BMW AG - Manual (Page 111)

111
Cover flap*
Removing:
Reach into the recess on the underside
of the trailer tow hitch cover flap and
pull the flap off to the rear.
For attaching and removing the ball
hitch, please see the separate instruc-
tions.
Installing:
Insert the flap into its guide and press it
on fully.
Before driving off
Trailer nose weight:
For details on the permissible nose
weight, see page
163 ff. Try to make full
use of this capacity whenever possible
and, conversely, always make sure that
the trailer nose weight is never less
than a minimum of 25 kg.
Remember that the trailer nose weight
acts on the car and increases the vehi-
cle weight. The maximum payload of
your BMW is reduced by the weight of
the trailer tow hitch and the trailer nose
weight. Make sure that the car's gross
weight limit is not exceeded if a trailer is
being towed.
Loading:
When loading the trailer, make sure that
the cargo is stowed as low and as close
to the axle as possible.
A low centre of trailer gravity makes the
outfit much more stable and safe to
drive.
Do not exceed either the trailer's gross
weight or the specified trailer load limit
for the car. The smaller value is the limit
which should be adhered to.
Tyre pressures:
Check the car's and the trailer's tyre
pressures most carefully. When towing
a trailer, always inflate the tyres to the
pressures specified for higher load, see
page
24 . For the trailer, comply with the
manufacturer's recommendations.
Outside mirrors:
Legislation prescribes two outside mir-
rors which bring both rear corners of
the trailer into your field of view. Suit-
able mirrors can be obtained from
BMW Service.
Current consumers:
If you have a caravan connected to the
car, avoid operating electrical equip-
ment for excessive periods at a time to
limit the drain on the car's battery.
Before starting a journey, check
that the trailer's rear lights are
operating correctly. Driving with defec-
tive rear lights could endanger other
road users and constitutes a legal
offence.
<
Towing a trailer
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Minor repairs
Data
Keywords
Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 158 017 - © 03/04 BMW AG