Page 169 of 223

Refueling
168
Refueling
Always switch off the engine before refu-
eling. If you do not, fuel cannot be filled
into the tank and a message will appear on the
Control Display.<
Always observe all applicable precautions
and regulations when handling fuels.
Never carry spare fuel containers in your vehi-
cle. Whether empty or full, these containers can
leak, cause an explosion, or lead to fire in the
event of a collision.<
Gas cap
Opening
1.Open fuel filler door. To do so, lightly press
the rear edge.
2.Turn the gas cap counterclockwise.
3.Place the gas cap in the bracket attached to
the fuel filler door.
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Close the gas cap carefully after refueling
until a click is heard. While closing, be
sure not to squeeze the strap which is fastened
to the cap. A loose or missing cap will activate
an indicator lamp and the message Check Gas
Cap
* on the Control Display.<
Manually releasing the fuel filler door
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can
release the fuel filler door manually:1.Remove the cover from the side panel of the
luggage compartment.
2.Pull the knob with the fuel pump symbol.
The fuel filler door is released.
Observe the following when refueling
When handling fuels always observe any
safety guidelines posted at the service
station.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Lifting the filler nozzle
during refueling leads to
>premature pump shutoff
>a reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor
recovery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 15.9 gallons/60 liters, including the
reserve capacity of 2.1 gallons/8 liters.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, as otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Fuel specifications
The engine uses lead-free gasoline only.
Page 170 of 223

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Required fuel
Premium Unleaded Gasoline
The minimum octane rating is 91.
If you use gasoline with this minimum octane
rating, the engine may produce knocking
sounds when starting at high outside tempera-
tures. This has no affect on the engine life.
Minimum octane rating corresponds to the Anti
Knock Index AKI and is determined according
to the so-called (R+M)/2 method.
Do not fill the tank with leaded fuel, as this
would cause permanent damage to the
catalytic converter.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recognized high-quality
brand.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<
Page 171 of 223

Wheels and tires
170
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tires' service life, but also
driving comfort and, to a great extent, driving
safety that depend on the condition of the tires
and the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it, if necessary: at least twice a
month and before starting long trips. If you fail
to observe this precaution you may be driving
on tires with incorrect tire pressures, a condi-
tion that can not only compromise your vehi-
cle's driving stability, but also lead to tire dam-
age and the risk of an accident. Do not drive
with deflated, i.e. flat tires, except when using
Run-Flat Tires. A flat tire will seriously impair
your vehicle's handling and braking response.
Attempts to drive on a flat tire can lead to loss of
control over the vehicle.<
Checking pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after a maximum of
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours. When tires are
warm, the tire inflation pressure is higher.
After correcting tire inflation pressures,
always reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor,
refer to page80.<
Inflation pressure specifications for
factory-installed tires
The inflation pressures for your factory-
installed tires at ambient temperature can be
found on the door post when you open the
driver's door.
Inflation pressure specifications for
other tire sizes
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes approved and tire brands recom-
mended by BMW; a list of these is available
from your BMW center.<
For correct identification of the right tire infla-
tion pressures, observe the following:
>Tire sizes for your vehicle
>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for driving up to
100 mph or 160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
traveling speeds column for normal driving at
speeds up to a maximum of 100 mph or
160 km/h to achieve optimum driving comfort.
The maximum permissible speed for
these tire pressures is 100 mph or
Page 172 of 223
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160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed, otherwise
tire damage and accidents could occur.<
Tire inflation pressures for driving
above 100 mph or 160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph or 160 km/h, please
observe, and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures
for speeds exceeding 100 mph or 160 km/h
from the relevant table on the following pages.
Otherwise tire damage and accidents could oc-
cur.<
Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the laws could
occur.
Page 173 of 223
Wheels and tires
172
Tire inflation pressures for 325i without Sports package
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
225/50 R 16 92 V
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL29/200 35/240 29/200 35/240 32/220 39/270
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 29/200 - 29/200 - 32/220 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 32/220 - 32/220 - 35/240
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 32/220 - 29/200 - 32/220 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 35/240 35/240 - 39/270
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 35/240 - 32/220 - 35/240
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 39/270 - 35/240 39/270
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page201.
Page 174 of 223
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Tire inflation pressures for 325i with Sports package*
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
225/50 R 16 92 V
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL29/200 35/240 29/200 36/250 35/240 42/290
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S29/200 35/240 29/200 35/240 32/220 39/270
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 29/200 - 29/200 - 35/240 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 32/220 - 33/230 - 38/260
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 32/220 - 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 35/240 36/250 - 42/290
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 35/240 - 33/230 - 38/260
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 39/270 - 36/250 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page201.
Page 175 of 223
Wheels and tires
174
Tire inflation pressures for 330i without Sports package
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL29/200 36/250 29/200 36/250 33/230 41/280
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 29/200 - 29/200 - 33/230 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 32/220 - 32/220 - 36/250
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 32/220 - 32/220 - 36/250 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 36/250 36/250 - 41/280
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 36/250 - 32/220 - 36/250
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 41/280 - 36/250 41/280
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page201.
Page 176 of 223
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Tire inflation pressures for 330i with Sports package*
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 29/200 36/250 32/220 38/260 38/260 45/310
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S 29/200 36/250 29/200 36/250 33/230 41/280
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 29/200 - 32/220 - 38/260 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 32/220 - 35/240 - 41/280
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 32/220 - 35/240 - 38/260 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 36/250 38/260 - 45/310
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 36/250 - 35/240 - 38/260
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 41/280 - 38/260 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page201.