BMW X5 3.0Si 2008 E70 Owner's Manual
Page 121 of 292
Controls
 119Reference
At a glance
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Communications
Navigation
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Mobility
1.Position the screwdriver from the onboard 
tool kit, refer to page247, on the instrument 
panel at the side and open the cover, arrow.
2.Pull the strap upward, arrow. The glove 
compartment is opened manually.
Center armrest
A storage compartment is located under the 
armrest between the front seats and, depend-
ing on the vehicle's equipment, also a cover for 
the mobile phone bracket or the snap-in 
adapter. Also refer to page208.
Opening cover
Press the button; the respective cover folds 
upward.
Connection for external audio device
You can connect an external audio device such 
as a CD or MP3 player and play audio tracks 
over the vehicle's loudspeaker system:
>AUX-In connection, refer to page188
>USB audio interface
*, refer to page189
Flashlight*
The flashlight is located in the storage compart-
ment between the front seats. Pull the flashlight 
out of the holder when needed.
Battery change
To remove and insert the batteries, screw off 
the flashlight head.
Return used batteries to a recycling col-
lection point or to your BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center.<
Storage compartments
There are other storage compartments in the 
doors as well as in the front and rear center con-
sole
*.
Storage nets
* are located on the backrests of 
the front seats.
Do not stow hard or sharp-edged objects 
in the storage nets or the net, otherwise 
there is an increased risk of injury in an acci-
dent.<
Clothes hooks
Clothes hooks are located near the grab han-
dles in the rear.
When hanging clothing on the hooks, 
ensure that it will not obstruct the driver's 
vision. Do not hang heavy objects on the hooks. 
If you do so, they could cause personal injury to 
occupants during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.< 
Page 122 of 292
Practical interior accessories
120
Cup holders
Do not place containers made of glass in 
the cup holders. This would lead to an 
increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent. Do not force unsuitable containers into 
the cup holders, as otherwise damage can 
result.<
Front
Slide back the cover.
Rear
Unlock the center armrest with the button in the 
lower section of the opening and fold down.
Press the button; the cover folds forward.
With 3rd row seats
Fold down the center armrest.
Press the button; the cup holders are opened.
3rd row seats*
The cup holders are located in the center con-
sole between the seats.
Ashtray
Front
To open the cover, slide it forward.
Press the button. The ashtray insert raises 
slightly and can be removed. 
Page 123 of 292
Controls
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Rear
Press the entire cover down. The ashtray rises 
and can be removed.
Lighter
Front
Press in the lighter with the engine running or 
the ignition switched on.
The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops 
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by 
the knob only. Holding or touching it in 
other areas could result in burns. 
Always take along the remote control when you 
leave the vehicle, otherwise children could, for 
example, use the lighter and burn themselves.<
Rear
Refer to Cigarette lighter, front.
Connecting electrical devices
Sockets
With the engine running or the ignition switched 
on, the cigarette lighter socket can be used as a 
power outlet for hand flashlights, car vacuum 
cleaners, etc., with power ratings of up to 
approx. 200 W at 12 V. Avoid damaging the 
socket due to inserting plugs of different 
shapes or sizes. The same is true for all power 
outlets in the vehicle.
In cargo bay
Access to socket:
Fold open the cover. 
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Practical interior accessories
122
In the rear center console
Depending on your vehicle's equipment pack-
age, the socket in the rear is covered with a cap 
or equipped with a lighter. Refer to Cigarette 
lighter, front, page121.
Access to socket:
Remove cap or lighter.
In storage compartment under center 
armrest
Access to socket*:
Pull off the cover.
Cargo bay
Roll-up cover
Pull out the roll-up cover and hook it into the 
brackets.
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the 
roll-up cover. If you do so, they may 
already pose a danger to vehicle occupants dur-
ing braking or evasive maneuvers. 
Do not allow the roll-up cover to snap back, oth-
erwise it can be damaged.<
Removing
1.Unlock the case with the button, arrow1.
2.Swing the case somewhat to the left, 
arrow2, and remove.
Installing
When installing, proceed in the opposite order 
of removal. 
Page 125 of 292
Controls
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Mobility
1.Lay on the case on the left-hand side and 
push it forward, arrow1.
2.Swing the case toward the inside, refer to 
arrow2.
3.Push the case forward at the ends until it 
engages in the two side brackets.
4.Check whether the case is properly locked 
in place by pulling it with a sudden move-
ment.
Cargo bay, expanding
The rear seat backrest is divided. You can fold 
down both sides separately in order to expand 
the cargo bay.
Reach into the recess and pull toward the front.
When you fold back the backrest, be sure 
that the catch engages securely. The red 
warning indicator disappears in the recess 
when the catch is engaged. If it is not properly 
engaged, transported cargo could enter the 
passenger compartment during braking or eva-
sive maneuvers and endanger the vehicle occu-
pants.<
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection, 
please observe the safety belt information on 
page42.<
Storage compartments in 
cargo bay
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the fol-
lowing storage compartments are provided in 
the cargo bay.
>Storage compartments behind the remov-
able side panels in the cargo bay on the 
right and left
* and under the floor panel flap.
>Storage tray
* under the floor panel flap, 
capacity approx. 21 US gal/80 liter.
>Retaining straps
* on the left and right side 
panel for securing small objects.
>Hooks
*, e.g. for hanging up shopping bags 
or carrier bags on the left and right in the 
cargo bay.
>Net
* on the left side panel of the cargo bay 
for smaller objects.
>Lashing rail with lashing eyes
*. You can 
secure heavy-duty cargo straps on the lash-
ing eyes.
They can be removed at the notches in the 
rails. To move the lashing eyes, press the 
button.
Read and comply with the information 
enclosed with the heavy-duty cargo 
straps.<
Floor panel flap
To access the onboard toolkit etc.
To open, swing up the flap by the handle, refer 
to arrow.
The floor panel flap can be locked. 
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Practical interior accessories
124
Adaptive fastening system*
The adaptive fastening system is used to divide 
up the cargo bay. It consists of two brackets 
with a telescopic rail and retaining straps. 
These are guided into the two rails on the cargo 
bay floor.
Before using the adaptive fastening sys-
tem, fold up and lock the backrest of the 
2nd or 3rd row seats, as otherwise the cargo 
could be thrown around in the vehicle interior in 
an accident.<
1Brackets
2Telescopic rail
3Notch in the cargo bay rail
Mounting brackets
The two brackets are connected with a tele-
scopic rail.
1.Insert the brackets at the respective notch 
in the rail on the cargo bay floor.
2.Press down the brackets to push them into 
the desired position.
3.Check the firm seating of the brackets. 
They must be clearly heard to engage.
Do not lay cargo on the brackets, as oth-
erwise they could be unlocked.<
Dividing up cargo bay
You can position the cargo as follows:
>between the rear backrest and the tele-
scopic rail
>between the telescopic rail and the retain-
ing strap
Positioning cargo between telescopic rail and 
retaining strap:
1.Lay the cargo on the telescopic rail. Press 
the button, arrow1, and route the retaining 
strap around the cargo, arrow2.
2.Hook the retaining strap into the mount3 
on the telescopic rail.
3.Press the button of the bracket, arrow1. 
The retaining strap is tensioned.
You can also hook both retaining straps 
into each other.<
When you are finished using the adaptive fas-
tening system, unhook the retaining strap and 
guide it back into the bracket in order to prevent 
damage and injury. 
Then slide the fastening system toward the 
front in order to permit the best possible use of 
the cargo bay.
Removing brackets
Press down the brackets, slide them up to the 
notches of the rails and remove them. 
Page 127 of 292
Controls
 125Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Ski bag*
The ski bag is designed for safe, clean transport 
of up to 4 pa irs of s tandard s kis  or up to 2  snow-
boards.
With the ski bag you can stow skis with a length 
of up to 6.9 ft/2.10 m. When skis of 6.9 ft/2.10 m 
in length are loaded, the ski bag will tend to con-
tract, reducing its overall capacity.
Before loading the ski bag, fold in the dis-
play screen of the DVD system in the 
rear
*, as otherwise the display screen could be 
damaged.<
Loading
1.Fold down the center armrest, press the 
button and open the cover.
2.Press the button again; the cover in the 
cargo bay opens. If you press the button 
firmly the first time, this cover also opens.
3.Extend the ski bag between the front seats 
and fill it. The zipper facilitates access to the 
stowed items and drying of the ski bag.
4.Insert the latch plate of the ski bag retaining 
strap into the center safety belt buckle that 
is marked CENTER.Only stow clean skis in the ski bag. Wrap sharp 
edges to prevent damage.
Securing cargo
After loading, secure the ski bag and its con-
tents. Tighten the retaining strap on the ten-
sioning buckle for this purpose.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you fail to 
do so, it could endanger occupants dur-
ing braking or evasive maneuvers.<
To store the ski bag, perform the above steps in 
reverse order.
Removing ski bag
The ski bag can be completely removed, e.g. for 
faster drying or to allow you to put it to other 
uses.
1.Pull the handle toward the front, arrow1.
2.Take out the ski bag upward, arrow2.
3.Close the cover in the cargo bay.
Details on various inserts are available 
from your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
Center.< 
Page 128 of 292
Page 129 of 292
Driving tips
This section is designed to provide you
with extra support by supplying information
useful in dealing with specific driving
and operating conditions.
Driving tips 
Page 130 of 292
Things to remember when driving
128
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to 
each other. To ensure that your vehicle contin-
ues to provide optimized economy of operation 
throughout an extended service life, we request 
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and vehicle speeds, 
however do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph/
160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the 
transmission's kick-down mode during these 
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be 
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their 
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in 
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the 
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of 
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized 
contact and wear patterns between brake pads 
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during 
this break-in period.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced 
after subsequent driving operation.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends 
on various factors. Through a few simple steps, 
your driving style, and regular maintenance, you 
can have a positive influence on your fuel con-
sumption and environmental impact.
Removing unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Removing add-on parts after use
Remove unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear 
luggage racks after use. Add-on parts attached 
to the vehicle impede the aerodynamics and 
increase the fuel consumption.
Closing windows and panorama glass 
sunroof
An open panorama glass sunroof or open win-
dows likewise increase the drag coefficient and 
therefore the fuel consumption.
Check tire inflation pressures regularly
Check and correct the tire inflation pressure as 
needed at least twice a month and before long 
trips.
An insufficient tire inflation pressure increases 
the rolling resistance and thus increases the 
fuel consumption and tire wear.
Driving off immediately
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicle remains stationary. 
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine 
speed. This is the fastest way for the cold 
engine to reach its operating temperature.
Thinking ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking. 
To do so, maintain the appropriate distance 
from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory