
Transporting children safely
56
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the 
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger 
themselves and other persons, e.g. by opening 
the doors.<
Children always in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place 
for children is on the rear seat.
Children younger than 13 years of age or 
with a height under 5 ft/150 cm may only 
be transported in the rear in child restraint sys-
tems which correspond to the age, weight and 
height of the child. Otherwise there is an 
increased danger of injury in an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a 
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint 
system can no longer be used due to their age, 
size and weight.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it ever be necessary to use a child 
restraint system on the front passenger 
seat, the front and side airbags on the passen-
ger side must first be deactivated. Otherwise, 
there is an increased risk of injury for the child if 
the airbags are triggered, even with a child 
restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation 
of the front passenger airbags, refer to 
page101.
Installing child restraint 
systems
Observe the child restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions for selection, 
installation and use of the child restraint sys-
tems. Otherwise the degree of protection may 
be reduced.<
Backrest width* on front passenger 
seat
Open the backrest width setting of the 
front passenger seat all the way. After 
mounting the child's seat, deactivate the active 
backrest width adjustment and do not call up 
any memory position. Otherwise this limits the 
stability of the child's seat on the front passen-
ger seat.<
1.After unlocking the vehicle, sit on the front 
passenger seat and close the door to call up 
the memory position.
2.Completely open the backrest width adjust-
ment, refer to page46.
3.Deactivate active backrest width adjust-
ment, refer to page47.
4.Install child's seat.
Child seat security
All rear safety belts and the safety belt for the 
front passenger can be locked against pulling 
out to secure child restraint systems. 

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Cup holders
Use lightweight, unbreakable containers 
and do not transport hot beverages. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the 
event of an accident. Do not force containers 
that are too large into the cup holders, other-
wise damage could result.<
Opening
Briefly press the button.
Closing
Press the cover in the center and push in the 
cup holder.
Ashtray, front
Opening
Briefly press the center of the cover.
Emptying
Press the button, refer to arrow. The ashtray 
rises and can be removed.
Cigarette lighter, front
Press in the lighter with the engine running or 
the ignition switched on.
The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops 
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by 
the knob only. Holding or touching it in 
other areas could result in burns. 
Always take along the remote control when you 
leave the vehicle, otherwise children could, for 
example, use the lighter and burn themselves.< 

Things to remember when driving
134
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to 
each other. To ensure that your vehicle contin-
ues 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.
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.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends 
on various factors. Through a few simple steps, 
your driving style, and regular maintenance, you 
can have a positive influence on your fuel con-
sumption and environmental impact.
Removing unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Removing add-on parts after use
Remove unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear 
luggage racks after use. Add-on parts attached 
to the vehicle impede the aerodynamics and 
increase the fuel consumption.
Closing windows and glass sunroof
An open glass sunroof or open windows like-
wise increase the drag coefficient and therefore 
the fuel consumption.
Checking tire inflation pressures 
regularly
Check and correct the tire inflation pressure as 
needed at least twice a month and before long 
trips.
An insufficient tire inflation pressure increases 
the rolling resistance and thus increases the 
fuel consumption and tire wear.
Driving off immediately
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicle remains stationary. 
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine 
speed. This is the fastest way for the cold 
engine to reach its operating temperature. 

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Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page53, 
otherwise they could be damaged due to the 
width of the vehicle.
General information on the care and mainte-
nance of your BMW is contained in the Caring 
for your vehicle brochure.
528xi, 535xi
Avoid car washes with guide rail heights 
over 4 in/10 cm, otherwise there is danger 
of damaging chassis components.<
Rear window wiper*
The rear window wiper can be damaged in car 
washes. Take appropriate protective measures; 
ask the car wash operator if necessary.
Automatic and sport automatic 
transmission
Follow the instructions on page62 so that the 
vehicle can roll.
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.<
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo 
bay; otherwise the vehicle could be dam-
aged.<
Determining loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your 
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants 
and cargo should never exceed 
XXX lbs. or YYY 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 
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 
650 lbs.: 
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage 
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That 
weight may not safely 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. 

Things to remember when driving
138
Load
The permissible 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.
Stowing cargo
>Load heavy cargo as far forward and as low 
as possible, placing it directly behind the 
rear backrest.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is 
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the 
opposite buckle.
>Do not pile objects higher than the top edge 
of the backrest.
>Sports Wagon: 
Use the partition net to protect the occu-pants, refer to page129. Make sure that 
objects cannot penetrate through the parti-
tion net. 
Wrap sharp-edged or pointed objects 
which could strike the rear window while 
driving.
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net*, luggage straps, or 
securing straps to hold down small and 
lightweight luggage and cargo.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing 
larger and heavier objects are available at 
your BMW center. Four lashing eyes 
mounted in the cargo bay are used to 
secure these heavy-duty cargo straps, refer 
to illustration.
>Please observe the special instructions 
supplied with the heavy-duty cargo straps.
Position and secure the cargo as 
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the vehicle's occupants, for example if sud-
den braking or evasive maneuvers are neces-
sary.
Use only the lashing eyes to secure heavy-duty 
cargo straps, refer to illustration, otherwise the 
cargo straps could become detached or the 
vehicle could be damaged.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle 
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer 
to page257, as excessive loads can pose a 
safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws. 
You should never transport unsecured heavy or 
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as 
they could fly around and pose a safety hazard 
to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.< 

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Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option 
for your BMW. Please comply with the precau-
tions included with the installation instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are located in the door 
openings or on the roof rails
*.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center 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 load capacity, the 
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads 
when loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights under 
Weights on page257.
Distribute the roof load uniformly. The load 
must not be too large in area. Always stow the 
heaviest pieces on the bottom. Be sure that 
adequate clearance is maintained for raising the 
glass sunroof, and that objects do not project 
into the opening path of the luggage compart-
ment lid/tailgate.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and 
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off 
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and 
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently. 

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When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid raising the filler 
nozzle during refueling, otherwise this leads to
>premature pump shutoff
>a reduced efficiency of 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. 2.1 US gal/8 liters.
550i: approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters reserve 
capacity.
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
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly 
hear a click.
Do not crush the band attached to the 
cap; otherwise, the cap may not properly 
seal and fuel vapors can escape.<
A message
* is displayed if the cap is loose or 
missing.
Fuel specifications
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise 
permanent damage to the catalytic con-
verter will result. 
Do not use E85, i.e. fuel that consists of 85% 
ethanol, or Flex Fuel. Otherwise permanent 
damage to the engine and the fuel supply sys-
tem will result.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less 
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is 87.
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds 
when starting at high outside temperatures. 
This has no affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified 
minimum quality, otherwise engine dam-
age can result.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition, 
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale 
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other 
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight, 
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an 
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void 
the applicable warranties with respect to 
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in 
drivability, starting and stalling problems 
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and 
high altitude. 
Should you encounter drivability problems 
which you suspect could be related to the fuel 
you are using, we recommend that you respond 
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand 
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier 
Detergent Gasoline. 
Failure to comply with these recommendations 
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.< 

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528i
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to max. of
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds 
including those exceeding 
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications 
in the table are indicated in 
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 V M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
245/40 R 18 93 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 35/240 36/250 44/300
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35R1895W32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 36/250 42/290
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30R1996YXL32/220 38/260 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page257.