That is correct. On my '04 I have this 4x4 light. On older X5s there is the triangle ligjht. Both mean the same....DSC.

Except that we are. The DSC light was changed, and on newer models the DSC light has the logo "4x4" added underneath it. God only knows why.

Everything Drex (and a few others...) said about the DSC light was right

So, back to the original question. It really isn't a 4x4 light. Bozo, you always have 4x4. (It does say 4x4, which shows that BMW has bowed to the lowest common denominator among their owners.)

Leave the switch alone, and take advantage of the features of DSC in snow and ice. The only time to turn it off is when you are stuck in deep snow, and when you try to accelerate a wheel slips; in those caes the DSC reduces the throttle. You literally can't drive out. In those cases, turn off DSC and you can spin the wheels to try and get unstuck. Also works well on steep driveways at low speed. BMW also recommends turning it off when you have chains on, or in sand.

Edit: Hey Breyton, you can type faster than me...

oh sure, they listen to YOU :) :)

Here are my observations.

First, there is no 4x4 warning light in North American vehicles. Nowhere in any of the manuals, going back to 2000, is there anything that refers to 4x4.

Second, although in North America we generally treat 4X4 and All Wheel Drives as different animals (which they are), in Europe they might lump them together and call them both 4x4's.

Third, Bozo is from the U.K. and probably isn't driving a North American version of the X5. If my second point holds true, then perhaps the 4x4 indicator in Europe means the same as the DSC indicator in North America.

Fourth, in addition to DSC, torque is also constantly variable between the front and rear drive wheels independent of what the DSC does. The 4x4 indicator might possibly relate to this.

Finally, regardless of what the indicator relates to or whether any of my comments are correct or not, the simple fact that it's on indicates there is a problem. Indicators only come on when a system has gone down (or has been turned off in the case of DSC). Due to this simple fact, the first course of action should be to call the service department of your dealer to find out what the problem is.

I don't have a DSC light, what are you guys talking about? :) ;)

j/k

yes there is. page 18 of the '04 manual.

The DSC light in the dash does have 4x4 on it! I triggered it on the way home this afternoon. :)
I have an '05 and I'll be in the garage later and will take a picture if needed.

Careful, or we'll put you in that 'lowest common denominator" category ;)

No need, it is on page 95 of the 2005 owner's manual located on the home page of X5World.

I stand corrected. They added the term 4x4 in '04, but it isn't used correctly according to the proper definition of 4x4. In the manual it means either the DSC or All Wheel Drive (X-Drive) system has failed (pg 77). The AWD/X-Drive problem it refers to is what I described above, i.e. the variable distribution of power between front and rear wheels.