
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Contents
The fastest way to find specific topics is to use 
the index, refer to page296.
Using this Owner's Manual
4 Notes
7 Reporting safety defects
At a glance
10Cockpit
16 iDrive
23 Voice activation system
Controls
28Opening and closing
48 Adjusting
61 Transporting children safely
65 Driving
78 Everything under control
91 Technology for comfort, convenience 
and safety
110 Lamps
114 Climate
123 Practical interior accessories
Driving tips
138Things to remember when driving
Navigation
148Starting navigation system
150 Destination entry
162 Destination guidance
170 What to do if …
Entertainment
174On/Off and settings
178 Radio
184 Satellite radio
187 CD player and CD changer
193 DVD changer
200 AUX-In connection
201 USB audio interface
204 DVD system in rear
Communications
220Telephoning
235 BMW Assist
Mobility
244Refueling
249 Wheels and tires
258 Under the hood
263 Maintenance
265 Care
269 Replacing components
279 Giving and rece iving assistance
Reference
286Technical data
291 Short commands of voice activation 
system
296 Everything from A to Z 

Cockpit
12
Instrument panel
1Indicator lamps for turn signals
2 Speedometer
3 Indicator and warning lamps 13
4 Tachometer 79
5 BMW X5: energy control 79
BMW X6: engine oil temperature 79 or
energy control 79
6 Display for
>Clock/date 78
> Outside temperature 78
> Indicator and warning lamps 85
> Speed of cruise control
*76
> BMW X5: reserve display for diesel 
exhaust fluid 246 7
Display for
>Odometer and trip odometer 78
> Computer 80
> Date and remaining travel distance 
for service requirements 82
> Automatic transmission positions 70
> HDC Hill Descent Control 98
>  Check Control message present 85
> Adaptive Drive
*99
> BMW X6: Dynamic Performance 
Control 97
8 Fuel gauge 80
9 Resetting trip odometer 78
Displaying service requirement 78 

At a glance
 17Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Menu overview
Communication
>Telephone*
>BMW Assist* or BMW TeleServices*
Navigation or onboard information
>Navigation system*
>Onboard information, e.g. for displaying 
the average fuel consumption
Entertainment
>Radio
> CD player and CD changer
*
>External audio device
Climate
>Vent settings
> Seat heater distribution
*
>Automatic programs
> Parked-car ventilation
*
 menu
>Switching off Control Display
> Tone and display settings
> Settings for traffic information
*
>Settings for your vehicle, e.g. for the central 
locking system
> Display of maintenance intervals and dead-
lines for legally mandated inspections
> Settings for telephone
*
Operating principle
From radio readiness, refer to page 65, the fol-
lowing message is shown on the Control Dis-
play:
To hide the message:
Press the controller.
This displays the start menu.
The message is automatically hidden after 
approx. 10 seconds.
Start menu
You can call up all the fu nctions of iDrive using 
five menu items.
Opening start menu
Press the  button.
To open the start menu from the  menu:
Press the  button twice. 

Controls
 29Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>Language on Control Display, refer to 
page 90
> 12h/24h clock format, refer to page 89
> Date format, refer to page 89
> Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page 73
> Welcome lamps, refer to page 110
> Pathway lighting, refer to page 111
> Daytime driving lamps
*, refer to 
page 111
> PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page 92
> Rear view camera
*:
> Selecting functions, refer to page 93
> Type of display, refer to page 95
> Head-Up Display
*: selection, brightness 
and position of display, refer to page 107
> Automatic climate control: AUTO program 
and intensity, cooling function, and auto-
matic recirculated air control/recirculated 
air mode, temperature, air distribution, tem-
perature in the upper  body region, refer to 
text starting on page 115
> Programmable memory buttons: selecting 
stored functions, refer to page 21
> Positions of driver's  seat, outside mirrors, 
and steering wheel
*, refer to page 50
> Adaptive Drive
*: selected chassis and sus-
pension tuning, refer to page 99
> Audio sources: volume and tone settings, 
refer to page 175
> Radio:
>Display of stored stations, refer to 
page 178
> Switching RDS Radio Data System on/
off
*, refer to page 181
> Phone: volume setting, refer to 
pages 226,232
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
> Doors
> Liftgate
> Fuel filler door
Operating from outside
>via the remote control
> via the door lock
> with comfort access
* via the door handles
The interior lamps and the courtesy lamps
* are 
also switched on and off with the remote con-
trol. The alarm system
 is armed/disarmed at the 
same time.
You can find more detailed information on the 
alarm system
 on page 38.
Operating from inside
Via the button for centra l locking, refer to 
page 32. The fuel filler door is not locked.
In an accident of sufficient severity, the central 
locking system automati cally unlocks the vehi-
cle. In addition, the hazard warning flashers and 
interior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using remote control
Persons or animals left unattended in a 
parked vehicle can lock the doors from 
the inside. Always take  along the remote control 
when leaving the vehicle so that the vehicle can 
then be opened  from the outside. < 

Opening and closing
30
Unlocking
Press the  button. 
This unlocks the vehicle.
Setting unlocking behavior
You can set whether the first press of the button 
unlocks only the driver's  door or the entire vehi-
cle.
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 "Door locks" is selected and 
press the controller.
6. Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7. Select "Unlock button" and press the con-
troller.
8. Select a menu item:
>"All doors"
Press the  button once  to unlock the 
entire vehicle.
> "Driver's door only"
Press the  button once to unlock only 
the driver's door and the fuel filler door.
Press the button twic e to unlock the 
entire vehicle. 9.
Press the controller.
The setting is stored fo r the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Comfort opening
Press and hold the  button. The windows and 
the glass sunroof
*/panorama glass sunroof* 
are opened.
Locking
Press the  button.
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if 
persons are inside because unlocking 
from the inside is not possible without special 
knowledge. <
Switching on interior lamps
With vehicle locked:
Press the  button.
You can also use this fu nction to locate your 
vehicle in parking garages etc.
Panic mode*
You can also trigger the alarm system in case of 
danger:
Press the  button for at least 3 seconds.
Switch off alarm: press any button.
Unlocking liftgate
Press the  button for approx. 1 second.
The liftgate will open s lightly, regardless of 
whether it was previously locked or unlocked. 

Opening and closing
32
Opening and closing:
Using door lock
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if 
persons are inside  because unlocking 
from the inside is not  possible without special 
knowledge. <
When unlocking
1.Turning the key once unlocks the driver's 
door and the fuel filler door.
2. Turning the key a second time unlocks the 
remaining doors and the liftgate.
Convenience operation
You can use the door lock to operate the win-
dows and the glass sunroof
*/panorama glass 
sunroof
*.
Turn and hold the key  in the positions for 
unlocking or locking.
Watch during the closing process to be 
sure that no one is injured. Rotating the 
key back into the initial position stops the 
movement. <
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can 
turn a key all the way to  the right or left in the 
door lock to lock or unlock the driver's door.
Opening and closing: 
From inside
This button serves to unlock or lock doors and 
the liftgate, with the front doors closed. It does 
not activate the anti-theft  system. The fuel filler 
door remains unlocked.
You can also set the si tuations in which the 
vehicle is locked.
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 "Door locks" is selected and 
press the controller.
6. Select "Central locking" and press the con-
troller.
7. Select a menu item:
>"Relock door if not opened" 
The central locking system automati-
cally locks the vehicl e after a short time 
when no door has been opened. 

Driving
66
The ignition switches off automatically
* if the 
driver's door is opened. Pressing the start/stop 
button again switches the ignition back on.
For example, the ignition is not switched off in 
the following situations:
> the brakes are actuated
> the low beams are switched on
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms, 
otherwise the inhalati on of toxic exhaust 
gases can cause uncons ciousness and death. 
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, 
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas. 
Never leave an unattend ed vehicle with the 
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a 
potential safety hazard. 
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, always 
engage transmission position N or P and set the 
parking brake before le aving the vehicle with 
the engine running. <
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicl e remains stationary. 
Instead, begin to drive  at a moderate engine 
speed.
The engine starts when you depress the 
brake pedal while pressing the Start/Stop 
button. <
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in 
which the engine does no t start. Otherwise, the 
fuel is not burned or  inadequately burned and 
there is a danger of overheating and damaging 
the catalytic converter. < Remote control in ignition lock or with comfort 
access in vehicle, refer to page
39.
1. Depress brake pedal.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
The system responds by automatically engag-
ing the starter for a cert ain period and automat-
ically disengaging it as soon as the engine 
starts.
Diesel engine
When the engine is cold and outside tempera-
tures are below approx. 32 7/06 , the starting 
process may be briefly delayed by an automatic 
preglow phase. The pr eglow indicator lamp 
lights up in the instrument panel and a message 
appears on the Control Display.
Switching off engine
When leaving the vehicle, always take 
along the remote control. 
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll. <
Procedure
1.Engage transmission position P with the 
vehicle stationary.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 65.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle can roll if yo u proceed according to 
the following steps:
1. With comfort access
*: insert the remote 
control into the ignition lock.
2. Depress brake pedal.
3. Engage transmission position N.
4. Release the parking brake or deactivate 
Automatic Hold.
5. Switch off the engine. 

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.<