2012 BMW Z4 SDRIVE28I Owners Manual

Observe when loading the rear storage
shelf
▷When loading the rear storage shelf, do not
move both seats all the way forward while
moving them to their uppermost position
and leaning the backrests forward. Other‐
wise, the seats could hit and damage the
seal on the windshield and the sun visor.▷Only transport light and small objects on the
rear storage shelf; otherwise, braking ma‐
neuvers and swerving may lead to a safety
hazard due to objects flying about the pas‐
senger compartment. Only transport heavy
luggage in the trunk if it has been appropri‐
ately secured.◀
Cupholders
Shatter-proof containers and no hot
drinks
Use light and shatter-proof containers and do
not transport hot drinks. Otherwise, there is the
increased danger of injury in an accident.◀
Unsuitable containers
Do not forcefully push unsuitable contain‐
ers into the cupholders. This may result in dam‐
age.◀
In the center armrest
The cupholders are located in the center arm‐
rest.
Attachable cupholder
Attaching to the center console
Mount the cupholder onto the center console so
that it snaps into place.
Storing in the glove compartment
Insert the cupholder into the holder in the glove
compartment.
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Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 184 - 09 11 500

Driving tips
This section provides you with information useful in dealing with specific driving and operating conditions.Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 609 184 - 09 11 500

Things to remember when drivingVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Breaking-in period
General information
Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
Engine and differential
Always obey the official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speeds:▷4,500 rpm and 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not drive with full-throttle operation, and do
not use the transmission's kickdown mode or
Launch Control.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac‐
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in pe‐
riod.
Drive conservatively for the first 200 miles/
300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 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 clutch requires an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to function at an op‐
timal level.
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacement
The same breaking in procedures should be ob‐
served if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Ground clearance Limited ground clearance
Note that the Z4 sDrive35 has limited
ground clearance, for instance when driving into
underground parking garages or over obstacles.
Otherwise, the vehicle may be damaged.◀
Closing the trunk lid Drive with the trunk lid closed
Only operate the vehicle with the trunk lid
closed; otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter
the passenger compartment.◀Seite 108Driving tipsThings to remember when driving108
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If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid
open:1.Close all windows.2.Greatly increase the air flow rate of the air
conditioner or automatic climate control.
Hot exhaust system
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that flammable materials, e. g. hay, leaves, grass,
etc. do not come in contact with the hot exhaust
system during driving, while in idle position
mode, or when parked. Such contact could lead
to a fire, and with it the risk of serious personal
injury as well as property damage.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise, there
is the danger of getting burned.◀
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is not recommended to use mobile phones,
such as mobile phones without a direct connec‐
tion to an external aerial in the vehicle's passen‐
ger compartment. Otherwise, the vehicle elec‐
tronics and mobile communication devices can
interfere with each other. In addition, there is no
assurance that the radiation generated during
transmission will be discharged from the vehicle
interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀
Driving through water
Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 9.8 inches/25 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to 6 mph/10 km/h.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking
speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the elec‐
trical systems and the transmission may be
damaged.◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum
of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.
Objects in the area around the pedals No objects in the area around the pedals
Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other
objects out of the area of motion of the pedals;
otherwise, the function of the pedals could be
impeded while driving
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.Seite 109Things to remember when drivingDriving tips109
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Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again when they are returned after being re‐
moved, such as for cleaning.◀
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly
exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every
few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger other
road users.
The heat generated in this process helps dry the
brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the gear
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise,
the brake system may overheat, resulting in a
reduction in the brake system efficiency.
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, going all the way to first gear, if
necessary.
Downshifting in manual mode of the 8-gear
Sport automatic transmission, refer to page 54.
Downshifting in manual mode of the 7-gear
Sport automatic transmission with dual clutch,
refer to page 57.
Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the brake
system. Light but consistent brake pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brake wear and pos‐
sibly even brake failure.◀
Do not drive in neutral
Never drive with the transmission in neu‐
tral, with the engine switched off or with the
clutch depressed; otherwise, you will have nei‐
ther the braking action of the engine or nor its
power assistance when braking or steering.◀Brake disc corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination
on the brake pads are furthered by:▷Low mileage.▷Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.▷Infrequent use of the brakes.
Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure
that must be exerted by the pads during brake
applications to clean the discs is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐
fect that generally cannot be corrected.
Condensation under the parked vehicle
When using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water develops that exits underneath
the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
Loading Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carrying
capacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.
Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐
creases the rate at which damage develops in‐
side the tires. This could result in a sudden loss
of tire inflation pressure.◀
Secure heavy objects
Never transport unsecured heavy or hard
objects in the passenger compartment, as they
could be thrown around and pose a safety haz‐
ard to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt
braking or evasive maneuvers.◀
No fluids in the cargo area
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
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Determining the load limit1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicle and unstable driving situations may
result.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 lbs 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, load
from your trailer will be transfered to your
vehicle. Consult the manual for transporting
a trailer to determine how this may reduce
the available cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity of your vehicle.Load
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
Stowing cargo
Trunk
▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward and as low
as possible, ideally directly behind the trunk
separating wall.▷Cover sharp edges and corners.
Loading with the hardtop open
Before opening the hardtop, fold down the
cargo area partition and make sure the cargo
area is loaded correctly; otherwise, parts of the
hardtop could be damaged.◀
Fold down the cargo area partition, refer to
page 34.
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Lateral storage shelfLoading the rear storage shelf
When loading the rear storage shelf, do
not move both seats all the way forward while
moving them to their uppermost position and
leaning the backrests forward. Otherwise, the
seats could hit and damage the seal on the wind‐
shield and the sun visor.◀
Light and small objects can be stored on the lat‐
eral storage shelf.
Securing cargo
Trunk
Use retaining straps, a luggage net or draw
straps to secure small and lightweight items.
Lateral storage shelf
You can obtain cargo straps from your service
center. Four lashing eyes are provided behind
the seats for attaching the cargo straps.
Adhere to the information included with the
cargo straps.
Lashing eyes on the lateral storage
shelf
Top:
Bottom:
Saving fuel
General information
Your vehicle contains advanced technology for
the reduction of fuel consumption and emis‐
sions.
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif‐
ferent factors.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance, refer to
page 168, can have an influence on fuel con‐
sumption and on the environmental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove attached parts following use
Remove auxiliary mirrors or rear-mounted lug‐
gage racks after use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.
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