boot BMW 3 SERIES 2009 Owners Manual

Driving
62
Manual transmission
You can shift gears while cruise control is acti-
vated. An indicator lamp notifies you that you
should shift gears when you drive for an
extended period at very high or very low engine
speeds, or the system is deactivated.
Range of applications
The minimum desired speed is 20 mph or
30 km/h, the maximum desired speed is
110 mph or 180 km/h.
As with conventional cruise control sys-
tems, active cruise control in no way
diminishes or substitutes for the driver’s own
personal responsibility, alertness and aware-
ness in adjusting speed, braking or otherwise
controlling the vehicle. The driver should
decide when to use the system on the basis of
road, traffic, visibility, and weather conditions.
Active cruise control is intended for use on
highway-type roadways where traffic is moving
relatively smoothly. Do not use this system in
city driving; heavy traffic such as during rush
hour; on curvy, winding roads, slippery roads or
roads with sharp curves such as highway off-
ramps; during inclement weather such as snow,
strong rain or fog; or when entering inter-
changes, service/parkin g areas or toll booths.
It is also important to regulate your vehicle's
speed and distance setting within applicable
legal limits. Always be re ady to take action or
apply the brakes if nece ssary, especially when
the system is actively fo llowing a vehicle in front
of you. Otherwise driving situations could result
that pose the risk of accidents. <
One lever for all functions
1Store and increase desired speed
2 Store and decrease desired speed
3 Deactivate system, refer to page 63
4 Resume stored desired speed and dis-
tance, refer to page 64
5 Select distance to vehicle driving ahead,
refer to page 63
Storing current speed
Briefly press the lever, arrow 1, or briefly pull it,
arrow 2, at a driving speed of more than approx.
20 mph or 30 km/h.
The car's current speed is stored. It is displayed
on the speedometer and briefly in the instru-
ment cluster.
Increasing desired speed
Press or tap the lever to the resistance point or
beyond, arrow 1, until the desired speed is dis-
played.
> Each time the lever is tapped to the resis-
tance point, the desired speed is increased
by approx. 1 mph or 1 km/h.
> Each time the lever is tapped beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is
increased by up to 5 mph or 10 km/h until
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Controls
65Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
When the radar sensor is not properly posi-
tioned, active cruise control cannot be activated
at all.Malfunction
The warning lamp comes on when
the system has failed. A message
appears on the Control Display. You
can find more information starting on page 75.
System limitations
Always remember that the range and abil-
ity of the system does have physical limi-
tations. It will not apply the brakes or decelerate
your vehicle when there is a slow-moving vehi-
cle, stopped vehicle or stationary object ahead
of you, as for example, at a traffic light or a
parked vehicle. Also, the system does not react
to oncoming traffic, pe destrians or other types
of potential traffic such as a rider on horseback.
It is also possible th at the system may not
detect smaller moving objects such as motor-
cycles or bicycles. Be especially alert when
encountering any of these situations as the sys-
tem will neither automatically brake, nor provide
a warning to you. Also, be aware that every
decrease in the distance setting allows your
vehicle to come closer to a vehicle in front of
you and requires a heightened amount of alert-
ness. <
Active cruise control is not and must not
be used as a collision avoidance/warning
system. <
If while your vehicle is actively following a vehi-
cle in front of you and the vehicle ahead speeds
up or the lane ahead becomes clear, then your
vehicle will accelerate to the speed you have
selected. Be aware that changing to a clear,
unobstructed lane will also result in your vehicle
accelerating. Be certain to deactivate the system when
you pull into an exit lane for a highway off-
ramp. <
Also, vehicles traveling in a staggered manner
on a highway may cause a delay in the system's
reaction to a vehicle in front of you or may cause
the system to react to a vehicle actually in the
lane next to you. Always be ready to take action
or apply the brak es if necessary.
While active cruise control is capable of
braking your vehicle automatically when
you approach a slower vehicle ahead, it is
important to be aware that the ability of the sys-
tem to apply the brakes is also limited, e.g.
when you reduce your desired speed sharply.
The system cannot stop your vehicle. It uses
only a portion of brakin g system capacity and
does not utilize the full capacity of the vehicle
braking system. Therefore, the system cannot
decrease your speed for large differences in
speed between your vehicle and the vehicle
ahead. Examples: when you approach a vehicle
traveling at a much lower speed than your own
speed such as approachin g a toll booth or when
a much slower vehicle cuts in front of you at
close range. <
Active cruise control ca n only decelerate the
vehicle to approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h.
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