227
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Activity Vehicle Center. In this way, the
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center can
plan its work in advance. This shortens the
duration of the service appointment.
>In the event of a breakdown, data on the
vehicle's condition can be sent directly to
Roadside Assistance
*.
>The service varies by country.
>Connection may incur charges.
>Services may be restricted abroad.
Requirements
>BMW Assist is activated.
>Wireless reception is available.
>The engine is running.
Concierge service*
When you call the BMW Assist Concierge ser-
vice, you can obtain information about, for
example, restaurants, emergency pharmacy
services, gas stations or hotels, as well as
receive the corresponding telephone numbers
and addresses.
You can then dial a phone number directly or
use an address for destination guidance
*.
Starting the concierge service
1."BMW Assist"
2."Concierge"
3."Start service"
A voice connection is established to the BMW
Concierge service.
You are connected to the BMW Concierge ser-
vice to obtain the required information. You can then have the phone number and address sent
to you and, for example, use it for destination
guidance in the navigation system. Many hotels
can be booked directly through the BMW Con-
cierge service. When an information message is
received, a list of the received messages is dis-
played automatically. Open the message via the
message list, refer to page218.
Roadside Assistance
You can call BMW Roadside Assistance*
should you require help in the event of a break-
down.
Starting Roadside Assistance
Vehicle not equipped with BMW Assist
or BMW TeleService
1."BMW Assist"
2."Roadside Assistance"
BMW Roadside Assistance number is dis-
played. If a mobile phone
* is paired, a con-
nection is established to BMW Roadside
Assistance.
Vehicle equipped with BMW Assist or
BMW TeleService
1."BMW Assist"
2."Roadside Assistance"
Mobility
235Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Fuel specifications
Gasoline engine: required fuel
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise
damage to the catalytic converter will
result.
Do not use E85, i.e. fuel that consists of 85 %
ethanol, or Flex Fuel, otherwise permanent
damage to the engine and the fuel supply sys-
tem will result.<
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
>BMW X5: 87
>BMW X6: 89
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified
minimum quality, otherwise engine dam-
age can result.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of cosolvent, will not void the
applicable warranties with respect to defects in
materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<
BMW X5 with BMW Advanced Diesel:
required fuel
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel
with a low sulfur content:
Ultra-low sulfur diesel ASTM D 975-07a.
Only refuel with ultra-low sulfur diesel.
The percentage of biodiesel in the fuel
must not exceed 5Ξ, referred to as B5. Do not
refuel with gasoline. If the vehicle has been
refueled with incorrect fuel such as gasoline, do
not start the engine; otherwise, there is a dan-
ger of engine damage.<
After incorrect refueling, contact a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center.
The fuel filling neck is designed for refuel-
ing with diesel nozzles.
If the nozzle cannot be inserted into the fuel
filler pipe of your BMW, please check to make
sure that you are refueling with a diesel fuel
pump and whether this is equipped with a diesel
nozzle.<
In the event the ultra-low sulfur diesel
nozzle cannot be fully inserted into the
fuel filler neck, please contact BMW Roadside
Assistance for instructions on how to add fuel.
For more information on BMW Roadside Assis-
tance, refer to page274.<
Winter diesel
In order to assure the operational reliability of
the diesel engine, during cold seasons, please
refuel with winter diesel, which is sold at filling
stations during this time of year. The standard
fuel filter heating prevents the supply of fuel
from stalling during driving.
Mobility
239Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
The condition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure are crucial not only
to the tire's service life, but also to driving com-
fort and most importantly, driving safety.
Checking pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure when the tires
are cold. This means after a maximum of
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours. When tires are
warm, the tire inflation pressure increases.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it as needed, even on the
compact tire
*: at least twice a month and before
starting long trips. If you fail to observe this pre-
caution, you may be driving on tires with incor-
rect tire pressures, a condition that can not only
compromise your vehicle's driving stability, but
also lead to tire damage and the risk of an acci-
dent. Do not drive with depressurized, i.e. flat
tires, except run-flat tires. A flat tire will seri-
ously impair your vehicle's handling and braking
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can
lead to a loss of control over the vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page100, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page102.<
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes and tire brands respectively
approved and recommended by BMW; a list of
these is available from your BMW Sports Activ-
ity Vehicle Center.
ing:
>Tire sizes of your vehicle
>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
up to 100 mph/160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph/160 km/h,
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
column Traveling speeds up to max. of
100 mph/160 km/h to achieve optimum driving
comfort.
These pressure specifications can be found on
the door post when you open the driver's door.
The permissible top speed for these tire
inflation pressures is 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not exceed this speed, otherwise tire dam-
age and accidents may result.<
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please
observe, and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures
for speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from
the relevant table on the following pages. Oth-
erwise tire damage and accidents could
occur.<
Wheels and tires
248 heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either sep-
arately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.<
RSC – run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page249.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Indicates specially reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 0.12 in/
3mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 in/
3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small amounts of
water are present on the road surface.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter conditions. For the sake of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Wear indicators at the tread-groove base are
distributed over the tire's circumference and
are marked on the side of the tire with TWI –
Tread Wear Indicator. If the tire tread has been
driven down to the wear indicators, a tread
depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm has been reached.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazards and consequential dam-
ages.
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by driving over curbs. These
kinds of problems may also be signaled by other
changes in vehicle response, such as a strong
tendency to pull to the left or right.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so, drive carefully to the
nearest BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or
tire shop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. If necessary, have the vehicle towed
there. Otherwise, tire damage can be extremely
dangerous to vehicle occupants and other road
users.<
Mobility
249Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by the circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire.
Run-flat tires consist of partially self-contained
tires and special rims. The sidewall reinforce-
ment ensures that the tire retains some residual
safety in the event of pressure drop and driving
remains possible to a restricted degree.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of
a flat tire page100
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure
page103
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center or a tire shop that works according to
BMW repair procedures with correspondingly
trained personnel. If this work is not carried out
properly, there is a danger of subsequent dam-
age and related safety hazards. Make sure that
the new wheels are balanced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW does not recommend that you use
retreaded tires, as driving safety may be
impaired. The causes for this include the possi-
bly different tire casing structures and the often
wide variations in their age, which can result in a
limited service life.<
The right wheels and tires
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-flat tires for your own safety. Your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be
happy to advise you.
BMW recommends that you use only
wheel and tire combinations that BMW
has tested and approved for your particular
vehicle. Variations in factors such as manufac-
turing tolerances mean that even wheels and
tires with identical official size ratings could
actually have different dimensions than the
approved units – these differences could lead to
body contact, and with it the risk of severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot be held liable for driving
safety.<
When changing to larger wheels and tires,
it may be necessary to make changes to
the wheelwell trim piece, as otherwise road
users could be endangered or the vehicle could
be damaged. Only have this work carried out by
a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works in accordance with BMW
guidelines and uses appropriately trained per-
sonnel.<
You can ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center for the correct wheel/tire combination.
The correct wheel/tire combination also affects
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS, DSC, xDrive,
Dynamic Performance Control in the BMW X6,
or Flat Tire Monitor.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread config-
uration from a single manufacturer. Following
tire damage, have the original wheel and tire
combination remounted on the vehicle as soon
as possible.
Wheels with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When mounting new tires or changing from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPM electronics, otherwise the
Wheels and tires
250 Tire Pressure Monitor cannot detect a flat tire,
refer to page101. Your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center will be happy to advise you on
this subject.
Recommended tire brands
Certain tire makes are recommended by BMW
depending on the tire size. You can recognize
these from the clearly visible BMW marking on
the tire sidewall.
When used properly, these tires comply with
the most demanding standards for safety and
vehicle response.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends using winter tires for opera-
tion on winter road or at temperatures below
+457/+76. Although all-season M+S tires
provide better winter traction than summer
tires, they generally fail to provide the same lev-
els of cold-weather performance as winter tires.
Paying attention to speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
tire damage may occur, which can result in acci-
dents.<
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible. Always
protect tires against all contact with oil, grease
and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum tire
inflation pressure indicated on the side wall of
the tire.
Rotating wheels between axles
Even with tires of the same size, BMW
recommends that you not rotate the front
tires to the rear or vice versa as this can nega-
tively affect handling characteristics.
When the vehicle is equipped with different
tires sizes
*, rotating tires from one axle to the
other is not permitted.<
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
can provide you with this information.
BMW X5: use is only permitted in pairs on the
rear wheels with tires of the size:
>255/55 R 18
>255/50 R 19
BMW X6: it is only permissible to use snow
chains in pairs, on the 255/50 R 19 rear wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor
*, as otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
When you are driving with snow chains, it can
be beneficial to activate DTC briefly, refer to
page96.<
Mobility
251Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without
the required professional technical training. If
you do not know what repair procedures to fol-
low, have work on your vehicle done only by
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. If this work is not carried out properly,
there is a danger of subsequent damage and
related safety hazards.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull lever.
Opening
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear, otherwise injuries may
result.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while driving your vehicle, you
should stop at once and close it securely.<
Mobility
257Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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.