2010 BMW X5 Owner's Manual - Page 133

speed. This is the fastest way for the cold engine to reach its operating temperature. General driving notes Closing liftgate Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate is completely closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter into the passenger compartment.< If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the liftgate open: 1. Close all windows as well as the glass sunroof*/panorama glass sunroof*. 2. Increase the air volume of the automatic climate control to a high level, refer to page 109. Thinking ahead when driving Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking. To do so, maintain the appropriate distance from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory and smooth driving style reduces fuel consumption. Avoiding high engine speeds Driving at a low engine speed reduces fuel consumption and minimizes wear. Taking advantage of coasting The flow of fuel is interrupted when coasting. Hot exhaust system As in all vehicles, extremely high temperatures are generated on the exhaust system. Do not remove the heat shields installed adjacent to it, 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, and with it the risk of serious property damage as well as personal injury. Do not touch hot tailpipes, as otherwise there is a danger of burns.< Switching off engine during longer stops Switch off the engine at longer stops such as traffic signals, railroad crossings, or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel savings even if the standing time is as short as approx. 4 seconds. Switching off functions currently not required Functions such as air conditioning, seat heating, or rear window defrosting consume a lot of energy and require additional fuel. Their influence is particularly pronounced in city traffic and stop & go operation. For this reason, it is a good idea to switch these functions off when they are not really needed. Diesel particulate filter* Soot particles are collected in the diesel particulate filter and periodically burned away at high temperatures. This cleaning process lasts a few minutes. You will notice it sometimes by the fact that the engine temporarily runs slightly less smoothly and requires a slightly higher engine speed to delivery the usual power. You may also hear sounds and observe a slight amount of smoke coming from the exhaust up to even a few moments after the engine is switched off. Having maintenance carried out Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to achieve the optimum economy and service life of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the maintenance performed by a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center. Also pay attention to the BMW maintenance system, refer to page 244. 131 Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 2 602 756 - © 06/09 BMW AG Reference Mobility Communications Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance