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Lighter
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, press in the cigarette lighter.
The lighter can be pulled out 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.
When leaving the car, always remove the
remote control so that children cannot operate
the cigarette lighter and burn themselves.<
Connecting electrical
appliances
In your BMW, when the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on, you can use electrical
devices such as a hand lamp, car vacuum
cleaner, etc., up to approx. 200 watts at
12 volts, as long as one of the following sockets
is available. Avoid damaging the sockets by
attempting to insert plugs of unsuitable shape
or size.
Cigarette lighter socket*
To access the socket: take the cigarette lighter
out of the socket.
Socket* in the front passenger footwell
A socket is located under the glove compart-
ment on the left.
Socket in the center armrest
External audio device, refer to page111.
Sockets in the rear center console*
Remove corresponding cover.
Socket in the cargo area*
Sedan
Sports Wagon
Open the cap.
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The lashing eyes in the cargo area provide you
with a way to attach cargo area nets
* or draw
straps for securing suitcases and luggage,
refer to page126.
Sports Wagon:
Cargo area
Roller cover
Pull out the cover and hook it into the retaining
fixtures.
Do not place objects on the cover; other-
wise, they could endanger the car's occu-
pants, e.g. in the case of braking or sudden
swerving.
Do not let the cover retract; otherwise, it could
be damaged.<
Raising the roller cover
Press the button: the roller cover is raised.
Before closing the rear window or tailgate,
press the roller cover downward until it
engages.
Expanding the cargo area
The rear seat backrest is divided. You can fold
down either division in order to expand the
cargo area.
Reach into the recess and pull forwards.
When folding the backrest back up, make
sure that the catch engages properly. If
you cannot see a red warning area in the recess,
the catch is properly engaged. Otherwise,
cargo can be thrown around inside the passen-
ger compartment and endanger the car's occu-
pants, e.g. in the case of braking or sudden
swerving.<
Observe the instructions concerning the
safety belt on page42 to ensure the best
possible personal protection.<
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>Folding, removable box* under the floor
panel, e.g. for wet or dirty items
>Stowage compartment under the floor
panel
>Insertable dividers
* and removable storage
tray for the storage compartment under the
floor panel
Sports Wagon
The following storage spaces can be found in
the cargo area:
>Umbrella holder
* on the bottom of the par-
tition net casing
>Rubber strap on the left
* and right trim
panel for securing small objects such as a
folding umbrella
>Hooks for hanging up shopping bags or tote
bags, for example, on the left and right sides
of the cargo area
>Net for small objects on the right trim panel
of the cargo area
>Stowage compartment under the floor
panel
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, other
storage spaces can be found in the cargo area:
>Net
* for securing smaller objects, to be
attached to the fixtures on the floor panel
>Net
* on the left side trim of the cargo area
instead of the rubber strap
>Reversible floor panel with integrated plas-
tic cover
* for cargo area or bumper
>Folding, removable box
* under the floor
panel, e.g. for wet or dirty items>Insertable dividers
* and removable storage
tray for the storage compartment under the
floor panel
Folding up the floor panel
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
load of 55 lbs/25 kg for the storage com-
partment under the floor panel; otherwise, dam-
age could result.<
Sedan
Press the floor panel against the ceiling of the
cargo area; a locking device holds the floor
panel in place. To detach the floor panel, pull it
out of the locking device.
Sports Wagon
Fold up the floor panel and take it out or lean it
forward.
Lashing eyes
You will find lashing eyelets in the cargo area for
securing luggage items with nets or tensioning
straps, refer to page126.
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Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance between you and the vehicle in front of
you. 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, accelerate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear 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 light, 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 engine 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, seat
heating or rear window defroster draw large
amounts of power and consume additional fuel.
Especially in city traffic and in stop and go driv-
ing 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 page231.
General driving notes
Close the trunk lid/tailgate
Operate the vehicle only when the trunk
lid/tailgate and rear window are closed.
Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter the inte-
rior of the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid/
tailgate open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page104.
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 sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating 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 hot exhaust tail pipes.
Otherwise, there is a risk of burns.<
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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 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.
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. In some situations,
this can result in sudden loss of tire pressure.<
Make sure that no liquids are spilled or
leak from their containers in the cargo
area, 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 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.
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Only attach the cargo straps using the lashing
eyes shown in the illustration. Do not secure
cargo with the anchors for tether straps, refer to
page53; otherwise, these could be damaged.<
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
for your BMW. Comply with the directions given
in the installation instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are located in the roof/
along 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
vehicle 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 applicable data under Weights
on page257.
The roof load must be distributed uniformly and
should not be too large in area. Heavy items
should always be placed at the bottom. Be sure
that adequate clearance is maintained for rais-
ing the glass roof, and that objects do not
project into the opening path of the trunk lid/
tailgate.
Fasten 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.
Navigation
This chapter describes how you can
enter destinations and specify your route
so that your navigation system guides you
reliably to your destination.
Navigation