2006 BMW 5 Series Owner's Manual - Page 127

Mobile communications devices in vehicle BMW discourages the use of mobile communications devices, e.g. mobile phones, inside the vehicle without a direct connection to an outside antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle electronics and mobile communication device can influence one another. In addition, there is no assurance that the radiation which results from transmission will be dissipated from the vehicle interior.< Driving through water Do not drive through water on the road if it is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the transmission may be damaged.< On inclines, do not hold the vehicle with the clutch; use the handbrake. Otherwise greater clutch wear will result.< Start off quickly on slopes. Do not hold the vehicle on a hill by pressing the accelerator, but apply the handbrake instead. Otherwise overheating can occur in the transmission region.< The starting assistant enables you to start off conveniently on slopes. The parking brake is not required for this purpose. This feature is controlled by two photocells in the inside rearview mirror. One is integrated into the glass of the mirror, while the other is located at an offset position on the rear of the mirror housing. For trouble-free operation, keep the photocells clean and do not cover the area between the interior rearview mirror and the windshield. Do not attach stickers of any kind to the windshield in front of the mirror, either. 1. Hold the vehicle with the footbrake. 2. Release the footbrake and immediately drive off quickly. The starting assistant holds the vehicle for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the footbrake. Depending on the load, the vehicle may also roll back slightly during this time. After releasing the footbrake, immediately start quickly, otherwise the starting assistant no longer holds the vehicle after approx. 2 seconds and it begins to roll back.< Hydroplaning When driving on wet or slushy roads, reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge of water can form between tires and road surface. This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplaning, and is characterized by a partial or complete loss of contact between the tires and the road surface, ultimately undermining your ability to steer and brake the vehicle.< The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread depth of the tires decreases, refer also to Minimum tire tread on page 201. Braking safely Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard feature. In situations that require it, it is best to brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains steering responsiveness, you can still avoid possible obstacles with a minimum of steering effort. Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that ABS is in its active mode. 125 Online Edition for Part No. 01 41 0 012 211 - © 02/06 BMW AG Reference Mobility Communications Entertainment Navigation Starting assistant Driving tips Interior and exterior mirrors, automatic dimming feature* SMG Sequential Manual Transmission Controls Using handbrake on inclines At a glance