2012 BMW X5 XDRIVE35D parking brake

Indicator/warning lamps
The concept
The indicator and warning lamps can light up in
a variety of combinations and colors.
Several of the lamps are checked for proper
functioning
when the engine is started or the ig‐
nition is switched on, and light up briefly.
Text messages
Text messages at the upper edge of the Control
Display explain the meaning of the displayed in‐
dicator and warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
You can call up more information, e.g., on the
cause of a malfunction and on how to respond,
via Check Control, refer to page 76.In urgent cases, this information will be shown
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that
certain functions are active: Symbol Function or system
Parking brake set, refer to
page
63 Canada: parking brake set, refer to
page
63 High beams/headlamp flasher, refer
to page
83 Front fog lamps*, refer to page
84 Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC controls the drive and
braking forces for maintaining vehi‐
cle stability, refer to page
96 Engine malfunction with adverse ef‐
fect on emissions, refer to
page
269 Seite 15
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

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
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls
At a glance

car wash, for example, ensure that the ignition is
not switched off accidentally.◀
For example, the ignition is not switched off in
the following situations:
▷
The brake is applied.
▷ The low beams are switched on
Starting the engine
General information Enclosed areas
Do not let the engine run in enclosed
areas; otherwise, breathing of exhaust fumes
may lead to loss of consciousness and death.
The
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless but highly toxic gas.◀
Unattended vehicle
Do not leave the car unattended with the
engine running; otherwise, it presents a poten‐
tial source of danger.
Before leaving the car with the engine running,
set the parking brake and place the transmission
in position P or neutral to prevent the car from
moving.◀
Frequent starting in quick succession
Avoid repeated futile attempts at starting
the car and avoid starting the car frequently in
quick succession. Otherwise, the fuel is not
burned or is inadequately burned, and there is
the danger of overheating and damaging the
catalytic converter.◀
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds. Starting the engine
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with Com‐
fort

Access, inside the vehicle, refer to page 37.
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time,
and stops automatically as soon as the en‐
gine has started.
Diesel engine
If the engine is cold and temperatures are below
approx. 32 ℉/0 ℃, the start process may be de‐
layed somewhat due to automatic preheating.
A message is displayed.
Engine stop
General information
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot operate the windows and injure them‐
selves.◀
Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the vehi‐
cle, for example, by turning the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb.◀ Seite 62
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Driving

Switching off the engine
Procedure
1.
Engage transmission position P with the ve‐
hicle stopped.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Remove the remote control from the ignition
lock, refer to page 61.
Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when the following
steps are adhered to:
1. With Comfort Access*: insert the remote
control in the ignition lock.
2. Depress the brake pedal.
3. Engage transmission position N.
4. Release the parking brake or deactivate Au‐
tomatic Hold.
5. Switch the engine off.
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
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre‐
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
The parking brake can be set manually or auto‐
matically:
▷ Manual: by pulling and pushing the switch.
▷ Automatic: by activating Automatic Hold. Setting manually Pull the button. The parking brake is set.
The indicator lamp lights up in red. The
parking brake is set.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
To set the parking brake, the remote control
does not need to be in the ignition lock. Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and
downward inclines, further secure the vehi‐
cle, for example, by turning the steering wheel in
the direction of the curb.◀
While driving
Use while driving:
Pull the switch and hold it. The vehicle brakes
hard while the button is being pulled.
The indicator lamp lights up in red, a sig‐
nal sounds and the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
If the vehicle is braked to a speed of approx.
2 mph/3 km/h, the parking brake remains set. Seite 63
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Releasing manually
Press the button with the brake depressed.
The LED and indicator lamp go out.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving
the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot release the parking brake.◀
Automatic Hold
The concept
This system assists the driver by automatically
setting and releasing the brake, such as when
moving in stop-and-go traffic.
The vehicle is automatically held in place when
it is stationary.
On inclines, the system prevents the vehicle
from rolling backward when driving away.
For your safety
Automatic Hold is deactivated automatically and
the parking brake is set when:
▷ The engine is switched off.
▷ A door is opened and the driver's safety belt
is unbuckled.
▷ The vehicle is braked to a standstill with the
parking brake while driving.
The indicator lamp switches from green
to red and the letters AUTO H go out. Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Before driving away:
▷ Release the parking brake manually.
▷ Reactivate Automatic Hold.
Leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning, engage position P of the automatic trans‐
mission

and ensure that the parking brake is set.
Otherwise, the vehicle may begin to roll.◀
Activating Press the button. The LED in the button lights
up

and the indication AUTO H appears in the in‐
strument panel.
Automatic Hold is activated.
If the vehicle is being held by Automatic
Hold, the indicator light in the instrument
panel also lights up in green.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Deactivating
Press the button again, the LED in the button
and the indication AUTO H in the instrument
panel go out.
Automatic Hold is deactivated.
If the vehicle is being held by Automatic Hold,
then press on the brake pedal to deactivate it.
When the parking brake is set manually, refer to
page 63, Automatic Hold is deactivated auto‐
matically. Seite 64
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Driving

Driving
Automatic
Hold is activated: the vehicle is auto‐
matically secured against rolling when it stops.
The indicator lamp lights up in green.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Step on the accelerator pedal to drive off.
The brake is released automatically.
The indicator lamp goes out. Before driving into a car wash
Deactivate Automatic Hold; otherwise, the
parking brake will be set when the vehicle is sta‐
tionary and the vehicle will no longer be able to
roll.◀
Parking
The parking brake is automatically set if the en‐
gine is switched off while the vehicle is being
held by Automatic Hold.
The indicator lamp changes from green
to red.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
The parking brake is not set if the engine is
switched off while the vehicle is coasting to a
halt. Automatic Hold is deactivated. Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot release the parking brake.◀
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against rolling
using a wheel chock, for example, when leaving
it. Releasing the parking brake manually
In the event of an electrical power loss or elec‐
trical malfunction, you can release the parking
brake manually.
Secure the vehicle against rolling
Before releasing the parking brake man‐
ually,
and whenever you park the vehicle with the
parking brake released, ensure that position P of
the automatic transmission is engaged. Note
the display in the instrument cluster.
In addition, secure the vehicle against rolling,
e.g. with a wheel chock. Otherwise there is a
danger that the vehicle could roll if parked on a
steep slope.◀
Jump-starting and towing, refer to page 282.
Unlocking
1. Open the left-hand side panel in the cargo
area.
2. Remove the first aid kit* and the warning tri‐
angle*.

Close the bracket of the warning tri‐
angle.
3. Insert the releasing tool or screwdriver, con‐
tained in the tool kit under the cargo floor
panel, refer to page 270, at the releasing
point. 4.
Firmly pull the releasing tool or screwdriver
upward against the mechanical resistance,
refer to arrow, until a considerable increase
in force is felt and the parking brake is then
clearly heard to release.
5. Stow the releasing tool or screwdriver,
warning

triangle*, and first aid kit* and close
the left side panel in the cargo area. Seite 65
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Have the malfunction corrected
Have the malfunction corrected at the
nearest service center or at a workshop that
works
according to BMW repair procedures with
correspondingly trained personnel. If the park‐
ing brake has been released manually in re‐
sponse to a malfunction, only technicians can
return it to operation.◀
Following manual release, the actual status of
the parking brake may deviate from that dis‐
played by the indicator lamp.
Putting into operation after a power
failure
Putting the parking brake into operation
The parking brake should only be put into
operation again if it was manually released due
to an interruption in the supply of electrical
power. Otherwise the operation of the parking
brake is not ensured and there is a danger of the
vehicle rolling despite the parking brake being
set.◀
Procedure
1. Switch on the ignition.
2. Press the button with the brake depressed.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out as soon as the parking
brake is ready for operation.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models.
Any

noises which occur are normal. Startup may
take several seconds. Turn signal, high beams,
headlamp flasher
1
High beams
2 Headlamp flasher
3 Turn signal
Signaling a turn
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To

switch off manually, press the lever to the re‐
sistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator lamp in‐
dicates that a turn signal bulb has failed.
Signaling a turn briefly
Press the lever to the resistance point and hold
it there for as long as you want the turn signal to
flash.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever to the resistance point.
The turn signal flashes three times.
This function can be activated or deactivated:
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Triple turn signal" Seite 66
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Driving

Chassis and suspension tuning
Two chassis and suspension tunings are avail‐
able for selection.
▷
Normal:
The comfortable basic setting offers opti‐
mum comfort when traveling.
▷ Sport:
The sporty basic setting offers increased
driving agility.
Selecting chassis and suspension
tuning Press the button.
The system switches between the two chassis
and suspension tuning settings.
▷
Sport:
The
LED in the button lights up and SPORT
is displayed in the instrument panel.
▷ Normal:
The LED in the button goes out.
The selection of the chassis and suspension
tuning setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Drive-off assistant
This

system supports driving away on gradients.
The parking brake is not required.
1. Hold the vehicle in place with the foot brake.
2. Release the foot brake and drive away with‐
out delay.
Depending on the vehicle load, the vehicle may
roll back slightly. Driving off without delay
After

releasing the foot brake, start driving
without delay, since the drive-off assistant will
not hold the vehicle in place for more than ap‐
prox. 2 seconds and the vehicle will begin rolling
back.◀
Self-leveling suspension*
The concept
The self-leveling suspension on the rear axle
assures a continuous ground clearance.
To do so, the height of the vehicle is measured
by sensors at both rear wheels.
If the actual height deviates from the defined
height, such as due to cargo in the vehicle, this
difference is compensated very quickly. In ad‐
dition, spring motions resulting from cornering
or irregularities in the road surface are reduced
to a minimum.
The system works automatically.
Malfunctions
Malfunctions are displayed via Check Control,
refer to page 76.
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, for
instance in a town or when parking, the steering
angle increases, i.e., steering becomes very di‐
rect. In the higher speed range, on the other
hand, the steering angle is reduced more and
more. This improves the handling of your vehicle
over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar‐
geted corrections to the steering angle provided Seite 100
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Driving stability control systems