2000 BMW 540I SEDAN tire type

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Antilock Brake System (ABS)The conceptABS enhances active safety by helping
to prevent the wheels from locking un-
der braking. The reason: Locked wheels
are dangerous. When the front wheels
slide, the driver loses steering control
over the vehicle. Traction loss at the
rear wheels can cause the rear end to
break into an uncontrolled skid.
ABS is designed to meet two essential
requirements during every brake appli-
cation:
>To help provide vehicle stability
>To help retain steering and maneu-
vering capability on all types of road
surface (asphalt, cement, dirt, mois-
ture, snow and ice).
The system can achieve the shortest
braking distances possible under most
conditions (on straight-away and in
curves, on asphalt, ice, wet road sur-
faces, etc.).
Braking with ABSThe system becomes operative once
the vehicle exceeds a speed of approx.
6 mph (10 km/h). The ABS is deacti-
vated whenever the vehicle's speed
drops back below approx. 4 mph
(6 km/h). This means that the wheels
can lock in the final phase of a brake
application Ð a factor of no significance
in actual use.
If you are in a situation which requires
full braking, you will exploit the full ben-
efits of the ABS system if you apply
maximum brake pressure ("panic stop").
Since the vehicle maintains steering re-
sponsiveness, you can avoid possible
obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort, despite the full brake application.
The ABS system closed-loop control
circuit cycles in fractions of a second.
A pulsation at the brake pedal indicates
to the driver that ABS is active, that is,
that the vehicle is within its maximum
braking range. In addition, the audible
pulsation that accompanies the control
operation calls the attention of the
driver to the reduced traction between
the tires and the road surface (slippery
road surface), and serves as a reminder
that the speed of the car should be re-
duced to adapt to road conditions.On road surfaces which have a loose
layer on a firm base (on gravel or snow,
for instance), the braking distances with
ABS may be longer than with the
wheels locked. The same applies when
snow chains have been mounted. How-
ever, ABS continues to provide en-
hanced vehicle stability and steering re-
sponse under these conditions.

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Winter operationRubber seals and components In order to prevent the weather-strip-
ping from freezing, apply BMW rubber
treatment or silicone spray to the seals
on the doors, hood and luggage com-
partment lid/tailgate.
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW center.< Snow chainsBMW snow chains
* can be mounted on
both summer and winter tires. Mount
them in pairs on the rear wheels only
and comply with the manufacturer's
safety precautions. Do not exceed a
maximum speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
For maximum traction, we recommend
that you manually deactivate the
ASC+T/DSC
* when driving with snow
chains mounted. Refer to page 91.
Starting offWe recommend that you use the man-
ual control switch to deactivate ASC+T/
DSC
* when starting off in deep snow or
when rocking the car to free it (refer to
page 91).
Driving on low-traction road
surfacesUse smooth, gentle pressure to control
the accelerator pedal. Avoid excessive
engine speeds and shift to the next
higher gear at an early point. Adapt
your speed and driving style when ap-
proaching grades or slopes. Maintain
an adequate distance between yourself
and the car ahead.BrakesWinter road conditions substantially
reduce the amount of traction available
between the tires and the road surface.
The resulting increases in braking dis-
tance are considerable and should be
kept in mind at all times.
ABS is intended to prevent the wheels
from locking during brake applications,
thus helping to maintain vehicle stability
and steering response. If the ABS does not respond in a critical
braking situation and the wheels lock:
Reduce the pressure on the brake
pedal until the wheels just start to roll
again while still maintaining enough
force to continue braking.
Following that, increase pedal pressure
again. Reduce the pressure as the
wheels lock, then reapply pressure.
Repeat this procedure. This type of
staggered braking will reduce the brak-
ing distance, and the vehicle still re-
mains responsive to steering.
You can then attempt to steer around
hazards after you have reduced pres-
sure on the brake pedal.
Do not shift down on slick road
surfaces. Doing so could cause
the rear wheels to lose traction and
skid, which could result in the loss of
vehicle control.<
Depress the clutch during hard
braking on road surfaces which
provide only poor or uneven traction.<

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Wheel and tire combinations Winter tiresWinter tires:
Q M+S = up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S = up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S = up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
Codes stamped on light-alloy wheels:
Protect valve inserts against dirt using
screw-on valve stem caps. Dirt in the
valves frequently leads to slow leaks. Example:
Rim width
in inches
Code letter for
flange type
Symbol for full-drop
center rim
Rim diameter in inches
Hump on the 2 rim shoulders
8x16H2
J
Choosing the right tireBMW recommends winter tires (M+S
radial tires) for driving in adverse winter
road conditions. While tires known as
all-season tires (M+S designation) pro-
vide better winter traction than summer
tires with load ratings H, V, W, Y and
ZR, they generally do not achieve the
performance of winter tires.
In the interests of safe tracking and
steering response, install radial tires
made by the same manufacturer and
with the same tread configuration on all
four wheels if you elect to mount winter
tires.
Mount only winter tires which have
been approved by BMW. Any BMW
center will be glad to provide you with
information for selecting the best winter
tires for your particular driving condi-
tions.

140n
Approved wheel and tire specifications Ð sedanPay attention to the specifications for
tires and wheels in the vehicle's manu-
als. If sizes not approved by the manu-
facturer are mounted, an entry in the
vehicle's documents may be necessary.
Comply with local legislation. Tire specifications Steel rim
(wheel rim)Light-alloy wheel
BMW 528i
All season tires
225/60 R 15 96 H M+S Ð 7Jx15
Summer tires
225/60 R 15 96 W Ð 7Jx15
225/55 R 16 95 W Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 W/Y Ð 8Jx17
Front: 235/45 R 17 94 W/Y
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 W/YÐ
Ð8Jx17
9Jx17
Winter tires (M+S)
205/65 R 15 94 Q Ð 6.5Jx15
225/60 R 15 96 Q Ð 7Jx15
225/55 R 16 95 Q Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 Q Ð 8Jx17
The use of rims and wheel bolts
that do not meet the specifications
of the original factory-installed equip-
ment will affect the safe operation of
your vehicle and may cause an accident
and personal injury.
Never mix tires of different design, such
as steel-belted radials with radial bias-
belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire
types will adversely affect roadholding
and can lead to loss of vehicle con-
trol.<

141n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Approved wheel and tire specifications Ð sedanPay attention to the specifications for
tires and wheels in the vehicle's manu-
als. If sizes not approved by the manu-
facturer are mounted, an entry in the
vehicle's documents may be necessary.
Comply with local legislation.Snow chains
*
For tires on 17-inch wheels, it is not
possible to mount snow chains. Tire specifications Steel rim
(wheel rim)Light-alloy wheel
BMW 540i
All season tires (BMW 540iA only)
225/55 R 16 95 H M+S Ð 7Jx16
Summer tires
225/55 R 16 95 W Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 W/Y Ð 8Jx17
Front: 235/45 R 17 94 W/Y
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 W/YÐ
Ð8Jx17
9Jx17
Winter tires (M+S)
225/55 R 16 95 Q/T/H Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 Q/T/H Ð 8Jx17
The use of rims and wheel bolts
that do not meet the specifications
of the original factory-installed equip-
ment will affect the safe operation of
your vehicle and may cause an accident
and personal injury.
Never mix tires of different design, such
as steel-belted radials with radial bias-
belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire
types will adversely affect roadholding
and can lead to loss of vehicle con-
trol.<

142n
Approved wheel and tire specifications Ð sport wagonTire specifications Steel rim
(wheel rim)Light-alloy wheel
BMW 528i
All season tires
225/60 R 15 96 H M+S Ð 7Jx15
Summer tires
225/60 R 15 96 W Ð 7Jx15
225/55 R 16 95 W Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 W/Y Ð 8Jx17
Winter tires (M+S)
225/60 R 15 96 Q 7Jx15 7Jx15
225/55 R 16 95 Q Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 Q Ð 8Jx17
BMW 540i
All season tires
225/55 R 16 95 H M+S Ð 7Jx16
Summer tires
225/55 R 16 95 W Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 W/Y Ð 8Jx17
Winter tires (M+S)
225/55 R 16 95 Q Ð 7Jx16
235/45 R 17 94 Q Ð 8Jx17
Pay attention to the specifications for
tires and wheels in the vehicle's manu-
als. If sizes not approved by the manu-
facturer are mounted, an entry in the
vehicle's documents may be necessary.
Comply with local legislation.Snow chains
*
For tires on 17-inch wheels, it is not
possible to mount snow chains.
The use of rims and wheel bolts
that do not meet the specifications
of the original factory-installed equip-
ment will affect the safe operation of
your vehicle and may cause an accident
and personal injury.
Never mix tires of different design, such
as steel-belted radials with radial bias-
belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire
types will adversely affect roadholding
and can lead to loss of vehicle con-
trol.<