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171Reference
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Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the law could
occur.
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 letter
T = up to 118 mph/190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph/210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph/240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph/270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph/300 km/h
Z = over 150 mph/240 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The tire's date of manufacture is indicated on
the sidewall:
DOT ... 0806 indicates that a tire was manufac-
tured in week 8 of the year 2006.
BMW recommends replacing all tires at least
every 6 years, even if some tires may last for
10 years. This also concerns the tire of the
spare wheel
*.
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to 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
245/45 R 18 100 V XL M+S 35/240 38/260 35/240 38/260 41/280 46/320
255/40 ZR 19 33/230 - 33/230 - 41/280 -
285/35 ZR 19 - 36/250 - 36/250 - 46/320
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page200.
e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Belted construction – radial
Rim diameter in inches
Carrying capacity ID-code
(not in ZR tires)
Speed code letter
(in ZR tires before the R)
245/45 R 18 100 V
285/3519ZRe.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire age
DOT xxxx xxx 0806
Wheels and tires
172
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 govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
These 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.<
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.<
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Indicates specially reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and foreign objects lodged in
the tread, and check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 0.12 in/
3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 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.
Winter tires noticeably loose their suitability for
winter use below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm.
New tires should be mounted in the interest of
safety.
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Wear indicators at the tread-groove base, refer
to arrow, are distributed over the tire's circum-
ference and are marked on the side of the tire
with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. If the tire tread
has been driven down to the wear indicators, a
tread depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm has been
reached.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazards 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. These
kinds of problems may also be signaled by other
changes in vehicle response, such as a strong
tendency to pull to the left or right.
In these cases reduce your speed imme-
diately and have the wheels and tires
inspected immediately. To do this, carefully
drive to the nearest BMW center or a special-
ized tire dealer that works in accordance with
BMW guidelines and uses appropriately trained
personnel. Have the vehicle towed to the repair
shop if necessary. Tire damage can be
extremely dangerous to vehicle occupants and
other road users.<
New wheels and tires
Only have new wheels and tires mounted
by a BMW center or a repair shop that
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and
uses appropriately trained personnel. If this
work is performed inexpertly, there is a danger
of damage and associated safety risks. Make
sure that the new wheels are balanced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW does not recommend the use of
retreaded tires; otherwise, driving safety
may be reduced. Potentially substantial varia-
tions in the design and the age of the carcasses
can result in a reduced service life.<
The right 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 than the
approved units – these differences could lead to
body contact, and with it the risk of severe acci-
dents. When selecting the tires, also ensure
that they have a sufficient load-carrying capac-
ity. If non-approved wheels and tires are used,
BMW cannot evaluate their suitability, and
therefore cannot be held liable for driving
safety.<
You can find out the right wheel-tire combina-
tion from your BMW center.
The right wheel-and-tire combination is
another vital factor in ensuring reliable opera-
tion of various vehicle systems such as ABS
and DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread config-
uration from a single manufacturer. After a tire is
damaged, always remember to have the original
wheel and tire combination remounted on the
vehicle as soon as possible.
Wheels and tires
174
Recommended tire brands
BMW recommends particular tire brands for
each tire size. You can recognize these from the
clearly visible BMW marking on the tire sidewall.
With proper use, these tires meet the highest
standards for safety and handling characteris-
tics.
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.
Watch speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
tire damage may occur, which can result in acci-
dents.<
After changing wheels/tires
After changing tires or wheels, the slip detec-
tion of the Sequential Manual Transmission
must become familiar with the changed state.
Reinitialize the system for this purpose:
1.Move the selector lever into the idling
position N on a straight stretch of road at a
speed between 20 mph/30 km/h and
90 mph/150 km/h.
2.Pull both shift paddles for approx. 2 sec-
onds.
If you do not carry out initialization, the system
will automatically learn the changed state grad-
ually during driving. This may be noticeable
from the clutch opening and closing briefly.
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 side wall
of the tire.
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Consult your BMW center for more infor-
mation.
Use is only permitted in pairs, with winter tires
of the size 245/45 R 18 on the rear wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
Make sure that the snow chains are always suf-
ficiently tensioned. Retension in accordance
with the chain manufacturer's specifications if
necessary.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after
installing snow chains as this could cause
the Flat Tire Monitor to malfunction.
After mounting or removing snow chains, the
slip detection of the Sequential Manual Trans-
mission must become familiar with the altered
state. To do this, reinitialize the system, refer to
After changing wheels/tires.<
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189Reference
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Mounting a wheel
1.Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
2.Remove accumulations of mud or dirt from
the mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub. Also clean the lug bolts.
3.Position the new wheel or spare wheel.
Secure the wheel by screwing at least two
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes.
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts. Tighten all
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5.Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from
beneath the vehicle.
After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety, always have the
lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench as soon as possible to
ensure that they are tightened to the speci-
fied torque. The tightening torque is
88.5 lb ft/120 Nm.<
2.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems and valve stem
seal caps against dirt and contamina-
tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source
of gradual air loss.<
3.Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page74, and the Sequential Manual Trans-
mission, refer to After changing wheels/
tires on page174.
4.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Stowing wheel and tools
1.Lay the wheel in the tool mounting.
2.Lay the cover on the mounting.
3.Center the wheel and cover relative to the
lashing eyes5.4.Hook the belt into the lashing eyes.
5.Completely open the tensioning lock.
6.Thread the belt3 through the axis6 of the
tensioning lock without twisting it and ten-
sion it by hand.
7.Tighten the belt firmly with the tensioning
lock by opening and closing the lock several
times.
8.Fold the tensioning lock closed and stow
the protruding belt end.
Driving with spare wheel
With certain wheel-and-tire combinations
the size of the spare wheel differs from
that of the other wheels. The spare wheel is
equivalent to them in all load and speed ranges.
However, to restore the original state, the nor-
mal wheel should be remounted as soon as
possible.<
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, i.e., 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 battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine switched off. For the connections, refer
to Jump starting on page192.
Everything from A to Z
206
Everything from A to Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display
texts used to select
individual functions, and
indicates where to find them
in the text.
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System71
Accessories6
Activated-charcoal filter87
Activating hour signal68
"Activation time" for parked
car ventilation88
Adapter for spare key28
Adaptive brake lamps, refer to
Brake force display75
Adaptive Head Light81
"Add digits" for mobile
phone154
"Address book" for
navigation114
Address for navigation
– deleting115
– entering107,110
– selecting115
– storing114
– storing current position114
"Add to address book"114
"Add to destination list"110
Adjusting confirmation signals
for locking and unlocking31
Adjusting the thigh support40
Adjusting tone in audio mode,
refer to Tone control127
"After door opened"41
"After unlocking"41Airbags75
– deactivating, refer to
Exception for front
passenger seat48
– sitting safely39
– warning lamp77
Air distribution
– automatic85
– manual86
Airing, refer to Ventilation87
Air recirculation, refer to AUC
Automatic recirculated-air
control87
"Air recirculation on / off"45
Air vents, refer to
Ventilation87
Air volume86
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications169
Alarm system35
– avoiding unintentional
alarms35
– interior motion sensor35
– switching off alarm35
– switching off tilt alarm
sensor and interior motion
sensor36
– tilt alarm sensor35
"All channels"136
"All doors"30
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires174
"All stations" on the radio,
selecting130,133
Alterations, technical, refer to
For your own safety6
"AM", reception
range126,130
Antenna for mobile phone148
Antifreeze
– coolant178
– washer fluid57Antilock Brake System
ABS71
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system35
Anti-theft system, refer to
Central locking system29
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights200
Approved engine oils178
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights200
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest92
Around the center console14
Around the steering wheel10
Arrival time
– refer to Computer61
– refer to Starting destination
guidance118
"Arrow display" during
Navigation119
Ashtray93
Assist, refer to
BMW Assist161
Assistance systems, refer to
Driving stability control
systems71
Assistance window20
"Assist. window off"21
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control87
Audio126
– controls126
– switching on/off126
– tone control127
– volume127
"Audio", refer to Tone
control127
Everything from A to Z
214 Luggage compartment
– capacity200
– emergency release34
– hotel function33
– opening/closing, refer to
Luggage compartment
lid34
– opening from inside34
– opening from outside34
– opening with remote
control31
Luggage compartment lid33
– emergency operation34
– emergency release34
– opening from inside34
– opening from outside34
– opening with remote
control31,34
– unlocking manually34
Lumbar support40
LW, waveband130
M
MDynamic Mode MDM72
– indicator lamp13,72
MEngine Dynamic Control55
– "P 400"55
– "P 500"55
– "P 500 Sport"55
M Mobility System185
M+S tires, refer to Winter
tires174
Maintenance
– refer to Service
requirements63
– refer to the Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models180
– refer to Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models180
Maintenance system180
Malfunction
– door lock32
– fuel filler door168
– hotel function33
– luggage compartment lid34Malfunction warnings, refer to
Check Control64
Manual air distribution86
"Manual" on the radio131
Manual operation
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door168
– hotel function33
– luggage compartment lid34
"Map direction of travel"120
"Map facing north"120
Map for navigation
– changing scale120
– destination entry111
Map view119
Map view facing north119
Master key, refer to Keys/
remote control28
Maximum cooling86
Maximum speed with winter
tires174
MDM, refer to M Dynamic
Mode72
"MDrive"46,72
MDrive46
"M Dynamic Mode"72
Memory, refer to Seat, mirror
and steering wheel
memory40
Menus, refer to iDrive16
Microfilter87
Microphone
– for telephone14
– for voice command
system14
Mirror dimming feature44
Mirrors43
– automatic curb monitor44
– heating44
– memory, refer to Seat, mirror
and steering wheel
memory40
"Missed calls"154
Missed calls154
Mobile communications
devices in vehicle99Mobile phone
– accepted calls154
– adjusting volume152
– calling153
– ending call153
– missed calls154
– operation via iDrive152
– redialing154
– refer to separate operating
instructions
– Top 8154
– touch tone dialing, refer to
Tone dialing method156
Mobile phones, use in vehicle,
refer to Mobile communica-
tions devices in vehicle99
Mobile Service, refer to
Roadside Assistance192
Mobility System185
Monitor, refer to iDrive16
"Monitor on / off"45
Most recent mobile phone
numbers154
MP3, refer to Compressed
audio files139
Multi-function steering wheel,
refer to Buttons on steering
wheel11
Multifunction switch
– refer to Turn signals/
headlamp flasher56
– refer to Wiper/washer
system56
"Mute on / off"45
"M View"78
M view78
MW, waveband130
N
"Navigation"61,107
Navigation destination
– manual entry107
– selecting via map111
Navigation drive, installation
location106
Navigation DVD106
Reference 215
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Navigation instructions, refer
to Switching voice instruc-
tions on/off121
Navigation system106
– address book114
– bypassing route
sections122
– destination entry107
– destination guidance in
assistance window106
– destination list113
– displaying current
position122
– entering a destination
manually107
– entering destination via
voice110
– last destinations113
– looking for interesting
destination112
– route display119
– route list120
– selecting destination using
information112
– selecting destination via
map111
– selecting route criteria116
– starting107
– starting destination
guidance118
– switching off, refer to Termi-
nating/continuing desti-
nation guidance118
– terminating/continuing
destination guidance118
– voice instructions121
– volume adjustment121
"Navigation voice
instructions"45
"Navigation voice instructions
on"121
Neck support, refer to Front
head restraints41
"New address" for
navigation114
"New destination"107,111
New remote control28
"New route"122New wheels and tires173
"Next entertainment
source"45
"Normal" with EDC73
Nozzles
– refer to Ventilation87
– refer to Windshield washer
nozzles57
Nylon rope, refer to Tow-
starting and towing193
O
OBD Socket181
Octane ratings, refer to Fuel
specifications169
Odometer59
Oil
– additives178
– approved engine oils178
– capacity200
– consumption176
– level176
– topping off177
Oil change intervals
– refer to Service
requirements63
– refer to the Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or to
the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian
models
"On a new destination" for
navigation113
"Onboard info"61
Onboard monitor, refer to
iDrive16
Onboard tool kit182
"On destination"113
"On location"113
Opening and closing
– comfort access36
– from inside32
– from outside30
– using door lock32
– using the remote control30Operation by voice for mobile
phone156
– adjusting volume157
– canceling157
– commands157
– correcting phone
number158
– dialing phone number158
– placing a call158
– redialing159
– voice phone book158
"Options"164
Orientation menu, refer to
Start menu17
Output, refer to Engine
data198
Outside air, refer to AUC
Automatic recirculated-air
control87
Outside temperature
display60
– changing unit of measure69
P
"P 400"55
"P 500"55
"P 500 Sport"55
Panic mode31
Park Distance Control PDC70
"Parked car operation"88
"Parked car ventilation"88
Parked car ventilation
– activating an activation
time89
– setting activation time88
– switching on and off
directly88
Parking, vehicle51
Parking aid, refer to PDC Park
Distance Control70
Parking assistant, refer to
PDC Park Distance
Control70
Parking brake, refer to
Handbrake51
Parking lamps80
– indicator lamp13
– replacing bulbs183