2011 BMW 550I XDRIVE Owner's Manual

Engine oil
General information
The
engine oil consumption is dependent on the
driving style and driving conditions.
Therefore, check the engine oil level after every
refueling using the electronic engine oil level
check.
Checking the oil level
The concept
The oil level is monitored electronically and dis‐
played on the Control Display.
Requirements
▷ The engine must be running and warm after
the vehicle has been driven for at least
6 miles/10 km.
▷ The vehicle is stopped or being driven on a
level roadway.
Displaying the oil level
1. "Vehicle Info"
2. "Vehicle status"
3. "Engine oil level" Possible messages
▷
"Engine oil level OK"
▷ "Measurement not possible at this time."
▷ "Measuring engine oil level..."
Duration with the engine running: ap‐
prox. 3 minutes. Duration while driving: approx. 5 minutes.
▷ "Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km.
▷ "Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Have the vehicle checked immediately.
Too much engine oil
Have the vehicle checked immedi‐
ately; otherwise, surplus oil can lead to en‐
gine damage.

◀ ▷
"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Note the newly calculated remaining mile‐
age until the next oil service. Have the sys‐
tem checked as soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Filler neck When the indicator lights up in the instrument
cluster, add 1 US quart/liter of engine oil within
the next 125 miles/200 km.
Recommended oil types, refer to page
258.
Protect children
Keep oil, grease, etc., out of reach of chil‐
dren and heed the warnings on the containers
to prevent health risks.◀ Seite 257
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Reference
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Oil types
Note
No oil additives
Oil
additives may lead to engine damage.◀
Approved oil types
Your service center can advise you on which en‐
gine oils have been approved by the manufac‐
turer of your vehicle.
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the
engine.
Only use approved BMW High Performance oil.
Approved oils belong to the viscosity grades
SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 and SAE
5W-30.
Alternative oil types
If the approved engine oils are not available, up
to 1 US quart/liter of another oil with the follow‐
ing specification may be used.
API SM quality standards or higher. Coolant
General information
Danger of burns from hot engine
Do not open the cooling system while the
engine is hot; otherwise, escaping coolant may
cause burns.◀ Suitable additives
Only
use suitable additives; otherwise, en‐
gine damage may occur. The additives are
harmful to your health.◀
Coolant consists of water and additives.
Not all commercially available additives are suit‐
able for your vehicle. Ask your service center for
suitable additives.
Coolant level
If there is no Min– and Max– mark in the filler
neck of the coolant reservoir, have the coolant
level checked if necessary by your service cen‐
ter and add coolant as needed.
Checking
1. Let the engine cool.
2. Turn the cap of the coolant reservoir slightly
counterclockwise

to allow any excess pres‐
sure to dissipate, and then open it. 3.
The coolant level is correct if it lies between
the minimum and maximum marks in the
filler neck. 4.
If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to
the specified level; do not overfill. Seite 258
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Engine oil

5.
Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6. Have the cause of the coolant loss elimi‐
nated as soon as possible.
Disposal Comply with the relevant environmental
protection regulations when disposing
of coolant and coolant additives. Seite 259
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Maintenance
BMW Maintenance System
The maintenance system directs you to re‐
quired
maintenance measures and thereby sup‐
ports you in maintaining road safety and the op‐
erational reliability of the vehicle.
Condition Based Service CBS
Sensors and special algorithms take into ac‐
count the driving conditions of your vehicle.
Based on this, Condition Based Service deter‐
mines the maintenance requirements.
The system makes it possible to adapt the
amount of maintenance you need to your user
profile.
Details on the service requirements, refer to
page 74, can be displayed on the Control Dis‐
play.
Service data in the remote control
Information on the required maintenance is con‐
tinuously stored in the remote control. Your
service center will read out this data and suggest
the right array of service procedures for your ve‐
hicle.
Therefore, hand your service specialist the re‐
mote control that you used most recently.
Storage periods
Storage periods during which the vehicle bat‐
tery was disconnected are not taken into ac‐
count.
If this occurs, have a service center update the
time-dependent maintenance procedures,
such as checking brake fluid and, if necessary,
changing the engine oil and the microfilter/acti‐
vated-charcoal filter. Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models and Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
Please
consult your Service and Warranty Infor‐
mation Booklet for US models and Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models for
additional information on service requirements.
Maintenance and repair should be performed by
your service center. Make sure to have regular
maintenance procedures recorded in the vehi‐
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models, and in the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models. These en‐
tries are proof of regular maintenance.
Socket for OBD Onboard
Diagnosis There is an OBD socket on the driver's side for
checking

the primary components in the vehicle
emissions.
Emissions
▷The warning lamp lights up:
Emissions are deteriorating. Have
the

vehicle checked as soon as pos‐
sible.
▷ The warning lamp flashes under cer‐
tain circumstances: Seite 260
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Maintenance

This indicates that there is excessive
misfiring in the engine.
Reduce the vehicle speed and have
the system checked immediately;
otherwise, serious engine misfiring
within a brief period can seriously
damage emission control compo‐
nents,
in particular the catalytic con‐
verter.
Fuel cap The indicator lamp lights up.
If the fuel cap is not properly tightened,
the

OBD system may conclude that fuel
vapor is escaping. If the cap is then tightened,
the display should go out in a short time.
Data memory
Your vehicle records data relating to vehicle op‐
eration, faults and user settings. These data are
stored in the remote control and can be read out
with suitable devices, particularly when the ve‐
hicle is serviced. The data obtained in this way
provide valuable information for service proc‐
esses and repair or for optimizing and develop‐
ing vehicle functions further.
In addition, if you signed a service contract for
Assist, certain vehicle data can be sent directly
from the vehicle to facilitate the desired serv‐
ices. Seite 261
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Replacing components
Tool kit
The tool kit is located in a fold-down cover in the
trunk lid.
Unscrew the wing nut to open.
Wiper blade replacement
Do
not fold down the wipers without wiper
blades
Do not fold down the wipers if wiper blades have
not been installed; this may damage the wind‐
shield.◀
Replacing the wiper blades
1. To change the wiper blades, fold up, refer to
page 64, the wiper arms.
2. Fold up the wipers. 3.
Position the wiper blade in a horizontal po‐
sition.
4. Remove the wiper blade toward one side. Lamp and bulb replacement
General information
Lamps

and bulbs make an essential contribution
to vehicle safety.
The manufacturer of your vehicle recommends
that you entrust corresponding procedures to
your service center if you are unfamiliar with
them or they are not described here.
You can obtain a selection of replacement bulbs
at your service center.
Danger of burns
Only change bulbs when they are cool;
otherwise, there is the danger of getting
burned.◀
Working on the lighting system
When working on the lighting system, you
should always switch off the lights affected to
prevent short circuits.
To avoid possible injury or equipment damage
when replacing bulbs, observe any instructions
provided by the bulb manufacturer.◀ Seite 262
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Do not touch the bulbs
Do not touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare hands, as even minute amounts of
contamination will burn into the bulb's surface
and reduce its service life.
Use
a clean tissue, cloth or something similar, or
hold the bulb by its base.◀
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Light-emitting diodes installed behind a cover
serve as the light source for controls, display el‐
ements and other equipment.
These light-emitting diodes, which are related
to conventional lasers, are officially designated
as Class 1 light-emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers
Do not remove the covers, and never stare
into the unfiltered light for several hours; other‐
wise, irritation of the retina could result.◀
Headlamp glass
Condensation can form on the inside of the ex‐
ternal lamps in cool or humid weather. When the
light is switched on, the condensation evapo‐
rates after a short time. The headlamp glasses
do not need to be changed.
If there is a large amount of moisture, e.g., water
droplets form in the lamp, have it checked by
your service center.
Front lamps, bulb replacement
Halogen headlamps
Parking lamps and roadside parking lamps,
turn signal lamp
These lights are made using LED technology.
Contact your service center in the event of a
malfunction. Accessing the bulbs
Remove the screws and fold down the cap.
Low beams
The

illustration shows the left side of the engine
compartment.
55-watt bulb, H7 Unscrew the cap, remove it, and change the
bulb.
Turn signal
The

illustration shows the left side of the engine
compartment.
24-watt bulb, PY Unscrew the cap, remove it, and change the
bulb.
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Reference
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High beams
The
illustration shows the left side of the engine
compartment.
55-watt bulb, H7
1. Fold open the cover in the engine compart‐
ment. 2.
Unscrew the cap and remove it. 3.
Unscrew the bulb holder counterclockwise. 4.
Remove the bulb and replace it.
5. Insert the new bulb and attach the cover in
the reverse order.
Xenon headlamps*
Because
of the long life of these bulbs, the like‐
lihood of failure is very low. Switching the lamps
on and off frequently shortens their life. If a xenon bulb fails, switch on the front fog lamps
and continue the trip with great care. Comply
with local regulations.
Do

not perform work/bulb replacement on
xenon headlamps
Have any work on the xenon lighting system, in‐
cluding bulb replacement, performed only by a
service center.
Due to the high voltage present in the system,
there is the danger of fatal injuries if work is car‐
ried out improperly.◀
For checking and adjusting headlamp aim,
please contact your BMW center.
Parking lamps and roadside parking lamps,
turn signal lamp
These lights are made using LED technology.
Contact your service center in the event of a
malfunction.
Corner-illuminating lamps
Follow the general instructions on lamps and
bulbs.
The illustration shows the left side of the engine
compartment.
55-watt bulb, H7 Seite 264
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Replacing components