2009 BMW X5 brakes

Things to remember when driving
144
Driving on poor roads
Your BMW 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 shou ld strictly observe for
your own safety, for that of your passengers,
and for the safety of the vehicle:
> Familiarize yourself wi th the vehicle before
driving off and avoid taking risks at all costs.
> Adapt your driving spee d to the road condi-
tions. The steeper and rougher the road
surface is, the lower the speed should be.
> If you want to drive on very steep uphill or
downhill gradients, ma ke sure beforehand
that the engine oil and coolant levels are
near the MAX mark, refer to page 259.
BMW X5: you can operate your vehicle on
uphill and downhill gradients with a maxi-
mum slope of 50 %.
> On very steep downhill slopes, use Hill
Descent Control HDC, refer to page 98.
BMW X5: it is possible to start off on inclines
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 whenev er possible.
> Make sure that the undercarriage does not
touch the ground, for example on crests and
bumpy roads. The ground clearance of the
vehicle is a maximum of approx. 8 in/20 cm.
Please note that the ground clearance can
vary depending on lo ading and the driving
conditions of the vehicle.
> Only drive through road surface water up to
a maximum water depth of
> BMW X5 20 in/50 cm
> BMW X6 17 in/45 cm
and only drive at walking speed; do not
remain stationary. >
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
page 97.
> If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal su fficiently 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.

Mobility
265Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Care
Car-care products
For the cleaning and care of your vehicle, BMW
recommends using only products that BMW
has approved for this purpose.
Regular cleaning and care make a significant
contribution to retain ing your BMW's value.
The BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be
happy to consult you on products and services
for the cleaning and care of your BMW.
Genuine BMW Care Products are materi-
als tested, laboratory tested, and tested in
actual use. They offer optimum care and pro-
tection for your vehicle. <
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents; they can damage your vehi-
cle. <
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or pose health risks.
You should therefore heed the warnings and
hazard indications on the packaging. Open the
doors or windows on your vehicle whenever
cleaning the interior. Make sure there is suffi-
cient ventilation in enclosed spaces. Use only
products that are formul ated for vehicle clean-
ing. <
Exterior care
Washing your vehicle
In the winter months, it is especially
important to ensure that the vehicle is
washed on a regular basis. Otherwise, signifi-
cant soiling and road salt can cause damage to
the vehicle.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry th em. 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, make sure that
it is suitable for your BMW. Pay attention to the
following points:
> Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page 287.
> If necessary: fold in door mirror, refer to
page 57.
> Maximum permissible tire width.
Preparations for driving into the car wash:
> Deactivate rain sensor
* to prevent
unwanted wiper activation.
> BMW X5: deactivate rear window wiper and
protect it from damage. Take appropriate
protective measures; inquiring with the car
wash operator as needed.
> Remove additional add- on parts, e.g. spoil-
ers or phone antennas, if they could be
damaged.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
Before driving into the car wash, observe the
following so that the vehicle is able to roll:
1. Insert the remote cont rol into the ignition
lock, even with comfort access.
2. Shift into transmission position N.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Deactivate Automatic Hold, refer to
page 68.
5. Switch off the engine.
6. Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.

Everything from A to Z
298
"BMW
Assist" 236,237, 238, 239
BMW Assist
– activating 240
– concierge service 239
– contacting BMW Customer Relations 238
– offered services 235
– roadside assistance 236
– TeleServices 237
"BMW Contact" 230
"BMW Contact Numbers" 230
BMW homepage 4
BMW maintenance system 263
"BMW Service settings" 241
BMW Teleservice call
– automatic 237
– manual 237
BMW TeleServices 237
BMW TeleServices services
– displaying 238
– updating 238
BMW website 4
Bottle holder, refer to Cup holders 127
Brake assistant 96
Brake force display 105
Brake lamps
– brake force display 105
– replacing bulbs 270,273
Brake rotors 140
Brakes
– ABS Antilock Brake System 96
– brake assistant 96
– brake force display 105
– breaking-in 138
– CBC Cornering Brake
Control 96
– electronic brake-force distribution 96
– parking brake 67
– refer to Braking safely 140
– warning lamp 13 Brake system
138
– brake pads 138
– breaking-in 138
– disk brakes 140
Braking safely 140
Breakdown, Flat Tire Monitor 100
Breakdown services, refer to
Roadside Assistance 280
Breaking-in brake pads 138
Breaking-in d

ifferential 138
Break-in period 138
"Brightness" 89
– DVD changer 196
– DVD system in rear 208
Brightness
– of Control Display 89
– of the rear view camera 95
– on Head-Up Display 108
"Brightness / Position" 108
Button for starting engine 65
Buttons on steering wheel 11
Bypassing traffic congestion 169
C
Calibrating driver's seat 55
California Proposition 65 Warning 6
"Call" 228,239
Call
– accepting 226
– displaying accepted 229
– ending 227
– in absence 229
– starting 227
Calling
– from phone book 228
– from Top 8 list 229
– redialing 229
– refer to telephone operating instructions
Camera, refer to Rear view camera 93
"Camera picture and PDC" 95"Camera view
– full screen"
95
– main window" 95
Can holder, refer to Cup holders 127
Capacities 290
Capacity of cargo bay 289
Car battery, refer to Vehicle
battery 277
"Car Data" 81
Care 265
– car-care products 265
– carpets 267
– car washes 265
– CD/DVD-player 268
– chrome components 266
– displays 268
– exterior 265
– fine wooden
components 267
– hand washing 266
– headlamps 266
– high-pressure cleaning jets 266
– interior 267
– leather 267
– light-alloy wheels 267
– paint 266
– plastic components 267
– rubber gaskets 266
– running boards 267
– safety belts 268
– sensors and cameras 267,268
– upholstery materials and cloth-covered paneling 267
– windows 266
–
wiper blades 266
Cargo
– refer to Loading 141
– securing 143
– securing with ski bag 134
Cargo area, refer to Cargo
bay 130
Cargo area cover, refer to Roll- up cover 130