Driving Precautions - BMW 320i Owner's Handbook Manual

Driving precautions

Running in
Moving parts require some time before they can
interact smoothly with one another. Please
comply with the following instructions, which
are intended to ensure that your car achieves its
optimum operating life and economy.
Engine and final drive
Up to 2000 km (1250 miles):
Drive at varying road and engine speeds, but do
not exceed the following maximum values:
> Cars with petrol engine
4500 rpm or 160 km/h (100 mph)
>
Cars with diesel engine
3500 rpm or 150 km/h (90 mph)
Observe the national speed limits in the country
in which you are travelling.
Avoid full throttle and do not use the automatic
transmission kick-down.
From 2000 km (1250 miles) onwards, engine
and road speeds can be gradually increased.
Tyres
New tyres do not achieve their full road
grip immediately, for production reasons. You
should therefore drive in a restrained manner
for the first 300 km (200 miles).
Brakes
Brake pads and discs do not achieve a favoura-
ble wear and contact pattern until the car has
covered about 500 km (300 miles). Drive with
caution during this running-in period.
Clutch
The clutch needs to be run in for about 500 km
(300 miles) before it will operate with maximum
efficiency. Operate the clutch gently while run-
ning it in.
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After fitting new parts
The same running-in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Closing the luggage compartment lid
Drive only with the luggage compartment
lid fully closed, otherwise exhaust gases
could enter the passenger
If it is nevertheless necessary to travel with the
luggage compartment lid open, observe the fol-
lowing precautions:
1. Close all the windows and the glass roof.
2. Turn the air flow rate of the air conditioner or
automatic air conditioning well up, see
page 69 or 72.
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures occur on all vehicles
equipped with a catalytic converter.
Never remove the heat shields protecting the
exhaust system, nor apply underseal to them.
Make sure that when the car is driven or parked
and when the engine is idling, no easily flamma-
ble material such as hay, leaves, grass, etc.
comes into contact with the hot exhaust pipe. It
could ignite and cause a fire, with the risk of
severe injuries or damage.<
Mobile communication equipment
BMW advises against the use of mobile
communication equipment such as
mobile phones inside the car, unless they are
directly connected to an outside aerial. Mutual
interference between the vehicle's electronics
and such equipment cannot be entirely ruled
out. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the
radiation generated when such devices are
compartment.<