BMW X5 4.8is SAV 2004 - Manual (Page 140)

138 n General driving notes
Hot exhaust system
Extreme temperatures occur at
the catalytic converter on this and
every catalyst-equipped vehicle. Do not
remove the heat shields installed adja-
cent to various sections of the exhaust
system, and never apply undercoating
to them. When driving, standing at idle
and while parking take care to avoid
possible contact between a hot exhaust
system and any highly flammable mate-
rials such as hay, leaves, grass etc.
Such contact could lead to a fire, and
with it the risk of serious property dam-
age as well as personal injury.
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Parking vehicle
Condensation forms in the air condi-
tioner system during operation, and
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of
condensed water under the vehicle are
thus normal.
Brakes
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but
consistent pedal pressure can lead to
excessively high temperatures, brake
wear and possibly even brake failure.
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Road hazards
If road hazards, obstacles or
curbs are unavoidable, only drive
over them very slowly and carefully, as
otherwise the wheels and suspension
parts, especially on vehicles fitted with
low profile tires, can be damaged.
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For more information on wheels and
tires, refer to page
143 .
Before driving into a car wash
Fold in the door mirrors, refer to
page
54 , as otherwise they could be
damaged due to the width of the vehi-
cle.
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
state can cause a partial or total loss of
contact with the road surface, of brak-
ing control and of control over the vehi-
cle.
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Driving through water
Do not drive through water on
the road if it is deeper than 20 in/
50 cm, and then only at walking speed
at the most. Otherwise, the vehicle's
engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.
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