
Auto Start/Stop function
The concept The Auto Start/Stop function helps save fuel.
The system switches off the engine during a
stop, e.g., in traffic congestion or at traffic lights. The ignition remains switched on. The
engine starts again automatically for driving
off.
Semi-automatic mode After every start of the engine using the Start/
Stop button, the Auto Start/Stop function is in
the last selected state, refer to page 71.
When the Auto Start Stop function is active, it
is available when the vehicle is traveling faster
than about 3 mph, approx. 5 km/h.
Engine stop The engine is switched off automatically dur‐
ing a stop under the following conditions:▷The selector lever is in selector lever posi‐
tion D.▷The brake pedal remains pressed while the
vehicle is stationary or the vehicle is held
by Automatic Hold.▷The driver's safety belt is buckled or the
driver's door is closed.
The air flow from the air conditioner is reduced
when the engine is switched off.
Displays in the instrument cluster The display indicates that the
Auto Start/Stop function is
ready for an Automatic engine
start.
The display indicates that the conditions for an automatic en‐
gine stop have not been met.
Note
The engine is not switched off automatically in
the following situations:▷External temperature too low.▷The external temperature is high and auto‐
matic climate control is running.▷The car's interior has not yet been heated
or cooled to the required level.▷The engine is not yet at operating temper‐
ature.▷The wheels are at a sharp angle or the
steering wheel is being turned.▷After driving in reverse.▷Fogging of the windows when the auto‐
matic climate control is switched on.▷Vehicle battery is heavily discharged.▷At higher elevations.▷The engine compartment lid is unlocked.▷HDC Hill Descent Control is activated.▷The parking assistant is activated.▷Stop-and-go traffic.▷Use of fuel with high ethanol content.
Starting the engine
The engine starts automatically under the fol‐
lowing conditions:
▷By releasing the brake pedal.
When Automatic Hold is activated: press
the accelerator pedal.
After the engine starts, accelerate as usual.
Safety mode
After the engine switches off automatically, it
will not start again automatically if any one of
the following conditions are met.
▷The driver's safety belt is unbuckled and
the driver's door is open.▷The hood was unlocked.
Some indicator lights light up for a varied
length of time.
Seite 70ControlsDriving70
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

Malfunction
The Auto Start/Stop function no longer
switches off the engine automatically. A Check Control message is displayed. It is possible to
continue driving. Have the system checked.
Parking brake The conceptThe parking brake is used to prevent the vehi‐
cle from rolling when it is parked.
At a glance
Setting Apply parking brake and further secure
the vehicle if needed.
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the ve‐
hicle, e.g., by turning the steering wheel in the
direction of the curb.◀
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, e.g., can‐
not release the parking brake.◀
Pull the reel.
The LED lights up.
The indicator lamp lights up red. The
parking brake is set.
While driving
Use as emergency brake while driving:
Pull the reel and hold it. The vehicle brakes
hard while the reel is being pulled.
The indicator lamp lights up red, a sig‐
nal sounds and the brake lights light
up.
A Check Control message is displayed.
If the vehicle is slowed down down to a speed
of approx. 2 mph/3 km/h the parking brake is
set.
Releasing
With the ignition switched on:
Press the reel while pressing on the
brake pedal.
The LED and indicator lamp go out.
The parking brake is released.
Automatic release Inadvertent operation of the accelerator
pedal
Make sure that the accelerator pedal is not op‐
erated unintentionally; otherwise, the vehicle is set in motion and there is a risk of an acci‐
dent.◀
For automatic release, step on the accelerator
pedal.
The LED and indicator lamp go out.
The parking brake is automatically released
when you step on the accelerator:▷Engine on.▷Drive mode engaged.▷Driver buckled in and doors closed.Seite 72ControlsDriving72
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

Automatic Hold
The concept This system assists the driver by automatically
setting and releasing the brake, such as when
moving in stop-and-go traffic.
The vehicle is automatically held in place when
it is stationary.
On inclines, the system prevents the vehicle
from rolling backward when driving off.
Safety information
Secure the vehicle against rolling
Before leaving the vehicle with the en‐
gine running, ensure that the parking brake is
set. Otherwise, the vehicle may begin to
move.◀
Under the following conditions, Automatic
Hold is automatically deactivated and the park‐
ing brake is set:
▷The engine is switched off.▷A door is opened and driver's safety belt is
unbuckled while the vehicle is stationary.▷The moving vehicle is brought to a stand‐
still using the parking brake.
The indicator lamp switches from
green to red and the letters AUTO H go out.
Activating
This function can be activated when the driv‐
er's door is closed, the safety belt is fastened
and the engine is running.
Press button.
The LED and the letters AUTO H light
up.
The indicator lamp lights up.
Automatic Hold is activated.
Deactivating Press button again.
The LED and the letters AUTO H go
out.
Automatic Hold is deactivated.
If the vehicle is being held by Automatic Hold,
press on the brake pedal to deactivate it.
When the parking brake is set manually, Auto‐
matic Hold is deactivated automatically.
sDriving Automatic Hold is activated: the vehicle is au‐
tomatically secured against rolling after brak‐
ing to a standstill.
The indicator lamp lights up green.
Step on the accelerator pedal to drive
off.
The brake is released automatically.
The indicator lamp goes out.
Before driving into a car wash
Before driving into the car wash, deacti‐
vate Automatic Hold; otherwise, the parking
brake will be set when the vehicle is stationary
and the vehicle will no longer be able to roll.◀
Parking
The parking brake is automatically set if the
engine is switched off while the vehicle is be‐
ing held by Automatic Hold.
The indicator lamp changes from green
to red.Seite 73DrivingControls73
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

The parking brake is not set if the engine is
switched off while the vehicle is coasting to a
halt. Automatic Hold is deactivated.
Automatic Hold remains activated during the
engine stop brought about by the Auto Start/
Stop function.
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, e.g., can‐
not release the parking brake.◀
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against roll‐
ing using a wheel chock, e.g., when leaving it.
Manual release Before releasing, secure the vehicle
against rolling
Before releasing the parking brake manually,
and whenever you park the vehicle with the
parking brake released, ensure that position P
of the Steptronic transmission is set.
Secure the vehicle in a manner appropriate to
the inclination of the road, e.g., with a wheel
chock; otherwise, there is a danger of an acci‐
dent and injuries if the vehicle rolls uninten‐
tionally.◀
The parking brake can be released manually in
the event of a power failure or electrical fault.
Unlocking Have the malfunction corrected
If the parking brake has been released
manually in response to a malfunction, only
technicians can return it to operation.
Have the malfunction corrected by your serv‐
ice center.◀1.Open the left side trim in the cargo area.2.Remove the first aid kit and warning trian‐
gle.3.Insert the screwdriver from the onboard
vehicle tool kit under the cargo floor panel
into the strap of the release point, see ar‐
row.4.Forcefully pull the screwdriver up against
the mechanical resistance until you notice
a marked increase in the resistance and
the parking brake releases audibly.5.Stow the screwdriver, warning triangle and
first aid kit, and close the left side trim in
the cargo area.
After a power failure
Only put the parking brake into operation
after a power failure
The parking brake should only be put into op‐
eration again if it was manually released due to
an interruption in the supply of electrical
power. Otherwise, it cannot be ensured that
the parking brake will function properly.◀
Putting the parking brake into
operation
1.Switch on the ignition.2. Press the reel while stepping on the
brake pedal or transmission position P is
set.
It may take several seconds for the brake to be
put into operation. Any sounds associated with
this are normal.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out as soon as the parking
brake is ready for operation.
Seite 74ControlsDriving74
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

Clean the windshield, headlights
Pull the wiper lever towards you.
The system sprays washer fluid on the wind‐
shield and activates the wipers briefly.
In addition, the headlights are cleaned at regu‐
lar intervals when the vehicle's lights are acti‐
vated.
Do not use the washer system at freezing
temperatures
Do not use the washers if fluid could freeze
onto the windshield which might impede your
viewing field. Therefore use antifreeze fluid.
Avoid using the washer when the reservoir is
empty; operation might damage pump.◀
Windshield washer nozzles The windshield washer nozzles are automati‐
cally heated while the ignition is switched on.
BMW X5 M: rear window wiper
Switching on the rear window wiper
Turn the switch from idle position 0 upward,
arrow 1: interval mode. When reverse gear is
engaged, the system switches to continuous
operation.
Cleaning rear window
In interval mode: turn the reel further, arrow 2.
The reel automatically returns to its interval
position when released.
In idle position: turn reel downward, arrow 3.
The reel automatically returns to its idle posi‐
tion when released.
Fold-out position of the wipers Fold wipers back when you want to change the
blades or with pending low temperatures.1.Switch the ignition on and off again.2.With icy conditions make sure that blades
are not frozen to the windshield.3.Press the wiper lever up beyond the point
of resistance and hold it for approx. 3 sec‐
onds, until the wiper remains in a nearly
vertical position.
After the wipers are folded back down, the
wiper system must be reactivated.
Folding wipers back down
Before switching the ignition on, fold the
wipers back down to the windshield; other‐
wise, the wipers may become damaged when
they are activated.◀
1.Switch on the ignition.2.Push wiper lever down. Wipers move to
their resting position and are ready again
for operation.
Washer fluid
General information Antifreeze for washer fluid
Antifreeze is flammable and can cause
injury if it is used incorrectly.
Seite 77DrivingControls77
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.
For more information, see Tire Pressure Moni‐
tor, refer to page 109.
Steering system Steering system in some cases defec‐
tive.
Have the steering system checked by
the service center.
Engine functions Have the vehicle checked by the serv‐ice center.
For additional information, refer to On-
board Diagnostics socket, refer to page 211.
Lane departure warning System is switched on and under cer‐
tain circumstances warns if a detected
lane is left without flashing beforehand.
For additional information, refer to Lane depar‐
ture warning, refer to page 123.
Green lights Turn signal Turn signal on.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb
has failed.
For additional information, refer to Turn signal,
refer to page 75.
Parking lights, headlight control Parking lights or headlights are acti‐
vated.
For additional information, refer to Parking
lights/low beams, headlight control, refer to
page 101.
Front fog lights Front fog lights are activated.
For additional information, refer to
Front fog lights, refer to page 104.
High-beam Assistant High-beam Assistant is switched on.
High beams are activated and off auto‐
matically as a function of the traffic sit‐
uation.
For additional information, refer to High-beam
Assistant, refer to page 103.
Cruise control The system is switched on. It maintains
the speed that was set using the con‐
trol elements on the steering wheel.
Automatic Hold The vehicle is automatically held in
place when it is stationary.
On inclines, the system prevents the
vehicle from rolling backward when driving off.
For more information, see Automatic Hold, re‐
fer to page 73.
Blue lights
High beams High beams are activated.
For additional information, refer to High
beams, refer to page 75.Seite 87DisplaysControls87
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

On the Control Display:1."Settings"2."Instrument cluster"3.Select the desired displays.
Information in detail
Range
Displays the estimated cruising range available
with the remaining fuel.
It is calculated based on your driving style over
the last 20 miles/30 km.
Average fuel consumption
The average fuel consumption is calculated for
the period while the engine is running.
The average fuel consumption is calculated for
the distance traveled since the last reset by the
computer.
Average speed
Periods in which the vehicle is parked with the
engine manually stopped are not included in
the calculation of the average speed.
Resetting average values Press and hold the onboard computer button
on the turn signal lever.
Distance to destination
The distance remaining to the destination is
displayed if a destination is entered in the navi‐
gation system before the trip is started.
The distance to the destination is adopted au‐
tomatically.
Time of arrival The estimated time of arrival is
displayed if a destination is en‐
tered in the navigation system
before the trip is started.
The time must be correctly set.
Speed limit detection
Description of the speed limit detection, refer
to page 93, function.
Compass With navigation system Profes‐sional: compass display for the
driving direction.
Trip computer The vehicle features two types of board com‐
puters.▷"Onboard info": the values can be reset as
often as necessary.▷"Trip computer": the values provide an
overview of the current trip.
Resetting the trip computer
On the Control Display:
1."Vehicle info"2."Trip computer"3."Reset": all values are reset.
"Automatically reset": all values are reset
approx. 4 hours after the vehicle came to a
standstill.
Display on the Control Display
Display the computer or trip computer on the
Control Display.
1."Vehicle info"2."Onboard info" or "Trip computer"
Resetting the fuel consumption or
speed
On the Control Display:
1."Vehicle info"2."Onboard info"3."Consumpt." or "Speed"4."Yes"Seite 96ControlsDisplays96
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14

System limitsSudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external circumstances cannot be recognized
in advance.◀
A natural, even tire inflation pressure loss in all
four tires will not be recognized. 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: spinning traction
wheels, high lateral acceleration (drifting).▷When driving with snow chains.
Intelligent Safety
The concept
Intelligent Safety enables central operation of
the driver assistance system. Depending on
how the vehicle is equipped, Intelligent Safety
consists of one or more systems that can help
prevent a imminent collision.
▷Front-end collision warning with City Brak‐
ing function, refer to page 114.▷Pedestrian warning, refer to page 116.▷Lane departure warning, refer to
page 123.▷Active Blind Spot Detection, refer to
page 124.
Note
Personal responsibility
The system does not serve as a substi‐
tute for the driver's personal judgment of the
traffic situation.
Be aware of the traffic situation and the vehi‐
cle's surroundings at all times, otherwise acci‐
dents are still possible despite all warnings.◀
At a glance
Button in the vehicle
Intelligent Safety button
Switching on/off Some Intelligent Safety systems are automati‐
cally active after every departure. Some Intelli‐
gent Safety systems activate according to the
last setting.
Press button briefly:
▷The menu for the intelligent safety
system is displayed. The systems
are individually switched off ac‐
cording to their respective set‐
tings.▷LED lights up orange or goes out respec‐
tive to their individual settings.
Adjust as needed. Individual settings are
stored for the profile currently in use.
Press button again:
▷All Intelligent Safety systems are
activated.▷The LED lights up green.
Hold down button:
▷All Intelligent Safety systems are
turned off.Seite 113SafetyControls113
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 956 993 - X/14