steering BMW X5 4.4I 2003 User Guide

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Airbags1 Front airbag for driver and front
passenger
2 Side Impact Head Protection System
for front and rear
3 Side airbags for front and rear
*
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety
belts by helping to provide additional
protection for the front-seat occupants
in the event of a severe frontal impact in
which the protection afforded by the
safety belts alone may no longer be suf-
Þcient. The Side Impact Head Protection
System and the side airbags help pro-
vide protection in the event of a side
impact. Each of the side airbags is
designed to help support the upper
body. 530us035
The side airbags in the rear
passenger area
* of your vehicle
may already have been deactivated
either at the time of manufacture or by a
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
You may have them activated if you
desire to do so. Please contact your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center for
additional information.<
For information on the correct seating
position, refer to page 44.
The airbags will not be triggered in
the event of a minor accident, a
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the
rear.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not attempt to remove the
airbag restraint system from the
vehicle. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation, or triggered actuation Ð as
a response to an accident Ð of the
airbag restraint system, consult your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center for
testing, repairs or service operations.
Do not modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in
the airbag system. These include the
padded steering wheel hub, the instru-
ment panel, the side trim panels of the
front or rear doors and the roof pillars or
the sides of the headliner. Do not
remove or dismantle the steering wheel
yourself. To ensure compliance with
official safety regulations, entrust
disposal of airbag generators to a
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
Unprofessional attempts to service the
system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation,
either of which could result in personal
injury. Do not touch the individual
components directly after the system
has been triggered, as otherwise there
is a danger of burns.<

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Vehicle Memory, Key Memory How the system functions You have probably frequently wished
that you could configure individual
functions of your vehicle to reflect your
own personal requirements. In engi-
neering your vehicle, BMW has
included several user-defined func-
tions in the vehicle's design. Your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center can
make these settings for you.
There are settings related to the vehicle
Ð Vehicle Memory Ð and settings related
to individuals Ð Key Memory. You can
configure up to four different basic
positions for four different persons. The
only requirement is that each person
uses his or her own remote control key. 463de029
When your vehicle is unlocked with the
remote control, the vehicle recognizes
the individual user by means of a data
exchange with the key, and makes
adjustments accordingly.
In order for you to distinguish between
the remote control master keys, colored
decals are supplied together with the
keys.What the system can doYour BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center can provide you with details on
the capabilities of the Vehicle Memory
and Key Memory systems. A few exam-
ples follow below:
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various signals that can serve as
acknowledgment for locking and
unlocking the vehicle, refer to
pages 31, 34
>Deactivating/activating the Follow me
home lamps function, refer to
page 99.Examples for Key Memory:
>Automatic adjustment of the driver's
seat, outside mirror and steering
wheel with settings stored in the
memory for the individual driver when
the vehicle is unlocked, refer to
page 51
>Calling up customized settings for the
automatic climate control when
unlocking the vehicle, refer to
page 107.
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to
remind you at appropriate places of the
settings that are available to you.<

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Ignition key positions0 Steering lock engaged
1 Steering lock disengaged
2 Ignition on
3 Starting the engineSteering lock engaged The key can only be inserted or
removed in this position.
After removing the key, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until you hear the lock engage.
Once the ignition has been switched off
Ð ignition key in position 0 or removed Ð
the radio functions are still available for
approx. 20 minutes. Turn the radio back
on to use it.390de010
An acoustic warning is sounded when
you fail to remove the ignition key after
opening the driver's door.
Vehicles with automatic trans-
mission:
Do not move the selector lever from the
Park position until the engine is running
Ð ignition key in position 2.
In order to turn the key to position 0 or
to remove it, first move the selector
lever to the Park position Ð Interlock.< Steering lock disengaged You will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to posi-
tion 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the
lock.
Individual electrical devices are ready
for operation. Starting the engine
Vehicles with manual transmis-
sion: depress the clutch when
starting the engine. If you do not, a lock
prevents the engine from starting.<
Before starting >Engage the parking brake
>Be sure that the gearshift lever is in
Neutral or the selector lever in Park if
the vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic transmission
>Depress the clutch pedal.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. Breathing the
exhaust gases poses an extreme health
risk, and can lead to unconsciousness
and death. The exhaust gases contain
carbon monoxide, an odorless and col-
orless, but highly toxic gas.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running, since an unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a safety hazard.<
When driving, standing at idle,
and parking the vehicle, take care
to avoid contact between the hot
exhaust system and flammable mate-
rials, e.g. grass, hay, leaves, etc. Such
contact could lead to a fire, resulting in
serious personal injury and property
damage.<
Ignition lock Starting the engine

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Starting the engine Switching off the engineDo not press the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine.
BMW X5 3.0i:
Do not actuate the starter for too
short a time. Do not turn it for more
than approx. 20 seconds. Release the
ignition key immediately as soon as the
engine starts.
BMW X5 4.4i, 4.6is:
Your BMW is equipped with the conve-
nience starting feature. Simply turn the
ignition key to position 3 Ð starter Ð and
then release it immediately.
The starter actuation continues to
operate automatically for a certain
period of time and is stopped automati-
cally as soon as the engine has started.
The automatic starting mode will not
operate if the battery voltage is low.
The engine can be started by means of
jump-starting, refer to page 162.<
Do not allow the engine to warm up
by leaving it running while the vehicle
remains stationary. Instead, begin to
drive immediately at a moderate engine
speed.
Should the engine fail to start on the
first attempt, if it is very hot or cold, for
instance:
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at altitudes above 3,300 ft/
1,000 meters and at very low tempera-
tures, from approx. +5 7/Ð15 6:
>For the initial start attempt, allow the
starter to remain engaged somewhat
longer, approx. 10 seconds.
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at start-up are normal and
should decrease as the engine warms
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from discharging,
always switch off electrical devices that
are not in use. Switch the ignition off
when the vehicle is not being driven.
Extended starting attempts, char-
acterized by excessively frequent
or long periods with the starter
engaged, can lead to damage of the
catalytic converter.<
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Do not remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is still moving. If
you do so, the steering will lock.
Always remove the ignition key and
engage the steering lock before leaving
the vehicle.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces. Even placing the gearshift lever
in 1st gear or reverse may not provide
adequate resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in Park.<
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
The vehicle must be stationary and the
selector lever in Park before you can
remove the ignition key.

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ComputerMode selection From ignition key position 1 and up,
you can call up information from the
computer using the button in the turn
signal lever. By pressing the button
briefly in the direction of the steering
column, you can call up a new function
for display.
The displays appear in the following
order: outside temperature, average
fuel consumption, cruising range,
average speed.
Starting with ignition key position 1,
the last active setting is displayed.
The range of available displays varies
according to your individual vehicle's
equipment.530de228
Outside temperature and average
fuel consumption You can change the units of measure-
ment Ð 6/7 Ð for the outside tempera-
ture display by
1. pressing and holding the trip odo-
meter reset button with the ignition
key in position 1
2. and then turning the ignition key to 0.
At the same time the units of mea-
surement in the temperature display
of the automatic climate control will
be changed, refer to page 105.
Refer also to page 73.390us126
Cruising range and average speed The computer bases its calculations
of the cruising range on the previous
driving style and conditions.
The computer ignores any time spent
with the vehicle stationary and the
engine switched off in its average
speed calculations.To cancel the display If the button in the turn signal lever is
pressed briefly while the average speed
is displayed, the computer display can
be masked out. To restart calculationsIf you continue to press the button in
the turn signal lever, the average values
which were just displayed for fuel con-
sumption and speed will be recalcu-
lated from that point. The engine must
be running for this calculation.Computer with alphanumeric
display
*
If your vehicle has Check Control with
alphanumeric display, the system's
computer is described beginning on
page 85 and in the Owner's Manual for
the Onboard Computer.

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PDC
* Dynamic Stability Control DSC
The PDC system does not remove
the driver's personal responsibility
for evaluating the distance between the
vehicle and any objects. Even when
sensors are involved, there is a blind
spot in which objects cannot be
detected. This applies especially in
those cases where the system
approaches the physical constraints of
ultrasonic measurement, as occurs with
tow bars and trailer couplings, and in
the vicinity of thin or wedge-shaped
objects. Similarly, low objects that have
already been detected - e.g. a curb-
stone - may disappear out of the range
of the sensors before a continuous tone
is emitted.
Loud sources of sound, inside and out-
side the vehicle, could drown out the
PDC signal tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free
of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they continue to operate effectively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Maintain an adequate distance of more
than 4 in/10 cm.<
The concept DSC maintains vehicle stability, even in
critical driving situations.
The system optimizes vehicle stability
during acceleration and when starting
from a full stop, as well as optimizing
traction. In addition, it recognizes
unstable vehicle conditions, such as
understeering or oversteering, and, as
far as is possible within the laws of
physics, keeps the vehicle on a steady
course by adapting the rpms and brake
applications to the individual wheels.
The system starts up automatically
each time you start the engine.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition,
refer to page 21.
Indicator lamp ßashes:
The system is active and governs drive
and braking force.
If the indicator lamp fails to go out after
the engine is started, or comes on
during normal driving and stays on:
The system is either defective or was
switched off with the button: the stabi-
lizing applications described to the left
are no longer available. The vehicle will
remain completely operational, how-
ever, without DSC.
Consult your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle center to have the system
repaired.

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Air conditioner Temperature
The graduations on the dial
provide general reference
values for the interior temper-
ature. We recommend
+70 7/+22 6 as a comfortable
setting. When you start the vehicle, the
system adjusts the air to the selected
temperature as quickly as possible, and
then maintains that temperature
constantly.
Air distribution
You can direct air to flow onto
the windows , toward the
upper body and into the
footwell . All intermediate
settings are possible. In the setting,
there is a low flow of air onto the
windows to keep them free of conden-
sation.
Air supply
You can adjust the air supply
through an infinitely-variable
range. The heating and venti-
lation become more and more
effective as the air supply settings are
increased. In the 0 setting, the blower
and climate control are switched off
and the outside air supply is blocked.
Rear window defroster
When the rear window
defroster is activated, the
indicator lamp comes on. The rear
window defroster switches off automat-
ically.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehu-
midified and Ñ depending on
the temperature setting Ñ warmed
again. Depending on the weather, the
windshield may fog over briefly when
the engine is started. You can reduce
condensation forming on the windows
by switching on the air conditioning.
During air conditioning condensa-
tion forms, which then exits under
the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
of this kind are thus normal.<
Recirculated-air mode
You can respond to unpleas-
ant odors outside the vehicle
by temporarily switching off the outside
air supply. The system then recirculates
the air currently within the vehicle.
If you have a steering wheel with multi-
function buttons with the button for the
recirculated-air mode, you can also use
this button to switch to the recirculated-
air mode, refer to page 23.
If the windows fog over in the
recirculated-air mode, switch the
recirculated-air mode off and increase
the air supply as required.<

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Automatic climate control
*
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and
dehumidified and Ñ
depending on the temperature setting Ñ
warmed again. Depending on the
weather, the windshield may fog over
briefly when the engine is started. You
can reduce condensation forming on
the windows by switching on the air
conditioning.
During air conditioning condensa-
tion forms, which then exits under
the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
of this kind are thus normal.<
Maximum cooling
You will get maximum
cooling capacity using this
program if the engine is running and
the outside temperature is above
approx. +41 7/+5 6.
The temperature display 9 jumps to
+60 7/+16 6, the system switches
over to the recirculated-air mode, and
the air streams out of the ventilation grill
with the maximum air supply. That is
why you need to keep these open if you
select this program.
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC
If there are unpleasant
odors or pollutants in the
outside air, you can temporarily block
the air supply from the outside. The
system then recirculates the air
currently within the vehicle. Press the
button repeatedly to run through the
following control sequence
>Indicator lamps off: outside air supply
operational
>Left-hand indicator lamp on Ð AUC
mode: the system recognizes pollut-
ants in the outside air and blocks the
flow of air when necessary. The
system then recirculates the air
currently within the vehicle.
Depending on the air quality, the
automatic system then switches back
and forth between outside air supply
and recirculation of the air within the
vehicle
>Right-hand indicator lamp on: the
outside air supply into the vehicle is
completely blocked. The system then
recirculates the air currently within
the vehicle.
If you have a steering wheel with multi-
function buttons with the button for
recirculated-air mode, refer to page 23,
you can also use this button to switch
between Off and the recirculated-air
mode or AUC and the recirculated-air
mode.
If the windows fog over in the
recirculated-air mode, switch the
recirculated-air mode off and increase
the air supply as required.< Rear window defroster
When the rear window
defroster is activated,
the indicator lamp comes on. The
rear window defroster switches off
automatically.

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Roof-mounted luggage rack
*
A special rack system is available as an
optional extra for your BMW. Please
comply with the precautions included
with the installation instructions.Mounting pointsAccess to the mounting points:
To fold up the cover, refer to arrow,
please use the tool which is provided
with the rack system.530de293
Cargo loading and driving hintsRoof-mounted luggage racks raise the
center of gravity of the vehicle when
they are loaded. For this reason, they
exercise a major effect on the vehicle's
handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember
not to exceed the approved roof
weight, the approved gross vehicle
weight or the axle loads when loading
the rack.
You will find the specifications under
Technical Data on page 170.
Make sure that the load is not too
heavy, and attempt to distribute it
evenly. Always load the heaviest pieces
on the bottom. Be sure that adequate
clearance is maintained for raising the
sliding/tilt sunroof, and that objects do
not project into the opening path of the
liftgate. Always ensure that roof-mounted
loads are tightly secured, as loose
loads can shift or even fly off the roof,
posing a serious hazard for following
traffic.<
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion and braking maneuvers. Take cor-
ners gently.

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General driving notes
Antilock Brake System
Brake system
Brakes:
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but con-
sistent pedal pressure can lead to high
temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.
Hydroplaning:
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water may form between the
tires and the road surface. This phe-
nomenon is referred to as hydroplaning
or aquaplaning. It is characterized by a
partial or complete loss of contact
between the tires and the road surface.
The ultimate results are loss of steering
and braking control.<
The conceptThe Antilock Brake System ABS keeps
the wheels from locking during braking,
thereby enhancing active driving safety.Braking with ABSIf you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply max-
imum pedal pressure Ð panic stop.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.
Brake fluid levelIf the brake fluid level is too low and
brake pedal travel has become longer,
there may be a defect in one of the two
brake system's hydraulic circuits.
Proceed to the nearest
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center. Here increased pressure on the
brake pedal may be required, and slight
pulling to the side and longer braking
distances may result. Please remember
to adapt your driving style accord-
ingly.<