BMW 745Li 2005 E66 Owner's Manual

Controls
119Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
4.Extend the ski bag between the front
seats. The zipper allows more conve-
nient access to stored objects and can
also be left open to allow the ski bag to
dry.
Please ensure that the skis are clean before
loading them into the bag. Take care to
avoid damage from sharp edges.
Securing load
After loading, secure the ski bag and its
contents. Tension the retaining strap on the
tensioning buckle for this purpose.
Secure the ski bag in this way. If you
fail to do so, it could endanger occu-
pants during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.<
Stowing ski bag
1.To close the hatch in the luggage com-
partment:
Press the handle and slide to the left
2.Fold up the ski bag and place it in the
compartment 3.Engage the cover as shown
4.Close the cover.

Driving tips
This chapter 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
122
Things to remember when driving
Break-in procedures
To ensure that your vehicle continues to
furnish optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we
request that you devote careful attention
to the following information.
Engine and differential
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km:
During this initial period you should attempt
to avoid constant, steady-state operation
and vary both vehicle and engine speeds
as often as possible. Until the break-in
period has been completed you should
also refrain from exceeding the following:
>4,500 rpm or 105 mph/170 km/h
Always obey all official speed limits.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during
these initial miles.
Once you have driven 1,200 miles/
2,000 km, the engine or vehicle speeds can
be gradually increased.
Tires
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.
Brake system
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.
Following component replacements
Observe the break-in instructions again if
previously addressed components must be
replaced again during driving later.
General driving notes
Hot exhaust system
Extreme temperatures occur at the
catalytic converter on this and every
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
between the hot exhaust system and any
highly flammable materials such as hay,
leaves, grass, etc. Such contact could lead
to a fire, accompanied by the risk of serious
property damage as well as personal
injury.<
Air conditioning
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
1.Fold in the exterior mirrors, refer to
page53, as otherwise they could be
damaged due to the width of the vehicle
2.Leave the remote control in the ignition
lock, as otherwise the P position of the
automatic transmission will automati-
cally be selected when the remote con-
trol is removed. Refer to page63
and69.
With Comfort Access, be sure to
observe the instructions on page63
3.Release the parking brake, especially
when you have activated Automatic
Hold. Refer to page64 and65.

Driving tips
123Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
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 surface. This phenomenon is referred
to as hydroplaning, and is characterized by
a partial or complete loss of contact
between tires and road surface, ultimately
undermining your ability to steer and brake
the vehicle.<
Driving through water
Only drive through water with a maxi-
mum depth of 1 ft/30 cm, and then
only at walking speed at the most. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be dam-
aged.<
Safe braking
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as stan-
dard equipment. The best way to brake is
to apply maximum pressure to the brake
pedal during emergency: full brake applica-
tion. 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.
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 maneu-
ver 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.
Hills
To prevent overheating and reduced
efficiency of the brake system, drive
long or steep downhill gradients in the gear
in which the least braking is required. Otherwise, even light but consistent pedal
pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake fail-
ure.<
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
page70. This strategy helps you avoid
placing excessive loads on the brake sys-
tem.
Never allow the vehicle to coast with
the transmission in Neutral – or with
the engine switched off – as there is no
engine braking when the transmission is in
Neutral, and no power-assist for brakes
and steering when the engine is not run-
ning.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
accelerator and brake pedals and obstruct
their movement.<
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 minimal
pressure which must be exerted by the
pads during brake applications to clean the
rotors is not reached.
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.
Mobile communications devices in
vehicle
BMW does not recommend using
mobile communications devices, e.g.
portable phones, in the interior of the vehi-
cle without a direct connection to an out-
side antenna. Otherwise the vehicle elec-
tronics and mobile communications device
can affect each other. In addition, it is not

Things to remember when driving
124 ensured that the radiation which results
during transmission will be discharged
from the vehicle interior.<
Cargo loading
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.<
Determine loading limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's door pillar
*:
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 passenger that will be riding
in your vehicle
3.Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passenger from XXX lbs. or
YYY kg
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be five 150-lbs.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs.:
1,400 Ibs. minus 750 Ibs. = 650 Ibs.5.Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight should not exceed
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4
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
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.
Stowing cargo
>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
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat
is not occupied, secure each safety belt
in the opposite buckle.

Driving tips
125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Securing cargo
>Use the luggage net* or securing straps
to hold down small and lightweight lug-
gage and cargo, refer to page42
>Heavy-duty straps
* for securing larger
and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. Anchorages for
attaching these heavy-duty straps have
been provided in your vehicle's luggage
compartment, refer to the illustration
>Please observe the special instructions
supplied with the anchorage fittings.
Always position and secure the load
beforehand as described above. If
you do not, it can even endanger the pas-
sengers during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.
Never exceed either the approved gross
vehicle weight or either of the approved
axle loads, refer to page216, as excessive
loads can pose a safety hazard, and may
also place you in violation of freeway safety
laws.
You should never transport heavy or hard
objects unsecured in the passenger com-
partment, as they could fly around and
pose a safety hazard to the vehicle's occu-
pants during abrupt braking or evasive
maneuvers .<
Roof-mounted luggage
rack*
Anchorage points
The anchorage points are located within
the door openings.
A special rack system is available as an
option for your BMW. Please comply with
the precautions included with the installa-
tion instructions.
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's cen-
ter 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 weight, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle
loads when loading the rack.
You can find the specified weights in the
Technical data section on page216.
Make sure that the load is distributed
evenly, and that it does not extend outward
to beyond the limits of the loading surface.
Always load the heaviest pieces first – on
the bottom. Be sure that adequate clear-
ance is maintained for raising the glass
roof, and that objects do not project into
the opening path of the luggage compart-
ment lid.
Secure roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or being
lost during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration
and braking maneuvers. Take corners gen-
tly.

Things to remember when driving
126
Entry/pass tags
Infrared windshield technology has been
used on your vehicle to minimize solar
heating of the vehicle interior. This technol-
ogy also reduces the ability of electronic
devices to transmit and receive through the
windshield, which will impair their perfor-
mance and operating range.
If you want to place an electronic toll col-
lection device or entry/pass tags behind
the windshield, please use the area marked
in the illustration. This area is clearly visible
from inside the vehicle.
Standard holder*
Remove the protective cap, insert the stan-
dard and lock in place by turning 901.
At high speeds, remove the standard,
as otherwise the standard, standard
holder and vehicle can be damaged.<

Driving tips
127Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility