
Refueling
238
Refilling BMW diesel exhaust fluid
1.Set bottle into place and rotate until it 
comes into contact with the stop, refer to 
arrow.
2.Press bottle down, refer to arrow. 
The reservoir of the vehicle is filled.
3.The reservoir is full when the fill level in the 
bottle stops changing. It is not possible to 
overfill. 
Pull bottle back, refer to arrow, and unscrew 
it.
Closing reservoir
After the reservoir is filled, close it again with the 
releasing tool.
After refilling diesel exhaust fluid
Incorrect fluid
After refilling with the incorrect fluid, e.g. 
antifreeze for windshield wiper fluid, do 
not start the engine because this could result in 
a fire hazard.<
Contact your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
Center.
Bottle disposal
You can have bottles for diesel exhaust 
fluid properly disposed of at your BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle Center.
Only dispose of empty bottles in your house-
hold garbage if the local legal regulations permit 
it.<
Reserve display
After refilling, the reserve continues to appear 
after the engine is restarted. After the vehicle 
has been driven for a few more minutes, this 
display will disappear. 

Under the hood
252
Engine compartment
BMW X5
1Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp 
and windshield cleaning systems, refer to 
page67
2Starting-aid terminal, refer to page274
3Expansion tank for coolant, refer to 
page255
4Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding 
engine oil on page254 

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BMW X6
1Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp 
and windshield cleaning systems, refer to 
page67
2Filler neck for engine oil, refer to Adding 
engine oil on page2543Starting-aid terminal, refer to page274
4Expansion tank for coolant, refer to 
page255
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on 
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking engine oil level
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic oil 
level check.
The condition for the most accurate indication 
of the oil level possible is measurement with the 
engine at operating temperature, i.e. following 
an uninterrupted drive of at least 6 miles/10 km. 
You can display the oil level while driving or 
when stopped on a level surface with the engine 
running.1."Vehicle Info"
2."Vehicle status" 

Under the hood
254 3."Engine oil level"
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level OK"
>"Measuring engine oil level...": 
This can take about 3 minutes if the car is at 
a standstill on a level surface and the engine 
is running, and about 5 minutes while the 
car is moving.
>"Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1 
quart!": 
Add 1 US quart/liter of engine oil at the next 
opportunity.
If the oil level displayed is below mini-
mum, add engine oil immediately. 
Failure to do so may lead to engine dam-
age.<
>"Engine oil level too high! Have this 
checked.":
Have the vehicle checked immedi-
ately, otherwise engine damage may 
result if too much oil has been added.<
>"Measurement inactive. Have this 
checked.": 
Do not add engine oil. Before continuing to 
drive, note the recalculated remaining mile-
age until the next oil change service, refer to 
Service requirements on page79. Have the 
system checked as soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
BMW X5
BMW X6
Do not add 1 US quart/liter of oil until a corre-
sponding message is shown on the Control Dis-
play.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km, 
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Continuous exposure to used oil has 
caused cancer in laboratory testing. 
For this reason, any skin areas that come into 
contact with oil should be thoroughly washed 
with soap and water.
Keep oil, grease etc. out of reach of children and 
observe the warnings on the containers to pre-
vent health risks.<
Oil change
Only have an oil change carried out by a BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop 
that works in accordance with BMW guidelines 
and uses appropriately trained personnel.
Oil grades
Do not use oil additives as these may 
cause engine damage.< 

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Approved engine oils
Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center can 
advise you on which engine oils have been 
approved by the manufacturer of your vehicle.
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the 
engine.
Approved oils can be identified by the following 
specifications:
Approved oils belong to the following viscosity 
classes: SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40 
and SAE 5W-30.
Alternative oil grades
If the approved engine oils are not available, up 
to 1 US quart/1 liter of another oil with the fol-
lowing specifications may be used:
API SM or higher
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling system 
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant 
can cause burns.<
Coolant is composed of equal parts water and a 
coolant additive. Not all commercially available 
additives are suitable for your BMW. Your BMW 
Sports Activity Vehicle Center can recommend 
suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, otherwise 
engine damage may result. The additives 
present a health hazard; observe the instruc-
tions on the containers.
posing of coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.Do not open the hood until the engine has 
cooled down.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank counter-
clockwise to allow any accumulated pres-
sure to escape, then continue turning to 
open.
3.The coolant level is correct when the cool-
ant level is between the MIN and MAX 
marks, refer to the diagram adjacent to the 
filler neck.
4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up to 
the specified level; do not overfill.
5.Turn the cap until there is an audible click.
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.
Gasoline engine
Preferred: BMW Longlife-01
BMW Longlife-01 FE
Alternative: BMW Longlife-98
Diesel engine
Preferred: BMW Longlife-04 

Maintenance
256
Maintenance
BMW maintenance system
The BMW maintenance system supports the 
preservation of the traffic and operating safety 
of your BMW. The service schedule also 
includes operations related to the vehicle's 
comfort and convenience features, such as 
replacement of the filters for the inside air. 
The ultimate objective is to ensure economical 
maintenance by providing the ideal service for 
your vehicle.
Should the day come when you decide to sell 
your BMW, a complete center service history 
will prove to be an asset of inestimable value.
CBS Condition Based Service
Sensors and special algorithms take the differ-
ent driving conditions of your BMW into 
account. Condition Based Service uses this to 
determine the current and future service 
requirements. By letting you define a service 
and maintenance regimen that reflects your 
own individual requirements, the system builds 
the basis for trouble-free driving.
You can set the Control Display to show 
remaining distances and times of selected 
maintenance intervals and legally mandated 
deadlines, refer to page79:
>Engine oil
>Brake pads, front and rear separately
>Brake fluid
>Vehicle check>Legally mandated inspections depending 
on local regulations
Service data in remote control
Your vehicle stores the information required for 
maintenance continuously in the remote con-
trol during driving. After accessing the data 
stored in the remote control, your BMW Service 
Advisor can suggest precisely the right array of 
service procedures for your own individual vehi-
cle. You should therefore hand over the remote 
control you last used to drive to the BMW Ser-
vice Advisor when you take your vehicle in for 
service.
Make sure the date is set correctly, refer 
to page85, otherwise the effectiveness 
of CBS Condition Based Service is not 
ensured.<
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 require-
ments.
BMW recommends that you have service 
and repair operations performed at your 
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center. 
Take the time to ensure that these service pro-
cedures are confirmed by entries in your vehi-
cle's Service and Warranty Information Booklet 
for US models and Warranty and Service Guide 
Booklet for Canadian models. These entries 
verify that your vehicle has received the speci-
fied regular maintenance.< 

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Socket for OBD Onboard 
Diagnostics interface
The chief components that make up the emis-
sions content can be checked by a device that 
uses the OBD socket.
This socket is located to the left on the driver's 
side, on the underside of the instrument cluster 
under a cover.
Emissions
The warning lamp lights up:
The vehicle is producing higher emis-
sions. Continued driving is possible. 
Have the vehicle checked as soon as possible.
The lamp flashes under certain conditions. This 
is a sign of excessive misfiring of the engine. In 
this case, you should reduce your speed and 
proceed to the nearest BMW Sports Activity 
Vehicle Center. Heavy engine misfiring causes 
serious damage to the emission-relevant com-
ponents, especially the catalytic converter, 
within a short time.
The warning lamp lights up if the fuel 
cap has not been properly tightened 
and the OBD system detects the 
escape of fuel vapors. Check that the fuel cap is 
correctly seated and tighten it until you hear a 
clearly audible click.
Data memory
Your vehicle records data on vehicle operation, 
malfunctions and user settings. These data are 
stored in the vehicle and in part in the remote 
control and can be read out by suitable devices 
during service, for example. The read data are 
used to assist in servicing and repairing your 
vehicle or for the optimization and continued development of vehicle functions. In addition, if 
you signed a service contract for Assist, certain 
vehicle data can be sent directly from the vehi-
cle to facilitate the desired services. 

Care
258
Care
Car-care products
For the cleaning and care of your vehicle, BMW 
recommends using only products that BMW 
has approved for this purpose.
Regular cleaning and care make a significant 
contribution to retaining your BMW's value.
The BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be 
happy to consult you on products and services 
for the cleaning and care of your BMW.
Genuine BMW Care Products are materi-
als tested, laboratory tested, and tested in 
actual use. They offer optimum care and pro-
tection for your vehicle.<
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol 
or solvents; they can damage your vehi-
cle.<
Cleaning agents can contain substances 
that are dangerous or pose health risks. 
You should therefore heed the warnings and 
hazard indications on the packaging. Open the 
doors or windows on your vehicle whenever 
cleaning the interior. Make sure there is suffi-
cient ventilation in enclosed spaces. Use only 
products that are formulated for vehicle clean-
ing.<
Exterior care
Washing your vehicle
In the winter months, it is especially 
important to ensure that the vehicle is 
washed on a regular basis. Otherwise, signifi-
cant soiling and road salt can cause damage to 
the vehicle.<
After washing the vehicle, apply the 
brakes briefly to dry them. Failure to do so 
may lead to a reduction in braking efficiency and 
also to corrosion of the brake rotors.<
Car washes
Give preference to cloth car washes.Before driving into the car wash, make sure that 
it is suitable for your BMW. Pay attention to the 
following points:
>Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to 
page281.
>If necessary, fold in exterior mirrors, refer to 
page51.
>Maximum permissible tire width.
Avoid car washes with guide rails higher 
than 4 in/10 cm as these may damage 
parts of the vehicle body.<
Preparations for driving into the car wash:
>Deactivate the rain sensor to prevent 
undesired wiper operation.
>BMW X5: deactivate rear window wiper and 
protect it from damage. Take appropriate 
protective measures; inquiring with the car 
wash operator as needed.
>Remove add-on parts such as spoilers or 
phone antennas if they risk being damaged.
Before driving into the car wash, observe the 
following so that the vehicle is able to roll:
1.Insert the remote control into the ignition 
lock, even with Comfort Access.
2.Shift into transmission position N.
3.Release the parking brake.
4.Deactivate Automatic Hold, refer to 
page61.
5.Switch off the engine.
6.Leave the remote control in the ignition lock 
so that the vehicle can roll.
Mixed tires*
Before driving into a car wash, make sure 
that the vehicle width is not too large for 
the car wash, as otherwise the vehicle and the 
car wash could be damaged.<