2007 BMW 6 SERIES engine

Things to remember when driving
120
Things to remember when driving
Breaking-in
Moving parts need time to adjust to one
another. To ensure that your vehicle continues
to provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds,
however do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph/
160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during these
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
SMG Sequential Manual Transmission
Do not use the acceleration assistant during the
break-in period, refer to page65.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced
after subsequent driving operation.
General driving notes
Closing luggage compartment lid
Only drive with the luggage compartment
lid completely closed, otherwise exhaust
can penetrate into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
luggage compartment lid open:
1.Coupe: close both windows and the glass
sunroof.
Convertible: with closed top, close all win-
dows.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page108.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking, take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury. Do not touch hot exhaust tail
pipes. Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<

Driving tips
121Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Mobile communications devices in
vehicle
BMW advises against using mobile com-
munications devices, e.g. mobile phones,
inside the vehicle without a direct connection to
an external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle
electronics and mobile communications device
can interfere with each other. In addition, there
is no assurance that the radiation emitted dur-
ing transmission will be conveyed out of the
vehicle interior.<
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 sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, also refer to Mini-
mum tire tread on page203.
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 vehi-
cle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Using handbrake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle with
the clutch; use the handbrake. Otherwise,
greater clutch wear will result.<
SMG Sequential Manual Transmission
Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold
the vehicle on a hill by applying the throt-
tle, but engage the handbrake instead. Other-
wise, overheating can occur in the transmission
region.<
Starting assistant
The starting assistant enables you to start off
conveniently on slopes. The handbrake is not
required for this purpose.
1.Hold the vehicle with the footbrake.
2.Release the footbrake and drive off quickly.
The starting assistant holds the vehicle
for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the
footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle
may also roll back slightly during this time.
After releasing the footbrake, drive off quickly,
otherwise the starting assistant no longer holds
the vehicle after approx. 2 seconds and it
begins to roll back.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indicate to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When driving on wet roads or 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 endan-
ger 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
To prevent overheating and thus reduced
efficiency of the brake system, downshift
to a gear in which only minimal brake applica-
tions are needed when descending long or
steep downhill stretches. Even light but consis-

Things to remember when driving
122 tent pressure on the brake pedal can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be further
increased by downshifting, if necessary all the
way down into first gear. This strategy helps
you avoid placing excessive loads on the brake
system. For information on downshifting in the
manual mode of the automatic transmission,
refer to page64.
Do not drive with the clutch depressed, in
idle or with the engine switched off, other-
wise there will be no engine braking action or
support of the braking force and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
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 tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
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 pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the automatic climate
control during operation, and then exits under
the vehicle. Traces of condensed water under
the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
To prevent the exterior mirrors on this vehicle
from being damaged, always fold them in by
hand before entering an automatic car wash.
General information on the care and mainte-
nance of your BMW is contained in the Caring
for your vehicle brochure.
Automatic transmission
Insert the remote control into the ignition lock.
The engine can be switched off in selector lever
position N. Also refer to page38.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blow-out.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
YYY lbs. or XXX kg, as otherwise the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions may result.<
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers 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
800 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
200 lbs.:
800 lbs. minus 600 lbs. = 200 lbs.

Telephoning
174
Telephoning
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone
preparation package. After a suitable mobile
phone has been paired in the vehicle once, you
can operate the mobile phone via iDrive, with
the buttons on the steering wheel and by voice.
A mobile phone that has been paired once is
automatically detected again as soon as it is
brought back inside the vehicle, provided that
the engine is running or the ignition is switched
on. The pairing data of up to four mobile phones
can be stored simultaneously. If several mobile
phones are detected simultaneously, the most
recently paired mobile phone can be operated
via the vehicle.
Using a phone in your vehicle
Using snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a mobile phone
cradle, enables the battery to be charged and
the mobile phone to be connected to the exter-
nal antenna of your vehicle. This ensures
improved network reception and a consistent
voice reproduction quality. Ask your BMW cen-
ter which mobile phones will fit in the snap-in
adapters they offer.
BMW discourages the use of mobile
phones or other mobile communications
devices inside the vehicle without a direct con-
nection to an outside antenna. Otherwise, the
vehicle electronics and mobile communication
device can interfere with each other. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation that
results from transmission will be dissipated
from the vehicle interior.<
For your safety
A car phone makes life more convenient in
many ways, and can even save lives in an emer-
gency. While you should consult your mobile
phone's separate operating instructions for a
detailed description of safety precautions and
information, we request that you direct your
particular attention to the following:
Only make entries when the traffic situa-
tion allows you to do so. Do not hold the
mobile phone in your hand while you are driving;
use the hands-free system instead. If you do
not observe this precaution, your being dis-
tracted can endanger vehicle occupants and
other road users.<
Suitable mobile phones
Ask your BMW center which mobile phones
with a Bluetooth interface are supported by the
mobile phone preparation package or which
mobile phones will fit in the snap-in adapters
they offer. These mobile phones support the
functions described in this Owner's Manual,
provided they are running a certain software
version. Malfunctions can occur with other
mobile phones.
Care instructions
You can find what you need to know about car-
ing for your mobile phone in the separate Caring
for your vehicle brochure and in the mobile
phone operating instructions.
*

177
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
13.Change into the third field from the top,
select "Confirm passkey" and press the
controller.
14.Wait a few seconds until the "Communica-
tion" menu appears.
The next time you use the mobile phone in the
vehicle interior, it will be detected within a max-
imum of 2 minutes with the engine running or
the ignition switched on.
With some mobile phone models it may
be necessary to make certain settings for
a permanent Bluetooth link, e.g. via the menu
item Authorization or Secure connection. Refer
to the operating instructions of your mobile
phone.<
As soon as a mobile phone is detected by the
vehicle, the phone book entries stored on the
SIM card or on your mobile phone are trans-
mitted to your vehicle. This transmission is
dependent on your mobile phone, refer to the
operating instructions of your mobile phone if
necessary, and can take several minutes.
If not all phone book entries are displayed:
>Transfer all phone book entries from the
SIM card to the mobile phone if necessary.
>It may not be possible to display phone
book entries with special characters.
Up to four mobile phones can be paired consec-
utively. When you pair a fifth mobile phone, the
pairing data of the mobile phone for which the
pairing data were stored first in the vehicle will
be deleted.
Check if pairing is unsuccessful
>Is the mobile phone supported by the
mobile phone preparation package? Infor-
mation on this subject is also provided on
the Internet at: www.bmw.com.
>Do the Bluetooth passkey on the mobile
phone and the vehicle match? The same
Bluetooth passkey must be entered both on
the mobile phone display and via iDrive.
>Have you required longer than 30 seconds
to enter the Bluetooth passkey?
>Only a limited number of devices can be
connected to the mobile phone. Delete the
connection to other devices if necessary.
>The mobile phone no longer reacts? Switch
the mobile phone off and then on again or
disconnect the power supply.
To repeat pairing:
1.Select "Restart pairing" and press the con-
troller.
2.Repeat steps 9 to 14.
If pairing was repeatedly unsuccessful, contact
the BMW Hotline.
To call the BMW Hotline:
Select "Help" and press the controller.

Telephoning
180
Adjusting volume
Turn the knob during a call to select the desired
volume.
This volume for the hands-free system is main-
tained, even if the other audio sources are set to
minimum volume.
You can also adjust the volume with the buttons
on the steering wheel, refer to page11.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Operation via iDrive
You can operate the following functions via
iDrive:
>Accepting/rejecting a call
>Dialing phone numbers
>Dialing phone numbers from the phone
book
>Dialing stored phone numbers, e.g. from the
list of accepted calls
>Ending a call
When the ignition and radio readiness are
switched off, e.g. after removing the remote
control from the ignition lock, you can continue
an ongoing call via the hands-free system for no
more than 25 minutes.
Speech quality
If the person you are talking to cannot under-
stand you well, this may be due to excessively
loud background noises. The full mobile phone
preparation package can compensate for these
noises to a certain degree.
To optimize the speech quality during a call,
we recommend that you:
>Reduce background noises, e.g. by closing
the windows, reducing the air volume of the
automatic climate control or pointing the
opened front vent outlets downward.
>Reduce the volume of the hands-free sys-
tem.
Requirements
>The pairing data of the mobile phone are
stored in the vehicle and the mobile phone
is ready to operate.
>The engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
>The mobile phone is detected by the vehi-
cle.
Opening Communication
You operate many of the functions described in
the following via the "Communication" menu.
iDrive, for explanation of principle, refer to
page16.
1.Press the button to open the start
menu.
2.Move the controller forward to open "Com-
munication".

185
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Changing between mobile
phone and hands-free system
From mobile phone to hands-free
system
You can continue calls begun outside the Blue-
tooth range of the vehicle via the hands-free
system when the engine is running or the igni-
tion is switched on. Depending on your mobile
phone, the system automatically switches over
to the hands-free mode.
For mobile phones that do not automatically
switch over to the hands-free mode:
>Depending on the mobile phone model
used, the conversation can be continued via
the hands-free system if necessary. Follow
the instructions displayed on the mobile
phone display, refer to the operating
instructions of your mobile phone.
>Press the button above the storage
compartment. Switching over may take
several seconds.
From hands-free system to mobile
phone
When you telephone via the hands-free system,
you can also continue the call via the mobile
phone if necessary, depending on the mobile
phone model. Act according to what is shown
on the mobile phone display, refer to the oper-
ating instructions of your mobile phone.
As an alternative, you can deactivate the Blue-
tooth link.
Depending on your mobile phone model, poor
reception of the wireless communications net-
work can result in the system switching from
the hands-free system to the mobile phone.
Operation by voice*
The concept
You can operate your mobile phone without
having to remove your hands from the steering
wheel. When making your entries, you will be
supported by announcements or questions in
many cases.
The same prerequisites as for operation via
iDrive apply, refer to page180.
Voice commands
Activating system
1.Briefly press the button on the steering
wheel.
An acoustic signal indicates that you can
say commands.
2.Say the command.
Ending/canceling operation by voice
Press the button on the steering wheel
or
In dialogs where text is spoken, not a command,
e.g. a name, canceling is only possible using the
button on the steering wheel.
Having possible commands read aloud
The system understands default commands
that must be spoken word for word.
You can have the system read aloud the possi-
ble commands at any point:
Using alternative commands
There are often a number of commands to run a
function, e.g.:
The system recognizes digits from zero to nine.
You can say each digit individually or group
them into a sequence to accelerate the input.
{Cancel}.
{Help}.
{Dial name} or {Name}.

Refueling
198
Refueling
Switch off the engine before refueling,
otherwise no fuel can be filled into the
tank and a message is displayed.<
When handling fuel, always observe all
applicable precautionary measures and
regulations. Never transport reserve fuel con-
tainers in the vehicle. They can leak and cause
an explosion or a fire in an accident.<
Fuel filler door
To open and close: briefly press the rear edge of
the fuel filler door.
Unlocking manually
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can
release the fuel filler door manually:
In the luggage compartment, pull the knob with
the gas pump symbol on the right side panel.
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels always follow any
safety guidelines posted at the gas sta-
tion.<
Place the fuel filler cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler door.
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid raising the filler
nozzle during refueling, otherwise this
>results in premature pump shutoff
>can lead to reduced efficiency in the fuel-
vapor recovery system
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 18.5 US gal/70 liters, including the
reserve capacity of approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Fuel filler cap
Closing
Insert the cap and turn it clockwise until there is
a clearly audible click.
Do not jam the strap attached to the fuel
filler cap between the fuel filler cap and
the vehicle. A message
* is displayed if the cap
is loose or missing.<