2012 BMW X5 XDRIVE 35I PREMIUM airbag

DSC Dynamic Stability Con‐
trol  96
DTC Dynamic Traction Con‐
trol  97
Side View*  116
8 Controller with buttons  18
9 Automatic Hold  
64 10 Parking brake  
63
11 Adaptive Drive*   99
12 Selector lever for automatic transmis‐
sion  69
All around the headliner 1 Emergency Request*  280
2 Glass sunroof*  
42  43
3 Indicator lamp for the front pas‐
senger airbags*  87
4 Reading lamps  
85
5 Interior lamps  85
Seite 17
17Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500
Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

Adjusting
Sitting safely
The
ideal seating position can make a vital con‐
tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:
▷ Safety belts, refer to page 50.
▷ Head restraints, refer to page 51.
▷ Airbags, refer to page 86.
Seats
Note before adjusting Do not adjust the seat while driving
Never attempt to adjust the driver's seat
while driving.
The

seat could respond with unexpected move‐
ment and the ensuing loss of vehicle control
could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Do not incline the backrest on the front passen‐
ger side too far to the rear during driving. Oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of sliding under the
safety belt in an accident. This would eliminate
the protection normally provided by the belt.◀ Adjusting manually*
Forward/backward
Pull the lever and slide the seat into the desired
position.
After releasing the lever, move the seat
forward or back slightly to make sure it engages
properly.
Thigh support* Pull the lever and move the thigh support for‐
ward or back.
Seite 45
45Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Safety belts
General information
Always make sure that safety belts are being
worn by all occupants before driving away.
Although airbags enhance safety by providing
added protection, they are not a substitute for
safety belts.
Number of safety belts
Your
vehicle has been fitted with safety belts for
the safety of you and your passengers.
▷ BMW X5: five or seven* safety belts.
▷ BMW X6: four or five* safety belts.
Notes One person per safety belt
Never

allow more than one person to wear
a single safety belt. Never allow infants or small
children to ride on a passenger's lap.◀
Putting on the belt
Lay the belt, without twisting, snugly
across the lap and shoulders, as close to the
body as possible. Make sure that the belt lies low
around the hips in the lap area and does not
press on the abdomen. Otherwise, the belt can
slip over the hips in the lap area in a frontal im‐
pact and injure the abdomen.
The safety belt must not lie across the neck, rub
on sharp edges, be routed over solid or breaka‐
ble objects, or be pinched.◀
Reduction of restraining effect
Avoid wearing clothing that prevents the
belt from fitting properly, and pull the shoulder
belt periodically to readjust the tension across
your lap; otherwise, the retention effect of the
safety belt may be reduced.◀
Using the middle safety belt
If the middle safety belt in the rear is used,
the larger section of the backrest must be
locked. Otherwise, the safety belt will not have
a restraining effect.◀ Buckling the belt
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in the
belt buckle.
Unbuckling the belt
1.
Hold the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the belt buckle.
3. Guide the belt back 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 page 45.
The two rear safety belt buckles integrated into
the rear seat are for passengers sitting 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.
Safety belt reminder for the driver's and
front passenger seat The indicator lamp lights up and a sig‐
nal sounds. In addition, a message ap‐
pears on the Control Display. Check
whether the safety belt has been fastened cor‐
rectly.
The safety belt reminder is active at speeds
above approx. 5 mph/8 km/h. It can also be ac‐
tivated if objects are placed on the front pas‐
senger seat.
Damage to safety belts
In the case of strain caused by accidents or
damage:
Have the safety belts, including the safety belt
tensioners, replaced and have the belt anchors
checked. Seite 50
50 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500
Adjusting

Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Note
Children in the vehicle
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger them‐
selves and other persons, e.g., by opening the
doors.◀
Children should always be in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is on the rear seat.
Transporting children in the rear
Transport
children younger than 13 years
of age or shorter than 5 ft/150 cm on the 2nd row
seats only, using child restraint fixing systems
suitable for the age, weight, and height of the
child. Otherwise, there is the increased danger
of injury in an accident.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
fixing system can no longer be used, due to their
age, weight and size.◀
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child restraint
fixing system on the front passenger seat, make
sure that the front and side airbags on the front
passenger side are deactivated. Automatic de‐
activation of front passenger airbags, refer to
page 87.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀ Installing child restraint fixing
systems
Notes
Manufacturer's information for child re‐
straint fixing systems
To select, mount and use child restraint fixing
systems, observe the information provided by
the system manufacturer; otherwise, the pro‐
tective effect can be impaired.
◀
Note the following in vehicles equipped
with 3rd row seats
BMW X5: in vehicles with 3rd row seats*, make
sure that the seat of the 2nd row seats on which
the child restraint fixing system is mounted is
properly locked. Otherwise, there is an in‐
creased risk of injury for the child in an accident.
Do not mount child restraint fixing systems on
the 3rd row seats, as otherwise the protection
provided by these child restraint fixing systems
may be reduced.◀
BMW X5: before mounting a child restraint fixing
system in the center seat of the 2nd row seats,
move the outer seat cushions and backrests into
the rearmost positions.
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child restraint fixing system on
the front passenger seat, ensure that the front
and side airbags on the front passenger side are
deactivated.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury to the child when the
airbags are triggered, even with a child restraint
fixing system.◀ Seite 56
56 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500
Transporting children safely

Safety
Airbags
1
Front airbags
2 Head airbags
3 Side airbags
Front airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest and lap area.
Head airbags
In
a lateral impact, the head airbag supports the
head.
Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags
▷ Keep at a distance from the airbags.
▷ Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the

3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to keep
the danger of injury to your hands or arms as
low as possible if the airbag is triggered. ▷
There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.
▷ Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.
▷ Keep the dashboard and window on the
front

passenger side clear, i.e., do not cover
with adhesive labels or coverings, and do not
attach holders such as for navigation instru‐
ments and mobile phones.
▷ Make sure that the front passenger is sitting
correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and legs
in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.
▷ Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.
▷ Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as jack‐
ets, over the backrests.
▷ Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.
▷ Do not remove the airbag restraint system.
▷ Do not remove the steering wheel.
Seite 86
86 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500
Safety

▷
Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.
▷ Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents
or the wiring in the airbag system. This
also applies to steering wheel covers, the
dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars and the
sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term

and, in most cases, temporary hear‐
ing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered; oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explosives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or un‐
desired triggering of the airbag, either of which
could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the 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 passen‐
ger side are activated or deactivated accordingly
by the system.
The indicator lamp above the interior rearview
mirror shows the current status of the front pas‐
senger airbags, deactivated or activated, refer to
Front passenger airbag indicator lamp below. Leave feet in the footwell
Make

sure that the front passenger keeps
his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise, the front
passenger airbags may not function properly.◀
Child restraint fixing system in the front
passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the front passen‐
ger seat, refer to the safety notes and instruc‐
tions under Children on the front passenger
seat, refer to page 56.◀
Malfunction of the automatic
deactivation system
When transporting older children and adults, the
front passenger airbags may be deactivated in
certain sitting positions. In this case, the indica‐
tor lamp for the front passenger airbags lights
up.
In this case, change the sitting position so that
the front passenger airbags are activated and
the indicator lamp goes out.
If it is not possible to activate the airbags, have
the person sit in the rear.
To make sure that occupation of the seat cush‐
ion can be detected correctly:
▷ Do not attach seat covers, seat cushion pad‐
ding,

ball mats or other items to the passen‐
ger seat unless they are specifically recom‐
mended by BMW.
▷ Do not place objects under the seat that
could press against the seat from below.
Indicator lamp for the front passenger
airbags Seite 87
87Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500

Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the ar‐
rangement of the switches and indicator lamps
may differ somewhat.
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags indicates the operating state of the front
passenger airbags.
The lamp indicates whether the airbags are ac‐
tivated or deactivated.
▷
The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a child restraint fixing system intended for
the purpose is properly detected on the
seat. The airbags on the front passenger
side 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
airbags on the front passenger side are ac‐
tivated.
▷ The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty. However, the airbags on
the front passenger side are not activated.
The system generally detects children seated in
a child seat, especially in the child seats that
were required by NHTSA when the vehicle was
manufactured.
After installing a child seat, make
sure that the indicator lamp for the front pas‐
senger airbags lights up. This indicates that the
child seat has been detected and the front pas‐
senger airbags are not activated.
Operational readiness of airbag system In the radio ready state and beyond, refer to
page
61, the warning lamp comes on briefly to
indicate that the entire airbag system and the
belt tensioners are operational. Airbag system malfunction
▷
Warning lamp does not light up in the radio
ready state.
▷ Warning lamp remains permanently on.
Have the airbag system checked without
delay if there is a malfunction
In the event of a malfunction in the airbag sys‐
tem, have it checked without delay; otherwise,
there

is the risk that the system will not function
as intended even if a sufficiently severe accident
occurs.◀
FTM Flat Tire Monitor*
The concept
The system does not measure the actual infla‐
tion pressure in the tires.
It detects a pressure loss in a tire by comparing
the rotational speeds of the individual wheels
while moving.
In the event of a pressure loss, the diameter and
therefore the rotational speed of the corre‐
sponding wheel change. This is detected and
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirements
The system must have been initialized when the
tire inflation pressure was correct; otherwise,
reliable signaling of a flat tire is not ensured. In‐
itialize the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
System limits
Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
A natural, even pressure loss in all four tires can‐
not be detected. Therefore, check the tire infla‐
tion pressure regularly.
The system could be delayed or malfunction in
the following situations: Seite 88
88 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500Safety

Everything from A to Z
Index
0-9
3rd row seats 47
A
ABS, Antilock Brake Sys‐ tem 96
ACC Active Cruise Con‐ trol 102
Access to 3rd row seats 47
Accident, refer to Emergency Request, initiating 280
Acoustic
signal, refer to Check
Control 76
Activated-charcoal filter 124
Active Cruise Control ACC 102
Active cruise control, indicator lamp 105
Active Cruise Control, radar sensor 106
Active Cruise Control, select‐ ing the distance 104
Active Cruise Control, warning lamps 105
Active seat 49
Active seat ventilation 49
Active steering 100
Adaptive brake lights, refer to Brake force display 94
Adaptive Drive 99
Adaptive fixing system 137
Adaptive light control 82
Additional telephone 216
Additives, coolant 267
Additives, engine oil 266
After washing vehicle 286
Airbags 86
Airbags, indicator/warning light 88
Air circulation, refer to Recir‐ culated air mode 122 Air distribution, auto‐
matic 120, 125
Air distribution, manual 121
Air drying, refer to Cooling function 122
Air flow rate 121
Air
flow rate, blower, refer to Air
volume 125
Airing, refer to Ventilation 123
Air pressure, refer to Tire infla‐ tion pressure 252
Air vents 119
Air vents, refer to Ventila‐ tion 123
AKI, refer to Fuel specifica‐ tions 248
Alarm system 39
Alarm system
– Avoiding unintentional alarms 40
– Ending an alarm 39
– Interior motion sensor 40
– Tilt alarm sensor 40
All around the headliner 17
All-season tires, refer to Win‐ ter tires 261
All-wheel drive, refer to xDrive 98
Alternating-code hand-held transmitter 128
AM/FM station 174
Announcement, navigation, refer to Spoken instruc‐
tions 163
Antifreeze, coolant 267
Antifreeze, washer fluid 68
Antilock Brake System, ABS 96
Anti-slip control, refer to Dy‐ namic Stability Control
DSC 96
Anti-theft protection 30
Appointments 232 Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights 292
Approved engine oils 266
Approved gross vehicle weight, refer to Weights 292
Armrest, refer to Center arm‐ rest 134
Arrival time, refer to Com‐ puter 74
Ashtray 130
Ashtray, front 130
Ashtray, rear 130
Assist 237
Assistance, Roadside Assis‐ tance 281
Assistance
with driving off, re‐
fer to Drive-off assistant 100
Assistance with starting en‐ gine, refer to Jump-start‐
ing 281
Audio CD with rear DVD sys‐ tem 206
Audio device, external 134
Audio playback 181
Audio playback, Blue‐ tooth 196
Automatic, air distribu‐ tion 120, 125
Automatic air distribution 125
Automatic, air flow rate 120
Automatic car wash 285
Automatic climate con‐ trol 119
Automatic climate control, au‐ tomatic air distribu‐
tion 120, 125
Automatic climate control, in rear 124
Automatic climate control in rear, activating on Control
Display 124
Automatic climate control in rear, air supply 125
Seite 302
302 Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500
Everything from A to Z