
At a glance
 11Reference
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Mobility
9BMW X6: upshifting or downshifting with 
automatic transmission64
10Instrument panel12
13Ignition lock5814Buttons on steering wheel
15Horn, entire surface
18Releasing hood251 6
Parking lamps111
Low beams111
Automatic headlamp control
*111 
Adaptive Light Control
*112 
High-beam Assistant
*113
7
Head-up Display
*109
8
Turn signals65
High beams, headlamp flasher65
High-beam Assistant
*113
Roadside parking lamps
*113
Time, date, outside temperature, 
Check Control76, 84
Computer78
11
Windshield wipers65
Rain sensor66
BMW X5: rear window wiper66
12Starting/stopping engine and 
switching ignition on/off58
Telephone*:
Accepting and ending calls, start 
dialing
* selected phone number, 
redialing if no phone number is 
selected
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice acti-
vation system
*22
Changing the radio station
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
Next entertainment source
Recirculated-air mode, 119
Steering wheel heating
*53
Lane departure warning
*104
16
Steering wheel adjustment52
17
Cruise control
*67
Active cruise control
*68 

At a glance
 13Reference
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Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in 
different combinations and colors.
Some lamps are tested for proper function by 
briefly lighting up during starting of the engine 
or when the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the upper edge of the Control 
Display explain the meaning of the displayed 
indicator and warning lamps.
Additional information, e.g. on the cause of a 
malfunction and on the corresponding need to 
take action can be displayed via the Check Con-
trol, refer to page82.In the case of corresponding urgency, this infor-
mation is displayed immediately when the 
related lamp lights up.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps indicate that cer-
tain functions are activated:
With parking brake set60
With parking brake set for Canadian 
models
Fog lamps
*114
High beams/headlamp flasher113
Lamp flashes: 
DSC or DTC controls the drive and 
braking forces for maintaining vehicle 
stability96
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on emissions257 

Controls
 27Reference
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>Displays on Control Display:
>Brightness of the Control Display, refer 
to page86
>Measuring units for consumption, route/
distances, temperature, and pressure, 
refer to page86
>Language on Control Display, refer to 
page86
>12h/24h clock format, refer to page85
>Date format, refer to page85
>Lighting settings:
>Triple turn signal activation, refer to 
page65
>Welcome lamps, refer to page111
>Pathway lighting, refer to page112
>Daytime driving lamps
*, refer to 
page112
>High-beam Assistant
*, refer to 
page113
>PDC Park Distance Control
*: optical warn-
ing, refer to page89
>Top View
*: optical warning, refer to 
page91
>Side View
*, refer to page92
>Rear view camera
*:
>Selecting functions, refer to page93
>Type of display, refer to page95
>Lane departure warning
*: last status, on/
off, refer to page104
>Head-up Display
*: selection, brightness 
and position of display, refer to page109
>Automatic climate control: AUTO program 
and intensity, cooling function, and auto-
matic recirculated-air control/recirculated-
air mode, temperature, air distribution, ven-
tilation temperature, starting on page117
>Programmable memory buttons: selecting 
stored functions, refer to page20
>Positions of driver's seat, outside mirrors, 
and steering wheel
*, refer to page44
>Adaptive Drive
*: selected chassis and sus-
pension tuning, refer to page98>Audio sources: volume and tone settings, 
refer to page168
>Radio:
>Display of stored stations, refer to 
page173
>Switching RDS Radio Data System on/
off
*, refer to page172
>Phone: volume setting, refer to 
pages215,220
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system functions when the 
driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Liftgate
>Fuel filler flap
Operating from outside
>Using the remote control
>Using the door lock
>With Comfort Access
* using the door han-
dles
The interior lamps and the courtesy lamps
* are 
also switched on and off with the remote con-
trol. The alarm system
 is armed/disarmed at the 
same time.
You can find more detailed information on the 
alarm system
 on page34.
Operating from inside
Using the button for central locking, refer to 
page30. The fuel filler flap is not locked.
In an accident of sufficient severity, the central 
locking system automatically unlocks the vehi-
cle. In addition, the hazard warning flashers and 
interior lamps come on. 

Opening and closing
34 The liftgate closes automatically when you 
press the button on the inside of the liftgate.
To stop the closing process:
>Press the button on the inside of the lift-
gate.
>Press the button on the outside of the lift-
gate.
Closing is not canceled when you put the 
vehicle into motion.<
The tailgate also closes automatically 
without pressing the button if it is loaded 
with an additional weight of approx. 11 lbs./5 kg, 
e.g. snow or ice.<
Manually opening or closing
In case of an electrical malfunction:
1.Push out cover 1 on the liftgate with a 
screwdriver.
2.Push the catch 2 in the direction of the 
arrow.
3.Open or close the liftgate slowly and with-
out making sudden movements.
Alarm system
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the liftgate is 
opened
>To movements in the vehicle: interior 
motion sensor, refer to page35
>To changes in the vehicle's tilt if someone 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow the 
vehicle
>To interruptions in battery voltage
Unauthorized operations are briefly signaled by 
the alarm system:
>With an acoustic alarm
>By switching on
 the hazard warning flashers
>By flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming alarm system
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
With the system armed, the liftgate can also be 
opened using the  button of the remote con-
trol, refer to page28. When the liftgate is 
closed, it is once again locked and monitored.
Switching off alarm
>Unlock the vehicle using the remote control, 
refer to page28.
>Insert the remote control all the way into the 
ignition lock. 

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The ignition switches off automatically* if the 
driver's door is opened. Pressing the Start/Stop 
button again switches the ignition back on.
For example, the ignition is not switched off in 
the following situations:
>The brakes are actuated
>The low beams are switched on
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas, 
otherwise the inhalation of toxic exhaust 
gases can cause loss of consciousness and 
death. The exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly 
toxic gas. 
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the 
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a 
potential safety hazard. 
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, always 
engage transmission position N or P and set the 
parking brake before leaving the vehicle with 
the engine running.<
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicle remains stationary. 
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine 
speed.
The engine starts when you depress the 
brake pedal while pressing the Start/Stop 
button.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in 
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the 
fuel is not burned or inadequately burned and 
there is a danger of overheating and damaging 
the catalytic converter.
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Press the Start/Stop button.
The system responds by automatically engag-
ing the starter for a certain period and automat-
ically disengaging it as soon as the engine 
starts.
Diesel engine
When the engine is cold and at temperatures 
below approx. 327/06 the starting process 
may be somewhat delayed due to automatic 
preglowing. The preglowing indicator lamp in 
the instrument panel lights up. A message 
appears on the Control Display.
Switching off engine
When leaving the vehicle, always take 
along the remote control. 
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth-
erwise, the vehicle could roll.<
Procedure
1.Engage transmission position P with the 
vehicle stationary.
2.Press the Start/Stop button.
3.Set the parking brake.
4.Remove the remote control from the igni-
tion lock, refer to page58.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle can roll if you proceed according to 
the following steps: 

Controls
 65Reference
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With the transmission position M/S 
selected, the manual mode remains 
active.<
>Upshifting: pull on one of the shifting pad-
dles, arrows +.
>Downshifting: press on one of the shifting 
paddles, arrows –.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, 
a downshift that would cause the engine to 
overrev will not be executed by the system. The 
selected gear is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment panel, followed by the current gear.
Turn signals/headlamp 
flasher/high beams
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, press the lever up to the 
resistance point.Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb 
needs to be replaced.<
Signaling briefly
Press lever to resistance point and hold for as 
long as you wish to signal.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever up to the resistance point. The 
turn signal flashes three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting"
3."Triple turn signal"
 Triple turn signal activation is activated and 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Washer/wiper system
1Switching on wipers
2Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or 
the rain sensor
 
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps* 

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Head-up Display*
The concept
With the Head-up Display important informa-
tion is projected into the driver's field of view, 
e.g. navigation instructions. This enables you to 
take in this information without looking away 
from the road.
Switching on/off
Press the button.
1Navigation instructions
*
2Active cruise control with Stop & Go func-
tion
*
3Lane departure warning*
4Cruise control/desired speed*
5Current speedThe collision warning
* or Check Control mes-
sages are displayed briefly if needed.
Selecting displays
1."Settings"
2."Head-up display"
3."Displayed information"
4.Select the desired displays in the Head-up 
Display.
 The information is shown on the Head-up 
Display.
The settings are stored for the remote control 
currently in use.
Setting brightness
The brightness of the display is automatically 
adapted to the ambient lighting conditions. 
However, you can change the base setting. 
With the low beams switched on, the brightness 
can also be adjusted with the thumbwheel of 
the instrument lighting.
1."Settings"
2."Head-up display"
3."Brightness"
4.Turn the controller.
The brightness is adjusted.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Height adjustment
1."Settings"
2."Head-up display"
3."Height"
4.Turn the controller.
The height is adjusted. 

Controls
 111Reference
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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"