2011 BMW X5 traction control

At a glance
15Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
1Microphone for hands-free mode for tele-
phone
* and for voice activation
system
*22
2Initiating
an emergency request273
3Reading lamps115
4Glass sunroof38, 40
5Interior lamps115
6Passenger airbag status lamp107
7Control Display16
Displays for menu navigation
8Hazard warning flashers
9Central locking system27
10Opening glove compartment127
11Automatic climate control with 2-zone
control117
Automatic climate control with 4-zone
control
*121
12Changing
>Radio station168
>Track168
13Selecting radio, CD and CD/DVD changer
*
14Selecting AM or FM waveband
16Controller16
Can be turned, pressed, or moved in four
directions
17Buttons on the controller17
Selecting menus directly
18Automatic Hold61
19Parking brake60
20Adaptive Drive
*98
21Programmable memory buttons20
22Switching Entertainment sound output on/
off and adjusting volume168
23Ejecting audio CD Manual air distribution118
Automatic air distribution and
volume117
Cooling function119
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control119
Maximum cooling119
Air volume118
Residual heat utilization119
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation118
Rear window defroster118
Seat heating
*49, 50
Active seat ventilation
*50
15
Opening liftgate30, 33
Active seat
*51
PDC Park Distance Control
*88
Top View
*90
Rear view camera
*93
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control95
DTC Dynamic Traction
Control96
HDC Hill Descent Control97
Side View
*92

Controls
95Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Three-dimensionally-shaped markings are dis-
played.
Image on the Control Display
Switching on the rear view camera
using iDrive
With PDC activated:
1.Select the "Rear view camera" symbol.
2.Press the controller.
The image of the rear view camera is displayed.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Brightness
With the rear view camera switched on:
1.Select the symbol.
2.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed and then press the controller.
Contrast
With the rear view camera switched on:
1.Select the symbol.
2.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed and then press the controller.
Camera
The lens of the rear view camera is under the
grasping lip of the liftgate.
The presence of dirt can impair image quality.
Clean the lens with a moist, nonabrasive cloth.
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW is equipped with an extended array
of systems designed to enhance and maintain
vehicle stability under extreme conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page140.
CBC Cornering Brake Control
When braking during curves or when braking
during a lane change, driving stability and steer-
ing response are improved further.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Brake assistant
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the full braking.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC prevents traction loss in the driving wheels
when starting off and accelerating. The system
also identifies unstable driving conditions, such
as a loss of traction at the rear of the vehicle or
sliding of the vehicle in its front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
output and through braking actions in the indi-
vidual wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style remains the responsibility of the driver.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
96 Therefore, do not restrict the additional safety
margin with a risky driving style, as otherwise
there is a risk of an accident.<
Deactivating DSC
Press and hold the button until the indicator
lamp for DSC lights up and DSC OFF appears in
the instrument panel, but do not press the but-
ton for longer than approx. 10 seconds. DTC
Dynamic Traction Control and DSC are deacti-
vated together. Stabilizing interventions are
now not carried out.
A message appears on the Control Display.
Please note any supplementary information
that appears there.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button: the indicator lamp in the
instrument panel goes out.
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DSC is controlling the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DSC and DTC are malfunctioning.
DSC deactivated:
The indicator lamp lights up and
DSC OFF appears in the instrument
panel.DSC and DTC deactivated.
DTC Dynamic Traction Control
DTC is a version of DSC in which the drive out-
put is optimized for particular road conditions,
e.g. unplowed snow-covered roads. The sys-
tem assures the maximal drive output, but with
reduced driving stability. It is therefore neces-
sary to drive with appropriate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC
under the following special circumstances:
>When driving in sand, on snowy inclines, in
slush or on unplowed, snow-covered road
surfaces
>When rocking a stuck vehicle free or start-
ing off in deep snow, sand or on loose
ground
>When driving with snow chains
*
Activating DTC
Press the button: the indicator lamp for DSC
lights up and TRACTION appears in the instru-
ment panel.

Controls
97Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
For better control
The indicator lamp flashes:
DTC is controlling the drive forces and
brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up:
DSC and DTC are malfunctioning.
DTC activated:
The indicator lamp lights up and TRAC-
TION appears in the instrument panel.
DTC is activated.
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again: the indicator lamp in the
instrument panel goes out.
xDrive
xDrive is the 4-wheel drive system of your
BMW. The combined effects of xDrive and DSC
further optimize the traction and dynamic driv-
ing characteristics. The 4-wheel drive system
xDrive variably distributes the drive forces to
the front and rear axle depending on the driving
situation and prevailing road conditions.
Dynamic Performance Control*
The concept
Dynamic Performance Control optimizes the
handling characteristics of your BMW when
starting off, cornering, and during evasive
maneuvers. To achieve this, the system variably
distributes the drive torque of the rear axle to
the two rear wheels. This further increases the steering precision and tracking stability of your
vehicle.
Display
The Control Display shows how xDrive and
Dynamic Performance Control are distributing
the drive forces.
1."Vehicle Info"
2."Torque distribution"
The current distribution of drive forces is indi-
cated by arrows pointing to all four wheels.
The highlighted arrows show the drive forces
currently present. The longer an arrow is, the
greater the drive forces in the associated wheel.
The transparent arrows indicate the maximum
value the drive forces over the last 10 seconds.
Malfunction
Malfunctions are displayed via Check Control,
refer to page82.
HDC Hill Descent Control
The concept
HDC is a system for driving downhill in steep
terrain. This system reduces vehicle speed on
steep downhill gradients, thus allowing you to
maintain even better control of your BMW
under these conditions. The vehicle moves at
approximately walking speed without active
intervention from the driver.
HDC is available for activation at vehicle speeds
below approx. 22 mph/35 km/h. When driving
down steep hills with a speed below approx.
22 mph/35 km/h, the vehicle reduces speed
automatically down to approximately walking

Things to remember when driving
144 >After driving through water at low speed,
lightly press the brake pedal several times
to dry the brakes and to prevent the braking
effect from being reduced by wetness.
>Depending on the condition of the surface,
it may be practical to briefly activate DTC,
refer to DTC Dynamic Traction Control on
page96.
>If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal sufficiently so that the
driving stability control systems can distrib-
ute the drive forces to the individual wheels.
Please note the following points after driving on
poor roads to maintain the driving safety of your
BMW:
>Clean the coarsest dirt from the body.
>Clean mud, snow, ice etc. from the wheels
and tires and check the tires for damage.

Mobility
247Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed letter
Q = up to 100 mph/160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph/190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph/210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph/240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph/270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph/300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT ... 0810 indicates that the
tire was manufactured in week 8 of 2010.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last
for 10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1γ) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteris-
tics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test sur-
faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.<
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
For instance:
Nominal width in mm
Aspect
ratio in Ξ
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating
(not on ZR tires)
Speed code letter
(in front of the R on ZR tires)255/55 R18109 H
For instance:
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 0810

Everything from A - Z
296 Data memory257
Data transfer230
Date76
– display format85
– retrieving76
– setting85
Daytime driving lamps112
Defrosting windows118
Defrosting windows and
removing condensation118
Defrost position, refer to
Defrosting windows118
Deleting a trip157
Destination, entering by town/
city name149
Destination address
– entering149,155
Destination entry using BMW
Assist153
Destination for navigation
– entering149
– entering by voice155
– entering via map154
Destination guidance158
– bypassing a route
section159
– changing specified
route158
– continuing158
– starting158
– voice instructions160
– volume of voice
instructions160
Diesel exhaust fluid
– at low temperatures237
– at minimum236
– refilling yourself237
Diesel particulate filter139
Digital clock76
Digital compass125
Digital radio, refer to HD
Radio172
Dimensions281
Directional indicators, refer to
Turn signals65
Direction announcements,
refer to Voice
instructions160Directory for navigation, refer
to Address book151
Displacement, refer to Engine
data280
Display, refer to iDrive16
Displaying images204
Displaying special
destinations154
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting115
Displays, refer to Instrument
panel12
Displays on the windshield,
refer to Head-up
Display109
Disposal
– battery of remote control
with Comfort Access37
– battery of the remote
control, DVD system in
rear198
– vehicle battery270
Distance, refer to
Computer79
Distance, selecting for active
cruise control70
Distance control, refer to
Active cruise control68
Distance to destination, refer
to Computer79
Distance warning, refer to
PDC Park Distance
Control88
Door entry lighting115
Door key, refer to Keys/
remote control26
Door lock29
Door locking, confirmation
signals28
Doors
– manual operation29
– remote control28
DOT Quality Grades247
Downhill driving assistance,
refer to HDC97
Draft-free ventilation120
Drinks holder, refer to
Cupholders128
Drive-off assistant99Driver's seat, calibrating49
Driving lamps, refer to Parking
lamps/low beams111
Driving on poor roads143
Driving stability control
systems95
Driving through water140
Driving tips, refer to General
driving notes138
Dry air, refer to Cooling
function119
Drying the air, refer to Cooling
function119
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control95
– indicator lamp13,96
DSC OFF, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control95
DTC Dynamic Traction
Control96
– activating96
– indicator lamp97
DVD
– country codes181
– settings182
– video playback181
DVD changer183
– malfunctions184
DVD changer, refer to CD
changer179
DVD menu182
DVD player, refer to CD
player179
DVD system in rear196
– CD/DVD player197
– connecting headphones197
– controls196
– displaying images from CD/
DVD204
– DVD country codes199
– external device207
– information on CD/DVD
player205
– playing audio tracks from
CD/DVD202
– playing video from CD/
DVD199
– remote control197
– switching on/off198

Reference 297
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
DVD video181
Dynamic destination
guidance159
Dynamic Performance
Control97
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC95
Dynamic Traction, refer to
Dynamic Traction
Control96
Dynamic Traction Control
DTC96
E
Easy entry/exit53
Eject button, refer to Buttons
on the CD/DVD player168
Electrical malfunction
– door lock29
– driver's door29
– fuel filler flap234
– liftgate31
– parking brake62
Electric seat43
Electric steering wheel
adjustment53
Electronic brake-force
distribution95
Electronic oil level check253
Emergency operation, refer to
Manual operation
– door lock29
– driver's door29
– fuel filler flap234
– liftgate31
Emergency request273
Emergency services, refer to
Roadside Assistance274Engine
– breaking-in138
– data280
– oil temperature77
– overheated, refer to Coolant
temperature77
– speed280
– starting59
– starting, with Comfort
Access36
– switching off59
Engine compartment252
Engine coolant255
Engine oil
– adding254
– additives, refer to Approved
engine oils255
– approved engine oil255
– checking oil level253
– electronic oil level check253
– temperature77
Engine oil temperature77
Engine output, refer to Engine
data280
Engine speed280
Engine starting, refer to
Starting engine59
Entering special destinations
by name153
Entertainment sound output
on/off168
Entry map for destination154
Equalizer, tone setting169
ESP Electronic Stability
Program, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control95
Exhaust system, refer to Hot
exhaust system139
Extended connectivity of the
music player in the mobile
phone192Exterior mirrors51
– adjusting51
– automatic dimming
feature52
– automatic heating51
– folding in and out51
– tilting down passenger-side
exterior mirror52
External audio device128
External devices
– random sequence194
Eye for tow-starting and
towing, refer to Tow
fitting276
F
Failure messages, refer to
Check Control82
False alarm, refer to Avoiding
unintentional alarms35
Fastening safety belts, refer to
Safety belts48
– warning lamp48
Fastest route for
navigation158
Fast forward
– CD changer181
– CD player181
Fault displays, refer to Check
Control82
Filler neck for washer fluid67
First aid, refer to First-aid
kit273
First-aid kit273
Fixing system, adaptive133
Flashing during locking/
unlocking, refer to Setting
confirmation signals28
Flat tire
– changing wheels268
– compact wheel268
– Flat Tire Monitor99
– run-flat tires100,103,249
– TPM Tire Pressure
Monitor101
Flat Tire Monitor FTM99
Fluid reservoir, refer to Filler
neck for washer fluid67