
Controls
 95Reference
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6.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
7. Select the desired fu nctions and press the 
controller.
The settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
Displays on Control Display
You can have the picture from the rear view 
camera displayed in se veral formats and in 
combination with the PDC Park Distance Con-
trol, refer to page 92.
In addition, you also have the option of display-
ing only the PDC Park Distance Control.
> "Camera picture and PDC"
The rear view camera picture is shown in 
the main window of the Control Display.
> "Camera view: full screen"
The picture of the rear view camera is 
shown on the entire Control Display.
> "Camera view: main window"
The picture of the rear view camera is 
shown in the main window of the Control 
Display.
> "PDC in main window only"
PDC is shown in the main window of the 
Control Display.
Selecting displays
1.Select "Maneuvering aids" and press the 
controller, refer to Activating driver assis-
tance functions.
2. Turn the controller until "View selection" is 
selected and press the controller.
3. Select the desired display and press the 
controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use. The picture of the rear view camera and 
PDC is hidden when the vehicle is 
stopped, the transmission is in R or D, and you 
disconnect the driver's safety belt and open the 
driver's door. <
Setting brightness
You can set the brightness  of the camera view 
with the rear view camera switched on.
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Press the controller.
2. Turn the controller until "Brightness" is 
selected and press the controller.
3. Set the desired brightness. 

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. 

Controls
 97Reference
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Communications
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Mobility
Activating DSC
Press the button; the indicator lamp in the 
instrument panel goes out.
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes: 
DSC controls the drive forces and 
brake forces.
The indicator lamps light up: 
DSC is deactivated.
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions, 
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with 
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC 
under the following special circumstances:
> When driving in sand, on snowy inclines, in 
slush or on unplowed, snow-covered road 
surfaces
> When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow, sand or on loose 
ground
> When driving with snow chains
*
Activating DTC
Press the button briefly; the DTC indicator lamp 
in the instrument panel lights up.
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes: 
DTC controls the drive forces and 
brake forces.
The indicator lamps light up: 
DTC is activated. 
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again; the DTC indicator lamp 
in the instrument panel goes out.
xDrive
xDrive is the 4-wheel  drive system of your 
BMW. The combined effects of xDrive and DSC 
further optimize the traction and dynamic driv-
ing characteristics. The 4-wheel drive system 
xDrive variably distributes the drive forces to 
the front and rear axle depending on the driving 
situation and prevailing road conditions.
BMW X6: Dynamic Performance 
Control
The concept
Dynamic Performance Control optimizes the 
handling characteristic s of your BMW when 
starting off, cornering, and during evasive 
maneuvers. To achieve this, the system variably 
distributes the drive torque  of the rear axle to 
the two rear wheels. This  further increases the 
steering precision and tracking stability of your 
vehicle.
Display
The instrument panel display shows how xDrive 
and Dynamic Performanc e Control are distrib-
uting the drive torque. 

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. 

Controls
 101Reference
At a glance
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Entertainment
Mobility
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "FTM" is  selected and press 
the controller.
6. Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7. Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8. Select "Yes" and press the controller. The 
message "resetting FTM …" is displayed.
9. Start to drive.
The initialization finishes during driving.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red. A 
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal 
sounds. There is a flat tire or extensive inflation 
pressure loss.
If you have deactivated DS C, it will be activated 
automatically.
1. Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of 
50 mph/80 km/h.
In case of further air loss of the defective 
wheel, its position will be indicated to you 
on the Control Display.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-
flat tires as provided at the factory,  refer to page
256, do not continue driving. 
Continuing to drive with a flat tire could 
cause severe accidents. <
2. At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four 
tires is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor 
may not have been initialized. The system 
must then be initialized. <
3. In the event of complete  tire pressure loss, 
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible 
distance for continued driving on the basis 
of the following guide values:
> With a light load: 
1 to 2 persons without luggage: 
approx. 155 miles/250 km
> With a medium load: 
2 persons, cargo bay full, or 
4 persons without luggage: 
approx. 95 miles/150 km
> With a full load: 
4 or more persons, cargo bay full: 
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive cautiously and do not exceed 
speeds of 50 mph/80 km/h or else you 
run the risk of causing an accident. In the event 
of pressure loss, vehicl e handling changes. This 
includes reduced tracking stability in braking, 
extended braking distance and altered natural 
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations or  loud noises occur while 
the vehicle is being driven , this can indicate final 
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and 
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible, 
otherwise pieces of the tire could become 
detached and cause an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving, but instead contact the BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle Center. <
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor*
The concept
TPM checks the tire inflation pressure in the 
four mounted tires. The system reports when  

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
102
the tire inflation pressu
re has dropped consid-
erably in one or several tires.
Function requirements
In order to assure the re liable reporting of a flat 
tire, the system must have been reset with the 
correct tire inflation pressure.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics, oth-
erwise fault-free operation of the system is not 
ensured.
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after 
every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
TPM cannot announce sudden serious 
tire damage caused by external influ-
ences. <
The system does not function properly if it has 
n o t  b e e n  r e s e t ,  e . g .  a  f l a t  t i r e  i s  r e p o r t e d  d e s p i t e  
correct tire inflation pressures.
The system is inactive and cannot display a flat 
tire if a wheel has be en mounted without TPM 
electronics, e.g. a compact wheel
*, or if TPM is 
temporarily interfered wi th by other systems or 
devices which use the same radio frequency.
Status display on Control Display
The tire and system stat us is indicated by the 
color of the tires.
TPM takes the fact that  the tire pressure 
changes during driving in to account. A correc-
tion is only required if  requested by TPM with 
the color.
Green
The tire pressure matche s the learned set state.
"TPM active" is displayed on the Control Dis-
play.
One wheel is yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in 
the indicated tire. A me ssage appears on the 
Control Display.
All wheels are yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in 
several tires. A message  appears on the Control 
Display.
Gray
The system cannot detect a flat tire.
Reasons for this can be:
> TPM is being reset
> Temporary interference due to systems or 
devices which use the same radio fre-
quency
> Malfunction
Resetting system
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after 
every tire or wheel change.<
Resetting finishes during driving, which can be 
interrupted at any time. When driving resumes, 
resetting is continued automatically. Do not 
reset the system when driving with a 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.
5. Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the 
controller until "TPM" is selected and press 
the controller.