Engine stop
General information Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for exam‐
ple, cannot operate the windows and injure
themselves.◀
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 ve‐
hicle, for example, by turning the steering
wheel in the direction of the curb.◀
Before driving into a car wash
To make it possible for the vehicle to roll in an
automatic car wash, follow the information on
Washing in automatic car washes, refer to
page 312.
Switching off the engine
Procedure1.Engage transmission position P with the
vehicle stopped.2.Press the Start/Stop button.3.Set the parking brake.4.Remove the remote control from the igni‐
tion lock, refer to page 67.
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 ve‐
hicle, 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
signal 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.
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Rain sensorIf the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the
time between wipes is controlled automatically
and depends on the intensity of the rainfall.
The rain sensor is mounted on the windshield,
directly in front of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating the rain sensor
Press the button, arrow 3.
The LED in the steering wheel stalk lights up
and a wiping cycle is started.
At temperatures below 32 ℉/0 ℃, a wiping cy‐
cle is not started before driving away. Release
frozen wipers before driving away.
Rain sensor sensitivity Turn thumbwheel 5 up or down.
Deactivating the rain sensor
Press the button again, arrow 3.
The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor in car washes
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing
through an automatic car wash; otherwise,
damage could be caused by undesired wiper
activation.◀
Cleaning the windshield and
headlamps
Pull the lever, arrow 4.
The system sprays washer fluid on the wind‐
shield and activates the wipers briefly.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and
appropriate intervals.
Do not use the washer system at freezing
temperatures
Do not use the washers if there is any danger
that the fluid will freeze on the windshield; oth‐
erwise, your vision could be obscured. For this
reason, use antifreeze.
Avoid using the washer when the reservoir is
empty; otherwise, you could damage the
pump.◀
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are heated au‐
tomatically while the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on.
BMW X5: rear window wiper1Intermittent wipe
When reverse gear is engaged, the system
switches to continuous operation.2Cleaning the rear window
Do not use the washing mechanisms
when the washer fluid reservoir is empty
Do not use washing mechanisms when the
washer fluid reservoir is empty, otherwise you
will damage the washer pump.◀
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Sport program and manual mode M/S
Activating the Sport program
Push the selector lever to the left out of trans‐
mission position D.
The Sport program is activated and DS or the
engaged gear is displayed in the instrument
cluster, for example S4.
This position is recommended for a perform‐
ance-oriented driving style.
Activating manual mode
Push the selector lever to the left out of trans‐
mission position D.
Push the selector lever forward or backward.
Manual mode becomes active and the gear is
changed.
The engaged gear is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster, e.g., M1.
▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.▷To shift up: press the selector lever back‐
ward.
The transmission only shifts up or down if the
rpm and vehicle speed are appropriate. If the
engine speed is too high, the transmission
does not shift down.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument panel, followed by the current gear.
Ending the Sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shifting gears using the shift paddles
on the steering wheel
The shifting paddles make it possible to
quickly change gears since both hands can re‐
main on the steering wheel.▷If the shift paddles on the steering wheel
are used to shift gears while in automatic
mode D, the transmission temporarily
switches to manual mode.▷If the shift paddles are not used to acceler‐
ate or shift gears for a certain amount of
time, the transmission switches back to
automatic mode D.
With the transmission position M/S selected,
the manual mode remains active.
▷Shift up: pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: pull left shift paddle.
The vehicle only shifts up or down at appropri‐
ate engine and road speeds, e.g., it does not
shift down if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
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Headlamp courtesy delay feature
The low beams stay lit for a short while after
the ignition is switched off, if the lamps are
switched off and the headlamp flasher is
switched on.
Setting the duration1."Settings"2."Lighting"3."Pathway light.: s"4.Set the duration.
The setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Automatic headlamp control
Switch position
: the low beams are
switched on and off automatically, e.g., in tun‐
nels, in twilight or if there is precipitation. The
LED next to the symbol lights up.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain switched on independ‐
ent of the ambient lighting conditions when
you switch on the front fog lamps.
Personal responsibility
The automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for your personal judg‐
ment in determining when the lamps should be
switched on in response to ambient lighting
conditions.
For example, the sensors are unable to detect
fog or hazy weather. To avoid safety risks, you
should always switch on the lamps manually
under these conditions.◀
Daytime running lights The daytime running lights light up in posi‐
tion 0,
and . After the ignition is
switched off, the parking lamps light up in po‐
sition
.
Activating/deactivating
1."Settings"2."Lighting"3."Daytime running lamps"
The setting is stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Adaptive Light Control
The concept Adaptive Light Control is a variable headlamp
control system that enables dynamic illumina‐
tion of the road surface.
Depending on the steering angle and other pa‐
rameters, the light from the headlamp follows
the course of the road.
In sharp curves, e.g. serpentines, or during
turning, up to a certain speed one of the two
front fog lamps is switched on as a turning
lamp. This provides improved illumination of
the area inside the curve.
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Controls
Activating Switch position
with the ignition switched
on.
The turning lamps are automatically switched
on depending on the steering angle or the use
of turn signals.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adap‐
tive Light Control does not swivel to the driv‐
er's side when the vehicle is at a standstill.
When driving in reverse, both turning lamps
are active.
Malfunction
A message is displayed.
Adaptive Light Control is malfunctioning or has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
High beams/roadside
parking lamps
1High beams2Headlamp flasher3Roadside parking lamps
Left and right roadside parking lamps
The vehicle can be illuminated on one side.
Switching onAfter parking the vehicle, press the lever up ordown beyond the resistance point for ap‐
prox. 2 seconds, arrow 3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the battery.
Therefore, do not leave them on for unduly
long periods of time; otherwise, the battery
might not have enough power to start the en‐
gine.
Switching off
Briefly press the lever in the opposite direction
to the pressure point, arrow 3.
High-beam Assistant
The concept When the lights are switched on, this systemautomatically switches the high beams on and
off. The procedure is controlled by a sensor on
the front of the interior rearview mirror. The as‐
sistant ensures that the high beams are
switched on whenever the traffic situation al‐
lows. The driver can intervene at any time and
switch the high beams on and off as usual.
Activating the High-beam Assistant1.Turn the light switch to .2.With the low beams switched on, briefly
push the turn indicator lever in the direc‐
tion of the high beam.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. The high beams are
switched on and off automatically.
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SafetyVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it alsodescribes 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.
Airbags
1Front airbags2Head airbags3Side airbagsFront airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest and lap area.
Head airbags
In a lateral impact, the head airbag supports
the head.
Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
keep the danger of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible if the airbag is trig‐
gered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e., do not
cover with adhesive labels or coverings,
and do not attach holders such as for navi‐
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▷Make sure that the front passenger is sit‐
ting correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and
legs in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries
can occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as
jackets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system.
This also applies to steering wheel covers,
the dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars
and the sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary
hearing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered;
otherwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explo‐
sives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired triggering of the airbag, either of
which could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the frontpassenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval‐
uating the impression on the occupied seat
surface of the front passenger seat.
The front and side airbags on the front passen‐
ger side are activated or deactivated accord‐
ingly by the system.
The indicator lamp above the interior rearview
mirror shows the current status of the front
passenger airbags, deactivated or activated,
refer to Front passenger airbag indicator lamp
below.
Leave feet in the footwell
Make sure that the front passenger
keeps his or her feet in the footwell; otherwise,
the front passenger airbags may not function
properly.◀
Child restraint fixing system in the front
passenger seat
Before transporting a child on the front pas‐
senger seat, refer to the safety notes and in‐
structions under Children on the front passen‐
ger seat, refer to page 61.◀
Malfunction of the automatic
deactivation system
When transporting older children and adults,
the front passenger airbags may be deacti‐
vated in certain sitting positions. In this case,
the indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐ bags lights up.
In this case, change the sitting position so that
the front passenger airbags are activated and
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It detects a pressure loss in a tire by comparing
the rotational speeds of the individual wheels
while moving.
In the event of a pressure loss, the diameter
and therefore the rotational speed of the corre‐
sponding wheel change. This is detected and
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirements
The system must have been initialized when
the tire inflation pressure was correct; other‐
wise, reliable signaling of a flat tire is not en‐
sured. Initialize the system after each correc‐ tion of the tire inflation pressure and afterevery tire or wheel change.
System limits Sudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
A natural, even pressure loss in all four tires
cannot be detected. Therefore, check the tire
inflation pressure regularly.
The system could be delayed or malfunction in
the following situations:▷When the system has not been initialized.▷When driving on a snowy or slippery road
surface.▷Sporty driving style: slip in the drive
wheels, high lateral acceleration.▷When driving with snow chains.
When driving with a compact wheel, the Flat
Tire Monitor is unable to function.
Status display The current status of the Flat Tire Monitor can
be displayed on the Control Display, e.g.,
whether or not the FTM is active.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Flat Tire Monitor"The status is displayed.
Initialization
The initialization process adopts the set infla‐
tion tire pressures as reference values for the
detection of a flat tire. Initialization is started by
confirming the inflation pressures.
Do not initialize the system when driving with
snow chains or with a compact wheel.1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Reset"4.Start the engine - do not drive away.5.Start the initialization with "Reset".6.Drive away.
The initialization is completed while driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
The initialization automatically continues when
driving resumes.
Indication of a flat tire The warning lamp lights up red. A
message appears on the Control Dis‐
play. In addition, a signal sounds.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire inflation
pressure.
Reduce your speed and stop cautiously. Avoid
sudden braking and steering maneuvers.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat tires
as provided at the factory, do not continue
driving. Continuing to drive could cause severe
accidents.◀
When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if necessary.
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