2009 BMW Z4 SDRIVE35I accelerator

Driving
54
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P
> Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
depress the brake until you are ready to
start. <
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the butto n on the front of the
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you are driving in posi-
tion D.
Kick-down
Kick-down enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual
operation M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The sport program is activated and DS is dis-
played in the instrument cl uster. This position is
recommended for a performance-oriented driv-
ing style.
To deactivate the spor t program or manual
mode M/S, move the sele ctor lever to the right
into position D.
Shifting gears via the selector lever
When you press the select or lever forwards or
backwards, the manual mode is activated and
Steptronic changes gear. M1 through M6 are
displayed in the instrument cluster.

Driving
56
The indicator lamp lights up yellow if
the transmission becomes too warm.
Avoid high engine loads and driving off
frequently. If the transmission overheats, the
indicator lamp lights up red and power flow to
the engine is interrupted. You can only continue
driving after the transmi ssion has cooled down.
Avoid driving off frequently with a high acceler-
ation and do not hold the vehicle on inclines by
depressing the accelerato r lightly and dragging
the clutch; otherwise, the transmission may
overheat.
Transmission positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
P, R, N, D1 to D7, S1 to S7, M1 to M7
The transmission position and the gear cur-
rently engaged are displayed.
Engaging a transmission position
> Transmission position P can only be disen-
gaged if the engine is running.
> Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stat ionary, depress the
brake; otherwise, the transmission will not
shift.
Engaging N, D, R
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired
direction, beyond a resi stance point if neces-
sary. When shifting out of P or into R, press
button 1 at the same time.
The engaged transmission position is also dis-
played on the selector lever.
When you release the sele ctor lever, it returns
to its center position.
Engaging P
Press button P.
P Park
Select this only when th e vehicle is stationary.
The rear wheels are locked.
P engages when you open the driver's
door while the engine is running, your
safety belt is not fastened and you activate nei-
ther the brake pedal nor the accelerator.<
P is engaged automatically when you
switch off the engine, unless N is
engaged and the remote co ntrol is in the igni-
tion lock, refer to page 50. As soon as you
remove the remote cont rol from the ignition
lock, P engages regardless of the position of the
selector lever. <

Controls
57Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
N remains engaged after the engine is
switched off if you leave the remote con-
trol in the ignition lock. Use this function in an
automatic car wash, for ex ample. P is automati-
cally engaged after approx. 30 minutes. <
D drive mode
In drive mode, all forward gears are shifted auto-
matically.
Kick-down
To accelerate rapidly, e.g. when passing, press
the accelerator down past the resistance point.
This provides maximum acceleration.
Sport program and manual
operation M/S
Move the selector lever from position D toward
the left:
The sport program is activated and S1 through
S7 are displayed in the instrument cluster. This
position is recommend ed for a performance-
oriented driving style.
When you press the selector lever forwards or
b a c k w a r d s , o r w h e n y o u m o v e t h e s h i f t p a d d l e s ,
the manual mode is ac tivated and Steptronic
changes gear. M1 through M7 are displayed in
the instrument cluster.
The transmission assists you in the following
situations: >
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for
example, a downshift that would cause the
engine to overrev will not be executed by
the system.
> When the vehicle stops, the transmission
automatically shifts down to first gear.
> Shortly before the ve hicle slows down to
below the minimum speed of the gear cur-
rently engaged, the transmission automati-
cally shifts down without requiring your
intervention.
Rapid downshifting: In sequential mode, you
can skip several gears to achieve optimal accel-
eration. Do so by pressi ng the accelerator past
the resistance point.
To use the automatic system again, press the
selector lever to the right.
Changing gears
Shift up or down using th e selector lever or the
shift paddles. You do not ne ed to raise your foot
from the accelerator when doing so.
Using the selector lever
> To shift up, pull back the selector lever.
> To shift down, push it forward.
Using the shift paddles on the steering
wheel
You can also shift manually using the two shift
paddles on the steering wheel. The shift pad-
dles allow you to shift ge ars without taking your
hands off of the steering wheel.
> When you use the shift paddles on the
steering wheel to shift gears in automatic
mode, the transmission switches to
manual mode.
> If you do not accelerate or shift gears using
the shift paddles for a certain amount of
time, the transmission switches back to
automatic mode if the selector lever is in
position D.

Driving
58
>
To shift up: pull one of the shift paddles.
> To shift down: press one of the shift
paddles.
Launch Control
Launch Control enables you to drive off with an
optimal vehicle acceleration on a high grip road
surface.
Do not use Launch Control too often, as
the higher loads on the vehicle lead to
premature component wear. <
Launch Control is availa ble when the engine is
at operating temperature, i.e. after driving con-
tinuously for at least 6 miles/10 km.
1. With the engine running, depress the brake
pedal with your left foot.
2. Activate the SPORT+ program of the
Dynamic Driving Control, refer to page 79.
3. With the vehicle stationary, activate manual
mode and select first gear.
4. Press the accelerator all the way down. The
engine speed when driving off is controlled.
A flag symbol appears in the instrument
cluster.
5. The vehicle accelerates when you release
the brake pedal. Keep the accelerator
pressed all the way down.
6. The transmission shifts up automatically as
long as the accelerator is pressed all the
way down.
Launch Control only be comes available again
after a certain distance has been driven.
Launch Control can only be used after the
break-in phase, refer to page 110.To maintain driving stability, activate DSC
whenever possible.
<
Releasing the transmission lock
manually
If a power failure occurs, e.g. if the battery
is discharged or disconnected or if there
is an electrical malfun ction, the transmission
lock must be released manually; otherwise, the
rear wheels are blocked and the vehicle cannot
be towed. <
Release the transmission lock manually for tow-
ing only and set the parking brake beforehand
to prevent the vehicle from rolling. After parking
the vehicle, lock the transmission lock again.
Releasing
1. Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.
3. Remove the cap using the Allen wrench
from the onboard tool kit, refer to page 208.
4. Insert the Allen wrench into the opening,
arrow 1.

Driving
62
Maintaining current speed
Tap the lever, arrow 1, or pull it briefly, arrow 2.
The car's current speed is stored and main-
tained. It is displayed on the speedometer and
briefly in the instrument cluster.
On uphill gradients, it may prove impossible to
maintain the set speed if current engine power
output is insufficient. If the engine braking
effect is insufficient on downhill slopes, the sys-
tem will brake the vehicle slightly.
Increasing desired speed
Repeatedly press the lever to the resistance
point or beyond, arrow 1, until the desired
speed is reached.
> Each time the lever is pressed to the resis-
tance point, the desired speed is increased
by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
> Each time the lever is pressed beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is
increased by up to 5 mph or 10 km/h.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Accelerating using the lever
Accelerating slightly:
Press the lever to the resistance point, arrow 1,
and hold until the desired speed is reached.
Accelerating significantly:
Press the lever beyond the resistance point,
arrow 1, and hold until the desired speed is
reached.
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system stores and
maintains the speed.
Decreasing speed
Repeatedly pull the lever to the resistance point
or beyond, arrow 2, until the desired speed is
displayed.
> Each time the lever is pulled to the resis-
tance point, the desired speed is decreased
by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
> Each time the lever is pulled beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is
reduced by up to 5 mph o r 10 km/h until the minimum speed of 20 mph or 30 km/h is
achieved.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Interrupting the system
Tap the lever upwards or downwards, arrow 3.
The displays in the speedometer change color.
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-
vated:
> When you brake the vehicle
> When you switch gears very slowly or shift
to neutral in cars with a manual trans-
mission
> When you engage selector lever position N
in cars with an automatic transmission
> When you engage transmission position N
in 7-gear sport automatic transmissions
with a dual clutch
> When you activate the DTC Dynamic Trac-
tion Control or deactivate DSC.
> When DSC or ABS is intervening
Cruise control is not de activated by depressing
the accelerator pedal. Once the accelerator
pedal is released, the st ored speed is achieved
again and maintained.
Warning lamp
The warning lamp comes on, for
example, when cruise control has
been deactivated as a result of DSC
intervention. A message appears on the Control
Display.
Deactivating the system
> Press the lever upward or downward twice,
arrow 3.
> Switch off the ignition.
The stored speed is cleared.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press the button, arrow 4. The last stored
speed is resumed and maintained.

Driving tips
111Reference
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 con-
sumption 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 congestion. 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 202.
General driving notes
Close the luggag e compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is closed. Other-
wise, exhaust fumes could enter the interior of
the vehicle. <
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage
compartment lid open:
1. Close all windows.
2. Greatly increase the ai r volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page 96.
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. <
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 brake be properly applied.<