2009 BMW X5 Comfort

Controls
71Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The transmission automatically shifts into
park if you release the driver's safety belt
and open the driver's door with the engine run-
ning while in re verse or drive.
The picture from the rear view camera
* and
PDC Park Distance Control
* on the Control
Display is hidden. <
R Reverse
Select only with the vehicle stationary.
An interlock prevents inadvertent gearshifts
into transmission position R. To deactivate the
interlock, press the release button 1.
P Park
Select only with the vehicle stationary. The rear
wheels are locked.
P is engaged automatically as soon as
you switch off the engine unless N is
engaged and on vehicles with comfort access
the remote control is inserted in the ignition
lock, refer to page 65.<
N Neutral
Can, for example, be engaged in automatic car
washes. The vehicle can roll.
N remains engaged even after the engine
is switched off whenever you leave the
remote control in the ignition lock. This function
is used, for example, in a car wash, refer to
page 66. After approx. 30 minutes P is auto-
matically engaged. <
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehi cle operation. All for-
ward gears are available.
Under normal operating conditions, the fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in posi-
tion D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration.
Press the accelerato r pedal beyond the
increased resistance at full throttle.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Press selector lever out of transmission
position D toward the left:
The sport program is activated and DS is
displayed in the instru ment cluster; in the
BMW X6, S1 through S6 are displayed. This
position is recommend ed for a performance-
oriented driving style.
When the selector lever is pressed forward or
back, the manual mode is activated and the
Steptronic shifts the gear. The instrument
panel shows M1 through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system. The
selected gear is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment panel, followed by the current gear.
To use the automatic func tion again, press the
selector lever to the right into position D.
BMW X6: changing gears using shifting
paddles on steering wheel
The shifting paddles make it possible to quickly
change gears since both hands can remain on
the steering wheel.
> In automatic mode D, if you shift using the
shifting paddles on the steering wheel, then
the system switches into manual mode.
> If, after a certain amount of time, you neither
shift with the shifting paddles nor acceler-
ate, then the system switches back into
automatic mode D.
With the transmission position M/S
selected, the manual mode remains
active.<

Controls
91Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Technology for comfort, convenience and
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking.
Acoustic signals and an optical displays
alert
you to the approach of an object in front of
* or
behind your vehicle. To measure the distance,
there are four ultrasonic sensors in each
bumper. The range of these sensors is approx.
7 ft/2 m. But an acoustic warning only sounds at
approx. 24 in/60 cm for the sensors at the
front
* and at the two rear corners and at approx.
5 ft/1,50 m for the middle sensors at the rear.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate
objects when they are approached
slowly, as is usually th e case when parking.
Avoid approaching an obje ct a t h i g h s p e e d , o t h -
erwise the physical circumstances would mean
that the system warning was too late. <
Automatic activation
Whenever the engine is running or the ignition
i s o n , e a c h t i m e y o u m o v e the selector lever into
position R, the PDC syst em is activated after
approx. 1 second.
Wait this short period before driving off.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is
switched off and the LED goes out. You can
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus,
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle
will be indicated by a sign al tone from the left
rear speaker, etc. As the distance between
vehicle and object decreases, the intervals
between the tones become shorter. If the dis-
tance to the nearest ob ject falls to below
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone
sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds:
> if you remain in front of an object that was
only detected by one of the corner sensors
> if you drive parallel to a wall
Adjusting
You can adjust the volume of the warning tones
if the vehicle is equipped with a single drive,
refer to page 90.
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ers for long periods and maintain a distance of
at least 4 in/10 cm to them.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
92
PDC with visual warning
You can also have the system show distances
to objects on the Control Display. Objects that
are farther away are already shown there before
a signal tone sounds.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
If the vehicle is equipped with a rear view cam-
era, refer to Displays on page 95.
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4. Select "Vehicle / Tire s" and press the con-
troller.
5. Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Maneuvering aids" is
selected and press the controller. 6.
Turn the controller until "View selection" is
selected and press the controller.
7. Select "PDC in main window only" and
press the controller.
The PDC screen is activated.
The display appears on the Control Display as
soon as PDC is activated.
System limits
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstructions always remains
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind sp ot in which objects can
no longer be detected. The system's detection
of objects is also subjec t to the physical limits
that apply to all forms of ultrasonic measure-
ment, such as those encountered with tow bars
and trailer couplings, th in or wedge-shaped
objects etc. Low objects already displayed, e.g.
the curb, can also disappear from the detection
area of the sensors again before or after a con-
tinuous tone already sounds. Higher, protrud-
ing objects, e.g. ledg es, cannot be detected.
For this reason, drive with care; otherwise, there
is a danger of personal injury or property dam-
age.
Loud sources of sound, inside and outside the
vehicle, could drown ou t the PDC signal tone.<

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
94
Parking using pathway and turning
circle lines
1.Position the vehicle so that the turning lines
guide within the limits of the parking space.
2. Turn the steering wheel so that the pathway
lines cover the corresp onding turning lines.
This results in a steerin g wheel position that
makes full use of the smallest possible turning
circle of the vehicle when parking.
Virtual camera panning
The displayed picture area is dependent on the
current speed:
At low speeds, the camera view is panned
toward the street, and at higher speeds toward
the horizon.
This enables the currentl y relevant picture area
to be shown enlarged on the Control Display.
To activate the virtual camera panning, select
the camera view "Camera view: full screen",
refer to Displays on page 95.
Obstacle marking
Spatially shaped markings are shown in the pic-
ture of the rear view camera. Their stepped col-
ors correspond to the markings of the Park Dis-
tance Control and support you in estimating the
distance to the object shown.
The obstacle marking is deactivated when driv-
ing in reverse from approx. 12 mph/20 km/h.
Activating driver a ssistance functions
The driver assistance functions can be active at
the same time. The zoom function for trailer
towing can only be acti vated individually with
the rear view camera switched on.
With rear view camera switched on
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Press the controller.
2. Select the desired fu nction and press the
controller.
You can also adjust the brightness of the cam-
era view.
With rear view ca mera switched off
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Select "Settings" an d press the controller.
4. Select "Vehicle / Tire s" and press the con-
troller.
5. Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Maneuvering aids" is
selected and press the controller.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
96
Cleaning rear view camera
The lens of the rear view camera is located on
the liftgate.
The picture quality of the rear view camera may
be impaired by dirt. Clean the lens with a moist,
nonabrasive cloth.
The lens is automatically heated in case of frost.
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW is equipped wi th an extended array
of systems designed to enhance and maintain
vehicle stability under extreme conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page 140.
CBC Cornering Brake Control
When braking during curves or when braking
during a lane change, dr iving stability and steer-
ing response are improved further.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure st able braking behavior.
Brake assistant
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short- est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce th
e pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the full braking.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC prevents traction lo ss in the driving wheels
when starting off and accelerating. The system
also identifies unstable driving conditions, such
as a loss of traction at the rear of the vehicle or
sliding of the vehicle in its front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical lim its by reducing engine
output and through braking actions in the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style remains the responsibility of the driver.
Therefore, do not restrict the additional safety
margin with a risky driving style, as otherwise
there is a risk of an accident. <
Deactivating DSC
Press the button until the DSC indicator lamp in
the instrument panel lights up, but not longer
than approx. 10 seconds. DTC Dynamic Trac-
tion Control and DSC ar e deactivated together.
Stabilizing intervention s are now not carried
out.
A message appears on the Control Display.
Please note any supplementary information
that appears there.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
98
Press the BC button on the turn signal lever
repeatedly until the disp
lay appears, refer to
arrow.
The drive train and wheels are schematically
depicted.
Bar graphs show the cu rrent distribution of
drive torque. The longer an illuminated bar is,
the greater the drive torq ue in the related wheel.
Malfunction
If xDrive and Dynamic Performance Control are
malfunctioning, the instrument panel display
appears in gray.
HDC Hill Descent Control
The concept
HDC is a system for driving downhill in steep
terrain. This system reduces vehicle speed on
steep downhill gradients, thus allowing you to
maintain even better control of your BMW
under these conditions. The vehicle moves at
approximately walking speed without active
intervention from the driver.
HDC is available for activation at vehicle speeds
below approx. 22 mph/35 km/h. When driving
down steep hills with a speed below approx.
22 mph/35 km/h, the vehicle reduces speed
automatically down to approximately walking
speed, approx. 5 mph/8 km/h, and then main-
tains this speed at a constant.
Only use HDC in transmission positions D or R.
Increasing or reducing speed
You can use the accelerator or brakes to vary
this automatically cont rolled speed within a
range extending from approx. 4 mph/6 km/h to 15 mph/25 km/h.
You can specify a target
speed within the same
range by using the lever of the cruise control.
With downhill grade over 10 Ξ you can reduce
the speed to approx. 3mph/4km/h. Pull the
lever of the cruise control beyond the resis-
tance point, arrow 3.
1 Increasing speed
2 Pull to the resistance point:
Reduce speed to approx. 4 mph/6 km/h
3 Pull beyond the re sistance point:
With downhill grade over 10 Ξ, reduce
speed to approx. 3 mph/4 km/h.
Activating HDC
Press the button; the LED lights up.
The HDC display is shown in the instrument
panel.
The LED flashes when the brakes are applied
automatically.
Deactivating HDC
Press the button again. The LED and the HDC
display go out.
HDC is automatically deactivated at speeds
over approx. 37 mph/60 km/h.

Controls
99Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Displays* in instrument panel
1Display for target speed
2 HDC display
Malfunction
HDC is temporarily unavailable in the following
situations due to a high brake temperature:
>The LED in the button and the display HDC
go out during HDC operation.
> The LED in the button and the HDC display
do not light up when the button is pressed.
Malfunction of driving stability control
systems
When driving on poor roads, avoid using
full throttle or pressing the accelerator
beyond the kick-down point and also avoid
heavy braking. Otherwise, the drive train may be
damaged or accidents can occur. <
Adaptive Drive*
The concept
Adaptive Drive reduces the body roll which
occurs when cornering qu ickly or during fast
evasive maneuvers. In addition, Adaptive Drive
reduces the steering angle requirement,
improves the running comfort and increases
the dynamic driving characteristics of your
BMW.
Chassis and susp ension tuning
You can choose between two types of chassis
and suspension tuning. >
Normal:
The comfortable basic setting offers opti-
mum comfort when traveling.
> Sport:
The sporty basic setting offers increased
driving agility.
Selecting chassis and suspension
tuning
Press the button.
The system switches between the two chassis
and suspension tuning settings.
>Sport:
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT
is displayed in the instrument panel.
> Normal:
The LED in the button goes out.
The selection of the chassis and suspension
tuning setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Starting assistant
The starting assistant en ables you to start off
conveniently on slopes. The parking brake is
not required fo r this purpose.
1. Hold the vehicle with the footbrake.
2. Release the footbrake and immediately
drive off quickly.
The starting assistant holds the vehicle
for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the
footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle
may also roll back slight ly during this time.
After releasing the footbrake, immediately start
quickly, otherwise the starting assistant no

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
100
longer holds the vehicle
after approx. 2 seconds
and it begins to roll back. <
Self-leveling suspension*
Malfunction
The warning lamp for self-leveling
suspension lights up yellow and a
message is shown on the Control
Display. A malfunction has occurred in the self-
leveling suspension. Stop and check the vehi-
cle. If it is considerably lower at the rear than at
the front, and possibly also on one side – rear
left compared to rear right –, proceed to the
nearest BMW Sports Activi ty Vehicle Center or
a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel. Drive with a ppropriate caution in the
meantime. The vehicle has reduced ground
clearance and driving co mfort may be notice-
ably reduced. Even if th e orientation of the vehi-
cle is normal, when a malfunction is indicated
on the display, you should proceed to the near-
est BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW guide-
lines and uses appropriately trained personnel.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects a pressure loss in
one tire by comparing the speeds of the individ-
ual wheels during driving.
In the event of a pressure loss, there is a change
in the rolling circumference and therefore the
rotation speed of the corresponding wheel. The
system detects this change and reports it as a
flat tire.
Function requirements
In order to assure the re liable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure. The initialization must be repeated after
each time the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rected and after every tire or wheel change. <
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot indicate
sudden severe tire damage caused by
outside factors and does not detect a natural,
even pressure drop in all four tires. <
In the following situatio ns, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
> System has not been initialized
> Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
> Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels,
high lateral acceleration
> Driving with snow chains
*
When you are driving with the compact wheel*
the Flat Tire Monitor is unable to function.
Initializing system
The initialization finishes during driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, th e initialization is con-
tinued automatically. Do not initialize the sys-
tem when driving with snow chains
* or with the
compact wheel
*. <
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2. Press the controller to open the menu.
3. Select "Settings" an d press the controller.
4. Select "Vehicle / Tire s" and press the con-
troller.