Driving tips
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speed. This is the fastest way for the cold
engine to reach its operating temperature.
Thinking ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
To do so, maintain the appropriate distance
from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory
and smooth driving style reduces fuel con-
sumption.
Avoiding high engine speeds
Driving at a low engine speed reduces fuel con-
sumption and minimizes wear.
Taking advantage of coasting
The flow of fuel is interrupted when coasting.
Switching off engine during longer
stops
Switch off the engine at longer stops such as
traffic signals, railroad crossings, or in traffic
congestions. You achieve fuel savings even if
the standing time is as short as approx.
4seconds.
Switching off functions currently not
required
Functions such as air conditioning, seat heat-
ing, or rear window defrosting consume a lot of
energy and require additional fuel. Their influ-
ence is particularly pronounced in city traffic
and stop & go operation. For this reason, it is a
good idea to switch these functions off when
they are not really needed.
Having maintenance carried out
Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to
achieve the optimum economy and service life
of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the
maintenance performed by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center. Also pay attention to
the BMW maintenance system, refer to
page256.
General driving notes
Closing liftgate
Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate
is completely closed. Otherwise, exhaust
fumes could enter into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lift-
gate open:
1.Close all windows as well as the glass sun-
roof
*/panoramic glass sunroof*.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page118.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated on the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking 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, and with it
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury. Do not touch hot tailpipes, as
otherwise there is a danger of burns.<
Diesel particulate filter*
Soot particles are collected in the diesel partic-
ulate filter and periodically burned away at high
temperatures. This cleaning process lasts a few
minutes. You will notice it sometimes by the
fact that the engine temporarily runs slightly
less smoothly and requires a slightly higher
engine speed to deliver the usual power. You
may also hear sounds and observe a slight
amount of smoke coming from the exhaust up
to even a few moments 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 phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
