2001 BMW X5 3.0I tire size

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31nTire inflation pressure
BMW Tires
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in psi
(kilopascal) with cold tires
(cold = ambient temperature)
X5 All sizes 32 (220) 32 (220) 32 (220) 39 (270)

142n
Winter operation Rubber 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 liftgate/tailgate.
A full range of car care products is
available from your BMW center.< Snow chains Mount BMW snow chains
* only on tire
size 235/65 R 17. Always mount chains
in pairs and on the rear wheels only.
Read and comply with the chain manu-
facturer's safety precautions. Do not
exceed a maximum speed of 30 mph
(50 km/h).
Starting offWhen starting in deep snow or
"rocking" the vehicle free, it may be
advisable to deactivate the DSC system
briefly. Refer to page 94.
Driving on low-traction road
surfaces Use smooth, gentle pressure to control
the accelerator pedal. Avoid excessive
engine speeds and shift to the next
higher gear at an early point. Also shift
to the next lower gear at an early point
when approaching grades or slopes.
Maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the car ahead. BrakingWinter road conditions substantially
reduce the amount of traction available
between the tires and the road surface.
The resulting increases in braking
distance 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
braking sequence.
This type of staggered braking will
reduce the braking distance, and the
vehicle still remains 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 if you want to decelerate.
Doing so could cause the wheels to
lose traction and skid, thus resulting in
the loss of vehicle control.<
Depress the clutch during hard
braking on road surfaces that
provide only poor or uneven traction.<

Index
Data
Technology
Repairs
Car care
Controls
Overview
147nTire replacement Tire rotation
Tire age
The date on which the tire was manu-
factured is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT ... 4100 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in week 41 of 2000.
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires when the tires are no more than
6 years old, even if a tire life of 10 years
is possible.
Although tires may have a theoretical
service life of up to 10 years, BMW
strongly recommends that you replace
all tires after an absolute maximum of
6 years.
Between the axles
The tread wear patterns at the front-
and rear axle are different and will vary
according to individual driving condi-
tions. In the interests of safety and
maintaining optimal handling character-
istics, tire rotation is not recommended.
When considering the potential
economic benefits of interaxle tire rota-
tion, you must decide whether the
expense of having the tires rotated is
likely to be amortized during the antici-
pated extension in tire life. In principle,
interaxle tire rotation should be
performed at short intervals, with a
maximum of 3,000 miles (5,000 km).
Consult your BMW center for more
information.
Should you decide to rotate the tires, it
is essential that you comply with the
following:
Rotate tires on the same side only,
since braking characteristics and road
grip could otherwise be adversely
affected.
Following tire rotation, correct the tire
inflation pressure. If different tire sizes are mounted
on the front and rear axles (refer to
page 150), the wheels may not be
rotated from one axle to the other. <

148n
Wheel and tire combinationsThe right choice
Use only wheels and tires
approved by BMW for the corre-
sponding vehicle model, as otherwise
the tires may make contact with the
body as the result of tolerances despite
the same nominal size being used,
resulting in serious accidents. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used,
BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot be held liable for
driving safety.<
For wheel and tire specifications
approved by BMW, refer to page 150.
The correct wheel-tire combina-
tion affects different systems such
as ABS, ATC and DSC. The function of
these systems is impaired if improper
wheel-tire combinations are used.
For this reason, use only tires of the
same brand and tread pattern on the
vehicle and, for example, restore the
approved wheel-tire combination
following a flat tire as soon as
possible.<
Codes on the tires and wheels The code on tires has the following
meaning.
Codes on radial tires:
The speed rating indicates the
approved maximum speed for the tire.
Summer tires:
S = up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T = up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H = up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V = up to 150 mph (240 km/h)
W = up to 167 mph (270 km/h)
Y = up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR= over 150 mph (240 km/h) Example:
Nominal width
in mm
Aspect ratio in X
Belt rating code for
radial tires
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating
(not on ZR tires)
Speed rating
(before R on ZR tires)
235/65 R 17 104 H
All-season, all-terrain and winter 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 on light-alloy wheels:
Protect valve stems and valves from dirt
using screw-on valve stem caps. Dirt in
the valves frequently leads to slow
leaks. Storage Store tires in a cool, dry place,
protecting them against light when-
ever possible. Protect the tires against
contact with oil, grease and fuel. Example:
Rim width
in inches
Code letter for
flange type
Symbol for full-drop
center rim
Rim diameter in inches
Special extended hump
on the 2 rim shoulders
7.5 x 17 SEH 2
J

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
149n
Special features of winter tires Snow chains
*
Choosing the right tireBMW recommends winter tires (M+S
radial tires) for operation under inclem-
ent winter driving conditions. While
so-called all-season tires (M+S desig-
nation) provide better winter traction
than summer tires with the 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.
Do not exceed specified
maximum speeds
Never exceed the maximum speed
for which the tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. Your BMW center
will be glad to assist you with both their
expertise and the proper equipment for
your vehicle.<
Tire condition, tire pressureWinter tires display a perceptible loss in
their ability to cope with winter driving
conditions once the tread wears to
below 0.16 in (4 mm), and should thus
be replaced.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures — and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assemblies balanced
every time you change the tires.
The use of narrow-link BMW snow
chains is approved only in pairs on the
rear wheels and only with tire size
235/65 R 17. Comply with all manufac-
turer's safety precautions when
mounting the chains.

150n
Approved wheel and tire specifications Observe the specifications for tires and
wheels in the vehicle's documents. If
sizes not approved by the manufacturer
are mounted, an entry in the vehicle's
documents may be necessary. Snow chains
*
It is only possible to mount snow
chains on the rear wheels with tire
size 235/65 R 17. BMW tests certain tire brands for each tire size, classifies them as road-safe and
approves them. Consult your BMW center for more information.
Observe any regulations applicable in the country of use, e.g. requiring entry in
the vehicle documents.
Tire specifications Light-alloy wheel
BMW X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i
All-season/all-terrain
235/65 R 17 104 H M+S 7.5Jx17 SEH2
255/55 R 18 105 H M+S 8.5Jx18 EH2
Summer
255/55 R 18 105 V 8.5Jx18 EH2
Front: 255/50 R 19 103 V
Rear: 285/45 R 19 107 V9Jx19 EH2
10Jx19 EH2
Winter
235/65 R 17 104 Q/T/H M+S 7.5Jx17 SEH2
The use of rims and lug bolts that
do not meet the specifications of
the original factory-installed equipment
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
control.<

184n
Changing a wheel5 Position the jack at the jacking point
closest to the flat tire so that the
jack base is vertically below the
jacking point and the entire surface
of the head of the jack will move
into the square recess of the jacking
point (refer to the illustration detail)
when the jack is cranked.
6 Jack the vehicle up until the wheel
you are changing is raised from the
ground.
7 Unscrew the lug bolts and remove
the wheel.
8 Remove accumulations of mud or
dirt from the mounting surfaces of
the wheel and hub. Clean the lug
bolts.
9 Position the spare wheel. Secure
the wheel by turning at least two lug
bolts into opposite bolt holes.530us203
10 Screw in the remaining lug bolts.
Tighten all the bolts securely.
11 Lower the jack and remove it from
beneath the vehicle.
12 Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal
pattern.
13 Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure at the earliest opportunity.
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not
attempt to raise another vehicle model
with it or to raise any load of any kind.
To do so could cause accidents and
personal injury.
To ensure continued safety, have the
tightness of the lug bolts checked with
a calibrated lug wrench [torque specifi-
cation: 101 ft-lb (140 Nm)] at the
earliest opportunity.<
Store the wheel and the tools in the
order opposite that for removal.
Before removing the support rod,
be sure that the tailgate is held
down firmly. If you fail to do so, it could
retract sharply upward and cause
personal injury and vehicle damage.
After you remove the rod, close the tail-
gate carefully. Continue to hold it firmly
until it is completely closed.<
If light-alloy wheels other than original
BMW light-alloy wheels have been
mounted, it may be necessary to use
different lug bolts for those wheels.
Replace the defective tire as soon as
possible and have the new wheel/tire
balanced.
The spare wheel has a size
235/65 R 17 tire. If you have
mounted tires on your vehicle with a
different size, have wheels and tires of
the same size and specification rein-
stalled as soon as possible.
When the spare wheel is mounted, the
maximum speed rating is 130 mph
(210 km/h).<