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Replacing wheels/tires Snow chains
*
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,
page146, 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.<
Storage Store wheels or tires in a cool, dry
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 fine-link snow chains are
tested, classified as road-safe, and rec-
ommended by BMW. Consult your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center for
details. 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
Follow the manufacturer's instructions
when installing snow chains. Do not
exceed a maximum speed of 30 mph/
50 km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Moni-
tor after mounting snow chains, as
the monitor may then incorrectly indi-
cate flat tires.
When you are driving with snow chains,
it can be beneficial to switch off DSC
briefly, refer to page93.<
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Coolant Brake fluid4. When necessary, slowly add coolant
until the correct level is reached; do
not overfill.
5. Close the cap and tighten snugly.
6. Have the cause of the coolant loss
corrected as soon as possible.
Brake fluid level
If the warning lamp lights up
or
the message CHECK BRAKE
FLUID appears in the Check
Control: stop immediately. The
brake fluid in the reservoir has
fallen to below the minimum
level.
Add brake fluid The brake fluid reservoir is located
under the microfilter housing trim panel
on the driver's side of the vehicle. For
adding brake fluid or for determining
and correcting the cause of brake fluid
loss, consult your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center. Your BMW Sports Activ-
ity Vehicle center is familiar with the
specifications for factory-approved
DOT 4 brake fluids.
Brake fluid loss may result in extended
brake pedal travel. For this situation,
refer to the notes on page140.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is,
it absorbs moisture from the air
over time.
In order to ensure the safety and reli-
ability of the brake system, have the
brake fluid changed every two years by
a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
Refer also to the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US models or
the Warranty and Service Guide Book-
let for Canadian models.
Brake fluid is toxic and also damages
vehicle paintwork. Always store these
agents in tightly-closed original con-
tainers kept well away from the reach of
children.
Do not spill the fluid and do not refill the
brake fluid reservoir to beyond the MAX
mark. The brake fluid could ignite upon
contact with hot engine parts and cause
serious burns.<
Always observe all applicable
environmental rules and regula-
tions when disposing of used brake
fluid.<
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OBD interface socketThe interface socket for the Onboard
Diagnostics is located on the left of the
driver's side at the bottom of the instru-
ment cluster and under a cover. The
cover has the letters OBD on it.
The purpose of the OBD system is to
ensure proper operation of the emission
control system for the vehicle's lifetime.
The system monitors emission-related
components and systems for deteriora-
tion and malfunction.
An illuminated indicator lamp
informs you of the need for ser-
vice, not of the need to stop the
vehicle. However, the systems should
be checked by your BMW Sports Activ-
ity Vehicle center at the earliest possi-
ble opportunity. 530us105
Display of the previously
described malfunction in Cana-
dian models.
Under certain conditions, the indicator
lamp will blink or flash. This indicates a
rather severe level of engine misfire.
When this occurs, you should reduce
speed and consult the nearest BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle center as soon
as possible. Severe engine misfire over
only a short period of time can seriously
damage emission control components,
especially the catalytic converter.
When the filler cap is not properly
tightened, the OBD system can
detect the vapor leak and the indicator
lamp will light up. If the filler cap is sub-
sequently tightened, the indicator lamp
should extinguish within a few days.<
Event Data Recorders Your vehicle may be equipped with one
or more sensing and diagnostic mod-
ules or a recording device capable of
recording or transmitting certain vehicle
data or information. In addition, if you
have a Subscription Service Agree-
ment for the BMW Assist system, cer-
tain vehicle information may be trans-
mitted or recorded in order to provide
such services.
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Lamps and bulbs Front fog lamps H11 bulb, 55 watts
The bulb is pressurized. There-
fore, wear safety glasses and pro-
tective gloves. Otherwise there is a
danger of injury if the bulb is acciden-
tally damaged during replacement.<
1. Pull the cover in front of the fog lamp
forward.
2. Loosen the two screws, refer to
arrows, and remove the fog lamp.
When pulling out, overcome initial
resistance and turn the headlamp
slightly to the left.
3. Pull the cable connector off the bulb.
4. Turn the bulb to the left and remove.530de356
5. Insert a new bulb in the headlamp
and turn as far to the right as possi-
ble.
6. Connect the plug connector to the
bulb, ensuring proper engagement.
Tail lamps 21 watt bulbs: P 21 W and PY 21 W,
recommendation: BMW special bulbs
with neutral coloration
1 Turn signal
2 Rear lamp/side marker lamp
3 Backup lamp
4Brake lamp
5Reflector 530us235
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Lamps and bulbs Changing a wheel Light-emitting diodes LEDs Light-emitting diodes installed behind
translucent lenses serve as the light
source for many of the controls and dis-
plays in your vehicle. The concept
behind their operation is related to that
employed for lasers.
Do not remove the covers, and
never stare into the unfiltered light
several hours, as irritation of the retina
could result.<
Safety precautions to observe in
the event of a flat and during all
tire changes:
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Park on a firm, flat, sur-
face. Switch on the hazard warning
flashers.
Turn the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead position, remove the key and
engage the steering lock. Shift into 1st
or reverse, selector lever in Park with
automatic transmission, and engage the
handbrake.
All passengers should be outside the
vehicle and well away from your imme-
diate working area, behind a guardrail,
for instance.
If a warning triangle or portable hazard
warning lamp is required, set it up on
the roadside at an appropriate distance
from the rear of the vehicle. Comply
with all safety guidelines and regula-
tions.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm
surface that is not slippery. The vehicle
or the jack could slip to the side if you
attempt to raise the vehicle on a soft
or slippery surface such as snow, ice,
tiles, etc.
Position the jack on a firm support sur-
face.
Do not place wooden blocks or similar
objects under the jack. If this is done,
the jack might not be able to reach its
full support capacity because of the
limited height. To avoid serious or fatal
injury: never lie under the vehicle, and
never start the engine while it is sup-
ported by the jack.<
Your BMW has either a compact wheel
for temporary use to ensure your mobil-
ity, or a spare wheel of the size 235/
65 R 17. Please observe the differences
in handling when removing the wheel
from the cargo area.
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Changing a wheel5. Position the jack at the jacking point
closest to the flat tire so that the jack
base is vertically below the jacking
point and the entire surface of the
head of the jack will move into the
square recess of the jacking point,
refer to the illustration detail, when
the jack is cranked.
6. Jack the vehicle up until the wheel
you are changing is raised from the
ground.
7. Unscrew the lug bolts and remove
the wheel.
8. Remove accumulations of mud or dirt
from the mounting surfaces of the
wheel and hub. Clean the lug bolts.
9. Move the spare wheel into position.
Secure the wheel by turning at least
two lug bolts into opposite bolt
holes. 530de236
10. Screw in the remaining lug bolts.
Tighten all the bolts securely in a
diagonal pattern.
11. Lower the jack and remove it from
beneath the vehicle.
12. Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal
pattern.
13. Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure at the earliest opportunity.
After mounting the spare wheel or
correcting the inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor,
refer to page99.
Protect valve stems and valves from dirt
using screw-on valve stem caps. Dirt in
the valve stems frequently leads to slow
leaks.
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not
attempt to raise another vehicle model
with it or to raise any load of any kind.
To do so could cause accidents and
personal injury.
To ensure safety, always have the lug
bolts checked with a calibrated torque
wrench as soon as possible to ensure
that they are tightened to the specified
torque. The tightening torque is
101 lb ft/140 Nm.<
Store the wheel and the tools in the
order opposite that for removal.
Before removing the support rod,
be sure that the tailgate is held
down firmly. If you fail to do so, it could
spring upward abruptly and cause per-
sonal injury and vehicle damage.
After you remove the rod, close the tail-
gate carefully. Continue to hold it firmly
until it is completely closed.<
If light-alloy wheels other than Genuine
BMW light-alloy wheels have been
mounted, it may be necessary to use
different lug bolts for those wheels.
Replace the defective tire as soon as
possible and have the new wheel/tire
balanced. Driving with compact wheelDrive reservedly and do not exceed a
maximum speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
Altered handling characteristics, such
as reduced track stability during brak-
ing, longer braking distances and
altered self-steering properties at the
driving limit can occur. These proper-
ties are more apparent in conjunction
with winter tires.
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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: