Things to remember when driving
114
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. Please follow the instructions below
in order to achieve the optimal service life and
economy of operation for your vehicle.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and road speeds but do
not exceed:
> Gasoline engine
4,500 rpm or 100 mph/160 km/h
> Diesel engine
3,500 rpm or 93 mph/150 km/h
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode.
After driving 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Engine and vehicle speeds can be gradually
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do no t achieve their full trac-
tion potential until afte r an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive cautiously 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 cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The function of the clut ch reaches its optimal
level only after a distan ce driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
The same break-in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewe d in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends
on several factors. You can lower fuel consump-
tion and the environmental impact by taking
certain measures, adjusting your driving style
and having the vehicle serviced regularly.
Remove any unneeded cargo
Additional weight incr eases fuel consumption.
Remove any mounted parts after you
have finished using them
Remove unneeded additional mirrors, the roof
rack and the rear luggage rack after use.
Mounted parts affect th e vehicle's aerodynam-
ics and increase fuel consumption.
Close the windows and glass roof
An open glass roof or window causes higher air
resistance and thus increases fuel consump-
tion.
Check tire inflation pressure regularly
Check the tire inflation pr essure at least twice a
month and before embarking on a long journey,
and correct it if necessary.
Low tire inflation pressure causes higher rolling
resistance and thus increases fuel consumption
and tire wear.
Set off immediately
Do not let the engine wa rm up while the car is
still standing, but set off immediately at moder-
ate engine speed. This is the fastest way for the
cold engine to reach its operating temperature.
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Driving tips
115Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance to the forward vehicle. A defensive and
smooth driving style keeps fuel consumption
down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second
and higher gears, accele rate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable ge ar and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red lig ht, take your foot off
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
On a downhill slope, take your foot off the accel-
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engi ne during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx.
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner and the
seat or rear window heating draw large amounts
of power and consume a dditional fuel. Espe-
cially in city traffic and in stop and go driving
they have a considerable impact. Therefore,
switch these functions off when they are not
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page 216.
General driving notes
Close the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid/tailgate and rear
window are closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes
could enter the interior of the vehicle. <
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage
compartment lid/tailgate open:
1. Close all windows and the glass roof.
2. Greatly increase the ai r volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page 95.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to various sect ions of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply un dercoating to them.
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
ing, 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, with the
risk of serious personal injuries and property
damage. Do not touch ho t exhaust tail pipes.
Otherwise there is a risk of burns. <
Diesel particulate filter*
The diesel particulate filter collects soot parti-
cles and burns them periodically at high tem-
peratures. This cleaning process takes several
minutes. During cleaning, you may notice that
the engine temporarily runs less smoothly and
that a somewhat higher engine speed is neces-
sary to achieve the accustomed performance.
Also, noises may be heard and a slight amount
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Things to remember when driving
116
of smoke may emerge from the exhaust, even
for a short period after
the engine is switched
off.
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 situation, known as hydroplaning,
means that the tire can completely lose contact
with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brak e be properly applied.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tire s, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page 208.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged. <
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Ot herwise greater clutch
wear will result. <
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page 83.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pre ssure on 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. Full
braking efficiency will th
en be available when
you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least br aking is required. Even
light but consistent brak e pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure. <
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page 56.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in neutral or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, engine
braking action will not be present or there will be
no power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise peda l function could be
impaired. <
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driv en only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in op erating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminan ts 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 re spond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
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Driving tips
117Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
General information on caring for your BMW
can be found on page218.
Sports Wagon: re ar window wiper
Driving through an automatic car wash can
result in damage to the rear window wiper. If
necessary, ask the operator of the car wash
about protective measures you should take.
With convenient access and automatic
transmission
Insert the remote control into the ignition
switch.
The engine can be switched off when the selec-
tor lever is in position N. Refer also to page 218.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overlo ading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. This can ultimately
result in a sudden blow-out. <
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or
leak from their containers in the cargo
bay, as this could result in damage to the vehi-
cle. <
Determining loading limit
1. Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading
can result in damage to the vehicle and
unstable driving conditions.<
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 kilograms or YYY
pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY 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 tra iler will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the availa ble cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
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Music collection
160
Music collection
Backing up the music collection
The entire music collection can be stored on a
USB medium. Make sure there is enough free
memory capacity on the USB device.
Depending on the number of tracks, backing up
the music collection may take several hours.
Therefore, it is best to perform the backup dur-
ing a long trip.
1. Start the engine.
2. Connect the USB device to the USB inter-
face in the glove compartment.
3. "CD/Multimedia"
4. "Music collection"
5. Open "Options".
6. "Music import/export"
7. "Backup music on USB device"
Storing the music collection in the
vehicle
When storing music from the USB
medium, the existing music collection in
the vehicle is replaced.
1. "CD/Multimedia"
2. "Music collection" 3.
Open "Options".
4. "Music import/export"
5. "Restore music from USB"
Deleting the music collection
1."CD/Multimedia"
2. "Music collection"
3. Open "Options".
4. "Delete music collection"
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Telephone
168
Telephone
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full mobile phone
preparation package. After pairing a suitable
mobile phone with the vehicle once, you can
operate the mobile phone via iDrive, the buttons
on the steering wheel or via voice commands.
Once a mobile phone has been paired with your
vehicle, it is automatically recognized as soon
as it is inside the vehicl e while the engine is run-
ning or the ignition is switched on. You can
store the pairing data for up to four mobile
phones simultaneously . If several mobile
phones are detected at the same time, the
mobile phone last paired can be operated via
the vehicle.
Using the telephone inside
the vehicle
Using the snap-in adapter*
The so-called snap-in adapter, a holder for
mobile phones, allows you to charge the mobile
phone's battery and connect the mobile phone
to your vehicle's outside antenna. This ensures
better network reception and consistent repro-
duction quality. Please contact your
BMW center to find ou t for which mobile
phones there are snap-in adapters available.
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 precau tion, your being dis- tracted can endanger vehicle occupants and
other road users.
<
Suitable mobile phones
Please ask your BMW center which mobile
phones with Bluetooth interface are supported
by the mobile phone pr eparation package and
which mobile phones are compatible with the
snap-in adapter. By virtue of their particular
software versions, thes e mobile phones sup-
port the functions described in this Owner's
Manual. Malfunctions may occur with other
mobile phones.
Operating options
You can operate the mobile phone* using:
> Buttons on the steering wheel, refer to
page 10
> iDrive, refer to page 16
> Voice commands, refer to page 175
> Programmable memory keys, refer to
page 20
Avoid operating a mobile phone recognized by
the vehicle via the mobile phone's keypad, oth-
erwise malfunctions may result.
Start-up
Pairing the mobile phone with the
vehicle
The following prerequisites must be met:
> Compatible mobile phone: the mobile
phone is supported by the mobile phone full
preparation package. You can obtain infor-
mation on the Internet at: www.bmw.com
> The mobile phone is ready to operate.
> Bluetooth is activated in the vehicle, refer to
page 170, and on the mobile phone.
*
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171
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Mobility
4. "Bluetooth"
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.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Operation via iDrive
You can operate the following functions using
iDrive:
> Accepting/rejecting calls
> Dialing phone numbers
> Selecting phone numbers from the phone
book
> Selecting stored phone numbers, e.g. from
the list of received calls
> Ending calls
When the ignition is switched off or in radio
readiness, e.g. after ta king the remote control
out of the ignition swit ch, you can continue an
ongoing call via the hand s-free system for sev-
eral minutes.
Voice quality
If the person you are talk ing to is having difficul-
ties understanding you, this may be due to
excessive background noise. The full mobile
phone preparation pack age can compensate
for these noises to a cert ain extent. To optimize
voice quality during a call, we recommend that
you:
> Reduce background noise, e.g. by closing
the windows, reducing air flow from the
automatic climate cont rol or pointing the
open front air vents downward
> Reduce the volume of the hands-free sys-
tem
Requirements
>The mobile phone's pair ing data are stored
by the vehicle and the mobile phone is oper-
ational.
> The engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
> The mobile phone is recognized by the
vehicle.
Receiving calls
If you have the phone number of the caller
stored in the phone b ook and the phone num-
ber has been transmitted, the name of the entry
is displayed.
Accepting a call
Press the button on the steering wheel.
or
"Accept"
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Telephone
174
Dialing the number via iDrive
1."Telephone"
2. "Redial"
3. Select the desired entry.
4. The connection is established.
Deleting entries
1.Highlight an entry.
2. Open "Options".
3. "Delete entry" or "Delete list"
Saving an entry in the contacts
1.Highlight an entry.
2. Open "Options".
3. "Store as new contact" or "Add to existing
contact"
4. Complete the entries if necessary.
Received calls
The 20 calls that were last received are dis-
played.
1."Telephone"
2. "Received calls"
Dialing a number
Select an entry.
The connection is established.
Deleting entries
1.Highlight an entry.
2. Open "Options".
3. "Delete entry" or "Delete list".
Saving an entry in the contacts
1.Highlight an entry.
2. Open "Options".
3. "Store as new contact" or "Add to existing
contact"
Switching between mobile
phone and hands-free system
From mobile phone to hands-free
system*
You can continue ongoin g calls outside of the
vehicle's Bluetooth range via the hands-free
system as long as the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on. Depending on your
mobile phone, the sy stem automatically
switches to hands-free mode.
With mobile phones that do not automatically
switch to hands-free mode:
Depending on the type of mobile phone you are
using, it may be possible to continue the con-
versation via the hands-free system. Refer to
the display on your mobile phone and/or your
mobile phone's operating instructions.
From hands-free system to mobile
phone
If you are making a call via the hands-free sys-
tem, it may be possible to continue the call via
the mobile phone, depending on your mobile
phone model. Refer to the display on your
mobile phone and/or your mobile phone's oper-
ating instructions.
Alternatively, you can de activate the Bluetooth
link.
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