2006 BMW 325XI SEDAN Wheel

Wheels and tires
192
Tire inflation pressures for the 330i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100mph / 160km/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
without Sports package:
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL33/230 41/280 - - 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: 225/40 R 18 88 Y - - 29/200 - 30/210 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - - - 32/220 - 36/250
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
with Sports package:
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL33/230 41/280 - - 38/260 45/310
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: 225/40 R 18 88 Y - - 30/210 - 33/230 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - - - 33/230 - 39/270
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 page220.

Wheels and tires
194
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed code letter
Q = up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph or 300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transport.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT … 0705 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 7 of 2005.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last
for 10 years.
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
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1γ) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteris-
tics and climate.
Traction
The 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 specified government test sur-
faces 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, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.< e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter, in
front of the R on ZR tires
225/45 R1791 V
e.g.
Manufacturer's code
for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 0705

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Temperature
The 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 conditions
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 car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi-
cle 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 sep-
arately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.<
RSC – Run-Flat Tires
You will recognize Run-Flat Tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page196.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Designation for specially reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 1/8 in/
3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of 1/16 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 1/8 in/
3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small amounts of
water are present on the road surface.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth
of 1/6 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter conditions. In the interest of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove
are distributed around the tire's circumference;
the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. Once the tire tread has
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has
worn to a depth of 1/16 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazard and consequential dam-
ages.
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by driving over curbs. The same
applies to any other abnormal road behavior,
such as pulling severely to the right or left.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so, drive carefully to the
nearest BMW Center or tire shop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If necessary,
have the vehicle towed there.
Tire damage can be extremely dangerous for
vehicle occupants and other road users.<

Wheels and tires
196
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of
the actual wear of the tires.
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT ... 0705 means that the tire was manufac-
tured in week 07 of 2005.
Run-Flat Tires
The symbol identifying Run-Flat Tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-Flat Tires comprise a conditionally self-
supporting tire and a special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can
continue to be used subject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire, page89.
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW Center or tire shop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel. If this
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
hazards. Make sure that the new wheels are bal-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW recommends that you do not use
retreaded tires, since driving safety may be impaired. The causes for this include poten-
tially different tire casing structures and often
wide variations in tire age, which can result in a
limited service life.<
Correct wheels and tires
BMW recommends that you use only
wheel and tire combinations that BMW
has tested and approved for your particular
vehicle. Variations in factors such as manufac-
turing tolerances mean that even wheels and
tires with identical official size ratings could
actually have different dimensions, which could
lead to body contact and thus to severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot guarantee their driving
safety.<
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination at your BMW Center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS and DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-
nation again as soon as possible.
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.
When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.

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Run-Flat Tires
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, moreover, no spare wheel is
available. Your BMW Center will be glad to
advise you.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends
that damaged Run-Flat Tires be replaced
rather than repaired.<
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in cold
winter driving conditions. Although all-season
M+S tires provide better winter traction than
summer tires, they generally fail to provide the
same levels of cold-weather performance as
winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always comply with the speed limit for the
winter tires mounted on your car; failure
to do so could result in tire damage and acci-
dents.<
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW Center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum
tire inflation pressure indicated on the sidewall
of the tire.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link snow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW Center for
more information. Attach snow chains in pairs
and only to the rear wheels. Observe the manu-facturer's instructions when mounting snow
chains. Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph or
50 km/h.
You are not permitted to mount snow chains to
tires of the following sizes:
>255/40 R 17
>255/35 R 18
>255/30 R 19
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted, otherwise the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DTC temporarily, refer to
page85.<

Replacing components
206 lasers, are officially designated as Class 1 light-
emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers or expose the
eyes directly to the unfiltered light source
for several hours at a time, otherwise this could
cause irritation to the retina.<
Xenon lamps*
The service life of these bulbs is very long and
the probability of a failure is very low, provided
that they are not switched on and off an unusual
number of times. If a xenon lamp fails neverthe-
less, switch on the fog lamps and continue the
journey with great care, provided that local leg-
islation does not prohibit this.
Have work on the xenon lighting system
performed only by your BMW Center or a
workshop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. Due to the high electrical voltages
present, there is a risk of potentially fatal acci-
dents if work is performed inappropriate.<
Parking lamps, roadside parking lamps
In the event of a malfunction, please contact
your BMW Center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Halogen lamps
H7 bulb, 55 watts
Always wear gloves and eye protection;
the atmosphere within the H7 bulb is
pressurized. Otherwise there is a risk of injury if
the bulb is damaged.<
There are separate headlamp covers for low-
beam headlamps and high-beam headlamps.
Be careful when installing the covers, oth-
erwise leaks could occur and cause dam-
age to the headlamp system.<
For checking and adjusting headlamp
aim, please contact your BMW Center.<
Access to the lamps
The high-beam headlamp can be accessed
from the engine compartment, whereas the low-beam headlamp is accessed through a flap
in the wheel well.
1Cover for high-beam headlamp
2Cover for low-beam headlamp
3Turn signal bulb socket
To remove the covers:
1.Fold the respective wire bracket to the side,
see arrows.
2.Flip open the cover and take it out of the
guide.
Follow the same steps in reverse order to reat-
tach the covers.
Access through the wheel well
Only for low-beam headlamps and turn signals:
1.Turn the wheel inwards.
2.Open the flap in the wheel well. To do so,
turn the fastener counterclockwise using a
coin, for example.
Changing low-beam and high-beam
bulbs
1.Remove the relevant cover for the head-
lamp.
2.Disconnect the plug from the lamp.

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3.Push the wire bracket to the side out of the
mounting, arrow1, and fold it down,
arrow2.
4.Remove the bulb.
5.Insert new bulb as shown in the detail of the
illustration above.
6.Fold up the wire bracket and engage it.
7.Connect the plug.
8.Reattach the cover.
Parking lamps, roadside parking lamps
5 watt bulb, W 5 W
1.Remove the cover for the high-beam head-
lamp.
2.Pull out the bulb socket, see arrow.
3.Remove and replace the bulb.
4.Insert bulb socket.
5.Reattach the cover.
Turn signals, front
21 watt bulb, PY 21 W
or PY 21 W Silver Vision1.Open the flap in the wheel well, refer to
Access through the wheel well on
page206.
2.Rotate turn signal bulb socket 1 to the left
and remove.
3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Insert turn signal bulb socket 1.
5.Attach the flap to the wheel well.
Side-mounted turn signals
In the event of a malfunction, please contact
your BMW Center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Tail lamps
>Brake lamp in the luggage compartment lid
21 watt bulb, H 21 W
>Other lamps:
21 watt bulb, P 21 W
The tail lamps are divided into two parts. One
part is in the luggage compartment lid, the other
is in the fender.

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according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with Run-Flat Tires as
standard. This removes the need to change a
wheel immediately in the event of a puncture.
The symbol identifying Run-Flat Tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall, refer to
Run-Flat Tires, page196.
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, moreover, no spare wheel is
available. Your BMW Center will be glad to
advise you. Refer also to New wheels and tires,
page196.
The tools for changing wheels are avail-
able as optional accessories from your
BMW Center.<
Jack mounting points
The jacking points are at the positions shown in
the illustration.
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW Center will be glad to advise in
all matters concerning the battery.
Charging the battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine off. Connections, refer to Jump starting
on page212.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by your
BMW Center or hand them in to a recy-
cling center. Maintain the battery in an upright
position for transport and storage. Always
secure the battery against tipping over during
transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require ini-
tialization. Individual settings may likewise have
been lost and will have to be reprogrammed:
>Time and date
These values must be updated, refer to
page77.
>Radio
In some cases, stations may have to be
stored again, refer to page150.
>Navigation system
Operability must be waited for, refer to
page124.
>Seat and mirror memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page44.
>Inside rearview mirror with digital compass
The system must be calibrated, refer to
page105.
Fuses
Never attempt to repair a blown fuse and
do not replace a defective fuse with a sub-
stitute of another color or amperage rating, oth-
erwise this could lead to a circuit overload, ulti-
mately resulting in a fire in the vehicle.<