2009 BMW X3 XDRIVE 30I width

Things to remember when driving
84
General driving notes
Closing liftgate
Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate
is completely closed; otherwise, exhaust
fumes could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
liftgate open:
1.Close all windows and the panorama glass
sunroof.
2.Greatly increase the air supply of the air
conditioning system or automatic climate
control, refer to page64 or67.
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures occur in the exhaust
system of every vehicle. Do not remove
the heat shields installed adjacent to various
sections of the exhaust system, and never apply
undercoating to them. When driving, standing
at idle, and parking, take care to avoid possible
contact between the hot exhaust system and
any highly flammable materials such as hay,
leaves, grass, etc. Such contact could lead to
a fire, resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage. Do not touch hot exhaust
pipe, it can cause burns.<
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner/auto-
matic climate control system during operation,
and then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water under the vehicle are therefore
normal.
Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page33;
otherwise, they could be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
Deactivate the rain sensor; otherwise, damage
could result from undesired wiper activation,
refer to page42.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between tires and
road surface, ultimately undermining your abil-
ity to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The danger of hydroplaning increases as tire
tread depth decreases, also refer to Minimum
tread depth on page98.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 20 in/50 cm, and then only
at walking speed. Otherwise, the vehicle´s
engine, the electrical systems and the trans-
mission may be damaged.<
Using handbrake on inclines
Do not hold the vehicle in place on slopes
by slipping or riding the clutch, use the
handbrake instead. Otherwise, greater clutch
wear will result.<
Safe braking
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as standard
equipment. In situations in which it is required, it
is best to apply the brakes fully. Since the vehi-
cle maintains steering responsiveness, you can
nevertheless avoid possible obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits indicates to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Wet roads
On wet roads or in heavy rain, briefly apply light
pressure to the brake pedal every few miles.
Watch traffic conditions to ensure that this
maneuver does not endanger other road users.
The heat that is generated by the brake applica-
tions helps to dry the brake rotors and pads.
The full braking force will then be available
when you need it.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
97
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed code letter
Q = up to 105 mph/160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph/190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph/210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph/240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph/270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph/300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The tire's date of manufacture is indicated on
the sidewall:
DOT ... 3008 indicates that a tire was manufac-
tured in week 30 of the year 2008.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last
for 10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C.
These grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement, as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.< e.g. 235/50 R 18 97 V
Nominal width in mm
Cross-sectional
relationship in Ξ
Radial tire code
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating, not for ZR tires
Speed rating, before R on ZR tirese.g. DOT xxxx xxx 3005
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire age

Care
108
Care
Car-care products
BMW recommends that your vehicle be
cleaned, cared for, and maintained using prod-
ucts that have been approved by BMW for this
purpose.
Regular cleaning and care makes a significant
contribution to maintaining the value of your
BMW.
Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will
be happy to advise you on products and ser-
vices for the cleaning, care, and maintenance of
your BMW.
Genuine BMW Care Products are materi-
als tested, lab tested, and field tested and
offer optimum care, maintenance, and protec-
tion for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleansers that contain alcohol
or solvents; they can damage your vehi-
cle.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or pose health risks.
For this reason, always read and comply with
the warnings and danger notices on the pack-
aging. Open the doors or windows on your vehi-
cle whenever cleaning the interior. Make sure
that there is sufficient ventilation when working
in enclosed spaces. Use only products that are
provided for cleaning vehicles.<
Exterior care
Washing your vehicle
In the winter months, it is especially
important to ensure that the vehicle is
washed on a regular basis. Heavy soiling and
road salts can result in damage to the vehicle.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them. Failure to do so
may lead to a reduction in braking efficiency and
also to corrosion of the brake rotors.<
Car washes
Give preference to cloth car washes.
Before driving into the car wash, check whether
the system is suitable for your BMW. To do so,
pay attention to the following points:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page129
>If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,
refer to page33.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Preparations for driving into the car wash:
>Deactivate rain sensor
* to prevent undes-
ired wiper operation.
>Deactivate rear window wiper and protect
from damage. Ask the operator of the car
wash about suitable protection measures
should the need arise.
>Remove additional add-on components,
e.g. spoilers or telephone antennas; other-
wise, they could be damaged.
Steam cleaners/high pressure cleaning
jets
When using steam cleaners or high pres-
sure cleaning jets, be sure to maintain a
sufficient distance and do not exceed a maxi-
mum temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient distance or excessive pressure or
temperature can damage parts of the vehicle or
water can penetrate to the interior of the vehi-
cle. Follow the operating instructions for the
high pressure cleaning jet.<
Do not aim high pressure cleaning jets at
sensors such as those of the Park Dis-
tance Control for long periods of time and main-
tain a distance of at least 12 in/30 cm.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
117
What you will need
Open liftgate and raise or remove floor cover,
refer to page78.
1Vehicle jack
2Lug wrench
3Wheel chock
In order to avoid rattling noises later, note the
position of the tools when you remove them and
return them to their original position when you
are through using them.
Compact wheel
The compact wheel is located under the cargo
area on the undercarriage of the vehicle.
Removing compact wheel
1.Unscrew bolt, refer to arrow1.
2.Fold up lifting handle, refer to arrow2.
3.Turn the handle to the left as far as possible,
refer to arrow3.
Turning the handle releases the com-
pact wheel. Its weight of approx.
18 lbs./8 kg is then entirely supported by
the handle.<4.Slowly lower the handle as far as possible,
refer to arrow4.
5.Pull the compact wheel to the rear so that it
is still securely resting in its compact wheel
receptacle.
6.If need be, turn the wheel in the compact
wheel receptacle so that the attachment of
the retaining strap to the rim points toward
the rear.
7.Rotate the clamp by 180°, refer to arrows 1,
and unhook the retaining strap from the
clamp, refer to arrow 2.
8.Take out the compact wheel toward the
back.
9.Fasten the retaining strap to the compact
wheel receptacle and resecure the compact
wheel receptacle by reversing the above
steps.
The width of the defective wheel prevents
it from fitting into the compact wheel
receptacle in place of the compact wheel
itself.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
141
Torque
– engine128
– lug bolts118
Touch signaling42
Tow bar124
Tow fitting123
Towing123
– with automatic
transmission123
Towing eye123
Towing the vehicle123
Tow rope124
Tow sockets for tow
fitting123
Tow starting123
TPM Tire Pressure
Monitor55
Track width, refer to
Dimensions129
Traction97
Traction control, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control51
Transmission
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic40
– manual transmission40
Transmission locking
mechanism, refer to
PPark41
Transmission malfunction,
refer to Malfunction41
Transporting children
safely35
Transport securing device,
refer to Securing cargo86
Traveling on poor roads87
Tread depth, refer to Minimum
tread depth98
Tread wear97
Tread wear indicator in tires,
refer to Minimum tread
depth98
Trip-distance counter, refer to
Trip odometer46
Trip odometer46
Trunk lid, refer to Liftgate22Turning circle, refer to
Dimensions129
Turning lamp60
Turn signals41
– indicator lamp12
– replacing bulbs114
– side, replacing bulbs115
U
Units48
– outside temperature48
Universal garage-door
opener, refer to Integrated
universal remote control69
Universal remote control69
Unlocking
– from inside21
– hood101
– with the remote control19
Unlocking and locking doors
with the remote control19
V
Valve screw caps, refer to
After mounting118
Vehicle
– battery119
– breaking-in82
– cargo loading85
– dimensions129
– locking from inside21
– parking39
– storage111
– weights130
Vehicle care, refer to Care and
maintenance108
Vehicle jack117
– jacking points118
Vehicle Memory18
Vehicle storage111
Ventilation65,68
– draft-free65,68
Viscosity104
Voice control, refer to
separate Owner's Manual
W
Warning and indicator lamps,
overview12
Warning triangle121
Warranty, refer to Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models,
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian
models106
Warranty and service6
Washer fluid43
Washer fluid reservoir
– capacity, refer to Filling
capacities131
– refer to Filler neck for washer
fluid43
Waste tray, refer to Ashtray74
Water penetration108
Weights130
Welcome lamps59
Wheel/tire combination99
Wheelbase, refer to
Dimensions129
Wheel bolt, wrench117
Wheel changes, compact
wheel117
Wheel chock117
Wheels and tires99
Width, refer to
Dimensions129
Windows22
– convenience operation21
– safety switch23
Windshield
– cleaning43
– defrosting, refer to
Defrosting windows64,67
Windshield washer reservoir
– capacity, refer to Filling
capacities131
– refer to Washer fluid43
Windshield washer system
– washer/wiper system42
– washer fluid43
Windshield wiper blade
replacement112