steering wheel BMW X6 2012 E71 Owner's Guide

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
104 possible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Underinflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if underinflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain con-
tinuously illuminated. This sequence will con-
tinue upon subsequent vehicle startups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the malfunc-
tion indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Lane departure warning*
The concept
On roads with lane markings, this system warns
you at speeds exceeding approx. 40 mph/
65 km/h when the vehicle is about to leave the
lane.
The steering wheel begins vibrating lightly.
The system does not issue a warning if the turn
signal is set before leaving the lane.
Switching on/off
Press button 1 on the steering wheel.
>On: lane markings 2 light up.
>Off: lane markings 2 go out.
The system can issue warnings at speeds
exceeding approx. 40 mph/65 km/h.
The state is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Display
1The system is activated.
2Arrows: at least one lane marking was
detected and warnings can be issued.
Issuing a warning
If the vehicle begins leaving the lane and a lane
marking has been detected, the steering wheel
begins vibrating.
If the turn signal is set before the lane is
changed, a warning is not issued.
Canceling a warning
The warning is canceled:
>Automatically after approx. 3 seconds.
>After the vehicle returns to its lane.
>During heavy brake application.

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>When the turn signal flashes.
System limits
The system cannot replace the driver's
personal judgment of the course of the
road and the traffic situation.
In the event of a warning, do not jerk the steer-
ing wheel; otherwise, you may lose control over
the vehicle.<
The system may not be fully functional in the
following situations:
>In heavy fog, rain or snowfall.
>When the lane markings are worn away,
poorly visible, convergent, divergent or
unclear, as in road construction areas.
>When the limit lines are covered by snow,
ice, dirt or water.
>In tight curves or on narrow lanes.
>When the limit lines are not white.
>When the limit lines are covered by objects.
>When driving very close to the vehicle in
front of you.
>When driving toward bright lights.
>When the windshield is fogged over, dirty or
covered by a sticker, etc., in front of the
interior rearview mirror.
Malfunctions
Steering wheel vibration
Frequent activation of the steering wheel vibra-
tion causes the system to overheat.
This causes the lane departure warning to
become deactivated.
Let the system cool and reactivate it by press-
ing the button.
Camera
The camera is located on the front of the interior
rearview mirror. Keep the area in front of the
interior rearview mirror clear.
Active steering*
The concept
The active steering actively varies the steering
angle of the front wheels in relation to the steer-
ing wheel movements. In addition, it also varies
the steering force required for steering depend-
ing on the vehicle's speed.
When you are driving in the low speed range,
e.g. in a town or when parking, the steering
angle increases, i.e. the steering becomes very
direct. In the higher speed range, on the other
hand, the steering angle is reduced more and
more. This improves the handling capability of
your BMW over the entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make tar-
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow
and a message is shown on the Con-
trol Display. The active steering is
defective or has been temporarily
deactivated. At low speeds, greater steering
wheel movements are required, whereas at
higher speeds, the vehicle reacts more sensi-
tively to steering wheel movements. The stabil-
ity-promoting intervention can also be deacti-
vated. Proceed cautiously and drive
defensively.

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Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2Head airbags
3Side airbags
Protective action
To ensure that the safety systems con-
tinue to provide optimized protection,
observe the adjustment instructions on
page42.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered in
every impact situation, e.g. less severe acci-
dents or rear-end collisions.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Keep the instrument cluster and window in the
region of the passenger seat free of foreign
materials, i.e. do not cover them with adhesive
film or covers and do not attach mounts, e.g. for
a navigation device or mobile phone to them.
Do not install cosmetic covers, seat cushions,
or other items on the front seats that are not
especially approved for seats with integrated
side airbags. Do not hang articles of clothing
such as jackets over the backrests.Do not attempt to remove the airbag restraint
system from the vehicle. Do not modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the individual
components in the airbag system. This includes
the upholstery in the center of the steering
wheel, on the instrument cluster, the doors, and
the roof pillars as well as the sides of the head-
liner. Do not attempt to remove or dismantle the
steering wheel. Do not touch the individual
components immediately after the system has
been triggered, because there is a danger of
burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel and has
the required explosives licenses. Otherwise
unprofessional attempts to service the system
could lead to failure in an emergency or undes-
ired airbag triggering, either of which could
result in personal injury.<
Warnings and information on the airbags is also
provided on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
The occupation of the seat is detected by eval-
uating the impression on the occupied seat sur-
face of the front passenger seat. The front and
side airbags on the front passenger side are
activated or deactivated accordingly by the sys-
tem.
The current status of the front passenger
airbag, i.e. deactivated or activated, is

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ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden
braking or evasive maneuvers are necessary.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle weights,
refer to page283, as excessive loads can pose
a safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
You should never transport unsecured heavy or
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as
they could fly around and pose a safety hazard
to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.
Use only the lashing eyes pictured to fasten the
heavy-duty cargo straps. Do not secure cargo
with the attachment points for the top tether,
refer to page55; otherwise they could be dam-
aged.<
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 weights when
loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights under
Weights on page283.
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 glass
sunroof
*/panoramic 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
Y our B MW is at hom e on a ll r oa ds a nd surfac e s.
It combines a 4-wheel drive system with the
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as other-
wise the vehicle may be damaged.<
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.
>If you want to drive on very steep uphill or
downhill gradients, make sure beforehand
that the engine oil and coolant levels are
near the MAX mark, refer to page252.
BMW X5: you can operate your vehicle on
uphill and downhill gradients with a maxi-
mum slope of 50 %.
>On very steep downhill slopes, use Hill
Descent Control HDC, refer to page97.
BMW X5: it is possible to start off on inclines
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.
>Make sure that the undercarriage does not
touch the ground, for example on crests and
bumpy roads. The ground clearance of the
vehicle is a maximum of approx. 8 in/20 cm.
Please note that the ground clearance can
vary depending on loading and the driving
conditions of the vehicle.
>Only drive through road surface water up to
a maximum water depth of
>BMW X5 20 in/50 cm
>BMW X6 17 in/45 cm
And only drive at walking speed; do not
remain stationary.

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addition, pressing the controller makes further
functions available:
> Select a symbol and "Start guid-
ance", if necessary.
>"Exit interactive map"
>Map display
>"Display destination"
The map section around the destination
is displayed.
>"Display current location"
The map section around your current
location is displayed.
>"Find points of interest", refer to
page152.
Entering destination via
voice*
General information
You can enter a desired destination with the
voice activation system. When entering the
destination, it is possible to change between
voice command and iDrive at any time. Reacti-
vate the voice activation system for this pur-
pose if necessary.
You can use {Voice commands} to have
the possible commands read aloud to
you.<
Saying the entries
>Countries, towns/cities, streets, and inter-
sections can be either spoken aloud as an
entire words or spelled in the system lan-
guage, refer to page86.Example: to enter a destination in a US state
as a complete word, the system language
must be English.
>The town/city, street and house number
can be said as a single sentence.
*
>Spell the entry if the language of the area is
different from the system language.
>Speak the letters smoothly and avoid
excessive emphasis and pauses.
Entering an address*
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
3.Wait for the system prompt.
4.Say the town or city, street and house num-
ber in a single sentence.
5.Continue entering as prompted by the sys-
tem.
6.If necessary, say the parts of the address
individually, e.g. town/city.
Entering a town/city
The town/city can be spelled or entered as an
entire word
*.
The methods of entry depend on the nav-
igation data in use and the country and
language settings.<
2.Wait for the system prompt for the town/
city.
3.Say the name of the town/city or if neces-
sary, spell at least the first three letters.
Depending on the entry, up to 20 towns/cit-
ies are suggested.
Similar-sounding towns/cities that can-
not be differentiated by the system are
compiled in a separate list and displayed as a
2.{Enter address}
1.{City} or {Spell city}.
4.Select city/town:
>To select a recommended town/city:
{Yes}
>Select other city/town: {New entry}
>To select an entry, e. g. {Entry 2}
>Spell the entry: {Spell city}

On/off and tone
168
On/off and tone
The following audio and video sources share
the same control elements and adjustments:
>Radio
>CD/DVD player
>CD/DVD changer
*
>Video*
>External devices, e.g. MP3 player
Controls
The audio and video sources can be controlled
using:
>Buttons near the CD/DVD player
>iDrive
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page10
>Programmable memory buttons, refer to
page20
>Voice activation system
Buttons near the CD/DVD player
1Sound output for entertainment on/off, vol-
ume
>Press: switch on/off
When you switch on the unit, the last set
radio station or track is played.
>Turn: adjusting volume
2 Ejecting CD/DVD
3Drive for CD/DVD
*
4 Station scan/track search
>Change the radio station
>Select a track for the CD/DVD
* player,
CD/DVD changer
* and certain multime-
dia devices
5MODE: change the audio and video
sources
6FM/AM: change the radio station wave-
band
Switching on/off
To switch the Entertainment sound output on
and off:
Press button1 next to the CD/DVD player.
This symbol on the Control Display indicates
that sound output is switched off.
The sound output is available for approx.
20 minutes after the ignition was switched off.
Switch on the sound output again for this pur-
pose.
Adjusting volume
Turn button1 next to the CD/DVD player until
the desired volume is obtained.
You can also adjust the volume with buttons on
the steering wheel, refer to page10.
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.
The settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use.
Treble, bass, balance, fader
>"Balance": left/right volume distribution

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Radio
Your radio is designed for reception of the fol-
lowing stations:
>FM and AM
>HD Radio
*
>Satellite radio*
Selecting a station
Press the button if the sound output is switched
off.
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3.Select the desired station.The selected station is stored for the remote
control currently in use.
Changing stations
Turn the controller and press it
or
Press the button for the corresponding
direction
or
Press the buttons on the steering wheel, refer
to page10.
Selecting a station manually
Station selection via the frequency.
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"
3."Manual"
4.Select the frequency: turn the controller.
To store the station: press the controller for an
extended period.
Storing stations
Using iDrive
1."Radio"
2."FM" or "AM"

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4.Select the desired category.
5.To select the desired entry:
>Open "A-Z search" and enter the
desired entry.
or
>Select the desired entry from the list.
6.Select additional categories if desired.
The tracks found are listed in alphabetical
order.
Not all categories need to be selected. For
example, to search for all tracks by a certain
artist, select that artist only. All of the tracks
by that artist are then displayed.
7."Start play"
Restarting the music search
"New search"
Music search by voice*
For instructions on operating the voice activa-
tion system, refer to page22.
1.Press the button on the steering wheel.
To select a track directly:
Say the voice command and the name of the
desired track in a single sentence.
Current playback
The list of tracks that was generated last by the
music search or the album selected last.
1."Current playback"
2.Select the desired track, if necessary.
Top 50
List of the 50 most frequently played tracks.
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3."Top 50"
4.Select the desired track, if necessary.
Albums
All stored albums, listed in order of their storage
dates. Symbols indicate the format.
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3.Select the desired album. 2.{Music search}
3.Open the desired category, e. g. {Select
artist}.
4.Say the desired entry in the list.
5.Select additional categories if desired.
{Title …}
SymbolFormat
Audio CD
Compressed audio files

Telephone
212
Telephone
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full preparation
package mobile phone. After pairing a suitable
mobile phone with the vehicle once, you can
operate the mobile phone using iDrive, the but-
tons on the steering wheel, or voice com-
mands
*.
Once a mobile phone has been paired with your
vehicle, it is automatically recognized as soon
as it is inside the vehicle while the engine is run-
ning or the ignition is switched on. The pairing
data of up to four mobile phones can be stored
simultaneously. If several mobile phones are
detected simultaneously, the respective last
mobile phone paired can be operated via the
vehicle.
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.
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
Please ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center which mobile phones with Bluetooth
interface are supported by the mobile phone
preparation package and which mobile phones
are compatible with the snap-in adapter. By vir-
tue of their particular software versions, these
mobile phones support the functions described
in this Owner's Manual. Malfunctions can occur
with other mobile phones.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone using:
>Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page10
>iDrive, refer to page16
>Voice commands
*, refer to page219
>Programmable memory buttons, refer to
page20
Avoid operating a mobile phone detected by
the vehicle with the keypad of the mobile
phone, otherwise malfunctions can occur.
Commissioning
Pairing mobile phone in vehicle
The following prerequisites must be met:
>Compatible mobile phone: the mobile
phone is supported by the full mobile phone
preparation package. Information on this
subject is also provided on the Internet at:
www.bmw.com/bluetooth
>The mobile phone is ready to operate.
>Bluetooth has been activated in the vehicle,
refer to page214, and on the mobile phone.
*

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To temporarily deactivate the Bluetooth link
between the vehicle and your mobile phone:
1."Telephone"
2.Open "Options".
3."Bluetooth"
Adjusting the volumes
Turn the knob until the desired volume is set.
Adjust the volume of:
>Ringer volume
>Call volume
These volumes for the hands-free system are
maintained, even if the other audio sources are
set to minimum volume.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Operation via iDrive
You can operate the following functions via
iDrive:
>Accepting/refusing a call
>Dialing phone numbers
>Dialing phone numbers from the phone
book>Selecting stored phone numbers, e.g. from
the list of received calls
>Ending a call
When the ignition is switched off or in radio
readiness, e.g. after taking the remote control
out of the ignition switch, you can continue an
ongoing call via the hands-free system for sev-
eral minutes.
Speech quality
If the person you are talking to is having difficul-
ties understanding you, this may be due to
excessive background noise. The full prepara-
tion package mobile phone can compensate for
these noises to a certain extent. To optimize the
speech quality during a call, we recommend
that you:
>Reduce background noise, e.g. by closing
the windows, reducing air flow from the
automatic climate control or pointing the
open front air vents downward.
>Reduce the volume of the hands-free sys-
tem.
Requirements
>The pairing data of the mobile phone are
stored in the vehicle and the mobile phone
is ready to operate.
>The engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
>The mobile phone is detected by the vehi-
cle.
Receiving calls
If you have the phone number of the caller
stored in the phone book and the phone num-
ber has been transmitted, the name of the entry
is displayed.
Accepting a call
Press the button on the steering wheel