Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 2 604 027 - © 03/10 BMW AG

Fuel specifications
Gasoline engine: required fuel
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise
damage to the catalytic converter will
result.
Do not use E85, i.e. fuel that consists of 85%
ethanol, or Flex Fuel, otherwise permanent
damage to the engine and the fuel supply system
will result.<
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is:
> BMW X5: 87
> BMW X6: 89
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rating,
the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified
minimum quality, otherwise engine damage
can result.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant 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% methanol plus an
equivalent amount of cosolvent, 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 certain environmental conditions
such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
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
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<
BMW X5 with BMW Advanced Diesel:
required fuel
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel
The engine of your BMW is designed for diesel
with a low sulfur content:
Ultra-low sulfur diesel ASTM D 975-07a.
Only refuel with ultra-low sulfur diesel.
The percentage of biodiesel in the fuel
must not exceed 5Ξ, referred to as B5. Do not
refuel with gasoline. If the vehicle has been
refueled with incorrect fuel such as gasoline, do
not start the engine; otherwise, there is a danger
of engine damage.<
After incorrect refueling, contact a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center.
The fuel filling neck is designed for refueling
with diesel nozzles.
If the nozzle cannot be inserted into the fuel
filler pipe of your BMW, please check to make
sure that you are refueling with a diesel fuel
pump and whether this is equipped with a diesel
nozzle.<
In the event the ultra-low sulfur diesel
nozzle cannot be fully inserted into the
fuel filler neck, please contact BMW Roadside
Assistance for instructions on how to add fuel.
For more information on BMW Roadside Assistance,
refer to page 274.<
Winter diesel
In order to assure the operational reliability of
the diesel engine, during cold seasons, please
refuel with winter diesel, which is sold at filling
stations during this time of year. The standard
fuel filter heating prevents the supply of fuel
from stalling during driving.
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