
Reference
At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
 53
Malfunction
The warning lamp for the brake system 
lights up in yellow. The drive-off assis-
tant has failed. The car will not be held 
in place after the brake is released. Have the 
system checked as soon as possible.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor monitors tire pressures 
while the car is being driven. The system 
reports any significant loss of pressure in one 
tire in relation to another.
In the event of tire pressure loss, the rolling 
radius of the tire changes, thereby affecting the 
rotational speed of the wheels. This change is 
detected, and a flat tire warning is issued to the 
driver.
System requirements
To ensure a reliable flat tire warning, the system 
must be initialized with the correct tire inflation 
pressures.
The system must be reinitialized each 
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn 
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage 
caused by external factors, nor can it identify 
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably 
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of 
time.<
The system could issue a false warning or func-
tion in a delayed manner in the following situa-
tions:
>System was not initialized
>Driving on a snow-covered or slippery road 
surface
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at the 
drive wheels, high levels of lateral accelera-
tion
>Driving with snow chains attached
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed while you 
are driving, and can be interrupted at any 
time. Initialization is continued automatically 
when you continue driving.
When driving with snow chains, do not initialize 
the system.<
1.Start the engine immediately before pulling 
away, but do not drive off yet.
2.Press the button until the yellow indicator 
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up for a 
few seconds.
3.Drive off.
Initialization is completed during the drive, 
without any feedback issued.
Flat tire warning
The warning lamp in the instrument 
cluster lights up in red. A signal also 
sounds. There is a flat tire or a signifi-
cant loss of tire pressure.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to 50 mph/
80 km/h or lower. Avoid strong braking and 
steering maneuvers. Do not exceed a maxi-
mum speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
If the car is not equipped with Run-
Flat Tires, refer to page88, the stan-
dard equipment by design, do not continue 
driving. Otherwise a severe accident could 
result after a tire puncture.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure is correct in all 
four tires, it is possible that the Flat 
Tire Monitor was not initialized. In this case, 
initialize the system.< 

Reference
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Driving tips
Mobility
 55
Warning of low tire inflation pressure
The warning lamp lights up in yellow. A 
signal also sounds. There is a flat tire or 
a significant loss of tire pressure in one 
or more tires.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to 50 mph/
80 km/h or lower. Avoid strong braking and 
steering maneuvers. Do not exceed a maxi-
mum speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
If the car is not equipped with Run-
Flat Tires, which is the standard 
equipment by design, refer to page88, then 
do not continue driving. Doing so after a tire 
puncture may result in a severe accident.<
2.In the event of complete tire pressure loss, 
0 psi/0 kilopascal, you can estimate how far 
you can continue driving on the basis of the 
following guidelines:
>With a light load:
1 person without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
1 person, cargo bay full,
or
2 persons without luggage:
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
2 persons, cargo bay full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a speed 
of 50 mph/80 km/h. Driving characteris-
tics change if there is a loss of tire pressure. 
This includes reduced tracking stability in brak-
ing, extended braking distance and altered nat-
ural steering characteristics.
If unusual vibration or loud noises occur during 
the journey, this may be an indication that the 
damaged tire has finally failed. Reduce your 
speed and pull over to the side of the road at a 
suitable location at the earliest opportunity. 
Otherwise, parts of the tire could come loose 
and cause an accident. Do not continue driving. 
Contact a BMW center.<
Malfunction
The yellow warning lamp flashes and 
then lights up continuously. A flat tire 
cannot be detected.
This warning is displayed under the following 
circumstances:
>If there is a malfunction;
have the system checked.
>If a wheel without TPM electronics is 
mounted.
>If other systems or devices that use the 
same radio frequency temporarily interfere 
with the TPM.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring 
System
Each tire should be checked monthly when cold 
and inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the 
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. If 
your vehicle has tires of a different size than the 
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label, you should determine the 
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires. As 
an added safety feature, your vehicle has been 
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem, TPMS, that illuminates a low tire pressure 
telltale when one or more of your tires are signif-
icantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the 
low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should 
stop and check your tires as soon as possible, 
and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving 
on a significantly underinflated tire causes the 
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. 
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and 
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s han-
dling and stopping ability. Please note that the 
TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to 
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-
inflation has not reached the level to trigger illu-
mination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined 
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys-
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash 
for approximately one minute and then remain  

Wheels and tires
84
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure 
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but also 
driving safety and driving comfort that largely 
depend on the condition of the tires and the 
maintenance of the specified tire pressure.
Check tire inflation pressures regularly 
and correct them if necessary: at least 
every two weeks and before every extended 
journey. If you fail to observe this precaution 
you may be driving on tires with incorrect tire 
pressures, a condition that can not only com-
promise your vehicle's driving stability, but also 
lead to tire damage and the risk of an accident. 
Do not drive with deflated, i.e. flat tires, except 
when using Run-Flat Tires. A flat tire will seri-
ously impair your vehicle's handling and braking 
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can 
lead to loss of control over the vehicle.<
Checking pressure
Check the tire inflation pressures only when the 
tires are cold. This means after a maximum of 
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has 
been parked for at least 2 hours. Warm tires 
have higher inflation pressures.
Inflation pressure specifications
The specified inflation pressures for your stan-
dard tires are provided on the placard on the 
B-pillar and are visible when the driver's door is 
open.After the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rected, initialize the Flat Tire Monitor
*, 
refer to page53, or reset the Tire Pressure 
Monitor
*, refer to page54.<
The following tire inflation pressure tables show 
the inflation pressures for the specified tire 
sizes at ambient temperature.
The inflation pressures in the table apply 
to BMW-approved tire sizes and recom-
mended tire brands. Your BMW center will be 
glad to supply this information.<
To determine the correct tire inflation pressure 
for your tires, refer to the following tables.
Tire size
The inflation pressures in the table apply to 
BMW-approved tire sizes and recommended 
tire brands. Your BMW center will be glad to 
supply this information. 

Reference
At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
 87
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, 1 γ, 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. 
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.<
RSC: Run-Flat Tires 
Run-Flat tires are labeled on the sidewall with a 
circular symbol containing the letters RSC. 
Refer to page88.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter performance proper-
ties than summer 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;  

Wheels and tires
88 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
Due to low-profile tires, please note that 
wheels, tires and suspension parts are 
more susceptible to road hazards and conse-
quential damages.<
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal 
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or 
some other vehicle malfunction. This can, for 
example, 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.<
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 date on which the tire was manufactured is 
indicated by the code on the sidewall:
DOT … 5005 indicates that the tire was manu-
factured in week 50 of the year 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.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>If the vehicle is equipped with the Flat Tire 
Monitor, refer to Flat tire warning on 
page53.
>If the vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pres-
sure Monitor, refer to Warning of low tire 
inflation pressure on page54.
Wheel and tire replacement
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. Work 
that is improperly carried out could result in 
consequential damage and pose safety haz-
ards. Make sure that the new wheels are bal-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW advises against using retreaded 
tires, since driving safety may be 
impaired. The causes for this include potentially 
different tire casing structures and often wide 
variations in tire age, which can result in a lim-
ited service life.< 

Reference
At a glance
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Driving tips
Mobility
 89
Correct wheels and tires
BMW recommends using only wheels 
and tires that have been approved by 
BMW for your particular vehicle model, other-
wise body contact and serious accidents can 
result despite the use of the same nominal size, 
e.g. due to manufacturing tolerances. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used, BMW can-
not evaluate their suitability, and therefore can-
not be held liable for driving safety.<
You can inquire about the correct wheel/tire 
combination 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, only use tires of a single brand and 
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, for instance, mount the original wheel and 
tire combination again as soon as possible.
Wheels with electronics for the Tire 
Pressure Monitor TPM
When mounting new tires or changing from 
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use 
wheels with TPMS electronics; otherwise the 
Tire Pressure Monitor would not be able to 
detect a flat tire, refer to page54. Your BMW 
center will be glad to provide you with more 
information.
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.
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 BMW center will be glad to 
provide you with more information.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends 
that damaged Run-Flat Tires be replaced 
rather than repaired.<
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW 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 
generally do not achieve the full performance of 
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
Store tires in a cool, dry place, protecting them 
against light whenever possible. Protect the 
tires from contact with oil, grease and fuel. Do 
not exceed the maximum tire inflation pressure 
indicated on the sidewall of the tire.
Swapping wheels between the axles
BMW advises against moving the front wheels 
to the rear wheel positions and vice versa, as 
this may impair vehicle handling characteristics. 

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 101
Rear lamps
1Turn signal indicators, 21 watts, PY21W 
Silver Vision
2Brake lamp, 21 watts, P21W
3Backup lamp, 16 watts, W16W
4Tail lamp, LED
5Brake lamp, 21 watts, H21W
In the event of a malfunction in lamp 4 or 5, 
please contact your BMW center or a workshop 
that works according to BMW repair proce-
dures with correspondingly trained personnel.
Changing bulbs
1.Remove the cover in the cargo bay by turn-
ing the lock, see arrow.
2.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb socket 
while turning it to the left and remove it.
3.Remove and replace the bulb.
4.Insert bulb socket.
5.Reattach the cover.
Side marker lamps, rear
To change the bulbs, please contact your BMW 
center or a workshop that works according to 
BMW repair procedures with correspondingly 
trained personnel.
Center high-mount brake lamp
This lamp uses LED technology for operation. 
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.
License plate lamps 
5-watt bulb, W5W
1.Push out the lamp with a screwdriver and 
remove it.
2.Change the bulb and reinsert the lamp.
Changing a wheel
Run-Flat Tires
Your BMW is equipped with Run-Flat Tires as 
standard. Therefore, no wheel has to be 
changed immediately in the event of a loss in 
inflation pressure.
Run-Flat Tires are labeled on the tire sidewall 
with a circular symbol containing the letters 
RSC. Also observe the information on page88.
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 Wheel and tire 
replacement, page88.
The tools for changing wheels are avail-
able as optional accessories from your 
BMW center.< 

Giving and receiving assistance
104
Warning triangle* 
The warning triangle is stored in the rear trim 
panel of the cargo bay.
To take it out, pull the ends of the rubber bands 
upward and out of the fasteners.
First-aid kit*
The first-aid kit is located beneath the passen-
ger seat.
Some of the articles in the first-aid kit have a 
limited period of use before expiration. For this 
reason, check the expiration dates of each of 
the items regularly, and replace any with passed 
dates.
To open
1.Pull the handle.
2.Swing the cover downward.
To close
Swing the cover back up until it engages.
Jump-starting 
If the car's own battery is flat, your BMW's 
engine can be started by connecting two 
jumper cables to another vehicle's battery. You 
can also use the same method to help start 
another vehicle. Always use jumper cables with 
fully insulated handles on the terminal clamps.
Do not touch any electrically live parts 
when the engine is running, or a fatal acci-
dent may occur. Contact with these compo-
nents can cause fatal injury. Carefully observe 
the following instructions to avoid personal 
injury and/or damage to one or both vehicles.<
Preparations
1.Check whether the battery of the support 
vehicle has 12 volts and approximately the 
same capacitance in Ah. This information 
can be found on the battery.
2.Switch off the engine of the assisting vehi-
cle.
3.Switch off all electrical accessories in both 
vehicles.
There must not be any contact between 
the bodies of the two vehicles, otherwise 
there is a danger of shorting.<
Connecting jumper cables
Connect the jumper cables in the correct 
order; otherwise, sparks at the battery 
terminals could pose an injury hazard.<
On your BMW, the so-called jump-starting con-
nection in the engine compartment serves as 
the battery positive terminal, refer also to the 
engine compartment overview on page92. The 
symbol + is embossed on the cover.