General driving notes – BMW 325Ci Coupe 2004 User Manual

Page 113

113

General driving notes

Hot exhaust system

High temperatures occur with
every vehicle equipped with a cat-

alytic converter. Heat shields are
installed adjacent to some sections of
the exhaust system. Never remove
these shields; do not apply undercoat-
ing to their surfaces. When driving,
standing at idle and parking the vehicle,
take care to avoid contact between the
hot exhaust system and flammable
materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc.
Such contact could lead to a fire,
resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage.

Parking the vehicle

Condensation forms in the air condi-
tioner system during operation, which
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of
condensed water on the ground under-
neath the vehicle are thus normal.

Before driving through a car wash

Fold in the exterior mirrors manually
because they could otherwise be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.

Hydroplaning

When driving on wet or slushy
roads, reduce your speed. If you

do not, a wedge of water may form
between tire and road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and can lead to partial or com-
plete loss of traction, vehicle control
and braking effectiveness.

The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the tread depth of the tires decreases,
refer also to Tire tread on page

120

Driving through water

Do not drive through water on the
road if it is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm,

and then only at walking speed. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be
damaged.

Braking safely

Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a
standard feature. If you are in a situa-
tion which requires full braking, it is
best to brake using maximum brake
pressure: panic stop. Since the vehicle

maintains steering responsiveness, you
can avoid possible obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort, despite the
full brake application.

Pulsation at the brake pedal, combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits,
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.

Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Otherwise,

even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.

Wet roads:

if the roads are wet or if there is heavy
rain, it is advisable to gently press the
brakes for a brief moment every few
miles/kilometers. Monitor traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does
not endanger other road users. The
heat generated in this process helps
dry the pads and rotors. Immediate
braking force is then available if neces-
sary.

Overview

Controls

Maintenance

Repairs

Data

Index