Controls
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BMW X5: rear seats and 3rd row seats*,
adjusting height
>To raise: pull up.
>To lower: press the button, arrow1, and
push the head restraint downward.
In vehicles equipped with 3rd row seats, the
height of the middle head restraint is not adjust-
able.
Removing
1.Pull the head restraint upward to the stop.
2.Press the button, arrow1, and pull the head
restraint all the way out.
BMW X5: rear seats
2nd row seats
With a divided* row of seats you can adjust
both sides individually.
Never adjust the 2nd row seats while the
vehicle is moving, as otherwise the pas-
sengers on the 3rd row seats could be injured.
Make sure that the locking devices of the 2nd
row seats engage properly. Otherwise the
restraining effect of the safety belts during an
accident could be reduced.<
Longitudinal direction*
1.Pull the lever and slide the seat into the
desired position.
2.Release the lever and move the seat slightly
forward or back so that it engages properly.
Backrest*
The backrests can be adjusted in four steps.
Pull the lever and apply weight to or remove
weight from the backrest as needed.
Access to 3rd row seats*
Pull the lever and fold the seat forward.
The handle recess on the interior trim of
the door pillar makes climbing in easier.<
When folding back the 2nd row seats,
make sure that the footwell under the
2nd row seats is clear. Otherwise persons in the
Controls
49Reference
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appears on the Control Display. Please check
whether the safety belt is correctly fastened.
The safety belt reminder is operative at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be acti-
vated if objects are placed on the passenger
seat.
Releasing
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will be
correct for adult seat occupants of every build if
the seat is correctly adjusted, refer to page43.
BMW X5: the two rear safety belt buckles inte-
grated into the rear seat are for passengers sit-
ting on the left and right. The belt buckle
embossed with the word CENTER is intended
exclusively for use by passengers riding in the
center position.
Damage to safety belts
In the event of loads caused by accidents
or other damage: replace the belt system
including the safety belt tensioners and any
child restraint devices, and have the belt anchor
points checked. Only have this work carried out
at a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or at a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Otherwise correct operation of this
safety equipment is not guaranteed.<
Belt-force limiter
The effect of the belt-force limiter on the
driver's seat is dependent on the position of the
driver's seat.
To maintain the long-term accuracy of this
function, the driver's seat must be calibrated if a
corresponding message is displayed on the
Control Display.
Calibrating driver's seat
The warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage also appears on the Control Dis-play. Please calibrate the driver's seat.
1.Move the driver's seat forward until it stops.
2.Move the driver's seat forward again. It
briefly moves toward the front in the pro-
cess.
3.Set the desired seating position again.
The calibration is completed when the message
on the Control Display disappears. Should this
message continue to be displayed, repeat the
calibration. If the message does not disappear
even after repeated calibration, have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible.
Never carry out calibration while the vehi-
cle is moving, as this can cause accidents.
Make sure that no persons or objects become
wedged during the calibration process, as this
can cause injuries or damage.<
Seat heating*
Front
The temperature setting progresses one step
through its control sequence each time you
press the button. The maximum temperature is
supplied when three LEDs are lit.
To switch off: press the button longer.
T h e t e m p e r a t u r e i s r e d u c e d , i f n e e d b e , d o w n t o
no heat in order to reduce the load on the bat-
tery. The LEDs remain lit.
Adjusting
50
Rear
Operation similar to front seat heating; without
temperature distribution.
Active seat ventilation* and
seat heating*
Front
1Seat heating
2Active seat ventilation
Press button1 or 2 once depending on the
temperature or ventilation position. The LED in
the respective button lights up.
The temperature and ventilation levels are dis-
played in bar form on the Control Display. A dis-
play of three bars indicates the highest level of
seat heating or seat ventilation.
The air quantity is reduced and if need be, the
ventilation is switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LEDs remain lit.
To switch off: press button1 or 2 longer.
Temperature distribution without
active seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.1.Press the button1.
2.Select "Seat heating distribution" and
press the controller.
3.Turn the controller to adjust the distribu-
tion.
The setting is applied.
Temperature distribution with active
seat ventilation
The heat output can be distributed variously in
the seat cushion and the backrest.
1.Press button1.
2.Select "Seat heating distribution" and
press the controller.
3.Turn the controller to adjust the distribu-
tion.
The setting is applied.
Heated rear seats
Operation similar to front seat heating; without
temperature distribution, refer to page49.
Driving
60 1.With Comfort Access
*: insert the remote
control into the ignition lock.
2.Depress brake pedal.
3.Engage transmission position N.
4.Release the parking brake or deactivate
Automatic Hold.
5.Switch off the engine.
Transmission position P will be engaged:
>Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
>If you remove the remote control from the
ignition lock
Parking brake
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with an electromechan-
ical parking brake.
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked.
You can use the parking brake in two ways:
>Manually, by pulling and pushing the button
>Automatically, by activating Automatic
Hold, refer to page61
With the engine stopped, the parking brake acts
on the rear wheels via an electromechanical
system. When the engine is running, the park-
ing brake acts on the disc brakes of the front
and rear wheels via the brake hydraulics.
Setting manually
Pull button. The parking brake is set.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
panel lights up red. The parking brake is
set.Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
The remote control does not have to be
inserted into the ignition lock for the parking
brake to be set.
While driving
If exceptional circumstances should make it
necessary to set the parking brake while the
vehicle is in motion, pull on the button longer:
The vehicle continues to brake forcefully for as
long as you pull on the button.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
panel lights up red, a chime sounds and
the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
As soon as you brake the vehicle almost to a
stop, i.e., down to a speed of approx. 2 mph/
3 km/h or below, the parking brake remains set.
Releasing manually
Press the button with the brake depressed.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
panel goes out.
Indicator lamp on Canadian models.
When leaving the vehicle, always take
along the remote control; this precaution
prevents children from releasing the parking
brake, for example.<
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
Controls
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>After approx. 165 ft/50 m when driving for-
ward
>At speeds over approx. 25 mph/35 km/h
when driving forward
Switch the system back on as needed.
Switching on/off manually
Press the button.
>On: LED lights up
>Off: LED goes out
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus,
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle
will be indicated by a signal tone from the left
rear speaker, etc.
The shorter the distance to the object
becomes, the shorter the intervals become.
If the distance to the nearest object falls to
below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous
tone sounds.
If objects are present both in front of and behind
the vehicle, then an alternating, continuous
tone sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx.
3seconds:
>When the vehicle remains stationary in front
of an object that has only been detected by
one of the corner sensors
>When driving parallel to a wall
The signal tone is switched off:
>When the vehicle is more than approx.
4.0 in/10 cm away from an object
>When the selector lever is in the P position
Volume
You can adjust the volume of the signal tone,
refer to page87.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Optical warning
The approach to an object can be shown on the
Control Display. Objects that are farther away
are displayed on the Control Display before a
signal tone sounds.
The display appears as soon as PDC is acti-
vated.
If the last image selected was the rear view
camera, this is displayed again. To switch to
PDC:
1.Select the "Switch off rear view cam-
era" on the Control Display.
2.Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
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.
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
90
Malfunction
A Check Control message appears in the
instrument panel, refer to page82.
The areas in front of and behind the vehicle
appear in shaded form on the Control Display.
PDC is malfunctioning. Have the system
checked.
In order to assure full functionality:
>Keep sensors clean and free of ice.
>Do not spray the sensors with high-pres-
sure cleaners for long periods and keep the
spray nozzle at least 12 in/30 cm away from
them.
Surround View*
The concept
Surround View encompasses the following sys-
tems:
>Top View
*, refer to page90
>Side View
*, refer to page92
>Rear view camera
*, refer to page93
It provides assistance when parking and
maneuvering and at blind driveways and inter-
sections.
Top View*
The concept
Top View assists you when parking and maneu-
vering. To accomplish this, the door region and
road surface region are shown on the Control
Display.
Detection
Detection is carried out by two cameras inte-
grated into the exterior mirror and the rear view
camera.
The range is:
>Approx. 7 ft/2 m to the side
>Approx. 7 ft/2 m to the rear
Obstacles up to the height of the exterior mir-
rors are thus detected in a timely fashion.
System limitations
In the following situations, the function of Top
View is limited:
>When a door is open
>When the liftgate is open
>When the exterior mirrors are folded in
>Under poor lighting conditions
The arrows next to the vehicle are displayed in a
shaded form on the Control Display and a sym-
bol appears at the corresponding location on
the vehicle.
Also make a direct visual check of the
traffic situation around the vehicle. Other-
wise, there could be a risk of accident, for exam-
ple due to other road users or objects outside
the image range of the camera.<
Automatic activation
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, shift the selector lever into position R.
The images from Top View and PDC are dis-
played when the system has been switched on
using iDrive.
Automatic deactivation
The system switches off and the LED goes out:
>After approx. 165 ft/50 m when driving for-
ward
>At speeds over approx. 25 mph/35 km/h
when driving forward
Switch the system back on as needed.
Controls
91Reference
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Mobility
Switching on/off manually
Press the button.
>On: LED lights up.
>Off: LED goes out.
If Top View is displayed, switch o n the rea r vie w
camera using iDrive, refer to page95.
Optical warning
The approach to an object can be shown on the
Control Display.
When the distance to an object is small, the
PDC display correspondingly shows a red bar in
front of the vehicle.
The display appears as soon as Top View is
activated.
If the last image selected was the rear view
camera, this is displayed again. To switch to
Top View:
1.Select the "Switch off rear view cam-
era" on the Control Display.
2.Press the controller.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Image on the Control Display
Switching on the rear view camera
using iDrive
With Top View 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 Top View switched on:
1.Select the symbol.
2.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed and then press the controller.
Contrast
With Top View switched on:
1.Select the symbol.
2.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is displayed and then press the controller.
Displaying turning lines and pathway
lines
>The static, red turning line shows the lateral
space required when the wheel is fully
turned.
>The variable, green pathway lines assist you
in estimating the amount of lateral space
actually required.
The pathway lines depend on the current
steering angle and are continuously
adapted to movements of the steering
wheel.
1.Select the symbol.
2.Press the controller.
Turning lines and pathway lines are displayed.