2003 BMW X5 3.0I flat tire

98n
Tire Pressure Monitor RDC
*
Adaptive brake light
Flat tireIf there is a tire failure with a loss of
inflation pressure, the red indicator
lamp comes on or the message Ð TIRE
LOW/FLAT Ð appears in the Check
Control. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds.
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 flat
tire.
The spare tire which is available in
your vehicle as standard equip-
ment is equipped with the electronics
required for RDC and, following activa-
tion of the system, is also monitored
after it is mounted.<
RDC cannot alert you to severe
and sudden tire damage caused
by external factors.<
Have the tires changed at your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center.
Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
center has the information needed for
working with RDC and is equipped with
the necessary special tools.<
System malfunctionDuring the period of the malfunction,
the yellow indicator lamp comes on or
the message Ð TIRECONTROL INAC-
TIVE Ð appears in the Check Control.
You will also see the same message
>in the event of a system malfunction
>if a wheel is mounted without the
RDC electronics
>if, in addition to the spare tire, addi-
tional wheels with RDC electronics
are on board
>after installation of one or several
wheels with an electronics system
still unknown to the system.
It takes a few minutes to learn the
new wheel electronics ID numbers
after system activation. Only then can
RDC detect and report a flat tire.
Please contact your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle center for additional
information.The adaptive brake light provides
drivers of following vehicles with an
indication of the intensity with which
the brakes are being applied in your
own vehicle.
The display occurs in two stages:
>Normal braking:
The brake light units within the tail
lamps and the high-mount brake
lamp integrated within the rear
spoiler both light up with normal
intensity
>Hard braking or braking with ABS
active:
The tail lamps also come on, lighting
up with the same intensity as the
brake lamps to provide a more con-
spicuous warning.

134n
Information for your safety The factory-approved radial tires are
matched to the vehicle and have been
selected to provide optimum safety and
driving comfort on your vehicle when
used correctly.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and Ð above all else
Ð driving safety which depend on the
condition of the tires and the mainte-
nance of the specified tire pressure.
Incorrect inflation pressure is a
frequent cause of tire damage. It
also significantly influences the road-
holding ability of your BMW. Check tire
inflation pressures Ð including the spare
wheel Ð regularly, refer to page 26, at
least every two weeks and before
beginning a longer trip. If this is not
done, incorrect tire pressures can
cause driving instability and tire
damage, ultimately resulting in an
accident.<
Tire tread Ð Tire damage Inspect 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, for example in Europe, is only
0.063 in/1.6 mm. Below a tread depth
of 0.12 in/3 mm there is an increased
risk of hydroplaning, even at relatively
moderate speeds and with only small
amounts of water on the road.
Tread wear indicators, refer to arrow,
are embedded around the tire circum-
ference in the base of the tire tread.
Their locations are indicated on the tire
sidewall with TWI Ð Tread Wear Indi-390de331
cator. At a tread depth of 0.063 in/
1.6 mm these indicators, signal that the
tires have reached the legally permis-
sible wear limit.
Do not drive on a deflated Ð flat Ð
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. The ultimate result can assume
the form of a sudden air loss.
Unusual vibrations encountered during
normal vehicle operation, e.g. caused
by contact with curbs, etc., can indicate
a flat tire or some other vehicle mal-
function. This is also true for irregulari-
ties in the vehicle's handling character-
istics, such as a pronounced tendency
to pull to the left or right. Should this
occur, respond by immediately
reducing your speed.
Tire inflation pressures Tire condition

136n
Tire replacement 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 tem-
perature can lead to a sudden flat tire.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Car 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 a 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:
Tread wear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
Tire age BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires Ð i.e. also of the spare tire, inde-
pendently of actual wear Ð when the
tires are no more than 6 years old, 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 ... 2602 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in week 26 of 2002.

137n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Wheel and tire combinations 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 Sports Activity Vehicle center for
more information. Observe any regula-
tions applicable in the country of use,
e.g. requiring entry in the vehicle docu-
ments.
The correct wheel and tire combi-
nation affects different systems
such as ABS, ATC and DSC. The func-
tion 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 wheels or tires in a cool, dry
place, protecting them against light
whenever possible. Protect the tires
against contact with oil, grease and
fuel.

138n
Winter tires Snow chains
*
Choosing the right tire BMW recommends winter tires Ð M+S
radial tires Ð for operation under
inclement winter driving conditions.
While so-called all-season tires with
M+S designation provide better winter
traction than summer tires with the load
ratings H, V, W, Y and ZR, they gener-
ally 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 Sports
Activity Vehicle 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 Ñ and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assemblies balanced
every time you change the tires.
Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and classified and
approved as safe. Consult your BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle center for
details. The use of narrow-link BMW
snow chains is approved only in pairs
on the rear wheels and only with the
following tire sizes.
BMW X5 4.6is: 255/55 R18
All other models: 235/65 R 17.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
Do not exceed a maximum speed of
30 mph/50 km/h.

154n
Lamps and bulbs Changing a wheel License plate lamps 5 watt bulb
1. Press the lamp out to the side with a
screwdriver
2. Remove the lamp and replace the
bulb. 530de307
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, sur-
face. Switch on the hazard warning
flashers.
Turn the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead position, remove the key 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 instance.
If a warning triangle or portable hazard
warning lamp is required, set it up on
the roadside at an appropriate distance
from the rear of the vehicle.
Comply with all safety guidelines and
regulations.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm
surface which is not slippery. Avoid
jacking the vehicle up on a soft or slip-
pery surface, snow, ice, very smooth
surfaces, etc., since it could slide side-
ways.
Position the jack on a firm support
surface.
Do not place wooden blocks or similar
objects under the jack. If this is done,
the jack might not be able to reach its
full support capacity because of the
limited height.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported
by the jack. Failure to comply with this
creates a risk of fatal injury.<

158n
Changing a wheel 6. Insert the support rod in the tailgate
lock and press down until it engages,
refer to arrow 1; then lock hook of
rod in striker, refer to arrow 2
Be sure that the support rod is
locked firmly in place. If you fail to
do so, it could retract sharply upward
and cause personal injury and vehicle
damage.<
7. You can now release the locked tail-
gate and take the spare wheel down
from the tailgate. It is recommended
that you leave the tailgate locked into
place until you have completed the
wheel change and placed the wheel
with the defective tire into the
removal aid. 530de314
Procedure1. Read carefully and comply with the
safety precautions on page 154
2. Secure the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling:
Place the wedges (chocks) behind
the wheels on the side opposite the
side you are lifting. If the vehicle is
parked on a downward slope, place
the wedges securely in front of the
wheels. 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. Loosen the lug bolts 1/2-turn
4. Insert the jack handle into the jack,
refer to the illustration in the next
column5. 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
530de236

159n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Changing a wheel9. Position the spare wheel. Secure
the wheel by turning at least two
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes
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.
Vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitor
RDC
*:
After mounting the spare wheel or
correcting the tire inflation pres-
sure, reactivate the system, refer to
page 97.
Protect valve stems and valves from dirt
using screw-on valve stem caps. Dirt in
the valve stems frequently leads to slow
leaks.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 Ð torque speci-
fication: 101 lb-ft/140 Nm Ð 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 per-
sonal 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. Driving with spare wheel
With certain wheel-and-tire com-
binations the size of the spare
wheel differs from that of the other
wheels. The spare wheel is equivalent
to these in all speed and load ranges.
However, to restore the original state,
the normal wheel should be remounted
as soon as possible.
When the spare wheel is mounted, the
maximum speed rating is 130 mph/
210 km/h.<