2003 BMW X5 3.0I spare wheel

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.

123n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Cargo area 7. When the rear backrests are folded
down, you can open the Velcro¨
strips, completely unroll the partition
net, insert it in the front retainers on
the roof and attach the three hooks
into the eyes.
The illustration shows securing at the
bottom right as an example. 530de031
Side coversPull the handle to open the side covers.530de290
Floor cover To access the spare wheel.
To release: press the recess in the
handle, refer to arrow, and raise the
cover with the handle. 530de291

125n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Cargo areaWhen it is extended, you can load the
cargo floor:
>With up to 990 Ibs/450 kg, distrib-
uted evenly across the entire surface
>With up to 330 Ibs/150 kg on the rear
edge.
Do not overload the cargo floor
when it is extended. If you do so,
it could cause damage.
When you slide the cargo floor back in,
do not grasp it on the bottom. If you do
so, there is a risk of personal injury.<
Raise the cargo floor For access to the spare wheel or other
stored items:
Swing the cargo floor up and secure it
with the rod, see detail.
If your vehicle has a partition net:
Take the bag with the partition net
out of the retainer, refer to page 122,
before you raise the cargo floor panel.
Otherwise, the bag could slide down-
ward.< 530de240

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.

155n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Changing a wheel What you will need In 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 through
using them.
>Two wedges Ð wheel chocks
Open the liftgate and tailgate.
In the cargo area, fold up the floor
cover or pull-out cargo floor, refer to
pages 123, 124 or 125.
Take out the wedges, refer to arrow,
next to the spare wheel 530us117
>Lug wrench
Is located next to the spare wheel 530us120
>Handle for the jack
Remove from its holder530de213

156n
Changing a wheel >Jack
Remove the rubber band from the
holder, refer to arrow, and take out
the jack.
When you have completed work,
screw the jack all the way back
down, remove the handle and insert it
into its holder. 530de333
Spare wheel1. Loosen the wing nut 1
2. Remove the plate 2 to the side
3. Unscrew the threaded rod 3
completely. 530us118
Removal aid for the spare wheelBy using this device, you do not have to
lift the spare wheel out of the recess by
hand.
Its task is to help you to move the wheel
onto the tailgate, from where you can
easily lift it off.
1. Close the tailgate again
2. Grasp the handle of the removal aid
behind the spare wheel with both
hands and pull upward over the
tailgate, refer to arrow 530de310

157n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Changing a wheel 3. Hook both buckles into the latch of
the tailgate, refer to arrow; the tail-
gate is released530de311
4. Remove the support rod from the
bracket 530de312
5. Press the tailgate down and hold it
there. The spare wheel is now pulled
by means of the removal aid onto the
tailgate
Hold the tailgate in the opened
position and do not allow it to
retract sharply upward. If you do so,
there is a risk of personal injury and
vehicle damage.< 530de313