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Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the interior rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking: the
doors, hood, or liftgate are not properly
closed. Even if you do not close the alerted
area, the system begins to monitor the
remaining areas, and the indicator lamp
flashes continuously after approx.
10 seconds. However, the interior motion
sensor is not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.
>The indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted into the
ignition lock, however for a maximum of
approx. 5 minutes: your vehicle has been
disturbed while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. in case of an attempted
wheel theft or towing.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass sunroof
*/
panoramic glass sunroof
* must be completely
closed.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:>In stacking garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains,
by sea or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote control
again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are switched off until
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to access your
vehicle without having to hold the remote con-
trol in your hand. It is sufficient to carry the
remote control with you, e.g. in your jacket
pocket. The vehicle automatically detects the
related remote control in the immediate vicinity
or in the interior.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking vehicle
>Convenient closing
>Opening liftgate
>Starting engine
Functional requirements
>The vehicle can only be unlocked if the
vehicle detects that the remote control car-
ried is not located in the vehicle interior.
>The next unlocking and locking cycle is not
possible until after approx. 2 seconds.
>The engine can only be started if the vehicle
detects that the remote control is located in
the vehicle.
Driving
66 5Setting interval for intermittent wipe or sen-
sitivity of rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Pull the lever upward, arrow1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system reverts to operation in the intermit-
tent mode with the vehicle stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance
point.
The system reverts to normal speed with the
vehicle stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor
With the rain sensor, the wiper operation is con-
trolled automatically as a function of the rain
intensity. The rain sensor is located on the
windshield, directly in front of the interior rear-
view mirror.
Activating intermittent operation or
rain sensor
Press the button, arrow3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Setting interval for intermittent wipe or
sensitivity of rain sensor
Turn the thumbwheel5.
Deactivating intermittent operation or
rain sensor
Press the button again, arrow3. The LED goes
out.
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing
through an automatic car wash. Failure to
do so could result in damage caused by undes-
ired wiper activation.<
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
Pull the lever, arrow4.
The system sprays washer fluid against the
windshield and activates the wipers for a brief
period.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched
on, the headlamps are also cleaned at regular
and appropriate intervals.
Do not use the washers if there is any
danger that the fluid will freeze on the
windshield. If you do so, your vision could be
obscured. To avoid freezing, use a washer fluid
antifreeze, refer to Washer fluid. Do not use
washing mechanisms when the washer fluid
reservoir is empty, otherwise you will damage
the washer pump.<
Windshield washer nozzles
Both windshield washer nozzles are automati-
cally heated with the engine running or the igni-
tion switched on.
BMW X5: rear window wiper
1Intermittent mode. When reverse gear is
engaged, continuous operation is switched
on automatically
2Cleaning the rear window
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>When the turn signal flashes.
System limits
The system cannot replace the driver's
personal judgment of the course of the
road and the traffic situation.
In the event of a warning, do not jerk the steer-
ing wheel; otherwise, you may lose control over
the vehicle.<
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
>In heavy fog, rain or snowfall.
>When the lane markings are worn away,
poorly visible, convergent, divergent or
unclear, as in road construction areas.
>When the limit lines are covered by snow,
ice, dirt or water.
>In tight curves or on narrow lanes.
>When the limit lines are not white.
>When the limit lines are covered by objects.
>When driving very close to the vehicle in
front of you.
>When driving toward bright lights.
>When the windshield is fogged over, dirty or
covered by a sticker, etc., in front of the
interior rearview mirror.
Malfunctions
Steering wheel vibration
Frequent activation of the steering wheel vibra-
tion causes the system to overheat.
This causes the lane departure warning to
become deactivated.
Let the system cool and reactivate it by press-
ing the button.
Camera
The camera is located on the front of the interior
rearview mirror. Keep the area in front of the
interior rearview mirror clear.
Active steering*
The concept
The active steering actively varies the steering
angle of the front wheels in relation to the steer-
ing wheel movements. In addition, it also varies
the steering force required for steering depend-
ing on the vehicle's speed.
When you are driving in the low speed range,
e.g. in a town or when parking, the steering
angle increases, i.e. the steering becomes very
direct. In the higher speed range, on the other
hand, the steering angle is reduced more and
more. This improves the handling capability of
your BMW over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar-
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow
and a message is shown on the Con-
trol Display. The active steering is
defective or has been temporarily
deactivated. At low speeds, greater steering
wheel movements are required, whereas at
higher speeds, the vehicle reacts more sensi-
tively to steering wheel movements. The stabil-
ity-promoting intervention can also be deacti-
vated. Proceed cautiously and drive
defensively.
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
108 indicated by the indicator lamp over the interior
rearview mirror, refer to Operating state of front
passenger airbags in the following.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the instructions under Trans-
porting children safely, refer to page54.
When teenagers and adults assume certain sit-
ting positions, this can cause the front and side
airbags to deactivate. The indicator lamp for the
front passenger airbags lights up when this
occurs. In these cases, change the sitting posi-
tion so that the front passenger airbags are acti-
vated and the indicator lamp goes out. If the
desired status cannot be produced by changing
the sitting position, transport the correspond-
ing person on the rear seat. Do not fit seat cov-
ers, seat cushion padding, ball mats or other
items onto the front passenger seat unless they
are specifically recommended by BMW. Do not
lay objects under the seat which could press
against the seat from below. Otherwise a cor-
rect evaluation of the occupied seat surface
cannot be ensured.<
Operating state of front passenger
airbags
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
arrangement of the switches and indicator
lamps may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags indicates the operating status of the front
and side airbags on the front passenger side
depending on the seat occupation. The indica-
tor lamp shows whether the front passenger
airbags are activated or deactivated.
>The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint device intended for the pur-pose is properly detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags on the front pas-
senger side are not activated.
Most child's seats are detected by the
system. Especially the child's seats
required by NHTSA at the time the vehicle
is manufactured. After installing a child's
seat, make sure that the indicator lamp for
the front passenger airbags lights up. This
indicates that the child's seat has been
detected and the front passenger airbags
are not activated.<
>The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient size is detected on the seat. The
front and side airbags on the front passen-
ger side are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty.
However, the front and side airbags on the
front passenger side are not activated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
From radio readiness, refer to page58, the
warning lamp lights up briefly, indicating the
operational readiness of the entire airbag sys-
tem and the safety belt tensioners.
Airbag system malfunction
>Warning lamp does not light up from radio
readiness.
>Warning lamp lights up continuously.
Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately in case of a malfunction, otherwise
there is a danger that the airbag system may not
respond in the expected manner in an accident
despite an impact of corresponding intensity.<
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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
Light Control
* 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
page113.<
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 Light
Control
* 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
page112. 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"
Lamps
114 >Use the headlamp flasher as usual when the
low beams are on.
System limits
The high-beam assistant cannot replace
personal judgment about the use of high
beams. In situations that require it, you should
therefore switch to low beams manually; failure
to do so can constitute a safety hazard.<
In the following sample situations, the system
will not function or will only function to a limited
degree, possibly requiring the driver to react
personally:
>In extremely unfavorable weather condi-
tions such as fog or heavy precipitation
>When you perceive poorly illuminated road
users such as pedestrians, cyclists, horse-
back riders, carriages, when rail or shipping
traffic is close to the road, or at deer cross-
ings
>In sharp curves, on steep hilltops or dips,
when there cross-traffic, or in the presence
of half-concealed oncoming traffic on the
highway
>In poorly lit areas and in the presence of
highly reflective signs
>In the low speed range
>When the windshield in the region of the
interior rearview mirror is fogged, dirty, or
covered by stickers, decals, etc.
>When the sensor is dirty. Clean the sensor
on the front side of the interior rearview mir-
ror with a cloth moistened with a little glass
cleaner.
Switching on and off via iDrive
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"3."High beam assistant"
High-beam Assistant is activated and is
stored for the remote control currently in use.
Fog lamps*
First, switch on the parking lamps or the low
beams. The green indicator lamp in the instru-
ment panel lights up whenever the fog lamps
are on.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps.<
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Instrument lighting
You can control the lighting intensity by using
the thumbwheel.
Interior lamps
The interior lamps, footwell lamps*, door entry
lighting
*, cargo area lamps, and the courtesy
lamps
* are controlled automatically.
With the courtesy lamps, LED lights are located
in the door handles to illuminate the exterior
area before the doors.
To protect the battery, all lamps in the
vehicle are switched off approx.
15 minutes after radio readiness is switched off,
refer to Start/Stop button on page58.<
Switching interior lamps on and off
manually
Press the button.
If you wish the interior lamps, footwell lamps,
door entry lighting and courtesy lamps to
remain switched off all the time, press the but-
ton for approx. 3 seconds.
Reading lamps
Reading lamps are provided in the front and
rear
* adjacent to the interior lamps. Press the
button to switch the lamps on and off.
Climate
120 REST appears on the display of the automatic
climate control when the residual heat utiliza-
tion is switched on.
From radio readiness the interior temperature,
the air volume and the air distribution can be
set.
Switching off
You can select the lowest blower speed by
pressing and holding the left side. Pressing
again switches off the residual heat utilization.
REST disappears from the display of the auto-
matic climate control.
Switching automatic climate control on
and off
You can select the lowest blower
speed by pressing and holding the
left side. Pressing again switches
off the automatic climate control.
Y o u s w i t c h o n t h e s y s t e m a g a i n b y p r e s s i n g a n y
button of the automatic climate control.
Front ventilation
1Thumbwheels to smoothly open and close
air vents
2Levers to change the air vent direction
Do not drop any foreign objects into the
air vents, otherwise these could be cata-
pulted outwards and lead to injuries.<
Ventilation for cooling
Adjust the air vents to direct the flow of cool air
in your direction, for instance, if the interior has
become too warm, etc.
Draft-free ventilation
Set the air vents so that the air flows past you
and is not directed straight at you.
Ventilation in rear
1Thumbwheels to smoothly open and close
air vents
2Levers to change the air vent direction
BMW X5: heating and ventilation,
3rd row seats
The air in the area of the 3rd row seats can be
heated or recirculated. Air vents are located in
the storage compartment area between the
seats and in the footwell of the 3rd row seats.
1Thumbwheel:
>Activating heating and distributing air in
footwell:
Turn toward front
>Distributing air in storage compartment
area between seats:
Turn toward rear
2Button for switching on blower:
LED lights up
The heating is not ready for operation
without switching on the blower. After the
heating is switched off, the blower can be used