2004 BMW X5 4.4I Owner's Manual

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Tire identification marks Wheel/tire condition TractionThe traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.< TemperatureThe temperature grades are A, the
highest, B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tem-
perature can lead to a sudden flat tire.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible a tire failure.< M+SWinter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties
than summer tires.
Wheel/tire damage Inspect your wheels and tires frequently
for tread wear, signs of damage and for
foreign objects lodged in the tread.
Check the tread pattern depth.
Due to low-profile tires, please
note that wheels, tires and sus-
pension parts are more susceptible to
road hazard and consequential dam-
ages. Unusual vibrations encountered
during normal vehicle operation can
indicate tire failure or some other vehi-
cle defect. This can, for example, be
caused by driving over curbs. This is
also true for irregularities in the vehi-
cle's handling characteristics, such as a
pronounced tendency to pull to the left
or right. Should this occur, respond by
immediately reducing your speed.
Carefully proceed – or have your vehi-
cle towed – to the nearest BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center or tire dealer to
have the wheels or tires inspected.
Tire damage, extending to sudden and
complete loss of pressure in extreme
cases, can pose a potentially lethal
safety hazard for the vehicle's occu-
pants and other road users alike.<

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Wheel/tire condition Replacing wheels/tiresTire treadThe tread depth should not fall below
e in/3 mm.
At tread depths below e in/3 mm there
is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small
amounts of water are present on the
road surface.
As winter tires display a noticeable loss
in their ability to cope with cold-
weather driving conditions once the
tread wears to below k/K in/4 mm, to
ensure continued safety you should
always have such tires replaced.Wear indicators at the tread-groove
base, arrow, are distributed over the
tire's circumference and are marked on
the side of the tire with TWI – Tread
Wear Indicator. These indicators signal
at a tread depth of k/FK in/1.6 mm that
the legally permitted wear limit has
been reached.
390de331
Unprofessional attempts by lay-
men to service tires can lead to
damage and accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. The technicians at
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle cen-
ter will be glad to assist you with the
required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment.<
The correct wheel and tire combination
also affects various systems whose
function would otherwise be impaired,
e.g. ABS, DSC, xDrive.
Have the wheel and tire assemblies bal-
anced every time either a wheel or a tire
is replaced.
BMW does not recommend the
use of retread tires, as otherwise
driving safety may be reduced. Possible
variations in the design and the age –
which could be substantial – of the car-
casses can lead to unusually rapid
wear.<

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Replacing wheels/tires Snow chains
*
The right wheels and tires
BMW recommends that you use
only wheel and tire combinations
that BMW has tested and approved for
your particular vehicle. Variations in
factors such as manufacturing toler-
ances mean that even wheels and tires
with identical official size ratings could
actually have different dimensions than
the approved units – these differences
could lead to body contact, and with it
the risk of severe accidents. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used,
BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot be held liable for
driving safety.<
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single
tread configuration from a single manu-
facturer. After a flat tire, always remem-
ber to have the original wheel and tire
combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
Special features of winter tires BMW recommends winter tires for use
in cold winter driving conditions.
Although all-season M+S tires provide
better winter traction than summer
tires, they generally fail to provide the
same levels of cold-weather perfor-
mance as winter tires.
When switching to winter tires, observe
the description under Tire condition,
page 143, and Replacing wheels/tires.
Observing speed ratings:
Never exceed the maximum
speed for which the winter tires
are rated. Unprofessional attempts by
laymen to service tires can lead to dam-
age and accidents. Have this work per-
formed by skilled professionals only.
The technicians at your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center will be glad to
assist you with the required profes-
sional knowledge and specialized
equipment. place, protecting them against light
whenever possible. Always protect tires
against all contact with oil, grease and
fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire infla-
tion pressure indicated on the side wall
of the tire.
Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and classified and
approved as safe. Consult your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle center for
details. BMW recommends only using
these approved, narrow-link snow
chains. Use is only permitted in pairs on
the rear wheels with the following tire
sizes:
X5 4.8is: 255/55 R 18
All other models: 235/65 R 17
Observe the manufacturer's instruc-
tions when installing snow chains.
Do not exceed a maximum speed of
30 mph/50 km/h.
After mounting snow chains, do
not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor.
When you are driving with snow chains,
it can be beneficial to switch off DSC
briefly, refer to page 95.<

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Hood Unlocking Pull the lever located under the left side
of the instrument cluster.
Never attempt to perform any ser-
vice or repair operations on your
vehicle without the required profes-
sional technical training. If you are not
familiar with the regulations to be
observed, only have work on your vehi-
cle carried out by a BMW Sports Activ-
ity Vehicle center or a workshop that
uses personnel trained in accordance
with BMW requirements. If this work is
not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.<530de295
Opening Pull the release handle and open the
hood. 530de296
Closing Allow the hood to fall from a height of
about 12 in/30 cm so that it audibly
engages.
Observe the same precautions
that apply to all closing operations
by ensuring that the hood's travel range
is clear and unobstructed before allow-
ing the hood to fall into position.
If it is determined that the hood is not
completely closed while driving, stop
immediately and close it securely.< 530de369

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1Engine oil dipstick148
2Brake fluid reservoir, located beneath
the microfilter cover1513Auxiliary terminal for jump-
starting171
4Coolant expansion tank1505Engine oil filler neck148
6Reservoir for windshield and
headlamp washer system148Engine compartment essentials
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Washer fluid Engine oilWindshield and headlamp washer
system Approximate capacity is 8.2 quarts/
7.8 liters.
Fill with water and — if required — with
the addition of a washer antifreeze,
according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
We recommend that you mix the
washer fluid before adding it to
the reservoir.<
Antifreeze agent for the washer
systems is inflammable. For this
reason, keep it away from sources of
flame and store it only in its original
containers. Store it so that it is inacces-
sible to children. Comply with the
instructions on the containers.< 530de298
Checking oil level 1. Park the vehicle on a level surface
2. Switch the engine off after it has
reached normal operating tempera-
ture
3. After approx. 5 minutes, pull the dip-
stick out and wipe it off with a clean
lint-free cloth, paper towel, or similar
material
4. Push the dipstick carefully all the way
into the guide tube and pull it out
again
5. The oil level should be in between
the two marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption
is directly influenced by your driving
style and vehicle operating conditions. 530us100
The oil volume between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts/1 liter. Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine.
X5 4.8is:
With a very sporty driving style, the
engine oil level should be at the upper
mark on the dipstick.530us205

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Engine oil Adding engine oil Wait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark before adding oil.
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 dis-
posal of used oil.< 530de326
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 concern-
ing the specific BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil or synthetic oils
which have been approved.<
You can also call BMW of North Amer-
ica at 1-800-831-1117 or visit this web-
site: www.bmwusa.com to obtain this
information.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without additives, and
their use could even lead to damage in
some cases.<
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.

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Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling
system when the engine is hot.
Escaping coolant can cause burns.<
Coolant consists of water and coolant
additive. Not all commercially available
additives are suitable for your BMW.
Ask your BMW Sport Activity Vehicle
center for suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, as
otherwise engine damage may
result. The additives present a health
hazard.<
Always observe all applicable
environmental rules and regula-
tions when disposing of used coolant
additives.<
Checking coolant level 1. The engine must be at ambient tem-
perature
2. Start by turning the cap of the expan-
sion tank counter-clockwise. Pause
to allow any accumulated pressure to
escape, then open
3. The coolant level is correct when the
end of the red float is aligned with
the upper edge of the filler opening,
refer to the arrow in the illustration,
or max. 0.8 in/2 cm higher, i. e. up to
the mark on the float, refer also to the
schematic diagram, next to the cap530us102
4. If the coolant is low, slowly add cool-
ant up to the specified level – do not
overfill
5. Twist closed the cap and tighten
firmly
6. Have the reason for the coolant loss
eliminated as soon as possible.