2016 BMW X3 tow

If equipped with through-loading system: the
rear seat backrest is divided in the ratio 40–20–
40. The sides and the middle section can be
folded down separately.
Hints Danger of jamming
Before folding down the rear seat back‐
rests, ensure that the area of movement of the backrests is clear. In particular, ensure that no
one is located in or reaches into the area of
movement of the rear seat backrests when the
middle section is folded down. Otherwise, in‐
jury or damage may result.◀
Ensuring the stability of the child seat
When installing child restraint systems,
make sure that the child seat is securely fas‐
tened to the backrest of the seat. Angle and
headrest of the backrest might need to be ad‐
justed or possibly be removed. Make sure that
all backrests are securely locked. Otherwise
the stability of the child seat can be affected,
and there is an increased risk of injury because
of unexpected movement of the seat back‐ rest.◀
Ensure that the lock is securely engaged
When you fold back the backrest make
sure that it locks in place. When this happens
the red warning field on the seat disappears.
Otherwise transported cargo could shoot into
the car's interior during braking or evasive ma‐
neuvers and endanger occupants.◀
Using the middle safety belt
If the middle safety belt in the rear is
used, the larger side of the backrest must be locked. Otherwise, the safety belt will not have
a restraining effect.◀
Folding down the sidesThe right side can be folded down separately.
The left side can be folded down in combina‐
tion with the middle section.
Reach into the recess and pull forward.
Folding down the middle section
Reach into the recess and pull forward.
Cargo area partition net Do not let the cargo area partition net
back into place
Do not allow the cargo area partition net to
snap back into place; otherwise, there is a dan‐
ger of injury and the cargo area partition net
could be damaged.◀
With a normal cargo area
1.Fold open the rear covers on the roofliner.2.Pull the cargo area partition net out of the
case by the strap.3.Insert the bars into the brackets on both
sides in the roofliner toward the front, ar‐Seite 166ControlsInterior equipment166
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Storage compartmentsVehicle 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.
Hints No loose objects in the car's interior
Do not stow any objects in the car's inte‐
rior without securing them; otherwise, they
may present a danger to occupants e.g., during
braking and evasive maneuvers.◀
Do not place anti-slip mats on the dash‐
board
Do not place anti-slip mats on the dashboard.
The mat materials could damage the dash‐
board.◀
Storage compartments The following storage compartments are avail‐
able in the vehicle interior:▷Glove compartment on the front passenger
side, refer to page 168.▷Storage compartment in the front center
armrest, refer to page 169.▷Compartments in the doors, refer to
page 169.▷Pockets on the backrests of the front
seats.▷Net in the front passenger footwell.Glove compartment
Front passenger side
Note Close the glove compartment again im‐
mediately
Close the glove compartment immediately af‐
ter use while driving; otherwise, injury may oc‐
cur during accidents.◀
Opening
Pull the handle.
The light in the glove compartment switches
on.
ClosingFold cover closed.
Locking
The glove compartment can be locked with an
integrated key. This prevents access to the
glove compartment.
After the glove compartment is locked, the re‐
mote control can be handed over, such as at a
hotel, without the integrated key.
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Compartments in the doorsDo not stow any breakable objects
Do not store any breakable objects, e. g.
glass bottles, in the compartments, or there is
an increased risk of injury in the event of an ac‐
cident.◀
Center armrest
Opening
Press button, arrow 1, and fold the center arm
rest up, arrow 2.
Connection for an external audio
device
An external audio device, e.g., an MP3 player,
can be connected via the AUX-IN port in the
center armrest.
Cupholders
Hints Shatter-proof containers and no hot
drinks
Use light and shatter-proof containers and do
not transport hot drinks. Otherwise, there is the increased danger of injury in an accident.◀
Unsuitable containers
Do not forcefully push unsuitable con‐
tainers into the cupholders. This may result in
damage.◀
Front
In the center console.
Slide the cover forward.
Rear In the center armrest.
Pull the center armrest forward at the strap.
To open: press the button.
To close: push both covers back in, one after
the other.
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LoadingVehicle 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 Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved ca‐
pacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.
Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐
creases the rate at which damage develops in‐
side the tires. This could result in a sudden
loss of tire inflation pressure.◀
No fluids in the cargo area
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
Heavy and hard objects
Do not stow any heavy and hard objects
in the car's interior without securing them; oth‐
erwise, they may present a danger to occu‐
pants, e.g., during braking and evasive maneu‐
vers.◀
Determining the load limit1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:▷The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed XXX kg
or YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to thevehicle and unstable driving situations
may result.2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or
YYY pounds.4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs =
400 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of lug‐
gage and cargo being loaded on the vehi‐
cle. That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.Seite 178Driving tipsLoading178
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Load
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
Stowing cargo
▷Cover sharp edges and corners on the
cargo.▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward as possi‐
ble, directly behind and at the bottom of
the rear passenger seat backrests.▷Very heavy cargo: when the rear seat is not
occupied, secure each of the outer safety
belts in the opposite buckle.▷If necessary, fold down the rear backrests
to stow cargo.▷Do not stack cargo above the top edge of
the backrests.▷Use the trunk partition net, refer to
page 166, to protect passengers. Make
sure that objects cannot penetrate the
trunk partition net.Securing cargo
Lashing eyes in the trunk
To secure the cargo there are four lashing
eyes in the cargo area.
Lashing eyes in the trunk with rails
To secure the cargo there are four movable
lashing eyes in the cargo area.
To slide the lashing eyes, press the button, ar‐
row 1. Make sure that the lashing eyes latch at
the new position.
The lashing eyes at the openings in the rails
can be removed.
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Cargo net, FlexNetThe flexible cargo net is hooked into eyes and
secures the cargo in the cargo area. The stor‐
age net can be attached to the following eyes:▷Lashing eyes in the rails.▷Eyes on the trunk wall.
The eyes are located on both sides of the
trunk.
Securing cargo Securing cargo
Stow and secure the cargo as described;
otherwise it may present a danger to the occu‐
pants, e.g., during braking and evasive maneu‐
vers.◀
▷Smaller and lighter items: secure with re‐
taining straps or with a cargo net or draw
straps.▷Larger and heavy objects: secure with
cargo straps.
Cargo straps, cargo netting, retaining
straps or draw straps on the lashing eyes in
the trunk.
Roof-mounted luggage rack
NoteInstallation only possible with roof rack.
Roof racks are available as special accessories.
Attachment to the rack Follow the installation instructions of the roof
rack.
Mounting
Be sure that adequate clearance is maintained
for tilting and opening the glass sunroof.
LoadingBecause roof racks raise the vehicle's centerof gravity when loaded, they have a major ef‐
fect on vehicle handling and steering re‐
sponse.
Therefore, note the following when loading
and driving:▷Do not exceed the approved roof/axle
loads and the approved gross vehicle
weight.▷Distribute the roof load uniformly.▷The roof load should not extend past the
loading area.▷Always place the heaviest pieces on the
bottom.▷Secure the roof luggage firmly, e.g., tie
with ratchet straps.▷Do not let objects project into the opening
path of the tailgate.▷Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration
and braking maneuvers. Take corners gen‐
tly.Seite 180Driving tipsLoading180
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Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to Fed‐
eral Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
TreadwearThe treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov‐
ernment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half, 1 g,
times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart signifi‐
cantly from the norm due to variations in driv‐
ing habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma‐
terial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds
to a level of performance which all passengercar tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band
A represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum re‐
quired by law.
Temperature grade for this tire
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.◀
RSC – Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires, refer to page 204, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the sidewall.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.
Tire tread
Summer tires Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 in/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tire tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.
Winter tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 in/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are
less suitable for winter operation.Seite 201Wheels and tiresMobility201
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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
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