2014 BMW 550I XDRIVE GRAN TURISMO Owners Manual

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.◀
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 thevehicle
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 Drive though 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.
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.Seite 185Things to remember when drivingDriving tips185
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Objects in the area around the pedalsNo 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 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 is 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.◀
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.
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.
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Stowing cargo▷Cover sharp edges and corners on the
cargo.▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward and as
low as possible, ideally directly behind the
cargo partition.▷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,
including the cargo partition, 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 ef‐
fect on vehicle handling and steering re‐
sponse.
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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 tailgate.▷Drive cautiously and avoid sudden acceler‐
ation and braking maneuvers. Take corners
gently.Seite 189LoadingDriving tips189
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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
raises fuel consumption.
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 without delay 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 190Driving tipsSaving fuel190
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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
accelerator 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.
Automatic Engine Start/Stop Function The Auto Start/Stop function of your vehicle
automatically 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
reduced. Savings can begin within a few sec‐
onds 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 deter‐
mined by other factors, such as driving style,
road conditions, maintenance or environmental
factors.
Switch off any functions that
are not currently needed
Functions such as seat heating and the rear
window defroster require a lot of energy and
consume 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
service center.
Please also note the BMW Maintenance Sys‐
tem, refer to page 216.
ECO PRO
The concept ECO PRO supports a driving style that saves
on fuel consumption. For this purpose, the en‐
gine control and comfort functions, e. g. the
climate control output, are adjusted.
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 192.▷ECO PRO tips driving instruction, refer to
page 193▷ECO PRO climate control, refer to
page 192.
Activating ECO PRO
Press button repeatedly until ECO
PRO is displayed in the instrument
cluster.
Configuring ECO PRO
Via the Driving Dynamics Control
1.Activate ECO PRO.2."Configure ECO PRO"3.Configure the program.Seite 191Saving fuelDriving tips191
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Via the iDrive1."Settings"2."ECO PRO mode"
Or
1."Settings"2."Driving mode"3."Configure ECO PRO"
Configure the program.
ECO PRO Tip
▷"Tip at:":
Set ECO Pro speed at which an ECO PRO
Tip is to be displayed.▷"ECO PRO speed warning":
A reminder is displayed if the set ECO PRO
speed is exceeded.
ECO PRO climate control
"ECO PRO climate control"
The climate control is adjusted to be fuel-effi‐
cient.
By making a slight change to the set tempera‐
ture, or slowly adjusting the rate of heating or
cooling of the passenger compartment, fuel
consumption can be economized.
The outputs of the seat heater and the exterior
mirror heating are also reduced.
The exterior mirror heating is made available
when outside temperatures are very cold.
ECO PRO potentialThe percentage of potential savings that can
be achieved with the current configuration is
displayed.
Display in the instrument cluster
Display in the instrument display
When ECO PRO mode is activated, the display
switches to a special configuration.
Some of the displays may differ from the dis‐
play in the instrument cluster.
ECO PRO bonus range An extension of the range can
be achieved by an adjusted driv‐
ing style.
This may be displayed as the
bonus range in the instrument
cluster.
The bonus range is shown in the range display.
The bonus range is automatically reset every
time the vehicle is refueled.
Driving style
In the tachometer, a mark in the bar display in‐
dicates the current efficiency of the driving
style.
Mark in the CHARGE area, arrow 1: display for
energy recovered by coasting or when braking.
Mark in the POWER area, arrow 2: display
when accelerating.
The efficiency of the driving style is shown by
the color of the bar:
▷Blue display: efficient driving style as long
as the mark moves within the blue range.▷Gray display: adjust driving style, e. g. by
backing off the accelerator pedal.
The display switches to blue as soon as all
conditions for fuel-economy-optimized driving
are met.
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