2013 BMW 550I XDRIVE ESP

Hot exhaust systemHot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. When driv‐
ing, standing at idle and while parking, take care
to avoid possible contact between the hot ex‐
haust system and any highly flammable materi‐
als such as hay, leaves, grass, etc. 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.◀
Climate control windshield
The marked area is not covered with heat re‐
flective coating.
Use this area for garage door openers, devices
for electronic toll collection, etc.
Climate control laminated tinted safety
glass
The vehicle glass provides full protection
against the harmful effects of UV radiation on the
skin.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is advised that you do not use mobile commu‐
nication devices, e.g., mobile phones, inside the
vehicle without connecting them directly to the
external antenna. 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.Seite 173Things to remember when drivingDriving tips173
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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.
Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again after they were removed for cleaning, for
example.◀
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.
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
Do not drive in neutral or with the engine
stopped, as doing so disables engine braking. In
addition, steering and brake assist is unavailable
with the engine stopped.◀
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.
Traces of water under the vehicle like this are
normal.
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Stowing cargo▷Cover sharp edges and corners on the
cargo.▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward as possi‐
ble, directly behind and at the bottom of the
rear passenger seat backrests.▷Very heavy cargo: when the rear seat is not
occupied, secure each of the outer safety
belts in the opposite buckle.▷If necessary, fold down the rear backrests to
stow cargo.▷Do not stack cargo above the top edge of the
backrests.
Securing cargo
Lashing eyes in the cargo area
To secure the cargo there are four lashing eyes
in the cargo area.
Securing cargo
▷Smaller and lighter items: secure with re‐
taining straps or with a cargo net or draw
straps.▷Larger and heavy objects: secure with cargo
straps.
Cargo straps, cargo netting, retaining straps or
draw straps on the lashing eyes in the cargo
area.
Securing cargo
Always position and secure the cargo as
described above; otherwise, it can endanger the
car's occupants if sudden braking or swerving
becomes necessary.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car; otherwise, they could be
thrown around as a result of hard braking, sud‐
den swerves, etc., and endanger the occu‐
pants.◀
Roof-mounted luggage rack
Note
Roof racks are available as special accessories.
Securing
Follow the installation instructions of the roof
rack.
Roof drip rail with flaps
The anchorage points are located in the roof drip
rail above the doors.
Fold the cover outward.
Loading
Be sure that adequate clearance is maintained
for tilting and opening the glass sunroof.
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
vehicle handling and steering response.
Therefore, note the following when loading and
driving:
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Avoid high engine speeds
Use 1st gear to get the vehicle in motion. Be‐
ginning with 2nd gear, accelerate rapidly. When
accelerating, shift up before reaching high en‐
gine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into the
highest applicable gear and drive with the en‐
gine speed as low as possible and at a constant
speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
The gear shift indicator of your vehicle indicates
the most fuel efficient gear.
Use coasting conditions
When approaching a red light, take your foot off
the accelerator and let the vehicle coast to a halt.
On a downhill gradient, take your foot off the ac‐
celerator and let the vehicle roll.
The flow of fuel is interrupted while coasting.
Switch off the engine during
longer stops
Switch off the engine during longer stops, e.g.,
at traffic lights, railroad crossings or in traffic
congestion.
Auto Start/Stop function
The Auto Start/Stop function of your vehicle au‐
tomatically switches off the engine during a
stop.
If the engine is switched off and then restarted
rather than leaving the engine running con‐
stantly, fuel consumption and emissions are re‐
duced. Savings can begin within a few seconds
of switching off the engine.
Using this system can cause certain compo‐
nents of the vehicle to become worn prema‐
turely.In addition, fuel consumption is also determined
by other factors, such as driving style, road con‐
ditions, maintenance or environmental factors.
Switch off any functions that
are not currently needed
Functions such as seat heating and the rear win‐
dow defroster require a lot of energy and con‐
sume additional fuel, especially in city and stop-
and-go traffic.
Therefore, switch off these functions if they are
not actually needed.
Have maintenance carried out
Have vehicles maintained regularly to achieve
optimal vehicle economy and operating life.
Have the maintenance carried out by your serv‐
ice center.
Please also note the BMW Maintenance Sys‐
tem, refer to page 210.
ECO PRO
The concept
ECO PRO supports a driving style that saves on
fuel consumption. For this purpose, the engine
control and comfort functions, e. g. the climate
control output, are adjusted.
In addition, context-sensitive instructions can
be displayed that assist in driving in a manner
that optimizes fuel consumption.
The extension of the range that is achieved as a
result can be displayed in the instrument cluster.
At a glance
The system includes the following
EfficientDynamics functions and displays:▷ECO PRO bonus range, refer to page 180Seite 179Saving fuelDriving tips179
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FuelVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Fuel quality
Gasoline
For the best fuel economy, the gasoline should
be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur content.
Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as con‐
taining metal must not be used.
Refuel only with unleaded gasoline with‐
out metallic additives.
Do not refuel with any leaded gasoline or gaso‐
line with metallic additives, e. g. manganese or
iron, or permanent damage to the catalytic con‐
verter and other components.◀
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of 10 %,
i. e., E10, may be used for refueling.
Ethanol should satisfy the following quality stan‐
dards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
Do not refuel with ethanol E85
Do not refuel with E85, i.e., fuel with an
ethanol content of 85 %, or with Flex Fuel, as this
would damage the engine and fuel supply sys‐
tem.◀Recommended fuel quality
BMW recommends AKI 91.
Minimum fuel grade
BMW recommends AKI 89.
Minimum fuel grade
Do not use any gasoline below the mini‐
mum fuel grade as this may impair engine per‐
formance.◀
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
Fuel quality
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
harmful engine deposits or damage. Addition‐
ally, problems relating to drivability, starting and
stalling, especially under certain environmental
conditions such as high ambient temperature
and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI number
— for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful engine
deposits, it is highly recommended to purchase
gasoline from BP or Top Tier retailers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled mainte‐
nance.◀Seite 188MobilityFuel188
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xxxx: manufacturer code for the tire brand
xxx: tire size and tire design
3510: tire age
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
Tire age
DOT … 3510: the tire was manufactured in the
35th week in 2010.
Recommendation
Regardless of wear, replace tires at least every
6 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200; Traction AA;
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov‐
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half, 1 g, times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and cli‐
mate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfa‐
ces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration, cornering, hydro‐
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sus‐
tained high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades Band A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Temperature grade for this tire
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and pos‐
sible tire failure.
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.◀
RSC – Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires, refer to page 202, are labeled with
a circular symbol containing the letters RSC
marked on the sidewall.Seite 199Wheels and tiresMobility199
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Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Information on mounting tires
Have mounting and balancing performed
only by a service center or tire specialist.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.◀
Wheel and tire combination
Information on the correct wheel-tire combina‐
tion and rim versions for your vehicle can be ob‐
tained from your service center.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair the
function of a variety of systems such as ABS or
DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
Approved wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle recom‐
mends that you use only wheels and tires that
have been approved for your particular vehicle
model.
For example, despite having the same official
size ratings, variations can lead to body contact
and with it, the risk of severe accidents.
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot evalu‐
ate non-approved wheels and tires to determine
if they are suited for use, and therefore cannot
ensure the operating safety of the vehicle if they
are mounted.◀Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your ve‐
hicle recommends certain tire brands. These
can be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.
With proper use, these tires meet the highest
standards for safety and handling.
New 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.
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
Retreaded tires
Possibly substantial variations in the de‐
sign and age of the tire casing structures can
limit service life and have a negative impact on
road safety.◀
Winter tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle recommends
winter tires for winter roads or at temperatures
below +45 ℉/+7 ℃.
Although so-called all-season M+S tires do pro‐
vide better winter traction than summer tires,
they do not provide the same level of perform‐
ance as winter tires.
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Maximum speed of winter tires
If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,
then display a corresponding sign in the field of
vision. You can obtain this sign from the tire spe‐
cialist or from your service center.
Maximum speed for winter tires
Do not exceed the maximum speed for the
winter tires; otherwise, tire damage and acci‐
dents can occur.◀
Run-flat tires
If you are already using run-flat tires, for your
own safety you should replace them only with
the same kind. No spare tire is available in the
case of a flat tire. Your service center will be glad
to advise you.
Rotating wheels between axles
The manufacturer of your vehicle advises
against swapping wheels between the front and
rear axles.
This can impair the handling characteristics.
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres‐
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.Run-flat tires
Label
RSC label on the tire sidewall.
The wheels are composed of special rims and
tires that are self-supporting, to a limited de‐
gree.
The support of the sidewall allows the tire to re‐
main drivable to a restricted degree in the event
of a pressure loss.
Continued driving with a damaged tire, refer to
page 107.
Continued driving with a damaged tire, refer to
page 104.
Changing run-flat tires
For your own safety, only use run-flat tires. No
spare tire is available in the case of a flat tire. Your
service center will be glad to advise you.
Snow chains
Fine-link snow chains
Only certain types of fine-link snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your vehicle,
classified as road-safe and recommended.
Consult your service center for more informa‐
tion.
Use
Use only in pairs on the rear wheels, equipped
with the tires of the following size:
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