RefuelingVehicle equipment
This 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 Refuel promptly
At the latest, refuel at a range below
30 miles/50 km; otherwise, the engine function
is not ensured and damage may occur.◀
For Diesel engines
The filler neck is designed for refueling at die‐
sel fuel pumps.
Notes Switch off the engine before refuelingAlways switch off the engine before refu‐
eling; otherwise, fuel cannot be added to the tank and a message will be displayed.◀
Observe when handling fuel▷Take all precautionary measures and
observe all applicable regulations
when handling fuel.▷Do not carry any spare fuel containers in
your vehicle. They can develop a leak and
cause an explosion or cause a fire in the
event of an accident.◀Fuel cap
Opening1.Briefly press the rear edge of the fuel filler
flap.2.Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise.3.Place the fuel cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler flap.
Closing
1.Fit the fuel cap and turn it clockwise until
you clearly hear a click.2.Close the fuel filler flap.
Do not pinch the retaining strap
Do not pinch the retaining strap attached
to the cap; otherwise, the cap cannot be
closed properly and fuel vapors can escape.◀
A message is displayed if the cap is loose or missing.
Manually unlocking fuel filler flap
In the event of a malfunction, the fuel filler flap
can be released manually:
1.Open the right-hand side panel in the
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2.Pull the knob with the gas pump symbol.
Observe the following when
refueling
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com‐
pletely into the filler pipe. Lifting up the fuel
pump nozzle during refueling causes:
▷Premature pump shutoff.▷Reduced efficiency in the fuel-vapor recov‐
ery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Do not overfill the fuel tank
Do not overfill the fuel tank; otherwise,
escaping fuel may harm the environment or
damage the vehicle.◀
Handling fuels
Follow the safety instructions provided at
gas stations; otherwise, there is a danger of
personal injury and property damage.◀
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 22.5 US gallons/85 liters, including the
reserve capacity of approx. 2.1 US gallons/
8 liters.
X5 xDrive50i/X6 xDrive50i: reserve capacity of
approx. 3.2 gallons/12 liters.
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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.
Fuel quality
Gasoline For the best fuel economy, the gasoline should
be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur content.
Do not use fuels that are labeled at the fuel
pump as containing metals.
Only refuel with lead-free gasoline with‐
out metal additives
Do not refuel with leaded gasoline or gasoline
with metal additives, e. g., manganese or iron;
otherwise, the catalytic converter and other
components will be permanently damaged.◀
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of
10 %, i.e., E10, may be used for refueling.
The ethanol should fulfill the following quality
standards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: always adhere to the currently applicable
standard.
Do not refuel with ethanol E85
Do not refuel with E85, i.e., fuel with an
ethanol content of 85 %, or with Flex Fuel, as
this would damage the engine and fuel supply
system.◀The engine is knock controlled. Therefore, you
can refuel with different gasoline qualities.
Recommended fuel quality
BMW recommends AKI 91.
Minimum fuel grade
BMW recommends AKI 89.
Minimum fuel grade
Do not fill up with fuel below the speci‐
fied minimum quality; otherwise, the engine
may not run properly.◀
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Minimum fuel grade
The use of poor-quality fuels may result
in harmful engine deposits or damage. Addi‐
tionally, problems relating to drivability, start‐
ing and stalling, especially under certain envi‐
ronmental conditions such as high ambient
temperature and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI num‐
ber — for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful en‐
gine deposits, it is highly recommended to
purchase gasoline from BP or Top Tier retail‐
ers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled main‐
tenance.◀
Diesel
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel
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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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