
Mobility
 245Reference
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Fuel specifications
Gasoline engine: required fuel
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise 
damage to the catalytic converter will 
result.
Do not use E85, i.e. fuel that consists of 85 % 
ethanol, or Flex Fuel, otherwise permanent 
damage to the engine and the fuel supply sys-
tem will result. <
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is hi ghly recommended.
However, you may also  use gasoline with less 
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is 87.
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds 
when starting at high outside temperatures. 
This has no affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified 
minimum quality, otherwise engine dam-
age can result. <
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has in dicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition, 
additives, etc., among ga solines offered for sale 
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other 
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight, 
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an 
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void 
the applicable warranti es with respect to 
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in 
drivability, starting and stalling problems 
especially under certai n environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and 
high altitude. 
Should you encounter drivability problems 
which you suspect could be  related to the fuel 
you are using, we recommend that you respond 
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand 
such as gasoline that is  advertised as Top Tier 
Detergent Gasoline. 
Failure to comply with  these recommendations 
may also result in un scheduled maintenance. <
BMW X5 with BMW Advanced Diesel: 
Required fuel
Ultra-low sulfur diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel 
with a low sulfur content:
Ultra-low sulfur diesel ASTM D 975-07a.
Refuel only with ultra-low sulfur diesel. 
The percentage of biodiesel in the fuel 
must not exceed 5 Ξ, referred to as B5. Do not 
refuel with gasoline. If the vehicle has been 
refueled with incorrect fuel such as gasoline, do 
not start the engine; otherwise, there is a dan-
ger of engine damage. <
After incorrect refueling, contact a BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center.
The fuel filling neck is designed for refuel-
ing with diesel nozzles.
If the nozzle cannot be inserted into the fuel 
filler pipe of your BMW, please check to make 
sure that you are refueling with a diesel fuel 
pump and whether this is equipped with a diesel 
nozzle. <
Winter diesel
In order to assure the  operational reliability of 
the diesel engine, during cold seasons, please 
refuel with winter diesel, which is sold at fuel 
stations during this time of year. The standard 
fuel filter heating prevents the supply of fuel 
from stalling during driving.
Do not mix in any additives or gasoline; 
otherwise, there is the risk of engine dam-
age. <
BMW X5 with BMW Advanced 
Diesel
The concept
BMW Advanced Diesel reduces nitrogen oxides 
in the diesel exhaust of your vehicle by injecting 
the reducing agent diesel exhaust fluid into the 
exhaust line. In the cata lytic converter, a chem-
ical reaction occurs th at minimizes nitrogen 
oxides. 

Refueling
246
In order to be able to start the engine in the 
usual way, there must be a sufficient supply of 
diesel exhaust fluid in the separate reservoir.
System heating
In order to bring the system to operating tem-
perature after a cold start of the engine, the 
automatic transmission 
shifts into the next 
higher gear at a later point.
Reserve display
A display in the instrument panel informs you 
about the remaining distance can be covered 
with the amount of fuel currently in the tank.
The reserve display appears approx. 
1,000 miles/1,600 km before the end of the 
tank.
As soon as the reserve display has 
appeared in the inst rument panel, have 
the diesel exhaust fluid refilled to prevent the 
engine from being unable to restart. <
Diesel exhaust fluid at minimum
Even with a display of -- mls, the engine will 
continue to run, provided that it is not switched 
off, and all other operating requirements are 
met, e.g. sufficient fuel. Do not drive until the displayed remaining 
distance runs out. Otherwise, it may not 
be possible to restart the engine. <
Incorrect fueling
The warning lamp lights up:
The reservoir has been filled with an 
incorrect fluid.
Please contact your BMW Sports Activity Vehi-
cle Center.
Have diesel exhaust fluid refilled
Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center refills 
the diesel exhaust fluid as part of the regular 
maintenance. If you adhe re to this maintenance 
schedule, it is usually no t necessary to refill any 
fluids between the  maintenance dates.
Under certain circumstances, e.g. due to a par-
ticularly sporty driving st yle or operation of the 
vehicle at high altitudes,  it may be necessary to 
refill fluids betwee n maintenance dates.
As soon as the reserve display has appeared in 
the instrument panel, have the diesel exhaust 
fluid refilled to prevent the engine from being 
unable to restart.
You can have the fluid refilled by a BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center.
Diesel exhaust fluid at low 
temperatures
Due to its physical properties, at temper-
atures below +23 7/–5 6, it may also be 
necessary to refill the diesel exhaust fluid 
between the regular maintenance dates.
If the fluid needs to be re filled, this will be indi-
cated with the reserve display in the instrument 
panel, refer to page 246.< 

Mobility
 263Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Maintenance
BMW maintenance system
The BMW maintenance system supports the 
preservation of the traffic and operating safety 
of your BMW. The service schedule also 
includes operations related to the vehicle's 
comfort and convenience features, such as 
replacement of the filters for the inside air. 
The ultimate objective is to ensure economical 
maintenance by providing the ideal service for 
your vehicle.
Should the day come when you decide to sell 
your BMW, a complete  dealer service history 
will prove to be an asset of inestimable value.
CBS Condition Based Service
Sensors and special algo rithms take the differ-
ent driving conditions of your BMW into 
account. Condition Based Service uses this to 
determine the current  and future service 
requirements. By letting you define a service 
and maintenance regimen  that reflects your 
own individual requirements, the system builds 
the basis for trouble-free driving.
You can set the Contro l Display to show 
remaining distances and times of selected 
maintenance intervals and legally mandated 
deadlines, refer to page 82:
> Engine oil
> Brake pads, front and rear separately
> Brake fluid
> Vehicle check >
Legally mandated inspections depending 
on local regulations
Service data in remote control
Your vehicle stores the information required for 
maintenance continuously  in the remote con-
trol during driving. After accessing the data 
stored in the remote co ntrol, your BMW Service 
Advisor can suggest precisely the right array of 
service procedures for yo ur own individual vehi-
cle. You should therefore hand over the remote 
control you last used to drive to the BMW Ser-
vice Advisor when you take your vehicle in for 
service.
Make sure the date is  set correctly, refer 
to page 89, otherwise the effectiveness 
of CBS Condition Based Service is not 
ensured. <
Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet for US models and 
Warranty and Service Guide Booklet 
for Canadian models
Please consult your Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty 
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models 
for additional information on service require-
ments.
BMW recommends that  you have service 
and repair operations performed at your 
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center. 
Take the time to ensure  that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by  entries in your vehi-
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet 
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide 
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries 
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance.<