2008 BMW X3 3.0SI engine

Reference
At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
85
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 page41. When descend-
ing hills slowly, use HDC Hill Descent Control,
refer to page52.
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.
Brake pads
The warning lamp lights up.
The brake pads have reached their min-imum pad thickness. Have brake pads replaced
immediately.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating of the tire and increases the rate at
which damage develops inside the tires. The
ultimate result can assume the form of a sudden
blow-out.<
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo
area; as otherwise the vehicle could be
damaged.<
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.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
990 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
240 lbs.:
990 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 240 lbs.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
87
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an optional
accessory for your BMW. Please familiarize
yourself with the information contained in the
installation instructions.
Loading luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
its handling and steering response. You should
therefore always remember not to exceed the
approved roof load capacity, the approved
gross vehicle weight, or the axle loads when
loading the rack.
These specifications can be found under
Weights on page124.
The roof load must be evenly distributed and
must not extend outward beyond the limits of
the loading surface. Always stow the heaviest
pieces on the bottom. Be sure that adequate
clearance is maintained for raising the glass
sunroof and that objects do not project into the
opening path of the liftgate.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
while you drive.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.
Driving on poor roads
Your X3 is at home on all paved and unpaved
roads. It combines all-wheel drive with the
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Do not drive off-road, as otherwise the
vehicle may be damaged.<
When you are driving on poor roads, there are a
few points which you should strictly observe –
for your own safety and that of your passengers,
as well as to protect the vehicle:
>Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
you begin driving. Do not take risks with the
vehicle under any circumstances.
>Always adapt your driving speed to the
road conditions. The more steep and uneven the roadway is, the lower the speed
should be.
>You can operate your vehicle on uphill and
downhill gradients with a maximum slope
of 50 %. If you wish to drive on uphill and
downhill grades of this nature, make sure
beforehand that the engine oil and coolant
levels are near the MAX mark, refer to
pages102 and104.
>When descending very steep hills, use
HDC Hill Descent Control, refer to page52.
It is possible to start off on inclines of up
to 32 %.
The permitted side tilt is 32 %.
>While driving, watch carefully for obstacles
such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid these
obstacles whenever possible.
>Avoid having the body make contact with
the ground, e.g. on the crests of hills and
bumpy roads. The ground clearance of the
vehicle is a maximum of approx. 8.0 in/
20 cm. Please be aware that the ground
clearance can vary depending on the load
and operating conditions of the vehicle.
>Do not drive in water that is deeper than
20 in/50 cm. If you must drive through water
up to that depth, drive at a walking speed
and do not stop.
After leaving the water, press on the foot-
brake gently several times while driving at a
low speed. The brake applications will help
to dry the brakes, thus preventing a reduc-
tion in braking performance caused by the
moisture.
To clean the handbrake, apply the lever
slightly at approx. 25 mph/40 km/h and con-
tinue to drive for approx. 200 yards/
200 meters, provided that traffic conditions
allow you to do so.
>Depending on the road condition, it can be
useful to temporarily activate DTC, refer to
DTC Dynamic Traction Control on page52.
>If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal far enough to permit
the driving stability control systems to dis-
tribute the drive torque to the individual
wheels.

Refueling
92
Refueling
Fuel cap
Opening
Always switch off the engine before
refueling. Otherwise, no fuel can be dis-
pensed into the tank and the Service Engine
Soon lamp lights up.<
1.Open fuel filler door. To do so, briefly press
it at the rear edge.
2.Turn fuel filler cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the fuel filler cap in the bracket
attached to the fuel filler door.
Closing
Replace the cap and turn it clockwise until you
hear a clearly audible click.
Be careful not to crush the cap leash between
the gas cap and the vehicle.
The warning lamp
* lights up.
The fuel cap is not properly closed or is
missing. Check whether the fuel cap is
properly closed.
Manually releasing fuel filler door
When a malfunction is occurring, you can
unlock the fuel-filler flap manually:
1.Open the cover flap on the right-hand side
panel of the cargo area, refer to page78.
2.Pull the green button. The fuel filler flap is
released.
Always take all applicable precautions
and comply with all regulations when han-
dling fuels. Never carry spare fuel containers in
your vehicle. Whether empty or full, these con-
tainers can leak, cause an explosion, and lead to
fire in the event of a collision.<
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels, comply with all
applicable safety precautions posted at
the service station.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid lifting the filler
nozzle while filling the tank; otherwise, this can
result in:
>Premature pump shutoff
>Reduced efficiency in the fuel-vapor recov-
ery system
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.

Reference
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Mobility
93
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 17.7 US gal/67 liters, including the
reserve capacity of approx. 2 US gal/8 liters.
Never attempt to continue driving until
the tank is completely empty; this can
negatively affect engine function and can dam-
age the vehicle.<
Fuel specifications
Never use leaded gasoline. Otherwise,
you will damage the catalytic converter.
Do not use flex fuel or E85, i.e. fuel that is com-
prised of 85 % ethanol as these can damage the
engine and fuel supply system.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with a
lower AKI rating. The minimum AKI rating is 87.
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Do not use any gasoline below the speci-
fied minimum fuel grade. Otherwise, the
engine could be damaged.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
stalling, starting and drivability problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems that
you suspect could be related to the fuel you are
using, we recommend that you respond by
switching to a recognized high-quality brand
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
101
Important components in the engine compartment
1Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp
and windshield washer system, refer to
page43
2Body ground, negative terminal, refer to
page117
3Jump starting terminal, refer to page1174Filler neck for engine oil, refer to
Adding engine oil
5Reservoir for brake fluid, refer to page104
6Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page104. In vehicles with a gasoline
engine, the expansion tank is on the other
side

Under the hood
102
Engine oil
Engine oil consumption depends on driving
style and operating conditions.
Warning lamp
Engine oil pressure
The warning lamp lights up red:
The engine oil pressure is too low.
Stop the vehicle immediately and
switch off the engine. Check the engine oil level
and top off as needed. If the oil level is correct:
Have the system checked immediately.
Do not continue driving. The engine could
be damaged because of inadequate lubri-
cation.<
Engine oil level
The warning lamp lights up yellow dur-
ing driving. An acoustic signal also
sounds and "+1.0 " is displayed in the
instrument cluster, refer to page102.
The oil level is at its absolute minimum; top off
engine oil as soon as possible. Until then, do not
drive more than approx. 125 miles/200 km.
The warning lamp lights up yellow after
the engine is switched off. In addition, a
signal sounds.
Top off engine oil at the earliest opportunity,
e.g. with your next refueling.
The warning lamp lights up yellow
within 30 seconds after starting the
engine:
The oil level sensor has failed. It is not possible
to take a current or meaningful measurement.
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
Checking oil level
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic oil
level control.
For the most precise possible display of the oil
level, the engine must be at operating tempera-
ture, i.e. after at least 6.5 miles/10 km of unin-
terrupted driving. You can have the oil level dis-
played while you drive or while the vehicle is standing on a flat surface with the engine run-
ning.
You can have the current oil level displayed in
the instrument cluster.
Press button1. The oil level is checked and dis-
played for approx. 15 seconds.
In order to cancel the display early, press but-
ton 1 again.
Possible displays
1Oil level OK
2Oil level is being detected
This process can last approx. 3 minutes
while standing on a flat surface and approx.
5 minutes while driving.

Reference
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Mobility
103
3Oil level at minimum
A t y o u r e a rl ie s t o p p ortunity, add 1 US quart/
1 l i t e r e n g i n e o i l , a l s o r e f e r t o A d d i n g e n g i n e
oil.
4Oil level too high
Have vehicle checked immediately;
otherwise, overfilled oil can lead to
engine damage.<
5Oil level sensor has failed
It is not possible to take a current or mean-
ingful measurement.
Do not add engine oil. It is possible to con-
tinue driving. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Add the maximum quantity of 1 US quart/1 liter
of oil only after the warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up, refer to page102, or
when the oil level measurement "+1.0 " appears
on the display.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, engine damage could result.<
Keep oil, grease, etc. out of reach of chil-
dren and heed warnings on the contain-
ers. Otherwise, you could endanger your
health.<
Oil change
Have the oil changed only by your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Approved engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the operation and service life of
an engine. BMW continuously approves spe-
cific oils after confirming their suitability for use
in its vehicles with extensive testing.
Only use approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.
If you are unable to obtain BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil, you can add small
amounts of another synthetic oil in between oil
changes. Only use oils with the API SH specifi-
cation or higher.
Ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center for more details concerning BMW
High Performance Synthetic Oil or other
approved synthetic oils.<
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website
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 classes
Viscosity is the oil flow rating as defined in
SAE classes.
The selection of the correct SAE class depends
on the climate conditions in the area where you
typically drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to SAE classes
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils can be used for driving in all ambient
temperatures.

Under the hood
104
Coolant
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up: coolant
level is too low; top off at the next
opportunity.
Do not open 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 suit-
able for your BMW. Ask your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center for suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives; otherwise,
engine damage may result. The additives
are harmful to your health, so follow the instruc-
tions on the containers.<
Always observe all applicable environ-
mental laws and regulations when dis-
posing of used coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.Allow engine to cool.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank counter-
clockwise to allow any accumulated pres-
sure to escape, then continue turning to
open.
3.The coolant level is correct when it is
between the MIN and MAX marks, also refer
to illustration next to filler neck.
4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level – do not overfill.
5.Screw on the cap and tighten snugly.
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss cor-
rected as soon as possible.
Brake system
Malfunction
Brake fluid
The warning lamp lights up red despite
the handbrake being released.
The brake fluid in the reservoir has
fallen to below the minimum level. At the same
time, a considerably longer brake pedal travel
may be noticeable. Have the system checked
immediately.
During continued driving, increased brake
pedal travel may be necessary, and con-
siderably longer braking distances may result.
Please adapt your driving style accordingly.<
Display of the previously described
malfunction on Canadian models.