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EnglishDriving tips -> Things to remember when driving for your BMW 7 Series 2008-2014
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.
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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
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.
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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.
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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
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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:
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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.
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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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