MOBILITY -> Vehicle care for your BMW X3 2024-2025

Vehicle care  
MOBILITY  
Vehicle care  
Steam-jet cleaner and high  
pressure cleaner  
Vehicle features and options  
This chapter describes model-specific equip-  
ment, systems, and functions that are currently  
available, or may become available in the fu-  
ture, even if they are not present in the vehicle.  
Safety information  
NOTICE  
Additional information:  
When using high-pressure cleaners, compo-  
nents can be damaged due to the pressure  
or high temperatures or because an insuffi-  
cient distance was maintained. There is a risk  
of property damage. Maintain sufficient dis-  
tance and do not spray too long continuously.  
Follow the operating instructions for the high  
pressure cleaners.  
Vehicle equipment, refer to page 8.  
Washing the vehicle  
General information  
The vehicle must be washed more frequently,  
especially in the winter.  
Foreign objects, e.g. leaves or snow, must be  
removed from the area below the windshield  
on a regular basis. The wipers can be folded  
down in order to clean the windshield com-  
pletely.  
Distances and temperature  
When cleaning with a steam/high-pressure  
cleaner, use the following distances and tem-  
peratures:  
Maximum temperature: 140 /60 ℃.  
Additional information:  
Minimum distance from sensors, cameras,  
seals and lights: 12 inches/30 cm.  
Fold-out position of the wipers, refer to  
page 164.  
Automatic car washes or car  
washes  
Safety information  
NOTICE  
Safety information  
When washing with an open fuel filler flap,  
damage may occur. There is a risk of prop-  
erty damage. Close the fuel filler flap before  
washing. Clean dirt behind the fuel filler flap  
with a cloth.  
NOTICE  
Improper use of automatic car washes can  
cause damage to the vehicle. There is a risk  
of property damage. Follow the following in-  
structions:  
Give preference to cloth car washes or  
those that use soft brushes in order to  
avoid paint damage.  
Note the permissible vehicle dimensions  
for the car wash.  
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Do not drive through a car wash with  
guide rails higher than 4 in/10 cm to  
avoid damage to the body.  
Lights  
When cleaning, do not rub wet lights dry, and  
do not use abrasive or acidic cleaning agents  
or cleaning agents containing alcohol. Soak  
the area soiled by insects with an insect re-  
mover and rinse with water. Thaw ice with de-  
icing spray, do not use an ice scraper.  
Observe the tire width of the guide rail to  
avoid damage to tires and rims.  
Fold in exterior mirrors to avoid damage  
to the exterior mirrors.  
Deactivate the wiper and, if necessary,  
rain sensor to avoid damage to the win-  
dow wiper system.  
After washing the vehicle  
After washing the vehicle, apply the brakes  
briefly to dry them. Otherwise, their braking  
effect may be reduced. The heat generated  
while braking dries the brake disks and brake  
pads and protects them from corrosion.  
Take off all removable attachments, e.g.,  
antennas.  
Driving into a car wash  
Completely remove all wash residue, e.g.,  
smearing, on the window glass to ensure suffi-  
cient visibility and to reduce wiper noise and  
wiper blade wear.  
NOTICE  
Selector lever position P is automatically en-  
gaged when standby state is switched off.  
The wheels are blocked. There is a risk of  
property damage. Do not switch off standby  
if the vehicle is meant to coast, e.g., in a car  
wash.  
Vehicle care  
Vehicle care products  
In a car wash, the vehicle must be able to roll  
freely. To do so, selector lever position N must  
be engaged. The parking brake must not be  
applied.  
General information  
BMW recommends using vehicle care and  
cleaning agents from BMW. Suitable vehicle  
care products are available from an authorized  
service center or another qualified service cen-  
ter or repair shop.  
Some car washes do not permit persons in the  
vehicle. The vehicle cannot be locked from the  
outside when in selector lever position N. A  
signal sounds when an attempt is made to lock  
the vehicle.  
Safety information  
Additional information:  
Warning  
Rolling or pushing the vehicle, refer to  
page 123.  
Cleaning agents can contain substances that  
are dangerous and harmful to your health.  
There is a risk of injury and risk of property  
damage. When cleaning the interior, open the  
doors or windows. Only use cleaning agents  
that are intended for cleaning the respective  
component. Follow the instructions on the  
packaging.  
Driving out of a car wash  
When exiting a car wash, make sure that the  
vehicle key is in the vehicle.  
Turn on drive-ready state.  
Additional information:  
Drive-ready state, refer to page 43.  
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Vehicle paintwork  
Synthetic leather care  
Dust and crumbs can work into pores and  
folds, causing heavy abrasion and premature  
degradation of the artificial leather surface.  
General information  
Regular vehicle care contributes to driving  
safety and value retention. Environmental in-  
fluences in areas with elevated air pollution  
or natural contaminants can affect the vehicle  
paintwork. Environmental influences include  
tree resin or pollen, for example.  
Clean synthetic leather regularly with a damp  
microfiber cloth or vacuum cleaner.  
In case of major soiling, use a moist soft  
sponge or microfiber cloth with suitable interior  
cleaners.  
To prevent paint alteration and discoloration,  
remove corrosive substances immediately.  
Corrosive substances include spilled fuel, oil,  
grease, or bird droppings, for example.  
To prevent artificial leather alteration and  
discoloration, remove corrosive substances  
immediately. Corrosive substances include  
sunscreen, for example.  
Matte paintwork  
Only use cleaning and care products suitable  
for vehicles with matte paintwork.  
Fabric care  
General information  
In case of major soiling, use a moist soft  
sponge or microfiber cloth with suitable interior  
cleaners.  
Plastic wrap  
Use only cleaning and care products that are  
suitable for vehicles with a plastic wrap.  
To prevent material alteration and discolor-  
ation, remove corrosive substances immedi-  
ately. Corrosive substances include sunscreen,  
for example.  
Leather care  
Dust and crumbs can work into pores and  
folds, causing heavy abrasion and premature  
degradation of the leather surface.  
Safety information  
Clean leather regularly with a damp cloth or  
vacuum cleaner.  
NOTICE  
Certain clothes and other influences can cause  
discoloration of the leather. To prevent discol-  
oration, clean and maintain the leather roughly  
every two months.  
Open hook and loop fasteners, zippers, or  
applications, e.g., studs on clothing can dam-  
age the seat covers and the other fabric and  
leather covers in the vehicle. There is a risk of  
property damage. Make sure that the fasten-  
ers are closed.  
Clean light-colored leather more frequently be-  
cause contamination on such surfaces is sub-  
stantially more visible.  
Use leather care products to preserve the pro-  
tective layer of the leather.  
Upholstery material care  
Vacuum the cushions regularly with a vacuum  
cleaner. Clean extensively down to the seams.  
Avoid rubbing the material vigorously.  
To prevent leather alteration and discolor-  
ation, remove corrosive substances immedi-  
ately. Corrosive substances include sunscreen,  
for example.  
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the brake disks and brake pads and protects  
them from corrosion.  
Textile care  
Use microfiber cloth soaked with water to  
clean minor soiling.  
Chrome surfaces  
Carefully clean chrome-like surfaces, especially  
if exposed to road salt, using plenty of water  
and adding auto shampoo as needed.  
Alcantara  
Use microfiber cloth soaked with water to  
clean minor soiling. Avoid rubbing the material  
vigorously.  
Rubber components  
Environmental influences can cause surface  
contamination of rubber parts and a loss of  
shine. Use only water and suitable cleaning  
agents for cleaning.  
Caring for special components  
Displays, operating elements, and  
protective glass of the Head-up  
display  
Treat especially worn rubber parts with rubber  
care products at regular intervals. To avoid  
damage or noise, use care products containing  
silicon to maintain the rubber sealing rings.  
NOTICE  
Surfaces can be damaged by improper  
cleaning, e.g., by using chemical cleaners, or  
from moisture or liquid of any kind. There is a  
risk of property damage.  
Wiper blades  
The wiper blades are cleaned by using the  
window washer system.  
Avoid pressure that is too high and do  
not use any scratching materials.  
To prevent a reduction in wiper quality, avoid  
cleaning the wiper blades manually unless  
necessary.  
Use a dry, clean antistatic microfiber  
cloth for cleaning displays.  
Fine wood parts  
Clean the fine wood veneer and fine wood  
components with a damp cloth. Then dry with  
a soft cloth.  
Clean the operating elements and, de-  
pending on vehicle equipment, the pro-  
tective glass of the Head-up display with  
a damp microfiber cloth and standard  
household dish soap.  
Plastic components  
Light-alloy wheels  
NOTICE  
Corrosive, acidic, or alkaline cleaning agents  
can damage the rim surface and the protec-  
tive layer on adjacent components, e.g., the  
brakes.  
Solvent cleaners that contain alcohol or sol-  
vents such as lacquer thinners, cold cleaning  
agents, fuel and such, can damage plastic  
parts. There is a risk of property damage.  
Clean with a microfiber cloth. Dampen the  
cloth lightly with water, if needed.  
When cleaning the vehicle, use only neutral rim  
cleaners having a pH value from 5 to 9. Do  
not use abrasive cleaning agents or steam-jet  
cleaners above 140 /60 ℃. Follow instruc-  
tions given by the manufacturer.  
When cleaning plastic parts, make sure that no  
fabric parts, e.g., the headliner, become wet.  
After cleaning, apply the brakes briefly to dry  
them. The heat generated while braking dries  
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are securely fastened again after they were  
removed, for instance for cleaning.  
Carbon parts  
For easy cleaning of carbon parts, use a micro-  
fiber cloth, water, and silicone-free cleaner to  
remove everyday soiling.  
The floor mats can be removed from the inte-  
rior for cleaning.  
Corrosive, acidic, or alkaline cleaning agents  
can alter the surface.  
If the carpets are heavily soiled, clean them  
with a microfiber cloth and water or a fabric  
cleaner. Rub back and forth in the direction  
of travel to prevent the carpet from becoming  
matted.  
If necessary, have carbon parts removed by an  
authorized service center or another qualified  
service center or repair shop.  
Seat belts  
Sensors and camera lenses  
Cleaning the front camera and  
rearview camera  
If soiling is detected, cleaning of front camera  
and rear-view camera is offered on the control  
display or can be switched on manually.  
Warning  
Chemical solvent cleaners can destroy the  
fabric of the seat belts and lead to seat belts  
no longer having their protective effect. There  
is a risk of injury or danger to life. Use only a  
mild soap solution for cleaning the seat belts.  
1. Go through the menu as follows: Apps  
menu / "Vehicle" / "Parking" / "More" /  
"Camera cleaning".  
The seat belts should be cleaned for safety  
reasons. Dirty belt straps impede the reeling  
action and thus should be avoided for safety  
reasons.  
2. Select the desired setting.  
Use only a mild soap solution for cleaning the  
installed belt straps.  
Seat belts should only be allowed to retract if  
they are dry.  
Carpets and floor mats  
Warning  
Objects in the driver's footwell can limit the  
pedal travel or block a depressed pedal.  
There is a risk of accident, injury, and prop-  
erty damage. Stow objects in the vehicle such  
that they are secured and cannot enter into  
the driver's footwell. Use floor mats that are  
suitable for the vehicle and can be safely at-  
tached to the floor. Do not use loose floor  
mats and do not layer several floor mats.  
Make sure that there is sufficient clearance  
for the pedals. Ensure that the floor mats  
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