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EnglishDriving tips for your BMW X3 2004-2010
Driving tips
This section is designed to provide you
with extra support by supplying information
useful in dealing with specific driving
and operating conditions.
Things to remember when driving
patterns required for trouble-free operation and
long service life later on.
Breaking-in
Moving parts should be allowed to adjust to one
another. To ensure that your vehicle provides
maximum economy throughout a long service
life, we request that you comply with the follow-
ing instructions.
To break in the separate handbrake drums,
apply the handbrake lightly when coasting to a
stop – at a traffic signal, for instance; use cau-
tion to avoid posing a danger to other road
users.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure from
time to time.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
The brake lamps do not come on when the
handbrake is applied.
For the first 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the car with
the engine off – e.g., by towing – substantially
higher levels of pedal force will be required to
brake the vehicle.<
Drive at varying engine and driving speeds, but
do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph/160 km/h
in the process.
Generally avoid full throttle or kick-down posi-
tion of the accelerator pedal.
After 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Clutch
Engine and road speed can be gradually
increased.
The function of the clutch reaches its optimum
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. For this reason, drive with extra care
during the initial 200 miles/300 km.
Following component replacements
Follow the breaking-in instructions again when-
ever subsequent driving requires replacement
of previously mentioned components.
Obey your local and state maximum speed lim-
its.
When the vehicle is operated on wet or
slushy roads, a wedge of water may form
between the tire and the road surface. This phe-
nomenon is referred to as hydroplaning and can
lead to partial or complete loss of traction, vehi-
cle control and braking effectiveness. Reduce
your speed on wet roads.<
General driving notes
Close the liftgate
Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate
is completely closed; otherwise, exhaust
fumes could enter the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances should make it abso-
lutely necessary to operate the vehicle with the
liftgate open:
Brake system
Your vehicle must travel approx. 300 miles/
500 km before the brake pads and rotors
achieve the optimum pad-surface and wear
1. Close all windows and the panorama glass
sunroof.
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2. Greatly increase the air supply of the air
conditioning system or automatic climate
control, refer to page 62 or 65.
Hydroplaning
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 phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between tires and
road surface, ultimately undermining your abil-
ity to steer and brake the vehicle.<
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures occur in the exhaust
system of every vehicle. Do not remove
the heat shields installed adjacent to various
sections of the exhaust system, and never apply
undercoating to them. When driving, standing
at idle, and 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, resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage. Do not touch hot exhaust
pipe, it can cause burns.<
The danger of hydroplaning increases as tire
tread depth decreases, also refer to Minimum
tread depth on page 94.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the road if it
is deeper than 20 in/50 cm, and then only
at walking speed. Otherwise, the vehicle's
engine, the electrical systems, and the trans-
mission may be damaged.<
Mobile communications devices in
vehicle
BMW does not recommend using mobile
communications devices, e.g. mobile
Using handbrake on inclines
Do not hold the vehicle in place on slopes
by slipping or riding the clutch, use the
handbrake instead. Otherwise, greater clutch
wear will result.<
phones, on the interior of the vehicle without a
direct connection to an outside antenna. Other-
wise, the vehicle electronics and mobile com-
munications device can affect each other. In
addition, there is no assurance that the radia-
tion which results during transmission will be
dissipated from the vehicle interior.<
Safe braking
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as standard
equipment. In situations in which it is required, it
is best to apply the brakes fully. Since the vehi-
cle maintains steering responsiveness, you can
nevertheless avoid possible obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the air conditioner/auto-
matic climate control system during operation,
and then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water under the vehicle are therefore
normal.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits indicates to
the driver that ABS is in its active mode.
Before driving into a car wash
Wet roads
Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to page 32;
otherwise, they could be damaged due to the
width of the vehicle.
Deactivate the rain sensor; otherwise, damage
could result from undesired wiper activation,
refer to page 41.
On wet roads or in heavy rain, briefly apply light
pressure to the brake pedal every few miles.
Watch traffic conditions to ensure that this
maneuver does not endanger other road users.
The heat that is generated by the brake applica-
tions helps to dry the brake pads and rotors.
The full braking force will then be available
when you need it.
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Hills
Brake pads
To prevent overheating and reduced effi-
ciency of the brake system, drive long or
The warning lamp lights up.
The brake pads have reached their min-
imum pad thickness. Have brake pads
steep downhill grades in the gear in which the
least braking is required. Otherwise, even light
but continuous pressure on the brake can lead
to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
replaced immediately.
Cargo loading
The braking action of the engine can be further
intensified by downshifting, all the way down to
first gear if need be. This strategy helps you
avoid placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem. Downshifting in manual mode of automatic
transmission, refer to page 40. When descend-
ing hills slowly, use HDC Hill Descent Control,
refer to page 51.
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating of the tire and increases the rate at
which damage develops inside the tires. The
ultimate result can assume the form of a sudden
blow-out.<
Never drive with the clutch depressed,
with the transmission in neutral, or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, you will
have neither the braking action of the engine or
nor its power assistance to the brakes or steer-
ing.
Determining load limit
Never allow floor mats, carpeting, or other arti-
cles to protrude into the area around the brake
or accelerator pedals and obstruct their move-
ment.<
1. Locate the following statement on your
Corrosion on brake rotors
vehicle's placard*:
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 minimal
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, the vehicle
may be damaged and unstable driving con-
ditions 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 lbs. or YYY kg.
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.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
990 lbs. and there will be five 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
240 lbs.:
990 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 240 lbs.
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5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded into and/or onto the
vehicle. This combined weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity calculated in step 4.
>
Items that could bump against the rear win-
dow while driving must be adequately cov-
ered.
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.
Load
>
For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure the safety belt on
each side in the buckle on the opposite
side.
The permitted load is the total of the weight of
occupants and cargo/luggage. The greater the
weight of occupants, the less cargo/luggage
can be transported.
Securing cargo
>
Use the luggage net* or draw straps to hold
down small and lightweight luggage and
cargo, refer to page 76.
>
For larger and heavier pieces, heavy-duty
cargo straps* are available from your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center. These
heavy-duty cargo straps are secured to
lashing eyes mounted in the luggage com-
partment, refer to page 76.
Stowing cargo
Read the information provided with the
heavy-duty cargo straps.
Always position and secure cargo as
described above. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers during braking or
evasive maneuvers.
Use only the lashing eyes, refer to page 76, to
fasten the heavy-duty cargo straps; otherwise,
the heavy-duty cargo straps could loosen or the
vehicle could be damaged.
>
>
To protect passengers, use the partition
net, refer to page 75.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page 122, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard and may also put you in violation
of road safety laws.
Load heavy cargo as far forward and as low
as possible, placing it directly behind the
rear seat backrests.
You should never transport unsecured heavy or
hard objects in the passenger compartment, as
they could be thrown around and pose a safety
hazard to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt
braking or evasive maneuvers.<
>
>
Cover sharp edges and corners.
Do not stack cargo higher than the upper
edge of the backrests.
83
>
>
Always adapt your driving speed to the road
conditions. The more steep and uneven the
roadway is, the lower the speed should be.
Roof-mounted luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an optional
accessory for your BMW. Please familiarize
yourself with the information contained in the
installation instructions.
You can operate your vehicle on uphill and
downhill gradients with a maximum slope
of 50%. If you wish to drive on uphill and
downhill grades of this nature, make sure
beforehand that the engine oil and coolant
levels are near the MAX mark, refer to
pages 99 and 101.
Loading luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
its 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.
>
When descending very steep hills, use
HDC Hill Descent Control, refer to page 51.
It is possible to start off on inclines of up
to 32%.
The permitted side tilt is 32%.
These specifications can be found under
Weights on page 122.
>
>
While driving, watch carefully for obstacles
such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid these
obstacles whenever possible.
The roof load must be evenly distributed and
must not extend outward beyond the limits of
the loading surface. Always stow the heaviest
pieces on the bottom. Be sure that adequate
clearance is maintained for raising the glass
sunroof and that objects do not project into the
opening path of the liftgate.
Avoid having the body make contact with
the ground, e.g. on the crests of hills and
bumpy roads. The ground clearance of the
vehicle is a maximum of approx. 8.0 in/
20 cm. Please be aware that the ground
clearance can vary depending on the load
and operating conditions of the vehicle.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
while you drive.
>
Do not drive in water that is deeper than
20 in/50 cm. If you must drive through water
up to that depth, drive at a walking speed
and do not stop.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration and
braking maneuvers. Take corners gently.
After leaving the water, press on the foot-
brake gently several times while driving at a
low speed. The brake applications will help
to dry the brakes, thus preventing a reduc-
tion in braking performance caused by the
moisture.
To clean the handbrake, apply the lever
slightly at approx. 25 mph/40 km/h and con-
tinue to drive for approx. 200 yards/
200 meters, provided that traffic conditions
allow you to do so.
Driving on poor roads
Your X3 is at home on all paved and unpaved
roads. It combines all-wheel drive with the
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Driving on unpaved terrain can cause
damage to the vehicle.<
When you are driving on poor roads, there are a
few points which you should strictly observe –
for your own safety and that of your passengers,
as well as to protect the vehicle:
>
>
Depending on the road condition, it can be
useful to temporarily activate DTC, refer to
DTC Dynamic Traction Control on page 51.
>
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
you begin driving. Do not take risks with the
vehicle under any circumstances.
If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal far enough to permit
the driving stability control systems to dis-
84
tribute the drive torque to the individual
wheels.
Please bear the following points in mind after
driving on poor roads, in order to preserve the
road safety of your BMW:
>
>
Clean the heavy dirt from the body.
Clean mud, snow, ice and other materials
from the wheels and tires. Check the tires
for damage.
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