BMW 3 SERIES CONVERTIBLE - CATALOGUE, Owner'S Manual

Page: 139 / 308

138
Driving tips Things to remember when driving
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them.
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
ing, 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, with the
risk of serious personal injuries and property
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust tail pipes.
Otherwise, there is a risk of burns.
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Mobile phones in the vehicle
It is not advisable to use wireless devices
such as mobile phones inside the vehicle
without a direct connection to an external aerial.
Otherwise, it is not possible to exclude the pos-
sibility of a reciprocal interference occurring
between the vehicle electronics and the wire-
less device. Otherwise, there is no assurance
that the radiation generated by the radio trans-
mission will be conveyed out of the passenger
compartment.
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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 sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning,
means that the tire can completely lose contact
with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.
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The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page
252 .
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.
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Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise, greater
clutch wear will result.
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For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page
98 .
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Objects in the movement range of the
pedals
Keep floor mats, carpet, and other objects
out of the movement range of the pedals;
otherwise, they may inhibit the function of the
pedals during driving.
Do not place additional floor mats onto an exist-
ing one or onto other objects.
Only use floor mats that have been approved for
the vehicle and can be appropriately fastened.
Make sure that the floor mats are securely fas-
tened again after they have been removed, e.g.
for cleaning.
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Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver 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.
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 902 533 - © 03/12 BMW AG