2013 BMW X5 Owner's Manual

Seite 153Storage compartmentsControls153
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 918 395 - III/13

Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 918 395 - III/13

Driving tips
This section provides you with information useful in dealing with specific driving and operating conditions.Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 918 395 - III/13

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
systems.
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 all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speeds:▷For a gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.▷For a diesel engine, 3,500 rpm and
93 mph/150 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode for the initial
miles.
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
traction potential until after an initial breaking-
in period.
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.
Following part replacement
The same breaking 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.
General driving notes
Closing tailgate Drive with the tailgate closed
Only drive with the tailgate closed; other‐
wise, passengers and other road users may be
endangered or the vehicle may be damaged if
an accident occurs or during braking or evasive
maneuvers. In addition, exhaust fumes may
enter the passenger compartment.◀
If, despite this, the vehicle must be driven with
the tailgate open:▷Drive moderately.▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof/
panoramic glass sunroof.▷Greatly increase the blower speed.Seite 156Driving tipsThings to remember when driving156
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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. 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 po‐
sition mode, or when parked. Such contact
could lead to a fire, and with it the risk of seri‐
ous personal injury as well as property dam‐
age.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise,
there is the danger of getting burned.◀
Diesel particulate filter Soot particles are collected in the diesel partic‐
ulate filter and periodically burned away at high
temperatures.
The following may occur during the cleaning
period, which lasts several minutes:▷The engine temporarily runs somewhat
more roughly.▷A slightly higher engine speed is necessary
to achieve the accustomed performance.▷Noises occur and a minimal amount of
smoke emerges from the exhaust until
shortly after the engine is switched off.
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 con‐
nection to an external aerial in the vehicle's
passenger compartment. Otherwise, the vehi‐
cle electronics and mobile communication de‐
vices can interfere with each other. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation gener‐
ated 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.◀
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tire
tread depth decreases. Minimum tread depth,
refer to page 284.
Driving through water
Maximum water depth:▷BMW X5: 20 inches/50 cm.▷BMW X6: 17 inches/45 cm.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking
speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the
electrical systems and the transmission may
be damaged.◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stand‐ ard feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsive‐
ness. 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.
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Do not let your foot rest on the brake
pedal
Do not drive with your foot resting on the brake
pedal. Even light but consistent pedal pressure
can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and
possibly even brake failure.◀
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 fas‐
tened again when they are returned after being removed, 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, re‐
sulting in a reduction in the brake system effi‐
ciency.
You can increase the engine's braking effect
by shifting down in the manual mode of the au‐
tomatic transmission, refer to page 75.Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the
brake system. Light but consistent brake pres‐
sure can lead to high temperatures, brake wear
and possibly 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 un‐
available with the engine stopped.◀
Brake disc corrosion Corrosion on the brake discs and contamina‐
tion 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,
condensation water develops that exits under‐
neath the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under
the vehicle are normal.
Driving on poor roads Your vehicle combines an all-wheel drive sys‐
tem with the advantages of a normal passen‐
ger car.
Do not drive on unpaved terrain
Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as oth‐
erwise the vehicle may be damaged.◀
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For your own safety and the safety of passen‐
gers and the vehicle, adhere to the following
points:▷Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
driving; never take risks.▷Adjust speeds according to road condi‐
tions. The steeper and rougher the road
surface is, the lower the speed should be.▷When driving on steep uphill and downhill
grades: the engine oil and coolant should
be filled nearly to the MAX mark.
BMW X5: the vehicle can be driven on up‐
hill and downhill grades up to 50 %.▷Use Hill Descent Control HDC, refer to
page 108, on steep downhill grades.
BMW X5: the vehicle can be driven away
on uphill grades of up to 33 %. The per‐
missible body roll is 50 %.▷Watch for stones, holes, and other obsta‐
cles and drive around these where possi‐
ble.▷On bumps and rough roads, avoid contact
between the vehicle body and the ground.
The maximum ground clearance is 8 in‐
ches/20 cm and may vary with the loaded
cargo.▷When driving through water, do not exceed
the maximum water height.▷BMW X5: 20 inches/50 cm▷BMW X6: 17 inches/45 cm
Drive at walking speed only and do not
stop the vehicle.
▷After driving through water, press on the
brake pedal several times at low speeds to
dry the brakes.▷Depending on the prevailing terrain, acti‐
vate Dynamic Traction Control DTC, refer
to page 106, briefly.▷When the wheels spin, accelerate to ena‐
ble the driving stability control systems to
distribute the drive force to the individual
wheels.▷The stone chip guard reduces the risk of
damage to painted vehicle components,
such as in the area of the side skirts and
wheel arches. Your service center will be
glad to advise you.
After driving on poor roads
Adhere to the following points to ensure vehi‐
cle safety:
▷Remove excessive accumulations of dirt
and mud from the vehicle body.▷Clear mud, snow, ice, etc., from the wheels
and tires and check for damage.Seite 159Things to remember when drivingDriving tips159
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LoadingVehicle 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
systems.
General information Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carry‐
ing capacity of the tires, never overload the ve‐
hicle. Overloading can lead to overheating and
increases the rate at which damage develops
inside the tires. This could result in a sudden
loss of tire inflation pressure.◀
No fluids in the cargo area
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
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 kgor YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the
vehicle 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 ca‐
pacity.
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
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs: 1,400 lbs minus 750 lbs =
650 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of lug‐
gage and cargo being loaded on the vehi‐
cle. 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 transport‐
ing a trailer to determine how this may re‐
duce the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
Load
BMW X5:
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