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Controls
55Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and passenger seat
The indicator lamp lights up and a
signal sounds. A message also
appears on the Control Display.
Please check whether the safety belt is cor-
rectly fastened.
The safety belt reminder is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed on the passenger
seat.
Releasing
1. Grasp the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the buckle.
3. Guide the belt into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be
correct for adult seat occupants of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page 49.
BMW X5: the two rear safety belt buckles inte-
grated into the rear seat are for passengers sit-
ting on the left and right. The belt buckle
embossed with the word CENTER is intended
exclusively for use by passengers riding in the
center position.
Damage to safety belts
In the event of loads caused by accidents
or other damage: replace the belt system
including the safety be lt tensioners and any
child restraint devices, an d have the belt anchor
points checked. Only have this work carried out
at a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or at a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with corres pondingly trained per-
sonnel. Otherwise correct operation of this
safety equipment is not guaranteed. <
Belt-force limiter
The effect of the belt-force limiter on the
driver's seat is dependent on the position of the
driver's seat. To maintain the long-term accuracy of this
function, the driver's seat
must be calibrated if a
corresponding message is displayed on the
Control Display.
Calibrating driver's seat
The warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage also appears on the Control Dis-
play. Please calibrate the driver's
seat.
1. Move the driver's seat forward until it stops.
2. Move the driver's seat forward again. It
briefly moves toward the front in the pro-
cess.
3. Set the desired seating position again.
The calibration is comp leted when the message
on the Control Display disappears. Should this
message continue to be displayed, repeat the
calibration. If the message does not disappear
even after repeated calibration, have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible.
Never carry out calibration while the vehi-
cle is moving, as this can cause accidents.
Make sure that no persons or objects become
wedged during the calibration process, as this
can cause injuries or damage. <
Seat heating*
Front
The temperature setting progresses one step
through its control sequence each time you
press the button. The maximum temperature is
supplied when three LEDs are lit.
To switch off: press the button longer.
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Adjusting
56
The temperature is reduced, if need be, down to
no heat in order to redu
ce the load on the bat-
tery. The LEDs remain lit.
Rear
Operation similar to front seat heating; without
temperature distribution.
Active seat ventilation* and
seat heating*
Front
1 Seat heating
2 Active seat ventilation
Press button 1 or 2 once depending on the
temperature or ventilation position. The LED in
the respective button lights up.
The temperature or ventila tion levels are shown
on the Control Display.
The air quantity is reduced and if need be, the
ventilation is switched o ff in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
To switch off: press button 1 or 2 longer.
Temperature distribution without
active seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Open the start menu.
2. Move the controller to the left to open "Cli-
mate".
3. Select "Seat heater di stribution" and press
the controller.
4. Move the controller to the left or right to
select "Driver" or "Passenger".
5. Turn the controller. The adjustment is
applied; the fiel d can be changed.
Temperature distribution with active
seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. Open the start menu.
2. Move the controller to the left to open "Cli-
mate".
3. Select "Driver's seat climate" or "Passen-
ger's seat climate" and press the controller.
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Controls
57Reference
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Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
4.Turn the controller to adjust the distribu-
tion.
The setting is applied.
Heated rear seats
Operation similar to front seat heating; without
temperature distribu tion, refer to page55.
Active seat*
The seat cushion is acti vely varied by alter-
nately raising and lowering the right and left half
of the seat cushion. This reduces muscular ten-
sion and fatigue to he lp prevent lower back
pain.
Press the button to switch on; the LED lights
up.
The action of the system is reduced and if need
be, switched off in order to reduce the load on
the battery. The LED remains lit.
If you switch off the acti ve seat, it can take up
to 1 minute before the two halves of the seat
cushion have returned to their initial position.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger's side is
more curved than the driver's mirror.
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer than
they appear. Do not estimate the distance of
following traffic based on what you see in the
mirrors; otherwise, there is an increased risk of
accident. <
1 Adjusting
2 Switching to the other mi rror or to the auto-
matic curb monitor
3 Folding mirrors in and out
*
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page 50.
Adjusting manually
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
press the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
Pressing button 3 allows you to fold the mirrors
in and out again up to a speed of approx.
12 mph/20 km/h. This is advantageous, for
example, in car washes, narrow streets or for
bringing mirrors that have been manually folded
in back into the correct position.
Folded in mirrors fold out again at a speed of
approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Before going through a car wash, fold the
mirrors in manually, or with button 3, oth-
erwise they could be damaged, depending on
the width of the car wash system. <
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Adjusting
58
Automatic heating
Below a certain outdoor temperature, both
exterior mirrors are automatically heated when
the motor is running or th e ignition is switched
on.
Tilting down passenger-side exterior
mirror – automatic curb monitor*
Activating
1. Slide switch into the driver's side mirror
position, arrow 1.
2. Engage transmission position R.
The mirror glass tilts downward somewhat
on the passenger side. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adjacent
to the vehicle – such as a curb – when park-
ing, etc.
Deactivating
Slide switch into the passenger side mirror
position, arrow 2.
Interior rearview mirror
To reduce the dazzle e ffect of following vehi-
cles at night, turn the knob.
Interior and exte rior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature*
This feature is controlle d by two photocells in
the inside rearview mirro r, one on the front and
one on the back.
For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells
clean and do not cover the area between the
interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do
not attach stickers of an y kind to the windshield
in front of the mirror, either.
Steering wheel
Adjusting
Do not adjust the steering wheel while the
vehicle is moving. There is a risk of acci-
dent as the result of unexpected movement. <
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing steering wheel positions, refer to Seat,
mirror and steering wheel memory on page 50.
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the steering wheel
temporarily moves into the uppermost position.
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Controls
59Reference
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Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Steering wheel heating*
Press the button.
When the steering wheel heater is switched on,
the LED in the button lights up.
Programmable buttons on steering
wheel
You can program the buttons individually.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
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 "Settings" and press the controller. 4.
Select "Steering wheel buttons" and press
the controller.
A list of different functions appears:
>"Navigation voice instructions"
Voice instructions for the navigation
system
*
>"Air recirculation on / off"
Permanently shutting off outside air,
refer to AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control
* on page 117
> "Mute on / off"
Mutes the audio sources
> "Monitor on / off"
Switches the Control Display on/off
> "Telephone list"
*
Display/hide phone book or last list of
stored phone numbers
> "Next entertainment source"
Changes audio source
5. Select the desired function and press the
controller.
6. Select the button if ne cessary and press the
controller.
You can operate the selected function using the
corresponding button.
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Adjusting
60
Operating function
Press the corresponding button on the steering
wheel.
If you have programmed "Navigation voice
instructions" for one of the buttons:
>To switch voice instructions on/off:
Hold the button down.
> To repeat the last voice instruction:
Press the button.
Page 63 of 317

Controls
61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and other persons, e.g. by opening
the doors. <
Children alwa ys in rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is on the rear seat.
Children younger than 13 years of age or
with a height under 5 ft/150 cm may only
be transported on the 2nd row seats in child
restraint devices which correspond to the age,
weight and height of the child. Otherwise there
is an increased danger of injury in an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
device can no longer be used due to their age,
weight and size.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessa ry to use a child
restraint device on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags on the passen-
ger side must be deactivated. Otherwise, there
is an increased risk of in jury for the child if the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
device. <
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags, refer to
page 106.
Installing child restraint
devices
Follow the child restraint device manufac-
turer's instructions fo r selection, installa-
tion, and use of child restraint devices. Other-
wise, the degree of protection may be
reduced. <
BMW X5: for equipment with 3rd row
seats
*, make sure that the seat of the 2nd row seats on which the ch
ild restraint device is
mounted is properly locked. Otherwise there is
an increased risk of inju ry for the child in an
accident.
Do not mount child rest raint devices on the
3rd row seats, as otherwise the protection pro-
vided by these child restraint devices may be
reduced. <
On front passenger seat
After mounting a child restraint device on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags on the front passen-
ger side are deactivated; otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags are trig-
gered. <
Backrest width*
The backrest width adjustment of the
front passenger seat must be completely
open. After installing th e child's seat, no mem-
ory position may be called up; otherwise, the
stability of the child's se at on the front passen-
ger seat is reduced.<
1. Open backrest width adjustment com-
pletely, refer to page 50.
2. Install child's seat.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts, in the BMW X5 all of the
safety belts of the 2nd and 3rd
* row seats and
the passenger safety belt can be locked to pre-
vent them from being pulled out in order to
secure child restraint devices.
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Transporting children safely
62
Locking safety belt
1.Secure the child restra int device with the
belt.
2. Pull out the belt we bbing completely.
3. Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in and
pull taut against the child restraint device.
The safety belt is locked.
Unlocking safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2. Remove the child restraint device.
3. Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in com-
pletely.
LATCH child restraint fixing
system
LATCH: Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHil-
dren.
Follow the system manufacturer's
instructions on inst allation and use of
LATCH child restraint devi ces; otherwise, their
protective function may be reduced. <
Before attaching the child 's seat, pull the belt
away from the region of the child restraint fixing
system.
BMW X5: before installing the child's
seat, remove the covers
* from the
mounts for the LATCH anch or fittings, as other-
wise the LATCH anchor fittings have no
restraining effect. < Make sure that the
LATCH mounts have
properly clicked into place and that the
child restraint device is resting snugly against
the backrest. Otherwise, the protective action
may be reduced. <
The mounts for the LATC H anchors are located
at the points indicated by the arrows.
Child restraint device with tether strap
Only use the top tether mounting points
to secure child restraint devices, other-
wise the mounting poin ts could be damaged.
Do not mount child restraint devices on the
3rd row seats in the BMW X5; otherwise the
protection provided by these child restraint
devices may be reduced. <
BMW X5
There are three additional mounting points for
child restraint devices with a tether strap on the
2nd row seats, refer to arrows. Fold out before
using the center mounting point.