2012 BMW X5 XDRIVE35I Owners Manual

▷
Retaining straps* on the left and right side
trim for fastening small objects.
▷ Lashing rail with lashing eyes*. You can se‐
cure
heavy-duty cargo straps on the lashing
eyes. They can be removed at the notches
in the rails. To move the lashing eyes, press
the button.
Read and comply with the information enclosed
with the heavy-duty cargo straps.
Floor panel flap To access the onboard vehicle tool kit etc.
To open, swing up the flap by the handle, refer
to arrow.
The cargo floor cover is lockable*.
Adaptive fixing system

*
The adaptive fixing system is used to divide up
the cargo area. It consists of two brackets with
a telescopic rail and retaining straps. These are
guided into the two rails on the cargo area floor.
Securing cargo
Before using the adaptive fixing system,
fold up and lock the rear seat backrest; other‐
wise, the cargo could be thrown into the vehicle
interior in an accident.◀ 1
Brackets
2 Telescopic rail
3 Notch in the cargo area rail
Mounting brackets
The two brackets are connected with a tele‐
scopic rail.
1. Insert the brackets at the respective notch
in the rail on the cargo area floor.
2. Press down the brackets to push them into
the desired position.
3. Check the firm seating of the brackets. They
must be clearly heard to engage.
No cargo on brackets
Do not lay cargo on the brackets, as oth‐
erwise they could be unlocked.◀
Dividing up cargo area The cargo can be positioned as follows:
▷
Between the rear seat backrest and the tele‐
scopic rail
▷ Between the telescopic rail and the retaining
strap
Positioning cargo between telescopic rail and
retaining strap: Seite 137
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

1.
Lay the cargo on the telescopic rail. Press
the button, arrow 1, and route the retaining
strap around the cargo, arrow 2.
2. Hook the retaining strap into the mount 3 on
the telescopic rail.
3. Press the button of the bracket, arrow 1. The
retaining strap is tensioned.
It is also possible to hook the two retaining
straps onto each other.
When the adaptive fixing system is no longer
needed,
unhook the retaining strap and guide it
back into the bracket holding the hook to pre‐
vent damage and injury.
Then slide the fastening system toward the front
in order to permit the best possible use of the
cargo area.
Removing brackets
Press down the brackets, slide them up to the
notches of the rails and remove them.
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
adaptive fixing system can be stored under the
cargo floor panel in the cargo area.
Ski bag*
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport
of up to 4 pairs of standard skis or up to 2 snow‐
boards.
Skis with a length of up to 6 ft/2.10 m can be
stowed using the ski bag. When stowing skis
with a length of 6 ft/2.10 m, the capacity of the
ski bag is reduced as the bag narrows.
Folding in display screen
Before loading the ski bag, fold in the dis‐
play screen of the DVD systems in the rear*;
otherwise, the display screen could be dam‐
aged.◀ Loading
1.
Fold down the center armrest, press the but‐
ton and open the cover. 2.
Press the button again; the cover in the
cargo area opens. If you press the button
firmly the first time, this cover also opens.
3. Extend the ski bag between the front seats
and

fill it. The zipper facilitates access to the
stowed items and drying of the ski bag.
4. Attach the retaining strap:
BMW X5: insert the latch plate of the ski bag re‐
taining strap into the center safety belt buckle
that is marked CENTER. BMW X6: attach the hook of the ski bag retaining
strap to the eyelet on the backrest.
Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp
edges to prevent damage.
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Storage compartments

Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con‐
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten‐
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Securing the ski bag
Secure the ski bag in this way. Failure to
do so may cause it to endanger occupants dur‐
ing braking or evasive maneuvers.◀
To
store the ski bag, perform the above steps in
reverse order.
Removing ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g., for
faster drying or to allow it to be put to other uses. 1.
Pull the handle forward, arrow 1.
2. Take out the ski bag upward, arrow 2.
3. Close the cover in the cargo area.
More information on the various inserts available
can be obtained from the service center. Seite 139
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance

Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500

Driving tips
This
section provides you with information useful
in dealing with specific driving and operating conditions.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 735 - 03 11 500

Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in period
General information
Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speeds:
▷
For gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.
▷ For diesel engine, 3,500 rpm and 93 mph/
150 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode for the initial
miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture,
tires do not achieve their full trac‐
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in pe‐
riod.
Drive conservatively for the first 200 miles/
300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period. Following part replacement
The

same breaking in procedures should be ob‐
served if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Closing tailgate
Drive with the tailgate closed
Only drive with the tailgate closed; other‐
wise, passengers and other road users may be
endangered or the vehicle may be damaged if an
accident occurs or during braking or evasive
maneuvers. In addition, exhaust fumes may en‐
ter the passenger compartment.◀
If the vehicle must be driven with the tailgate
open:
1. Drive moderately.
2. Close all windows and the glass sunroof*/
panoramic glass sunroof*.
3. Greatly increase the blower speed.
Hot exhaust system Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that

flammable materials, e. g. hay, leaves, grass,
etc. do not come in contact with the hot exhaust
system during driving, while in idle position
mode, or when parked. Such contact could lead
to a fire, and with it the risk of serious personal
injury as well as property damage.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise, there
is the danger of getting burned.◀ Seite 142
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Things to remember when driving

Diesel particulate filter*
Soot particles are collected in the diesel partic‐
ulate filter and periodically burned away at high
temperatures.
During the cleaning period of several minutes:
▷
The engine may temporarily run less
smoothly.
▷ A somewhat higher engine speed may be
necessary to achieve the accustomed per‐
formance.
▷ Noises and a slight amount of smoke may
emerge from the exhaust, even for a short
period after the engine is switched off.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is not recommended to use mobile phones,
such
as mobile phones without a direct connec‐
tion to an external aerial in the vehicle's passen‐
ger compartment. Otherwise, the vehicle elec‐
tronics and mobile communication devices can
interfere with each other. In addition, there is no
assurance that the radiation generated during
transmission will be discharged from the vehicle
interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tire
tread depth decreases. Minimum tread depth,
refer to page 259. Driving through water
Maximum water depth:
▷
BMW X5: 20 inches/50 cm.
▷ BMW X6: 17 inches/45 cm.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Only drive through water up to the above-men‐
tioned depth at no greater than walking speed;
otherwise, the engine, electrical system, and
transmission can be damaged.

◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum
of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode. Do not let your foot rest on the brake pedal
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent pedal
pressure can lead to high temperatures, brake
wear and possibly even brake failure.◀
Objects in the area around the pedals
No objects in the area around the pedals
Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other
objects out of the area of motion of the pedals;
otherwise, the function of the pedals could be
impeded while driving
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.
Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again when they are returned after being re‐
moved, such as for cleaning.◀ Seite 143
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation
Driving tips Controls At a glance

Driving in wet conditions
When
roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly
exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every
few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger other
road users.
The heat generated in this process helps dry the
brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the gear
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise,
the brake system may overheat, resulting in a
reduction in the brake system efficiency.
The engine braking action can be further en‐
hanced by shifting down during manual opera‐
tion of the automatic transmission, refer to
page 69, if necessary all the way down to first
gear.
Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the brake
system. Light but consistent brake pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear and pos‐
sibly even brake failure.◀
Do not drive in neutral
Do not drive in neutral or with the engine
stopped, as doing so disables engine braking. In
addition, steering and brake assist is unavailable
with the engine stopped.◀
Brake disc corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination
on the brake pads are furthered by:
▷ Low mileage.
▷ Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.
▷ Infrequent use of the brakes.
Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure
that must be exerted by the pads during brake
applications to clean the discs is not reached. Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐
fect that generally cannot be corrected.
Condensation
under the parked vehicle
When using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water develops that exits underneath
the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
Loading
Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carrying
capacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.
Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐
creases the rate at which damage develops in‐
side the tires. This could result in a sudden loss
of tire inflation pressure.◀
No fluids in the cargo area
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
Determining the load limit 1.
Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard*:
▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐ Seite 144
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Things to remember when driving