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>the vehicle is braked to a stop during driv-
ing.
In the instrument panel, the indicator 
lamp changes from green to red and 
the indication AUTO H goes out.
Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
Before you start to driv e, either release the 
parking brake manually, refer to page 67, or 
reactivate Automatic  Hold, refer to page68.
Before leaving the vehi cle with the engine 
running, shift the selector lever into posi-
tion P of the automatic transmission and make 
sure that the parking brake is set. Otherwise, 
the vehicle may begin to roll. <
Malfunction
If the parking brake fails or malfunctions, secure 
the vehicle against rolling, e.g. with a wheel 
chock, if you leave the vehicle.
Releasing parking brake manually
In the event of an electrical power loss or elec-
trical malfunction, you can release the parking 
brake manually.
Before manually re leasing the parking 
brake and each time you park the vehicle 
without setting the park ing brake, make sure 
that the automatic transmission is in position P, 
refer to page 71. Be sure to pay attention to the 
information in the instrument panel. 
In addition, secure the vehicle against rolling, 
e.g. with a wheel chock. Otherwise there is a 
danger that the vehicle could roll if parked on a 
steep slope. <
If it becomes necessary to also release the 
transmission lock of the automatic transmission 
manually, follow this sequence:
1. If necessary, start by releasing the parking 
brake manually.
2. Then release the auto matic transmission's 
transmission lock manually, refer to 
page 72.
Jump starting and towing , refer to information 
starting on page 280.
Releasing
1.Open the left-hand side panel in the cargo 
bay.
2. Remove the first-aid kit
* and the warning 
triangle
* if necessary. Close the bracket of 
the warning triangle.
3. Insert the releasing tool, contained in the 
onboard tool kit under  the floor panel, refer 
to page 269, at the releasing point.
4. Firmly pull the releasing tool upward against 
the mechanical resistance, refer to arrow, 
until a considerable incr ease in force is felt 
and the parking brake is then clearly heard 
to release.
5. Stow the releasing tool, warning triangle
* 
and first-aid kit* and close the left side 
panel in the cargo bay.
Only have a malfunction corrected by the 
nearest BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
Center or a workshop that works in accordance 
with BMW guidelines an d uses appropriately 
trained personnel. If the parking brake has been 
released manually in response to a malfunction, 
only technicians can re turn it to operation.<
Following manual release, the actual sta-
tus of the parking brake may deviate from 
that displayed by  the indicator lamp. <
Operation after interruptions in power 
supply
The parking brake can only be used again 
if it was manually rele ased due to an inter-
ruption in the supply of electrical power. Other-
wise the operation of the parking brake is not 
ensured and there is a danger of the vehicle roll-
ing despite the parking brake being set. < 

Controls
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Locking
1.Pull out the releasing tool. 
The transmission lock is engaged again.
2. If necessary, insert the lock
* and lock it.
3. Close the cover in th e bottom of the cup 
holder and lay in the mat again.
4. Close the cover of the cup holder and stow 
the releasing tool.
Information on jump starting and towing, from 
page 280.
Turn signals/headlamp 
flasher/high beams
1High beams
2 Headlamp flasher
3 Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, pr ess the lever up to the 
resistance point.
Atypically rapid flashi ng of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb 
needs to be replaced. <
Signaling briefly
Press lever to resistance  point and hold for as 
long as you wish to signal.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever up to the resistance point. The 
turn signal flashes three times.
You can activate or deac tivate this function.
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 "Lighting" is selected and 
press the controller.
6. Select "Triple turn signal" and press the 
controller.
 Triple turn sign aling is activated.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use. 

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 277Reference
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2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular 
recess of the jacking point when cranking 
up, refer to illustration detail.
3. Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you are 
changing is raised from the ground.
Mounting a wheel
1.Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the 
wheel.
2. Remove accumulations of mud or dirt from 
the mounting surfaces  of the wheel and 
hub. Also clean the lug bolts.
3. Position the new wheel or compact wheel. 
Secure the wheel by sc rewing at least two 
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes.
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug 
bolts may also be required.
4. Screw in the remaining  lug bolts. Tighten all 
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5. Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from 
beneath the vehicle.
After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety,  always have the 
lug bolts checked with a calibrated 
torque wrench as soon as possible to 
ensure that they are  tightened to the speci-
fied torque. Otherwis e, incorrectly tight-
ened lug bolts are a hidden safety risk. The 
tightening torque is 101 lb ft/140 Nm. <
2. Stow the defective wheel in the cargo bay.
The defective wheel cannot be stored 
under the floor panel flap due to its 
size. < 3.
Check and correct the ti re inflation pressure 
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems  with valve screw 
caps against dirt and contamination. 
Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source of 
gradual air loss. <
4. Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to 
page 100, or reset the Tire Pressure Moni-
tor, refer to page 102.
5. Replace the damaged tire  as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Driving with compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a 
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. Otherwise, 
changes in the driving characteristics could 
result, for example reduced track stability on 
braking, extended brakin g distance, and altered 
self-steering characterist ics in the limit range. 
In conjunction with wint er tires, these charac-
teristics are more pronounced. <
Only one compact wheel may be 
mounted. Restore the wheels and tires to 
their original size as quickly as possible. Failure 
to do so is a safety risk. <
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % main tenance-free, i.e., the 
electrolyte will last for  the life of the battery 
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center 
will be glad to advise in  all matters concerning 
the battery.
Charging battery
Only charge the battery  in the vehicle via the 
terminals in the engine compartment with the 
engine switched off. Connections, refer to 
Jump starting on page 280.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of following 
replacement at your BMW Sports Activity  

Giving and receiving assistance
280
replace the contents conc
erned in good time if 
necessary.
BMW X5
BMW X6
The first aid kit is stored in the cargo bay, 
behind the left side panel.
Roadside Assistance*
The BMW Roadside Assistance offers you 
assistance in the event of a breakdown around 
the clock, including on weekends and public 
holidays.
The phone numbers of the Roadside Assis-
tance in your home country can be found in the 
Contact brochure.
With BMW Assist or BMW TeleServices, you 
can contact BMW Roadside Assistance for 
assistance in the event of a breakdown directly 
via iDrive, refer to page 236.
Jump starting
When your battery is discharged, you can use 
two jumper cables to start your BMW with 
power from the battery in a second vehicle. You  can also use the same 
method to help start 
another vehicle. Use only jumper cables with 
fully-insulated clamp handles.
To avoid the risk of po tentially fatal injury, 
always avoid all contact with electrical 
components while the engine is running. Care-
fully adhere to the following sequence, both to 
prevent damage to one or both vehicles, and to 
guard against possible personal injuries.<
Preparation
1. Check whether the battery of the other 
vehicle has a voltage of 12 Volts and 
approximately the same capacitance in Ah. 
This information can be found on the bat-
tery.
2. Switch off the engine of the assisting vehi-
cle.
3. Switch off any electrical systems and com-
ponents in both vehicles.
There must not be  any contact between 
the bodies of the tw o vehicles, otherwise 
there is a danger of shorting. <
Connecting jumper cables
To avoid personal injury from sparks, fol-
low this sequence when connecting 
jumper cables. <
On your BMW the so-called starting-aid termi-
nal in the engine compar tment acts as the bat-
tery positive terminal, al so refer to the engine 
compartment overview on page 259. The cover 
cap is marked with +.
1. Fold open the cover of the BMW starting-
aid terminal. To do so, pull the tab. 

Mobility
 281Reference
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2.Attach one end of the jumper cable plus/+ 
to the positive terminal of the battery or a 
starting-aid terminal of the vehicle provid-
ing assistance.
3. Attach the second end  of the cable to the 
positive terminal of th e battery or to a start-
ing-aid terminal of the vehicle to be started.
4. Attach one end of the jumper cable minus/– 
to the negative terminal  of the battery or to 
an engine or body ground of the assisting 
vehicle.
Your BMW has a special nut as body ground 
or negative pole.
5. Attach the second end  of the cable to the 
negative terminal of  the battery or to the 
engine or body ground of the vehicle to be 
started.
Starting engine
1. Start the engine on the assisting vehicle 
and allow it to run at  idle for several minutes 
at slightly increased speed.
2. Start the engine on the other vehicle in the 
usual way.
If the first starting attempt is not successful, 
wait a few minutes be fore another attempt 
in order to allow the  discharged battery to 
recharge.
3. Let the engines run for a few minutes.
4. Disconnect the jumper cables by reversing 
the connection sequence.
Check the battery and recharge if necessary.
Never use spray fluids to start the 
engine. <
Tow-starting and towing
Observe applicable la ws and regulations 
for tow-starting and towing. <
Do not transport any passengers other 
than the driver in a vehicle that is being 
towed. <
Using tow fitting
The screw-on tow-fitting must always be car-
ried in the vehicle. It can be screwed in at the 
front or rear of the BMW.
It is located in the tool kit under the floor panel 
flap in the cargo bay, refer to page 269.
Use only the tow fitting provided with the 
vehicle and screw it all the way in. Use the 
tow fitting for towing only  on roads. Avoid lateral 
loading of the tow fitting,  e.g. do not lift the vehi-
cle by the tow fitting. Ot herwise damage to the 
tow fitting and the vehicle can occur. <
Access to screw thread
Cover panel on left and right side of bumper: 
press on the arrow symbol on the cover panel.
Front
Rear 

Giving and receiving assistance
282
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition is switched on, 
refer to page65, otherwise the low 
beams, tail lamps, turn  signals and windshield 
wipers would not be available. When the engine 
is stopped, there is no  power assist. This then 
requires increased effort for braking and steer-
ing. Active steering is  deactivated and larger 
steering wheel movements are required.<
Switch on the hazard wa rning flashers depend-
ing on the local regulations. If the electrical sys-
tem fails, mark the vehicle to be towed, e.g. with 
a sign or warning triangle in the rear window.
Before towing, manua lly unlock the trans-
mission lock, refer to page 72; failure to 
do so can result in damage to the transmis-
sion. <
Do not exceed a towing speed of 45 mph/
70 km/h and a towing distance of 
90 miles/150 km, otherwise the automatic 
transmission may be damaged. <
Towing methods
Do not lift vehicle by tow fitting or body 
and chassis parts, otherwise damage may 
result. <
In some countries, towi ng with tow bars or 
ropes in public traffic is  not permitted. Familiar-
ize yourself with the regu lations on towing in the 
respective country.
With tow bar
The towing vehicle may not be lighter 
than the vehicle to be towed, otherwise it 
will not be possible to reliably control vehicle 
response. <
The tow fittings used sh ould be on the same 
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an offset 
angle, observe the following:
> Clearance and maneuvering capability will 
be sharply limited during cornering.
> When mounted at an angle, the tow bar will 
exert lateral forces,  tending to push the 
vehicle sideways. Only attach the tow bar to the tow fittings, 
as attachment to other vehicle parts can 
lead to damage. <
With tow rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make 
sure that the tow rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated 
stresses on vehicle components when 
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps. 
Only attach tow ropes to  the tow fittings, as 
attachment to other vehi cle parts can lead to 
damage. <
With tow truck
Do not tow your BMW with the front or 
rear axle raised indi vidually; otherwise, 
the wheels may lock and  the transfer case may 
be damaged. <
Have the BMW transported only on a flatbed 
surface.
Tow-starting
The engine cannot be started by tow-starting. 
Start the engine by jump starting it, refer to 
page 280. 
Have the cause of the st arting difficulties elimi-
nated. 

Reference 297
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Ashtray
– front128
– rear 129
Assist 235
– refer to separate operating 
instructions
Assistance systems, refer to  Driving stability control 
systems 96
Assistance window 20
"Assist profile" 241
"Assist. window off" 21
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control 117
"Audio" 177,181
– for DVD system in rear 216
Audio 174
– controls 174
– switching on/off 174
– tone control 175
– volume 175
Audio CD for DVD system in 
rear 210
Audio device, external 127
Automatic
– air distribution 115,120
– air volume 115,120
– BMW Teleservice call 237
– headlamp control 110
– liftgate operation 34,37
– steering wheel adjustment, 
refer to Easy entry/exit 58
– storing stations 179
Automatic car washes 140
Automatic climate control
– automatic air  distribution 115,120
– in rear 119
– in rear, activating on Control  Display 120
– switching off 118,120
– ventilation in rear 119
– with 2-zone control 115
– with 4-zone control 119
Automatic closing of doors,  refer to Automatic soft 
closing 33 Automatic curb monitor
58
Automatic garage door 
opener 123
Automatic Hold 67
– activating 68
– deactivating 68
– parking 68
Auto
matic lighting
– refer to Automatic headlamp  control 110
– refer to Daytime driving 
lamps 111
– refer to Interior lamps 113
– refer to Pathway lighting 111
"Automatic programs" 116
Automatic recirculated-air 
control AUC 117
Automatic soft closing 33
Automatic station search 179
Automatic transmission with  Steptronic 70
– deactivating selector lever 
interlock 71
– kick-down 71
– manually releasing 
transmission lock 72
– tow-starting 282
– with comfort access 40
"Automatic ventilation" 121
AUTO program for automatic  climate control 115,120
"Auto Request" 237
"Autostore"
– on the radio 180
"AUX" 175,200 ,202
– AUX-In connection 200
– for DVD system in rear 215
– USB audio interface 201
"AUX / Rear" 206
AUX-In connection 127,200
Average fuel consumption 80
– setting units 89
Average speed, refer to 
Computer 80
"Avoid ferries" in  navigation 161
"Avoid highways" in  navigation 160 Avoiding highways for 
navigation 160
Avoiding unintentional  alarms 39
"Avoid tollroads" in 
navigation 161
Axle weights, refer to  Weights 289
"A - Z" 228
B
Backrest contour, refer to 
Lumbar support 50
Backrests, refer to Seats 49
Backrest width adjustment 50
Backup lamps, replacing  bulbs 270,273
Balance, refer to Tone 
control 176
"Balance" for DVD system in  rear 209
Band-aids, refer to First-aid  kit 279
Bass, refer to Tone 
control 175
Battery
– charging 277
– jump starting 280
– power failure 278
– refer to Vehicle battery 277
Battery disposal
– remote control with comfort  access 41
– vehicle battery 277
Battery replacement
– remote control for DVD 
system in rear 206
– remote control with comfort  access 41
Being towed 282
Belts, refer to Safety belts 54
Beverage holder, refer to Cup 
holders 127
Blower, refer to Air  volume 116,120
BMW Advanced Diesel 245 

Reference 305
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Interior rearview mirror58
– automatic dimming 
feature 58
– compass 124
Intermittent mode of the 
wipers 74
J
Jacking points 276
Joystick
– refer to iDrive 16
– refer to Selector lever, 
selecting transmission 
positions 70
Jump starting 280
K
Keyless-Go, refer to Comfort 
access 39
Keyless opening and closing, 
refer to Comfort access 39
Key Memory, refer to Personal  Profile 28
"Keypad" 230
Keys 28
– key-related settings, refer to 
Personal Profile 28
Kick-down, automatic  transmission with 
Steptronic 71
Knock control 245
L
Lamps, refer to Parking lamps/
low beams 110
Lamps and bulbs 269
"Language / Units" 89,90
– for navigation 149
"Language" for DVD system  in rear 208,209
"Languages" 90
– for navigation 149,165
Lashing eyes, refer to 
Securing cargo 143
Last destinations, refer to  Destination list 157 "Last seat pos."
51
LATCH child restraint fixing 
system 62
Leather care 267
LEDs light-emitting 
diodes 270
Length, refer to  Dimensions 287
License plate lamp, replacing  bulbs 272,275
Liftgate 33,35
– adjusting opening  height 34,36, 37
– automatic operation 34,37
– closing 34,37
– locking and unlocking from 
inside 32
– opening from inside 33,36
– opening from outside 33,36
– opening manually 33,36
Light-emitting diodes  LEDs 270
Lighter 129
Lighter socket 129
"Lighting" 73,111
Lighting
– instruments 113
– lamps and bulbs 269
– of the vehicle, refer to  Lamps 110
Light switch 110
"Limit" 87
Load 141
Loadin
g141
– securing cargo 143
– stowing cargo 142
– vehicle 141
Load securing equipment,  refer to Securing cargo 143
"Lock after driving" 33
Lock buttons in the doors,  refer to Locking 33
Locking
– from inside 32
– setting confirmation  signals 31
– using remote control 29
– without key, refer to Comfort  access 39 Locking and unlocking doors
– from inside
32
– setting confirmation  signals 31
Locking without key, refer to 
Comfort access 39
Low beams 110
– automatic 110
Lower back support, refer to  Lumbar support 50
Lows, refer to Treble and 
bass 175
Lug bolts 276
– tightening torque, refer to  After mounting 277
– wrench 276
Luggage compartment  capacity, refer to Cargo bay 
capacity 289
Luggage rack, refer to Roof- mounted luggage rack 143
Lumbar support 50
M
M+S tires, refer to Winter 
tires 257
"Main menu" for DVD system 
in rear 209
Maintenance
– refer to Service and 
Warranty Information 
Booklet for US models 263
– refer to Service 
requirements 82
– refer to Warranty and  Service Guide Booklet for 
Canadian models 263
Maintenance system 263
Malfunction
– door lock 32
– driver's door 32
– fuel filler door 244
– glass sunroof, electric 46
– liftgate 33
– panorama glass sunroof 44
– parking brake 69