2002 BMW M3 COUPE flat tire

78n
Flat Tire MonitorInitializing the systemInitializing is necessary to familiarize the
system with the correct tire inflation
pressure.
Repeat this process after any changes
in tire inflation pressure, tire replace-
ment or rotation.
1. Check the tire inflation pressure in all
the tires, comparing them with the
inflation pressure table (page 25),
and adjusting their pressure if neces-
sary
2. Turn the ignition key to position 2
3. Press button as long as you need to
until the indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up. After a little
while, the indicator lamp will go out
by itself
4. After a few minutes, the Flat Tire
Monitor will accept the current infla-
tion pressure as the value to be
measured against, and from that
point on, can detect and report a flat
tire.
Activating/deactivating the
systemThe system is automatically activated in
ignition key position 2 and conse-
quently is on whenever the vehicle is
operated.
To deactivate the system, tap the
button, the indicator lamp will light up
yellow.
To activate the system, tap the button
again; the indicator lamp goes out.
Deactivate the system when snow
chains are mounted, since false warn-
ings and undetected losses in pressure
are possible under these kinds of
conditions.

79n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Flat Tire Monitor
M Engine dynamics control
In the event of a flat tire
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will light up red in
the event of a flat tire with
ensuing loss in pressure. In addition, an
acoustic signal is sounded. To come to
an immediate stop, reduce speed, while
avoiding any sudden, jerky braking or
steering maneuvers.
Fix the flat tire using the M Mobility
system, refer to page 126.
Reset the indicator lamp: the red indi-
cator lamp has to be switched off
manually after putting on a new wheel.
At this point, hold the Flat Tire Monitor
button down until the indicator lamp
goes out. Reinitialize the system after-
ward.
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot alert
you to severe and sudden tire
damage caused by external factors.
Another factor which the Flat Tire
Monitor does not recognize is the
balanced and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all tires over an
extended period of time.<
Check the tire inflation pressure
on a regular basis and correct if
necessary, refer to page 24.
Under certain circumstances, there
may be false warnings or a delayed
detection of losses in pressure when
driving on snow-covered or slippery
road surfaces.
Performance-oriented driving (slip at
the drive wheels, high levels of lateral
acceleration) can also delay the
appearance of status reports in the Flat
Tire Monitor's display.<
System malfunctionAs long as there is still a malfunction,
the indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster will stay lit up yellow.
Please contact your BMW center for
additional information.
The system (sport-mode identification)
will cause the engine to respond spon-
taneously to the motion of the acceler-
ator pedal. Activating/deactivating
sport-mode identificationActivating: with the key in ignition key
position 2, press the sport button. The
indicator lamp will light up.
The vehicle may gain speed
without any additional pressure on
the accelerator pedal when the system
is activated.<
Deactivating: press the sport button
again; the indicator lamp will go out.
The sporty-comfortable mode is deacti-
vated every time the engine is started.

103n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Information for your safetyThe factory-approved radial tires are
matched to the vehicle and have been
selected to provide optimum safety and
driving comfort on your vehicle.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and Ð above all else
Ð driving safety that depend on the
condition of the tires and the mainte-
nance of the specified tire pressure.
Incorrect inflation pressures are a
frequent cause of tire problems
and tire damage. Tire pressure also has
a major effect on your BMW's handling
response. Check tire inflation pressures
on a regular basis (refer to page 25), at
least every two weeks and before
beginning a longer trip. Failure to
observe these precautions can result in
incorrect tire pressures, which cause
instable handling response as well as
tire damage, and can ultimately lead to
an accident.<
Tire tread Ð tire damageInspect your tires frequently for tread
wear, signs of damage and for foreign
objects lodged in the tread. Check the
tread pattern depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to go
below 0.12 in (3 mm), even though the
legally specified minimum tread depth is
only 0.063 in (1.6 mm). Tread wear indi-
cators (arrow) are embedded in the base
of the tire's tread. Their locations are
indicated by the legend "TWI" Ð Tread
Wear Indicator Ð at various points on the
tire's shoulder. When the tread reaches a
depth of 0.063 in (1.6 mm), these indica-
tors appear to signal that the tires have
worn to the minimum legal level. Below
0.12 in (3 mm) tread depth, there is an
increased risk of aquaplaning, even at
relatively moderate speeds and with only
small amounts of water on the road.
Do not drive on a deflated (flat)
tire. A flat tire greatly impairs
steering and braking response, and can
lead to complete loss of control over
the vehicle.
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that
the permitted load on the tires is not
exceeded. Overloading leads to over-
heating and causes damage inside the
tires. You could have a blowout as a
result.
Unusual vibrations encountered during
normal vehicle operation can indicate
tire failure or some other vehicle defect.
The type of problem can be caused by
contact with curbs, etc. This is also true
for irregularities in the vehicle's
handling characteristics, such as a
pronounced tendency to pull to the left
or right. Should this occur, respond by
immediately reducing your speed.
Proceed carefully to the nearest BMW
center or professional tire center, or
have the vehicle towed in to have it and
its wheels and tires inspected.
Tire damage (up to and including blow-
outs) can endanger the lives of both the
vehicle occupants and other road
users.<
Tire inflation pressure Tire condition

104n
DOT Quality GradesTreadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger vehicle tires must
conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these
grades.< Tread wearThe tread wear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test
course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and one-half (1 g) times as
well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.
TractionThe traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.< TemperatureThe temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger vehicle tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.< Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
Tire replacement

105n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Tire replacement Wheel and tire combinationsTire ageBMW recommends the replacement of
all tires after 6 years at the latest, even
if a tire life of 10 years is possible.
The date on which the tire was manu-
factured is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT ... 4 101 means that the tire was
produced in the 41st week of the year
2001. Following wheel/tire changesFollowing wheel and/or tire replace-
ment you will need to reinitialize both
the Flat Tire Monitor and the sequential
M gearbox
* SMG II, refer to pages 65,
78.
The 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.<
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 country-specific regulations, e.g.
on making a corresponding entry in the
vehicle documents.
The correct wheel and tire combi-
nation affects different systems
such as ABS, DSC, Flat Tire Monitor.
The function of these systems is
impaired if improper wheel and 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 and tire combination
following a flat tire as soon as possible.<
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.<
Storage Store tires in a cool, dry place,
protecting them against light whenever
possible. Protect the tires against
contact with oil, grease and fuel.

106n
Special characteristics of winter tires Snow chainsChoosing the right tireBMW recommends winter tires (M+S
radial tires) for operation under adverse
winter driving conditions. So-called all-
season tires with the M+S identification
mark do indeed possess better winter
traction than summer tires that have the
H, V, W, Y and ZR speed ratings, they
generally fail to provide the same levels
of performance as snow 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. Do not exceed specified
maximum speeds
Never exceed the maximum
speed for which winter tires are
rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled
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 winter tires wear to a tread depth
of less than 0.16 in (4 mm), their perfor-
mance under winter driving conditions
deteriorates noticeably. Worn tires
should therefore be replaced for safety
considerations.
Inflate tires to specified pressure and
have the wheels balanced every time
the tires or wheels have been replaced.Use narrow-link BMW snow chains
* on
winter tires in pairs only and only on the
rear wheels. Comply with all manufac-
turer's safety precautions when
mounting the chains. Do not exceed a
maximum speed of 30 mph (50 km/h)
with snow chains.
After mounting or removing snow
chains, always reinitialize the sequential
M gearbox
* SMG II, refer to page 65.
It is not possible to mount snow
chains on tires with 18- and
19-inch wheels.
Deactivate the Flat Tire Monitor when
using snow chains. Malfunction warn-
ings and undetected losses in pressure
are a possibility when driving with snow
chains.
For additional information, refer to
page 77.<

126n
Repairing a flat tire
Precautions in case of a flat tire:
Stop the vehicle as far as possible
from passing traffic; 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 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 instance).
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
regulations.<
M Mobility systemWith the BMW M3, you will find an M
Mobility system for fixing flat tires. With
the aid of this system, you can apply a
liquid sealant to the inside of the tire,
thereby sealing off the damaged area,
and then continue driving.
The M Mobility system makes trans-
porting a spare wheel superfluous,
thereby reducing the amount of weight
you have to carry around. Using the M Mobility systemTo repair a flat tire using the M Mobility
system, proceed as follows:
>Prepare the M Mobility system for
use, refer to the next column
>This is part of the M Mobility system,
refer to page 127
>Filling with sealant, refer to page 127
>Distributing sealant, refer to
page 128
>Inflating tire to correct pressure, refer
to page 129.
Preparing the M Mobility system
for useThe M Mobility System is located in the
luggage compartment under the floor
panel:
1. Lift up the floor panel
2. Loosen the M Mobility system from
its storage location.
Before you use the M Mobility
system, read the warnings and
danger notices on the device care-
fully.<
If possible, leave the foreign object in
the tire.
Pull off the sticker 5 (refer to the second
column on the right) for the speed limit
and apply it to the steering wheel.

127n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Repairing a flat tire
Please keep in mind that the fluids
bottle in the system's sealant
container has to be changed every
3 years by your BMW center, if the unit
has not been used.<
This is part of the M Mobility
system1 On/Off switch
2 Connection hose with manometer for
connecting the compressor with the
sealant container or to connect the
compressor to the wheel
3 Manometer for indicating the tire
pressure
4 Connector hose from the sealant
container to the wheel
5 Sticker for maximum speed
6 Plug and cable for the cigarette
lighter socket
7 Protective gloves (not shown).
Filling with sealant1. Take the round cover off and hose 4
out. Unscrew the valve stem dust
cap from the defective wheel and
screw the hose to the valve. Keep
the dust cap in a safe place.