BMW 5 Series: Braking safely - General driving notes - Things to remember when driving - Driving tips - BMW 5 Series Owners ManualsBMW 5 Series: Braking safely

Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard feature.

Applying the brakes fully is the most effective way of braking in situations when this is necessary.

The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.

You can still avoid any obstacles with a minimum of steering effort.

Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its active mode.

Objects in the area around the pedals

Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other No objects in the area around the pedals
Keep floor mats, carpets, and any other objects out of the area of motion of the pedals; otherwise, the function of the pedals could be impeded while driving Do not place additional floor mats over existing mats or other objects.

Only use floor mats that have been approved for the vehicle and can be properly fixed in place.

Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened again after they were removed for cleaning, for example.◀

Driving in wet conditions

When roads are wet or there is heavy rain, briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every few miles.

Ensure that this action does not endanger other road users.

The heat generated in this process helps dry the brake discs and pads.

In this way braking efficiency will be available when you need it.

Hills

Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the gear in which the least braking is required. Otherwise, the brake system may overheat, resulting in a reduction in the brake system efficiency.

Manual transmission:

You can increase the engine's braking effect by shifting down, going all the way to first gear, if necessary.

Automatic transmission:

You can increase the engine's braking effect by shifting down in the manual mode of the automatic transmission

Avoid placing excessive load on the brake Avoid load on the brakes
Avoid placing excessive load on the brake system. Light but consistent brake pressure can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly even brake failure.◀

Do not drive in neutral or with the engine Do not drive in neutral
Do not drive in neutral or with the engine stopped, as doing so disables engine braking. In addition, steering and brake assist is unavailable with the engine stopped.◀

Brake disc corrosion

Corrosion on the brake discs and contamination on the brake pads are furthered by:

▷ Low mileage.
▷ Extended periods when the vehicle is not used at all.
▷ Infrequent use of the brakes.

Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure that must be exerted by the pads during brake applications to clean the discs is not reached.

Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating effect that generally cannot be corrected.

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