steering BMW X5 3.0I 2007 E70 Owner's Guide

Driving tips
123Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page219.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 20 in/50 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Starting assistant
The starting assistant enables you to start off
conveniently on slopes. The parking brake is
not required for this purpose.
1.Hold the vehicle with the footbrake.
2.Release the footbrake and immediately
drive off quickly.
The starting assistant holds the vehicle
for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the
footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle
may also roll back slightly during this time.
After releasing the footbrake, immediately start
quickly, otherwise the starting assistant no
longer holds the vehicle after approx. 2 seconds
and it begins to roll back.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent pressure on the brake pedal
can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and
possibly even brake failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be further
increased by downshifting in the manual mode
of the automatic transmission, if necessary into
first gear, refer to page61. This prevents an
excessive strain on the brakes.
Do not drive in idle or with the engine
stopped, otherwise there will be no
engine braking action or support of the braking
force and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.

Things to remember when driving
126
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Please comply with the precau-
tions included with the installation instructions.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
its handling and steering response. You should
therefore always remember not to exceed the
approved roof load capacity, the approved
gross vehicle weight or the axle loads when
loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights under
Weights on page244.
The load on the roof must be evenly distributed
and must not extend outward beyond the limits
of the loading surface. Always stow the heaviest
pieces on the bottom. Be sure that adequate
clearance is maintained for raising the pan-
orama glass sunroof, and that objects do not
project into the opening path of the liftgate.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.
Driving on poor roads
Your X5 is at home on all roads and surfaces.
It combines a 4-wheel drive system with the
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Driving on unpaved terrain can cause
damage to the vehicle.<
When you are driving on poor roads, there are a
few points which you should strictly observe for
your own safety, for that of your passengers,
and for the safety of the vehicle:
>Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
driving off and avoid taking risks at all costs.
>Adapt your driving speed to the road condi-
tions. The steeper and rougher the road
surface is, the lower the speed should be.>You can operate your vehicle on uphill and
downhill gradients with a maximum slope of
50 %. If you want to drive on uphill or down-
hill gradients of this kind, make sure before-
hand that the engine oil and coolant levels
are near the MAX mark, refer to page225.
>Use the HDC Hill Descent Control when
driving down extremely steep grades, refer
to page85. It is possible to start off on
grades of up to 33 %.
The permissible body roll is 50 %.
>While driving, watch carefully for obstacles
such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid these
obstacles whenever possible.
>Please make sure that the undercarriage
does not touch the ground, for example on
crests and bumpy roads. The ground clear-
ance of the vehicle is a maximum of approx.
8.0 in/20 cm. Please note that the ground
clearance can vary depending on loading
and the driving conditions of the vehicle.
>Only drive through water on roads up to a
maximum depth of 20 in/50 cm and only at
walking speed, making sure not to stop in
the process.
>After driving through water at low speed,
lightly press the brake pedal several times
to dry the brakes and to prevent the braking
effect from being reduced by wetness.
>Depending on the condition of the surface,
it may be practical to briefly activate DTC,
refer to DTC Dynamic Traction Control on
page85.
>If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal sufficiently so that the
driving stability control systems can distrib-
ute the drive forces to the individual wheels.
Please note the following points after driving on
poor roads to maintain the driving safety of your
BMW:
>Clean the coarsest dirt from the body.
>Clean mud, snow, ice etc. from the wheels
and tires and check the tires for damage.

Destination entry
134 1.Change to upper field.
The arrow is selected.
2.Turn the controller to the right until the
request for the entry of a street in the coun-
try appears and press the controller.
3.Change to the second field from the top and
enter the street.
Entering house number
All house numbers stored for the street on the
navigation DVD can be entered.
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.Enter the house number:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
3.Change into the third field from the top.
Turn the controller until the house number
is selected and press the controller.
Starting destination guidance with
manual destination entry
>Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
Destination guidance starts immediately.
>If the destination guidance does not need to
be started immediately:
Select "Add to destination list" and press
the controller.
The destination is stored in the destination
list, refer to page138.
Entering destination via
voice*
You can enter a desired destination with the
voice command system. When entering the
destination, it is possible to change between
voice command and iDrive at any time. Reacti-
vate the voice command system for this pur-
pose if necessary.
With {Options} you can have the possible
commands read aloud.<
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
2.{Enter address}

Destination guidance
146 To exit the menu:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
Destination guidance via
voice instructions
Switching voice instructions on/off
Voice instructions can be switched on or off
during the destination guidance in the arrow or
map view:
Select the symbol and press the controller.
To switch the voice instructions on and off at
any time:
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.4.Select "Language / Units" and press the
controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Languages" is selected and
press the controller.
6.Select "Navigation voice instructions" and
press the controller.
The voice instructions are switched on.
Repeating and canceling voice
instructions
With the programmable buttons on the steering
wheel you can also make the following settings,
refer to page50:
>Repeat the voice instruction:
Press the button.
>Switch voice instructions on/off:
Hold the button down.
Setting volume of voice instructions
The volume can only be adjusted while a voice
instruction is being output.
1.Repeat the last voice instruction, if neces-
sary.
2.Turn the button during the voice instruction
to select the desired volume.

On/Off and settings
154
On/Off and settings
The following audio and video sources have
common controls and adjustment options:
>Radio
>CD player
>CD changer
*
Controls
The audio and video sources can be operated
with:
>Buttons in the area of the CD player
>iDrive
>Buttons
on steering wheel, refer to page11
>Programmable memory/direct selection
buttons, refer to page21
Buttons on CD player
Equipment with a single drive
1Entertainment sound output on/off, volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When you switch on, the last set radio
station or CD track is played.
>Turn: adjust volume.
2 Eject CD
3Drive for audio CDs
4 Station scan/track search
>Change radio station.
>Select track for CD player and
CD changer.
Equipment with two drives
1Entertainment sound output on/off, volume
>Press: switch on/off.
When you switch on, the last set radio
station or CD track is played.
>Turn: adjust volume.
2Drive for audio CDs
3 Eject CD
4 Station scan/track search
>Change radio station.
>Select track for CD player and
CD changer.
5Drive for navigation DVDs
Operation via iDrive
iDrive, for explanation of concept, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open
"Entertainment".

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
155Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
You have the following choices:
>"FM" and "AM": radio reception
>"WB": Weather Band station
>"SAT": satellite radio
*
>"CD": CD player or changer
>"AUX": external audio device
>"Set": depending on the audio source,
other adjustments can be made, e.g. with
the radio: update station with strongest
reception, store station, tone control, sam-
ple stations.
From another menu, you can change
directly to the screen last displayed,
refer to Comfort opening of menu items on
page18.<
From radio readiness, the selected audio
source is stored for the remote control currently
in use.
Switching on/off
To switch the Entertainment sound output on
and off:
Press knob1 on the CD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indi-
cates that sound output is switched off.
For equipment with a single drive, the sound
output is available for approx. 20 minutes with
the ignition switched off.
Switch on the sound output again for this pur-
pose.
Adjusting volume
Turn knob1 on the CD player until the desired
volume is set.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
From radio readiness, the setting is stored for
the remote control currently in use.
Tone control
You can alter various tone settings, e. g. treble
and bass, or the speed-dependent volume
increase.
The tone settings are set for all audio sources at
once.
From radio readiness, the settings are stored
for the remote control currently in use.
Changing tone settings
1. button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Select "Audio" or "Tone / volume" and
press the controller.
The tone settings can also be selected when
you have opened "Entertainment" in the start
menu:
Select "Set" and then "Tone", and press the
controller.
Treble and bass
1.Select "Treble / Bass" and press the con-
troller.

Radio
158
Radio
Your radio provides reception of the FM and AM
wavebands.
Listening to radio
Press the knob if the sound output is switched
off.
iDrive, for explanation of concept, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Select
"FM" or "AM".
4.Press the controller.
Stations are shown on the Control Display on
the basis of various selection criteria, e. g. "Pre-
sets".
If "Autostore" does not display any stations or
if the stations displayed can no longer be
received in the AM reception range, to update the station with the strongest signal, refer to
page159.
Changing stations
Turn the controller.
Buttons on CD player
Press the button for the corresponding
direction.
The system changes to the next displayed sta-
tion.
You can also change stations with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Changing selection criteria
In addition to the stations currently displayed,
you can have stations with another selection
criterion displayed.
You can choose from the following selection
criteria:
>"All stations":
Stations that can currently be received in
the "FM" waveband.
>"Autostore":
The stations with the strongest received
signals in the "AM" waveband.
>"Presets":
Stations you have previously stored, refer to
page160.

CD player and CD changer
166
Starting CD changer
Filling CD changer, refer to page169.
Via iDrive
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to open
"Entertainment".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Select
"CD" and press the controller.
4.Change to the second field from the top if
necessary. Select the desired CD and press
the controller.
At the end of the last track, the next CD will be
selected.
With programmable memory/direct
selection buttons
You can store a CD compartment of the CD
changer on the programmable memory/direct
selection buttons to start the CD changer, refer
to page21.
Selecting a track
Buttons on CD player
Press the button for the corresponding
direction repeatedly until you reach the desired
track.
The track is displayed on the Control Display.
You can also change the track with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page11.
Via iDrive
Select a track by turning the controller.
Compressed audio files
1.Select the directory if necessary and press
the controller.
2.Select the track and press the controller.
3.Select "Play" and press the controller.

Telephoning
188
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone
preparation package. After logging on a suitable
mobile phone on the vehicle once, you can
operate the mobile phone via iDrive, with the
buttons on the steering wheel and by voice.
A mobile phone that has been logged on once is
automatically detected again with the engine
running or the ignition switched on as soon as
it is in the vehicle interior. The logon data of up
to four mobile phones can be stored simulta-
neously. If several mobile phones are detected
simultaneously, the respective last mobile
phone logged on can be operated via the vehi-
cle.
Using a phone in your vehicle
Using snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a mobile phone
cradle, enables the battery to be charged and
the mobile phone to be connected to the exter-
nal antenna of your vehicle. This ensures
improved network reception and a consistent
voice reproduction quality. Ask your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center which mobile
phones snap-in adapters are offered for.
BMW discourages the use of mobile
phones or other mobile communications
devices inside the vehicle without a direct con-
nection to an outside antenna. Otherwise, the
vehicle electronics and mobile communication
device can influence one another. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation which
results from transmission will be dissipated
from the vehicle interior.<
Avoid operating a mobile phone detected by
the vehicle with the keypad of the mobile
phone, otherwise malfunctions can occur.
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile
phone's separate operating instructions for a
detailed description of safety precautions and
information, we request that you direct your
particular attention to the following:
Only make entries when the traffic situa-
tion allows you to do so. Do not hold the
mobile phone in your hand while you are driving;
use the hands-free system instead. If you do
not observe this precaution, your being dis-
tracted can endanger vehicle occupants and
other road users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
which mobile phones with a Bluetooth interface
are supported by the mobile phone preparation
package or which mobile phones snap-in
adapters are available for. These mobile phones
support the functions described in this Owner's
Manual with a certain software version. Mal-
functions can occur with other mobile phones.
Care instructions
You can find what you need to know about car-
ing for your mobile phone in the Caring for your
vehicle brochure and in the separate mobile
phone operating instructions.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone using:
>Buttons on steering wheel, refer to page11
>iDrive, refer to page192
>Voice commands, refer to page197
*

Telephoning
192 The phone book entries you have trans-
ferred from your mobile phone to your vehi-
cle are also deleted in the process.
Activating/deactivating Bluetooth link
Bluetooth technology is not approved in
all countries. Observe the applicable local
regulations. Temporarily disconnect the Blue-
tooth link between the vehicle and the mobile
phone if necessary.<
If the Bluetooth link is deactivated, you cannot
operate your mobile phone via the vehicle and
other devices with a Bluetooth interface can be
used via the mobile phone, e.g. a laptop com-
puter.
To temporarily deactivate the Bluetooth link
between your vehicle and your mobile phone:
1.Remove the mobile phone from the snap-in
adapter and switch it off.
2.Press the button to open the start
menu.
3.Press the controller to open the menu.
4.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
5.Select "Bluetooth" and press the controller.
6.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Bluetooth" is selected and
press the controller.7.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
The Bluetooth link is activated.
8.Select "Bluetooth communication active"
and press the controller to activate or deac-
tivate the link.
Adjusting volume
Turn the knob during a call to select the desired
volume.
This volume for the hands-free system is main-
tained, even if the other audio sources are set to
minimum volume.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page10.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Operation via iDrive
You can operate the following functions via
iDrive:
>Accepting a call
>Dialing phone numbers
>Dialing phone numbers from the phone
book
>Dialing stored phone numbers, e.g. from the
list of accepted calls