
Adjustments
28
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never try to adjust your seat while operat-
ing the vehicle. The seat could respond 
with unexpected movement, and the ensuing 
loss of vehicle control could lead to an accident. 
On the passenger seat as well, do not incline 
the backrest too far to the rear while the vehicle 
is being driven; otherwise, there is a danger in 
the event of an accident of sliding under the 
safety belt, eliminating the protection normally 
provided by the belt.<
Also follow the instructions regarding the 
height of head restraints on page29 and 
regarding safety belt damage on page33.
Adjusting manually
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection, 
follow the adjustment instructions above.<
Longitudinal direction
Pull the lever 1 and slide the seat into the 
desired position.
After you release the lever, move the seat for-
ward or backward slightly so that it engages 
fully.
Height
Pull the lever 2 and apply weight to or remove 
weight from the seat as needed.
Backrest
Pull the lever 3 and apply weight to or remove 
weight from the backrest as needed.
Adjusting electrically*
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection, fol-
low the adjustment instructions above.<
1Tilt
2Longitudinal direction
3Height
4Backrest
Manually adjusting head restraint, refer to Head 
restraints on page29.
Luxury seat*
With this seat, you can also electrically adjust 
the height of the head restraint and the shoul-
der support. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 35
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the 
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger 
themselves and/or others, for example by open-
ing the doors.<
Children always in the rear
Accident research has demonstrated that the 
safest place for children is in the rear seat.
Children younger than 13 or smaller than 
5 ft/150 cm should only ride in the rear, in 
child restraint devices provided in accordance 
with their age, weight, and height. Otherwise, 
there is an increased risk of injury in the event of 
an accident.<
Children older than 13 must be secured with a 
safety belt as soon as they have outgrown a 
suitable child restraint device due to their age, 
height, and weight.
Exception for the front passenger seat
If it should be necessary to use a child 
restraint device on the front passenger 
seat, the front and side airbags must be deacti-
vated. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of 
injury to the child if the airbag is triggered, even 
with a child restraint device.<
For more information on automatic deactivation 
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page57.
Installing child restraint 
devices
Follow the child restraint device manu-
facturer's instructions for selection, 
installation and use of the child restraint device. 
Otherwise, the degree of protection can be 
reduced.<
On the passenger's seat
After installing a child restraint device on 
the passenger seat, make sure that the 
front and side airbag on the front passenger 
side have been deactivated. Otherwise, there is 
an increased risk of injury when the airbags are 
triggered.<
Seat position
Before installing a child restraint device, move 
the passenger seat into the farthest back, high-
est position in order to assure the best possible 
routing of the belt. Do not change this seat posi-
tion once it has been set.
Child seat security
In order to permit installation of child restraint 
devices, all rear safety belts and the front pas-
senger safety belt can be locked to prevent 
them from being pulled out.
Locking safety belt
1.Secure child restraint device with the belt.
2.Pull safety belt strap all the way out.
3.Allow safety belt to retract and pull it snugly 
against the child restraint device. The 
safety belt is locked.
Unlocking safety belt
1.Open safety belt buckle.
2.Remove child restraint device.
3.Allow safety belt strap to retract all the way. 

Practical interior accessories
72 3.Press the adjusting button for approx. 
6-7 seconds in order to call up C. Then drive 
in at least one complete circle at a maximum 
speed of 4 mph/7 km/h. If the calibration 
was successful, then the display C is 
replaced with the cardinal directions.
Setting for right-hand/left-hand drive
Your digital compass is already set to the right-
hand/left-hand drive of your vehicle at the fac-
tory.
Setting language
You can set the language of the display:
Press the adjusting button for approx. 
12-13 seconds. Press the adjusting button 
again briefly in order to change between 
English "E" and German "O".
The setting is automatically stored after approx. 
10 seconds.
Cup holders
Use lightweight, unbreakable containers; 
otherwise, there is a risk of injury in an 
accident. Do not push unsuitable containers 
into the cup holder as this can damage it.<
Front
Depending on your optional equipment, the 
center console contains either one or two cup 
holders.
Passenger side*
The cup holder for the front passenger is 
located beneath the air vent.
To open: briefly press the cover in the middle.
To close: press the cover in the middle and slide 
the cup holder in.
Rear
A cup holder is located in the center armrest at 
the rear: 
Press the button to open.
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle. The lamp inside the glove com-
partment comes on. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 83
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle is depen-
dent on various factors. You can improve your 
vehicle's fuel consumption and reduce the 
strain on the environment with several mea-
sures, your driving style and regular mainte-
nance.
Removing unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Removing attached parts following use
Remove auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear luggage 
racks which are no longer required following 
use. Attached parts on the vehicle impair the 
aerodynamics and increase the fuel consump-
tion.
Closing windows and panorama glass 
sunroof
An open panorama glass sunroof or an open 
window also increases the aerodynamic drag, 
and with it the fuel consumption.
Checking tire inflation pressures 
regularly
Check the tire inflation pressures at least twice 
a month and before starting off on a longer trip 
and correct them if necessary.
An insufficient tire inflation pressure increases 
the rolling resistance, therefore increasing fuel 
consumption and tire wear.
Driving off immediately
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicle remains stationary. 
Instead, drive off immediately at a moderate 
engine speed. This enables a cold engine to 
reach its operating temperature most rapidly.
Looking well ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking by 
maintaining a corresponding distance to the 
vehicle driving ahead. Driving smoothly and 
looking ahead reduces fuel consumption.
Avoiding high engine speeds
Only use 1st gear when starting off. Accelerate 
briskly from 2nd gear while avoiding high 
engine speeds and shifting up prematurely.
When the desired speed is reached, shift into 
the highest possible gear and drive at constant 
speed at the lowest possible engine speed.
Always remember: driving at low engine speeds 
decreases fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Using overrun conditions
When approaching a red light, take your foot off 
the accelerator and allow the vehicle to coast in 
the highest possible gear.
On a downhill stretch of road, take your foot off 
the accelerator and allow the vehicle to coast in 
the suitable gear.
The flow of fuel is interrupted in overrun.
Switching off engine during longer 
stops
Switch off the engine during longer stops, e.g. 
at traffic lights, railroad crossings or in traffic 
jams. You already save fuel from approx. 4 sec-
onds with the engine switched off.
Switching off functions currently not 
required
Functions like the air conditioner, seat heating 
or the rear-window defroster require a lot of 
energy and consume additional fuel. This plays 
a major role especially when driving in urban 
and in stop-and-go traffic. Therefore, switch off 
these functions when they are not really 
required.
Having maintenance carried out
Have regular maintenance performed on the 
vehicle to achieve optimum the economy and 
service life of your vehicle. BMW recommends 
having maintenance carried out by a BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle Center. Also observe 
the BMW maintenance system, refer to 
page106. 

Reference
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Mobility
 85
Hills
To prevent overheating and reduced effi-
ciency of the brake system, drive long or 
steep downhill grades in the gear in which the 
least braking is required. Otherwise, even light 
but continuous pressure on the brake can lead 
to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly 
even brake failure.<
The braking action of the engine can be further 
intensified by downshifting, all the way down to 
first gear if need be. This strategy helps you 
avoid placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem. Downshifting in manual mode of automatic 
transmission, refer to page41. When descend-
ing hills slowly, use HDC Hill Descent Control, 
refer to page52.
Never drive with the clutch depressed, 
with the transmission in neutral, or with 
the engine switched off; otherwise, you will 
have neither the braking action of the engine or 
nor its power assistance to the brakes or steer-
ing. 
Never allow floor mats, carpeting, or other arti-
cles to protrude into the area around the brake 
or accelerator pedals and obstruct their move-
ment.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally, 
during extended parking periods, and in operat-
ing conditions where brake applications are less 
frequent, there is an increased tendency for 
corrosion to form on rotors, while contaminants 
accumulate on the brake pads. This occurs 
because the minimal pressure which must be 
exerted by the pads during brake applications 
to clean the rotors is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the 
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating 
effect that even extended application will fail to 
cure.
Brake pads
The warning lamp lights up.
The brake pads have reached their min-
imum pad thickness. Have brake pads 
replaced immediately.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their 
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating of the tire and increases the rate at 
which damage develops inside the tires. The 
ultimate result can assum e  t h e  f o r m  o f  a  s u d d e n  
blowout.<
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo 
area; as otherwise the vehicle could be 
damaged.<
Determining load limit
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants 
and cargo should never exceed 
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, the vehicle 
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the 
driver and passengers that will be riding in 
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver 
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available 
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. 
For example, if the XXX amount equals 
990 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 
240 lbs.:
990 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 240 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage 
and cargo being loaded into and/or onto the 
vehicle. This combined weight may not  

Things to remember when driving
86 safely exceed the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity calculated in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of 
the load from your trailer will be transferred 
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for 
transporting a trailer to determine how this 
may reduce the available cargo and luggage 
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permitted load is the total of the weight of 
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the 
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage 
can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>To protect passengers, use the partition 
net, refer to page78.
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and as low 
as possible, placing it directly behind the 
rear seat backrests.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>Do not stack cargo higher than the upper 
edge of the backrests.
>Items that could bump against the rear win-
dow while driving must be adequately cov-
ered.>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is 
not occupied, secure the safety belt on 
each side in the buckle on the opposite 
side.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net* o r  d r a w  s t r a p s  t o  h o l d  
down small and lightweight luggage and 
cargo, refer to page78.
>For larger and heavier pieces, heavy-duty 
cargo straps
* are available from your BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle Center. These 
heavy-duty cargo straps are secured to 
lashing eyes mounted in the cargo area, 
refer to page78.
Read the information provided with the 
heavy-duty cargo straps.
Always position and secure cargo as 
described above. If you do not, it can 
endanger the passengers during braking or 
evasive maneuvers. 
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle 
weight or either of the approved axle weights, 
refer to page128, as excessive loads can pose 
a safety hazard and may also put you in violation 
of road safety laws.
You should never transport unsecured heavy or 
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as 
they could be thrown around and pose a safety 
hazard to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt 
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Use only the lashing eyes, refer to page78, to 
fasten the heavy-duty cargo straps. Do not use 
the upper attachment points for top tether, refer 
to page36, to secure cargo; this can damage 
them.< 

Reference
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Mobility
 87
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an optional 
accessory for your BMW. Please familiarize 
yourself with the information contained in the 
installation instructions.
Loading luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of 
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on 
its handling and steering response. You should 
therefore always remember not to exceed the 
approved roof load capacity, the approved 
gross vehicle weight, or the axle weights when 
loading the rack.
These specifications can be found under 
Weights on page128.
The roof load must be evenly distributed and 
must not extend outward beyond the limits of 
the loading surface. Always stow the heaviest 
pieces on the bottom. Be sure that adequate 
clearance is maintained for raising the glass 
sunroof and that objects do not project into the 
opening path of the liftgate.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and 
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off 
while you drive.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and 
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.
Driving on poor roads
Y our B MW  is a t home  on all pa ve d a nd unpa ved 
roads. It combines all-wheel drive with the 
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Do not drive off-road, as otherwise the 
vehicle may be damaged.<
When you are driving on poor roads, there are a 
few points which you should strictly observe – 
for your own safety and that of your passengers, 
as well as to protect the vehicle:
>Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before 
you begin driving. Do not take risks with the 
vehicle under any circumstances.>Always adapt your driving speed to the road 
conditions. The more steep and uneven the 
roadway is, the lower the speed should be.
>You can operate your vehicle on uphill and 
downhill gradients with a maximum slope 
of 50 %. If you wish to drive on uphill and 
downhill grades of this nature, make sure 
beforehand that the engine oil and coolant 
levels are near the MAX mark, refer to 
pages103 and105.
>When descending very steep hills, use 
HDC Hill Descent Control, refer to page52. 
It is possible to start off on inclines of up 
to 32 %. 
The permitted side tilt is 32 %.
>While driving, watch carefully for obstacles 
such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid these 
obstacles whenever possible.
>Avoid having the body make contact with 
the ground, e.g. on the crests of hills and 
bumpy roads. The ground clearance of the 
vehicle is a maximum of approx. 8.0 in/
20 cm. Please be aware that the ground 
clearance can vary depending on the load 
and operating conditions of the vehicle.
>Do not drive in water that is deeper than 
20 in/50 cm. If you must drive through water 
up to that depth, drive at a walking speed 
and do not stop. 
After leaving the water, press on the foot-
brake gently several times while driving at a 
low speed. The brake applications will help 
to dry the brakes, thus preventing a reduc-
tion in braking performance caused by the 
moisture. 
To clean the handbrake, apply the lever 
slightly at approx. 25 mph/40 km/h and con-
tinue to drive for approx. 200 yards/
200 meters, provided that traffic conditions 
allow you to do so.
>Depending on the road condition, it can be 
useful to temporarily activate DTC, refer to 
DTC Dynamic Traction Control on page52.
>If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress 
the accelerator pedal far enough to permit 
the driving stability control systems to dis- 

Reference
At a glance
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Mobility
 93
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 17.7 US gal./67 liters, including the 
reserve capacity of approx. 2 US gal./8 liters.
Never attempt to continue driving until 
the tank is completely empty; this can 
negatively affect engine function and can dam-
age the vehicle.<
Fuel specifications
Never use leaded gasoline. Otherwise, 
you will damage the catalytic converter. 
Do not use flex fuel or E85, i.e. fuel that is com-
prised of 85 % ethanol as these can damage the 
engine and fuel supply system.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with a 
lower AKI rating. 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 effect on the engine life.
Do not use any gasoline below the speci-
fied minimum fuel grade. Otherwise, the 
engine could be damaged.<
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 
stalling, starting and drivability problems 
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and 
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems that 
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.<