2009 BMW X6 XDRIVE 50I ESP

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
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.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
104
>
If a wheel without TPM electronics is
mounted, e.g. a compact wheel
*
>If TPM is temporarily interfered with by
other systems or devices which use the
same radio frequency
Explanation according to the NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle plac-
ard or tire inflation pressu re label. (If your vehi-
cle has tires of a different size than the size indi-
cated on the vehicle plac ard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pr essure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illumi nates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly underinflate d. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overhe at and can lead to tire
failure. Underinflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TP MS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if underinflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain con-
tinuously illuminated. Th is sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal- function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to
continue to function
properly.
Active steering*
The concept
The active steering active ly varies the steering
angle of the front wheels in relation to the steer-
ing wheel movements. In addition, it also varies
the steering force required for steering depend-
ing on the vehicle's speed.
When you are driving in the low road speed
range, e.g. in a town or when parking, the steer-
ing angle increases, i.e. the steering becomes
very direct. In the higher speed range, on the
other hand, the steering angle is reduced more
and more. This improves the handling capability
of your BMW over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar-
geted corrections to th e steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow
and a message is shown on the Con-
trol Display. The active steering is
defective or has been temporarily
deactivated. At low speeds, greater steering
wheel movements are required, whereas at
higher speeds, the vehicle reacts more sensi-
tively to steering wheel movements. The stabil-
ity-promoting intervention can also be deacti-
vated. Proceed cautiously and drive
defensively. If active st eering is defective, have
the system checked.

Controls
105Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Brake force display*
BMW X5
On the left: normal braking.
On the right: heavy braking.
BMW X6
On the left: normal braking.
On the right: heavy braking.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2 Head-level airbags in front and rear
3 Side airbags in backrests
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
observe the adjustment instructions on
page 48.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by re sponding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head. The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e.g. less severe acci-
dents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Keep the instrument cluster and window in the
region of the passenger seat free of foreign
materials, i.e. do not co ver them with adhesive
film or covers and do not attach mounts, e.g. for
a navigation device or mobile phone to them.
Do not install cosmetic covers, seat cushions,
or other items on the fr ont seats that are not
especially approved for seats with integrated
side airbags. Do not hang articles of clothing
such as jackets over the backrests.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag restraint
system from the vehicle. Do not modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the individual
components in the airbag system. This includes

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
106
the upholstery in the center of the steering
wheel, on the instrument cluster, the doors, and
the roof pillars as well as
the sides of the head-
liner. Do not attempt to remove or dismantle the
steering wheel. Do not touch the individual
components immediately after the system has
been triggered, because there is a danger of
burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, remova l, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel and has
the required explosives licenses. Otherwise
unprofessional attempts to service the system
could lead to failure in an emergency or undes-
ired airbag triggering, either of which could
result in personal injury. <
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passeng er seat. The front and
side airbags on the front passenger side are
activated or deactivated accordingly by the sys-
tem.
The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is
indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags in the following. <
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the inst ructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page 61.
When teenagers and adults assume certain sit-
ting positions, this can cause the front and side
airbags to deactivate. The indicator lamp for the
front passenger airbags lights up when this
occurs. In these cases, change the sitting posi-
tion so that the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated and the indicator la mp goes out. If the
desired status cannot be produced by changing the sitting position, transport the correspond-
ing person on the rear se
at. Do not fit seat cov-
ers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or other
items onto the front passenger seat unless they
are specifically recomme nded by BMW. Do not
lay objects under the seat which could press
against the seat from below. Otherwise a cor-
rect evaluation of the occupied seat surface
cannot be ensured. <
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front
and side airbags on the front passenger side
depending on the seat occupation. The indica-
tor lamp shows whether the front passenger
airbags are activated or deactivated.
> The indicator lamp light s up when a child in
a child restraint device intended for the pur-
pose is properly detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are not activated.
Most child's seats are detected by the
system. Especially the child's seats
required by the NHTSA at the time the vehi-
cle is manufactured. Af ter installing a child's
seat, make sure that the indicator lamp for
the front passenger airbags lights up. This
indicates that the child's seat has been
detected and the front passenger airbags
are not activated. <
> The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient height is detected on the seat.

Controls
107Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are activated.
> The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
However, the front and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
From radio readiness, refer to page 65, the
warning lamp lights up br iefly, indicating the
operational readiness of the entire airbag sys-
tem and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
> Warning lamp does not light up from radio
readiness.
> Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction, otherwise
there is a danger that the airbag system may not
respond in the expected manner in an accident
despite an impact of corresponding intensity. <
Head-Up Display*
The concept
With the Head-Up Display important informa-
tion is projected into the driver's field of view,
e.g. navigation instructions. This enables you to
take in this information without looking away
from the road.
Switching on/off
Press the button.
1 Navigation information or Check Control
messages
2 Cruise control
3 Speed
Selecting displays
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 "Display settings" and press the
controller.