towing BMW X3 2.5I 2006 E83 Owner's Manual

Opening and closing
24
Closing manually
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can
move the panorama glass sunroof manually.
1.Pull the cover firmly downward to remove.
2.Insert the Allen wrench from the compart-
ment beneath the cargo area floor, refer to
page103, into the proper opening and turn
the panorama glass sunroof in the desired
direction. The arrow in the illustration indi-
cates the rotation direction for closing the
sunroof.
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the liftgate is
opened.
>To movements inside the vehicle: interior
motion sensor, refer to description below.
>When the car's inclination changes, for
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to
towing away.
>To interruptions in battery voltage.
The alarm system signals unauthorized manip-
ulations for a short time by:
>Sounding an acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming alarm system
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
If the alarm system has been properly armed,
the hazard warning flashers light up once.
You can have different acknowledgment
signals set to confirm arming and disarm-
ing.<
You can open the liftgate even when the system
is armed by using the button of the remote
control, refer to page19. When the liftgate is
closed, it is locked again and monitored.
Switching off alarm
>Unlock the vehicle using the remote control,
refer to page19.
>Turn the ignition key to position 1.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
25
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp below the interior rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after the vehicle
is locked: doors, hood, or liftgate are not
properly closed. Even if you do not close the
alerted area, the system begins to monitor
the remaining areas, and the indicator lamp
flashes continuously after approx. 10 sec-
onds. However, the interior motion sensor
is not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
no manipulation or attempted intrusions
have been detected in the period since the
system was armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes for 10 seconds
after the vehicle is unlocked: an attempted
entry has been detected in the period since
the system was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the indicator
lamp will flash continuously.
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. in case of an attempted
wheel theft or towing.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and panorama glass
sunroof must be completely closed.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote con-
trol again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and
the interior motion sensor are switched off until
the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subse-
quently locked again.
If you wish, you can have the tilt alarm
sensor and interior motion sensor perma-
nently switched off. You can have this setting
made at your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
39
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can shift into neutral, for example, in auto-
matic car washes. The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is the lowest when the vehicle is
driven in position D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration.
Press the accelerator pedal past the increased
resistance point at the full-throttle position.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Move the selector lever from position D toward
the left into the M/S shifting slot.
The Sport program is activated and SD appears
in the instrument cluster. This position is rec-
ommended for a performance-oriented driving
style.
When you push the selector lever forward or
pull it back, this activates the manual mode and
Steptronic changes gear. The instrument clus-
ter shows M1 through M5.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; as a result, for
example, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by the
system. The gear selected will appear briefly in
the instrument cluster followed by the current
gear.To use the automatic function again, move the
selector lever to the right into position D.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up. A malfunc-
tion has occurred in the transmission
system. Avoid heavy loads.
While it will still remain possible to move the
selector lever to any desired position, the trans-
mission will revert to its default mode with only
a limited number of forward gears.
Have the system checked as soon as possible.
Instructions on towing, tow starting and jump
starting begin on page108.
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Atypically rapid flashing of the indicator
lamp indicates that a turn signal bulb has
gone out.<
Signaling briefly
Press lever to resistance point and hold for as
long as you wish to signal.
Touch signaling
Press lever to resistance point.
The signal flashes three times.
If you wish, you can have this function
activated.<

Reference
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Controls
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Mobility
71
evasive maneuvers, thus endangering the pas-
sengers.<
To ensure that the safety belts continue
to provide optimal protection, please fol-
low the instructions on page26.<
Ski bag*
To create a flat cargo surface, you can remove
the ski bag and replace it with a tray before
folding the rear backrest forward. The tray is
inserted in the same way as inserting the ski
bag, refer to Inserting ski bag.70
Cargo area cover
Pull the cargo area cover out by the handle and
hook it into the rear holders.
You can carry light objects such as articles of
clothing on the cargo area cover.
Never place heavy, hard objects on the
cover. If you do so, they could endanger
passengers during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.
Do not allow the cover to snap back into place;
this can damage it.<
Removal
1.Press the side buttons, refer to arrow1.
2.Pull the case toward the rear, refer to
arrow2.
Installation
Push the case forward into the two side holders
until it locks into place.
Stowing* when rear seat back is folded
down
Holders for the case are mounted on the backs
of the rear seat backs, refer to arrows1.
Guide in the case from the right side until it
locks into place, refer to arrow 2. As you do this,
the cargo area cover must always point in the
direction of travel and the loop of the partition
net must point upward.
You can pull out the partition net and insert it
into the holders in the roof area above.

Things to remember when driving
76
Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in
Moving parts should be allowed to adjust to one
another. To ensure that your vehicle provides
maximum economy throughout a long service
life, we request that you observe the following
instructions.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
For the first 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and driving speeds, but
do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph / 160 km/h
in the process.
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid press-
ing the accelerator beyond the kick-down point.
After 1,200 miles/2000 km
Engine and road speed can be gradually
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. For this reason, drive with extra care
during the initial 200 miles/300 km.
Obey your local and state maximum speed lim-
its.
When the vehicle is operated on wet or
slushy roads, a wedge of water may form
between the tire and the road surface. This phe-
nomenon is referred to as hydroplaning and can
lead to partial or complete loss of traction, vehi-
cle control and braking effectiveness. Reduce
your speed on wet roads.<
Brake system
Your vehicle must travel approx. 300 miles/
500 km before the brake pads and rotors
achieve the optimal pad-surface and wear patterns required for trouble-free operation and
long service life later on.
To break in the separate handbrake drums,
apply the handbrake lightly when coasting to a
stop – at a traffic signal, for instance; use cau-
tion to avoid posing a danger to other road
users.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure from
time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on when the
handbrake is applied.
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the vehicle
with the engine off – e.g., by towing – substan-
tially higher levels of pedal force will be required
to brake the vehicle.<
Clutch
The function of the clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following component replacements
Follow the break-in sequence again if compo-
nents addressed above must be replaced due
to subsequent driving.
General driving notes
Close the liftgate
Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate
is completely closed; otherwise, exhaust
fumes could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
liftgate open:

Reference
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3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX lbs. or YYY kg.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
990 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
240 lbs.:
990 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 240 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded into and/or onto the
vehicle. This combined weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity calculated in step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permitted load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage
can be transported.
Stowing cargo
>To protect passengers, use the partition
net, refer to page72.
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and as low
as possible, placing it directly behind the
rear seat backrests.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>Do not stack cargo higher than the upper
edge of the backrests.
>Items that could bump against the rear win-
dow while driving must be adequately cov-
ered.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
opposite buckle.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net* o r d ra w s t r a p s t o h o l d
down small and lightweight luggage and
cargo, refer to page73.
>For larger and heavier pieces, heavy-duty
cargo straps
* are available from your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center. These
heavy-duty cargo straps are attached using
the lashing eyes in the cargo area, refer to
page73.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
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109
Starting engine
1.Start the engine of the assisting vehicle and
let it run at a slightly elevated idling speed
for a few minutes.
2.Start the engine on the other vehicle in the
usual way.
If the first start attempt is not successful,
wait a few minutes before another attempt
in order to allow the discharged battery to
recharge.
3.Let the engines run for a few minutes.
4.Disconnect the jumper cables by reversing
the connection sequence.
If need be, have the battery checked and
recharged.
Never use spray fluids to start the
engine.<
Tow starting and towing
Obey all applicable laws and guidelines
for tow starting and towing.<
Do not allow any passengers other than
the driver to ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.<
Using tow fitting
The threaded tow fitting is stored in the
onboard tool kit, refer to page99, and must
always remain in the vehicle. It can be screwed
in at the front or rear of the BMW.
Only use the tow fitting that comes with
the vehicle and screw it in as far as it will
go. Use the tow fitting only for towing on roads.
Avoid lateral loading of the tow fitting, e.g. do
not lift the vehicle by the tow fitting. Otherwise,
the tow fitting and the vehicle can be dam-
aged.<
Access to screw thread
Press out the cover in the front or rear bumper
at the notch at the bottom with a screwdriver.
Being towed
Make sure that the ignition key is in posi-
tion 1; otherwise, the steering lock will
engage, making it impossible to steer the vehi-
cle. There is no power assist with the engine
switched off. It is therefore necessary to exert
increased effort for braking and steering.<
Switch on the hazard warning flashers depend-
ing on the local regulations. If the electrical sys-
tem fails, mark the vehicle to be towed, e.g. with
a sign or warning triangle in the rear window.
Do not exceed a towing speed of
30 mph/50 km/h and a towing distance of
95 miles/150 km; otherwise, the drive train may
be damaged.<
Manual transmission
Gearshift lever in neutral.
Automatic transmission
Selector lever in position N.
Changing selector lever positions, refer to
page38.
Towing methods
In some countries, towing with tow bars or
ropes on public roads is not permitted.
Familiarize yourself with the regulations on tow-
ing in the specific country.

Giving and receiving assistance
110
With tow bar
The towing vehicle must not be lighter
than the vehicle to be towed; otherwise,
it will not be possible to safely control vehicle
response.<
The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an offset
angle, please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be strictly limited in corners.
>When mounted at an angle, the tow bar will
exert lateral forces, tending to push the
vehicle sideways.
Secure the tow bar to the tow fittings
only. Otherwise, other vehicle parts could
be damaged.<
With tow-rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow-rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Secure the tow rope to the tow fittings only.
Otherwise, other vehicle parts could be dam-
aged.<
With tow truck
Do not tow the X3 with only the front or
rear axle raised; otherwise, the wheels
could lock and the transfer case could be dam-
aged.<
Have the X3 transported only on a flat bed.To avoid damage, do not lift the vehicle
from the tow fitting or body and suspen-
sion parts.<
Tow starting
If possible, do not tow start the vehicle; jump
start the engine instead, refer to page108.
Vehicles equipped with catalytic convertors
should only be tow started when the engine is
cold. It is not possible to tow start an engine
equipped with an automatic transmission.
1.Switch on hazard warning flashers, comply
with local regulations.
2.Switch on ignition, refer to page36.
3.Shift into 3rd gear.
4.Have the vehicle tow-started with the clutch
depressed and slowly release the clutch.
After the engine starts, immediately
depress the clutch again.
5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope and switch off the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
6.Have the vehicle checked.
Do not activate the HDC Hill Descent
Control during tow starting, refer to
page49.<

Everything from A to Z
118
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System48
– indicator lamp12
Accessories, refer to For your
own safety6
Accident, refer to Receiving
assistance107
Acknowledgment signal for
locking/unlocking
vehicle19,20
Activated-charcoal filter64
Adaptive Head Light57
Adding engine oil94
Adjusting seats27
– electrically27
– mechanically27
– mechanically Sports seat28
Airbags53
– deactivating front passenger
side33,54
– indicator lamp for front
passenger airbags54
– sitting safely26
– warning lamp54
Air circulation, refer to Recir-
culated-air mode60,63
Air conditioner59
Air distribution
– air conditioner60
– automatic climate control63
Airing, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Air outlets, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure86
Air vents, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Air volume60
– adjusting manually63AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications85
Alarm system24
– avoiding unintentional
alarms25
All-season tires, refer to
Special characteristics of
winter tires90
All wheel drive, refer to
xDrive49
Anchorage points73
Antifreeze
– coolant95
– washer fluid41
Antifreeze protection,
coolant95
Antilock Brake System
ABS48
– indicator lamp12
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system18,24
Approved axle load, refer to
Weights116
Approved engine oils95
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights116
Armrest
– front67
– rear68
Artificial leather, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Ashtray68
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control63
Automatic
– air distribution63
– air volume63
– recirculated-air control
AUC63
Automatic car wash, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochureAutomatic climate control62
Automatic cruise control41
Automatic curb monitor31
Automatic deactivation of
front passenger airbags54
Automatic headlamp
control56
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic38
– indicator lamp39
– interlock36
– selector lever interlock38
– shiftlock38
– towing109
– tow starting110
AUTO program63
Average fuel consumption46
– setting units45
Average speed46
– setting units45
Avoiding unintentional
alarms25
Axle loads, refer to
Weights116
B
Backrest, refer to Seats27
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support28
Backup lamps
– bulb replacement102
– refer to Tail lamps102
Bandages, refer to First-aid
kit108
Bar, towing110
Battery105
– disposal106
– indicator lamp12
– jump starting108
– power failure106
– remote control18
– warning lamp105

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
119
Belts, refer to Safety belts29
Beverage holder, refer to Cup
holders66
Blower, refer to
– Air volume60
– Air volume, adjusting
manually63
BMW maintenance system97
Bottle holder, refer to Cup
holders66
Brake fluid96
– level96
– warning lamp96
Brake force display53
Brake lamps
– brake force display53
– indicator lamp, defective
bulb12,56
– replacing bulbs102
Brake light, refer to Brake
lamps102
Brake pads96
– breaking-in76
– warning lamp96
Brake pedal, refer to Safe
braking78
Brake rotors
– brake system76
– breaking-in76
Brakes78,96
– ABS48,78
– brake fluid96
– brake pads96
– breaking-in76
– handbrake37
– indicator/warning lamp12
Brake system96
– brake fluid96
– brake pads96
– breaking-in76
– disk brakes78
– warning lamp96
Brake wear warning
– refer to Brake pads96
– warning lamp96
Breakdown service, refer to
Receiving assistance107
Breaking-in76Bulb replacement, refer to
Lamps and bulbs99
Buttons on steering wheel13
C
California law
– Event Data Recorders98
– Proposition 65 Warning6
Calling, refer to telephone
Owner's Manual
Can holder, refer to Cup
holders66
Capacities116
Capacity, cargo area116
Car care, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
Car-care products, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Care, refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Cargo, securing79
Cargo area21,70
– capacity116
– cover71
– emergency operation, refer
to Opening manually21
– enlarging70
– floor cover72
– folding rear seat backrest70
– lashing eyes73
– lid, refer to Liftgate21
– opening from outside21
– opening with remote
control19
– power socket69
Cargo loading78
– load79
– securing cargo79
– stowing cargo79
– vehicle78
Caring for artificial leather,
refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Caring for carpet, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochureCaring for leather, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Caring for plastic, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Caring for vehicle finish, refer
to Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Car keys, refer to Key set18
Car phone, refer to separate
Owner's Manual
Car phone preparation69
Car radio, refer to Owner's
Manual for Radio/Onboard
Computer
Car wash77
– refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Cassette operation, refer to
Owner's Manual for Radio/
Onboard Computer
CD operation, refer to Owner's
Manual for Radio/Onboard
Computer
Cellphone, refer to separate
Owner's Manual
Central locking system18
– interior20
Changes, technical, refer to
For your own safety6
Changing a wheel103
Changing gears
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic39
– manual transmission38
Changing wheels89
Charge-current indicator
lamp12,105
Charging battery106
Check Gas Cap, warning
lamp12,84
Checking oil level94
Child's seat, refer to Child
restraint systems33
Child-restraint fixing system
LATCH34