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EnglishDriving tips -> Things to remember when driving for your BMW 6 Series 2003-2010
Things to remember when driving
Clutch
Break-in procedures
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
To ensure that your vehicle continues to
provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we
request that you devote careful attention to
the following section.
mized level after a distance driven of
approx. 300 miles/500 km. During this
break-in period, engage the clutch gently.
After component replacement
You should also comply with these break-in
procedures should the components men-
tioned above need to be replaced at a later
point.
Engine and differential
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km:
You should attempt to vary both vehicle
and engine speeds. Until the break-in
period has been completed, you should
also refrain from exceeding an engine
speed of 4500 rpm or a driving speed of
100 mph/160 km/h.
General driving notes
Hot exhaust system
Always obey all official speed limits.
Extreme temperatures occur at the
catalytic converter on this and every
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode during
these initial miles.
catalyst-equipped vehicle. Do not remove
the heat shields installed adjacent to vari-
ous sections of the exhaust system, and
never apply undercoating to them. When
driving, standing at idle and while parking,
take care to avoid possible contact
Once you have driven 1,200 miles/
2,000 km, the engine and vehicle speeds
can be gradually increased.
SMG Sequential manual
transmission
between the hot exhaust system and any
highly flammable materials such as hay,
leaves, grass, etc. Such contact could lead
to a fire, and with it the risk of serious prop-
erty damage as well as personal injury.<
Do not use the acceleration assistant dur-
ing the break-in period, refer to page 60.
Tires
Parking vehicle
Due to technical factors associated with
their manufacture, tires do not achieve their
full traction potential until after an initial
break-in period. Therefore, drive reservedly
during the first 200 miles/300 km.
Condensation forms in the air conditioner
system during operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed
water under the vehicle are thus normal.
Before driving into a car wash
Brake system
Fold in the exterior mirrors manually, as
otherwise they could be damaged due to
the width of the vehicle.
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve opti-
mized contact and wear patterns between
brake pads and rotors.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water can form between tires and
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road surface. This phenomenon is referred
to as hydroplaning, and is characterized
by a partial or complete loss of contact
between the tires and the road surface, ulti-
mately undermining your ability to steer
and brake the vehicle.<
Hills
To prevent overheating and thus
reduced efficiency of the brake sys-
tem, downshift to a gear in which only min-
imal brake applications are needed when
descending long or steep downhill
stretches. Even light but consistent pedal
pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake fail-
ure.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the
tread depth of the tires decreases, also
refer to Tire tread on page 167.
Driving through water
You can further enhance the engine's brak-
ing effect by selecting a lower gear in the
automatic transmission's manual mode,
downshifting as far as first gear on
extremely steep stretches, refer to
page 59. This strategy helps you avoid
placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem.
Do not drive through water on the
road if it is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm,
and then only at walking speed at the most.
Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the electri-
cal systems and the transmission may be
damaged.<
Braking safely
Never drive with the clutch pressed
or allow the vehicle to coast with the
transmission in Neutral – or with the engine
switched off – there is no engine braking
when the transmission is in Neutral, and no
power assist for brakes and steering when
the engine is not running.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
accelerator and brake pedals and obstruct
their movement.<
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as stan-
dard. The best way to achieve optimized
braking response from the ABS is to apply
maximum pressure to the brake pedal in
situations where this is required: panic
stops. Since the vehicle maintains steering
responsiveness, you can nevertheless
avoid possible obstacles with a minimum
of steering effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits to indi-
cate to the driver that ABS is in its active
mode.
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasion-
ally, 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 ten-
dency 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.
Do not drive with your foot resting on
the brake pedal. Even light but con-
sistent pedal pressure can lead to high
temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
While driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is a good idea to apply light
pressure to 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.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors,
the brakes will tend to respond with a pul-
sating effect that even extended applica-
tion will fail to cure.
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4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity.
Mobile communication devices in
vehicle
BMW advises against using mobile
communication devices, e.g. portable
phones, in the inside of the vehicle without
a direct connection to an external antenna.
Otherwise, the vehicle electronics and
mobile communication device can influ-
ence one another. It is not ensured that the
waves emitted during transmission are led
out of the vehicle interior.<
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lbs.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs.:
1400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in step 4
Cargo loading
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.
To avoid loading the tires beyond
their approved carrying capacity,
never overload the vehicle. Overloading
can lead to overheating and increases the
rate at which damage develops inside the
tires. The ultimate result can assume the
form of a sudden air loss.<
Load
Determining loading limit
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.
1. Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never
exceed XXX lbs. or YYY kg, as other-
wise the vehicle may be damaged and
unstable driving conditions 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
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also place you in violation of freeway safety
laws.
Stowing cargo
You should never transport heavy or hard
objects unsecured in the passenger com-
partment, as they could fly around and
even pose a safety hazard to the vehicle's
occupants during abrupt braking or evasive
maneuver.<
Pad on base of luggage
compartment
If required, you can use the pad e.g. to
transport dirty or soiled objects. The rub-
berized side is washable and has an anti-
slip effect.
> Load heavy cargo as far forward and
as low as possible, placing it directly
behind the bulkhead behind the rear
seats
> Cover sharp edges and corners.
Securing cargo
> Use the luggage net* or securing straps
to hold down small and lightweight lug-
gage and cargo
> Heavy-duty cargo straps* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available
at your BMW center. Four lashing eyes
fitted in the luggage compartment are
used to secure these heavy-duty cargo
straps, refer to arrows
> Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the heavy-duty cargo
straps.
Always position and secure the load
as described above. If you do not, it
can even endanger the passengers during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Never exceed either the approved gross
vehicle weight or either of the approved
axle loads, refer to page 190, as excessive
loads can pose a safety hazard, and may
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