2010 BMW ACTIVEHYBRID X6 engine

Reference
At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
27
Using energy recovery
Energy recovery is displayed in the instrument
panel.
Coasting mode
In coasting mode, e.g. when rolling toward a
traffic signal, the high-voltage battery is
charged by energy recovery.
Braking
The most efficient energy recovery and charg-
ing of the high-voltage battery are achieved
with moderate braking.
Switching off functions currently not
required
Functions such as air conditioning, seat heat-
ing, or rear window defrosting consume a lot of
energy and require additional fuel. Their influ-
ence is particularly pronounced in city traffic
and stop & go operation. For this reason, it is a
good idea to switch these functions off when
they are not really needed.
Having maintenance carried out
Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to
achieve the optimum economy and service life
of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the
maintenance performed by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center. Also pay attention to
the BMW maintenance system, refer to the
BMW X6 Owner's Manual.
General driving notes
Driving through water
Maximum water depth: 17 in/45 cm
Only drive through water up to the above-
mentioned depth at no greater than walk-
ing speed; otherwise, the engine, electrical sys-
tem, and transmission can be damaged.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent pressure on the brake pedal
can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and
possibly even brake failure.<
With a fully charged high-voltage battery,
the combustion engine is switched on
when driving downhill in order to avoid over-
loading the high-voltage battery.<
The braking effect of the engine can be further
increased by downshifting in the manual mode
of the automatic transmission, if necessary into
first gear, refer to page18. This prevents an
excessive strain on the brakes.
Do not drive in idle or with drive readiness
mode deactivated; otherwise, there is no
braking action from the energy recovery or from
the engine and no power-assistance for braking
and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<

Refueling
32
Refueling
Before refueling, deactivate drive readi-
ness. When handling fuel, always observe
all applicable precautionary measures and reg-
ulations. Never transport reserve fuel contain-
ers in the vehicle. These could become leaky
and cause an explosion or a fire in an accident.<
Refueling
The BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is equipped with a
special fuel tank. It is designed for special
requirements that arise in the hybrid operation
of the vehicle, e.g. alternating driving with the
combustion engine or electric motors. Fuel
vapors can cause pressure to build up in the fuel
tank, which is reduced before the fuel tank
catch is opened.
Preparation
Unlocking fuel filler door
1.Deactivate drive readiness, refer to
page15.
2.Push the button to start pressure compen-
sation.
3.Messages indicate that the fuel filler door
has been released and refueling is possible.
In rare cases, the pressure decrease can
take several seconds. A message on the
Control Display indicates when the fuel filler
door has been released.
4.Open the fuel filler door.
If the fuel filler door is not opened within
10 minutes after the fuel tank catch is released, the fuel filler door locks again.
Press the button again.
Opening fuel filler door
1.Open the fuel filler door. To do this, briefly
press the lower edge.
The fuel filler door can only be opened if the
fuel tank catch has been released.
2.Turn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the fuel filler cap in the bracket
attached to the fuel filler door.
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Do not crush the band attached to the
cap; otherwise, the cap may not properly
seal and fuel vapors can escape.<
Manually releasing fuel filler door
If an electrical malfunction should occur and the
system does not release the fuel filler door, you
can unlock the fuel filler door manually.

Reference
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Driving tips
Mobility
33
1.Open the right-hand side panel in the cargo
bay.
2.Pull the knob with the gas pump symbol.
3.Open the fuel filler door. To do this, briefly
press the lower edge.
4.Turn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise.
When the fuel tank catch is opened,
stay as far away from the vehicle as
possible since gasoline and pressurized
gasoline vapors may suddenly escape from
the fuel tank.<
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels, follow the safety
precautions posted at the filling station.
Otherwise, there is a danger of personal injury
or property damage.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid raising the filler
nozzle during refueling, otherwise this leads to
>premature pump shutoff.
>a reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor
recovery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 22.5 gallons/85 liters, including approx.
2.1 gallons/8 liters of reserve
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Fuel specifications
Gasoline engine: required fuel
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise
damage to the catalytic converter will
result.
Do not refuel with E85, i.e. fuel that consists of
85% ethanol, or Flex Fuel, otherwise perma-
nent damage to the engine and the fuel supply
system will result.<
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is 89.
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 indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines 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 warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain 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 unscheduled maintenance.<

Reference
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35
Engine compartment
Only have work on the vehicle carried out
by a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
or a repair shop that works in accordance with
BMW guidelines and uses appropriately trained personnel. Otherwise, there is the risk of life-
threatening injury by electrocution due to the
high voltage of the hybrid system.<
Engine compartment
1Filler neck for washing fluid of the headlamp
and windshield washer system
2Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil, BMW X6 Owner's Manual
3Jump starting terminal plus/+, refer to
page37
4Expansion tank for coolant
5Jump starting terminal minus/-, refer to
page37Do not work in the engine compartment
with a tool that could damage the orange
high-voltage cable or high-voltage compo-
nents. Otherwise, there is the risk of fatal injury
by electrocution.<

Replacing components
36
Replacing components
For more information on replacing parts, please
refer to the BMW X6 Owner's Manual.
Working on the vehicle
Your BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is equipped with a
high-voltage system.
The BMW X6 Owner's Manual only describes
work on the vehicle that will not bring you into
contact with the high-voltage system.
Have more extensive work on your vehicle car-
ried out only by your BMW Sports Activity Vehi-
cle Center or a repair shop that works according
to BMW repair procedures with correspond-
ingly trained personnel.
Have maintenance and repair on the vehi-
cle carried out only by your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a repair shop that
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and
uses appropriately trained personnel. Other-
wise, there is the risk of life-threatening injury
by electrocution due to the high voltage of the
hybrid system.<
Never touch the high-voltage compo-
nents of the hybrid system; otherwise,
there is the risk of life-threatening injury by
electrocution due to the high voltage of the
hybrid system.<
Do not remove the cover panel of the
cargo bay floor; otherwise, the high-volt-
age battery could be damaged.<
12 Volt batteries
Battery care
The 12 Volt batteries are maintenance-free, i.e.
the electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated under temperate
climatic conditions. Your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center will be glad to advise in all mat-
ters concerning the battery.
Charging batteries
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 page37.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of following
replacement at your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center or bring them to a collection
point. Maintain the battery in an upright position
for transport and storage. Always restrain the
battery to prevent it from tipping over during
transport.<
High-voltage battery
Battery care
Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will
be glad to advise you in all matters concerning
the high-voltage battery
Charging battery
Charging high-voltage battery, refer to Energy
recovery on page16 and Jump starting on
page37.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
37
Giving and receiving assistance
Jump starting, charging
high-voltage battery
Your BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is equipped with
two types of battery:
>12 Volt battery
>High-voltage battery
If the 12 Volt battery or high-voltage battery is
dead, the combustion engine can be started
with the aid of another vehicle using two jumper
cables.
Only use jumper cables with fully insulated ter-
minal clamps and do not deviate from the
described procedure.
To avoid the risk of potentially 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.<
Identifying the dead battery
>Dead 12 Volt battery: Ignition cannot be
switched on.
>Dead high-voltage battery: Ignition can be
switched on. Drive readiness cannot be
activated.
A message appears on the Control Display.
Preparation
1.Check whether the battery of the other
vehicle is a 12 Volt battery and has approxi-
mately the same capacitance in Ah. This
information can be found on the battery.
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 two 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.<
In your BMW, the so-called jump-starting termi-
nal in the engine compartment functions as the
positive battery terminal, also refer to the
engine compartment overview on page35. The
cover cap is marked with a + symbol.
1.Fold open the cover of the BMW starting-
aid terminal. To do so, pull the tab.
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 the 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.

Giving and receiving assistance
38 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.
Charging: 12 Volt battery
1.Start the engine on the assisting vehicle
and activate drive readiness, allowing the
assisting vehicle to run at idle for several
minutes at slightly increased speed.
2.Start the engine on your vehicle in the usual
way.
If the first starting attempt is not successful,
wait a few minutes before 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.
Have the battery checked if necessary.
Never use spray fluids to start the
engine.<
Charging: High-voltage battery
1.Start the engine on the assisting vehicle
and activate drive readiness, allowing the
assisting vehicle to run at idle for several
minutes at slightly increased speed.
2.Switch on the ignition of your vehicle when
prompted by the corresponding message
on the Control Display. The charging
begins.
3.The charging is concluded when this is
prompted by a corresponding message on
the Control Display.
4.Start the combustion engine of your own
vehicle.
5.Disconnect the jumper cables by reversing
the connection sequence.
Have the hybrid system checked if necessary.
Never use spray fluids to start the
engine.<
Charging interrupted
The charging may be interrupted, for example if
the battery power of the assisting vehicle is
insufficient.
Disconnect the jumper cables in the reverse of
the sequence described above and contact
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.
Tow-starting and towing
Getting towed:
Have your BMW ActiveHybrid X6 trans-
ported only on a flat bed of a tow truck;
otherwise, the high-voltage system may be
damaged.<
In special circumstances, it is possible to have
the vehicle towed on the road for short dis-
tances, e.g. in order to remove the vehicle from
a dangerous area.
No tow-starting
The engine cannot be started by tow-starting.
Start the engine by jump starting it, refer to
page37.
Have the cause of the starting difficulties elimi-
nated.
Towing the vehicle
Towing your BMW ActiveHybrid X6 with a tow
rope or tow bar is only possible in special cir-
cumstances for short distances, e.g. in order to
remove the vehicle from a dangerous area. Oth-
erwise, the hybrid system can be damaged.

Technical data
44
Technical data
Drive system
Combustion engine
Hybrid system
Simultaneous operation of combustion engine
and electric motors.
High-voltage battery
BMW ActiveHybrid X6
Displacement cu in/cmμ268.2/4,395
No. of cylinders8
Maximum output hp 400
at engine speed rpm 5,500-6,400
Maximum torque lb ft/Nm 450/610
at engine speed rpm 1,750-4,500
BMW ActiveHybrid X6
Maximum output hp 480
Maximum torque lb ft/Nm 575/780
BMW ActiveHybrid X6
TypeNiMH
Output kW 57