2011 BMW X5M Owner's Manual

Controls
103Reference
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Mobility
Message with low tire inflation
pressure
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds.
>There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire infla-
tion pressure.
>The system was not reset after a wheel
change and thus issues a warning based on
the inflation pressures initialized last.
Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/
80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires as provided at the factory, refer to
page249, do not continue driving. Continuing
to drive with a flat tire could cause severe acci-
dents.<
Continued driving with a flat tire
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
Approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, cargo area full, or
4 persons without luggage:
Approx. 95 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, cargo area full:
Approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g.
reduced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering prop-
erties.<
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate complete failure of the tire.
Reduce your speed and stop; otherwise, pieces
of the tire could come loose and cause an acci-dent. Do not continue driving, and contact your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.<
Message when not reset
The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play.
The system is not reset, e.g. after a wheel
change.
Check the tire inflation pressure and reset the
system, refer to page102.
Malfunction
The yellow warning lamp flashes and
then lights up continuously. The tires
are displayed in gray on the Control
Display. No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:
>Malfunction:
Have the system checked
>If a wheel without TPM electronics is
mounted, e.g. a compact wheel
*
>Interference due to systems or devices that
use the same radio frequency:
The system automatically reactivates once
it is outside of the field of interference.
Explanation according to the NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle plac-
ard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehi-
cle has tires of a different size than the size indi-
cated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly underinflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
104 possible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Underinflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if underinflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain con-
tinuously illuminated. This sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle startups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Lane departure warning*
The concept
On roads with lane markings, this system warns
you at speeds exceeding approx. 40 mph/
65 km/h when the vehicle is about to leave the
lane.
The steering wheel begins vibrating lightly.
The system does not issue a warning if the turn
signal is set before leaving the lane.
Switching on/off
Press button 1 on the steering wheel.
>On: lane markings 2 light up.
>Off: lane markings 2 go out.
The system can issue warnings at speeds
exceeding approx. 40 mph/65 km/h.
The state is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Display
1The system is activated.
2Arrows: at least one lane marking was
detected and warnings can be issued.
Issuing a warning
If the vehicle begins leaving the lane and a lane
marking has been detected, the steering wheel
begins vibrating.
If the turn signal is set before the lane is
changed, a warning is not issued.
Canceling a warning
The warning is canceled:
>Automatically after approx. 3 seconds.
>After the vehicle returns to its lane.
>During heavy brake application.

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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
106
Deactivation
Active steering deactivates in order to carry out
an initialization. This deactivation is displayed
by means of a message. The initialization can
take several minutes.
If the message does not disappear during the
current trip, have the system checked.
Defect
In the event of a defect, a corresponding text
message is displayed. Have the system
checked.
Brake force display*
BMW X5
On the left: normal braking.
On the right: heavy braking.
BMW X6
On the left: normal braking.
On the right: heavy braking.

Controls
107Reference
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Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
observe the adjustment instructions on
page42.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e.g. less severe acci-
dents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Keep the instrument cluster and window in the
region of the passenger seat free of foreign
materials, i.e. do not cover them with adhesive
film or covers and do not attach mounts, e.g. for
a navigation device or mobile phone to them.
Do not install cosmetic covers, seat cushions,
or other items on the front seats that are not
especially approved for seats with integrated
side airbags. Do not hang articles of clothing
such as jackets over the backrests.Do not attempt to remove the airbag restraint
system from the vehicle. Do not modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the individual
components in the airbag system. This includes
the upholstery in the center of the steering
wheel, on the instrument cluster, the doors, and
the roof pillars as well as the sides of the head-
liner. Do not attempt to remove or dismantle the
steering wheel. Do not touch the individual
components immediately after the system has
been triggered, because there is a danger of
burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel and has
the required explosives licenses. Otherwise
unprofessional attempts to service the system
could lead to failure in an emergency or undes-
ired airbag triggering, either of which could
result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The front and
side airbags on the front passenger side are
activated or deactivated accordingly by the sys-
tem.
The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is

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.<

Controls
109Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
110 The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Notes
The visibility of the displays in the Head-up Dis-
play is influenced by:
>Sunglasses with certain polarization filters
>Certain sitting positions
>Objects on the cover of the Head-up Dis-
play
>Wet road surface and unfavorable lighting
conditions
If the image is distorted, have the basic setting
checked at a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Cen-
ter.
Special windshield
The windshield is part of the system. The shape
of the windshield complies with the require-
ments of the Head-up Display to enable a pre-
cise display. A film in the windshield prevents
the double images from being displayed.
Windshield replacement should be carried out
by a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel.
Care instructions
Important information on this topic is provided
on page260.
Only clean the cover of the Head-up Dis-
play with a soft, lint-free cloth or with a
display cleaning cloth, otherwise damage may
result.<