
At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
9BMW X6: upshifting or downshifting 
with automatic transmission65
10Instrument panel12
13Ignition lock5914Buttons on steering wheel
15Horn, entire surface
18Releasing hood239 6
Parking lamps102
Low beams102
Automatic headlamp control
*102 
Adaptive Head Light
*103 
High-beam assistant
*104
7
Head-Up Display
*100
8
Turn signals67
High beams, headlamp flasher67
High-beam assistant
*104
Roadside parking lamps
*104
Time, date, outside temperature, 
Check Control71, 78
Computer73
11
Windshield wipers67
Rain sensor68
BMW X5: rear window wiper68
12Starting/stopping engine and 
switching ignition on/off 59
Telephone*:
Accepting and ending calls, start 
dialing
* selected phone number, 
redialing if no phone number is 
selected
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice acti-
vation system
* 22
Changing the radio station
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
Next entertainment source
Recirculated-air mode, 110
Steering wheel heating
*54
16
Steering wheel adjustment53
17
Cruise control
*69
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Cockpit
12
Instrument panel
1Indicator lamps for turn signals
2Speedometer
3Indicator and warning lamps13
4Tachometer72
5BMW X5: energy control72
BMW X6: engine oil temperature72 or
energy control72
6Display for
>Clock/date71
>Outside temperature71
>Indicator and warning lamps77
>Speed of cruise control
*69
>BMW X5: reserve display for diesel 
exhaust fluid2267Display for
>Odometer and trip odometer71
>Computer73
>Date and remaining travel distance 
for service requirements74
>Automatic transmission positions64
>HDC Hill Descent Control90
>High-beam assistant
*104
> There is a Check Control 
message77
>Adaptive Drive
*91
8Fuel gauge73
9Resetting trip odometer71
Displaying service requirement71
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At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in 
different combinations and colors.
Some lamps are tested for proper function by 
briefly lighting up during starting of the engine 
or when the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the upper edge of the Control 
Display explain the meaning of the displayed 
indicator and warning lamps.
Additional information, e.g. on the cause of a 
malfunction and on the corresponding need to 
take action can be displayed via the Check Con-
trol, refer to page77.In the case of corresponding urgency, this infor-
mation is displayed immediately when the 
related lamp lights up.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps indicate that cer-
tain functions are activated:
With parking brake set61
With parking brake set for Canadian 
models
Fog lamps105
*
High beams/headlamp flasher104
Lamp flashes: 
DSC or DTC controls the drive and 
braking forces for maintaining vehicle 
stability89
Exhaust-gas values245
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Controls
 27Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>12h/24h clock format, refer to page80
>Date format, refer to page80
>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page67
>Welcome lamps, refer to page102
>Pathway lighting, refer to page103
>Daytime driving lamps
*, refer to 
page103
>High-beam assistant
*, refer to page104
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page83
>Top View
*: optical warning, refer to 
page85
>Rear view camera
*:
>Selecting functions, refer to page86
>Type of display, refer to page87
>Head-Up Display
*: selection, brightness 
and position of display, refer to page100
>Automatic climate control: AUTO program 
and intensity, cooling function, and auto-
matic recirculated-air control/recirculated-
air mode, temperature, air distribution, ven-
tilation temperature, starting on page108
>Programmable memory buttons: selecting 
stored functions, refer to page20
>Positions of driver's seat, outside mirrors, 
and steering wheel
*, refer to page45
>Adaptive Drive
*: selected chassis and sus-
pension tuning, refer to page91
>Audio sources: volume and tone settings, 
refer to page160
>Radio:
>Display of stored stations, refer to 
page165
>Switching RDS Radio Data System on/
off
*, refer to page164
>Phone: volume setting, refer to 
pages205,210
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>liftgate
>Fuel filler door
Operating from outside
>using the remote control
>using the door lock
>with comfort access
* using the door han-
dles
The interior lamps and the courtesy lamps
* are 
also switched on and off with the remote con-
trol. The alarm system
 is armed/disarmed at the 
same time.
You can find more detailed information on the 
alarm system
 on page34.
Operating from inside
Using the button for central locking, refer to 
page30. The fuel filler door is not locked.
In an accident of sufficient severity, the central 
locking system automatically unlocks the vehi-
cle. In addition, the hazard warning flashers and 
interior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
Using remote control
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. 
Always take along the remote control when 
leaving the vehicle so that the vehicle can then 
be opened from the outside.<
Unlocking
Press the  button. 
This unlocks the vehicle.
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Opening and closing
34
Closing liftgate
Make sure that the closing path of the lift-
gate is clear, otherwise injuries may 
result.<
The liftgate closes automatically when you 
press the button on the inside of the liftgate.
To stop the closing process:
>Press the button on the inside of the lift-
gate.
>Press the button on the outside of the lift-
gate.
Closing is not canceled when you put the 
vehicle into motion.<
The liftgate also closes automatically 
without pressing the button if it is loaded 
with an additional weight of approx. 11 lbs./5 kg, 
e.g. snow or ice.<
Manually opening or closing
In case of an electrical malfunction:
1.Push out cover 1 on the liftgate with a 
screwdriver.
2.Push the catch 2 in the direction of the 
arrow.
3.Open or close the liftgate slowly and with-
out making sudden movements.
Alarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the liftgate is 
opened
>To movements in the vehicle: interior 
motion sensor, refer to page35
>To changes in the vehicle's tilt if someone 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the 
vehicle
>To interruptions in battery voltage
Unauthorized operations are briefly signaled by 
the alarm system:
>with an acoustic alarm
>by switching on
 the hazard warning flashers
>by flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming alarm system
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
With the system armed, the liftgate can also be 
opened using the  button of the remote con-
trol, refer to page28. When the liftgate is 
closed, it is once again locked and monitored.
Switching off alarm
>Unlock the vehicle using the remote control, 
refer to page27.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock.
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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
 67Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Locking
1.Pull out the releasing tool. 
The transmission lock is engaged again.
2.If necessary, insert the lock
* and lock it.
3.Close the cover in the bottom of the cup 
holder and lay in the mat again.
4.Close the cover of the cup holder and stow 
the releasing tool.
Information on jump starting and towing, from 
page262.
Turn signals/headlamp 
flasher/high beams
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, press the lever up to the 
resistance point.
Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb 
needs to be replaced.<
Signaling briefly
Press lever to resistance point and hold for as 
long as you wish to signal.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever up to the resistance point. The 
turn signal flashes three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."Triple turn signal"
 Triple turn signal activation is activated and 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Washer/wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or 
rain sensor
*
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
5Setting interval for intermittent wipe or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
*
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Lamps
102
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lights off and daytime driving lamps*
1Parking lamps and daytime driving lamps*
2Low beams and welcome lamps
3Automatic headlamp control
*, daytime 
driving lamps
*, welcome lamps, Adaptive 
Head Light
* and high-beam assistant*
If you open the driver's door with the ignition 
switched off, the exterior lighting is automati-
cally switched off when the light switch is in 
position0, 2 or 3.
If necessary, switch on the parking lamps, 
switch position1.
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side 
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the 
parking lamps for parking.
The parking lamps drain the battery. Do 
not leave them switched on for long peri-
ods of time, otherwise it may no longer be pos-
sible to start the engine. It is better to switch on 
the roadside parking lamps on one side, refer to 
page104.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is 
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control*
In switch position3, the system activates the 
low beams and switches them on or off in response to changes in ambient light condi-
tions, for instance, in a tunnel, at dawn and dusk 
and in case of precipitation. Adaptive Head 
Light
* is active. The LED next to the symbol 
lights up when the low beams are on. You can 
activate the daytime driving lamps, refer to 
page103. In the situations named above, the 
system then automatically switches over to the 
low beams.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can 
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain switched on inde-
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps
*.<
The automatic headlamp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for your personal 
judgment in determining when the lamps 
should be switched on in response to ambient 
lighting conditions. For example, the sensors 
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should always switch on the 
low beams manually under these conditions.<
Welcome lamps
When parking the vehicle, if you leave the light 
switch in position2 or3, the parking lamps and 
the interior lamps light up briefly when the vehi-
cle is unlocked.
Activating/deactivating welcome 
lamps
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."Welcome light"
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