Driving On Poor Roads - BMW 2009 X5 Owner's Manual

Driving on poor roads

Your BMW is at home on all roads and surfaces.
It combines a 4-wheel drive system with the
advantages of a normal passenger car.
Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as other-
wise the vehicle may be
When you are driving on poor 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
driving off and avoid taking risks at all costs.
> Adapt your driving speed to the road condi-
tions. The steeper and rougher the road
surface is, the lower the speed should be.
> If you want to drive on very steep uphill or
downhill gradients, make sure beforehand
that the engine oil and coolant levels are
near the MAX mark, refer to page 259.
BMW X5: you can operate your vehicle on
uphill and downhill gradients with a maxi-
mum slope of 50%.
> On very steep downhill slopes, use Hill
Descent Control HDC, refer to page 98.
BMW X5: it is possible to start off on inclines
of up to 33%. The permissible body roll is
50%.
> While driving, watch carefully for obstacles
such as rocks or holes. Try to avoid these
obstacles whenever possible.
> Make sure that the undercarriage does not
touch the ground, for example on crests and
bumpy roads. The ground clearance of the
vehicle is a maximum of approx. 8 in/20 cm.
Please note that the ground clearance can
vary depending on loading and the driving
conditions of the vehicle.
> Only drive through road surface water up to
a maximum water depth of
> BMW X5 20 in/50 cm
> BMW X6 17 in/45 cm
and only drive at walking speed; do not
remain stationary.
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Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 2 600 792 - © 09/08 BMW AG
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Please note the following points after driving on
poor roads to maintain the driving safety of your
BMW:
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After driving through water at low speed,
lightly press the brake pedal several times
to dry the brakes and to prevent the braking
effect from being reduced by wetness.
Depending on the condition of the surface,
it may be practical to briefly activate DTC,
refer to DTC Dynamic Traction Control on
page 97.
If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal sufficiently so that the
driving stability control systems can distrib-
ute the drive forces to the individual wheels.
Clean the coarsest dirt from the body.
Clean mud, snow, ice etc. from the wheels
and tires and check the tires for damage.