Things to remember when driving
126
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 an engine speed of 4,500 rpm or a
road speed of 100 mph/160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown 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 not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after 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 clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance 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 renewed 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 increases 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 the 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 pressure 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 warm 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.
Driving tips
127Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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 page227.
General driving notes
Close the trunk lid
Operate the vehicle only when the trunk
lid is closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes
could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid
open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page108.
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.<
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.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page219.
Things to remember when driving
128
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. Otherwise, greater
clutch wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page92.
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 pressure 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 to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then 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 braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.
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 page59.
Sports automatic transmission with dou-
ble clutch: never drive with the transmis-
sion in neutral or with the engine switched off;
otherwise, there will be no engine braking
action and no power assistance to the brakes
and steering.
Manual transmission: never drive with the
clutch held down, with the transmission in neu-
tral 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, pedal function could be
impaired.<
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.
Music collection
176
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 medium to the USB inter-
face in the glove compartment, refer to
page115.
3."CD/Multimedia"
4."Music collection"
5.Open "Options".
6."Music data import/export"
7."Backup music on USB"
Restoring the music collection in
the vehicle
When storing from the USB device, the
music collection existing in the vehicle is
replaced.<
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3.Open "Options".
4."Music data import/export"
5."Restore music from USB"
Deleting the music collection
1."CD/Multimedia"
2."Music collection"
3.Open "Options".
4."Delete music collection"
Telephone
184
Telephone
The concept
Your BMW is equipped with a full preparation
package mobile phone. After pairing a suitable
mobile phone with the vehicle once, you can
operate the mobile phone via the iDrive, the
buttons on the steering wheel or using voice
commands
*.
Once a mobile phone has been paired with your
vehicle, it is automatically recognized as soon
as it is inside the vehicle 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 out 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 precaution, 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 preparation package and
which mobile phones are compatible with the
snap-in adapter. By virtue of their particular
software versions, these 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
page10
>iDrive, refer to page16
>Voice commands
*, refer to page192
>Programmable memory keys, refer to
page20
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 full preparation
package mobile phone. You can obtain
information on the Internet at:
www.bmw.com/bluetooth
>The mobile phone is ready to operate.
*
Telephone
186
Following the initial pairing
>The mobile phone is detected/connected in
the vehicle within a short time if the engine
is running or the ignition is switched on.
>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
transmitted to the vehicle. This transmis-
sion is dependent on your mobile phone,
refer to the operating instructions of the
mobile phone if necessary, and can take
several minutes.
>Four mobile phones can be paired.
>Specific settings may be necessary in some
mobile phones, e.g. authorization or a
secure connection, refer to the mobile
phone operating instructions.
If not all phone book entries are displayed:
>Transfer all phone book entries from the
SIM card to the mobile phone, if necessary.
>Phone book entries with special characters
may not be displayed.
Checks to perform if pairing is
unsuccessful
>Is the mobile phone supported by the
mobile phone preparation package? You
can obtain information on the Internet at:
www.bmw.com/bluetooth
>Do the Bluetooth passkeys on the mobile
phone and vehicle match? The same Blue-
tooth passkey must be entered on the
mobile phone's display and via iDrive.
>Did it take you more than 30 seconds to
enter the Bluetooth passkey? Then repeat
the pairing procedure.
>Are too many Bluetooth devices connected
to the mobile phone? If so, delete the con-
nections with other devices on the mobile
phone.
>Is the mobile phone no longer responding?
Switch the mobile phone off and on or
briefly disconnect the power supply.
>Repeat the pairing procedure.>If all items on the list have been checked
and the mobile phone still cannot be paired,
please contact Customer Relations.
Connecting a particular mobile phone
If more than one mobile phone is detected by
the vehicle, the mobile phone at the top of the
list is connected. A different mobile phone can
be connected by selecting it.
1."Telephone"
2."Bluetooth (telephone)"
3.Select the desired mobile phone.
Unpairing the mobile phone from the
vehicle
1."Telephone"
2."Bluetooth (telephone)"
3.Highlight the mobile phone that is to be
unpaired.
4.Open "Options".
5."Remove phone from list"
The unpaired mobile phone is deleted from
the list.
The phone book entries and the lists of
stored phone numbers are deleted as well.
187
Entertainment
Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips Communications
Navigation
Mobility
Activating/deactivating the
Bluetooth link
The use of Bluetooth technology is not
permitted in all countries. Observe all
applicable local regulations. Temporarily deac-
tivate the Bluetooth link between the vehicle
and the mobile phone, if necessary.
If the Bluetooth link is deactivated, you can no
longer operate the mobile phone via the vehicle,
and other devices with a Bluetooth interface
can be used in combination with the mobile
phone, e.g. a laptop.<
To temporarily deactivate the Bluetooth link
between the vehicle and your mobile phone:
1."Telephone"
2.Open "Options".
3."Bluetooth"
Adapting volumes
Turn the knob until the desired volume is set.
Adjusting the volume for:
>Ring volume
>Call volume
These volumes are maintained for the hands-
free system, even if you set the other audio
sources 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 a call
When the ignition is switched off or in radio
readiness, e.g. after taking the remote control
out of the ignition lock, you can continue an
ongoing call via the hands-free system for sev-
eral minutes.
Voice quality
If the person you are talking to is having difficul-
ties understanding you, this may be due to
excessive background noise. The full prepara-
tion package mobile phone can compensate for
these noises to a certain 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 control or pointing the
open front air vents downward.
>Reduce the volume of the hands-free sys-
tem.
Requirements
>The mobile phone's pairing data are
stored by the vehicle and the mobile phone
is operational.
>The engine is running or the ignition is
switched on.
>The mobile phone is recognized by the
vehicle.
Telephone
192
Switching between mobile
phone and hands-free system
From mobile phone to hands-free
system*
You can continue ongoing 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 system 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 deactivate the Bluetooth
link, refer to page187.
Depending on the type of mobile phone you are
using, it may occur that calls are switched from
the hands-free system to the mobile phone if
reception of the wireless network is poor.
Operation by voice
commands*
The concept
>You can operate your mobile phone without
having to take a hand off the steering wheel.
>{...} Verbal instructions to use with the voice
activation system.
Requirements
The same prerequisites apply as for operation
via iDrive, refer to page187.
Saying commands
Activating voice activation system
1.Briefly press the button on the steering
wheel.
A sound signal indicates that you can say
commands.
2.Say the command.
Ending/canceling operation by voice
commands
Briefly press the button on the steering
wheel or
In dialogs not involving voice commands, i.e.
when you are speaking only text, e.g. a name,
canceling is possible only via the button on the
steering wheel.
Having the possible commands read
aloud
The system recognizes specific commands
that must be pronounced exactly word for word.
You can have the possible commands for any
function read aloud to you:
Digits from zero to nine are recognized.
You can say each digit individually or group
them into a sequence to accelerate the input.
Using alternative commands
Often there is more than a single command to
run a function, e.g.: {Cancel}.
{Help}.
{Dial name} or {Name}.