2006 BMW X3 3.0I light

Lamps
58 If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
Instrument lighting
Turn the knurled wheel to adjust the illumina-
tion intensity.
Interior lamps
The interior lamps operate automatically.
If you wish, the interior lamps are
switched on after mechanical unlocking
of the vehicle. You may have this function acti-
vated/deactivated if you wish.<
If the interior lamps remain switched on
after locking the vehicle, one of the doors
or the liftgate may not be completely closed.<
Switching interior lamps on and off
Briefly press button 1.
If you want the interior lamps to remain off all
the time, press and hold the button for approx.
3seconds.
Press the button briefly to revert to normal
operation.
You can have your interior lamps set to
dim smoothly to the desired level when
you switch them on or off.<
Front reading lamps*
Switch on and off with buttons 2.
Rear reading lamps*
Switch on and off with the button.
To avoid discharging the battery, all of the
vehicle's interior lamps are automatically
extinguished approx. 15 minutes after the igni-
tion is switched off.<

Practical interior accessories
66 The corresponding memory button1 is now
programmed with the signal of the original
hand-held transmitter.
You can use the system when the engine is run-
ning or when the ignition is switched on.
If the system cannot be operated after
repeated programming, check whether
the original hand-held transmitter uses an alter-
nating-code system. To do so, either read the
instructions of the original hand-held transmit-
ter or press and hold down the programmed
memory button 1 of the integrated universal
remote control. If the LED2 on the integrated
universal remote control flashes rapidly for a
short time then lights up for approx. 2 seconds,
this indicates that the original hand-held trans-
mitter uses an alternating-code system. In the
case of an alternating-code system, program
the memory buttons 1 as described in the sec-
tion below on alternating-code transmitters.<
Alternating-code transmitters
Consult the operating instructions of the unit
you wish to set when programming the univer-
sal remote control. You will find information
there on the possibilities for synchronization.
When programming hand-held transmitters
that employ an alternating code, please follow
these additional instructions:
Programming will be easier with the aid of
a second person.<
1.Park your vehicle within the range of the
remote-controlled equipment.
2.Program the integrated universal remote
control as described above in the section on
Fixed-code hand-held transmitters.
3.Locate the button on the receiver of the
equipment to be set, e.g. on its drive unit.
4.Press the button on the receiver of the
device you want to set up. After step 4, you
have approx. 30 seconds for step 5.
5.Press the programmed memory button1
of the integrated universal remote control
three times.The corresponding memory button1 is now
programmed with the signal of the original
hand-held transmitter.
If you have questions, please contact your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.<
Deleting stored programs
Press both outer buttons1 for approx. 20 sec-
onds, maintaining pressure until the LED2
starts to flash: all stored programs are deleted.
It is not possible to delete individual programs.
Cup holders
Do not place glass containers in the cup
holders; otherwise, there is a danger of
injury in the event of an accident.<
Front
Depending on your optional equipment, the
center console contains either one or two cup
holders.
Passenger side*
The cup holder for the front passenger is
located beneath the air vent.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
67
To open: briefly press the cover in the middle.
To close: press the cover in the middle and slide
the cup holder in.
Rear
A cup holder is located in the center armrest at
the rear:
Press the button to open.
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle. The lamp inside the glove com-
partment comes on.
Closing
Fold the cover up.
To prevent injury in the event of an acci-
dent while the vehicle is being driven,
close the glove compartment immediately after
use.<
Locking
Use one of the master keys. A master key is also
required for unlocking.
If you only hand over the spare key, e.g.
for valet parking at a hotel, refer to
page18, then the glove compartment cannot
be unlocked.<
Rechargeable flashlight
The flashlight is located on the left side of the
glove compartment. It can remain plugged in
continuously. Remove the flashlight from the
socket whenever you need it.
To avoid damage, be sure that the flash-
light is switched off when it is inserted
into its holder.<
Storage compartments
Armrest, front*
The armrest contains two storage compart-
ments.
>Compartment for CDs:
Press button1.
>Compartment for coins and miscellaneous
items:
Press button2.

Practical interior accessories
68
Armrest, rear
The rear armrest contains a storage compart-
ment:
To open, pull the cover upward.
Storage compartment in the
instrument panel*
Opening
Press the button in the direction of the arrow.
Closing
Fold the cover down.
Storage package*
Your convenience is enhanced by:
>Armrest, front
>Sliding lashing eyes in cargo area, refer to
page73
>Floor cover in cargo area that can be used in
two positions, refer to page72
>Nets in cargo area, on rear side of front seat,
and in passenger footwell
Clothes hooks
When suspending clothing from the
hooks ensure that it will not obstruct the
driver's vision. Do not hang heavy objects on
the hooks. If you do so, they could endanger
passengers during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.<
Ashtray*
Emptying
Press the edge of the opened cover: the ashtray
moves up and can be removed.
On vehicles with the non-smoker's equipment
package, the insert is removed in the same way.
Lighter*
Press in the cigarette lighter1.
The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops
out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains operational when
the ignition key has been removed. For this rea-
son, do not leave unsupervised children in the
vehicle.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
69
Connecting electrical devices
You can use electrical devices such as flash-
lights, car vacuum cleaners, or the like with
power ratings of up to approx. 200 W at 12 V if
at least one of the following connection points
is provided. Avoid damage to the socket caused
by inserting plugs of the wrong shape or size.
Lighter socket
Remove cigarette lighter from its socket.
With the non-smoker's equipment package the
socket is covered with a removable cap.
Power socket in cargo area
Fold the cover upward.
Car phone preparation*
Hands-free system
In vehicles with car phone preparation*, the
hands-free microphone is located on the head-
liner near the interior lamp.
For more information on the car phone, refer to
the Owner's Manual for Telephone.
Ski bag*
The ski bag allows the safe and clean transport
of up to four pairs of standard skis or up to two
snowboards.
The ski bag allows you to stow skis up to a
length of up to 6.8 ft/2.1 m. When skis of 6.8 ft/
2.1 m in length are loaded, the ski bag will tend
to narrow, reducing its overall capacity.
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest, pull off the
cover panel, press the button and disen-
gage the door.
2.Press the button again; the door in the
cargo area opens. If you press the button
firmly the first time, this also opens the door
in the cargo area.
3.Place the ski bag between the front seats
and load.
The zipper facilitates access to the stowed
items.
4.Insert the latch plate of the ski bag retaining
belt into the center safety belt buckle.
Make sure to load only clean skis into the ski
bag. Wrap sharp edges so that no damage
occurs.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
71
evasive maneuvers, thus endangering the pas-
sengers.<
To ensure that the safety belts continue
to provide optimal protection, please fol-
low the instructions on page26.<
Ski bag*
To create a flat cargo surface, you can remove
the ski bag and replace it with a tray before
folding the rear backrest forward. The tray is
inserted in the same way as inserting the ski
bag, refer to Inserting ski bag.70
Cargo area cover
Pull the cargo area cover out by the handle and
hook it into the rear holders.
You can carry light objects such as articles of
clothing on the cargo area cover.
Never place heavy, hard objects on the
cover. If you do so, they could endanger
passengers during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.
Do not allow the cover to snap back into place;
this can damage it.<
Removal
1.Press the side buttons, refer to arrow1.
2.Pull the case toward the rear, refer to
arrow2.
Installation
Push the case forward into the two side holders
until it locks into place.
Stowing* when rear seat back is folded
down
Holders for the case are mounted on the backs
of the rear seat backs, refer to arrows1.
Guide in the case from the right side until it
locks into place, refer to arrow 2. As you do this,
the cargo area cover must always point in the
direction of travel and the loop of the partition
net must point upward.
You can pull out the partition net and insert it
into the holders in the roof area above.

Things to remember when driving
76
Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in
Moving parts should be allowed to adjust to one
another. To ensure that your vehicle provides
maximum economy throughout a long service
life, we request that you observe the following
instructions.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
For the first 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and driving speeds, but
do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph / 160 km/h
in the process.
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid press-
ing the accelerator beyond the kick-down point.
After 1,200 miles/2000 km
Engine and road speed can be gradually
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. For this reason, drive with extra care
during the initial 200 miles/300 km.
Obey your local and state maximum speed lim-
its.
When the vehicle is operated on wet or
slushy roads, a wedge of water may form
between the tire and the road surface. This phe-
nomenon is referred to as hydroplaning and can
lead to partial or complete loss of traction, vehi-
cle control and braking effectiveness. Reduce
your speed on wet roads.<
Brake system
Your vehicle must travel approx. 300 miles/
500 km before the brake pads and rotors
achieve the optimal pad-surface and wear patterns required for trouble-free operation and
long service life later on.
To break in the separate handbrake drums,
apply the handbrake lightly when coasting to a
stop – at a traffic signal, for instance; use cau-
tion to avoid posing a danger to other road
users.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure from
time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on when the
handbrake is applied.
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the vehicle
with the engine off – e.g., by towing – substan-
tially higher levels of pedal force will be required
to brake the vehicle.<
Clutch
The function of the clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following component replacements
Follow the break-in sequence again if compo-
nents addressed above must be replaced due
to subsequent driving.
General driving notes
Close the liftgate
Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate
is completely closed; otherwise, exhaust
fumes could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
liftgate open:

Things to remember when driving
78
Safe braking
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as standard
equipment. In situations in which it is required, it
is best to apply the brakes fully. Since the vehi-
cle maintains steering responsiveness, you can
nevertheless avoid possible obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits indicates to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Wet roads
On wet roads or in heavy rain, briefly apply light
pressure to the brake pedal every few miles.
Watch traffic conditions to ensure that this
maneuver does not endanger other road users.
The heat that is generated by the brake applica-
tions helps to dry the brake pads and rotors.
The full braking force will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and reduced effi-
ciency of the brake system, drive long or
steep downhill grades in the gear in which the
least braking is required. Otherwise, even light
but continuous pressure on the brake can lead
to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
The braking action of the engine can be further
intensified by downshifting, all the way down to
first gear if need be. This strategy helps you
avoid placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem. Downshifting in manual mode of automatic
transmission, refer to page39. When descend-
ing hills slowly, use HDC Hill Descent Control,
refer to page49.
Never drive with the clutch depressed,
with the transmission in neutral, or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, you will
have neither the braking action of the engine or
nor its power assistance to the brakes or steer-
ing.
Never allow floor mats, carpeting, or other arti-
cles to protrude into the area around the brake
or accelerator pedals and obstruct their move-
ment.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimal
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Determining load limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.