BMW 2004 M3, Owner'S Manual

Page: 109 / 170

109
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.
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When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the automatic
climate control system during opera-
tion, which then exits under the vehicle.
Traces of condensed water of this kind
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 road speed. If you
do not, a wedge of water can 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.
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The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the tread depth of the tires decreases,
refer also to Tire tread on page
116 .
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.
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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.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
to indicate to the driver that ABS is in
its active mode.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. Otherwise,
even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.
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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. Watch 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
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