
Controls
69Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Tachometer
Do not operate the engine with the needle in the
red overspeed zone of the gauge, refer to arrow.
At high revs in this range, the flow of fuel is
interrupted to protect the engine.
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant, and with it the engine
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In
addition, a message appears on the Control
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page242.
Engine oil temperature
When the engine is at operating temperature,
the engine oil temperature is between approx.
1707/806 and approx. 2507/1206.
When the engine oil temperature is too high, a
warning lamp lights up in the instrument panel.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 22.5 US gal/
85 liters. You will find information on refueling
on page230.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period,
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
Reserve
After the reserve quantity has been reached, a
message briefly appears on the Control Display;
the remaining range is shown in the computer.
Below a range of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the
message remains on the Control Display.
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.<

Driving tips
131Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>If you want to drive on very steep uphill or
downhill gradients, make sure beforehand
that the engine oil and coolant levels are
near the MAX mark, refer to page240.
>On very steep downhill slopes, use Hill
Descent Control HDC, refer to page87.
>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 18 in/45 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
page86.
>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.

Wheels and tires
238
Wheels with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When mounting new tires or changing from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPM electronics, otherwise the
Tire Pressure Monitor cannot detect a flat tire,
refer to page91. Your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center will be happy to advise you on
this subject.
Recommended tire brands
Certain tire makes are recommended by BMW
depending on the tire size. You can recognize
these from the clearly visible BMW marking on
the tire sidewall.
When used properly, these tires comply with
the most demanding standards for safety and
vehicle response.
Special characteristics 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 performance as
winter tires.
Paying attention to speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
tire damage may occur, which can result in acci-
dents.<
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible. Always
protect tires against all contact with oil, grease
and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum tire
inflation pressure indicated on the side wall of
the tire.
Rotating wheels between axles
Even with tires of the same size, BMW
recommends that you not rotate the front
tires to the rear or vice versa as this can nega-
tively affect handling characteristics.
When the vehicle is equipped with different
tires sizes
*, rotating tires from one axle to the
other is not permitted.<
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
can provide you with this information.
It is only permissible to use snow chains in
pairs, on the 255/50 R 19 rear wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor
*, as otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
When you are driving with snow chains, it can
be beneficial to activate DTC briefly, refer to
page86.<

Under the hood
240
Engine compartment
1Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp
and windshield cleaning systems, refer to
page65
2Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil on page2413Starting-aid terminal, refer to page253
4Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page242
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.

Mobility
241Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Service requirements" is
selected and press the controller.
6.Change to the second field from the top if
necessary. Turn the controller until "Engine
oil level" is selected and press the control-
ler. The oil level is displayed.
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level O.K."
>"No measurement available: Updating
engine oil level measurement...":
Engine oil level is being measured. This
process can take approx. 3 minutes when
stopped on a level surface and approx.
5 minutes while driving.
>"Oil level at the minimum! Refill with 1 quart
of engine oil.":
Add 1 US quart/liter of engine oil at the next
opportunity.
>"Engine oil level too high":
Have the vehicle checked immedi-
ately, otherwise engine damage may
result if too much oil has been added.<
>"Please observe recalculated service inter-
val for engine oil":
Do not add engine oil. Before continuing to
drive, note the recalculated remaining mile-
age until the next oil change service, refer to
Service requirements on page72. Have the
system checked as soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Do not add 1 US quart/liter of oil until a corre-
sponding message is shown on the Control Dis-
play.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Continuous exposure to used oil has
caused cancer in laboratory testing.
For this reason, any skin areas that come into
contact with oil should be thoroughly washed
with soap and water.
Keep oil, grease etc. out of reach of children and
observe the warnings on the containers to pre-
vent health risks.<
Oil change
Only have an oil change carried out by a BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop
that works in accordance with BMW guidelines
and uses appropriately 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.
Do not use oil additives, as these may
result in engine damage.<
Only use approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.
If BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil is
unavailable, you can add small quantities of
other synthetic oils between oil changes. Only
use oils of the specification API SM or higher.

Under the hood
242 Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
will be happy to answer detailed ques-
tions on BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil
or approved synthetic oils.<
You can also call BMW of North America at
1-800-831-1117 or visit the website at
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this information.
Viscosity grades
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and
is specified in SAE grades.
The choice of the right SAE grade is based on
the climatic conditions in the region in which
you normally drive your BMW.
Approved oils belong to the SAE grades
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils can be used for driving at all outside
temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns.<
Coolant is composed of equal parts water and a
coolant additive. Not all commercially available
additives are suitable for your BMW. Your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center can recommend
suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, otherwise
engine damage may result. The additives
present a health hazard; observe the instruc-
tions on the containers.<
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.Do not open the hood until the engine has
cooled down.
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 the cool-
ant level is between the MIN and MAX
marks, refer to the diagram adjacent to the
filler neck.
4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level; do not overfill.
5.Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.

Reference 271
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
"Distance to dest."71
Distance to destination, refer
to Computer70
Distance warning, refer to
PDC Park Distance
Control81
Door entry lighting102
Door key, refer to Keys/
remote control28
Door lock31
Door locking, confirmation
signals31
"Door locks"30,31,73
Doors
– manual operation32
– remote control29
DOT Quality Grades235
Downhill driving assistance,
refer to HDC87
Draft-free ventilation107
Drinks holder, refer to Cup
holders117
Drive for navigation DVDs160
"Driver's door only"30
Driver's seat, calibrating47
"Driver's seat climate"49
Driving lamps, refer to Parking
lamps/low beams99
Driving on poor roads130
Driving route, refer to
Displaying route149
Driving stability control
systems85
Driving through water127
Driving tips, refer to General
driving notes126
Dry air, refer to Cooling
function106
Drying the air, refer to Cooling
function106
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control86
– indicator lamp13,86
DTC Dynamic Traction
Control86
– activating86
– indicator lamp87"DVD"
– for DVD system in rear192
– in DVD changer180
DVD
– DVD changer179
– DVD system in rear190
– player for navigation
DVD160
DVD changer179
– adjusting brightness182
– adjusting contrast182
– adjusting tone182,185
– audio and video
playback180
– audio playback184
– chapter selection184
– controls179
– DVD audio content184
– DVD control181
– DVD country codes180
– DVD-specific menu183
– fast forward181
– filling179
– installation position179
– malfunctions180
– removing DVDs179
– reverse181
– selecting audio
language185
– selecting language182
– selecting subtitles183
– selecting track183
– selecting viewing angle183
– skip chapter181
– zoom182
"DVD format"
– for DVD system in rear195
– on DVD changer182
DVD for navigation134DVD system in rear190
– CD/DVD player191
– connecting headphones191
– controls190
– displaying images from CD/
DVD198
– DVD country codes192
– external device201
– information on CD/DVD
player200
– playing audio tracks from
CD/DVD196
– playing video from CD/
DVD192
– remote control191
– switching on/off192
Dynamic Performance
Control87
"Dynamic route" for
navigation147
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC86
Dynamic Traction Control
DTC86
E
Easy entry/exit51
Eject button, refer to Buttons
on the CD player160
Electrical malfunction
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic63
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door230
– glass sunroof, electric41
– parking brake60
Electric seat43
Electric steering wheel
adjustment51
Electronic brake-force
distribution85
Electronic oil level check240

Everything from A to Z
272 Emergency operation, refer to
Manual operation
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door230
– transmission lock, automatic
transmission63
Emergency request252
Emergency services, refer to
Roadside Assistance253
"Enabled services"227
"Enable services"227
"End call"214
Engine
– breaking-in126
– data258
– oil temperature69
– overheated, refer to Coolant
temperature69
– speed258
– starting57
– starting, with comfort
access37
– switching off57
Engine compartment240
Engine coolant242
Engine oil
– adding241
– additives, refer to Approved
engine oils241
– approved engine oil241
– checking oil level240
– electronic oil level check240
– temperature69
"Engine oil level"241
Engine oil temperature69
Engine output, refer to Engine
data258
Engine overheating, refer to
Coolant temperature69
Engine speed258
Engine starting, refer to
Starting engine57
"Enter address"137
Entering country of
destination137
Entering destination137Entering house number or
intersection138
Entering intersection138
Entering street138
"Entertainment"160
Entertainment sound output
on/off161
"Equalizer", refer to Tone
control163
Equalizer, refer to Tone
control163
"ESN"170
ESP Electronic Stability
Program, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control86
Event Data Recorders244
Exhaust system, refer to Hot
exhaust system127
Exterior mirrors49
– adjusting49
– automatic dimming
feature51
– automatic heating50
– folding in and out50
– tilting down passenger-side
exterior mirror50
External audio device116
– refer to AUX-In
connection186
Eye for tow-starting and
towing, refer to Tow
fitting254
F
Fader, refer to Tone
control162
Failure messages, refer to
Check Control75
False alarm, refer to Avoiding
unintentional alarms36
Fastening safety belts, refer to
Safety belts47
– warning lamp47
Fastening system,
adaptive120Fastest route for
navigation146
Fast forward
– CD changer176
– CD player176
– DVD changer181
"Fast route" for
navigation146
Fault displays, refer to Check
Control75
Filler neck for washer fluid65
First aid, refer to First-aid
kit253
First-aid kit253
Flashing during locking/
unlocking, refer to Setting
confirmation signals31
Flashlight116
Flat tire
– changing wheels248
– compact wheel248
– Flat Tire Monitor89
– run-flat tires90,92,237
– TPM Tire Pressure
Monitor91
Flat Tire Monitor FTM89
Fluid reservoir, refer to Filler
neck for washer fluid65
"FM", reception
range161,164
FM, waveband164
Fog lamps101
– indicator lamp101
Folding display screen open/
closed, DVD system in
rear190
Folding rear seat backrest120
Footbrake, refer to Braking
safely127
Footwell lamps102
For your own safety5
4-wheel drive system, refer to
xDrive87
Front airbags95
Front passenger airbags95
– deactivating95
– refer to Exception of front
passenger seat
53