83
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot pro-
vide you with advance warning of
sudden and severe tire damage caused
by external factors and does not detect
the balanced and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all four tires
over an extended period of time.<
On the other hand, the following situa-
tions can lead to a delayed detection of
pressure loss and even to the system
not functioning:
>Driving on snow-covered or slippery
roads
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at
the drive wheels, high levels of lateral
acceleration
>When driving with snow chains, false
warnings and undetected pressure
losses may occur
>When driving with a space-saver
spare tire, the Flat Tire Monitor can-
not function.
Initializing the system
Each time you correct the pres-
sure in a tire, or change a wheel or
tire, reinitialize the system immediately
afterwards. This requires a bit of driv-
ing.<
1. Before driving off, start the engine
but do not start driving
2. Press the button as long as you need
to, but no more than 10 seconds,
until the indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up in yellow for a
few seconds
3. Drive off.
It takes a few minutes before the Flat
Tire Monitor can detect a flat tire and
issue a warning.
When driving with snow chains or
a space-saver spare tire, do not
initialize the system.<
Flat tire
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up red. This
visual alert is accompanied by
an acoustic warning signal.
1. Carefully reduce speed and come to
a stop. Avoid sudden braking and
steering maneuvers
2. Determine which wheel is damaged
If this cannot be determined, con-
tact your BMW center.<
3. Replace the damaged wheel, refer to
Changing a wheel on page 141.
After replacing the damaged tire, initial-
ize the system.
Vehicles with Run Flat tires:
1. Carefully reduce your speed to under
50 mph / 80 km/h. Avoid sudden
braking and steering maneuvers. Do
not exceed a speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h
Flat Tire Monitor*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
117
BMW Tires
All pressure specifications in the table are indicated
in psi/kilopascal with cold tires –
cold = ambient temperature
325Ci 205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
205/55 R 16 91 H
225/50 R 16 92 W
225/45 R 17 91 W30/210 35/240 35/240 42/290
225/45 ZR 17
245/40 ZR 1730/210
––
35/24035/240
––
42/290
205/50 R 17 93 V M+S extra load
205/50 R 17 93 W extra load
205/55 R 16 91 Q M+S
225/50 R 16 92 Q M+S
205/50 R 17 93 Q M+S extra load
225/45 R 17 91 Q M+S33/230 38/260 38/260 45/310
330Ci 225/45 R 17 91 W 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
225/45 ZR 17
245/40 ZR 1732/220
––
38/26039/270
––
46/320
225/40 ZR 18
255/35 ZR 1832/220
––
38/26039/270
––
46/320
205/50 R 17 93 V M+S extra load
205/50 R 17 93 W extra load
205/50 R 17 93 Q M+S extra load
225/45 R 17 91 Q M+S32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
All Space-saver spare tire 61/420Tire inflation pressure
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
122
tire center, preferably your BMW cen-
ter. Observe any country-specific regu-
lations, e.g. on making a corresponding
entry in the vehicle documents.
The factory-approved radial belt tires
are matched to your vehicle and pro-
vide optimum safety and driving com-
fort when used properly.Run Flat tiresIf your vehicle is equipped with Run Flat
tires, refer to Run Flat tires, use only
these tires since no spare wheel is
available in the event of a flat.Special characteristics of winter
tiresBMW recommends the use of winter
tires for operation under winter road
conditions. While all-season tires with
M+S designation provide better winter
traction than summer tires, they gener-
ally do not achieve the full performance
of winter tires.
Run Flat tires:
If your vehicle is equipped with Run Flat
tires, refer to Run Flat tires, please note
the following: when mounting new tires
or replacing summer tires with winter tires, or vice versa, use only Run Flat
tires since no spare wheel is available
in the event of a flat. Your BMW center
will be glad to advise you.
Observing speed ratings:
Never exceed the maximum
speed for which the winter tires
are rated. Unprofessional attempts by
laymen to service tires can lead to dam-
age and accidents. Have this work per-
formed by skilled professionals only.
The technicians at your BMW center
will be glad to assist you with the
required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment.<
StorageAlways store tires in a cool, dry place.
Store them away from light whenever
possible. Protect the tires against con-
tact with oil, grease and fuel. Do not
exceed the maximum tire inflation pres-
sures specified on the tire sidewall.
Snow chains*Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and determined and
approved as roadworthy. Consult your
BMW center for details. BMW recom-
mends using only these approved fine-
link snow chains. Use them in pairs on
either summer or winter tires, but only
on both rear wheels.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph /
50 km/h when using snow chains.
You cannot mount snow chains on the
following tires:
>225/50 R 16
>225/45 R 17
>245/40 R 17
>225/40 R 18
>255/35 R 18.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Moni-
tor after mounting snow chains to
the tires.
When driving with snow chains, it may
be useful to turn off the DSC for a short
time, refer to page 81 or 82.<
New wheels and tires
142
height and reduce its support capacity.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported
by the jack. There is otherwise a risk of
fatal injury.<
Your BMW is equipped with a spare tire
or a space-saver spare tire designed for
temporary use in maintaining the vehi-
cle's mobility in an emergency.
To remove the spare tire, lift the
floor panel in the luggage com-
partment completely out, refer to
page 35.<
What you will needIn 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 done
using them.
>Jack 1
Lift the floor panel within the luggage
compartment, refer to page 35, and
undo the red wingnut.
When you have completed work,
screw the jack all the way back
down. Fold the handle back and
insert it in its holder
>Chock 2
Located behind the jack on the wall
in the luggage compartment. Loosen
the wing nut to remove it
>Spare tire or space-saver spare tire –
located next to the jack
Loosen the wing nut by hand, remove
the storage shelf and take the wheel
out
>Lug wrench – in the onboard tool kit
on the underside of the luggage com-
partment lid, refer to page 136.Procedure1. Read and comply with the safety
precautions provided on the previ-
ous page
2. Secure the vehicle from rolling:
Place the wedge against the rear
surface of the front tire on the side
opposite the side being raised. If
the vehicle is parked on a down-
ward slope, place the wedge
securely in front of the tire. If the
Changing a wheel
143
wheel must be changed on a sur-
face with a more severe slope, take
additional precautions to secure
the vehicle from rolling
3. Wheels with full wheel covers*:
reach into the ventilation openings
and pull the cover off
4. If your vehicle is equipped with
Individual light-alloy wheels*: insert
the wheel puller supplied with the
vehicle into the designated recess
of the cover, and pull the cover off
5. Loosen the lug bolts by rotating
half a turn6. Position the jack at the jacking
point closest to the flat tire with the
jack base vertically below the jack-
ing point and the entire surface of
the head of the jack moves into the
square recess of the jacking point –
refer to the detail in the next illus-
tration – when the jack is cranked
7. Jack the vehicle up until the wheel
you are changing is raised from the
ground
8. Unscrew the lug bolts and remove
the wheel
9. Remove accumulations of mud or
dirt from the mounting surfaces of
the wheel and hub. Clean the lug
bolts
10. Position the new wheel or the
space-saver spare tire on the hub
and screw at least two lug bolts fin-
ger-tight into opposite bolt holes
11. Screw in the remaining lug bolts.
Screw in all the bolts in diagonal
pattern
12. Lower the jack and remove it from
beneath the vehicle
13. Tighten the lug bolts securely in a
diagonal pattern
Changing a wheel
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
144
14. Wheels with full wheel covers*:
place the wheel cover with the
valve opening over the valve. Use
both hands to press the cover
securely onto the rim
15. Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure at the earliest opportunity.
Vehicles with Flat Tire Monitor:
after mounting the spare tire or
correcting the tire inflation pres-
sure, reinitialize the system, refer to
page 82.
Protect valve stems and valves from dirt
using screw-on valve stem caps. Dirty
valve stems frequently lead to slow
pressure loss.
Do not attempt to install the full
wheel cover on the space-saver
spare tire, since this could damage the
cover.<
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 torque bolts checked
with a calibrated lug wrench – torque
specification: 88.5 lb ft/120 Nm – at the
earliest opportunity.<
When storing a wheel in the spare tire
recess, take care to avoid bending the
threaded rod.
If the original BMW light-alloy wheels
have been replaced with other light-
alloy wheels, different lug bolts may be
required.
Replace the defective tire as soon as
possible and have the new wheel/tire
balanced.
Driving with the space-saver
spare tireDrive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h.
Be aware that vehicle handling may be
altered. Anticipate, e.g., reduced track-
ing during braking, longer braking dis-
tances and changed steering charac-
teristics when approaching limit
conditions. These handling characteris-
tics will be even more pronounced if
winter tires are mounted.
Only one space-saver spare tire
may be mounted at one time.
Mount a wheel and tire of the original
size at the earliest possible opportu-
nity.
tions, the size of the spare tire will
differ from that of the remaining tires.
The spare tire is fully functional at all
loads and speeds. However, the spare
tire should be replaced at the earliest
possible opportunity in order to achieve
the original operating conditions.<
Changing a wheel
Everything from A to Z
163
DSC Dynamic Stability Con-
trol 81
indicator lamp 19, 81
DTC Dynamic Traction Con-
trol 81
indicator lamp 19, 81
Dynamic Brake Control
(DBC) 19, 115
indicator lamp 19
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 19, 81
Dynamic Traction Control
(DTC) 81
indicator lamp 19, 81
E
Easy entry, refer to Entering
the rear 45
Electric glass sunroof 39
Electric power windows 38
Electrical accessories, fail-
ure 145
Electrical malfunction
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 69
door lock 31
driver's door 31
fuel filler door 23
glass sunroof 40
luggage compartment
lid 33Electronic Stability Program
(ESP), refer to Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) 81
Emergency call 146
Emergency operation
doors 31
driver's door 31
fuel filler door 23
glass sunroof 40
Emergency release
luggage compartment lid
33, 35
Emissions, minimum, refer
to Energy control 74
Energy control 74
Engine
breaking in 112
data 154
electronics 19
indicator lamp 19
speed 74, 154
starting 59
switching off 61
Engine compartment 124
Engine coolant 128
adding 128Engine oil
adding 127
additives, refer to Adding
engine oil 127
capacity 157
indicator/warning lamp 19
quality 127
specified oils 127
Engine oil consumption 126
Engine oil level 19
check 126
indicator/warning lamp 18
Engine oil pressure
indicator/warning lamp 18
Engine oil types 127
Engine output, refer to
Engine data 154
Engine speed 74, 154
Entering the rear 45
Environmentally-friendly
driving, refer to Energy
control 74
Equipment range, refer to
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models/Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
ESP Electronic Stability Pro-
gram, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) 81
Exterior mirrors 49Eyeglasses
compartment 101
Eyelets, towing and tow-
starting 149
F
False alarm, refer to Avoid-
ing unintentional
alarms 37
Fasten safety belts
indicator lamp 18
Fastening the safety belts 46
Fault displays 76
Filling the windshield washer
reservoir 157
First aid, refer to First-aid
kit 22
First-aid kit 22
Flashlight 100
Flashlight, refer to
Rechargeable
flashlight 100
Flat tire 141
Flat Tire Monitor 82
space-saver spare tire 141
Flat Tire Monitor 82
indicator lamp 18, 19, 83
Fluid reservoir for washer
systems 126
Folding rear backrest 104
Follow me home lamps 85
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Everything from A to ZSafety belts 46
sitting safely 41
warning lamp 18
Safety feature
glass sunroof 40
Safety systems, refer to
Antilock Brake
System 115
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 81
Screwdriver, refer to
Onboard tool kit 136
Seat adjustment 42
BMW sports seat 43
mechanical 42
power 44
Seat belt tensioner, refer to
Safety belts 46
Seat heating 48
Seat memory, refer to Seat
and mirror memory 47
Seat positions, storing 47
Seats 42
Securing cargo 108
Securing the vehicle
from inside 32
from outside 29, 31
Selector lever
automatic transmission 67
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 63Selector lever lock, refer to
Shiftlock 63, 67
Selector lever positions
automatic transmission 67
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 63
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG 63
indicator lamp 19
Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet 130
Service Engine Soon
warning lamp 19
Service interval display
76, 130
Shift paddles 64
Shifting gears
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 67
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 64
Shiftlock 63
Shiftlock, refer to Range
selection 67
Side airbags 51
Side turn signal indicators
bulb replacement 139
Sitting safely
with airbags 41
with safety belts 41
Size 155
Ski bag 105Sliding/tilt sunroof, refer to
Electric glass sunroof 39
SMG sequential manual
gearbox 63
indicator lamp 19
Smokers' package, refer to
Ashtray 102
SOS, refer to Emergency
call 146
Space-saver spare tire 144
changing a wheel 141
Spare key 28
Spare tire 141
Spare wheel 144
Special oils 127
Specified oils 127
Speed gauge, refer to
Speedometer 16
Speedometer 16
SPORT button 66
Sport program
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 68
Sports seat 43
Stability control, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 81
Standing lamps 87
Starting difficulties
jump-starting 147
temperature 59
Starting help DSC 81Starting the engine 59
Starting, refer to Starting the
engine 59
Status of the Owner's Man-
ual 5
Steering wheel lock 59
Steering wheel, adjusting 50
Steptronic, refer to Manual
operation 68
Storage compartments 100
Storage nets 100
Storage, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Storing seat positions,
refer to Seat and mirror
memory 47
Storing tires 122
Sun blind 98
Sun blind, refer to Roller sun
blind 98
Surface ice, refer to Ice
warning 78
Switches, refer to
Cockpit 14
Switching off
vehicle 61
Symbols 4
Synthetic oils 127
T
Tachometer 74