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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Tire Pressure Monitor (RDC)
*
In the event of a flat tireIf there is a tire failure with loss of pres-
sure, a red light will appear in the indi-
cator lamp. In addition, an acoustic
signal is sounded.
If this occurs, reduce vehicle speed
immediately and stop the vehicle in a
safe location. Avoid hard brake applica-
tions. Do not oversteer. Replace the
wheel and flat tire.
The space-saver spare tire is
provided for temporary use only in
the case of a tire failure. It does not
have RDC electronics and is not moni-
tored. The spare tire
that has the same
dimensions as the tires already
mounted on the vehicle is equipped
with the necessary RDC electronics
and will be also monitored once the
tires have been mounted and the
system activated.<
RDC cannot alert you to severe
and sudden tire damage caused
by external factors.<
Have the tires changed by your
BMW center.
Your BMW center has the information
needed for working with RDC and is
equipped with the necessary special
tools.<
System interferenceLocal devices using the same radio
frequency can interfere with RDC.
The yellow indicator lamp will come on
during the malfunction.
The indicator lamp also comes on
>in the event of a system fault
>if a wheel is mounted without the
appropriate electronics
>if, in addition to the spare tire, addi-
tional wheels with RDC electronics
are on board.
Please contact your BMW center for
additional information.
80n
Flat Tire Monitor
*
The conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor
keeps track of pressure levels in all four
tires in order to detect and warn of any
substantial pressure loss.
The system actually detects pressure
loss by monitoring differences in the
relative speeds of the four wheels. It
interprets variations outside specified
limits as severe pressure loss, and then
responds by generating a warning.
Initializing the systemInitializing is necessary to familiarize the
system with the correct inflation pres-
sure.
Repeat this process after any changes
in tire inflation pressure, tire rotation or
replacement. Do not carry out further
system initialization after adjusting the
inflation pressure and letting the system
"learn" the correct pressures.
1 Check the tire inflation pressure in all
the tires, comparing them with the
inflation pressure table on page 25
and adjust their pressure if necessary
2 Turn the ignition key to position 2
3 Press button as long as you need to
until the yellow indicator lamp on the
instrument cluster lights up. After a
little while, the indicator lamp will go
out by itself
4 After a few minutes driving time, the
Flat Tire Monitor adopts the current
pressure levels as the reference, and
from that point on, can detect and
report a flat tire.
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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Winter tiresChoosing the right tireBMW recommends winter tires (M+S
radial tires) for operation under
inclement winter driving conditions.
While all-season tires (M+S designa-
tion) 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 interest of safe tracking and
steering response, install winter tires
made by the same manufacturer having
the same tread configuration on all four
wheels.
Never exceed the maximum
speed for which the winter tires
are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by trained
professionals only. Any BMW center
has the required technical knowledge
and the proper equipment and will be
happy to assist you.<
Tire condition, tire pressureOnce the tire wears to below 0.16 in
(4 mm), winter tires display a percep-
tible decrease in their ability to cope
with winter driving conditions, and
should be replaced in the interest of
safety.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures Ñ and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assemblies balanced
every time you change the tires.StorageStore tires in a cool, dry place,
protecting them against light whenever
possible. Protect the tires against
contact with oil, grease and fuel.
Snow chains
*
BMW narrow-link snow chains are
intended for mounting on summer or
winter tires in pairs at the rear wheels
only.
BMW 325xi, 330xi: in an extreme emer-
gency Ð for instance, with the vehicle
stuck on one side, or when obstruc-
tions make it impossible to reach one
tire Ð a chain may also be mounted on
just one tire for the limited period
needed to resolve the problem.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
You cannot mount snow chains on the
following tires:
225/50 R 16 92
225/45 R 17 91
245/40 ZR 17
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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Changing a wheel
Safety precautions in the event of
a flat tire or wheel change:
Stop the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Park on a firm, flat,
surface. Switch on the hazard warning
flashers. Turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position and engage the
steering lock. Shift into 1st or reverse
(selector lever in Park with automatic
transmission) and engage the parking
brake.
All passengers should be outside the
vehicle and well away from your imme-
diate working area (behind a guardrail,
for example).
If a warning triangle or portable hazard
warning lamp is available, set it up on
the roadside at an appropriate distance
from the rear of the vehicle. Comply
with all safety guidelines and regula-
tions.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm
surface which is not slippery. Avoid
jacking the vehicle on a soft or slippery
support surface (snow, ice, loose
gravel, etc.), as either the vehicle or the
jack could slip sideways.
Position the jack on a firm support
surface.
Do not place wooden blocks or similar
objects under the jack. They could
prevent the jack from extending to its
full height and reduce its support
capacity.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported
by the jack Ð risk of fatal injury.<
Your BMW is equipped with a spare tire
or a space-saver spare tire designed for
temporary use in maintaining the
vehicle's mobility in an emergency.
To remove the spare tire, lift the
floor panel in the luggage
compartment completely out, refer to
page 35.<
What you will needIn order to avoid rattling noises later,
note the position of the tools when you
remove them and return them to their
original position when you are done
using them.
>Jack 1
Lift the floor panel within the luggage
compartment, refer to page 35 and
undo the red wingnut (arrow).
When you have completed work,
screw the jack all the way back
down. Fold the handle back and
insert it in its holder
>Chock 2
Located behind the jack on the wall
in the luggage compartment. Loosen
the wing nut to remove it
130n
Changing a wheel>Spare tire
or space-saver spare tire
Located next to the jack.
Loosen the wing nut (arrow) by hand,
remove the storage shelf and take the
wheel out
>Lug wrench Ð in the onboard tool kit
on the underside of the luggage
compartment lid, refer to page 124.
Procedure1. Read and comply with the safety
precautions provided on the previous
page
2. Secure the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling:
Place the wedge against the rear
surface of the front tire on the side
opposite the side being raised. If the
vehicle is parked on a downward
slope, place the wedge securely in
front of the tire. If the wheel must be
changed on a surface with a more
severe slope, take additional precau-
tions to secure the vehicle from
rolling
3. Wheels with full wheel covers
*:
Reach into the ventilation openings
and pull the cover off4. Loosen the lug bolts by rotating half
a turn
5. Position the jack at the jacking point
closest to the flat tire (arrows) with
the jack base vertically below the
jacking point and the entire surface
of the head of the jack will move into
the righthand corner of the square
recess of the jacking point (refer to
the detail in the next illustration)
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
132n
Changing a wheelDriving with the space-saver
spare tireDrive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
You can anticipate changes in vehicle
handling such as delayed braking
response, longer braking distances and
sacrifices in roadholding.
The changes in handling characteristics
will be even more pronounced if winter
tires are mounted.
Only one space-saver spare tire
may be mounted at one time.
Reinstall wheels and tires of the same
size and specification as soon as
possible. Maintain correct tire pres-
sures, refer to page 25.<
Safety tires
*
Safety tires consist of self-supporting
tires and special rims. The tire rein-
forcement ensures that the tire retains
some residual safety in the event of
pressure drop and driving remains
possible to a restricted degree. The
vehicle is equipped with Tire Pressure
Monitor (RDC) or Flat Tire Monitor,
which indicate a flat tire.Flat tireIf there is a tire failure, the red warning
lamp symbol lights up. A supplemen-
tary gong is also heard.
For additional information on Tire Pres-
sure Monitor (RDC) or Flat Tire Monitor
refer to pages 78 or 80.
Reduce vehicle speed carefully to
under 50 mph (80 km/h), avoiding hard
brake applications and steering maneu-
vers.
With the safety tires, you can drive
another approx. 155 miles (250 km) to
reach a safe parking location, a service
station or the nearest BMW center.
With a low vehicle load, this can also be
considerably more than 155 miles
(250 km).Safety tires are only possible in
conjunction with Tire Pressure
Monitor (RDC) or Flat Tire Monitor.<
If the defective wheel can not be seen
as such immediately from the outside,
check the tire inflation pressure at all
four wheels.
Have the tires changed by your
BMW center. For safety reasons,
do not have a safety tire repaired. Your
BMW center has the information
needed for working with safety tires
and is equipped with the necessary
special tools.<
If appropriate, please consult your
BMW center to reequip your
vehicle from summer to winter tires Ð or
vice versa.<
Everything from A to Z
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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Sliding/tilt sunroof39
electrical malfunction40
manual operation40
Socket95
Sound system91
Space-saver spare
tire25, 132
Spare tire129
Speedometer15
Sports seat
electrical adjustment43
manual adjustment42
Standing lamps83
Starting the engine56
Steering wheel47
Steering wheel lock56
Stopping the vehicle57
Storage compartments92
Storing heavy loads99
Stroke140
Sun blind cover91
Switching off the engine57
Symbols used in this
manual8
Synthetic oils116
T
Tachometer66
Tail lamps
bulb replacement127
Tank capacity143
Technical data140
Technical
modifications10, 120
Telephone preparation94
Temperature display
outside temperature69
Temperature gauge
engine coolant67
Temperature
layering87, 90
Temperature settings
air conditioning86
automatic climate
control89
Thigh support
adjustment42
Third brake light128
Through-loading system96
Tilt alarm sensor30
avoiding unintentional
alarms37
deactivate by remote
control30 Tilt function, passenger-side
mirror47
Tire change129
Tire condition107
Tire inflation
pressures24, 107
monitoring78
table25
Tire Pressure Monitor
(RDC)78, 109, 132
warning lamp17
Tire Quality Grading109
Tire replacement108
Tire tread107
Tool kit124
Torque140
Tow fittings135
Towing the vehicle135
Track141
Transmission58
Transmitter keys28
Transporting children
safely52
Tread depth, tires107
Tread wear, tires107
Trip odometer66
Trunk lid, refer to luggage
compartment lid33 Trunk, refer to luggage
compartment35
Turn signal
indicators20, 61
bulb replacement126
Turning radius141
U
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading109 V
Vehicle Memory55
Vehicle weight142
Vehicle, starting56
Ventilation85, 88
draft-free87, 90 W
Warning lamp "Fasten safety
belts"18
Warning lamps17
Warning messages68
Warning triangle22
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet (Canadian
models)119