
121n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Ashtray, front Ashtray, rear Emptying Press the edge of the lid, refer to arrow:
the ashtray moves up and can be
removed.Cigarette lighter, front Press the lighter 1 in.
The lighter can be removed as soon as
it pops out.
Hold or briefly press the hot ciga-
rette lighter by the knob only.
Holding or touching it in other areas
could result in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains opera-
tional when the ignition key has been
removed. For this reason, do not leave
unsupervised children in the vehicle.< 530de338
Socket The cigarette lighter socket can be
used to plug in hand flashlights, car
vacuum cleaners etc., with power rat-
ings of up to approx. 200 W at 12 V.
Be careful not to damage the socket
with unsuitable plugs.
Additional sockets are located in the
cargo area, refer to page128, and in
the front passenger footwell.
Emptying Remove the insert tray. 530de282

122n
Cigarette lighter, rear Press the lighter in.
The lighter can be removed as soon as
it pops out.
Hold or briefly press the hot ciga-
rette lighter by the knob only.
Holding or touching it in other areas
could result in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains opera-
tional when the ignition key has been
removed. For this reason, do not leave
unsupervised children in the vehicle.< 530de239

137n
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General driving notesClosing liftgate/tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the
tailgate and liftgate are completely
closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes
could enter into the passenger com-
partment.<
However, if special circumstances
should make it absolutely necessary to
operate the vehicle with the liftgate/tail-
gate open:
1. Close all windows and the panorama
glass roof
2. Increase the air supply for the air
conditioner or automatic climate
control to a high level, refer to
page105 or109.
Hot exhaust system
Extreme temperatures occur on
the exhaust system on any vehi-
cle. Do not remove the heat shields
installed adjacent to it, and never apply
undercoating to them. When driving,
standing at idle and while parking, take
care to avoid possible contact between
a hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay,
leaves, grass etc. Otherwise, there is a
danger of ignition and fire, with the risk
of serious injuries and damage.<
Mobile communications devices
in vehicle
BMW advises against using
mobile communications devices
such as mobile phones inside the vehi-
cle unless they are directly connected
to the external antenna. Otherwise, it is
impossible to prevent a mutual interfer-
ence of the vehicle electronics with the
mobile phone device. Also, there is no
guarantee that the radiation generated
by the transmission will be conveyed
out from the interior of the vehicle.<
When vehicle is parked Condensation forms in the air condi-
tioner system during operation and then
exits under the vehicle. Traces of water
on the ground are therefore normal.Brakes
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but
consistent pedal pressure can lead to
excessively high temperatures, brake
wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Road hazards
If road hazards, obstacles or curbs
are unavoidable, only drive over
them very slowly and carefully, other-
wise the wheels and suspension parts,
especially on vehicles fitted with low
profile tires, can be damaged.<
For more information on wheels and
tires, refer to page146.
Before driving into a car washFold in the exterior mirrors, refer to
page53, otherwise they could be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy
roads, reduce road speed. If you
do not, a wedge of water can form
between tires and road surface. This
state can cause a partial or total loss
of contact with the road surface, of
braking control and of control over the
vehicle.<

160n
Under the cargo floor cover in a pocket.
530us106
Front 1. Move the wiper to a fold-out position,
refer to page69
2. Lift the wiper arm and press the
securing spring, refer to arrow
3. Pull the wiper blade off toward the
wiper arm
4. Insert the new blade and snap it into
place.
Fold the wipers back down onto
the windshield before you turn the
ignition key to position 1 or 2 again. If
you do not, they could be damaged.< 530de300
Rear 1. Hold the wiper blade on the window
and remove/unclip the wiper arm at
the articulated joint, refer to arrow
2. Insert a new wiper blade and press it
on/clip it into the wiper arm.
Use only wiper blades approved
by BMW.< 530de301
Onboard tool kit Windshield wiper blades

173n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
The Roadside Assistance of the BMW
Group offers you assistance in the
event of a breakdown around the clock,
also on weekends and public holidays.
The phone numbers of the Roadside
Assistance control center in your home
country can be found in the BMW
Dealer Directory.
In the case of vehicles with the corre-
sponding equipment, you can use but-
tons in the headliner to contact Road-
side Assistance or initiate an
emergency call.
When the emergency call is initiated, a
telephone connection with the BMW
Assist response center is established.
In vehicles with activated BMW Assist,
if the current position of your vehicle
can be determined, it is transmitted to
the BMW Assist response center.
The requirements for initiating an emer-
gency call or contacting Roadside
Assistance:
>Ignition key in position 1
>The car phone is logged on to a
mobile telephone network
>The emergency call system is opera-
ble.1 Initiating an emergency call
2 Establishing contact to Roadside
Assistance
Initiating an emergency call
*
Press button 1 for at least 2 seconds.
The LED in the button lights up. As
soon as the voice connection to the
BMW Assist response center has been
established, the LED flashes. If the LED
flashes, but you are unable to hear the
response center, you can still be heard
by the response center.530ue261
For technical reasons, the emer-
gency call cannot be guaranteed
under the most unfavorable condi-
tions.<
Under certain conditions, an emer-
gency call is initiated automatically
immediately after a severe accident.
The automatic emergency call is not
affected by the button being pressed.
Roadside Assistance
*
Press button 2 for at least 2 seconds.
With the BMW Assist activated, the cur-
rent position of your vehicle will be
transmitted in the specific country.
Receiving assistance

176n
Tow-starting and towingAccess to screw thread Front:
Use a screwdriver to press the right or
left cover out, refer to arrows. 530de370
Rear:
Pull the cover off. Being towed
Make sure that the ignition key is
in position 1, otherwise the steer-
ing lock could engage and it would not
be possible to steer the vehicle. When
the engine is stopped, there is no
power assist. This requires increased
braking and steering effort.<
Switch on the hazard warning flashers
depending on the local regulations.
If the electrical system fails, mark the
vehicle to be towed, e.g. with a sign or
warning triangle in the rear window.
530de318
Do not exceed a towing speed of
30 mph/50 km/h and a towing dis-
tance of 95 miles/150 km, otherwise
the automatic transmission may be
damaged.<
Manual transmission:
Gearshift lever in idle position
Automatic transmission:
Selector lever in N.
Towing methodsIn some countries, towing with a tow
bar or rope on public roads is not per-
mitted.
Familiarize yourself with all regulations
on towing in the respective country.
With tow bar:
The towing vehicle may not be
lighter than the vehicle to be
towed, otherwise handling will be
uncontrollable.<
The tow fitting of both vehicles should
be on the same side. If an angled posi-
tion of the bar cannot be avoided, be
aware of the following:

177n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Tow-starting and towing>The freedom of movement is
restricted during cornering
>The angled position of the tow bar
creates lateral forces.
Only attach the tow bar to the tow
fittings, as attachment to other
vehicle parts can lead to damage.<
With tow-rope:
When starting off in the towing vehicle,
make sure that the tow-rope is taut.
Use nylon ropes or nylon straps
for towing, and avoid all exces-
sively sudden jerking movements. Only
attach tow ropes to the tow fittings, as
attachment to other vehicle parts can
lead to damage.<
With tow truck:
Do not tow the X5 with the front or
rear axle raised individually, other-
wise the wheels may lock and the
transfer case may be damaged.<
The X5 may only be transported on a
flat bed.530de403
Tow-starting
Do not tow-start vehicles with an
automatic transmission.
For information on jump starting, refer
to page174.<
Only tow-start vehicles with a catalytic
converter with the engine cold. It is bet-
ter to jump start the engine, refer to
page174.
1. Switch on the hazard warning flash-
ers and observe local regulations.
2. Turn the ignition key to position 2.
3. Shift into 3rd gear.
4. Tow-start with the clutch completely
depressed and slowly release the
clutch. After the engine starts, imme-
diately depress the clutch again
completely.
5. Stop at a suitable location, remove
the tow bar or rope and switch off the
hazard warning flashers.
6. Have the vehicle checked.
Do not activate the HDC Hill
Descent Control during tow-
starting, refer to page94.<

Everything from A to ZHead restraints47
adjusting47
installing in front48
removing and installing in
rear48
removing in front48
sitting safely43
Heated mirrors54
Heated rear window
air conditioner105
automatic climate
control110
Heated seats52
Heated steering wheel53
Heater
rear window105,110
steering wheel53
Heating
exterior mirror54
residual heat
utilization110
seats52
Heating and
ventilation104,107
Heating while stationary110
Heavy cargo, refer to Cargo
loading131
Heavy-duty cargo straps,
refer to Cargo loading131
Height, refer to
Dimensions181Height adjustment
seats45,46
steering wheel52
High beams101
headlamp flasher68
indicator lamp22
replacing bulbs162
High temperatures137
Hill Descent Control HDC94
Hills138,140
Holder for cups120
Hood150
Horn14
Hotel function30
Hot exhaust system137
Hydraulic brake assistant,
refer to DBC91
Hydraulic system, brakes19
Hydroplaning137,147
I
Ice, refer to Outside
temperature warning
73
Identification, tire145
Ignition62
Ignition key30
Ignition key positions, refer
to Ignition lock62
Ignition lock62
Immobilizer function88
Imprint4Independent ventilation,
refer to Parked car
ventilation113
Indicating
elements15,17,18
Indicator/warning lamp
airbags57
alarm system38
automatic transmission
with Steptronic67
brakes155
coolant temperature76
DSC92
engine temperature76
fasten safety belts49
Flat Tire Monitor99
front fog lamps102
reserve75
self-leveling
suspension95
Indicator and warning lamps,
overview19
Indicator lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting102
Individual air distribution109
Individual settings, refer to
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory61
Inflation pressure, tires, refer
to Tire inflation
pressure141Initializing, refer to Power
loss42
INSPECTION76
Instrument cluster15,17,18
refer to Cockpit14
Instrument lighting102
Instrument panel14
Integrated universal remote
control114
Interface socket for Onboard
Diagnostics157
Interior lamps103
remote control31
Interior mirror, automatic
dimming feature138
Interior motion sensor
39
switching off31,39
Interior rearview mirror54
compass117
Interlock, refer to Steering
lock engaged62
Intermittent operation of
wipers69,71
Interval Display, Service76
J
Jacking points for vehicle
jack170
Jumpering, refer to Jump
starting174
Jump starting174