Get Driving tips Guide for BMW 7 Series 4 Door Fifth Generation (2008-2014)

Driving tips

This chapter provides you with information useful

in dealing with specific driving and operating

modes.

Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 606 497 - 03 11 490

Things to remember when driving

300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,

engage the clutch gently.

Breaking-in period

General information

Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to

each other.

Following part replacement

The same breaking in procedures should be ob‐

served if any of the components mentioned

above have to be renewed in the course of the

vehicle's operating life.

The following instructions will help achieve a

long vehicle life and good economy.

Engine and differential

Always obey the official speed limit.

General driving notes

Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km

Do not exceed the maximum engine and road

speed:

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 or

evasive maneuvers, passengers or other road

users may be injured or the vehicle may be dam‐

aged. In addition, exhaust fumes may enter the

passenger compartment.◀

▷

For gasoline engine, 4500 rpm and

100 mph/160 km/h.

Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the

transmission's kickdown mode for the initial

miles.

If driving with the tailgate open cannot be

avoided:

From 1,200 miles/2,000 km

The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be

increased.

▷

Close all windows and the glass sunroof*.

Greatly increase the blower speed.

Drive moderately.

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.

Hot exhaust system

High temperatures are generated in the

exhaust system.

Drive conservatively for the first 200 miles/

300 km.

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.

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 discs. Drive moderately during this break-in

period.

Donot touchhot exhaust pipes; otherwise, there

is the danger of getting burned.◀

Clutch

The function of the clutch reaches its optimal

level only after a distance driven of approx.

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Hydroplaning

Climate control windshield*

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

The marked area is not covered with heat re‐

flective coating.

Do not exceed this water depth and walking

speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the elec‐

trical systems and the transmission may be

damaged.◀

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

againsttheharmfuleffectsofUVradiationonthe

skin.

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.

Mobile communication devices in the

vehicle

The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.

You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum

of steering effort.

Mobile communication devices in the ve‐

hicle

Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from

the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its

active mode.

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.◀

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

Hydroplaning

On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can

form between the tires and road surface.

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.

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.

Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened

again after they were removed for cleaning, for

example.◀

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Driving in wet conditions

Condensation under the parked vehicle

When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly

exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every

few miles.

When using the automatic climate control, con‐

densation water develops that exits underneath

the vehicle.

Ensure that this action does not endanger other

road users.

Therefore, traces of condensed water under the

vehicle are normal.

The heat generated in this process helps dry the

brake discs and pads.

Loading

In this way braking efficiency will be available

when you need it.

Overloading the vehicle

To avoid exceeding the approved carrying

capacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.

Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐

creases the rate at which damage develops in‐

side the tires. This could result in a sudden loss

of tire inflation pressure.◀

Hills

Drivelongorsteepdownhillgradientsinthegear

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 in the manual mode of the auto‐

matic transmission, refer to page 72.

No fluids in the trunk

Make sure that fluids do not leak into the

trunk; otherwise, the vehicle may be damaged.◀

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.◀

Determining the load limit

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.◀

1. Locate the following statement on your ve‐

hicle’s placard*:

Brake disc corrosion

Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination

on the brake pads are furthered by:

▷

The combined weight of occupants and

cargo should never exceed XXX kg or

YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐

hicleandunstabledrivingsituationsmay

result.

▷

Low mileage.

Extended periods when the vehicle is not

used at all.

▷

Infrequent use of the brakes.

2. Determine the combined weight of the

driver and passengers that will be riding in

your vehicle.

Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure

that must be exerted by the pads during brake

applications to clean the discs is not reached.

3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver

and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY

pounds.

Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the

brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐

fect that generally cannot be corrected.

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4. The resulting figure equals the available

amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.

Stowing cargo

For example, if the YYY amount equals

1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs pas‐

sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail‐

able cargo and luggage load capacity is

400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs = 400 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.

▷

Heavy cargo: stow as far forward and as low

as possible, ideally directly behind the cargo

area separating wall.

Load

Very heavy cargo: when the rear seat is not

occupied, secure each of the outer safety

belts in the opposite buckle.

Cover sharp edges and corners.

Securing cargo

Lashing eyes in the cargo area

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.

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.

The maximum load is the sum of the weight of

the occupants and the cargo.

▷

Larger and heavy objects: secure with cargo

straps*.

The greater the weight of the occupants, the

less cargo that can be transported.

Cargo straps, cargo netting, retaining straps or

draw straps on the lashing eyes in the cargo

area.

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Securing cargo

Magnetic roof-mounted luggage rack

Always position and secure the cargo as

described above; otherwise, it can endanger the

car's occupants if sudden braking or swerving

becomes necessary.

Because of the aluminum roof, magnetic roof-

mounted luggage racks cannot be mounted.

Loading

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.◀

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:

▷

Do not exceed the approved roof/axle loads.

Distribute the roof load uniformly.

Roof-mounted luggage rack

The roof load should not be too large in area.

Always load the heaviest pieces on the bot‐

tom.

Note

Installation only possible in roof drip molding

with flaps*. Your service center will be glad to

advise you.

▷

Secure the roof luggage firmly, e.g., tie with

ratchet straps.

Do not let objects project into the opening

path of the trunk lid.

Roof racks are available as special accessories.

Attachment

Follow the installation instructions of the roof

rack.

Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration

and braking maneuvers. Take corners gen‐

tly.

Roof drip rail with flaps*

Saving fuel

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.

On the roof drip rail, press on the outside of the

flap.

Mounting

Remove unnecessary cargo

Additional weight increases fuel consumption.

The preparation for the mounting plate is lo‐

cated below the roof drip rail. Have the mounting

plate installed by the service center before in‐

stallation of a roof rack.

Remove attached parts following use

Remove auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear luggage

racks which are no longer required following

use.

Be sure that adequate clearance is maintained

for raising and opening the glass sunroof*.

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Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐

dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.

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.

Close the windows and glass sunroof*

Driving with the glass sunroof and windows

open results in increased air resistance and

raises fuel consumption.

Therefore, switch off these functions if they are

not actually needed.

Check the tire inflation pressure

regularly

Have maintenance carried out

Check and, if necessary, correct the tire inflation

pressure at least twice a month and before start‐

ing on a long trip.

Have vehicles maintained regularly to achieve

optimal vehicle economy and operating life.

Have the maintenance carried out by your serv‐

ice center.

Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐

sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and

tire wear.

Please also note the BMW Maintenance Sys‐

tem.

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 vehicle

driving ahead of you.

Driving smoothly and looking ahead reduces

fuel consumption.

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.

Fuel savings are achieved after the vehicle is

switched off for only approx. 4 seconds.

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Driving tips for Your BMW 7 Series 4 Door Fifth Generation (2008-2014)

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