Get Driving tips -> Things to remember when driving Guide for BMW 1 Series 4 Door First Generation (2004-2011)

Things to remember when driving

Following part replacement

Break-in period

The same break-in procedures should be

Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to

observed if any of the components mentioned

each other. Please follow the instructions below

above have to be renewed in the course of the

in order to achieve the optimal service life and

vehicle's operating life.

economy of operation for your vehicle.

Engine and differential

Saving fuel

Always obey all official speed limits.

The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends

on several factors. You can lower fuel consump-

tion and the environmental impact by taking

Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km

Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do

certain measures, adjusting your driving style

not exceed an engine speed of 4,500 rpm or a

and having the vehicle serviced regularly.

road speed of 100 mph/160 km/h.

Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the

transmission's kickdown mode.

Remove any unneeded cargo

Additional weight increases fuel consumption.

After driving 1,200 miles/2,000 km

Remove any mounted parts after you

Engine and vehicle speeds can be gradually

increased.

have finished using them

Remove unneeded additional mirrors, the roof

rack and the rear luggage rack after use.

Tires

Mounted parts affect the vehicle's aerodynam-

Due to technical factors associated with their

ics and increase fuel consumption.

manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-

tion potential until after an initial break-in

Close the windows and glass roof

period. Therefore, drive cautiously during the

An open glass roof or window causes higher air

first 200 miles/300 km.

resistance and thus increases fuel consump-

tion.

Brake system

Brakes require an initial break-in period of

Check tire inflation pressure regularly

approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized

Check the tire inflation pressure at least twice a

contact and wear patterns between brake pads

month and before embarking on a long journey,

and rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in

and correct it if necessary.

period.

Low tire inflation pressure causes higher rolling

resistance and thus increases fuel consumption

and tire wear.

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,

Set off immediately

Do not let the engine warm up while the car is

still standing, but set off immediately at moder-

ate engine speed. This is the fastest way for the

cold engine to reach its operating temperature.

engage the clutch gently.

108

Drive defensively

Have the vehicle serviced

Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking

maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-

tance between you and the vehicle in front of

you. A defensive and smooth driving style

keeps fuel consumption down.

Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve

good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW

recommends having the vehicle serviced at a

BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-

tem, refer to page 203.

Avoid high engine speeds

General driving notes

Only use first gear when setting off. In second

and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation

or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before

reaching high engine speeds.

Close the trunk lid

Operate the vehicle only when the trunk

lid is closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes

could enter the interior of the vehicle.<

When you reach the desired speed, shift into

the highest applicable gear and drive with the

engine speed as low as possible and at a con-

stant speed.

If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid

open:

As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers

fuel consumption and reduces wear.

1. Close all windows and the glass roof.

2. Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-

matic climate control system, refer to

page 93.

Coasting

When approaching a red light, take your foot off

the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-

est applicable gear.

Hot exhaust system

In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-

tures are generated in the exhaust sys-

On a downhill slope, take your foot off the accel-

erator and coast in a suitable gear.

tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed in

its vicinity, and never apply undercoating to

them. When driving, standing at idle and while

parking, take care to avoid possible contact

between the hot exhaust system and any highly

flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,

etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, with the

risk of serious personal injuries and property

damage. Do not touch hot exhaust tail pipes.

Otherwise, there is a risk of burns.<

The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.

Switch off the engine during lengthy

stops

Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy

periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings

or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-

ings even if standing time is as short as approx.

4 seconds.

Hydroplaning

Switch off functions you do not need at

the moment

When driving on wet or slushy roads,

reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge

of water can form between tires and road sur-

face. This situation, known as hydroplaning,

means that the tire can completely lose contact

with the road surface, so that neither the car can

be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<

Functions such as the air conditioner, seat

heating or rear window defroster draw large

amounts of power and consume additional fuel.

Especially in city traffic and in stop-and-go driv-

ing they have a considerable impact. Therefore,

switch these functions off when they are not

really needed.

The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-

ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-

mum tread depth on page 195.

109

sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing

excessive loads on the brake system. Down-

shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-

mission, refer to page 58.

Driving through water

Drive through water on the road only if it is

not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only

at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the

vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the

transmission may be damaged.<

Never drive with the clutch held down,

with the transmission in neutral or with

the engine switched off; otherwise, engine

braking action will not be present or there will be

no power assistance to the brakes or steering.

Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other

objects to protrude into the area around the

pedals, otherwise, pedal function could be

impaired.<

Use the parking brake on inclines

On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a

lengthy period using the clutch; use the

parking brake instead. Otherwise, greater

clutch wear will result.<

For more information about the drive-off assis-

tant, refer to page 77.

Corrosion on brake rotors

When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,

during extended periods when the vehicle is not

used at all, and in operating conditions where

brake applications are less frequent, there is an

increased tendency for corrosion to form on

rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the

brake pads. This occurs because the minimum

pressure which must be exerted by the pads

during brake applications to clean the rotors is

not reached.

Braking safely

Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard

feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most

effective way of braking in situations in which

this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains

steering responsiveness, you can still avoid

possible obstacles with a minimum of steering

effort.

Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with

sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that

ABS is in its active mode.

Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the

brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating

effect that even extended application will fail to

cure.

Driving in wet conditions

When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,

briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal

every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to

ensure that this maneuver does not endanger

other road users. The heat generated in this

process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure

that full braking efficiency will then be available

when you need it.

When the vehicle is parked

Condensation forms while the automatic cli-

mate control is in operation, and then exits

under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water

under the vehicle are therefore normal.

Cargo loading

Hills

To avoid loading the tires beyond their

approved carrying capacity, never over-

load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-

heating and increases the rate at which damage

develops inside the tires. This can ultimately

result in a sudden blowout.<

To prevent overheating and the resulting

reduced efficiency of the brake system,

drive long or steep downhill gradients in the

gear in which the least braking is required. Even

light but consistent brake pressure can lead to

high temperatures, brake wear and possibly

even brake failure.<

Make sure that no liquids are spilled or

leak from their containers in the cargo

You can increase the engine's braking effect by

shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-

110

area, as this could result in damage to the vehi-

cle.<

Load

Determining loading limit

The permissible load is the total of the weight of

occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the

weight of the occupants, the less cargo/lug-

gage can be transported.

1. Locate the following statement on your

vehicle's placard*:

Stowing cargo

Coupe

The combined weight of occupants

and cargo should never exceed

XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading

can result in damage to the vehicle and

unstable driving conditions.<

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-lb. pas-

sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-

able cargo and luggage load capacity is

650 lbs:

Convertible

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.

>

Position heavy objects as low and as far for-

ward as possible, ideally directly behind the

respective seat backrests.

6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of

the load from your trailer will be transferred

to your vehicle. Consult the manual for

transporting a trailer to determine how this

may reduce the available cargo and luggage

load capacity of your vehicle.

>

Cover sharp edges and corners.

For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is

not occupied, secure each safety belt in the

opposite buckle.

111

Securing cargo

Coupe: roof-mounted

luggage rack*

A special rack system is available as an option

for your BMW. Comply with the directions given

in the installation instructions.

Mounting points

>

Secure smaller and lighter items using

retaining straps*, a cargo area net* or draw

straps*.

Heavy-duty cargo straps* for securing

larger and heavier objects are available at

your BMW center. To attach the cargo

straps, there are two lashing eyes, arrows 1,

on the inside wall of the cargo area.

Depending on your vehicle's equipment,

there may be two additional lashing eyes,

arrows 2, on the cargo area sidewalls.

Follow the information included with the

cargo straps.

Fold open the cover.

Loading roof-mounted luggage rack

Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of

gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on

vehicle handling and steering response.

You should therefore always remember not to

exceed the approved roof load capacity, the

approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads

when loading the rack.

Always position and secure the cargo as

described above, so that it cannot endan-

ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden

braking or swerving is necessary.

Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle

weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer

to page 225, as excessive loads can pose a

safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-

tion of traffic safety laws.

Heavy or hard objects should not be carried

loose inside the car, since they could be thrown

around, for example as a result of heavy braking,

sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-

pants.

You can find the applicable data under Weights

on page 225.

The roof load must be distributed uniformly and

should not be too large in area. Heavy items

should always be placed at the bottom. Be sure

that adequate clearance is maintained for rais-

ing the glass roof, and that objects do not

project into the opening path of the trunk lid.

Fasten roof-mounted cargo correctly and

securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off

during the trip.

Only attach the cargo straps using the lashing

eyes shown in the illustration. Do not secure

cargo with the anchors for tether straps, refer to

page 53, otherwise, these could be damaged.<

Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and

braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.

Rear luggage rack*

A rear luggage rack is available as a special

accessory for your BMW. Comply with the

directions given in the installation instructions.

112

Mounting points

The mounting points are located under the pro-

tective covers in the bumper.

Loading the rear luggage rack

You should always remember not to exceed the

approved roof load capacity, the approved

gross vehicle weight or the axle loads when

loading the rack.

You can find the applicable data under Weights

on page 225.

113

Driving tips -> Things to remember when driving for Your BMW 1 Series 4 Door First Generation (2004-2011)

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