maintenance BMW X5 4.4I 2005 E53 Workshop Manual

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xDrive HDC Hill Descent Control xDrive is the 4-wheel drive system of
your X5. The combined effects of xDrive
and DSC further optimize the traction
and dynamic driving characteristics.
The 4-wheel drive system xDrive vari-
ably distributes the drive torque to the
front and rear axle depending on the
driving situation and prevailing road
conditions.MalfunctionPlease be sure to observe the informa-
tion on the DSC Dynamic Stability Con-
trol/xDrive warning lamp on page 22
and on the possible lamp combinations
that can light up on page 20.
The concept HDC is a system for driving downhill in
steep terrain. This system reduces vehi-
cle speed on steep downhill gradients,
thus allowing you to maintain even bet-
ter control of your BMW under these
conditions.
The vehicle moves at slightly more than
walking speed without active interven-
tion from the driver.
HDC is available for activation at vehi-
cle speeds below approx. 20 mph/
35 km/h. When driving down steep hills
with a speed below approx. 20 mph/
35 km/h, the vehicle reduces speed
automatically down to slightly more
than walking speed, approx. 5 mph/
8 km/h, and then maintains this speed
at a constant.
You can use the accelerator or brakes
to vary this automatically controlled
speed within a range extending from
approx. 3 mph/5 km/h to 15 mph/
25 km/h.
You can specify a target speed within
the same range by using the +/– but-
tons of the cruise control.
HDC is automatically deactivated once
vehicle speed again exceeds approx.
35 mph/60 km/h.
Activating system Press the button, the indicator lamp
lights up.
The indicator lamp flashes when the
brakes are applied automatically. Deactivating system Press the button again; the indicator
lamp goes out.
HDC is deactivated automatically above
a road speed of approx. 35 mph/
60 km/h and when the ignition is
switched off. 530de416

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2-axle self-leveling suspension
*
The concept Your vehicle is equipped with 2-axle
self-leveling suspension acting on both
the front and rear suspension. This sys-
tem combines automatic self-leveling,
which compensates for variations in
front-to-rear load-distribution patterns,
with a selection feature allowing drivers
to choose from among several ride-
height options.
You may choose from among the fol-
lowing ride heights:
>Normal
The standard setting is intended for
most operating conditions, including
trailer towing
>Off-Road
Increased level for more ground
clearance
>Access
Lowers vehicle for more convenient
cargo handling or easier passenger
entries and exits.
Changes in ride height are initiated
either manually, using the control but-
ton, refer to page 100, or automatically
in response to specific speeds. When
the ride height is selected manually, the
driver has the additional option of revis-
ing the ride-height selection by entering a new command during the adjustment
process.
When the vehicle is stationary, the sys-
tem executes ride-height changes in
both directions – up and down – when-
ever the doors are closed. The tailgate/
liftgate may be open. The system raises
the vehicle only when the engine is run-
ning.
The system's automatic self-leveling
feature automatically compensates for
variations in the vehicle's load.
Frequent changes in ride height
initiated at short intervals can
overheat the compressor, causing the
system to briefly suspend active opera-
tion.<
Self-leveling suspension display 1 Off-Road
2Standard
3 Access
The LEDs not only show the current ride
height, but also indicate changes:
>LED on: indicates the vehicle's cur-
rent ride height
>Ride-height LED flashes while the
LED for the earlier level remains on:
the ride height is being adjusted to a
new level, either automatically or in
response to driver input at the button.
When the suspension reaches the new
ride height the flashing LED reverts to
continuous operation, and the LED for
the earlier level goes out530de218

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Brake Force Display Flat Tire MonitorThe Brake Force Display lights up in
two stages, depending on how force-
fully you apply the brakes.
The display has two levels:
>Normal braking:
The brake lamp 1 and the center
brake lamp light up
>Heavy braking and braking with ABS:
The brake lamps 1 and 2 light up
together with the center brake lamp.530de400
The concept The Flat Tire Monitor keeps track of the
inflation pressures in the four fitted tires
as you drive. The system provides an
alert whenever the inflation pressure
drops significantly in relation to the
pressure another tire.
The check of the tire inflation pressure
is based on monitoring the relative
speeds of the wheels. A flat is detected
and reported on the basis of a deviation
in certain speed ratios.Functional requirementTo ensure reliable operation, the sys-
tem should have been initialized with
the correct tire inflation pressure.
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot indi-
cate sudden severe tire damage
caused by outside factors and does not
detect a natural, even pressure drop in
all four tires.<
In the following situations, the system
could be delayed or malfunction:
>When driving on snow-covered or
slippery road surfaces
>In the case of performance-oriented
driving: slip on the drive wheels, high
lateral acceleration
>False alarms and undetected loss of
pressure may occur when you are
driving with snow chains fitted.

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Parking lamps/side marker lamps
The front, rear and side vehicle
lighting is switched on. You can
use the parking lamps for park-
ing. For lighting on one side for parking
as an additional feature, refer to
page104.
Low beams
When the ignition is switched off
and the low beams are on, only
the parking lamps/side marker
lamps remain on.
530us215
Pathway lighting:
When you activate the headlamp
flasher after parking the vehicle and
switching off the lamps, the low beams
will come on for a brief period. You may
also have this function deactivated if
you wish.<
Lights on warning Whenever you open the driver's door,
after having turned the ignition key to
position 0, you will hear an acoustic sig-
nal for a few seconds to remind you that
the lamps have not been switched off.
On vehicles with alphanumeric Check
Control
*:
The reminder is given through the
Check Control.
Daytime driving lamps
*
The headlamps are automatically
switched on for daytime driving at igni-
tion key position 2.
Automatic headlamp control
*
When you set the switch to this
position, the system activates
and switches on and off the low
beams in response to changes in ambi-
ent light conditions, for instance, in tun-
nels, at dawn and dusk, and in rain and
snow.
The low beams remain switched
on regardless of the ambient light
when you switch on the front fog
lamps.<
Automatic headlamp control can-
not serve as a substitute for the
driver's judgment in determining when
the vehicle lamps should be switched
on. For example, the system cannot
detect fog. To avoid safety risks, you
should always switch on the lamps
manually under these conditions.<
You can have the sensitivity of the
headlamp control system adjusted
on your vehicle.<
Parking lamps/low beams

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Front fog lamps
Instrument lighting Interior lamps
Briefly press the button to switch on/off.
The parking lamps or low beams
must be switched on for the fog
lamps to operate. A green indi-
cator lamp appears in the instrument
cluster to indicate that the front fog
lamps are on.
If the high beams are switched on, the
front fog lamps go out.
If the automatic headlamp control
is activated, the low beams will
automatically be switched on when the
front fog lamps are switched on.<530us210
Turn the serrated dial to adjust the illu-
mination intensity.530us216
The interior lamps operate automati-
cally. Switching interior lamps on
and off manually Briefly press button 1.
If you want the interior lamps to remain
off all the time, press and hold the but-
ton for approx. 3 seconds.
Briefly press the button to revert to nor-
mal operation.
The button for the interior lamps in the
rear passenger area only switches
these lamps on and off. 530us246

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1 Airflow directed toward the
windshield and side windows
2 Airflow for the upper body109
3 Front footwell ventilation 4 Rear footwell ventilation
5 Airflow for the upper body in the
rear seat109
6Temperature108
7 Air distribution1088 Air supply108
9 Rear window defroster108
10 Air conditioning108
11 Recirculated-air mode108Air conditioner
530us222

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Air conditionerVentilation The air vents for the upper body region
are adjustable:
1 Serrated dials for opening and clos-
ing the vent outlets through an infi-
nitely-variable range
2 Levers for adjusting airflow direction
3 With the serrated dial you can adjust
the temperature of the incoming air:
>Turn toward blue: colder
>Turn toward red: warmer. 530de270
Rear ventilation
*
1 Serrated dial for opening and closing
the vent outlets through an infinitely-
variable range
2 Levers for adjusting airflow direction
The air that flows out here is somewhat
cooler than the air delivered to the foot-
well. Microfilter The microfilter removes dust and pollen
from the incoming air and in the recircu-
lated-air mode. It is replaced by your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center
during regular maintenance. A substan-
tial reduction in air supply indicates that
the filter must be replaced before nor-
mal maintenance.530de271
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation 1. You can specify an interior tempera-
ture that is comfortable for you with
the rotary temperature dial. A good
starting point is 707/226
2. Set the air distribution rotary dial
to
3. Set the blower/air supply rotary dial
completely to the right
4. Close the vent outlets in the rear
seating area
5. Switch on the rear window defroster
to defrost the rear window. 530us149

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Automatic climate control
*
10 Temperature, right side of
passenger compartment112
11 Defrosting windows and removing
condensation112
12 Air conditioning11313 AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control113
14 Rear window defroster113
15 Air supply11216 Maximum cooling113
or residual heat utilization113
17 Air grill for interior temperature
sensor – please keep clear and
unobstructed
530us223

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Automatic climate control
*
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and
dehumidified and —
depending on the temperature setting —
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. That traces of water on the
ground are therefore normal.<
Maximum cooling
You will get maximum cool-
ing capacity using this pro-
gram if the engine is running and the
outside temperature is above approx.
417/56.
The temperature display 9 jumps to
607/166, the system switches over
to the recirculated-air mode, and the
maximum air supply flows from the ven-
tilation grills only. That is why you need
to keep these open if you select this
program.
AUC Automatic recirculated-air
control
You can respond to
unpleasant odors or pollut-
ants in the immediate environment by
shutting off the supply of outside air.
The system then recirculates the air
currently within the vehicle. In AUC
operating mode, a sensor detects pol-
lutants in the external air and controls
the shut-off automatically.
Press the button repeatedly to run
through the following control sequence
>Indicator lamps off: outside air supply
operational
>Left indicator lamp on, AUC mode:
the system recognizes pollutants 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.
With the button on the steering wheel
you can also switch between Off and
recirculated-air mode or AUC and recir-
culated-air mode, refer to page23.
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 win-
dow defroster switches off automati-
cally.
Residual heat
Press button when the motor
is switched off, but warm.
The heat which is stored in the engine
is utilized for heating the interior when
the engine has been switched off –
while waiting at a railroad crossing, for
instance.
This function may be activated when
the outside temperature is below
approx. 597/156, the engine is at
operating temperature, and the battery
is adequately charged. The LED on the
button will light up when all conditions
have been met.

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Automatic climate control
*
Roller sun blinds
*
Temperature Passengers in the rear seating area can
adjust their own temperature for the
vent outlets:
>Turn toward blue: colder
>Turn toward red: warmer.
When you start the vehicle, this system
ensures that the selected temperature
is achieved as quickly as possible.
It then maintains this temperature,
regardless of the season.
A temperature setting is only pos-
sible when the blower is switched
on, not in the 0 setting.< 530de274
Microfilter/activated-charcoal
filter The microfilter removes dust and pollen
from the incoming air. The activated-
charcoal filter provides additional pro-
tection by filtering gaseous pollutants
from the outside air. Your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center replaces this
combined filter as a standard part of
your scheduled maintenance. A sub-
stantial reduction in air supply indicates
that the filter must be replaced before
normal maintenance.
Roller sun blinds for rear side
windows
*
Use the strap to pull out the blinds, then
hook them in the provided attachment.
With roller sun blinds attached,
do not open the windows during
travel. The blinds may otherwise be
damaged by the wind.<