hicle to meet different prevailing operating
conditions and homologation requirements.
You should also be aware of any applicable
warranty limitations or exclusions for such
country or region. In such case, please contact
Customer Relations for further information.
Maintenance
Maintain the vehicle regularly to sustain the
road safety, operational reliability and the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Specifications for required maintenance meas‐
ures:▷BMW Maintenance system▷Service and Warranty Information Booklet
for US models▷Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
If the vehicle is not maintained according to
these specifications, this could result in seri‐
ous damage to the vehicle. Such damage is
not covered by the BMW New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
Data memory
Numerous electronic components in your vehi‐
cle contain data memories that store technical
information on the vehicle condition, events and faults, either temporarily or permanently.
This technical information generally docu‐
ments the state of a component, a module, a
system or the environment.
▷Operating conditions of system compo‐
nents, such as filling levels.▷Status messages from the vehicle and its
individual components, such as wheel rpm/
speed, motion delay, transverse accelera‐
tion.▷Malfunctions and defects in important sys‐
tem components, such as lights and
brakes.▷Vehicle responses to special driving situa‐
tions, such as airbag deployment, use of
the stability control systems.▷Ambient conditions, such as the tempera‐
ture.
These data are of a technical nature only and
are used to detect and eliminate faults and to
optimize vehicle functions. Travel profiles of
routes driven with the vehicle cannot be cre‐
ated from these data. If services are used, for
instance in the event of repairs, service proc‐
esses, warranty cases, quality assurance, etc.,
this technical information can be read out from
the event and fault data memories by service
personnel, including the manufacturer, using
special diagnosis tools. This service personnel
can provide you with more information if
needed. After troubleshooting, the information
in the fault memory is cleared or overwritten
continuously.
Situations are conceivable during the use of
the vehicle in which these technical data could
become associated with a specific person in
combination with other information, such as an
accident report, damage to the vehicle, wit‐
ness accounts, etc., possibly with the involve‐
ment of an authorized expert.
Additional functions that are contractually
agreed with the customer, such as vehicle lo‐
calization in the event of an emergency, permit
the transfer of certain vehicle data out of the
vehicle.
Reporting safety defects For US customers
The following only applies to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause in‐
jury or death, you should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis‐
tration NHTSA, in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, West‐
Seite 8Notes8
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DSC Dynamic Stability Con‐
trol 105
DTC Dynamic Traction Con‐
trol 106Side View 1268Controller with buttons 189Automatic Hold 7010Parking brake 6911Adaptive Drive 10912Selector lever for automatic transmis‐
sion 76
All around the headliner
1Emergency Request 3072Glass sunroof 45 463Indicator lamp for the front pas‐
senger airbags 974Reading lamps 945Interior lamps 94Seite 17CockpitAt a glance17
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AdjustingVehicle 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.
Sitting safely
The ideal seating position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:▷Safety belts, refer to page 54.▷Head restraints, refer to page 55.▷Airbags, refer to page 95.
Seats
Note before adjusting Do not adjust the seat while driving
Never attempt to adjust the driver's seat
while driving. The seat could respond with un‐
expected movement and the ensuing loss of
vehicle control could lead to an accident.◀
Do not incline the backrest too far to the
rear
Do not incline the backrest on the front pas‐
senger side too far to the rear during driving.
Otherwise, there is the danger of sliding under
the safety belt in an accident. This would elimi‐
nate the protection normally provided by the
belt.◀
Adjusting manually
Forward/backward
Pull the lever and slide the seat into the de‐
sired position. After releasing the lever, move
the seat forward or back slightly to make sure it
engages properly.
Thigh support
Pull the lever and move the thigh support for‐
ward or back.
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Active seat
The seat cushion is actively varied by alter‐
nately raising and lowering the right and left
half of the seat cushion. This reduces muscu‐
lar tension and fatigue to help prevent lower
back pain.
Press the button to switch on; the LED lights
up.
The action of the system is reduced and if
need be, switched off in order to reduce the
load on the battery. The LED remains lit.
When the active seat is switched off, it can
take up to 1 minute before the two halves of
the seat cushion have returned to their initial
position.
Safety belts
General information
Always make sure that safety belts are being
worn by all occupants before driving away.
Although airbags enhance safety by providing
added protection, they are not a substitute for
safety belts.
Number of safety belts
Your vehicle has been fitted with safety belts
for the safety of you and your passengers.
▷BMW X5: five or seven safety belts.▷BMW X6: four or five safety belts.Notes
One person per safety belt
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow infants or
small children to ride on a passenger's lap.◀
Putting on the belt
Lay the belt, without twisting, snugly
across the lap and shoulders, as close to the
body as possible. Make sure that the belt lies
low around the hips in the lap area and does
not press on the abdomen. Otherwise, the belt
can slip over the hips in the lap area in a frontal
impact and injure the abdomen.
The safety belt must not lie across the neck,
rub on sharp edges, be routed over solid or
breakable objects, or be pinched.◀
Reduction of restraining effect
Avoid wearing clothing that prevents the
belt from fitting properly, and pull the shoulder
belt periodically to readjust the tension across
your lap; otherwise, the retention effect of the
safety belt may be reduced.◀
Using the middle safety belt
If the middle safety belt in the rear is
used, the larger section of the backrest must
be locked. Otherwise, the safety belt will not
have a restraining effect.◀
Buckling the belt
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage in
the belt buckle.
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Transporting children safelyVehicle 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.
The right place for children
Note Children in the vehicle
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger them‐
selves and other persons, e.g., by opening the
doors.◀
Children should always be in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is on the rear seat.
Transporting children in the rear
Transport children younger than
13 years of age or shorter than 5 ft/150 cm on
the 2nd row seats only, using child restraint fix‐
ing systems suitable for the age, weight, and
height of the child. Otherwise, there is the in‐
creased danger of injury in an accident.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
fixing system can no longer be used, due to
their age, weight and size.◀
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child restraint
fixing system on the front passenger seat,
make sure that the front and side airbags onthe front passenger side are deactivated. Auto‐
matic deactivation of front passenger airbags,
refer to page 96.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there
is an increased risk of injury to the child when
the airbags are triggered, even with a child re‐
straint fixing system.◀
Installing child restraint
fixing systems
Notes Manufacturer's information for child re‐
straint fixing systems
To select, mount and use child restraint fixing
systems, observe the information provided by
the system manufacturer; otherwise, the pro‐
tective effect can be impaired.◀
Note the following in vehicles equipped
with 3rd row seats
BMW X5: in vehicles with 3rd row seats, make
sure that the seat of the 2nd row seats on
which the child restraint fixing system is
mounted is properly locked. Otherwise, there
is an increased risk of injury for the child in an
accident.
Do not mount child restraint fixing systems on
the 3rd row seats, as otherwise the protection
provided by these child restraint fixing systems
may be reduced.◀
BMW X5: before mounting a child restraint fix‐
ing system in the center seat of the 2nd row
seats, move the outer seat cushions and back‐
rests into the rearmost positions.Seite 61Transporting children safelyControls61
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On the front passenger seatAfter installing a child restraint fixing system
on the front passenger seat, ensure that the
front and side airbags on the front passenger
side are deactivated.
Deactivating the front passenger airbags
If a child restraint fixing system is used in
the front passenger seat, the front passenger
airbags must be deactivated; otherwise, there
is an increased risk of injury to the child when
the airbags are triggered, even with a child re‐
straint fixing system.◀
Seat position and height Before installing a child restraint fixing system,
move the front passenger seat as far back as
possible and adjust its height to the highest
position to obtain the best possible position for
the belt and to offer optimal protection in the
event of an accident.
Do not change the seat position and height af‐
ter this.
Backrest width Before mounting a child restraint fixing system
on the front passenger seat, open the backrest
width, refer to page 50, completely. Do not
change the backrest width after this.
Backrest width for the child seat
Before installing a child restraint fixing
system in the front passenger seat, the back‐
rest width must be opened completely. Do not
change the adjustment after this; otherwise,
the stability of the child seat will be reduced.◀Child seat security
The rear safety belts
▷BMW X5: all safety belts of the 2nd and 3rd
row seats▷BMW X6: all safety belts of the 2nd row
seats
And the safety belt for the front passenger can
be locked to prevent extension in order to per‐
mit attachment of child restraint fixing sys‐
tems.
Locking the safety belt
1.Pull out the belt webbing completely.2.Secure the child restraint fixing system
with the belt.3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in and
pull it taut against the child restraint fixing
system. The safety belt is locked.
Unlocking the safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.2.Remove the child restraint fixing system.3.Allow the belt webbing to be pulled in com‐
pletely.
LATCH child restraint fixing
system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tether for Chil‐
dren.
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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‐
gation instruments and mobile phones.Seite 95SafetyControls95
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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
the indicator lamp goes out.Seite 96ControlsSafety96
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