ESP BMW X5 4.8IS 2004 E53 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: BMW, Model Year: 2004, Model line: X5 4.8IS, Model: BMW X5 4.8IS 2004 E53Pages: 200, PDF Size: 3.91 MB
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Status at time of printing 
 
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, 
ongoing development that is conceived 
to ensure that our vehicles continue to 
embody the highest quality and safety 
standards combined with advanced, 
state-of-the-art technology. In isolated 
cases, the features described in this 
Owner's Manual could differ from those 
on your vehicle for this reason.
 
For your own safety 
 
Maintenance and repair:
Advanced technology, e. g. the 
use of modern materials and high-
performance electronics, requires spe-
cially adapted maintenance and repair 
methods. Therefore, only have corre-
sponding work on your BMW carried 
out by a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
center or a workshop that works 
according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel. 
If work is carried out improperly there is 
a danger of consequential damage and 
the related safety risks.<
 
Parts and accessories:
For your own safety, use genuine 
parts and accessories approved 
by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested 
and approved by BMW and Genuine 
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire 
the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by BMW to ensure opti-
mum performance when installed on 
your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free 
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for 
 
damages resulting from installation of 
parts and accessories not approved by 
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product on the 
market to determine whether it can be 
used on a BMW safely and without risk 
to either the vehicle, its operation, or its 
occupants.
Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Accessories 
and other products approved by BMW, 
together with professional advice on 
using these items, are available from all 
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW 
approved accessories such as alarms, 
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, 
wheels, suspension components, brake 
dust shields, telephones – including 
operation of any portable phone from 
within the vehicle without using an 
externally mounted antenna – or trans-
ceiver equipment such as CB, walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar accessories, 
may cause extensive damage to the 
vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere 
with the vehicle's electrical system or 
affect the validity of the BMW Limited 
Warranty. Refer to your BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle center for additional 
information.<
 
 
 
Status at time of printing
 
Notes 
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Indicator and warning lamps 
 
Technology that monitors itself 
 
Indicator and warning lamps that are 
identified by 
+
 
 are tested for proper 
functioning whenever the ignition key is 
turned. They each light up once for dif-
ferent periods of time.
If a fault should occur in one of the 
monitored systems, the corresponding 
lamp does not go out after the engine is 
started or it lights up while the vehicle is 
moving. You will see how to react to 
this in the following section.
 
Red: stop immediately
 
Battery charge current 
+
 
The battery is not being 
charged. There is a malfunction 
of the alternator drive belt or in the 
charging circuit of the alternator. Have 
the system checked immediately.
If the drive belt is defective, do not 
continue driving. The engine could 
be damaged due to overheating. If the 
drive belt is defective, increased steer-
ing effort is also required.<
 
 
Engine oil pressure +
 
Stop immediately and switch off 
the engine. Check the engine oil 
level; top up as required. If the oil level 
is correct: have the system checked 
immediately.
Do not continue driving. The 
engine could be damaged 
because of inadequate lubrication.<
 
 
 
Handbrake
 
* 
/ 
Brake hydraulic system 
+
 
Lights up with handbrake 
engaged. 
For additional information, refer to 
page 66 
Comes on although the handbrake is 
released: stop immediately. The brake 
fluid in the reservoir has fallen to below 
the minimum level. At the same time, a 
considerably longer brake pedal travel 
may be noticeable. Have the system 
checked immediately. 
During continued driving 
increased brake pedal pressure 
may be necessary, and considerably 
longer braking distances may result. 
Please remember to adapt your driving 
style accordingly.<
 
 
Before continuing your journey, be 
sure to read the notes on pages 139 
and 151.
Also comes on in the Check Control 
with the message "CHECK BRAKE 
LININGS".
Display of the previously 
described malfunction on Cana-
dian models.  
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Buttons on steering wheel
*
The buttons integrated in the steering 
wheel are provided so that you can 
operate a number of accessories 
quickly and without being distracted 
from traffic conditions. You may oper-
ate: 
>Selected audio source functions
*
>The recirculated-air mode of the air 
conditioner
* or the steering-wheel 
heater
*
>The cruise control
>Selected phone functions
* and
>the voice command system*. 
In order to operate a system, the 
corresponding system must be 
switched on.<
Press briefly:
Accept incoming call, start dialing, 
terminate call.
Extended pressure:
Switch voice input on and off
Display/hide phonebook. Display the 
entries consecutively with the buttons 
for forward/back
Forward:
>Radio
Press briefly: next stored station 
Extended pressure: station search 
function
>CD 
Press briefly: track search
Extended pressure: fast forward in 
track
>Cassette
Press briefly: stop track search or 
fast forward
Extended pressure: fast forward
>Portable phone
Scroll through list of names
Reverse: functions as for fast forward
Volume
On the sports steering wheel
* the but-
tons +/– for the volume are located on 
the left-hand side of the steering wheel
Cruise control: call up
Cruise control: store and accelerate 
+ 
as well as decelerate and store –
On the sports steering wheel
* the but-
tons +/– for the cruise control are 
located on the right-hand side of the 
steering wheel.
Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deac-
tivate
Recirculated-air mode
* and AUC auto-
matic recirculated-air control or steer-
ing wheel heater
*: switch on/off 
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Fuel specifications The engine uses lead-free gasoline 
only.Required fuelPremium Unleaded Gasoline, 
Minimum Octane Rating: 91.
Minimum Octane Rating corresponds 
to the Anti Knock Index AKI and is 
determined according to the so-called 
(R+M)/2 method.
Do not use leaded gasoline, as 
otherwise the lambda probe and 
catalytic converter will be permanently 
damaged.< 
Use high-quality brandsField experience has indicated signifi-
cant differences in fuel quality: volatility, 
composition, additives, etc., among 
gasolines offered for sale in the United 
States and Canada. Fuels containing up 
to and including 10 % ethanol or other 
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by 
weight, that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % meth-
anol plus an equivalent amount of co-
solvent, will not void the applicable 
warranties with respect to defects in 
materials or workmanship.The use of poor-quality fuels may 
result in drivability, starting and 
stalling problems especially under cer-
tain environmental conditions such as 
high ambient temperature and high alti-
tude.
Should you encounter drivability prob-
lems which you suspect could be 
related to the fuel you are using, we 
recommend that you respond by 
switching to a recognized high-quality 
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may also result in unsched-
uled maintenance.<  
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Alarm system The concept The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the liftgate 
is opened 
>To movement in the vehicle interior: 
interior motion sensor 
>To variations in the vehicle tilt angle 
such as occur during attempts to 
steal the wheels or tow the vehicle 
>To interruption of battery voltage. 
The system responds to unauthorized 
vehicle entry and attempted theft by 
simultaneously activating the following: 
>Sounding an acoustical alarm for 
30 seconds 
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes 
>The high beams flash on and off in 
the same rhythm. 
Arming and disarming alarm 
system When you lock or unlock the vehicle, 
either with the remote control or at the 
door lock, the alarm system is armed or 
disarmed at the same time. 
You can have different acknowl-
edgment signals set to confirm 
arming and disarming.< 
The liftgate can also be opened with the 
system armed using the button on the 
remote control, refer to page 31. The 
liftgate is locked again when closed.
Pressing the button longer triggers the 
alarm: panic mode, refer to page 32.
Indicator lamp displays >The indicator lamp below the interior 
rearview mirror flashes continuously: 
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when the 
vehicle is locked: door(s) or liftgate 
are not completely closed. Even if 
you do not close the alerted area, the 
system begins to monitor the remain-
ing areas, and the indicator lamp 
flashes continuously after 10 sec-
onds. However, the interior motion 
sensor is not activated
>The indicator lamp goes out when the 
vehicle is unlocked: no manipulation 
or attempted intrusions have been 
detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed530us241 
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Windows After the ignition has been switched off:
>You can still operate the windows as 
long as neither of the front doors has 
been opened. To open the windows, 
press the switch beyond the resis-
tance point.
When leaving the vehicle, always 
remove the ignition key and close 
the doors, as otherwise children could 
operate the windows and injure them-
selves etc.< 
For the convenience operation via the 
remote control or the door lock, refer to 
pages 31, 33. Anti-trapping mechanism A contact strip is integrated into the 
inner side of each of the upper window 
frame sections. If pressure is exerted 
against this contact strip while a win-
dow is being raised, the system will 
respond by stopping the window and 
then retracting it a small distance. 
Despite the anti-trapping mecha-
nism, be extremely careful that the 
closing path of the window is not 
obstructed whenever it is closed. 
Otherwise, an object might not touch 
the contact strip in some situations, 
with very thin objects, for instance. 
You can disable the anti-trapping 
mechanism by pulling the switch 
beyond the resistance point and hold-
ing it. 
Because the power windows are sealed 
at high pressure to prevent wind noise 
when closed, a powerful motor is 
required for efficient closing. When 
closing the windows, always ensure 
that they are not obstructed in any way. 
Unsupervised use of these systems can 
result in serious personal injury. 
Remove the ignition key to deactivate 
the power windows whenever you 
leave the vehicle. Never leave the keys 
in the vehicle with unsupervised chil-
dren. Never place anything that could 
obstruct the driver's vision on or next to 
the windows.< 
Safety switch With the safety switch, you can prevent 
the rear windows from being opened or 
closed via the switches in the rear pas-
senger area, by children, for example. 
You can also prevent adjustments of 
the power rear-seat backrests from the 
rear passenger area, refer to page 48. 
Always press the safety switch 
when children ride in the rear, as 
otherwise unchecked closing of the 
windows could lead to injuries.<530us209 
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Panorama glass roof
*
Anti-trapping mechanism If the panorama glass roof or sliding 
visor encounter resistance when clos-
ing from roughly one third of the roof 
opening or when closing from the 
raised position, the closing action is 
interrupted and the panorama glass 
roof and sliding visor reopen a little.
Despite the anti-trapping mecha-
nism inspect the roof's travel path 
prior to closing it, as the safety system 
might fail to detect certain kinds of 
obstructions, such as very thin objects, 
and the roof would continue closing. 
The anti-trapping mechanism for clos-
ing the panorama glass roof is deacti-
vated if the switch is pressed beyond 
the resistance point and held there. The 
closing action is interrupted when you 
release the switch.< 
Following a power failure Following interruptions in electrical 
power, for instance, when the battery is 
disconnected, it is possible that the 
panorama glass roof will extend to its 
tilt-up position, but fail to respond to 
other commands. The system must be 
initialized. BMW recommends having 
this work carried out by your BMW 
Sport Activity Vehicle center.
Manual operation In the event of an electrical malfunction, 
you can operate the panorama glass 
roof manually. 
1. Remove the Allen wrench and the 
screwdriver from the onboard tool 
kit, refer to page 158
2. Remove the cover from the head-
liner. To do this, position the screw-
driver somewhat off-center at the 
rear and carefully lever out the cover
3. Insert the Allen wrench in the open-
ing provided and turn the panorama 
glass roof in the desired direction.530de410 
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The ideal sitting position can make a 
vital contribution to relaxed driving that 
is as fatigue-free as possible. The sit-
ting position also plays an important 
role together  with the safety belts and 
airbags in providing occupants with 
maximum levels of passive safety in an 
accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimized efficiency, 
we strongly urge you to observe the 
instructions contained in the following 
section.
For additional information on transport-
ing children safely, refer to page 59.Sitting safely with airbags 
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the 
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel 
by its rim with hands at the 9 o'clock 
and 3 o'clock positions to minimize the 
risk of injuries to your hands and arms 
in the event of airbag deployment. 
No one and nothing is to come between 
the airbags and the seat occupant. Do 
not use the cover of the front airbag on 
the front passenger side as a storage 
area. Make sure that the front passen-
ger is correctly seated and does not 
rest feet or legs on the instrument clus-
ter, otherwise leg injuries can occur if 
the knee and front airbag are triggered. 
Never let an occupant's head rest near 
or on a side airbag because the inflating 
airbag could cause a serious or fatal 
injury.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions 
injuries resulting from contact with air-
bags cannot be fully excluded, depend-
ing on the circumstances. The ignition 
and inflation noise may provoke a mild – 
usually temporary – hearing loss in 
extremely sensitive individuals.
For airbag locations and additional 
information on airbags, refer to 
page 57.Sitting safely with safety belts Fasten your safety belt before starting 
any trip. Airbags complement the safety 
belt as an additional safety device, but 
they do not represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has five seats that are all 
equipped with a safety belt.
At all times, occupants should sit 
upright and be properly restrained 
– infants and small children in appropri-
ate child-restraint systems; larger chil-
dren and adults using the safety belts. 
Even pregnant women should also 
always wear the safety belt and espe-
cially ensure that the lap belt is posi-
tioned low on the hip and does not 
press on the lower body.
Only one person should ever wear a 
safety belt, and infants and children 
may not be seated on the lap of another 
passenger. 
Do not route the belt across your neck, 
or run it across sharp edges. Be sure 
that the belt does not become caught 
or jammed. Avoid twisting the belt while 
routing it firmly across the hips and 
shoulder. Do not allow the belt to rest 
against hard or fragile objects. Other-
wise, in the event of a frontal impact, a 
loose lap belt could slide over your 
hips, leading to abdominal injury. Avoid 
wearing clothing that prevents the belt 
from fitting properly and pull the lap belt 
periodically to readjust the tension 
across your shoulder in order to avoid a 
reduction in the retention effect of the 
safety belt.<
For instructions on operating the safety 
belt, refer to page 49.
Sitting safely  
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SeatsNote before adjusting 
Never try to adjust your seat while 
operating the vehicle. The seat 
could respond with unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle 
control could lead to an accident. On 
the front passenger side as well, do not 
tilt the backrest too far toward the rear 
while driving. Failure to observe this 
precaution can prevent the belt from 
providing effective protection against 
injury, as the passenger could slide 
under the belt in an accident.< 
Seat adjustment>Mechanical seat adjustment, refer to 
following columns
>Power seat adjustment, refer to 
page 46
>Head restraints, refer to page 47
>Power rear-seat backrest adjustment, 
refer to page 48. 
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MirrorsInterior and exterior mirrors, 
automatic dimming feature
* 
These mirrors dim steplessly during for-
ward driving when struck by light. There 
are two photocells located in the inte-
rior rearview mirror for this purpose. 
One photocell is in the mirror glass, 
refer to arrow, while the other is offset 
somewhat on the back of the mirror. 
For trouble-free operation, keep the 
photocells clean and do not cover the 
area between the interior rearview mir-
ror and the windshield. Do not attach 
any kind of stickers on the windshield in 
front of the mirror, either. 530us245
Compass interior mirror
* with 
automatic dimming feature
 
1Setting button
2Display
The direction in which you are currently 
driving is indicated.
The respective compass zone must be 
set depending on where you are with 
your vehicle. To do this, press the set-
ting button on the lower edge of the 
interior mirror approx. 3 – 4 seconds. 
The number of the current compass 
zone appears in the display.530de409
To change the zone setting, press the 
setting button repeatedly until the num-
ber of the compass zone which corre-
sponds to your location is displayed. 
Refer to the following world map with 
compass zones.
The compass is ready for use again 
after approx. 10 seconds.
For instructions on the automatic anti-
glare control, refer to Interior and exte-
rior mirrors, automatic dimming feature.