2004 BMW 745i ESP

Driving tips
123Reference
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Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
to as hydroplaning, and is characterized
by a partial or complete loss of contact
between tires and road surface, ultimately
undermining your ability to steer and brake
the vehicle.<
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the
road if it is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm,
and then only at walking speed at the most.
Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the electri-
cal systems and the transmission may be
damaged.<
Brake system
Braking with ABS
The best way to achieve the best response
from the ABS is to apply maximum pres-
sure to the brake pedal Ð panic stop. Since
the vehicle maintains steering responsive-
ness, you can nevertheless avoid possible
obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indi-
cate to the driver that ABS is in its active
mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting on
the brake pedal. Otherwise, even light
but consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possi-
bly even brake failure.<
Disc brakes
Driving in wet conditions
While driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is a good idea to apply light
pressure to the brake pedal every few
miles. Monitor traffic conditions to ensure
that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to
ensure that full braking efficiency will then
be available when you need it.
Hills
You can retain full and unimpaired braking
efficiency by downshifting to a gear in
which only minimal brake applications are
needed when descending long or steep
downhill stretches.
You can further enhance the engine's
braking effect by selecting a lower gear
in the automatic transmission's manual
mode, downshifting as far as first gear
on extremely steep stretches, refer to
page 67. This strategy helps you avoid
placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem.
Never allow the vehicle to coast with
the transmission in Neutral Ð or with
the engine switched off Ð as there is no
engine braking when the transmission is in
Neutral, and no power-assist for brakes
and steering when the engine is not run-
ning.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
accelerator and brake pedals and obstruct
their movement.<
Corrosion
When the vehicle is driven only occasion-
ally, during extended periods when the
vehicle is not used at all, and in operating
conditions where brake applications are
less frequent, there is an increased ten-
dency for corrosion to form on rotors, while
contaminants accumulate on the brake
pads. This occurs because the minimal
pressure which must be exerted by the
pads during brake applications to clean the
rotors is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors,
the brakes will tend to respond with a pul-
sating effect that even extended applica-
tion will fail to cure.
Brake pads
If the brake pad wear warning lamp
appears in the Check Control,
accompanied by a text. Please take
careful note of the additional information on
the Control Display.

Things to remember when driving
124 Warning lamp for Canadian models.
The brake pads have reached their mini-
mum pad thickness. Have them replaced
at your BMW center as soon as possible.
For your own safety: use only brake
pads that BMW has released for your
particular vehicle model. As BMW cannot
assess the suitability of other brake pads
for use on your vehicle, we are unable to
assume continued responsibility for the
vehicle's operating safety if non-approved
pads are installed.<
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond
their approved carrying capacity,
never overload the vehicle. Overloading
can lead to overheating and increases the
rate at which damage develops inside the
tires. The ultimate result can assume the
form of a sudden air loss.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's door pillar
*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never
exceed XXX lbs. or YYY kg, as other-
wise the vehicle may be damaged and
unstable driving conditions may
result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passenger that will be riding
in your vehicle3.Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passenger from XXX lbs. or
YYY kg
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-
pound passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.:
1,400 Ibs. minus 750 Ibs. = 650 Ibs.
5.Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight should not exceed
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
part of the load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult the
manual for transporting a trailer to
determine how this may reduce the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permitted load is the total of the weight
of occupants and cargo/luggage. The
greater the weight of occupants, the less
cargo/luggage can be transported.

Driving tips
125Reference
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Mobility
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and
as low as possible, placing it directly
behind the bulkhead behind the rear
seats
>Cover sharp edges and corners
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat
is not occupied, secure each safety belt
in the opposite buckle.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net* or securing straps
to hold down small and lightweight lug-
gage and cargo, refer to page 39
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available
at your BMW center. Anchorages for
attaching these heavy-duty straps have
been provided in your vehicle's luggage
compartment, refer to the illustration
>Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the anchorage fittings.
Always position and secure the load
correctly. If you do not, it can even
endanger the passengers during braking or
evasive maneuvers.
Never exceed either the approved gross
vehicle weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer to page 214, as excessive
loads can pose a safety hazard, and may
also place you in violation of freeway safety
laws.
You should never transport heavy or hard
objects unsecured in the passenger com-
partment, as they could fly around and
pose a safety hazard to the vehicle's occu-
pants during abrupt braking or evasive
maneuvers .<
Roof-mounted luggage
rack*
Anchorage points
The anchorage points are located within
the door openings.
A special rack system is available as an
option for your BMW. Please comply with
the precautions included with the installa-
tion instructions.
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's cen-
ter 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 weight, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle
loads when loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights in the
Technical data section on page 214.
Make sure that the load is not too heavy,
and that it does not extend outward to
beyond the limits of the loading surface.
Always load the heaviest pieces first Ð on
the bottom. Be sure that adequate clear-
ance is maintained for raising the glass
roof, and that objects do not project into

Starting the navigation system
130
Starting the navigation system
GPS
Enter data only when the vehicle is
stationary, and always obey the traffic
regulations and road signs in the event of
any contradiction between traffic and road
conditions and the instructions issued by
the navigation system. If you do not
observe this precaution, you may be in vio-
lation of the law, and can endanger vehicle
occupants and other road users.<
GPS stands for Global Positioning System.
This integral component within your vehi-
cle's navigation system relies on reference
satellites to determine the precise position
of your vehicle.
By allowing you to find your destination
without having to consult conventional
road maps as you drive, the navigation sys-
tem makes an important contribution to
traffic safety.
The result: the navigation system provides
you with dependable guidance to your des-
tination.
Navigation CD/DVD
Navigation CDs/DVDs are inserted in the
navigation computer located behind the left
side trim in the luggage compartment.
You can use navigation CDs as of 2001-1
and navigation DVDs in your navigation
computer.
To ensure that your vehicle's navigation
system has access to the latest highway
network information, always load the most
recent CD/DVD version of the digital road
map.
As is the case with conventional road
maps, the navigation CDs/DVDs are sub-
ject to periodic updates to ensure that they
reflect the latest information and surveys.
Navigation CDs/DVDs are available at
your BMW center.<
Changing navigation CDs/DVDs
As you drive your BMW, the computer will
alert you when you are leaving the area
stored on your current navigation CD/DVD;
you should respond by changing the navi-
gation CD/DVD in the navigation computer.
Navigation CDs contain road maps cover-
ing one or more countries or regions.
Roadmaps of Europe are stored on the
navigation DVD.
To change the navigation CD/DVD:
1.Press the button
*

Destination entry
138
Wordmatch principle
The system relies on a wordmatch principle
to make it easier for you to enter the names
of towns or streets. The system runs ongo-
ing checks, comparing your destination
entries with the data stored on the naviga-
tion CD/DVD as the basis for instant
response. The user benefits include:
>When you make an entry that consists
of more than one word, the system can
identify the name regardless of the
sequence in which you enter the indi-
vidual words.
Example:
Official version:
J.F. Kennedy Square
Possible entries:
Kennedy Square J.F.
or:
Square J.F. Kennedy
>Names of specific locations can also
vary from the official versions provided
that the spelling of the entry corre-
sponds to a standard form used in
another country
>When you are entering the names of
towns and streets the system will com-
plete them automatically as soon as
enough letters are available to ensure
unambiguous identification.
Example:
If you want to drive to Iowa Ave NW in
Washington, the system has already
identified the street name when "o" is
entered and displayed it in the lower
half of the Control Display
>The system only accepts name entries
beginning with letters that are stored on
the navigation CD/DVD. The system will
not accept nonexistent names and
addresses.

CD changer
160
CD changer
Location
The BMW CD changer with a storage
capacity of 6 CDs is installed above the
glove compartment.
Removing the CD magazine
To insert or remove CDs from the
CD magazine you must first remove it
from the CD changer:
1.Press button 1; the lid 2 opens
2.The CD magazine is ejected and can
be removed.
Inserting/removing CDs from the
CD magazine
When inserting or removing CDs always
remember to grasp them on the edge, tak-
ing care to avoid touching the data side
with its mirror finish.
>To insert:
Insert the CD in its slot with the label
side on top
>To remove:
Pull out the desired drawer and remove the corresponding CD, as shown in the
illustration.
Inserting the CD magazine
1.Press button 1; the lid opens
2.Ensure that the arrow symbol is point-
ing toward the CD player and slide the
magazine 2 all the way in. The lid closes
automatically.
The CD changer automatically reads
in the loaded CDs and is then ready
for operation.<
Listening to CDs
1.Insert the CD magazine
2.Select and confirm.
After a few seconds, play will resume at the
point where the CD stopped earlier.
*

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
163Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
TV
For your own safety, the TV picture is only
shown on the rear screen.
The system is designed for reception
of analog television. Due to the quality
of mobile reception, reduced picture qual-
ity can result depending on the position
and network coverage in spite of the highly
advanced reception technology used.
A change in vehicle positions can result
in improved reception quality in many
cases.<
Television
1.Switch on audio or video sources, refer
to page 149
If an audio source is switched on,
select "Video" and confirm.<
2.Select "TV" and confirm.
The device selects the last program set.
Volume adjustment, refer to page 149.
Tone control, refer to page 149.
All menu items will disappear from the
screen after a brief pause if you do
not make any additional entries.<
Storing programs
The programs with the strongest reception
are automatically stored and continuously
adjusted to the respective reception situa-
tion.
Selecting programs
Using the Control Center
1.Press controller to view the programs
2.Select program and confirm
Button in the rear
Press the button in the desired direction
the number of times required to reach pro-
gram you want.
*
{TV on}.
1.{TV}
2.{Next} or {Back}.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
165Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
DVD changer
Location
The BMW DVD changer for 6 DVDs or
audio CDs is mounted behind the left side
trim panel in the luggage compartment.
Removing the DVD magazine
To insert or remove DVDs or CDs from the
magazine, you must first remove it from the
DVD changer:
1.Push the door to the right, refer to
arrow 1
2.Press the button, refer to arrow 2.
The magazine is ejected and can be
removed.
Inserting/removing DVDs or CDs
from the DVD magazine
When inserting or removing DVDs or CDs,
always remember to grasp them on the
edge, taking care to avoid touching the
data side with its mirror finish.
>To insert:
Insert the DVD or CD in its slot with the
label side on top
>To remove:
Pull out the desired drawer and remove
the corresponding DVD or CD, as
shown in the illustration.
Dual-sided DVDs available from retail
suppliers are coated on both sides
and bear no markings. This means both
sides are information carriers. To play back
the information on the other side, remove
the magazine and turn over the DVD.
If you play self-recorded audio CD-Rs,
faults, e.g. drop-outs, can occur.<
*