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EnglishDriving tips -> Things to remember when driving for your BMW X5 2007-2013
Driving tips
Things to remember when driving
Things to remember when driving
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in pe‐
riod.
Vehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
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 rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Breaking-in period
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.
General information
Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
General driving notes
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Closing tailgate
Drive with the tailgate closed
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Only drive with the tailgate closed; other‐
wise, passengers and other road users may be
endangered or the vehicle may be damaged if an
accident occurs or during braking or evasive
maneuvers. In addition, exhaust fumes may en‐
ter the passenger compartment.◀
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speeds:
▷
For a gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.
▷
For a diesel engine, 3,500 rpm and
93 mph/150 km/h.
If the vehicle must be driven with the tailgate
open:
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode for the initial
miles.
1. Drive moderately.
2. Close all windows and the glass sunroof/
panoramic glass sunroof.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
3. Greatly increase the blower speed.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac‐
152
Things to remember when driving
Hydroplaning
Driving tips
Hot exhaust system
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
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.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that flammablematerials, e. g. hay, leaves, grass,
etc. do not come in contact with the hot exhaust
system during driving, while in idle position
mode, or when parked. Such contact could lead
to a fire, and with it the risk of serious personal
injury as well as property damage.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tire
tread depth decreases. Minimum tread depth,
refer to page 278.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise, there
is the danger of getting burned.◀
Diesel particulate filter
Driving through water
Soot particles are collected in the diesel partic‐
ulate filter and periodically burned away at high
temperatures.
Maximum water depth:
▷
▷
BMW X5: 20 inches/50 cm.
BMW X6: 17 inches/45 cm.
During the cleaning period of several minutes:
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
▷
The engine may temporarily run less
smoothly.
Only drive through water up to the above-men‐
tioned depth at no greater than walking speed;
otherwise, the engine, electrical system, and
transmission can be damaged.◀
▷
A somewhat higher engine speed may be
necessary to achieve the accustomed per‐
formance.
▷
Noises and a slight amount of smoke may
emerge from the exhaust, even for a short
period after the engine is switched off.
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum
of steering effort.
It is not recommended to use mobile phones,
such as mobile phones without a direct connec‐
tion to an external aerial in the vehicle's passen‐
ger compartment. 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.◀
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.
Do not let your foot rest on the brake pedal
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent pedal
153
Driving tips
Things to remember when driving
pressure 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 unavailable
with the engine stopped.◀
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
Brake disc corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination
on the brake pads are furthered by:
▷
▷
Low mileage.
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.
▷
Infrequent use of the brakes.
Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened
again when they are returned after being re‐
moved, such as for cleaning.◀
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.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly
exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every
few miles.
Condensation under the parked vehicle
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.
The heat generated in this process helps dry the
brake discs and pads.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Loading
Hills
Overloading the vehicle
Drivelongorsteepdownhillgradientsinthegear
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise,
the brake system may overheat, resulting in a
reduction in the brake system efficiency.
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.◀
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down in the manual mode of the auto‐
matic transmission, refer to page 74.
Avoid load on the brakes
No fluids in the cargo area
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.◀
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
154
Things to remember when driving
Driving tips
Determining the load limit
Load
BMW X5:
1. Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:
BMW X6:
▷
The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicleandunstabledrivingsituationsmay
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.
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,400 lbs and there will be five 150 lbs pas‐
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail‐
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs: 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.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be transfered to your
vehicle. Consult the manual for transporting
a trailer to determine how this may reduce
the available cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity of your vehicle.
155
Driving tips
Things to remember when driving
▷
▷
Very heavy cargo: when the rear seat is not
occupied, secure each of the outer safety
belts in the BMW X5 in the opposite buckle.
Stowing cargo
BMW X5
Heavy cargo: stow as far forward and as low
as possible, ideally directly behind the
backrests.
▷
▷
Cover sharp edges and corners.
Do not pile objects higher than the top edge
of the backrest.
▷
▷
If necessary, fold down the rear backrests to
stow cargo.
Place protective material around any sharp-
edged or pointed objects that could bump
against the rear window while the vehicle is
in motion.
Securing cargo
BMW X5
BMW X6
BMW X6
▷
▷
Smaller and lighter items: secure with re‐
taining straps, a cargo net or draw straps.
Larger and heavy objects: secure with cargo
straps.
156
Things to remember when driving
Driving tips
Four lashing eyes mounted in the cargo area
Loading
are used to secure these cargo straps, refer
to illustrations.
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
vehicle handling and steering response.
Adhere to the information included with the
cargo straps.
Therefore, note the following when loading and
driving:
Securing cargo
▷
Do not exceed the approved roof/axle loads
and the approved gross vehicle weight.
Stow and secure the cargo as described
above; otherwise it may present a danger to the
occupants, for instance during braking and
avoidance maneuvers.
▷
▷
▷
Distribute the roof load uniformly.
The roof load should not be too large in area.
Do not stow any heavy and hard objects in the
passenger compartment without securing
them; otherwise, they may present a danger to
occupants, for instance during braking and
avoidance maneuvers.
Always load the heaviest pieces on the bot‐
tom.
▷
▷
▷
Fasten roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely.
Do not let objects project into the opening
path of the tailgate.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle
weight or either of the approved axle loads, as
excessive loads can pose a safety hazard, and
may also place you in violation of traffic safety
laws.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration
and braking maneuvers. Take corners gen‐
tly.
Use only the lashing eyes pictured to fasten the
heavy-duty cargo straps. Do not secure cargo
using the upper top tether, refer to page 62,
mounting points; otherwise, these may become
damaged.◀
Driving on poor roads
Your vehicle combines an all-wheel drive sys‐
tem with the advantages of a normal passenger
car.
Do not drive on unpaved terrain
Roof-mounted luggage rack
Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as other‐
wise the vehicle may be damaged.◀
Special rack system as optional
accessory
A special rack system is available as an optional
accessory.
For your own safety and the safety of passen‐
gers and the vehicle, adhere to the following
points:
▷
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
driving; never take risks.
Follow the directions given in the installation in‐
structions.
▷
Adjust speeds according to road conditions.
The steeper and rougher the road surface is,
the lower the speed should be.
Mounting
Be sure that adequate clearance is maintained
for tilting and opening the glass sunroof/panor‐
amic glass sunroof.
▷
When driving on steep uphill and downhill
grades: the engine oil and coolant should be
filled nearly to the MAX mark.
BMW X5: the vehicle can be driven on uphill
and downhill grades up to 50 %.
157
Driving tips
Things to remember when driving
▷
Use Hill Descent Control HDC, refer to
page 106, on steep downhill grades.
Saving fuel
BMW X5: the vehicle can be driven away on
uphill grades of up to 33 %. The permissible
body roll is 50 %.
General information
Your vehicle contains advanced technology for
the reduction of fuel consumption and emis‐
sions.
▷
▷
Watch for stones, holes, and other obstacles
and drive around these where possible.
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif‐
ferent factors.
On bumps and rough roads, avoid contact
between the vehicle body and the ground.
The maximum ground clearance is 8 in‐
ches/20 cm and may vary with the loaded
cargo.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance, refer to
page 286, can have an influence on fuel con‐
sumption and on the environmental impact.
▷
When driving through water, do not exceed
the maximum water height.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
▷
▷
BMW X5: 20 inches/50 cm
BMW X6: 17 inches/45 cm
Remove attached parts following use
Remove unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear
luggage racks after use.
Drive at walking speed only and do not stop
the vehicle.
▷
▷
▷
After driving through water, press on the
brake pedal several times at low speeds to
dry the brakes.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.
Depending on the prevailing terrain, activate
Dynamic Traction Control DTC, refer to
page 104, briefly.
Closing the windows and glass
sunroof/panoramic glass sunroof
Driving with the glass sunroof/panoramic glass
sunroof and windows open results in increased
air resistance and raises fuel consumption.
When the wheels spin, accelerate to enable
the driving stability control systems to dis‐
tribute the drive force to the individual
wheels.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct the tire inflation
pressure, refer to page 269, at least twice a
month and before starting on a long trip.
▷
The stone chip guard reduces the risk of
damage to painted vehicle components,
such as in the area of the side skirts and
wheel arches. Your service center will be
glad to advise you.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
After driving on poor roads
Adhere to the following points to ensure vehicle
safety:
Drive away without delay
▷
Remove excessive accumulations of dirt
and mud from the vehicle body.
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engine speeds.
▷
Clear mud, snow, ice, etc., from the wheels
and tires and check for damage.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
158
Things to remember when driving
Driving tips
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.
Avoid high engine speeds
Driving at a low engine speed reduces fuel con‐
sumption and minimizes wear.
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 already achieved after the en‐
gine is turned off for as little as 4 seconds.
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.
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 serv‐
ice center.
Please also note the BMW Maintenance Sys‐
tem, refer to page 286.
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