Adjusting
48
BMW X5: rear seats and 3rd row seats*,
adjusting height
>To raise: pull up.
>To lower: press the button, arrow1, and
push the head restraint downward.
In vehicles equipped with 3rd row seats, the
height of the middle head restraint is not adjust-
able.
Removing
1.Pull the head restraint upward to the stop.
2.Press the button, arrow1, and pull the head
restraint all the way out.
BMW X5: rear seats
2nd row seats [Second row seats]
With a divided* row of seats you can adjust
both sides individually.
Never adjust the 2nd row seats while the
vehicle is moving, as otherwise the pas-
sengers on the 3rd row seats could be injured.
Make sure that the locking devices of the 2nd
row seats engage properly. Otherwise the
restraining effect of the safety belts during an
accident could be reduced.<
Longitudinal direction*
1.Pull the lever and slide the seat into the
desired position.
2.Release the lever and move the seat slightly
forward or back so that it engages properly.
Backrest*
The backrests can be adjusted in four steps.
Pull the lever and apply weight to or remove
weight from the backrest as needed.
Access to 3rd row seats*
Pull the lever and fold the seat forward.
The handle recess on the interior trim of
the door pillar makes climbing in easier.<
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Controls
49Reference
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Mobility
When folding back the 2nd row seats,
make sure that the footwell under the
2nd row seats is clear. Otherwise persons in the
3rd row seats could be injured or objects dam-
aged.<
Warning lamp for 2nd row seats:
lights up when the 2nd row seats are
not locked. A message also appears
on the Control Display.
3rd row seats*
The 3rd row seats are divided and offer space
for two persons.
Folding up backrest
Before folding the seats up, remove the roll-up
cover, refer to page122, and if need be, slide
the 2nd row seats slightly forward.
1.Pull the lever, refer to arrow. The backrest is
unlocked.
2.Fold up and engage the backrest.
Make sure that the catch engages
securely. If it is not properly engaged,
transported cargo could enter the passen-
ger compartment during braking or evasive
maneuvers and endanger the vehicle occu-
pants.<
3.Push the head restraints into the top posi-
tion.
Folding backrest down
1.Push down the head restraint, refer to
page48.
2.Pull the lever, refer to arrows. The backrests
are released.
3.Fold the backrest down.
Safety belts
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
observe the adjustment instructions on
page43.<
Before every drive, make sure that safety belts
are being worn at all of the occupied seats. Air-
bags complement the safety belt as an addi-
tional safety device, but they do not represent a
substitute.
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
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Adjusting
50
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and passenger seat
The indicator lamp lights up and a
signal sounds. A message also
appears on the Control Display.
Please check whether the safety belt is cor-
rectly fastened.
The safety belt reminder is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed on the passenger
seat.
Releasing
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be
correct for adult seat occupants of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page44.
BMW X5: the two rear safety belt buckles inte-
grated into the rear seat are for passengers sit-
ting on the left and right. The belt buckle
embossed with the word CENTER is intended
exclusively for use by passengers riding in the
center position.
Damage to safety belts
In the event of loads caused by accidents
or other damage: replace the belt system
including the safety belt tensioners and any
child restraint devices, and have the belt anchor
points checked. Only have this work carried out
at a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or at a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Otherwise correct operation of this
safety equipment is not guaranteed.<
Belt-force limiter
The effect of the belt-force limiter on the
driver's seat is dependent on the position of the
driver's seat.
To maintain the long-term accuracy of this
function, the driver's seat must be calibrated if a
corresponding message is displayed on the
Control Display.
Calibrating driver's seat
The warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage also appears on the Control Dis-
play. Please calibrate the driver's
seat.
1.Move the driver's seat forward until it stops.
2.Move the driver's seat forward again. It
briefly moves toward the front in the pro-
cess.
3.Set the desired seating position again.
The calibration is completed when the message
on the Control Display disappears. Should this
message continue to be displayed, repeat the
calibration. If the message does not disappear
even after repeated calibration, have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible.
Never carry out calibration while the vehi-
cle is moving, as this can cause accidents.
Make sure that no persons or objects become
wedged during the calibration process, as this
can cause injuries or damage.<
Seat heating*
Front
The temperature setting progresses one step
through its control sequence each time you
press the button. The maximum temperature is
supplied when three LEDs are lit.
To switch off: press the button longer.
The temperature is reduced, if need be, down to
no heat in order to reduce the load on the bat-
tery. The LEDs remain lit.
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Controls
51Reference
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Rear
Operation similar to front seat heating; without
temperature distribution.
Active seat ventilation* and
seat heating*
Front
1Seat heating
2Active seat ventilation
Press button1 or 2 once depending on the
temperature or ventilation position. The LED in
the respective button lights up.
The temperature and ventilation levels are dis-
played in bar form on the Control Display. A dis-
play of three bars indicates the highest level of
seat heating or seat ventilation.
The air quantity is reduced and if need be, the
ventilation is switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
To switch off: press button1 or 2 longer.
Temperature distribution without
active seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
1.Press the button1.
2.Select "Seat heating distribution" and
press the controller.
3.Turn the controller to adjust the distribu-
tion.
The setting is applied.
Temperature distribution with active
seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
1.Press button1.
2.Select "Seat heating distribution" and
press the controller.
3.Turn the controller to adjust the distribu-
tion.
The setting is applied.
Heated rear seats
Operation similar to front seat heating; without
temperature distribution, refer to page50.
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Adjusting
52
Active seat*
The seat cushion is actively varied by alter-
nately raising and lowering the right and left half
of the seat cushion. This reduces muscular ten-
sion and fatigue to help prevent lower back
pain.
Press the button to switch on; the LED lights
up.
The action of the system is reduced and if need
be, switched off in order to reduce the load on
the battery. The LED remains lit.
If you switch off the active seat, it can take up
to 1 minute before the two halves of the seat
cushion have returned to their initial position.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The mirror on the passenger's side is
more curved than the driver's mirror.
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer than
they appear. Do not estimate the distance of
following traffic based on what you see in the
mirrors; otherwise, there is an increased risk of
accident.<1Adjusting
2Switching to the other mirror or to the auto-
matic curb monitor
3Folding mirrors in and out
*
Storing the mirror positions, refer to Seat, mir-
ror and steering wheel memory on page45.
Adjusting manually
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
press the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
Pressing button3 allows you to fold the mirrors
in and out again up to a speed of approx.
12 mph/20 km/h. This is advantageous, for
example, in car washes, narrow streets or for
bringing mirrors that have been manually folded
in back into the correct position.
Folded in mirrors fold out again at a speed of
approx. 25 mph/40 km/h.
Before going through a car wash, fold the
mirrors in manually, or with button3, oth-
erwise they could be damaged, depending on
the width of the car wash system.<
Automatic heating
Below a certain outdoor temperature, both
exterior mirrors are automatically heated when
the motor is running or the ignition is switched
on.
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Adjusting
54
Power adjustment*
The steering wheel can be adjusted in four
directions.
Storing steering wheel positions, refer to Seat,
mirror and steering wheel memory on page45.
Easy entry/exit*
To facilitate entry and exit, the steering wheel
temporarily moves into the uppermost position.
Steering wheel heating*
Press the button.
When the steering wheel heater is switched on,
the LED in the button lights up.
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Driving
60 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 inhalation of toxic exhaust
gases can cause unconsciousness and death.
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide,
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Never leave an unattended 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 leaving the vehicle with
the engine running.<
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle 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 not start. Otherwise, the
fuel is not burned or inadequately burned and
there is a danger of overheating and damaging
the catalytic converter.
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Press the Start/Stop button.
The system responds by automatically engag-
ing the starter for a certain period and automat-
ically disengaging it as soon as the engine
starts.
Diesel engine
When the engine is cold and at temperatures
below approx. 327/06 the starting process
may be somewhat delayed due to automatic
preglowing. The preglowing indicator lamp in
the instrument panel lights up. 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 page59.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle can roll if you 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.
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Controls
61Reference
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Mobility
Transmission position P will be engaged:
>automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>if you remove the remote control from the
ignition lock
Parking brake
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with an electromechan-
ical parking brake.
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked.
You can use the parking brake in two ways:
>manually, by pulling and pushing the button
>automatically, by activating Automatic
Hold, refer to page61
With the engine stopped, the parking brake acts
on the rear wheels via an electromechanical
system. When the engine is running, the park-
ing brake acts on the disk brakes of the front
and rear wheels via the brake hydraulics.
Setting manually
Pull button. The parking brake is set.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
panel lights up red. The parking brake is
set.
Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
The remote control does not have to be
inserted into the ignition lock for the parking
brake to be set.
While driving
If exceptional circumstances should make it
necessary to set the parking brake while the
vehicle is in motion, pull on the button longer.
The vehicle continues to brake forcefully for as
long as you pull on the button.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
panel lights up red, a chime sounds and
the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
As soon as you brake the vehicle almost to a
stop, i.e., down to a speed of approx. 2 mph/
3 km/h or below, the parking brake remains set.
Releasing manually
Press the button with the brake depressed.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
panel goes out.
Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
When leaving the vehicle, always take
along the remote control; this precaution
prevents children from releasing the parking
brake, for example.<
Automatic Hold
The concept
This function assists you as you drive by auto-
matically setting and releasing the parking
brake, e.g. when you are stopped at a traffic sig-
nal or in stop-and-go traffic.
When Automatic Hold is activated, the vehicle is
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