Maintaining current speed
Push, arrow 1, or pull, arrow 2, the lever to the
resistance point.
The car's current speed is stored and main‐
tained. It is displayed on the speedometer and
briefly in the instrument cluster.
On uphill gradients, it may prove impossible to
maintain the set speed if current engine power
output
is insufficient. If the engine braking effect
is insufficient on downhill slopes, the system will
brake the vehicle slightly.
Increasing desired speed
Repeatedly press the lever to the resistance
point or beyond, arrow 1, until the desired speed
is reached.
▷ Each time the lever is pressed to the point of
resistance, the desired speed increases by
approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.
▷ Each time the lever is pressed beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is in‐
creased by up to 5 mph/10 km/h.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Accelerating using the lever
Accelerating slightly:
Press the lever to the resistance point, arrow 1,
until the desired speed is reached.
Accelerating significantly:
Press
the lever beyond the resistance point, ar‐
row 1, until the desired speed is reached.
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on the
accelerator pedal. The system stores and main‐
tains the speed.
Decreasing speed
Repeatedly pull the lever to the resistance point
or beyond, arrow 2, until the desired speed is
displayed.
▷ Each time the lever is pulled to the resist‐
ance point, the desired speed is decreased
by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.
▷ Each time the lever is pulled beyond the re‐
sistance
point, the desired speed is reduced by up to 5 mph/10 km/h until the minimum
speed of 20 mph/30 km/h is achieved.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Interrupting the system
Press
the lever up or down, arrow 3: display 1 in
the speedometer changes color, refer to
page 109.
In addition, the system is interrupted:
▷ When the brakes are applied.
▷ When the transmission position D is disen‐
gaged.
▷ When DTC is activated or DSC is deacti‐
vated.
▷ When DSC or ABS is intervening.
Warning lamp The warning lamp lights up if cruise
control has been deactivated auto‐
matically, e.g., by a control interven‐
tion
of the DSC. A message appears on the Con‐
trol Display.
Resuming cruising speed
Press button 4:
The stored speed is resumed and maintained.
Deactivating the system
▷ Press the lever upward or downward twice,
arrow 3.
▷ Switch off the ignition.
The stored speed is cleared.
Displays in the instrument cluster 1
Stored desired speed Seite 109
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips
Controls At a glance
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
▷
After driving through water, press on the
brake pedal several times at low speeds to
dry the brakes.
▷ Depending on the prevailing terrain, activate
Dynamic Traction Control DTC, refer to
page 97, briefly.
▷ When the wheels spin, accelerate to enable
the driving stability control systems to dis‐
tribute the drive force to the individual
wheels.
▷ BMW X5 with M Sport Package*: if the ve‐
hicle is primarily used on poor roads or un‐
paved surfaces, it may be advantageous,
depending on the driving style, to use the
stone
chip guard offered by the service cen‐
ter. This reduces the risk of damage to
painted vehicle components, such as in the
area of the side skirts and wheel arches.
Your service center will be glad to advise
you.
After driving on poor roads
Adhere
to the following points to ensure vehicle
safety:
▷ Remove excessive accumulations of dirt
and mud from the vehicle body.
▷ Clear mud, snow, ice, etc., from the wheels
and tires and check for damage.
Saving fuel
General information
Your vehicle contains advanced technology for
the reduction of fuel consumption and emis‐
sions.
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif‐
ferent factors.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance, refer to
page 268, can have an influence on fuel con‐
sumption and on the environmental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption. Remove attached parts following use
Remove
unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear
luggage racks after use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.
Closing the windows and glass
sunroof*/panoramic glass sunroof*
Driving with the glass sunroof/panoramic glass
sunroof and windows open results in increased
air resistance and raises fuel consumption.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct the tire inflation
pressure, refer to page 252, at least twice a
month and before starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
Drive away without delay
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
Look well ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehicle
driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and looking ahead reduces
fuel consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds
Driving at a low engine speed reduces fuel con‐
sumption and minimizes wear.
Use coasting conditions
When approaching a red light, take your foot off
the accelerator and let the vehicle coast to a halt.
On a downhill gradient, take your foot off the ac‐
celerator and let the vehicle roll.
The flow of fuel is interrupted while coasting.
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Things to remember when driving
▷
Thaw ice with de-icing spray; do not use an
ice scraper.
After washing the vehicle
After washing the vehicle, apply the brakes
briefly
to dry them; otherwise, braking action can
be reduced and corrosion of the brake discs can
occur.
Vehicle care
Car care products
BMW recommends using cleaning and care
products from BMW, since these have been
tested and approved.
Car care and cleaning products
Follow the instructions on the container.
When cleaning the interior, open the doors or
windows.
Only use products intended for cleaning vehi‐
cles.
Cleansers can contain substances that are dan‐
gerous and harmful to your health.◀
Vehicle paint
Regular care contributes to driving safety and
value retention.
Environmental influences can act on the vehicle
paint. Tailor the frequency and extent of your car
care to these influences.
Leather care
Remove dust from the leather often, using a
cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Otherwise, particles of dust and road grime
chafe in pores and folds, and lead to increased
wear and premature degradation of the leather
surface.
To guard against discoloration, such as from
clothing, provide leather care roughly every two
months.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently as
dust and dirt are more noticeable. Use leather care products; otherwise, dirt and
grease will gradually break down the protective
layer of the leather surface.
Suitable care products are available from the
service center.
Upholstery material care
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner.
If
they are very dirty, e.g., beverage stains, use a
soft sponge or microfiber cloth with a suitable
interior cleaner.
Clean the upholstery down to the seams using
large sweeping motions. Avoid rubbing the ma‐
terial vigorously.
Damage from Velcro® fasteners
Open Velcro® fasteners on pants or other
articles of clothing can damage the seat covers.
Ensure that any Velcro® fasteners are closed.◀
Caring for special components
Light-alloy wheels
Use wheel cleaner, particularly during the winter
months. Do not use aggressive, acidic, strongly
alkaline or abrasive cleaners, or steam jets
above 140 ℉/60 ℃; follow the manufacturer's
instructions.
Chrome surfaces*
Carefully clean components such as the radiator
grille or door handles with an ample supply of
water, possibly with shampoo added, particu‐
larly when they have been exposed to road salt.
Aluminum running boards*
A rust film on the aluminum running boards can
be removed with a special cleaning agent.
Rubber components
Aside from water, treat only with rubber cleans‐
ers.
When cleaning rubber seals, do not use any sil‐
icon-containing car care products in order to
avoid damage or reduced noise damping. Seite 286
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Care
Automatic climate control in
rear, deactivating on Control
Display 124
Automatic climate control in rear, switching off 125
Automatic climate control, switching off 123, 125
Automatic climate control, ventilation in rear 123
Automatic climate control, with 2-zone control 120
Automatic climate control, with 4-zone control 124
Automatic, cruise control 108
Automatic
Cruise Control 102
Automatic Curb Monitor 54
Automatic headlamp con‐ trol 81, 82
Automatic Hold 64
Automatic Hold, activating 64
Automatic Hold, deactivat‐ ing 64
Automatic Hold, parking 65
Automatic recirculated air control 122
Automatic Soft Closing, doors 33
Automatic Soft Closing, tail‐ gate 34
Automatic tailgate opera‐ tion 34, 36
Automatic transmission with Steptronic 69
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
– Kickdown 69
AUTO program with automatic
climate control 120, 125
AUX-IN port 134, 192
Average fuel consumption 74
Average fuel consumption, setting the units 80
Average speed 73
Average speed, refer to Com‐ puter 73
Axle loads, refer to Weights 292 B
Backrest curvature, refer to
Lumbar support 46
Backrest width 46
Back
seats, adjusting the head
restraints 52
Backup camera 112
Backup camera, cleaning 114
Backup camera, obstacle marking 113
Backup camera, pathway lines 113
Backup camera, turning lines 113
Balance 172
Band-aids, refer to First aid kit 281
Bass 172
Battery
– Remote control 28
Battery change, remote con‐
trol
for rear DVD system 202
Battery disposal 278
Battery, refer to Vehicle bat‐ tery 278
Battery replacement, remote control for vehicle 39
Before entering the car wash 285
Belts, refer to Safety belts 50
Belt tensioners, refer to Safety belts 50
Beverage holder, refer to Cu‐ pholder 135
Black and white map dis‐ play 166
Blower, refer to Air flow rate 121
Bluetooth audio 196
Bluetooth connection, activat‐ ing/deactivating 217
BMW Advanced Diesel 249
BMW Apps 241
BMW Apps, video play‐ back 195
BMW Assist 237
BMW Assist, refer to Connec‐ tedDrive 237 BMW EfficientDynamics, refer
to Saving fuel 148
BMW homepage 6
BMW Internet page 6
BMW maintenance sys‐ tem 268
BMW Online 239
BMW TeleService 237
Bottle holder, refer to Cu‐ pholder 135
Brake assistant 96
Brake discs, breaking in 142
Brake
fluid, refer to Service re‐
quirements 75
Brake force display 94
Brake force distribution, elec‐ tronic 96
Brake lamps, brake force dis‐ play 94
Brake lights, adaptive 94
Brake pads, breaking in 142
Brakes, BMW maintenance system 268
Brakes, parking brake 63
Brakes, service require‐ ments 75
Brake system, BMW mainte‐ nance system 268
Braking, notes 143
Breakdown assistance 281
Breakdown, transporting the vehicle 282
Breaking in 142
Brightness, on the Control Display 80
Bulb replacement, refer to Lamp and bulb replace‐
ment 270
Button for starting the engine, refer to Start/Stop button 61
C
Calendar 232
Calibration, driver's seat 51
California Proposition 65 Warning 7
Camera, care 287
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Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance