4 wheel drive BMW X3 XDRIVE 35I 2011 Owners Manual

ContentsThe fastest way to find information on a partic‐
ular topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page 252.
Using this Owner's Manual6Notes
At a glance
12Cockpit19iDrive25Voice activation system27Integrated Owner's Manual in the vehicle
Controls
32Opening and closing47Adjusting55Transporting children safely58Driving67Displays76Lamps80Safety86Driving stability control systems91Driving comfort101Climate control107Interior equipment114Storage compartments
Driving tips
120Things to remember when driving
Navigation
128Navigation
Entertainment
146Tone148Radio155CD/multimediaCommunication176Professional mobile phone preparation
package185Office193Contacts195BMW Assist
Mobility
204Refueling206Fuel207Wheels and tires215Engine compartment217Engine oil219Maintenance221Replacing components228Breakdown assistance233Care
Reference
238Technical data243Short commands of the voice activation
system252Everything from A to ZSeite 5
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500
ReferenceMobilityCommunicationEntertainmentNavigationDriving tipsControlsAt a glance

Voice activation system*The concept▷The voice activation system can be used to
operate functions by means of spoken com‐
mands.▷Most menu items on the Control Display can
be voiced as commands. The system
prompts you to make your entries.▷Functions that can only be used when the
vehicle is stationary cannot be operated us‐
ing the voice activation system.▷The system uses a special microphone on
the driver's side.▷›...‹ Verbal instructions in the Owner's
Manual to use with the voice activation sys‐
tem.
Requirements
Via the Control Display, set a language that is
also supported by the voice activation system
so that the spoken commands can be identified.
Set the language, refer to page 73.
Using voice activation
Activating the voice activation system
1. Press the button on the steering
wheel.2.Wait for the signal.3.Say the command.
The command is displayed in the instrument
cluster.
This symbol in the instrument cluster indi‐
cates that the voice activation system is active.
If no other commands are available, continue
operating the function via iDrive.
Terminating the voice activation
system
Briefly press the button on the steering wheel
or ›Cancel‹.
Possible commands
Having possible commands read aloud
The commands available in each case depend
on the menu item selected on the Control Dis‐
play.
To have the available commands read out
loud: ›Voice commands‹
For example, if the "Settings" menu is displayed,
the commands for the settings are read out loud.
Help on the voice activation system
To have the information in the help system read
out loud: ›Help‹
Executing functions using short
commands
Functions on the main menu can be performed
directly by means of short commands, irrespec‐
tive of which menu item is currently selected,
e.g., ›Vehicle status‹.
List of short commands of the voice activation
system, refer to page 243.
Example: playing back a CD1.Switch on the Entertainment sound output
if necessary.2. Press the button on the steering
wheel.3.›C D and multimedia‹
The medium last played is played back.Seite 2525
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500
ReferenceMobilityCommunicationEntertainmentNavigationDriving tipsControlsAt a glance

Adjusting the height: outer head
restraints▷To raise: pull.▷To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and
push the head restraint down.
Removing
Only remove the head restraint if no one will be
sitting in the seat in question.
1.Pull the head restraint upward as far as pos‐
sible.2.Press the button, arrow 1, and pull the head
restraint out completely.
Before transporting passengers
Reinstall the head restraint before trans‐
porting anyone in the seat; otherwise, the pro‐
tective function of the head restraint is unavail‐
able.◀
Seat and mirror memory*
General information
Two different driver's seat and exterior mirror
positions can be stored and retrieved for each
remote control. Settings for the backrest width
and lumbar support are not stored in memory.
Storing
1.Switch on the ignition.2.Set the desired position.3. Press the button. The LED in the
button lights up.4.Press the desired button 1 or 2. The LED
goes out.
If the M button is pressed accidentally:
Press the button again.
The LED goes out.
Calling up settings Do not retrieve the memory while driving
Do not retrieve the memory setting while
driving, as an unexpected movement of the seat
or steering wheel could result in an accident.◀
Comfort function
1.Open the driver's door.2.Switch off the ignition.3.Briefly press the desired button 1 or 2.
The corresponding seat position is performed
automatically.
The procedure stops when a switch for adjust‐
ing the seat or one of the buttons is pressed.
Seite 5252
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500Adjusting

SettingPull the switch.
The LED lights up.
The indicator lamp lights up in red. The
parking brake is set.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models
Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking;
otherwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep
upward and downward inclines, further secure
the vehicle, for example, by turning the steering
wheel in the direction of the curb. ◀
While driving
Use while driving:
Pull the switch and hold it. The vehicle brakes
hard while the button is being pulled.
The indicator lamp lights up in red, a sig‐
nal sounds and the brake lamps light up.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models
If the vehicle is braked to a speed of ap‐
prox. 2 mph/3 km/h, the parking brake
remains set.
Releasing Automatic transmission*: Press the
switch while the brake is pressed or trans‐
mission position P is engaged.
The LED and indicator lamp go out.
The parking brake is released.
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot release the parking brake.◀
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 away.
For your safety
Under the following conditions, Automatic Hold
is automatically deactivated and the parking
brake is set:
▷The engine is switched off.▷A door is opened and driver's safety belt is
unbuckled.▷The moving vehicle is brought to a standstill
using the parking brake.
The indicator lamp switches from green
to red and the letters AUTO H go out.
Indicator lamp in Canadian models
Before driving away:
▷Release the parking brake manually.▷Reactivate Automatic Hold.Seite 6060
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500Driving

Leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning, engage position P of the automatic trans‐
mission and ensure that the parking brake is set.
Otherwise, the vehicle may begin to roll.◀
Activating
This function can be activated when the driver's
door is closed and the safety belt is fastened, or
while driving.
Press the button.
The LED and the letters AUTO H light
up.
The indicator lamp lights up.
Automatic Hold is activated.
Deactivating Press the 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, refer to page 59, is set
manually, Automatic Hold is deactivated auto‐
matically.
Driving
Automatic Hold is activated: the vehicle is auto‐
matically secured against rolling when it stops.
The indicator lamp lights up in green.
Step on the accelerator pedal to drive
off.
The brake is released automatically.
The indicator lamp goes out.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian models
Before driving into a car wash
Deactivate Automatic Hold; otherwise, the
parking brake will be set when the vehicle is sta‐
tionary and the vehicle will no longer be able to
roll.◀Parking
The parking brake is automatically set if the en‐
gine is switched off while the vehicle is being
held by Automatic Hold.
The indicator lamp changes from green
to red.
The parking brake is not set if the engine
is switched off while the vehicle is coast‐
ing to a halt. Automatic Hold is deacti‐
vated.
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for example,
cannot release the parking brake.◀
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against rolling
using a wheel chock, for example, when leaving
it.
Turn signal, high beams,
headlamp flasher
Turn signal
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, press the lever to the re‐
sistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator lamp in‐
dicates that a turn signal bulb has failed.
Seite 6161
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500
ReferenceMobilityCommunicationEntertainmentNavigationDriving tipsControlsAt a glance

To clean the rear window, press the lever further
forward.
Fold-out position of the wipers
Required when changing the wiper blades or
under frosty conditions, for example.1.Switch off the ignition.2.Under frosty conditions, ensure that the
wiper blades are not frozen onto the wind‐
shield.3.Press the wiper lever up beyond the point of
resistance and hold it for approx. 3 seconds,
until the wiper remains in a nearly vertical
position.
After the wipers are folded back down, the wiper
system must be reactivated.
Fold the wipers back down
Before switching the ignition on, fold the
wipers back down to the windshield; otherwise,
the wipers may become damaged when they are
switched on.◀
1.Switch on the ignition.2.Press the wiper levers down. The wipers
move to their resting position and are ready
for operation.
Washer fluid
General information Antifreeze for washer fluid
Antifreeze is flammable. Therefore, keep
it away from sources of ignition.
Only keep it in the closed original container and
inaccessible to children.
Follow the instructions on the container.◀
Washer fluid reservoir Adding washer fluid
Only add washer fluid when the engine is
cool, and then close the cover completely to
avoid contact between the washer fluid and hot
engine parts.
Otherwise, there is the danger of fire and a risk
to personal safety if the fluid is spilled.◀
All washer nozzles are supplied from one reser‐
voir.
Fill with water and – if required – with a washer
antifreeze, according to the manufacturer's rec‐
ommendations.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to maintain
the correct mixing ratio.
Capacity
Approx. 5.3 US quarts/ 5 liters
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*
Transmission positions
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for‐
ward gears are available.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N is Neutral
Use in automatic car washes, for example. The
vehicle can roll.
When the ignition is switched off, refer to
page 58, position P is engaged automatically.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
P is engaged automatically:
Seite 6464
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500Driving

Resetting the trip odometerPress the knob.▷The odometer is displayed
when the ignition is switched
off.▷When the ignition is switched
on, the trip odometer is reset.
External temperature
External temperature warning If the display drops to +37 ℉/
+3 ℃, a signal sounds.
A Check Control message is dis‐
played.
There is the increased danger of
ice.
Ice on roads
Even at temperatures above +37 ℉/+3 ℃,
there can be a risk of ice on roads.
Therefore, drive carefully on bridges and shady
roads, for example, to avoid the increased dan‐
ger of an accident.◀
Time The time is displayed in the in‐
strument cluster.
Date The date is displayed in the in‐
strument cluster.
Selection lists in the
instrument cluster
The concept
The following can be operated using the buttons
and the thumbwheel on the steering wheel and
the display in the instrument cluster:
▷Current audio source.▷Redial on telephone*.▷Activation of the voice activation system*.
Activating a list and creating the
setting
Press a button on the right side of the steering
wheel or turn the thumbwheel to activate the re‐
quired list.
Create the setting using the thumbwheel.
Seite 6969
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500
ReferenceMobilityCommunicationEntertainmentNavigationDriving tipsControlsAt a glance

Safety
Airbags1Front airbag, driver2Front airbag, front passenger3Head airbag4Side airbag5Knee airbagsFront airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest and lap area.
Head airbags
In a lateral impact, the head airbag supports the
head.
Knee airbag
The knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact.Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to keep
the danger of injury to your hands or arms as
low as possible if the airbag is triggered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.Seite 8080
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500Safety

▷Do not place objects under the seat that
could press against the seat from below.
Indicator lamp for the front passenger
airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags indicates the operating state of the front
passenger airbags.
The lamp indicates whether the airbags are ac‐
tivated or deactivated.
▷The indicator lamp lights up
when a child who is properly
seated in a child restraint fix‐
ing system intended for that
purpose is detected on the
seat or the seat is empty. The
airbags on the front passen‐
ger side are not activated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient size is detected on the seat. The
airbags on the front passenger side are ac‐
tivated.
The system generally detects children seated in
a child seat, especially in the child seats that
were required by NHTSA when the vehicle was
manufactured. After installing a child seat, make
sure that the indicator lamp for the front pas‐
senger airbags lights up. This indicates that the
child seat has been detected and the front pas‐
senger airbags are not activated.
Strength of the driver's and front
passenger airbag
The strength with which the driver's and front
passenger airbags are triggered depends on the
position of the driver's and front passenger
seats.
To maintain the accuracy of this function over
the long-term, calibrate the front seats when a
corresponding message appears on the Control
Display.
Calibrating the front seats
A corresponding message appears on the Con‐
trol Display.1.Move the respective seat forward all the
way.2.Move the respective seat forward again. It
moves forward briefly.3.Readjust the seat to the desired position.
The calibration procedure is completed when
the message on the Control Display disappears.
If the message continues to be displayed, repeat
the calibration.
If the message does not disappear after a repeat
calibration, have the system checked as soon as
possible.
Unobstructed area of movement
Ensure that the area of movement of the
seats is unobstructed to avoid personal injury or
damage to objects.◀
Tire Pressure Monitor TPM*
The concept
The tire inflation pressure is measured in the
four mounted tires. The system notifies you if
there is a significant loss of pressure in one or
more tires.
Functional requirements
The system must have been reset when the in‐
flation pressure was correct; otherwise, reliable
signaling of a flat tire is not ensured. Always use
wheels with TPM electronics to ensure that the
system will operate properly. Reset the system
after each correction of the tire inflation pres‐
sure and after every tire or wheel change.
Seite 8282
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500Safety

System limitsSudden tire damage
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in ad‐
vance.◀
The system does not operate correctly if it has
not been reset. For example, a flat tire may be
indicated despite correct tire inflation pres‐
sures.
The system is inactive and cannot indicate a flat
tire:▷For a mounted wheel without TPM electron‐
ics.▷When the TPM is disturbed by other sys‐
tems or devices with the same radio fre‐
quency.
Status display
The current status of the Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM can be displayed on the Control Display,
e.g., whether or not the TPM is active.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Tire Pressure Monitor - TPM"
The status is displayed.
Resetting the system
Reset the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Reset TPM"4.Start the engine - do not drive away.5.Reset the tire pressure using "Reset".6.Drive away.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After driving for a few minutes, the set tire infla‐
tion pressures are applied as set values. The re‐
setting process is completed automatically dur‐
ing driving. The tires are shown in green and
"TPM active" is shown on the Control Display.
The trip can be interrupted at any time. If you
drive away again, the process resumes auto‐
matically.
If a flat tire is detected during a reset, all tires are
displayed in yellow.
Low tire pressure message The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
Check Control message is displayed.▷There is a flat tire or a major loss in
tire inflation pressure.▷The system was not reset after a wheel
change and thus warns based on the infla‐
tion pressures initialized last.1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with reg‐
ular tires* or run-flat tires*.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 213, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the tire sidewall.
When a low inflation pressure is indicated, DSC
Dynamic Stability Control is switched on if nec‐
essary.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires*
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been initialized. In this case, initialize
the system.
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 atSeite 8383
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 190 - 12 10 500
ReferenceMobilityCommunicationEntertainmentNavigationDriving tipsControlsAt a glance