Wheels and tires
196 BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 6 years at most, even if some tires may last
for 10 years. This also concerns the tire of the
spare wheel.
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.<
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 for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. 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.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth
of 0.16 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
Mobility
197Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
suitable for winter conditions. For the sake of
safety, new tires should be installed.
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 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.<
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 does not recommend that you use
retreaded tires, as driving safety may be
impaired. The causes for this include the possi-
bly 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. 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 inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination at your BMW center.
The correct wheel/tire combination also affects
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread config-
uration from a single manufacturer. Following
tire damage, have the original wheel and tire
combination remounted on the vehicle as soon
as possible.
Wheels with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When mounting new tires or converting from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPM electronics, otherwise the
Wheels and tires
198 Tire Pressure Monitor cannot detect a flat tire,
refer to page84. Your BMW center will be
happy to advise you on this subject.
Recommended tire brands
Certain tire makes are recommended by BMW
depending on the tire size. You can recognize
these from the clearly visible BMW marking on
the tire sidewall.
When used properly, these tires comply with
the most demanding standards for safety and
vehicle response.
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 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
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.
Rotating wheels between axles
BMW does not recommend moving the front
wheels to the rear or vice versa, as otherwise
the handling characteristics may be impaired.
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.
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor, otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
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.<
Replacing components
212 2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular
recess of the jacking point when cranking
up, refer to illustration detail.
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. 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 with 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
page83, and the Sequential Manual Trans-
mission, refer to After changing wheels/
tires on page198.
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.<
Everything from A to Z
230
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
System79
– indicator/warning lamp81
Accepted calls174
Accessories6
Accident, refer to Emergency
call214
Acoustic signal, refer to Check
Control71
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate
control100
"Activation time" for parked
car ventilation100
Active head restraints,
front45
"Active seat back"50
Active seat ventilation47
Adapter for spare key28
Adaptive brake lamps, refer to
Brake force display86
Adaptive Head Light93
"Add digits" for mobile
phone175
Additives
– coolant202
– engine oil, refer to Approved
engine oils202
"Address book" for
navigation128Address for navigation
– deleting130
– entering121,124
– selecting129
– storing129
– storing current position129
"Add to address book"128
"Add to destination
list"124,126
Adjusting active backrest
width43
Adjusting interior
temperature97
Adjusting the tone during
audio operation, refer to
Tone control147
Adjusting thigh support42
Adjustment in audio mode
– front/rear balance148
– right/left balance148
"After door opened"44
"After unlocking"44
Airbags87
– indicator/warning lamp88
– indicator lamp for front
passenger airbags88
– sitting safely41
Air distribution
– automatic97
– manual98
Airing, refer to Ventilation99
Air recirculation
– AUC Automatic
recirculated-air control99
– recirculated-air mode99
"Air recirculation on / off"49
Air supply, automatic climate
control96
Air volume98
AKI, refer to Fuel quality193Alarm system35
– avoiding unintentional
alarms36
– interior motion sensor35
– switching off alarm35
– switching off tilt alarm
sensor and interior motion
sensor36
– tilt alarm sensor35
"All channels"156
"All doors"31
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires198
"All stations" calling up with
radio150,153
Alterations, technical, refer to
For your own safety5
Altering stretch of road137
Alternate route, refer to
Bypassing traffic
congestion140
"AM", reception
range147,150
Antenna, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
Antenna for mobile phone168
Antifreeze
– coolant202
– washer fluid63
Antilock Brake System
ABS79
– indicator/warning lamp81
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system35
Anti-theft system, refer to
Central locking system30
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights224
Approved engine oils202
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights224
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest, rear107
Reference 239
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Instrument panel, refer to
Cockpit10
Instrument panel, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Integrated key28
Integrated universal remote
control102
Interesting destination for
navigation127
"Interim time"74
Interior lamps94
– switching on with remote
control31
Interior motion sensor35
– switching off36
Interior rearview mirror48
– automatic dimming
feature48
Intermittent mode of the
wipers62
J
Jacking points211
Joystick, refer to iDrive16
Jumpering, refer to Jump
starting215
Jump starting215
K
Keyless-Go, refer to Comfort
access36
Keyless opening and closing,
refer to Comfort access36
Key Memory, refer to Personal
Profile29
"Keypad"177
Keys28
– key-related settings, refer to
Personal Profile29
– spare key28
Knock control193
L
Lamps, refer to Parking lamps/
low beams92Lamps and bulbs206
"Language / Units"76
"Language / Units" for
navigation136
"Languages"77
"Languages" for
navigation136
Lashing eyes, refer to
Securing cargo116
Last destinations, refer to
Destination list128
"Last seat pos."44
LATCH child restraint fixing
system53
LEDs light-emitting
diodes206
Length, refer to
Dimensions223
License plate lamp, replacing
bulbs208
Light-emitting diodes
LEDs206
Lighter106
"Lighting"62,93
Lighting
– instruments94
– lamps and bulbs206
– of the vehicle, refer to
Lamps92
Light switch92
"Limit"73
Loading
– securing cargo116
– stowing cargo115
– vehicle114
Load securing equipment,
refer to Securing cargo116
"Lock after driving"33
Lock buttons in the doors,
refer to Locking33
Locking31
– confirmation signals31
– from inside33
– from outside31
– without key, refer to Comfort
access36Locking and unlocking doors
– confirmation signals31
– from inside32
– from outside30
LOGIC 7148
Low beams92
– automatic92
– indicator lamp13
Lower back support, refer to
Lumbar support42
Lug bolts211
– tightening torque, refer to
After mounting212
– wrench211
Luggage compartment lid33
– comfort access37
– emergency release34
– locking with remote
control31
– opening from inside33
– opening from outside33
– opening with remote
control31
– unlocking and locking from
inside32
Luggage rack, refer to Roof-
mounted luggage rack116
Lumbar support42
LW, waveband150
M
MDynamic Mode MDM80
– indicator lamp13,80
M Engine Dynamic Control61
– "P 400"61
– "P 500"61
– "P 500 Sport"61
M Mobility System208
M+S tires, refer to Winter
tires198
Everything from A to Z
240 Maintenance204
– refer to Service and
Warranty Information
Booklet for US models204
– refer to Service
requirements69
– refer to Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models204
Maintenance system204
Malfunction warnings, refer to
Check Control71
Manual air distribution98
Manual operation
– door lock32
– driver's door32
– fuel filler door192
– glass sunroof40
– luggage compartment lid34
Manual transmission57
– tow-starting217
"Manual" with radio151
"Map direction of travel"135
Map display134
"Map facing north"135
Map for navigation
– changing scale135
– destination entry126
Map view facing north134
Master key, refer to Keys/
remote control28
Maximum cooling98
Maximum speed with winter
tires198
MDM, refer to M Dynamic
Mode80
"MDrive"50,80
MDrive50
"M Dynamic Mode"80
Measurements, refer to
Dimensions223
Memory, refer to Seat, mirror
and steering wheel
memory43
MENU, button refer to Start
menu17
Menus, refer to iDrive16Message list for traffic
information138
Microfilter100
Microphone
– for telephone14
– for voice command
system14
Mirror dimming feature48
Mirrors47
– automatic curb monitor48
– folding in and out47
– heating48
– memory, refer to Seat, mirror
and steering wheel
memory43
"Missed calls"174
Missed calls175
Mobile communications
devices in vehicle113
Mobile phone
– accepted calls175
– adjusting volume172
– calling173
– ending call174
– installation location, refer to
Center armrest104
– missed calls175
– operation by voice177
– operation via iDrive172
– redialing175
– refer to separate operating
instructions
– Top 8175
– touch tone dialing, refer to
Tone dialing method176
Mobile phone, refer to
separate operating
instructions
Mobile phone battery181
Mobility System208
Monitor, refer to iDrive16
Monitoring pressure of tires,
refer to Flat Tire Monitor82
"Monitor on / off"49
Most recent mobile phone
numbers175
MP3, refer to Compressed
audio files159Multi-function steering wheel,
refer to Buttons on steering
wheel11
Multifunction switch
– refer to Turn signals/
headlamp flasher62
– refer to Wiper system62
Music track
– sampling, scan161
Music track, finding161
Music tracks
– random play sequence162
"Mute on / off"49
"M View"89
M view90
MW, waveband150
N
"Navigation"68,121
Navigation destination
– entering manually121
– home address130
– selecting via map126
Navigation drive, installation
location120
Navigation DVD120
Navigation instructions, refer
to Switching voice
instructions on/off136
Reference 241
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Navigation system120
– address book128
– bypassing route
sections137
– destination entry121
– destination guidance in
assistance window120
– destination list128
– displaying current
position140
– displaying route134
– entering a destination
manually121
– entering destination via
voice124
– last destinations128
– navigation DVD120
– opening121
– route list135
– searching for a special
destination127
– selecting destination using
information127
– selecting destination via
map126
– selecting route criteria131
– starting destination
guidance133
– switching off, refer to
Terminating/continuing
destination guidance133
– terminating/continuing
destination guidance133
– voice instructions136
– volume adjustment136
"Navigation voice
instructions"49,136
Neck support, refer to Head
restraints44
"New address" for
navigation129
"New data request" for BMW
Assist185
"New destination"121,126
New remote control28
"New route"137
New wheels and tires197"Next entertainment
source"49
"Normal", active backrest
width adjustment43
"Normal" with EDC82
Nozzles, refer to Windshield
washer nozzles63
Nylon rope, refer to Tow-
starting and towing216
O
OBD socket, refer to Socket
for Onboard Diagnostics
interface205
Octane ratings, refer to Fuel
specifications193
Odometer66
Oil, refer to Engine oil200
Oil change intervals, refer to
Service requirements69
Oil temperature67
"On a new destination" for
navigation127
Onboard computer, refer to
iDrive16
"Onboard info"68
Onboard toolkit206
"On destination"127
"On location"127
Opening and closing
– comfort access36
– from inside32
– from outside30
– using remote control30
– using the door lock32
Operating principle, iDrive17
Operation by voice for mobile
phone177
– adjusting volume178
– canceling178
– commands178
– correcting phone
number179
– dialing phone number179
– placing a call179
– redialing180
– voice phone book179
"Options"186Orientation menu, refer to
Start menu17
Output, refer to Engine
data222
Outside air, refer to AUC
Automatic recirculated-air
control99
Outside temperature
display67
– changing unit of measure76
– in computer76
Overview
– operating principle17
– radio control146
– screen display20
P
"P 400"61
"P 500"61
"P 500 Sport"61
Panic mode31
Park Distance Control PDC78
"Parked car operation"100
"Parked car ventilation"100
Parked car ventilation100
– activating activation
time101
– preselecting activation
times100
– switching on and off
directly100
Parked car ventilation system
– LED96
Parking, vehicle57
Parking aid, refer to PDC Park
Distance Control78
Parking assistant, refer to
PDC Park Distance
Control78
Parking brake, refer to
Handbrake57
Parking lamps92
– indicator lamp13
Parking lamps/low beams
– indicator lamp13
Parts and accessories6