
Controls
 39Reference
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Communications
Navigation
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Mobility
Raising, opening, closing
Raising
Press the switch.
The closed sunroof is raised and the sliding 
visor opens slightly.
Do not use force to close the sliding visor 
with the glass sunroof in its raised posi-
tion, otherwise the mechanism will be dam-
aged.<
Opening, closing
Sliding visor
You can move the sliding visor independently 
with the sunroof closed or raised.
>Slide the switch back to the resistance 
point.
The sliding visor opens as long as you keep 
the switch in this position.
>Briefly press the switch back beyond the 
resistance point.
The sliding visor will open automatically. 
Briefly pressing the switch stops the 
motion.
You can close the sliding visor in a similar man-
ner by sliding the switch forwards.
Panorama glass sunroof
With the sliding visor open, proceed as 
described under Sliding visor.
For information on using convenience opera-
tion at the door lock or with the remote control, 
refer to page28 or29.
For information on comfort closing with comfort 
access, refer to page36.
Opening and closing sunroof and 
sliding visor together
Briefly press the switch beyond the resistance 
point twice consecutively.
Briefly pressing the switch stops the motion.
Comfort mode
>Press the switch twice with the sunroof 
open:
The sunroof is raised.
>When the sunroof is raised, briefly press the 
switch twice in the opening direction:
The sunroof is opened all the way.
Comfort position
In the comfort position, the sunroof is not com-
pletely open; this reduces wind noise in the 
passenger compartment.
Each time the panorama glass sunroof is com-
pletely opened or closed, it stops in the comfort 
position. If desired, continue the motion follow-
ing this with the switch.
After switching off ignition
You can still operate the roof for approx. 
1 minute, as long as no door has been opened.
Pinch protection system
If the panorama glass sunroof or sliding visor 
encounter resistance when closing from 
roughly one third of the sunroof opening or 
when closing from the raised position, the clos-
ing action is interrupted and the panorama 
glass sunroof and sliding visor reopen a little.
Despite the pinch protection system, 
inspect the sunroof's travel path prior to 
closing it, as the safety system might fail to 
detect certain kinds of obstructions, such as 
very thin objects, and the sunroof would con-
tinue closing.<
Closing without pinch protection 
system
In case of danger from outside, slide the switch 
forward beyond the resistance point and hold. 
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Opening and closing
40 The roof closes without the pinch protection 
system.
Following interruptions in electrical 
power supply
After a power loss, the sunroof may only 
respond to the raise command. Then have the 
system initialized. BMW recommends having 
this work carried out by your BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center.
Moving manually*
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can 
move the sunroof manually:
1.Remove trim piece. To do so, gently lift the 
corner of the trim piece with a screwdriver.
2.Using the screwdriver, press in the clamps 
one after the other, arrows 1, tilt the cover 
panel down, arrow 2, and remove.
3.Release and disconnect the motor plug. 
This significantly reduces the effort 
required for the manual movement.4.Insert the Allen wrench
* from the onboard 
tool kit, refer to page250, into the opening 
provided. Move the panorama glass sunroof 
in the desired direction.
5.Reconnect the plug.
6.Clip the trim piece into the cover panel, 
arrow1. Then fold the cover panel forward 
until it audibly clicks into place, arrow2.
BMW X6: glass sunroof*, 
electric
The glass sunroof is ready for operation when 
the ignition is switched on, refer to page59.
To prevent injuries, exercise care when 
closing the glass sunroof and keep it in 
your field of vision until it is closed.
Always take along the remote control when you 
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Controls
 41Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
leave the vehicle, otherwise children could, for 
example, operate the roof and injure them-
selves.<
Raising
Press the switch.
The closed glass sunroof is raised and the slid-
ing visor opens slightly.
Do not use force to close the sliding visor 
with the glass sunroof in its raised posi-
tion, otherwise the mechanism will be dam-
aged.<
Opening, closing
>Slide the switch back to the resistance 
point.
The glass sunroof and the sliding visor open 
together as long as you continue to hold the 
switch in this position.
>Briefly press the switch back beyond the 
resistance point.
The glass sunroof and the sliding visor open 
automatically. Briefly pressing the switch 
stops the motion.
You can close the glass sunroof in a similar 
manner by sliding the switch forward. The slid-
ing visor remains open and can be closed by 
hand.
For information on using convenience opera-
tion with the remote control or at the door lock, 
refer to page28 or29.
For information on convenience closing with 
comfort access, refer to page36.
Automatic opening and closing
Briefly press the switch beyond the resistance 
point.
The following movements are also automatic:
>With the sunroof open, press the switch:
The sunroof is opened all the way.
>With the sunroof raised, briefly press the 
switch in the opening direction: the sunroof 
is opened all the way.
Briefly pressing the switch stops the motion.
Comfort position
In the comfort position, the sunroof is not com-
pletely open; this reduces wind noise in the 
passenger compartment.
Each time the glass sunroof is opened or closed 
all the way, it stops in the comfort position. If 
you wish, you can continue the motion by actu-
ating the switch.
After switching off ignition
You can still operate the roof for approx. 
1 minute, as long as no door has been opened.
Pinch protection system
If the glass sunroof meets with resistance from 
about the middle of the roof opening when clos-
ing or when lowering from the raised position, 
the closing process is interrupted and the glass 
sunroof opens all the way.
Despite the pinch protection system, 
inspect the sunroof's travel path prior to 
closing it, as the safety system might fail to 
detect certain kinds of obstructions, such as 
very thin objects, and the sunroof would con-
tinue closing.<
Closing without pinch protection 
system
When there is danger outside the vehicle, pro-
ceed as follows:
1.Slide the switch forward past the resistance 
point and hold it there. The pinch protection 
system is limited and the sunroof opens 
slightly if the closing force exceeds a certain 
value.
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Controls
 43Reference
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Adjusting
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital con-
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In the 
interaction with the safety belts, the head 
restraints and the airbags, the seat position 
plays an important role in an accident. To 
ensure that the safety systems operate with 
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to 
observe the instructions contained in the fol-
lowing section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page55.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance 
between yourself and the airbags. Always 
hold the steering wheel by its rim with hands at 
the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, to mini-
mize the risk of injuries to your hands and arms 
in the event of airbag deployment. 
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant. 
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the 
front passenger side as a storage area. Make 
sure that the front passenger is sitting correctly 
and does not rest feet or legs on the instrument 
cluster, otherwise leg injuries can occur if the 
front airbag is triggered. 
Make sure that passengers keep their heads 
away from the side airbag and do not lean 
against the cover of the head airbag, otherwise 
injuries can occur when the airbags are trig-
gered.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions, inju-
ries resulting from contact with airbags cannot 
be fully excluded, depending on the circum-
stances. The ignition and inflation noise may 
provoke a mild hearing loss in extremely sensi-
tive individuals. This effect is usually only tem-
porary.
For airbag locations and additional information 
on airbags, refer to page98.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the 
risk of spinal injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint so that its center 
is approx. at ear level. Otherwise there is 
increased danger of injury in the event of an 
accident.<
BMW X5: push the head restraints of the 3rd 
row seats
* into the top position.
Head restraints, refer to page46.
Height
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is 
approximately at ear level.
Distance
Adjust the distance so that the head restraint is 
as close as possible to the back of the head.
Safety belts
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.
BMW X5: depending on its equipment, your 
vehicle has either five or seven seats, which are 
all provided with a safety belt.
Never allow more than one person to 
wear a single safety belt. Never allow 
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's 
lap. Make sure that the belt lies low around the 
hips in the lap area and does not press on the 
abdomen. The safety belt may not lie across the 
neck, rub on sharp edges, be routed over solid 
or breakable objects or be pinched. Wear the 
safety belt without twisting, snugly across the 
lap and shoulders, as close to the body as pos-
sible. Otherwise the belt can slip over the hips 
in the lap area in a frontal impact and injure the 
abdomen. Avoid wearing clothing that prevents 
the belt from fitting properly and pull the belt in 
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Controls
 45Reference
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Differs depending on seat:
1Backrest
2Height
Additional depending on seat:
1Backrest width
*
2Shoulder support*
3Thigh support*
4Lumbar support*
Backrest width*
The width of the backrest can be changed with 
the side wings to adjust the side support to your 
own needs.
Shoulder support*
This also supports the back in the shoulder 
area, provides a relaxed sitting position and 
helps relieve stress on the shoulder muscles.
The shoulder support is also used to adjust the 
distance of the head restraint from the back of 
the seat occupant's head.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest 
to obtain additional support in the lumbar 
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a 
relaxed, upright sitting position.
>Increase or decrease curvature: press front 
or rear section of switch.
>Shift curvature up or down: press upper or 
lower section of switch.
Seat, mirror and steering 
wheel memory*
You can store and retrieve two different driver's 
seat and front passenger seat
*-, exterior mir-
ror-, and steering wheel positions
*.
The adjustment of the backrest width and lum-
bar support is not stored in the memory.
Storing
1.Switch on radio readiness or ignition, refer 
to page59.
2.Set the desired seat, exterior mirror and 
steering wheel positions.
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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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Controls
 59Reference
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Mobility
Driving
Ignition lock
Inserting remote control into ignition 
lock
Insert the remote control as far as possible into 
the ignition lock.
Radio readiness switches on. Some electronic 
systems/consumers are ready for operation.
Comfort access*
With comfort access, only insert the remote 
control into the ignition lock in exceptional 
cases, refer to page35.
Removing remote control from ignition 
lock
Do not pull the remote control out of the 
ignition lock using force, as otherwise 
damage may result.<
Before removing the remote control, first press 
it in as far as possible to release the locking 
device.
The ignition is switched off if it was still 
switched on.
Start/Stop button
Pressing the Start/Stop button switches the 
radio readiness or the ignition on and off.
Pressing the Start/Stop button with the 
brake pedal depressed starts the 
engine.<
Radio readiness
Some electronic systems/consumers are ready 
for operation. The time and outside tempera-
ture are displayed in the instrument panel.
Radio readiness is automatically switched off:
>when the remote control is removed from 
the ignition lock
>with comfort access
* by touching the sen-
sitive surface above the door lock, refer to 
Locking on page36
Ignition on
All electronic systems/consumers are ready for 
operation. The odometer and the trip odometer 
are displayed in the instrument panel, refer to 
page71.
Please switch off the ignition and the 
electronic systems/consumers which are 
not required when the engine is not running to 
save the battery.<
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator lamps, warning lamps, and displays 
in the instrument panel go out.
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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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