BMW X5 4.6IS 2003 Repair Manual

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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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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
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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Parking brake Manual transmissionThe parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates against the rear
wheels.To engage The lever engages automatically when
you pull it up and the indicator lamp
comes on in the instrument cluster in
ignition key position 2, refer to
pages 19 and 20.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever. 530de262
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully pulling up the lever to apply mod-
erate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction Ð fishtailing
Ð at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is engaged.
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.<
To avoid corrosion, apply the parking
brake lightly from time to time when
coasting to a standstill at a traffic
signal, for instance, provided that it is
safe to do so.
Press the clutch pedal all the way down
each time you shift, pressing the gear-
shift lever into its proper end position.
Depress the clutch when starting the
vehicle, too, otherwise, the interlock
will prevent the engine from starting if
the clutch is not depressed. 360de044

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Manual transmission Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
Reverse Select Reverse only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Press the gearshift
lever to the left to overcome the resis-
tance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or riding the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead,
since a slipping clutch increases clutch
wear.<
You can drive as with a normal auto-
matic transmission. In addition, you can
also shift manually.
When you move the selector lever from
the D position to the left into the M/S
range, the performance-oriented shift
programs of the automatic transmission
are engaged. As soon as you tap the
selector lever in the
+ or
Ð direction,
Steptronic changes the gear. The
manual mode is engaged. When you
wish to use the automatic transmission
mode again, move the selector lever to
the right into the D position.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
position D.
530us040
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S
The transmission range display varies
according to the equipment of your
vehicle, refer to the illustrations.
Starting the engine The engine can only be started in
selector lever positions Park or Neutral. 390us607

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Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
Range selection A detent prevents inadvertent shifts to
the Reverse or Park selector lever posi-
tions. To disengage the detent, press
the button on the front side of the
selector lever knob, refer to arrow.
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of Park or Neu-
tral, depress the footbrake in order to
disengage the selector lever's lock
mechanism Ð Shiftlock.
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. The vehicle will otherwise creep
when a drive position is engaged.< 530de263
If you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, move the selector
lever to the Park position and engage
the parking brake. If you fail to do this,
the vehicle could move.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running, since an unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a safety hazard.<
P Park Select only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. The transmission locks to pre-
vent the rear wheels from turning.R Reverse Select only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. N Neutral Ð IdleSelect only if your journey is interrupted
for a longer period.
D Drive Ð Automatic shift
program This position is designed for driving
under all normal operating conditions.
All forward gears are available. Kickdown In the kickdown mode, you achieve
maximum acceleration and in posi-
tion D top speed.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-
throttle position.

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
M/S Manual mode and
Sport Program When you change from D to M/S, the
Sport Program is activated. This is indi-
cated by D S in the transmission range
display. The Sport Program is designed
for performance-oriented driving.
With the first brief touch, the automatic
transmission shifts from the Sport Pro-
gram to the manual mode.
Whenever you tap the selector lever in
the
+ direction, the transmission shifts
up, and when you tap it in the
Ð direc-
tion, the transmission will shift down.
Depending on the equipment version,
1 to 5 or M1 to M5 is indicated in the
transmission range display.
530de264
Upshifts or downshifts will only be
carried out at appropriate engine
speeds and road speeds. If the engine
speed is too high, for instance, the
downshift will not be executed. The
gear selected will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster followed by the
current gear.
If you are driving in the manual
mode and wish to accelerate rap-
idly Ð to pass another vehicle, for
example Ð shift down manually or with
the kickdown function.<
You can only change from M/S to
selector lever positions P, R and N via
the D position.
Electronic transmission control
module
If the indicator lamp comes on
or the message Ð TRANS.FAIL-
SAFE PROG Ð appears in the
Check Control, there is a fault in the
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop. Move the
transmission selector lever to P. Set the
parking brake and switch the engine
off, ignition key to position 0.
Wait a few seconds, then start the
engine.
If the indicator lamp goes out after a
few seconds, normal transmission per-
formance has been restored. You may
continue to drive as usual. If the indi-
cator lamp does not go out, you can
place the selector lever in all positions.
However, the vehicle will now only drive
forward with limited gear selection.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine
loads and consult the nearest
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle center.
Do not work in the engine com-
partment when a drive gear is
engaged. If you do this, the vehicle
could move.<
Information on jump-starting, tow-
starting and towing begins on page 162.

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Indicator/Headlamp ßasher
Washer/Wiper system/Rain sensor
*
1High beams Ð blue indicator
2 Headlamp flasher Ð blue indicator
3 Turn signal indicators Ð green
indicator accompanied by periodic
clicking sound from the relayTo signal brieflyPress the lever up to but not beyond
the pressure point. It then returns to the
center position when released.
If the indicator lamp and the
clicking from the relay are both
faster than normal, one of the turn
signal indicators has failed.< 530de265
0Wipers retracted
1 Intermittent mode or rain sensor

2 Normal wipe
3 Fast wipe
4 Brief wipe
5 Clean the windshield
6 Special wash program
*
7 Rotary dial for control of the wipe
interval or the sensitivity of the rain
sensor
530de324
Wipers retracted Ð home positionThe left wiper is partially concealed by
the hood. In order to bring the wipers to
roughly a vertical position Ð this is
important for changing the wiper blades
or to fold the wipers out during frosty
weather, for example:
>With the lever in position 1, switch off
the ignition as soon as the wipers
come to a stop.
If equipped with a rain sensor:
1. Switch on the wipers with the lever in
position 1, 2 or 4
2. When the wipers are approx. vertical,
switch the ignition off.
For changing the wiper blades, refer to
page 150.
Fold the wipers back down onto
the windshield before you turn the
ignition key to position 1 or 2 again. If
you do not, they could be damaged.<

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Washer/Wiper system/Rain sensor
*
Intermittent mode

Not on vehicles with rain sensor.
You can set the wipe interval to four
stages with rotary dial 7.
In addition, the wipe interval is varied
automatically depending on road
speed. Rain sensor The rain sensor is positioned on the
windshield, directly in front of the inte-
rior rearview mirror.
To activate the rain sensor:
Move the lever to position 1 with the
ignition key in position 1 or higher. The
wipers travel once across the wind-
shield, regardless of the weather
conditions.
You can leave the lever permanently in
position 1. It is then only necessary to
activate the rain sensor from ignition
key position 1 and up.
To do this, turn rotary dial 7 briefly.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain
sensor:
Turn rotary dial 7.
Deactivating the rain sensor:
Move lever to position 0.Switch the rain sensor off in auto-
matic car washes. If you do not,
damage may occur if the wipers switch
on unintentionally.<
Normal wipe The system switches automatically to
intermittent mode when the vehicle is
not moving, not on vehicles with rain
sensor. Fast wipe The wipers operate at normal speed
when the vehicle is not moving, not on
vehicles with rain sensor. Clean the windshield The system sprays washer fluid against
the windshield and activates the wipers
for a brief period.
Special wash program
*
As at 5; there are also several additional
wash cycles, and the headlamps are
cleaned
*.
This program is recommended after you
have driven on extremely dirty roads.
Clean the headlamps
*
>With the special wash program 6
>With every actuation of clean the
windshield 5 when the vehicle's
lighting is switched on, the head-
lamps will be cleaned at appropriate
intervals.

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Washer/Wiper system/Rain sensor
*
Do not use the washers if there is
any danger that the fluid will
freeze on the windshield. If you do so,
your vision could be obscured. For this
reason, use an antifreeze agent, refer to
page 141.
Do not use the washers when the reser-
voir is empty. This could cause damage
to the washer pump.<
Windshield washer jetsThe windshield washer jets are warmed
automatically when the ignition key is in
position 2.
Rear window wiper 0 Retracted position of the rear window
wiper
1 Rear window wiper in intermittent
mode. When reverse gear is
engaged, continuous operation is
switched on automatically
2 Clean the rear window
You can also program the interval:
>Switch briefly from position 0 to posi-
tion 1
>The time until reactivation Ð from
position 0 to 1 Ð is the programmed
interval, max. 30 seconds. 530de266
Programming is deleted:
>Approx. 10 seconds after the lever is
placed in position 0 or
>after the engine is switched off.
For changing the wiper blade, refer to
page 150.