

4Notes

At a glance

10Cockpit

Controls

18Opening and closing
27Adjustments
34Transporting children safely
37Driving
45Everything under control
49Technology for comfort, convenience
and safety
57Lamps
60A congenial climate
66Practical interior accessories

Driving tips

76Things to remember when driving

Mobility

84Refueling
86Wheels and tires
92Under the engine hood
97Maintenance
98Laws and regulations
99Replacing components
107Giving and receiving assistance

Reference

114Technical data
117Everything from A to Z

Notes

4

Notes
Using this Owner's Manual

We have made every effort to ensure that
you are able to find what you need in this
Owner's Manual as quickly as possible.
The fastest way to find certain topics is by
using the detailed index at the end. For a
brief initial overview, please refer to the first
chapter.
Should you sell your BMW some day,
please remember to hand over the Owner's
Manual as well; it is an important compo-
nent of your vehicle.

Additional sources of information

If you have additional questions, your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center is always
happy to advise you.
You can find information on BMW, e.g.
technology, on the Internet at
www.bmwusa.com.

Symbols used

Indicates precautions that must be
followed precisely in order to avoid
the possibility of personal injury and seri-
ous damage to the vehicle.
Contains information that will assist
you in gaining the optimum benefit
from your vehicle and enable you to care
more effectively for your vehicle.
Refers to measures that can be taken
to help protect the environment.

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Marks the end of a specific item of infor-
mation.

*
Indicates special equipment, country-
specific equipment and optional extras
when available.
Vehicle Memory, Key Memory, refer
to page 33. Identifies functions that
can be specifically adapted for a particular
key or vehicle. These adjustments can be
performed either by yourself or by your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.

Symbols on vehicle components

Indicates that you should consult the
relevant section of this Owner's Man-
ual for information on a particular part or
assembly.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility

5

The individual vehicle

On buying your BMW, you have decided in
favor of a model with individualized equip-
ment and features. This Owner's Manual
describes all models and equipment that
BMW offers within the same group.
We hope you will understand that equip-
ment and features are included that you
might not have chosen for your vehicle.
Sections describing options and special
equipment are marked by asterisks

*

to
assist you in identifying possible differ-
ences between the descriptions in this
manual and your own vehicle's equipment.
Should your BMW be equipped with fea-
tures or accessories not described in this
manual, e.g. car radio or portable phone,
please consult the enclosed supplemen-
tary owner's manuals.

Editorial notice

BMW pursues a policy of continuous,
ongoing development that is conceived to
ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety
standards combined with advanced, state-
of-the-art technology. For this reason, the
features described in this Owner's Manual
may differ from those on your vehicle. Nor
can errors and omissions be entirely ruled
out. You are therefore asked to appreciate
that no claims can be entertained on the
basis of the data, illustrations or descrip-
tions in this Owner's Manual.

Notes

6

For your own safety

Fuels

Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including 10 %
ethanol or other oxygenates with up to
2.8 % oxygen by weight, i.e. 15% MTBE or
3% methanol plus an equivalent amount of
co-solvent Ð will not void the applicable
warranties respecting defects in materials
or workmanship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel quality Ð
i.e. volatility, composition, additives, etc. Ð
among gasolines offered for sale in the
United States and Canada. The use of
poor-quality fuels may result in driveability,
starting and stalling problems especially
under certain environmental conditions,
such as high ambient temperature and high
altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be related to
the fuel you are using, we recommend that
you respond by switching to a recognized
high-quality brand.
Failure to comply with these recommenda-
tions may result in unscheduled mainte-
nance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when you
are handling gasoline.

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Maintenance and repair

Advanced technology, e.g. the use of
modern materials and high-perfor-
mance electronics, requires specially
adapted maintenance and repair methods.
Therefore, only have corresponding work
on your BMW carried out by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair proce-
dures with correspondingly trained person-
nel. If work is carried out improperly, there
is a danger of consequential damage and
the related safety risks.

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Parts and accessories

For your own safety, use genuine
parts and accessories approved by
BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Genuine BMW
Parts, you simultaneously acquire the
assurance that they have been thoroughly
tested by BMW to ensure optimum perfor-
mance when installed on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for dam-
ages resulting from installation of parts and
accessories not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made by
other manufacturers to verify if it can be
used on a BMW safely and without risk to
either the vehicle, its operation, or its occu-
pants.
Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on using
these items, are available from all BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels,
suspension components, brake dust
shields, telephones Ð including operation of
any portable phone from within the vehicle
without using an externally mounted
antenna Ð or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkie, ham radio or
similar accessories, may cause extensive
damage to the vehicle, compromise its
safety, interfere with the vehicle's electrical
system or affect the validity of the BMW
Limited Warranty. See your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center for additional infor-
mation.

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Maintenance, replacement, or repair
of the emission control devices and
systems may be performed by any automo-
tive repair establishment or individual using
any certified automotive part.

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