2008 BMW 550I TOURING ESP

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directly through the BMW Assist concierge ser-
vice.
The concierge service must be enabled sepa-
rately by the BMW Assist Response Center.
Calling up information
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller forward to select
"Communication".
3.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "BMW Assist" is selected
and press the controller.
4.Select "Concierge" and press the control-
ler.
5.Select "Start service" and press the con-
troller.
The BMW Assist Response Center will connect
you with a BMW Assist concierge.
Displaying transmitted data
Select the received message if necessary and
press the controller.
Dialing a phone number or transferring
an address for destination guidance
1.Select "Options" and press the controller.
2.Select a menu item:
>With "Call" you can establish a telephone
connection. A prerequisite for this is that
your Bluetooth mobile phone has been
paired with the vehicle.
>Press "Select as destination" to transfer the
address to the navigation system for desti-
nation guidance.
BMW Assist My Info*
Using the BMW Assist Internet portal, you can
transmit addresses and phone numbers into
the vehicle using text messages.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller forward to select
"Communication".
3.Change to upper field if necessary.
Select "BMW Assist" and press the control-
ler.

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6.Select "Options" and press the controller.
7.Select "Update services" and press the
controller.
Activating BMW Assist
BMW Assist must be activated to use the ser-
vices.
Requirements
>Make sure that the vehicle can determine its
current position. Reception is best when
you have an unobstructed view to the sky.
>Leave the ignition switched on during the
activation process.
Activating
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Turn the controller until "BMW Service set-
tings" is selected and press the controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Enabled Assist services" is
selected and press the controller.
6.Select "Enable services" and press the con-
troller.
BMW Assist is enabled and the data
exchange with the BMW Assist Response
Center begins.

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Place the fuel filler cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler door.
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid raising the filler
nozzle during refueling, otherwise this leads to
>premature pump shutoff
>a reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor
recovery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
Approx. 18.5 US gal/70 liters, including the
reserve capacity of approx. 2.1 US gal/8 liters.
550i: approx. 2.6 US gal/10 liters reserve
capacity.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not
ensured and damage can occur.<
Fuel filler cap
Closing
Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you clearly
hear a click.
Do not crush the band attached to the
cap; otherwise, the cap may not properly
seal and fuel vapors can escape.<
A message
* is displayed if the cap is loose or
missing.
Fuel specifications
Do not use leaded gasoline, otherwise
permanent damage to the catalytic con-
verter will result.
Do not use E85, i.e. fuel that consists of 85%
ethanol, or Flex Fuel. Otherwise permanent
damage to the engine and the fuel supply sys-
tem will result.<
Required fuel
Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is 87.
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat-
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no affect on the engine life.
Do not use gasoline below the specified
minimum quality, otherwise engine dam-
age can result.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant dif-
ferences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high ambient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recognized high-quality brand
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in unscheduled maintenance.<

Wheels and tires
222
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
The condition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure are crucial not only
to the tire's service life, but also to driving com-
fort and most importantly, driving safety.
Checking pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure 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. When tires are
warm, the tire inflation pressure increases.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it as needed, even on the
compact tire
*: at least twice a month and before
starting long trips. Otherwise driving instability
or tire damage, and therefore accidents, can
result from incorrect tire inflation pressures.
Do not drive with depressurized, i.e. flat tires,
except run-flat tires. A flat tire will seriously
impair your vehicle's handling and braking
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can
lead to a loss of control over the vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page94, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page96.<
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes and tire brands respectively
approved and recommended by BMW; a list of
these is available from your BMW center. tion pressure for your tires, observe the follow-
ing:
>Tire sizes of your vehicle
>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
up to 100 mph/160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph/160 km/h,
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
column Traveling speeds up to max. 100 mph/
160 km/h to achieve optimum driving comfort.
These pressure specifications can be found on
the door post when you open the driver's door.
The permissible top speed for these tire
inflation pressures is 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not exceed this speed, otherwise tire dam-
age and accidents may result.<
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please
observe, and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures
for speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from
the relevant table on the following pages. Oth-
erwise tire damage and accidents could
occur.<
Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the law could
occur.

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550i
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire sizeSpeed letter
Q= up to 100 mph/160 km/h
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
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
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
245/40 R 18 93 Y 32/220 38/260 32/220 35/240 33/230 41/280
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 33/230 39/270 33/230 39/270 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 Y
Rear: 275/35R1895Y32/220 35/240 32/220 32/220 33/230 38/260
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30R1996YXL35/240 39/270 33/230 38/260 38/260 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page263.
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)225/50 R1794 W
e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 1008

Wheels and tires
228
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT ... 1008 indicates that the
tire was manufactured in week 10 of 2008.
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.
These grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement, as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified government test
surfaces 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
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page229.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Indicates specially reinforced tires.

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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
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. Otherwise, tire
damage can be extremely dangerous to vehicle
occupants and other road users.<
Run-flat tires*
You will recognize run-flat tires by the circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire.
Run-flat tires consist of partially self-contained
tires and special rims. The sidewall reinforce-
ment ensures that the tire retains some residual
safety in the event of pressure drop and driving
remains possible to a restricted degree.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of
a flat tire, page95
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure,
page97
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.<

Wheels and tires
230
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. 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, DSC or xDrive.
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
Tire Pressure Monitor cannot detect a flat tire,
refer to page96. 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.
Run-flat tires
When mounting new tires, or changing from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, use run-flat
tires for your own safety. In addition, no spare
tire is available in case of a flat tire. Your BMW
center will be glad to advise you.
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.
Paying attention to speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
t i re d a m a g e m a y o c cu r , w h ic h c a n re s u l t i n a c c i-
dents.<
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.