BMW Z4 2013 E89 Owner's Manual

Driving tips
This section provides you with information useful in dealing with specific driving and operating conditions.Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Things to remember when drivingVehicle 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
systems.
Breaking-in period
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.
Engine and differential Always obey the official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speeds:▷4,500 rpm and 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not drive with full-throttle operation, and do
not use the transmission's kickdown mode or
Launch Control.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full
traction potential until after an initial breaking-
in period.
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 discs. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The clutch requires an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to function at an op‐
timal level.
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacement
The same breaking in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Ground clearance Limited ground clearance
Note that the Z4 sDrive35 has limited
ground clearance, for instance when driving
into underground parking garages or over ob‐
stacles. Otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
Closing the trunk lid Drive with the trunk lid closed
Only operate the vehicle with the trunk
lid closed; otherwise, exhaust fumes could en‐
ter the passenger compartment.◀Seite 128Driving tipsThings to remember when driving128
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

If the vehicle must be driven with the trunk lid
open:1.Close all windows.2.Greatly increase the air flow rate of the air
conditioner or automatic climate control.
Hot exhaust system
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that flammable materials, e. g. hay, leaves,
grass, etc. do not come in contact with the hot
exhaust system during driving, while in idle po‐
sition mode, or when parked. Such contact
could lead to a fire, and with it the risk of seri‐
ous personal injury as well as property dam‐
age.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise,
there is the danger of getting burned.◀
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is not recommended to use mobile phones,
such as mobile phones without a direct con‐
nection to an external aerial in the vehicle's
passenger compartment. Otherwise, the vehi‐
cle electronics and mobile communication de‐
vices can interfere with each other. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation gener‐
ated during transmission will be discharged
from the vehicle interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
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.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀
Driving through water Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 9.8 inches/25 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to
6 mph/10 km/h.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking
speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the
electrical systems and the transmission may
be damaged.◀
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stand‐
ard feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsive‐
ness. You can still avoid any obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.
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
Do not place additional floor mats over existing
mats or other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved
for the vehicle and can be properly fixed in
place.Seite 129Things to remember when drivingDriving tips129
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Ensure that the floor mats are securely fas‐
tened again when they are returned after being
removed, such as for cleaning.◀
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger
other road users.
The heat generated in this process helps dry
the brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required.
Otherwise, the brake system may overheat, re‐
sulting in a reduction in the brake system effi‐
ciency.
You can increase the engine's braking effect
by shifting down, going all the way to first gear,
if necessary.
Downshifting in manual mode of the 8-gear
Sport automatic transmission, refer to
page 64.
Downshifting in manual mode of the 7-gear
Sport automatic transmission with dual clutch,
refer to page 67.
Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the
brake system. Light but consistent brake pres‐
sure can lead to high temperatures, brake wear
and possibly even brake failure.◀
Do not drive in neutral
Never drive with the transmission in neu‐
tral, with the engine switched off or with the
clutch depressed; otherwise, you will have nei‐
ther the braking action of the engine or nor its
power assistance when braking or steering.◀Brake disc corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and contamina‐
tion on the brake pads are furthered by:▷Low mileage.▷Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.▷Infrequent use of the brakes.
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.
Condensation under the parked
vehicle
When using the automatic climate control,
condensation water develops that exits under‐
neath the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under
the vehicle are normal.
Loading Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carry‐
ing capacity of the tires, never overload the ve‐
hicle. Overloading can lead to overheating and
increases the rate at which damage develops
inside the tires. This could result in a sudden
loss of tire inflation pressure.◀
Secure heavy objects
Never transport unsecured heavy or hard
objects in the passenger compartment, as they
could be thrown around and pose a safety haz‐
ard to the vehicle's occupants during abrupt
braking or evasive maneuvers.◀
No fluids in the cargo area
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged.◀
Seite 130Driving tipsThings to remember when driving130
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Determining the load limit1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:▷The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed XXX kg
or YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the
vehicle and unstable driving situations
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 kilograms or
YYY pounds.4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity.
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
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs: 1,400 lbs minus 750 lbs =
650 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of lug‐
gage and cargo being loaded on the vehi‐
cle. 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 transport‐
ing a trailer to determine how this may re‐
duce the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.Load
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
Stowing cargo
Cargo area
▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward and as
low as possible, ideally directly behind the
cargo area separating wall.▷Cover sharp edges and corners.
Loading with the hardtop open
Before opening the hardtop, fold down
the cargo area partition and make sure the
cargo area is loaded correctly; otherwise, parts
of the hardtop could be damaged.◀
Fold down the cargo area partition, refer to
page 43.
Seite 131Things to remember when drivingDriving tips131
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Rear storage shelfLoading the rear storage shelf
When loading the rear storage shelf, do
not move both seats all the way forward while moving them to their uppermost position and
leaning the backrests forward. Otherwise, the seats could hit and damage the seal on the
windshield and the sun visor.◀
Light and small objects can be stored on the
rear storage shelf.
Securing cargo
Cargo area
Use retaining straps, a luggage net or draw
straps to secure small and lightweight items.
Rear storage shelf You can obtain cargo straps from your service
center. Four lashing eyes are provided behind
the seats for attaching the cargo straps.
Adhere to the information included with the
cargo straps.
Lashing eyes on the rear storage shelf
Top:
Bottom:
Saving fuel
General information
Your vehicle contains advanced technology for
the reduction of fuel consumption and emis‐
sions.
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif‐
ferent factors.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance, refer to
page 241, can have an influence on fuel con‐
sumption and on the environmental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove attached parts following use
Remove auxiliary mirrors or rear-mounted lug‐
gage racks after use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.
Seite 132Driving tipsThings to remember when driving132
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Close both windows
An open window causes higher air resistance
and thus increases fuel consumption.
Tires
General information
Tires can have varying effects on fuel con‐
sumption; for example, fuel consumption can
be influenced by the tire size.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct the tire infla‐
tion pressure, refer to page 227, at least twice
a month and before starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
Drive away without delay Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving
right away, but at moderate engine speeds.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
Look well ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehi‐ cle driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and looking ahead reduces
fuel consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds
Use 1st gear to get the vehicle in motion. Be‐
ginning with 2nd gear, accelerate rapidly.
When accelerating, shift up before reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con‐
stant speed.As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Use coasting conditions
When approaching a red light, take your foot
off the accelerator and coast to a halt in the
highest applicable gear.
On a downhill slope, take your foot off the ac‐
celerator and coast in a suitable gear.
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.
Automatic Engine Start/Stop Function
The Automatic Engine Start/Stop Function au‐
tomatically switches the engine off during a
stop.
If the engine is stopped and then started again,
fuel consumption and emissions drop com‐
pared to an engine that runs permanently.
Stopping the engine even for just a few sec‐
onds can result in savings.
Use of this system can cause premature wear
on certain vehicle components.
In addition, fuel consumption depends on
other factors as well, such as driving style, road
conditions, maintenance, and environmental
factors.
Additional information on the Automatic En‐
gine Start/Stop Function, refer to page 57.
Switch off any functions that are not
currently needed
Functions such as the automatic climate con‐
trol require a large amount 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.Seite 133Things to remember when drivingDriving tips133
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Have maintenance carried outHave vehicles maintained regularly to achieve
optimal vehicle economy and operating life.
Have the maintenance carried out by your
service center.
Please also note the BMW Maintenance Sys‐
tem, refer to page 241.Seite 134Driving tipsThings to remember when driving134
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Seite 135Things to remember when drivingDriving tips135
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13

Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 911 315 - VI/13