2006 BMW X3 2.5I winter tires

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
89
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, B, and C, A
being highest, and represent the tire’s resis-
tance 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 corre-
sponds to a level of performance that all pas-
senger car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle 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.
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 fall below 0.12 in/
3 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 in/3 mm,
there is an increased risk of high-speed hydro-
planing, even when only small amounts of water
are present on the road surface.
Winter tires display a noticeable loss in their
ability to cope with cold-weather driving condi-
tions once the tread wears to below 0.16 in/
4 mm. To ensure continued safety you should
always have such tires replaced.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 worn down to the wear indicators, then the
legally permissible tread depth limit of 0.063 in/
1.6 mm has been reached.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires, make
wheels, tires and suspension parts more
susceptible to road hazard and consequential
damages.<
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 checked
immediately. Drive carefully to the nearest
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or tire spe-
cialist. Have the vehicle towed to one of these
locations if necessary.
Tire damage can pose a potentially lethal safety
hazard for the vehicle's occupants and other
road users alike.<
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center or a tire shop that works according to
BMW repair procedures with correspondingly
trained personnel. If this work is not carried out
properly, there is a danger of subsequent dam-

Wheels and tires
90 age and related safety hazards. 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. The causes for this include the
possibly different tire casing structures and the
often wide variations in their age, which can
result in a limited 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. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot be held liable for driving
safety.<
You can ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center for the correct wheel-and-tire combina-
tion.
The correct wheel-and-tire combination affects
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS, DSC or xDrive.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread config-
uration from a single manufacturer. After a flat
tire, always have the original wheel-and-tire
combination remounted on the vehicle as soon
as possible.
Wheels equipped with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When installing new tires or when changing
from summer tires to winter tires or vice versa,
only use wheels equipped with TPM electron-
ics; otherwise, the Tire Pressure Monitor can-
not detect a flat tire, refer to page52. Your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be
happy to advise you in this regard.
Recommended tire brands
BMW recommends particular tire brands for
each tire size. You will recognize them by the
clearly visible BMW identification 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 do provide better winter traction than
summer tires, they generally fail to provide the
same levels of cold-weather performance as
winter tires.
Observing speed ratings
Never exceed the maximum speed for
which the winter tires are rated.<
Storage
Store wheels or tires in a cool, dry place, pro-
tecting them from light whenever possible. Pro-
tect the tires from contact with oil, grease and
fuel. Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure indicated on the side wall of the tire.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
105
2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular
recess of the jacking point when cranking
up, refer to drawing inset.
3.Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you are
changing is raised from the ground.
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. Clean the lug bolts.
3.Position the new wheel or compact wheel.
Secure the wheel by screwing at least two
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes. When you
mount wheels other than Genuine 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 jack and remove it 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
101lbft/140Nm.<
2.Stow the defective wheel in the cargo area.
3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems and valve stem
seal caps from dirt and contamina-tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source
of gradual air loss.<
4.Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor
* or reset
the Tire Pressure Monitor
*, refer to
pages51, 52.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor
when driving with a compact wheel.<
5.Replace the damaged tire with a new one as
soon as possible and have the new wheel
balanced.
Driving with compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. Do not deacti-
vate DSC; otherwise, unstable driving condi-
tions may result.<
Mounting the compact wheel can change the
driving characteristics. For example, it can
reduce tracking stability during braking, extend
braking distances, and alter self-steering char-
acteristics in the limit range. With winter tires,
these characteristics are more pronounced.
Only one compact wheel may be
mounted. You should re-equip with
wheels and tires of the original size as quickly 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 Sports Activity Vehicle Center
will be happy to advise you on all questions con-
cerning the battery.
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up. The battery
is no longer being charged. The alterna-
tor V-belt is defective or there is a mal-
function in the charge current circuit of the
alternator. Have the system checked immedi-
ately.

Everything from A to Z
118
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System48
– indicator lamp12
Accessories, refer to For your
own safety6
Accident, refer to Receiving
assistance107
Acknowledgment signal for
locking/unlocking
vehicle19,20
Activated-charcoal filter64
Adaptive Head Light57
Adding engine oil94
Adjusting seats27
– electrically27
– mechanically27
– mechanically Sports seat28
Airbags53
– deactivating front passenger
side33,54
– indicator lamp for front
passenger airbags54
– sitting safely26
– warning lamp54
Air circulation, refer to Recir-
culated-air mode60,63
Air conditioner59
Air distribution
– air conditioner60
– automatic climate control63
Airing, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Air outlets, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure86
Air vents, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Air volume60
– adjusting manually63AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications85
Alarm system24
– avoiding unintentional
alarms25
All-season tires, refer to
Special characteristics of
winter tires90
All wheel drive, refer to
xDrive49
Anchorage points73
Antifreeze
– coolant95
– washer fluid41
Antifreeze protection,
coolant95
Antilock Brake System
ABS48
– indicator lamp12
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system18,24
Approved axle load, refer to
Weights116
Approved engine oils95
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights116
Armrest
– front67
– rear68
Artificial leather, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Ashtray68
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control63
Automatic
– air distribution63
– air volume63
– recirculated-air control
AUC63
Automatic car wash, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochureAutomatic climate control62
Automatic cruise control41
Automatic curb monitor31
Automatic deactivation of
front passenger airbags54
Automatic headlamp
control56
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic38
– indicator lamp39
– interlock36
– selector lever interlock38
– shiftlock38
– towing109
– tow starting110
AUTO program63
Average fuel consumption46
– setting units45
Average speed46
– setting units45
Avoiding unintentional
alarms25
Axle loads, refer to
Weights116
B
Backrest, refer to Seats27
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support28
Backup lamps
– bulb replacement102
– refer to Tail lamps102
Bandages, refer to First-aid
kit108
Bar, towing110
Battery105
– disposal106
– indicator lamp12
– jump starting108
– power failure106
– remote control18
– warning lamp105

Everything from A to Z
124 Master key18
– with remote control18
Maximum speed, with winter
tires90
Mechanical seats27
Memory, refer to
– Seat and mirror memory29
– Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory32
Microfilter
– air conditioner61
– automatic climate control64
Microphone, refer to Car
phone preparation69
Microphone for telephone69
Mirrors30
– automatic curb monitor31
– mirror heating31
– mirror memory, refer to Seat
and mirror memory29
Mobile communications
devices in vehicle77
Mobile phone, refer to
separate Owner's Manual
Monitoring tire pressure, refer
to Flat Tire Monitor50
Monitoring tire pressure, refer
to Tire Pressure Monitor52
Multi-function steering wheel,
refer to Buttons on steering
wheel13
Multifunction switch
– turn signals/headlamp
flasher39
– washer/wiper system40
N
Navigation system, refer to
separate Owner's Manual
Neck support, refer to Head
restraints28
Nets68
Nonsmoker's equipment
package68,69
Nozzles, refer to
Ventilation61,64
Nylon rope, refer to Tow
starting and towing109
O
OBD socket97
Octane rating, refer to Fuel
quality85
Odometer43
Oil
– additives, refer to Approved
engine oils95
– approved engine oils95
– capacity116
– consumption, refer to
Checking engine oil level94
– dipstick94
– level94
– refilling, refer to Adding
engine oil94
Oil change interval, refer to
Service Interval Display44
Oil grades95
Oil level94
– warning lamp94
Oil pressure94
– warning lamp94
Oil sensor94
– warning lamp94
OILSERVICE44
Old batteries, refer to
Disposal106
Onboard Diagnostics OBD
interface socket97
On-board monitor, refer to
separate Owner's Manual
Onboard tool kit99
Opening and closing
– from inside20
– from outside19
– using the door lock20
– using the remote control19
Output, refer to Engine
data114
Outside air
– air conditioner60
– automatic climate control63
Outside temperature display
– changing unit of measure45
– on computer45
Overheating of engine, refer to
Coolant thermometer44
P
Panic mode19
Panorama glass sunroof23
– automatic opening and
closing23
– closing with electrical
malfunction24
– comfort operation20
– comfort position23
– initializing23
– power failure23
– remote control19
Parcel shelf, refer to Cargo
area cover71
Park Distance Control PDC47
Parking aid, refer to PDC Park
Distance Control47
Parking assistant, refer to
PDC Park Distance
Control47
Parking brake, refer to
Handbrake37
Parking lamps56
Parking lamps/low beams56
Partition net72
Parts and accessories, refer to
For your own safety6
Passenger airbags, status54
Passenger-side mirror tilt
function31
Pathway lighting56
PDC Park Distance Control47
Pinch protection
system22,23
– panorama glass sunroof23
– power windows22
Plastic, refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
Pollen, refer to
– Microfilter61
– Microfilter/activated
charcoal filter64
Power failure
– battery106
– panorama glass sunroof23
– windows22
Power seat adjustment27

Everything from A to Z
126 Selector lever interlock, refer
to Shiftlock38
Selector-lever positions,
automatic transmission38
Service, refer to Receiving
assistance107
Service and warranty7
Service Engine Soon36,98
Service Interval Display44,97
Setting interior
temperature60,63
Shifting gears with automatic
transmission with
Steptronic39
Shiftlock38
Side airbags53
Side tilt, permissible80
Side turn signals, bulb
replacement101
Signal horn, refer to Horn10
Sitting safely26
– with airbags26
– with head restraint26
– with safety belt26
Ski bag69
Smokers' package, refer to
Ashtray68
Snow chains91
Socket, refer to Cigarette
lighter socket69
Soft drink can holder, refer to
Cup holders66
SOS, refer to Initiating an
emergency call107
Spare fuses106
Spare key18
Spare wheel, refer to Compact
wheel103
Speed
– with compact wheel105
– with winter tires90
Speedometer11
– refer to Instrument
cluster11
Split rear backrest, refer to
Enlarging cargo area70
Sport program, automatic
transmission with
Steptronic39Sports seat28
Stability control, refer to
Driving stability control
systems48
Starting, refer to Starting
engine36
Starting difficulties
– at very low temperatures37
– jump starting
108
Starting engine36
Status of passenger
airbags54
Status of this Owner's Manual
at time of printing5
Steering lock36
Steering wheel10,13
– adjustment31
– buttons on steering
wheel13
– heater31
– lock36
Steering wheel with
buttons13
Steptronic38
Storage compartments67
Storage package68
Storage package nets68
Storage space, refer to Cargo
area70
Storing desired speed, refer to
Cruise control41
Storing seat position, refer to
Seat and mirror memory29
Storing tires90
Straps, refer to Cargo
loading78
Sunroof, refer to Panorama
glass sunroof23
Supply reservoirs, washer
systems41
Switches, refer to Cockpit10
Switching cooling function on/
off60,63
Switching off engine37
Symbols4
T
Tachometer43
Tail lamps102
– indicator lamp, defective
bulb56
– replacing bulbs102
Tank capacity116
Technical data114
Technical modifications6
Telephone, refer to separate
Owner's Manual
Temperature
– air conditioner60
– automatic climate control63
Temperature, tires89
Temperature display
– outside temperature45
– outside temperature
warning45
– setting units45
Temperature gauge44
Temperature of coolant, refer
to Coolant thermometer44
Temperature warning45
Tempomat, refer to Cruise
control41
The individual vehicle5
The right wheels and tires90
Thigh support adjustment28
Three point safety belts29
Tightening torque of lug bolts,
refer to After mounting105
Tilt alarm sensor
– remote control19
– switching off19,25
Tilt function, passenger-side
mirror31
Tire inflation pressure
monitoring, refer to Tire
Pressure Monitor52
Tire inflation pressures86
– restoring86
Tire Pressure Monitor52
– malfunction warnings52
– resetting system52
– system limitations52
– warning lamp52

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
127
Tire replacement89
Tires
– age88
– breaking-in76
– changing89
– changing, refer to Wheel
changes103
– coding88
– condition89
– damage89
– DOT Quality Grades88
– flat103
– inflation pressure86
– inflation pressure table87
– size, refer to The right
wheels and tires90
– storage90
– temperature89
– traction88
– tread89
– tread wear88
– Uniform Tire Quality
Grading88
– wear indicators, refer to
Minimum tread depth89
– winter tires90
Tools, refer to Onboard tool
kit99
Torque
– engine114
– lug bolts105
Touch signaling39
Tow bar110
Tow fitting109
Towing109
– with automatic
transmission109
Towing eye109
Towing the vehicle109
Tow rope110
Tow sockets for tow
fitting109
Tow starting109
TPM Tire Pressure
Monitor52
Track width, refer to
Dimensions115
Traction88Traction aid, refer to DSC48
Traction control, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control48
Transmission
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic38
– manual transmission38
Transmission locking
mechanism, refer to
PPark38
Transmission malfunction,
refer to Malfunction39
Transporting children
safely33
Transport securing device,
refer to Securing cargo79
Traveling on poor roads80
Tread depth, refer to Minimum
tread depth89
Tread wear88
Tread wear indicator in tires,
refer to Minimum tread
depth89
Trip-distance counter, refer to
Trip odometer43
Trip odometer43
Trunk, refer to Cargo area70
Trunk lid, refer to Liftgate21
Turning circle, refer to
Dimensions115
Turn signals39
– indicator lamp12
– replacing bulbs101
– side, replacing bulbs101
U
Units45
– outside temperature45
Universal garage-door
opener, refer to Integrated
universal remote control65
Universal remote control65
Unlocking
– from inside20
– from outside19
– hood92Upholstery care, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
V
Valve screw caps, refer to
After mounting105
Vehicle
– battery105
– breaking-in76
– care, refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
– cargo loading78
– dimensions115
– disposal, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
– locking from inside20
– locking from outside19
– parking37
– washing, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
– weights116
Vehicle battery105
Vehicle jack103
– jacking points104
Vehicle Memory32
Ventilation61,64
– draft-free61,64
Viscosity95
Voice control, refer to
separate Owner's Manual
W
Warning and indicator
lamps12
Warning triangle107
Warranty, refer to Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models,
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian
models97
Warranty and service7
Washer fluid41
Washer fluid reservoir,
capacity, refer to Filling
capacities116

Everything from A to Z
128 Washer reservoir, refer to
Reservoir for washer fluid41
Waste tray, refer to Ashtray68
Weights116
Wheel/tire combination90
Wheelbase, refer to
Dimensions115
Wheel bolt, wrench103
Wheel changes, compact
wheel103
Wheels and tires90
Width, refer to
Dimensions115
Windows22
– convenience operation20
– safety switch22
Windshield
– cleaning41
– defrosting, refer to
Defrosting windows60,63
Windshield washer
reservoir41
– capacity, refer to Filling
capacities116
Windshield washer system
– washer/wiper system40
– washer fluid41
Windshield wiper blade
replacement99
Windshield wipers, refer to
Washer/wiper system40
Winter tires90
– changing103
– condition89
– storage90
Wiper blade replacement99
Wiper system40
Working in the engine
compartment92
Wrench/screwdriver, refer to
Onboard tool kit99
X
xDrive49
Xenon headlamp100
– replacing bulbs100