BMW X3 2004 Owner's Manual page 82

Driving on bad roads
Your BMW X3 is at home on all paved and
unpaved roads. It combines all-wheel drive
with the advantages of a normal passenger
car.
Driving on unpaved terrain can cause
damage to the vehicle.<
When you are driving on bad roads, there
are a few points which you should strictly
observe — for your own safety, for that of
your passengers, and for the safety of the
vehicle:
Familiarize yourself with the vehicle
>
before you begin driving. Do not take
risks with the vehicle under any circum-
stances
Always adapt the driving speed to the
>
road conditions. The more steep and
uneven the roadway is, the lower the
speed should be
You can operate your vehicle on uphill
>
and downhill gradients with a maximum
slope of 50%. If you wish to drive on
uphill and downhill grades of this
nature, make sure beforehand that the
engine oil and coolant levels are near
the max mark, refer to pages
For very steep downhill driving, use Hill
>
Descent Control HDC, refer to page 51.
Driving off is possible on upward
inclines of up to 33%.
The permitted side inclination is 50 %
While driving, watch carefully for obsta-
>
cles such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid
these obstacles whenever possible
Avoid that the body makes contact with
>
the ground, e.g. on the crests of hills
and bumpy roads
Do not drive in water that is deeper than
>
20 in/50 cm. If you must drive through
water up to that depth, drive at a walk-
ing speed and do not stop.
After leaving the water, press on the
footbrake gently several times while
driving at a low speed. The brake appli-
cations will help to dry the brakes, thus
preventing a reduction in braking per-
formance caused by the moisture.
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94 and 96
Online Edition for Part No. 01 41 0 157 631 - © 07/03 BMW AG
For cleaning the handbrake, apply the
lever slightly at approx. 25 mph/40 km/
h and continue to drive for approx. 200
yards/200 meters, provided that traffic
conditions allow you to do so.
Please bear the following points in mind
after driving on poor roads, in order to pre-
serve the road safety of your BMW:
Clean the heavy dirt from the body
>
Clean mud, snow, ice and other materi-
>
als from the wheels and tires. Check the
tires for damage.