2012 BMW X6 Lamps

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audio device may be damaged, impairing driv-
ing safety while driving.<
Depending on the configuration of the audio
files, e.g. bit rates greater than 256 Kbit/s,
proper playback cannot always be ensured.
Information on connection
>The connected audio device is supplied
with a max. power of 500 mA if supported
by the device. Therefore, do not connect
the device to the power socket in the vehi-
cle.
>Do not use force when plugging the con-
nector into the USB interface.
>Do not connect any devices, e.g. fans or
lamps, to the USB audio interface.
>Do not connect USB hard drives.
>Do not use the USB audio interface to
recharge external devices.

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Steam cleaners/high-pressure
cleaning jets
When using steam cleaners or high-pres-
sure cleaning jets, make sure to maintain
a sufficient distance and stay below a maximum
temperature of 1407/606.
Insufficient distance or excessive pressure or
temperature can damage parts of the vehicle or
can result in water penetration. Follow the oper-
ating instructions for the high-pressure clean-
ing jets.<
Do not spray the sensors and cameras,
e.g. of Park Distance Control, Top View,
or rear view camera, with high-pressure clean-
ers for long periods and keep the spray nozzle
at least 12 in/30 cm away from them.<
Hand washing
When washing the vehicle by hand, use plenty
of water and car washing shampoo. Clean the
vehicle with gentle pressure using a sponge or a
washing brush.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unwanted wiper operation.<
Follow local guidelines for washing vehi-
cles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub dry and never use abrasives or
strong solvents to clean the covers.
Loosen dirt, e.g. insects, with shampoo or
insect remover and wash away with plenty of
water.
Use a window de-icer to remove accumulated
ice and snow, not a scraper.
Windows
Use a glass cleaner to clean the inside and out-
side surfaces of the windows and the glass sur-
faces of the mirrors.
Do not use quartz-containing cleansers
to clean glass surfaces of the mirrors.<
Caring for the vehicle finish
Regular care helps your vehicle retain its value
and protects the paint from the long-term
effects of aggressive substances.
Regionally occurring environmental factors can
affect and damage vehicle finish. It is therefore
important to tailor the frequency and extent of
your car care accordingly.
Immediately remove particularly aggressive
substances such as spilled fuel, oil, grease,
brake fluid, tree resin, or bird droppings; other-
wise, they may damage your paint.
Repairing paint damage
Repair stone damage or scratches imme-
diately, depending on the severity of the
damage, to prevent the formation of rust.<
BMW recommends having paint damage pro-
fessionally repaired using Genuine BMW finish
materials in accordance with factory guidelines.
Waxing
Sealant is required when water no longer beads
on the clean surface of the paint. Use only prod-
ucts that contain carnauba wax or synthetic wax
to seal your finish.
Rubber gaskets
Treat only with water or a rubber care product.
To avoid noise or damage, do not use
products that contain silicone to care for
rubber gaskets.<
Chrome components
Particularly after exposure to road salt, thor-
oughly cleanse parts like the radiator grille, door
handles, or window frames with plenty of water
with shampoo added to it. For additional treat-
ment, use chrome polish.
Alloy wheels
Depending on your system, braking can gener-
ate dust, which settles on the light-alloy wheels.
Remove this dust regularly with acid-free wheel
cleaner.

Replacing components
262
Replacing components
Onboard toolkit
The onboard toolkit is located in the cargo area
under the floor panel.
Replacing wiper blades
Front
1.Fold down the wiper arm.
2.Swing the wiper blade upward.
3.Remove the wiper blade toward the wind-
shield, refer to arrow.
BMW X5: rear
1.Lift off the wiper arm completely and pull off
the wiper blade, refer to arrow.
2.Mount the new wiper blade and press on
until it is heard to engage.
Lamps and bulbs
Lamps and bulbs make an essential contribu-
tion to vehicle safety. You must be duly diligent
in replacing them. BMW recommends having
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center per-
form any work that you do not feel competent to
perform yourself or that is not described here.
Never touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare fingers, as even minute
amounts of contamination will burn into the
bulb's surface and reduce its service life. Use a
clean cloth, napkin, etc., or hold the bulb by its
metal socket.<
A replacement bulb set is available from your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.
Only replace bulbs when cool, as other-
wise you may be burned.<
Whenever you perform any work on the
electrical system, turn off the systems/
consumers involved to prevent short circuits
from occurring. To avoid possible injury or
equipment damage when replacing bulbs,
observe any instructions provided by the bulb
manufacturer.<

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When performing care and maintenance on the
headlamps, please observe the information on
page259.
For bulbs for which replacement is not
described and for checking and adjusting
headlamp aim, please contact your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center.<
Light-emitting diodes LEDs
Light-emitting diodes installed behind translu-
c e n t l e n s e s s e r v e a s t h e l i g h t s o u r c e f o r m a n y o f
the controls and displays in your vehicle. These
light-emitting diodes, which operate using a
concept similar to that applied in conventional
lasers, are officially designated as Class 1 light-
emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers, and never
stare into the unfiltered light for several
hours, as irritation of the retina could result.<
Headlamp glass
Condensation can form on the inside of the
external lamps in cool or humid weather. When
the light is switched on, the condensation evap-
orates after a short time. The headlamp glasses
do not need to be changed.
If there is a large amount of moisture, for exam-
ple if water droplets form in the lamp, have it
checked by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center.
BMW X5: changing lamps
Xenon lamps
These bulbs have a very long service life and
the probability of a failure is very low. If a lamp
should nevertheless fail, you can continue driv-
ing cautiously with fog lamps
* provided that
this is permitted by the country-specific laws.
Have work on the xenon light unit includ-
ing changing the bulb carried out only by
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Due to the high voltage present in the system, there is a danger of fatal injuries when
work is carried out improperly.<
Halogen bulbs:
Parking lamps and roadside parking
lamps, daytime driving lamps
35-Watt bulb, H8
The bulb is pressurized. Therefore, wear
safety glasses and protective gloves.
Otherwise there is a danger of injuries if the
bulb is accidentally damaged during replace-
ment.<
1.Turn the cover to the left and remove.
2.Turn the bulbs to the left, pull off the con-
nector and replace.
3.Install in the reverse order.
Turn signals, front
24-Watt bulb, PY24W
1.Rotate bulb holder to the left and remove it
along with the bulb.
2.Rotate the bulb to the right along with the
socket and replace.
3.Install in the reverse order.

Replacing components
264
Side marker lamps, rear
To replace, please go to a BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Tail lamps
>Turn signals, brake lamps: 21-watt bulb,
P21W
>Brake force display: 21-watt bulb, P21W
>Backup lamp: 16-watt bulb, W16W
>Rear lamp: LED technology.
In case of a defect, please go to a BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Arrangement of tail lamps
1Rear lamp
2Brake force display
3Brake lamp
4Tail lamp/side marker lamp
5Backup lamp
6Turn signal
Turn signals, brake lamps and backup
lamps
The bulbs are integrated in a single bulb holder.1.Open the side panel in the cargo area.
2.Remove the first-aid kit
* and warning trian-
gle
* if necessary. Fold up the insulation.
3.Push the button, arrow1, down, press the
catches, arrows2, outward slightly and
remove the bulb holder.
4.P21W bulb:
Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left, remove the bulb and
replace it.
W16W bulb:
Take out the bulbs and replace them.
5.Re-engage the bulb holder so that it audibly
clicks into place.
6.Remount the side panel.
Brake force display
1.Carefully remove the cover in the liftgate
panel with a screwdriver.
2.Push the catch on the bulb holder to the left,
arrow, and remove it.

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3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Re-engage the bulb holder so that it audibly
clicks into place.
5.Before installing the cap, unclip the cargo
area lamp.
Then lay the cap on its upper side and close
it, refer to arrow.
6.Position the cargo area lamp and clip it in,
refer to arrow.
License plate lamp
5-Watt bulb, C5W1.Slide the lamp to the right with a screw-
driver, refer to arrow1.
2.Remove the lamp, arrow2.
3.Replace the bulb.
4.Reinstall the lamp.
Center brake lamp
This lamp uses LED technology for operation.
In case of a defect, please go to a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
BMW X6: changing lamps
Xenon lamps
These bulbs have a very long service life and
the probability of a failure is very low. If a lamp
should nevertheless fail, you can continue driv-
ing cautiously with fog lamps
* provided that
this is permitted by the country-specific laws.
Have work on the xenon light unit includ-
ing changing the bulb carried out only by
your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Due to the high voltage present in the
system, there is a danger of fatal injuries when
work is carried out improperly.<
Parking lamps and roadside parking
lamps, daytime driving lamps*
35-Watt bulb, H8
The bulb is pressurized. Therefore, wear
safety glasses and protective gloves.
Otherwise there is a danger of injuries if the

Replacing components
266 bulb is accidentally damaged during replace-
ment.<
1.Turn the cover to the left and remove.
2.Left side of vehicle:
Rotate the bulb holder to the right, refer to
arrow, and remove.
Right side of vehicle:
Rotate the bulb holder to the left and
remove.
3.Disconnect plug and replace bulb.
4.Install in the reverse order.
Side marker lamps
5-Watt bulb, WY5W XLL
1.Rotate the bulb holder to the left and
remove.2.Pull the bulb out of the bulb holder and
replace.
3.Install in the reverse order.
Turn signals, front
24-Watt bulb, PY24W
1.Rotate bulb holder to the left and remove it
along with the bulb.
2.Rotate the bulb to the right along with the
socket and replace.
3.Install in the reverse order.
Tail lamps
>Turn signals, backup lamps: 21-watt bulb,
H21W
>Brake lamps, brake force display: 21-watt
bulb, P21W
>Rear lamp: LED technology.
In case of a defect, please go to a BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a work-
shop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Arrangement of tail lamps
1Brake force display/rear lamps
2Brake lamp/rear lamp

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3Backup lamp
4Turn signal
Brake lamps
1.Open the side panel in the cargo area.
2.Remove the first-aid kit
* and warning trian-
gle
* if necessary.
3.Rotate the relevant bulb socket to the left
and remove.
4.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
5.Install in the reverse order.
Turn signal
1.Open the side panel in the cargo area.
2.Remove the first-aid kit
* and warning trian-
gle
* if necessary.
3.Remove bulb holder along with bulb and
replace.
4.Install in the reverse order.
Backup lamp
1.Open the side panel in the cargo area.
2.Remove the first-aid kit
* and warning trian-
gle
* if necessary.3.Remove bulb holder along with bulb and
replace.
4.Install in the reverse order.
Brake force display
1.Carefully remove the cover in the liftgate
panel with a screwdriver.
2.Rotate the bulb socket to the left and
remove.
3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Insert the bulb socket in the liftgate and
engage it.
5.Replace the cover.