2007 BMW X5 3.0I light

Everything under control
74
Check Control
The concept
The Check Control monitors functions in the
vehicle and issues a message if there is a mal-
function in the monitored systems. This kind of
Check Control message consists of indicator
and warning lamps in the instrument cluster,
and if necessary an acoustic signal and text
messages at the bottom of the Control Display.
Indicator and warning lamps
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in
different combinations and colors.
means that a Check Control message has
been generated. The symbol continues to be
visible even when the Check Control message
disappears after a short time. The warning
lamps and text messages are stored and can be
displayed later, also refer to page75.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the bottom edge of the Con-
trol Display explain the meaning of the dis-
played indicator and warning lamps.
You can display additional information on most
Check Control messages later, e.g. on the
cause of the malfunction and on corresponding
need for action, see below.
In the case of corresponding urgency, this infor-
mation is displayed immediately when the
related lamp lights up.
Exit the displayed information:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Hiding Check Control messages
Press the button on the turn signal lever.
Some Check Control messages remain visible
until the malfunctions have been rectified. They

Everything under control
78
Switching on hour signal*
You will hear three tones just before each full
hour.
Select "Hour memo" and press the controller.
The hour signal is activated.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Setting time format
1.Select "Time format" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select the desired format and press the
controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Setting date
1.Turn the controller until "Time / Date" is
selected and press the controller.
2.Select "Date" and press the controller.
3.Select "Set date" and press the controller.
The first section of the date display is high-
lighted, in this case the month.
4.Turn the controller to make the adjustment.
5.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The next setting is highlighted.
6.Make the remaining adjustments. After the
last adjustment, the date is stored.
Changing date format
1.Select "Date format" and press the control-
ler.
2.Select the desired format and press the
controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Brightness of Control Display
The brightness is automatically adapted to the
ambient lighting conditions. However, you can
change the basic setting.
1.Select "Display settings" and press the
controller.
2.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Brightness" is selected and
press the controller.
3.If necessary, move the controller to the right
to select "Display".
4.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is selected.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
80
Technology for comfort, convenience and
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking.
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert
you to the approach of an object from behind
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper.
The range of these sensors is approx. 7 ft/2 m.
However, an acoustic warning first sounds for
the sensors at the front and at the two rear cor-
ners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for the center
rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually the case when parking.
Avoid approaching an object at high speed, oth-
erwise the physical circumstances would mean
that the system warning was too late.<
Automatic activation
Whenever the engine is running or the ignition
is on, each time you move the selector lever into
position R, the PDC system is activated after
approx.1 second.
Wait this short period before driving off.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is
switched off and the LED goes out. You can
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Warning tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone.
As a result, an object detected, for example,
to the left rear of the vehicle will be indicated
by a warning tone from the left rear speaker.
As the distance between vehicle and object
decreases, the intervals between the tones
become shorter. If the distance to the nearest
object falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a
continuous tone sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Adjusting
You can adjust the volume of the warning tones
if the vehicle is equipped with a single drive,
refer to page79.
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ers for long periods and maintain a distance of
at least 4 in/10 cm to them.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
84
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW is equipped with an extended array
of systems designed to enhance and maintain
vehicle stability under extreme conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page123.
CBC Cornering Brake Control
When braking during curves or when braking
during a lane change, driving stability and steer-
ing response are improved further.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
DBC Dynamic Brake Control
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the full braking.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC prevents traction loss in the driving wheels
when starting off and accelerating. DSC also
identifies unstable driving conditions, such as a
loss of traction at the rear of the vehicle or slid-
ing of the vehicle in its front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
output and through braking actions in the indi-
vidual wheels.The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style remains the responsibility of the driver.
Therefore, do not reduce the additional safety
margin further by taking risks.<
Deactivating DSC
Press the button until the DSC indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up, but not longer
than approx. 10 seconds. DTC Dynamic Trac-
tion Control and DSC are deactivated together.
Stabilizing interventions are now not carried
out.
A message appears on the Control Display.
Please note any supplementary information
that appears there.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button; the indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DSC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamps light up:
DSC is deactivated.

Controls
85Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions,
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC
under the following special circumstances:
>When driving in sand, on snowy inclines, in
slush or on unplowed, snow-covered road
surfaces
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow, sand or on loose
ground
>When driving with snow chains
*
Activating DTC
Press the button briefly; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up.
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DTC controls the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DTC is activated.
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes out.
xDrive
xDrive is the 4-wheel drive system of your X5.
The combined effects of xDrive and DSC fur-
ther optimize the traction and dynamic driving
characteristics. The 4-wheel drive system
xDrive variably distributes the drive forces to
the front and rear axle depending on the driving
situation and prevailing road conditions.
HDC Hill Descent Control
The concept
HDC is a system for driving downhill in steep
terrain. This system reduces vehicle speed on
steep downhill gradients, thus allowing you to
maintain even better control of your BMW
under these conditions. The vehicle moves at
approximately walking speed without active
intervention from the driver.
HDC is available for activation at vehicle speeds
below approx. 22 mph/35 km/h. When driving
down steep hills with a speed below approx.
22 mph/35 km/h, the vehicle reduces speed
automatically down to approximately walking
speed, approx. 5 mph/8 km/h, and then main-
tains this speed at a constant.
Only use HDC in transmission position D or R.
Increasing or reducing speed
You can use the accelerator or brakes to vary
this automatically controlled speed within a
range extending from approx. 3 mph/5 km/h to
15 mph/25 km/h.
You can specify a target speed within the same
range by using the lever of the cruise control.
1Increasing speed
2Reducing speed

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
86
Activating HDC
Press the button; the LED lights up.
The HDC display is shown in the instrument
cluster.
The LED flashes when the brakes are applied
automatically.
Deactivating HDC
Press the button again. The LED and the HDC
display go out.
HDC is also activated at speeds over approx.
37 mph/60 km/h.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Display for target speed
2HDC display
Malfunction
HDC is temporarily unavailable in the following
situations due to a high brake temperature:
>The LED in the button and the display HDC
go out during HDC operation.
>The LED in the button and the HDC display
do not light up when the button is pressed.
Malfunction of driving stability control
systems
When driving on poor roads, avoid using
full throttle or pressing the accelerator
beyond the kick-down point and also avoid
heavy braking. Otherwise, the drive train may be
damaged or accidents can occur.<
Adaptive Drive*
The concept
Adaptive Drive reduces undesirable vehicle
movements that occur when driving on rough
roads or with a dynamic driving style. Maximum
driving comfort and driving dynamics are
achieved in this way.
Chassis and suspension tuning
You can choose between two types of chassis
and suspension tuning.
>Normal:
The comfortable chassis and suspension
tuning setting offers optimum comfort
when traveling.
>Sport:
The sportier chassis and suspension tuning
setting offers increased vehicle agility.
Selecting chassis and suspension
tuning
Press the button.
The system switches between the two chassis
and suspension tuning settings.
>Sport:
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT
is displayed in the instrument cluster.

Controls
87Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Normal:
The LED in the button goes out.
The selection of the chassis and suspension
tuning setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Self-leveling suspension*
Malfunction
The warning lamp for self-leveling
suspension lights up yellow and a
message is shown on the Control
Display. A malfunction has occurred in the self-
leveling suspension. Stop and check the vehi-
cle. If it is considerably lower at the rear than at
the front, and possibly also on one side – rear
left compared to rear right –, proceed to the
nearest BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or
a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel. Drive with appropriate caution in the
meantime. The vehicle has reduced ground
clearance and driving comfort may be notice-
ably reduced. Even if the orientation of the vehi-
cle is normal, when a malfunction is indicated
on the display, you should proceed to the near-
est BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW guide-
lines and uses appropriately trained personnel.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor keeps track of the infla-
tion pressures in the tires as you drive. The sys-
tem provides an alert whenever the inflation
pressure drops significantly in relation to the
pressure in another tire.
In the event of a pressure loss, the rolling radius
and therefore the rotation speed of the wheels
change. This change is detected and is
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.
The initialization must be repeated after
each time the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rected and after every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot indicate
sudden severe tire damage caused by
outside factors and does not detect a natural,
even pressure drop in all four tires.<
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels,
high lateral acceleration
>Driving with snow chains
*
When you are driving with the compact wheel*
the Flat Tire Monitor is unable to function.
Initializing system
The initialization finishes during driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. Do not initialize the sys-
tem when driving with snow chains
* or with the
compact wheel
*.<
iDrive, for explanation of concept, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
88 5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "FTM" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7.Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8.Select "Yes" and press the controller. The
message "resetting FTM …" is displayed.
9.Start to drive.
The initialization finishes during driving. "Sta-
tus:active" is displayed on the Control Display.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds. There is a flat tire or extensive inflation
pressure loss.
If you have deactivated DSC, it will be activated
automatically.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
In case of further air loss of the defective
wheel, its position will be indicated to you
on the Control Display.If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires as intended at the factory,
refer to page220, do not continue driving.
Continuing to drive with a flat tire could
cause severe accidents.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor
may not have been initialized. The system
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guide values:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, cargo bay full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 94 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, cargo bay full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distance and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations or loud noises occur while
the vehicle is being driven, this can indicate final
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible,
otherwise pieces of the tire could become
detached and cause an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving, but instead contact the BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center.<