Driving tips
133Reference
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Driving on poor roads
Your X5 is at home on all roads and surfaces.
It combines a 4-wheel drive system with the
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as other-
wise 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, for that of your passengers,
and for the safety of the vehicle:
>Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
driving off and avoid taking risks at all costs.
>Adapt your driving speed to the road condi-
tions. The steeper and rougher the road
surface 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 want to drive on uphill or down-
hill gradients of this kind, make sure before-
hand that the engine oil and coolant levels
are near the MAX mark, refer to page242.
>Use the HDC Hill Descent Control when
driving down extremely steep grades, refer
to page90. It is possible to start off on
grades of up to 33 %.
The permissible body roll is 50 %.
>While driving, watch carefully for obstacles
such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid these
obstacles whenever possible.
>Please make sure that the undercarriage
does not touch the ground, for example on
crests and bumpy roads. The ground clear-
ance of the vehicle is a maximum of approx.
8 in/20 cm. Please note that the ground
clearance can vary depending on loading
and the driving conditions of the vehicle.
>Only drive through water on roads up to a
maximum depth of 20 in/50 cm and only at
walking speed, making sure not to stop in
the process.
>After driving through water at low speed,
lightly press the brake pedal several times
to dry the brakes and to prevent the braking
effect from being reduced by wetness.>Depending on the condition of the surface,
it may be practical to briefly activate DTC,
refer to DTC Dynamic Traction Control on
page89.
>If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal sufficiently so that the
driving stability control systems can distrib-
ute the drive forces to the individual wheels.
Please note the following points after driving on
poor roads to maintain the driving safety of your
BMW:
>Clean the coarsest dirt from the body.
>Clean mud, snow, ice etc. from the wheels
and tires and check the tires for damage.
Telephoning
208
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone
preparation package. After pairing a suitable
mobile phone in the vehicle once, you can oper-
ate the mobile phone via iDrive, with the buttons
on the steering wheel and by voice.
A mobile phone that has been paired once is
automatically detected again with the engine
running or the ignition switched on as soon as
it is in the vehicle interior. The pairing data of up
to four mobile phones can be stored simulta-
neously. If several mobile phones are detected
simultaneously, the respective last mobile
phone paired can be operated via the vehicle.
Using a phone in your vehicle
Using snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a mobile phone
cradle, enables the battery to be charged and
the mobile phone to be connected to the exter-
nal antenna of your vehicle. This ensures
improved network reception and a consistent
voice reproduction quality. Ask your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center which mobile
phones snap-in adapters are offered for.
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile
phone's separate operating instructions for a
detailed description of safety precautions and
information, we request that you direct your
particular attention to the following:
Only make entries when the traffic situa-
tion allows you to do so. Do not hold the
mobile phone in your hand while you are driving;
use the hands-free system instead. If you do
not observe this precaution, your being dis-
tracted can endanger vehicle occupants and
other road users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
which mobile phones with a Bluetooth interface
are supported by the mobile phone preparation
package or which mobile phones snap-in
adapters are available for. These mobile phones
support the functions described in this Owner's
Manual with a certain software version. Mal-
functions can occur with other mobile phones.
Care instructions
You can find what you need to know about car-
ing for your mobile phone in the Caring for your
vehicle brochure and in the separate mobile
phone operating instructions.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone* using:
>Buttons on steering wheel, refer to page11
>iDrive, refer to page214
>Voice commands, refer to page219
>Programmable memory/direct selection
buttons, refer to page21
Avoid operating a mobile phone detected by
the vehicle with the keypad of the mobile
phone, otherwise malfunctions can occur.
Placing phone calls with BMW Assist
system*: BMW Assist calls
You can use the BMW Assist system via the
hands-free unit for BMW Assist calls.
When the status information "Communication"
or "BMW Assist" is displayed in "BMW Ser-
vice", only BMW Assist calls are possible.
It may not be possible to establish a telephone
connection using the mobile phone while a con-
nection is being established to BMW Assist
or while a call to BMW Assist is already in
*
Telephoning
210 7.Change into the second field from the top,
select "Phone" and press the controller.
8.Select "Pair new phone" and press the con-
troller.
9.Select "Start pairing" and press the control-
ler.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle is dis-
played.
Preparation with mobile phone
10.Additional operations must be carried out
on the mobile phone and differ depending
on the model, refer to the operating instruc-
tions of your mobile phone, e.g. find, con-
nect or pair under Bluetooth device.
The Bluetooth name of the vehicle is also
shown on the mobile phone display.
11.Select the Bluetooth name of the vehicle on
the mobile phone display.
Pairing
Depending on your mobile phone, you will first
be requested consecutively via the display of
your mobile phone or iDrive to enter the Blue-
tooth passkey you specified.
12.Enter the Bluetooth passkey.
Depending on the mobile phone, approx.
30 seconds are available for entering the
Bluetooth passkey on the mobile phone
and on the Control Display.
13.Change into the third field from the top,
select "Confirm passkey" and press the
controller.
14.Wait a few seconds until the "Communica-
tion" menu appears.
The next time you use the mobile phone in the
vehicle interior, it will be detected within a max-
imum of 2 minutes with the engine running or
the ignition switched on.
With some mobile phone models it may
be necessary to make certain settings for
a permanent Bluetooth link, e.g. via the menu
item Authorization or Secure connection, refer
to the operating instructions of your mobile
phone.<
Telephoning
214
Adjusting volume
Turn the knob during a call to select the desired
volume.
This volume for the hands-free system is main-
tained, even if the other audio sources are set to
minimum volume.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page10.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Operation via iDrive
You can operate the following functions via
iDrive:
>Accepting/refusing a call
>Dialing phone numbers
>Dialing phone numbers from the phone
book
>Dialing stored phone numbers, e.g. from the
list of accepted calls.
>Ending a call
When the ignition and radio readiness are
switched off, e.g. after removing the remote
control from the ignition lock, you can continue
an ongoing call via the hands-free system for no
more than 25 minutes.
Speech quality
If the person you are talking to cannot under-
stand you well, this may be due to excessively
loud background noises. The full mobile phone
preparation package can compensate for these
noises to a certain degree. To optimize the speech quality during a call, we recommend
that you:
>Reduce background noises, e.g. by closing
the windows, reducing the air volume of the
automatic climate control or pointing the
opened front air vents downward
>Reduce volume of hands-free system
Requirements
>The pairing data of the mobile phone are
stored in the vehicle and the mobile phone
is ready to operate.
>The engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
>The mobile phone is detected by the vehi-
cle.
Opening Communication
You operate many of the functions described in
the following via the "Communication" menu.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller forward to open "Com-
munication".
Receiving calls
If you have the phone number of the caller
stored in the phone book and the phone num-
ber has been transmitted, the name of the entry
is displayed.
Accepting a call
Press the button on the steering wheel.
219
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Changing between mobile
phone and hands-free system
From mobile phone to hands-free
system*
You can continue calls begun outside the Blue-
tooth range of the vehicle via the handsfree sys-
tem when the engine is running or the ignition is
switched on. Depending on your mobile phone,
the system automatically switches over to the
handsfree mode.
For mobile phones that do not automatically
switch over to the handsfree mode:
>Depending on the mobile phone model
used, the conversation can be continued via
the hands-free system if necessary. Act
according to what is shown on the mobile
phone display, refer to the operating
instructions of your mobile phone.
>Press the button above the storage
compartment. Switching over may take
several seconds.
From handsfree system to mobile
phone
When you telephone via the handsfree system,
you can also continue the call via the mobile
phone if necessary, depending on the mobile
phone model. Act according to what is shown
on the mobile phone display, refer to the oper-
ating instructions of your mobile phone.
As an alternative, you can deactivate the Blue-
tooth link.
Depending on your mobile phone model, poor
reception of the wireless communications net-
work can result in the system changing from the
hands-free system to the mobile phone.
Operation by voice*
The concept
You can operate your mobile phone without
having to remove your hands from the steering
wheel. When making your entries, you will be supported by announcements or questions in
many cases.
The same prerequisites as for operation via
iDrive apply, refer to page214.
Symbols in Owner's Manual
Voice commands
Activating system
1.Briefly press the button on the steering
wheel.
An acoustic signal indicates that you can
say commands.
2.Say the command.
Ending/canceling operation by voice
Press the button on the steering wheel
or
In dialogs where text is spoken, not a command,
e.g. a name, canceling is only possible using the
button on the steering wheel.
Having possible commands read aloud
The system understands default commands
that must be spoken word for word.
You can have the possible commands spoken
by the system at any point:
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
The system recognizes digits from zero to nine.
You can say each digit individually or group
them into a sequence to accelerate the input.
{...}Say the specified commands word for
word.
{{...}} Indicates responses of the system.
{Cancel}.
{Help}
{Dial name} or {Name}.
Refueling
232
Refueling
Switch off the engine before refueling.
When handling fuel, always observe all
applicable precautionary measures and regula-
tions. Never transport reserve fuel containers in
the vehicle. These could become leaky and
cause an explosion or a fire in an accident.<
Fuel filler door
Opening
1.Open the fuel filler door. To do this, briefly
press the lower edge.
2.Turn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the fuel filler cap in the bracket
attached to the fuel filler door.
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Do not crush the band attached to the
cap; otherwise, the cap may not properly
seal and fuel vapors can escape.<
A message
* is displayed if the cap is loose or
missing.
Releasing manually
If an electrical malfunction should occur, you
can unlock the fuel filler door manually.
1.Open the right-hand side panel in the cargo
bay.
2.Pull the knob with the gas pump symbol.
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels, follow the safety
precautions posted at the filling station.
Otherwise, there is a danger of personal injury
or property damage.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid raising the filler
nozzle during refueling, otherwise this leads to
>premature pump shutoff
>a reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor
recovery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
>X5 3.0si:
Approx. 22.5 US gal/85 liters,
including the reserve capacity of
approx. 2.1 US gal/8 liters
>X5 4.8i:
Approx. 22.5 US gal/85 liters,
including the reserve capacity of
approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters
Mobility
233Reference
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Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Fuel specifications
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise
damage to the catalytic converter will
result.
Do not use E85, i.e. fuel that consists of 85 %
ethanol, or Flex Fuel, otherwise permanent
damage to the engine and the fuel supply sys-
tem will result.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. 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 affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified
minimum quality, otherwise engine dam-
age can result.<
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
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
which 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.<
Under the hood
242
Engine compartment
1Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp
and windshield cleaning systems, refer to
page68
2Starting-aid terminal, refer to page2563Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page244
4Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil on page243
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking engine oil level
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic oil
level check.
The condition for the most accurate indication
of the oil level possible is measurement with the
engine at operating temperature, i.e. following
an uninterrupted drive of at least 6 miles/10 km.
You can display the oil level while driving or
when stopped on a level surface with the engine
running.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.3.Select "Info sources" and press the control-
ler.
4.Select "Service Info" and press the control-
ler.