Malfunction
A Check Control message, refer to page 85, is
displayed in the instrument cluster.
The areas in front of and behind the vehicle ap‐
pear in shaded form on the Control Display.
PDC has failed. Have the system checked.
To ensure full operability:
▷Keep the sensors clean and free of ice.▷When using high-pressure washers, do not
spray the sensors for long periods and
maintain a distance of at least 12 in/30 cm.
Surround View
The concept Surround View encompasses the following
systems:
▷Backup camera, refer to page 122.▷Top View, refer to page 124.▷Side View, refer to page 126.
It provides assistance when parking and ma‐
neuvering and at blind driveways and intersec‐
tions.
Rear view camera
The concept The rear view camera assists you when park‐
ing and maneuvering in reverse. To accom‐
plish this, the region behind your vehicle is
shown on the Control Display.
System limits
Check the traffic situation as well
Check the traffic situation around the ve‐
hicle with your own eyes. Otherwise, an acci‐
dent could result from road users or objects lo‐
cated outside the picture area of the backup
camera.◀
Detection of objects
High, protruding objects such as ledges
may not be detected by the backup camera.◀
Switching on automatically With the engine running or the ignition
switched on, shift the selector lever into posi‐
tion R.
The image of the rear view camera is displayed
when the system has been switched on using
iDrive.
Switching off automatically when
driving forward
The system switches off when a certain dis‐
tance or speed is exceeded.
Switch on the system again if necessary.
Switching on/off manually
Press the button.
Press the button.
▷On: the LED lights up.▷Off: the LED goes out.
If PDC is displayed, switch on the backup cam‐
era via the iDrive, refer to page 121.
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▷Approx. 7 ft/2 m to the side.▷Approx. 7 ft/2 m to the rear.
Obstacles up to the height of the exterior mir‐
rors are thus detected in a timely fashion.
System limits
Top View cannot be used in the following sit‐
uations:
▷With a door open.▷With the tailgate open.▷With an exterior mirror folded in.▷In poor light.
The arrows next to the vehicle are displayed in
a shaded form on the Control Display and a
symbol appears at the corresponding location
on the vehicle.
Check the traffic situation as well
Check the traffic situation around the ve‐
hicle with your own eyes. Otherwise, an acci‐
dent could result from road users or objects lo‐
cated outside the picture area of the
cameras.◀
Switching on automatically
Select transmission position R with the engine
running.
The images from Top View and PDC are dis‐
played when the system has been switched on
using iDrive.
Switching off automatically when
driving forward
The system switches off when a certain dis‐
tance or speed is exceeded.
Switch on the system again if necessary.
Switching on/off manually
Press the button.
▷On: the LED lights up.▷Off: the LED goes out.
If Top View is displayed, switch on the backup
camera via the iDrive, refer to page 124.
Visual warning
The approach to an object can be shown on
the Control Display.
When the distance to an object is small, the
PDC display correspondingly shows a red bar
in front of the vehicle.
The display appears as soon as Top View is
activated.
If the last image selected was the rear view
camera, this is displayed again. To switch to
Top View:
"Rear view camera" Select the symbol on
the Control Display.
The setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
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For your own safety and the safety of passen‐
gers and the vehicle, adhere to the following
points:▷Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
driving; never take risks.▷Adjust speeds according to road condi‐
tions. The steeper and rougher the road
surface is, the lower the speed should be.▷When driving on steep uphill and downhill
grades: the engine oil and coolant should
be filled nearly to the MAX mark.
BMW X5: the vehicle can be driven on up‐
hill and downhill grades up to 50 %.▷Use Hill Descent Control HDC, refer to
page 108, on steep downhill grades.
BMW X5: the vehicle can be driven away
on uphill grades of up to 33 %. The per‐
missible body roll is 50 %.▷Watch for stones, holes, and other obsta‐
cles and drive around these where possi‐
ble.▷On bumps and rough roads, avoid contact
between the vehicle body and the ground.
The maximum ground clearance is 8 in‐
ches/20 cm and may vary with the loaded
cargo.▷When driving through water, do not exceed
the maximum water height.▷BMW X5: 20 inches/50 cm▷BMW X6: 17 inches/45 cm
Drive at walking speed only and do not
stop the vehicle.
▷After driving through water, press on the
brake pedal several times at low speeds to
dry the brakes.▷Depending on the prevailing terrain, acti‐
vate Dynamic Traction Control DTC, refer
to page 106, briefly.▷When the wheels spin, accelerate to ena‐
ble the driving stability control systems to
distribute the drive force to the individual
wheels.▷The stone chip guard 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 vehi‐
cle 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.Seite 159Things to remember when drivingDriving tips159
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Saving fuelVehicle equipmentThis chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems.
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 293, 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 infla‐
tion pressure, refer to page 275, 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 vehi‐
cle driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and looking ahead reduces
fuel consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds Driving at a low engine speed reduces fuel
consumption and minimizes wear.Seite 164Driving tipsSaving fuel164
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Ultra-low sulfur diesel ASTM D 975-xx.
xx: always adhere to the currently applicable
standard.
Only refuel with ultra-low sulfur diesel.
The percentage of biodiesel in the fuel
must not exceed 5%, referred to as B5. Do not
refuel with gasoline. If the vehicle has been re‐
fueled with incorrect fuel such as gasoline, do
not start the engine; otherwise, there is a dan‐
ger of engine damage.◀
If you added the wrong fuel, contact the serv‐
ice center.
If the nozzle cannot be inserted into the fuel
filler pipe of your BMW, please check to make
sure that you are refueling with a diesel fuel
pump and whether this is equipped with a die‐
sel nozzle.
In the event the Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel fuel
cannot be fully inserted into the fuel filler neck,
please contact BMW Roadside Assistance for
instructions on how to add fuel. For more infor‐
mation on BMW Roadside Assistance, refer to
page 308.
Winter diesel To ensure that the diesel engine remains op‐
erational in the winter, use winter diesel.
It is available at gas stations during winter
months.
The standard fuel filter heating prevents the
supply of fuel from stalling during driving.
Do not use diesel additives
Do not use additives, including gasoline;
otherwise, engine damage may occur.◀BMW X5 with BMW
Advanced Diesel
The concept
BMW Advanced Diesel reduces nitrogen ox‐
ides in the diesel exhaust of your vehicle by in‐
jecting the reducing agent diesel exhaust fluid
into the exhaust line. In the catalytic converter,
a chemical reaction occurs that minimizes ni‐
trogen oxides.
In order to be able to start the engine in the
usual way, there must be a sufficient supply of
diesel exhaust fluid in the separate reservoir.
System heating
In order to bring the system to operating tem‐
perature after a cold start of the engine, the au‐
tomatic transmission shifts into the next higher
gear at a later point.
Reserve display
A display in the instrument panel informs you
about the remaining distance can be covered
with the amount of fuel currently in the tank.
The reserve display appears approx.
1,000 miles/1,600 km before the tank is empty.
As soon as the reserve display has appeared in
the instrument panel, have the diesel exhaust
fluid refilled to prevent the engine from being
unable to restart.
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2.Press the release handle and open the
hood.
Closing the hood
Drop the hood from a height of ap‐
prox. 16 in/40 cm. It must be clearly heard to
engage.
Hood open when driving
If you see any signs that the hood is not
completely closed while driving, pull over im‐
mediately and close it securely.◀
Danger of pinching
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear; otherwise, injuries may result.◀
Engine oil
General information Engine oil consumption depends on the driv‐
ing style and the conditions of use. A highly
sporty driving style, for example, results in
considerably higher engine oil consumption.
Therefore, regularly check the engine oil level
after refueling.
Checking the engine oil levelYour car is equipped with an electronic engine
oil level check.
Requirements▷The engine must be running and warm af‐
ter the vehicle has been driven for at least
6.2 miles/10 km.▷The vehicle is stopped or being driven on a
level roadway.
Displaying the oil level
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Engine oil level"
Possible messages
▷"Engine oil level OK"▷"Measurement not possible at this time."▷"Measuring engine oil level..."
Duration with the engine running: ap‐
prox. 3 minutes.
Duration while driving: approx. 5 minutes.
If engine oil was added, it may take up to
30 minutes to obtain an oil level reading.▷"Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add a maximum quantity of 1 US quart/1 li‐
ter of engine oil at the next opportunity, re‐
fer also to Adding engine oil below.Seite 290MobilityEngine compartment290
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▷"Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Too much engine oil
Have the vehicle checked immedi‐
ately; otherwise, surplus oil can lead to en‐
gine damage.◀▷"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked." Do not add engine oil. It is possi‐
ble to continue driving. Note the newly cal‐
culated remaining mileage until the next oil
service, refer to page 83. Have the system
checked as soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Filler neck BMW X5
BMW X6
Add a maximum quantity of 1 US quart/1 liter
of oil only after the corresponding message
appears on the Control Display.
Add oil promptly
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km;
otherwise, engine damage could result.◀
Too much engine oil
Have the vehicle checked immediately;
otherwise, surplus oil can lead to engine dam‐
age.◀
Protect children
Keep oil, grease, etc., out of reach of chil‐
dren and heed the warnings on the containers
to prevent health risks.◀
Oil types for refilling
Notes No oil additives
Do not use oil additives as these may
cause engine damage.◀
Viscosity classes of engine oils
When selecting an engine oil, ensure that
the engine oil belongs to one of the SAE vis‐
cosity classes 0W-40, 0W-30, 5W-40, or
5W-30, or malfunctions or engine damage may
occur.◀
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of
the engine.
Due to national regulations, some oil types are
not available in every country.
Approved oil typesGasoline engineBMW High Performance SAE 5W-30BMW Longlife-01BMW Longlife-01 FEDiesel engineBMW Longlife-04Seite 291Engine compartmentMobility291
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Further information on approved oil types can
be obtained from the service center.
Alternative oil types If the approved engine oils are not available, up
to 1 US quart/liter of an oil with the following
specification can be used:Gasoline engineAPI SM or a higher quality standardDiesel engineAPI ILSAC GF-5
Oil change
An oil change should be carried out by the
service center only.
Coolant
General information Danger of burns from hot engine
Do not open the cooling system while
the engine is hot; otherwise, escaping coolant
may cause burns.◀
Suitable additives
Only use suitable additives; otherwise,
engine damage may occur. The additives are
harmful to your health.◀
Coolant consists of water and additives.
Not all commercially available additives are
suitable for your vehicle. Ask your service cen‐
ter for suitable additives.
Checking the coolant level1.Do not open the hood until the engine has
cooled down.2.Turn the expansion tank cap counterclock‐
wise slightly to allow any accumulated
pressure to escape; then continue turning
to open.3.The filling level indicator 1 in the filler neck
indicates the coolant level. The coolant
level is correct if it is between the arrows of
the respective reservoir label 2.4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant up
to the specified level; do not overfill.5.Turn the cap until there is an audible click.6.Have the cause of the coolant loss elimi‐
nated as soon as possible.
Disposal
Comply with the appropriate environ‐
mental protection regulations when dis‐
posing of coolant additives.
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