2015 BMW X3 mobility system

ContentsThe fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 242.6Notes
At a glance
14Cockpit18iDrive27Voice activation system30Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
34Opening and closing52Adjusting62Transporting children safely66Driving80Displays95Lights100Safety123Driving stability control systems130Driving comfort152Climate control160Interior equipment168Storage compartments
Driving tips
174Things to remember when driving178Loading181Saving fuelMobility190Refueling192Fuel197Wheels and tires208Engine compartment210Engine oil213Coolant215Maintenance217Replacing components226Breakdown assistance231Care
Reference
238Technical data242Everything from A to Z
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

If an identification is not possible, please
contact the service center.2.Rectify the flat tire on the damaged wheel.
Use of tire sealant, e.g., the Mobility System,
may damage the TPM wheel electronics. In
this case, have the electronics checked at the
next opportunity and have them replaced if
needed.
Run-flat tires
Maximum speed
You may continue driving with a damaged tire
at speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at
the next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is shown to be correct, it is possible that
the Tire Pressure Monitor did not perform
a reset. In that case, carry out a reset.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on cargo load, driv‐
ing style and road conditions.
A vehicle with an average load has a possible
driving range of approx. 50 miles/80 km.
A vehicle with a damaged tire reacts differ‐
ently, e.g., it has reduced lane stability during
braking, a longer braking distance and different
self-steering properties. Adjust your driving
style accordingly. Avoid abrupt steering ma‐
neuvers or driving over obstacles, e.g., curbs,
potholes, etc.
Because the possible driving distance de‐
pends on how the vehicle is used during the
trip, the actual distance may be shorter or lon‐
ger depending on the driving speed, road con‐
ditions, external temperature, cargo load, etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
Your car handles differently when you lose tire
inflation pressure, e.g., your lane stability is re‐
duced when braking, braking distances are
longer and the self-steering properties will
change.◀
Final tire failure
Vibrations or loud noises while driving
can indicate the final failure of a tire. Reduce
speed and stop; otherwise, pieces of the tire
could come loose and cause an accident. Do
not continue driving and contact your service
center.◀
Required tire inflation pressure check
message
A Check Control message is displayed in the
following situations▷The system has detected a wheel change,
but no reset was done.▷Inflation was not carried out according to
specifications.▷The tire inflation pressure has fallen below
the level of the last confirmation.
In this case:
▷Check the tire pressure and correct as
needed.▷Carry out a reset of the system after a tire
change.
System limits
The system does not function properly if a re‐
set has not been carried out, e.g., a flat tire is
reported though tire inflation pressures are
correct.
The tire inflation pressure depends on the
tire's temperature. Driving or exposure to the
sun will increase the tire's temperature, thus
Seite 105SafetyControls105
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

RefuelingVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Hints Observe the fuel recommendation, refer to
page 192, prior to refueling.
Refuel promptly
Refuel no later than at a range of
30 miles/50 km or engine operation might fail
and damage might occur.◀
Diesel engines The filler neck is designed for refueling at die‐
sel fuel pumps.
Fuel lid Opening1.Briefly press the rear edge of the fuel filler
flap.2.Turn the tank lid counterclockwise.3.Place the tank lid in the bracket attached to
the fuel filler flap.
Closing
1.Fit the lid 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 lid; otherwise, the lid cannot be closed
properly and fuel vapors can escape.◀
Manually unlocking fuel filler flap In the event of an electrical malfunction, e.g.
The release is located in the trunk.
Seite 190MobilityRefueling190
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

FuelVehicle features and optionsThis chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Fuel recommendation Note General fuel quality
Even fuels that conform to the specifica‐
tions can be of low quality. This may cause en‐
gine problems, for instance poor engine start-
up behavior, poor handling and/or poor
performance. Switch gas stations or use a
brand name fuel with a higher octane rating.◀
Gasoline For the best fuel efficiency, the gasoline
should be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur con‐
tent.
Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as con‐
taining metal must not be used.
Refuel only with unleaded gasoline with‐
out metallic additives.
Do not refuel with any leaded gasoline or gaso‐
line with metallic additives, e. g. manganese or
iron, as this can cause permanent damage to
the catalytic converter and other compo‐
nents.◀
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of
10 %, i. e., E10, may be used for refueling.Ethanol should satisfy the following quality
standards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
Do not use a fuel with a higher percent‐
age of ethanol
Do not use a fuel with a higher ethanol per‐
centage than recommended or one with other
types of alcohol, e.g. M5 to M100; otherwise
this could damage the engine and fuel supply
system.◀
Recommended fuel grade BMW recommends AKI 91.
Minimum fuel grade
BMW recommends AKI 89.
Minimum fuel grade
Do not use any gasoline below the mini‐
mum fuel grade as this may impair engine per‐
formance.◀
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.
Fuel quality
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‐Seite 192MobilityFuel192
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

gine deposits, it is highly recommended to
purchase gasoline from Top Tier retailers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled main‐
tenance.◀
Diesel
Low-Sulfur Diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel
with low sulfur content:
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel ASTM D 975-xx.
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
Use only Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel.
The fraction of biodiesel in the fuel must
not exceed 5 %, referred to as B5. Do not use
gasoline. If you do fill the tank with the wrong
fuel, e.g., gasoline, do not start the engine as
this may damage the engine.◀
After adding the wrong fuel, contact your serv‐
ice center or Roadside Assistance.
If the fuel pump nozzle does not fit in the filler
pipe of your BMW, please check to ensure that you are refueling at a diesel fuel pump that is
equipped with a diesel fuel pump 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 additional information regarding Roadside
Assistance, refer to Owner's Manual for Navi‐
gation, Entertainment and Communication.
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 fuel filter heating system, included as a
standard feature, prevents disruption of the
fuel supply while driving.Do not add any diesel additives
Do not add additives, including gasoline;
otherwise, engine damage may occur.◀
BMW Advanced Diesel
The concept BMW Advanced Diesel reduces nitrogen ox‐
ides in the diesel emissions by injecting diesel
exhaust fluid reducing agent into the exhaust
system. A chemical reaction takes place inside
the catalytic converter that minimizes nitrogen
oxides.
The vehicle has a tank that can be refilled.
To be able to start the engine as usual, there
must be an adequate reducing agent.
Reducing agent is added by the service center.
Warming up the system
In order to warm the engine up to its operating
temperature after a cold start, the Steptronic
transmission may subsequently shift up to the
next higher gear.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Reserve indication This display in the instrument cluster provides
information about the distance that can still be
driven with the current reserve level.▷Lamp white: refill with re‐
duction agent at the next
opportunity.▷Lamp yellow: not enough re‐
duction agent present. The
remaining range is displayed
in the instrument cluster. Im‐
mediately refill with reduc‐
tion agent, refer to
page 194.Seite 193FuelMobility193
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

Diesel exhaust fluid on minimum▷The remaining range is dis‐
played in the instrument
cluster: refill with reduction
agent. The engine will con‐
tinue to run as long as it is
not switched off and all
other operating conditions
are satisfied; sufficient fuel,
e.g.
Engine does not start
Do not continue driving to the limit of the
remaining travel distance. Otherwise, you will
not be able to restart the engine after switch‐
ing it off. In certain cases, this could cause
safety to be impaired.◀
Filling with an incorrect fluid A Check Control message is displayed when
an incorrect fluid is added.
After adding the incorrect fluid, contact your
service center.
System defect A Check Control message is displayed when
there is a system defect.
Have the diesel exhaust fluid
replenished
The reducing agent is added by the service
center within the context of regular mainte‐
nance.
It may be necessary to have the fluid replen‐
ished several times under particular circum‐
stances, e.g., if the vehicle is driven in a partic‐
ularly sporty style or if it is driven at high
altitudes.
The reducing agent must be replenished as
soon as the reserve display appears in the in‐
strument cluster to avoid not being able to re‐
start the engine.
Diesel exhaust fluid at low
temperatures
Due to its physical properties, it is possible
that the reducing agent may also need to be
replenished between regular maintenance ap‐
pointments if it is exposed to temperatures un‐
der + 23 ℉/- 5 ℃. In this case, add reducing
agent only immediately before driving off.
The need to replenish it is indicated by the Re‐
serve display in the instrument cluster.
At temperatures below + 12 ℉/- 11 ℃, the fill‐
ing level cannot be measured in some cases.
After adding reducing agent, the Reserve Dis‐
play is displayed only until the fill level can be
measured again.
Replenishing Diesel exhaust fluid
yourself in exceptional cases
You can replenish reducing agent yourself in
exceptional cases, e.g., to get to the service
center.
Avoid contact with Diesel exhaust fluid
Do not come into contact with the reduc‐
ing agent. Otherwise, skin or eye irritations
may result.◀
Handling Diesel exhaust fluid
When working with reducing agent in
closed spaces, ensure good ventilation. When
the bottle or container is opened, acrid smell‐
ing fumes may eslide.◀
Keeping Diesel exhaust fluid out of reach
of children
Keep reducing agent out of reach of children.◀
Avoid contact with surfaces
Avoid contact of reduction agent with
surfaces of the vehicle; otherwise, damage
could occur.◀
Suitable Diesel exhaust fluid▷Preferred: BMW Diesel Exhaust Fluid. With
this bottle and its special adapter, DieselSeite 194MobilityFuel194
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

Wheels and tiresVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Tire inflation pressure Safety information
The tire characteristics and tire inflation pres‐
sure influence the following:▷The service life of the tires.▷Road safety.▷Driving comfort.
Checking the tire inflation pressure
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
Regularly check the tire inflation pres‐
sure, and correct it as needed: at least twice a
month and before a long trip. If you fail to ob‐
serve this precaution, you may be driving on
tires with incorrect tire pressures, a condition
that may not only compromise your vehicle's
driving stability, but also lead to tire damage
and the risk of an accident.◀
Tires have a natural, consistent loss of tire in‐
flation pressure.
Tires heat up while driving, and the tire infla‐
tion pressure increases along with the tire's
temperature. The tire inflation pressure speci‐
fications relate to cold tires or tires with the
ambient temperature.
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after driving no more
than 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours.
The displays of inflation devices may under-
read by up to 1.45 psi/0.1 bar.
For Flat Tire Monitor: after correcting the tire
inflation pressure, reinitialize the Flat Tire
Monitor.
For Tire Pressure Monitor: after correcting the
tire inflation pressure, reset the Tire Pressure
Monitor.
Tire inflation pressure specifications
The tire inflation pressure table, refer to
page 198, contains all tire inflation pressure
specifications for the specified tire sizes at the
ambient temperature. Tire inflation pressure
specifications apply to approved tire sizes and
recommended tire brands. This information
can be obtained from your service center.
To identify the correct tire inflation pressure,
please note the following:▷Tire sizes of your vehicle.▷Maximum permitted driving speed.
Tire inflation pressures up to
100 mph/160 km/h
For speeds of up to 100 mph/160 km/h and for
optimum driving comfort, note the pressure
values in the tire inflation pressure table, refer
to page 198, and adjust as necessary.
Seite 197Wheels and tiresMobility197
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15

Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the
tire's circumference and have the legally re‐
quired minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
They are marked on the side of the tire with
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.
Tire damage
General information
Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Hints
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles
can cause serious damage to wheels, tires and
suspension parts. This is more likely to occur
with low-profile tires, which provide less cush‐
ioning between the wheel and the road. Be
careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your
speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped
with low-profile tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle de‐
fects:
▷Unusual vibrations while driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
In case of tire damage
If there are indications of tire damage, re‐
duce your speed immediately and have the
rims and tires checked right away; otherwise,
there is the increased risk of an accident.
Drive carefully to the nearest service center. If
necessary, have the vehicle towed or trans‐
ported there. Otherwise, tire damage can be‐
come life threatening for vehicle occupants
and also other traffic.◀
Repair of tire damage
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends that you do not have
damaged tires repaired; they should be re‐
placed. Otherwise, damage can occur as a re‐
sult.◀
Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Information on mounting tires
Have mounting and balancing performed
only by a service center.
If work is not carried out properly, there is a
danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.◀
Wheel and tire combination
You can ask the service center about the right
wheel/tire combination and wheel rim versions
for the vehicle.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair
the function of a variety of systems such as
ABS or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.Seite 202MobilityWheels and tires202
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 960 386 - II/15