70
RReverseSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary.NNeutralAlways engage before starting the
engine, refer to Starting the engine on
page 66.Sequential modeEach time the engine is started, the
sequential mode is activated as soon as
you move the selector lever into the for-
ward driving position while the brake is
depressed.
The gears are shifted via the shift pad-
dles or the selector lever.
It is also possible to drive off in second
gear, e.g. on snow-covered roads.DDrive modeIn the drive mode all forward gears are
shifted automatically.
To switch from sequential to drive
mode: tap the selector lever to the right
toward D.
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during
passing, depress the accelerator pedal
completely: kickdown.To switch back to sequential mode: tap
the selector lever again to the right
toward D or change the current gear via
the shift paddles or the selector lever.
KickdownYou can achieve maximum acceleration
using kickdown.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-
throttle position.
Shifting gearsWith selector lever:
>To upshift, tap the selector lever
toward +
>To downshift, tap the lever toward —.
With shift paddles on steering wheel:
>To upshift, pull one of the shift pad-
dles
>To downshift, push the paddle.
You accelerate from higher gears, e.g.
during passing, by manually downshift-
ing.
In the following situations, the SMG in
the sequential mode assists you:
>The transmission will only execute
upshifts and downshifts that will
result in an appropriate combination
of vehicle speed and engine rpm. For
Sequential manual gearbox SMG*
92
Flat Tire Monitor*The conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor
keeps track of pressure levels in all four
tires. The system alerts you whenever
the inflation pressure of a tire falls sig-
nificantly below the pressure of another
tire.
The system actually detects pressure
loss by monitoring differences in the
relative speeds of the four wheels. It
interprets variations outside specified
limits as severe pressure loss, and then
responds by generating a warning.Functional requirementsIn order for the Flat Tire Monitor to learn
the correct tire inflation pressure,
please do the following:
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in
all tires
2. Compare them with the tire inflation
pressure table on page 26 and cor-
rect them, if necessary
3. Initialize the system.
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot pro-
vide you with advance warning of
sudden and severe tire damage caused
by external factors and does not detect
the balanced and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all four tires
over an extended period of time.<
On the other hand, the following situa-
tions can lead to a delayed detection of
pressure loss and even to the system
not functioning:
>Driving on snow-covered or slippery
roads
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at
the drive wheels, high levels of lateral
acceleration
>When driving with snow chains, false
warnings and undetected pressure
losses may occur
>When driving with a space-saver
spare tire, the Flat Tire Monitor can-
not function.
Initializing the system
Each time you correct the pres-
sure in a tire, or change a wheel or
tire, reinitialize the system immediately
afterwards. This requires a bit of driv-
ing.<
1. Before driving off, start the engine
but do not start driving
2. Press the button as long as you need
to until the yellow indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up for a
few seconds
3. Drive off.
It takes a few minutes before the Flat
Tire Monitor can detect a flat tire and
issue a warning.
121
General driving notes
Brakes: do not rest your foot on
the brake pedal while driving.
Even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.
Hydroplaning: when driving on wet or
slushy roads, reduce road speed. If you
do not, a wedge of water can form
between tires and road surface. This
phenomenon can lead to partial or
complete loss of contact between the
tires and road surface, as well as loss of
vehicle control and braking ability.
Driving through water: do not drive
through water on the road if it is deeper
than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at walk-
ing speed. Otherwise, the vehicle's
engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.
Rear parcel tray: never use it to store
heavy or hard objects; otherwise, occu-
pants could be injured if the vehicle is
braked hard.
Clothes hooks: when hanging clothing
from the hooks, be sure that they will
not obstruct the driver's vision. Do not
hang heavy objects on the hooks. If you
do so, they could cause personal injury
during braking or evasive maneuvers.<
Antilock Brake System (ABS)The conceptABS keeps the wheels from locking
during braking, thereby enhancing
active driving safety.Braking with ABSIf you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply maxi-
mum pedal pressure – panic stop.
Since the vehicle maintains steering
responsiveness, you can avoid possible
obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort, despite the full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)DBC is included in the DSC, refer to
page 87.
The system responds to sudden, high-
intensity applications of force to the
brake pedal by automatically braking
the vehicle with maximum boost to
achieve the shortest possible braking
distances during panic stops. This sys-
tem exploits all the benefits of ABS.Do not reduce the pressure exerted
against the brake pedal until the brak-
ing maneuver has been completed.
DBC is deactivated when you release
the brake pedal.
Cornering Brake Control (CBC)CBC is an advanced engineering
design of the ABS. When braking while
cornering at high speed or braking dur-
ing high lateral acceleration, or when
braking during a lane change, vehicle
stability is improved and steering
response is enhanced.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
125
Do not drive on a flat tire unless
your vehicle is equipped with Run
Flat tires. A flat tire greatly impairs
steering and braking response, and can
lead to complete loss of control over
the vehicle. Avoid overloading the vehi-
cle so that the permitted load on the
tires is not exceeded. Overloading can
lead to overheating and internal tire
damage.
The ultimate result can assume the
form of a sudden air loss.
Unusual vibrations encountered during
normal vehicle operation can indicate a
flat tire or some other vehicle malfunc-
tion. This type of problem can be
caused by contact with curbs, etc. This
is also true for abnormalities in the vehi-
cle's handling characteristics, such as a
pronounced tendency to pull to the left
or right. Should this occur, respond by
immediately reducing your speed. Pro-
ceed carefully to the nearest BMW cen-
ter or professional tire center, or have
the vehicle towed in to have it, its
wheels or its tires inspected.
Tire damage up to and including sud-
den and complete air loss can endan-
ger the lives of both the vehicle occu-
pants and other road users.<
Tire replacementTo maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single
tread configuration from a single manu-
facturer.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures — and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assembly balanced
every time you change a tire or wheel.DOT quality gradesTread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must con-
form to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades.
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test
course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and one-half – 1
1/2 – times as
well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.TractionThe traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction.
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Tire condition
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
128
the tire sidewall, refer to Changing a
wheel. In this case, use only Run Flat
winter tires, since no spare tire is pro-
vided in the event of a flat tire.Tire condition, tire pressureAt tread depths below approx. 3/16 in /
4 mm, winter tires display a perceptible
decrease in their ability to cope with
winter driving conditions, and should be
replaced in the interest of safety.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures — and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assembly balanced
every time you change a tire or wheel.Snow chains*Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and determined and
approved as roadworthy. Consult any
BMW center for details. BMW recom-
mends using only these approved fine-
link snow chains. Use them in pairs on
either summer or winter tires, but only
on both rear wheels.325xi, 330xi: only in an emergency – for
instance, with the vehicle stuck on one
side, or when obstructions make it
impossible to reach one tire – a chain
may also be mounted on just one tire
for the limited period needed to resolve
the problem.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph /
50 km/h when using snow chains.
You cannot mount snow chains on the
following tires:
225/50 R 16
225/45 R 17
225/40 R 18
245/40 R 17
255/35 R 18
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Moni-
tor after mounting snow chains to
the tires.
When driving with snow chains, it may
be useful to turn off the DSC for a short
time, refer to page 88 or 89.
147
License plate lamps5 watt bulb
1. Place a screwdriver in the slot and
press toward the left to release the
lens
2. Replace the bulb.
Changing a wheel
Safety precautions in the event of
a flat tire or wheel change:
Stop the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Park on a firm, flat, sur-
face. Switch on the hazard warning
flashers. Turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position and engage the
steering lock. Shift into 1st or Reverse,
or if you have an automatic transmis-
sion position the selector lever in Park,
and engage the parking brake.
All passengers should be outside the
vehicle and well away from your imme-
diate working area, behind a guardrail,
for example.
If a warning triangle or portable hazard
warning lamp is available, set it up on
the roadside at an appropriate distance
from the rear of the vehicle. Comply
with all safety guidelines and regula-
tions.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm
surface which is not slippery. Avoid
jacking the vehicle on a soft or slippery
support surface – snow, ice, loose
gravel, etc. – as either the vehicle or the
jack could slip sideways.
Position the jack on a firm support sur-
face.
Do not place wooden blocks or similar
objects under the jack. They could pre-
vent the jack from extending to its full
height and reduce its support capacity.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported
by the jack. There is otherwise a risk of
fatal injury.<
Your BMW is equipped with a spare tire
or a space-saver spare tire designed for
temporary use in maintaining the vehi-
cle's mobility in an emergency.
To remove the spare tire, lift the
floor panel in the luggage com-
partment completely out, refer to
page 40.<
Lamps and bulbs
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
148
What you will needIn order to avoid rattling noises later,
note the position of the tools when you
remove them and return them to their
original position when you are done
using them.
>Jack 1
Lift the floor panel within the luggage
compartment, refer to page 40, and
undo the red wing nut.
When you have completed work,
screw the jack all the way back
down. Fold the handle back and
insert it in its holder
>Chock 2
Located behind the jack on the wall
in the luggage compartment. Loosen
the wing nut to remove it
>Spare tire or space-saver spare tire –
located next to the jack
Loosen the wing nut by hand, remove
the storage shelf and take the wheel
out
>Lug wrench – in the onboard tool kit
on the underside of the luggage com-
partment lid, refer to page 142.Procedure1. Read and comply with the safety
precautions provided on the previ-
ous page
2. Secure the vehicle to prevent it
from rolling:
Place the wedge against the rear
surface of the front tire on the side
opposite the side being raised. If
the vehicle is parked on a down-
ward slope, place the wedge
securely in front of the tire. If the
wheel must be changed on a sur-
face with a more severe slope, take
additional precautions to secure
the vehicle from rolling
3. Wheels with full wheel covers*:
Reach into the ventilation openings
and pull the cover off
4. Loosen the lug bolts by rotating
half a turn
Changing a wheel
150
Do not attempt to install the full
wheel cover on the space-saver
spare tire, since this could damage the
cover.<
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not
attempt to raise another vehicle model
with it or to raise any other type of load.
To do so could cause accidents and
personal injury.
To ensure continued safety, have the
tightness of the torque bolts checked
with a calibrated lug wrench – torque
specification: 88.5 lb ft/120 Nm – at the
earliest opportunity.<
When storing a wheel in the spare tire
recess, take care to avoid bending the
threaded rod.
If light-alloy wheels other than original
BMW light-alloy wheels have been
mounted, it may be necessary to use
different lug bolts for those wheels.
Replace the defective tire as soon as
possible and have the new wheel/tire
balanced.
Driving with the space-saver
spare tireDrive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h.
Be aware that vehicle handling may be
altered. Anticipate, e.g., reduced track-
ing during braking, longer braking dis-
tances, and changed steering charac-
teristics when approaching limit
conditions. These handling characteris-
tics will be even more pronounced if
winter tires are mounted.
Only one space-saver spare tire
may be mounted at one time.
Mount a wheel and tire of the original
size at the earliest possible opportu-
nity.
tions, the size of the spare tire will
differ from that of the remaining tires.
The spare tire is fully functional at all
loads and speeds. However, the spare
tire should be replaced at the earliest
possible opportunity in order to achieve
the original operating conditions.<
Run Flat tires*Run Flat tires are labeled on the side-
wall with a circular symbol containing
the letters RSC. Run Flat tires consist of
self-supporting tires and special rims.
The tire reinforcement ensures that
driving remains possible to a restricted
degree in the event of pressure drop or
even if the tire is deflated.
When mounting or replacing sum-
mer tires with winter tires, or vice
versa, use Run Flat tires since no spare
wheel is available in the event of a flat.
In this event, BMW recommends con-
sulting your BMW center. Your BMW
center has the information needed for
working with Run Flat tires and is
equipped with the necessary special
tools.<
Changing a wheel