BMW Automobile 01 41 0 158 515 Manual Do Proprietário

111

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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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.

Fold in the exterior mirrors manually 
because they could otherwise be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.

When driving on wet or slushy 
roads, reduce vehicle speed. If 

you do not, a wedge of water may form 
between the tires and the road surface. 
This phenomenon is referred to as 
hydroplaning, and can lead to partial or 
complete loss of traction, vehicle con-
trol 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 

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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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, despite the 
full brake application.

Pulsation at the brake pedal combined 
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits 
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its 
active mode.

Do not drive with your foot resting 
on the brake pedal. 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. Monitor traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does 
not pose a hazard to you or to other 
road users. The heat generated in this 
process helps dry the pads and rotors. 
Immediate braking force is then avail-
able if necessary.

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 158 515 - © 09/04 BMW AG