2014 BMW 3 SERIES SEDAN Owner's Manual

Driving tips
This chapter provides you with information useful in dealing with specific driving and operating modes.Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 925 743 - II/14

Things to remember when drivingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐
ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for 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 the official speed limit.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speed:▷For gasoline engine 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.▷For diesel engine 3,500 rpm and
93 mph/150 km/h.
Avoid full load or kickdown under all circum‐
stances.
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
discs and brake pads. Drive moderately 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 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 the trunk lid Drive with the trunk lid closed
Only drive with the tailgate closed; other‐
wise, in the event of an accident or braking and
evasive maneuvers, passengers and other road
users may be injured, and the vehicle may be
damaged. In addition, exhaust fumes may en‐
ter the passenger compartment.◀
If driving with the tailgate open cannot be avoided:▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof.▷Greatly increase the blower speed.▷Drive moderately.Seite 162Driving tipsThings to remember when driving162
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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 The diesel particulate filter collects soot parti‐
cles and burns them periodically at high tem‐
peratures.
During the cleaning time of several minutes,
the following may occur:▷Temporarily, the engine may run less
smoothly.▷Noises and a slight amount of smoke com‐
ing from the exhaust until shortly after the
engine is shut down.▷A somewhat higher engine speed is neces‐
sary to achieve the accustomed perform‐
ance.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is advised that you do not use mobile com‐
munication devices, e.g., mobile phones, in‐
side the vehicle without connecting them di‐
rectly to the external antenna. Otherwise, the
vehicle electronics and mobile communication
devices can interfere with each other. In addi‐
tion, there is no assurance that the radiation
generated during transmission will be dis‐
charged 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 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.◀
Drive through calm water only and 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.
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.Seite 163Things to remember when drivingDriving tips163
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Objects within the range of movement
of 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 and create the risk of an
accident.
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 after they were removed for clean‐
ing, for example.◀
Driving in wet conditions When roads are wet coated with road salt or
there is heavy rain, briefly exert gentle pres‐
sure 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, 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 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 are un‐
available with the engine stopped.◀
Brake disc corrosion The corrosion on the brake discs and the con‐
tamination 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.
Traces of water under the vehicle like this are
normal.
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LoadingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐
ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
Hints 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 trunk
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
trunk; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
Heavy and hard objects
Do not stow any heavy and hard objects
in the passenger compartment without secur‐
ing them; otherwise, they may present a dan‐
ger to occupants, e.g., during braking and eva‐
sive maneuvers.◀
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 thevehicle 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
1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs =
400 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.Seite 165LoadingDriving tips165
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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
▷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.
Floor net
The floor net can also be used to Secure the
load and to store small parts.
Hook the floor net into the fittings in the cargo
area floor.
Securing cargo
▷Smaller and lighter items: secure with re‐
taining straps or draw straps.▷Larger and heavy objects: secure with
cargo straps.
Attach the cargo straps, retaining straps or
draw straps to the lashing eyes in the cargo
area.
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Securing cargo
Stow and secure the cargo as described
above; otherwise it may present a danger to
the occupants, e.g., during braking and avoid‐
ance maneuvers.◀
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 ef‐
fect on vehicle handling and steering re‐
sponse.
Therefore, note the following when loading
and driving:
▷Do not exceed the approved roof/axle
loads and the approved gross vehicle
weight.▷Distribute the roof load uniformly.▷The roof load should not be too large in
area.▷Always place the heaviest pieces on the
bottom.▷Secure the roof luggage firmly, e.g., tie
with ratchet straps.▷Do not let objects project into the opening
path of the trunk lid.▷Drive cautiously and avoid sudden acceler‐
ation and braking maneuvers. Take corners
gently.Seite 167LoadingDriving tips167
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Saving fuelVehicle equipmentAll standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐
ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
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 can have an
influence on fuel consumption and on the envi‐
ronmental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargoAdditional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove attached parts
following use
Remove auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear luggage
racks which are no longer required following
use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.Close the windows and glass
sunroof
Driving with the glass sunroof and windows
open results in increased air resistance and
thereby reduces the range.
Tires
General information Tires can affect fuel consumption values in
various ways, for instance fuel consumption
can be influenced by the size of the tires.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct the tire infla‐
tion pressure at least twice a month and before
starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
Drive away immediately
Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving
right away, but at moderate engine speeds.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
Look well ahead when
driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehi‐
cle driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and looking ahead reduces
fuel consumption.Seite 168Driving tipsSaving fuel168
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