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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.
StorageAlways store tires in a cool, dry place. 
Store them away from light whenever 
possible. Protect the tires against 
contact with oil, grease and fuel.Snow chains
*
Use BMW narrow-link snow chains on 
summer or winter tires in pairs only and 
only on the rear wheels.
BMW 325xi: in an extreme emergency Ð 
for instance, with the vehicle stuck on 
one side, or when obstructions 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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Engine oilChecking oil level1. Park the vehicle on a level surface
2. Switch the engine off after it has 
reached normal operating tempera-
ture
3. After approx. 5 minutes, pull the 
dipstick out and wipe it off with a 
clean lint-free cloth, paper towel, or 
similar material
4. Carefully push the dipstick all the 
way into the guide tube and pull it 
out again
5. The oil level should be between the 
two marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption 
is directly influenced by your driving 
style and vehicle operating conditions.
The oil volume between the two marks 
on the dipstick corresponds to approx. 
1.1 US quarts (1 liter). Do not fill beyond 
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess 
oil will damage the engine.
Adding engine oilWait until the level has dropped to just 
above the lower mark before adding oil. 
However, you should never let the oil 
drop below the lower mark.
BMW engines are designed to 
operate without oil additives; the 
use of additives could lead to damage 
in some cases. This is also true for the 
manual transmission, the automatic 
transmission, the differential, and the 
power steering system.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed 
by your BMW center. 

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Engine oil
Continuous exposure to used oil 
has caused cancer in laboratory 
testing. For this reason, any skin areas 
that come into contact with oil should 
be thoroughly washed with soap and 
water.
Always store oil, grease, etc., out of 
reach of children. Comply with all 
warning labels and information on 
containers.<
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating the 
disposal of used oil.<
Specified engine oilsThe quality of the engine oil is 
extremely important for the function 
and service life of an engine. Based on 
extensive testing, BMW has approved 
only certain grades of engine oil. 
Use only approved "BMW High 
Performance Synthetic Oil". 
If you are unable to obtain an approved 
"BMW High Performance Synthetic 
Oil", you may use small volumes of 
other synthetic oils for topping up 
between oil changes. Use only oils with 
the specification API SH or higher. 
Ask your BMW center for details 
concerning the specific "BMW 
High Performance Synthetic Oil" or 
synthetic oils that have been 
approved.<
You can also call BMW of North 
America at 1-800-831-1117 or visit this 
website: www.bmwusa.com to obtain 
this information.
Viscosity ratings Viscosity is the oilflow rating as estab-
lished in SAE classes.
The selection of the correct SAE class 
depends on the climatic conditions in 
the area you drive your BMW.
Approved oils are in SAE classes 
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These kinds of oil may be used for 
driving in all ambient temperatures. 

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The BMW Maintenance System has 
been designed as a reliable means of 
providing maximum driving and oper-
ating safety Ð and as cost-effectively as 
possible for you.
Please keep in mind that regular main-
tenance is not only necessary for the 
safety of your vehicle, but also plays a 
significant role in maintaining the resale 
value of the vehicle.
Service Interval DisplayWhile conventional systems rely on 
distance traveled alone to determine 
when service is due, the BMW Mainte-
nance System has for years considered 
the actual conditions under which the 
vehicle operates, because miles can be 
traveled in many different ways:
From a maintenance point of view, 
62,000 miles (100,000 km) of short-
distance urban driving cannot be 
compared with 62,000 miles 
(100,000km) of long-distance highway 
travel.
The BMW Maintenance System 
includes the Engine Oil Service and 
Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals 
according to the actual use of the 
vehicle covers every kind of operating 
situation. However, drivers who cover 
only extremely short distances Ð 
substantially less than 6,200 miles 
(10,000 km) annually Ð should still have 
the engine oil changed at least every 
2 years, as it continues to age regard-
less of whether the vehicle is used on a 
regular basis.
Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet (US models)/Warranty 
and Service Guide Booklet (Cana-
dian models)For additional information on required 
maintenance intervals and procedures, 
please refer to the Service and 
Warranty Information Booklet (US 
models), or the Warranty and Service 
Guide Booklet (Canadian models).
As a precaution against corrosion, it is 
advisable to have the body checked for 
damage from rocks or gravel at the 
same time, depending upon operating 
conditions.
We recommend that you refer all 
maintenance and repair opera-
tions to your BMW center.
Be sure that all maintenance work is 
confirmed in the Service and Warranty 
Information Booklet (US models), or in 
the Warranty and Service Guide 
Booklet (Canadian models). These 
entries confirm that your vehicle has 
benefitted from regular maintenance, 
and are also required for warranty 
claims.<
The BMW Maintenance System 

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Capacities 
Notes
Fuel tank 
Reserve gal. (liters)
gal. (liters)approx. 16.6 (approx. 63)
approx. 2.1 (approx. 8)Fuel specification, refer to 
page 23
Windshield /
Headlamp washer reservoir (front) quarts (liters) approx. 5.6 (approx. 5.3)Specifications, refer to page 114
Cooling system including heating circuit quarts (liters) approx. 8.9 (approx. 8.4) Specifications, refer to page 117
Engine oil and filter change
quarts (liters)
quarts (liters)325i: 
approx. 6.9 (approx. 6.5)
325xi:
approx. 7.9 (approx. 7.5)BMW High Performance 
synthetic oil 
Oil specifications, refer to 
page 115
Manual and automatic transmission, transfer box 
and differentialÐ Lifetime lubricant, no oil change 
required 

Everything from A to Z
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I 
Ice warning68 
Icy roads68 
Ignition keys28 
Ignition lock55 
Imprint4 
Indicator lamps17 
Inflation pressures24, 107 
INSPECTION66 
Instrument cluster15 
Instrument lighting83 
Instrument panel15 
Interface socket 
for onboard diagnostics 
(OBD)121 
Interior lamps30, 84 
remote control30 
Interior motion sensor35 
operation via remote 
control30 
switching off36 
Interior rearview mirror47 
automatic dimming 
feature48 
Interlock55 
J 
Jack129 
Jump-starting134 K 
Key Memory54 
Key set28 
Keys28 L 
Lamps and bulbs, 
replacement125 
Lashing eyes100 
License plate lamps, bulb 
replacement128, 129 
LIGHTS ON warning82 
Litter bag holder93 
Loading and driving 
notes100 
Load-securing devices100 
Lock buttons32 
Low beams82 
bulb replacement125 
Lug wrench129 
Luggage cover, refer to 
cargo area cover 
Luggage rack100 
M 
M+S tires111 
Maintenance66, 119 
Malfunction displays67 
Manual operation 
doors31 
fuel filler door22 
sliding/tilt sunroof39 
tailgate33 
Manual seat adjustment41 
Manual transmission57 
Manually controlled recircu-
lated-air90 
Master keys28 
Memory settings45 
MFL (Multifunction steering 
wheel)21 
Microfilter87, 91 
Mirror defrosting47 
Mirror memory45 
Mirrors47 
Mobile phone94 
Modifications, 
technical10, 120 
Motion sensor, refer to 
interior motion sensor35 
Multifunction steering wheel 
(MFL)21 
O 
OBD interface socket121 
Odometer65 
Oil 
additives115 
capacity143 
consumption115 
quality116 
specifications116 
viscosity116 
Oil change intervals, see the 
Service and Warranty 
Information Booklet 
Oil dipstick115 
Oil filter change143 
OILSERVICE66 
Onboard computer68 
refer also to the "Owner's 
Manual Onboard 
Computer" 
Onboard tool kit124 
Opening and closing 
from the inside32 
via the door lock31 
via the remote control29 
Outside temperature 
display68  

Everything from A to Z
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Steering wheel lock55 
Stopping the vehicle56 
Storage compartments92 
Stroke140 
Switching off the engine56 
Symbols8 
Synthetic oils116 T 
Tail lamps 
bulb replacement127 
Tailgate33 
electrical malfunction33 
manual operation33 
remote control 
operation30 
Tank capacity143 
Technical data140 
Technical 
modifications10, 120 
Telephone preparation94 
Temperature display 
outside temperature68 
Temperature gauge 
engine coolant66 Temperature 
layering87, 90 
Temperature 
settings86, 89 
The Automatic Differential 
Brake (ADB-X)75 
Thigh support41 
Third brake light128 
Tilt alarm sensor36 
operation via remote 
control30 
switching off36 
Tire change129 
Tire inflation 
pressures24, 107 
Tire inflation pressures, 
table25 
Tire Pressure Monitor 
(RDC)78, 109, 132 
Tire pressure, indicator78 
Tire pressure, 
monitoring78 
Tire Quality Grading109 
Tire replacement108 
Tire tread107 
wear indicators (TWI)107 Tools124 
Torque140 
Tow fittings135 
Towing the vehicle135 
Trailer weights142 
Transmission57 
Transmitter keys28 
Transporting children 
safely51 
Tread depth, tires107 
Tread wear indicators107 
Trip odometer65 
Turn signal 
indicators20, 60 
Turn signals 
bulb replacement126 
U 
Uniform Tire Quality 
Grading109 
Use antifreeze, radiator117 
V 
Vehicle keys28 
Vehicle Memory54 
Vehicle weight142 
Vehicle, starting55 
Ventilation85, 88 
draft-free87, 90 W
 
Warning lamps17 
Warning messages67 
Warranty and Service Guide 
Booklet (Canadian 
models)119 
Washer fluid, adding114 
Washer reservoir, filling114 
Washing your vehicle, refer 
to the "Caring for your 
vehicle" manual 
Water on roadways105 
Weights142 
Wheel and tire 
combinations110 
Wheels and tires107 
Windshield washer system 
capacity143 
filling114