
Wheels and tires
200
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, including the 
spare wheel: at least twice a month and before 
starting long trips. If you fail to take this precau-
tion, you may be driving on tires with incorrect 
tire pressures, a condition that can not only 
compromise your vehicle's driving stability, but 
also lead to tire damage and the risk of an acci-
dent. Do not drive with deflated, 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 loss of control over the vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation pressure, 
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to 
page90, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor, 
refer to page92.<
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.<
For correct identification of the right inflation 
pressure for your tires, pay attention to the fol-
lowing:>Tire sizes for your vehicle
>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for driving 
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 for traveling speeds up to a max. of 
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 driving 
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in 
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please 
consult the relevant table on the following 
pages and adjust tire pressures as necessary to 
the specified pressures for speeds exceeding 
100 mph/150 km/h. Otherwise, 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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Tire inflation pressures for 750i/Li
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa 
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of 
100 mph / 160 km/hAll traveling 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
245/55 R 17 102 H M+S 32/220 32/220 32/220 33/230 32/220 38/260
245/50 R 18 100 V M+S A/S
245/50 R 18 100 W
245/50 R 18 100 H M+S
245/50 R 18 104 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 32/220 36/250 35/240 42/290
Front: 245/45 R 19 98 W 32/220 - 32/220 - 33/230 -
Rear: 275/40 R 19 101 W - 33/230 - 35/240 - 39/270
Front: 245/45 R 19 98 Y 32/220 - 32/220 - 32/220
Rear: 275/40 R 19 101 Y - 33/230 - 32/220 35/240
Front: 245/40 R 20 95 Y 32/220 - 32/220 - 33/230 -
Rear: 275/35 R 20 98 Y - 36/250 - 35/240 - 39/270
Front: 245/35 ZR 21 96 Y XL 33/230 - 35/240 - 36/250 -
Rear: 285/30 ZR 21 100 Y XL - 39/270 - 36/250 - 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page228. 

Wheels and tires
202
Tire inflation pressures for 760i/Li
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa 
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of 
100mph / 160km/hAll traveling 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
245/50 R 18 100 V M+S A/S
245/50 R 18 100 W
245/50 R 18 100 H M+S
245/50 R 18 104 V M+S XL32/220 33/230 33/230 38/260 35/240 41/280
Front: 245/45 R 19 98 Y 32/220 - 32/220 - 33/230 -
Rear: 275/40 R 19 101 Y - 32/220 - 32/220 - 33/230
Front: 245/40 R 20 95 Y 33/230 - 35/240 - 36/250 -
Rear: 275/35 R 20 98 Y - 35/240 - 35/240 - 38/260
Front: 245/35 ZR 21 96 Y XL 38/260 - 39/270 - 41/280 -
Rear: 285/30 ZR 21 100 Y XL - 38/260 - 39/270 - 41/280
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page228. 

Wheels and tires
204
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 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 page205.
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 depth, 
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, 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 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 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 make wheels, 
tires, and suspension parts more susceptible to 
road hazards 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. 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. Drive carefully to the nearest 
BMW center or tire shop that works according 
to BMW repair procedures with correspond- 

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ingly trained personnel. If necessary, have the 
vehicle towed there. 
Tire damage can be extremely dangerous for 
vehicle occupants and other road users.<
Run-flat tires*
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular 
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side 
of the tire. 
The run-flat tires consist of special rims and 
tires that are self-supporting to a limited 
degree. The tire reinforcement 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:
>When equipped with Flat Tire Monitor, refer 
to Indication of a flat tire on page91.
>When equipped with Tire Pressure Monitor, 
refer to Low tire pressure message on 
page93.
New wheels and tires
Only have new wheels and tires mounted 
by a BMW center or a tire specialist that 
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and 
uses appropriately trained personnel. If this 
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety 
hazards.<
Retreaded tires
BMW does not recommend the use of 
retreaded tires; otherwise, driving safety 
may be reduced. Possible variations in the 
design and the age – which could be substantial 
– of the tire casing structures can lead to unusu-
ally rapid wear.<
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 center for the right 
wheel and tire combination.
The correct wheel and tire combination affects 
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, such as ABS or DSC.
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 remember to 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 changing over 
from summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only 
use wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise the 
Tire Pressure Monitor may not be able to detect 
a flat tire, refer to page91. Your BMW center 
will be glad to advise you. 

Wheels and tires
206
Recommended tire sizes and 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.
Run-flat tires
When installing new tires or when changing 
from summer tires to winter tires or vice versa, 
for your own safety, use run-flat tires. No spare 
wheel is provided in the event of a flat. Your 
BMW center will be glad to advise you.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends 
that you not have damaged run-flat tires 
repaired; they should be replaced.<
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in cold 
winter driving conditions. Although so-called 
all-season M+S tires provide better winter trac-
tion than summer tires, they generally fail to 
provide the same levels of cold-weather perfor-
mance as winter tires.
Observing speed ratings
Never exceed the maximum speed for 
which the winter tires are rated.<
Storage
Always store wheels or 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 pres-
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.
Wheel changing between axles
BMW does not recommend changing the front 
wheels to the rear or vice versa as this can dam-
age handling characteristics.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link snow chains are tested, 
classified as road-safe, and recommended by 
BMW. Consult your BMW center for more infor-
mation. Use on winter tires is only permissible in 
pairs on the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer's instructions when installing snow 
chains. Do not exceed 30 mph/50 km/h with the 
chains mounted.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after 
mounting snow chains. When you are 
driving with snow chains, it can be beneficial to 
activate DTC briefly, refer to page88.<  

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3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while 
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
Lamps in luggage compartment lid
1Backup lamp
The illustration shows the left luggage com-
partment lid cutout.
Remove the trim panel from the luggage com-
partment lid.
Backup lamp
16-watt bulb, W16W
1.Pull the bulb holder out.
2.Extract the bulb for replacement.
Changing wheels 
Safety precautions to take in the event of 
a flat and during all tire changes: 
Park the vehicle as far as possible from passing 
traffic. Park on a firm, flat, surface. Switch on the 
hazard warning flashers.
Engage the parking brake and shift the trans-
mission selector lever into P. 
Have all vehicle occupants get out of the vehicle 
and ensure that they remain outside the imme-diate area in a safe place, such as behind a 
guardrail. 
If a warning triangle
* or portable hazard warning 
lamp
* is  r e q u ir e d ,  s et  i t  up  o n  t h e  ro a d s id e  a t  a n  
appropriate distance from the rear of the vehi-
cle. Comply with all safety guidelines and regu-
lations.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm surface 
which is not slippery. The vehicle or the jack 
could slip to the side if you attempt to raise the 
vehicle on a soft or slippery surface such as 
snow, ice, tile, etc. 
Position the jack on a firm support surface. 
Do not use a wooden block or similar object as a 
support base for the jack, as this would prevent 
it from extending to its full support height and 
reduce its load-carrying capacity.
To avoid serious or fatal injury, never lie under 
the vehicle and never start the engine while it is 
supported by the jack.<
What you will need
To avoid rattling noises, note the positions of 
the tools before removing them, then return 
them to their initial positions after completing 
work.
>Lug wrench
Located beside the spare wheel. 

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2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular 
recess of the jacking point when cranking 
up the jack, refer to section of illustration.
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 spare tire on the 
hub and screw in at least two bolts diago-
nally. 
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 
100lbft/140Nm.<
2.Reverse the removal sequence when stor-
ing the wheel and tools in the vehicle.3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure 
at the earliest opportunity.
Use valve stem seal caps to protect 
valve stems from dirt and contamina-
tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source 
of gradual air loss.<
4.Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to 
page90, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor, 
refer to page92.
5.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Driving with spare tire
On certain wheel-tire combinations, the 
size of the spare tire differs from that of 
the rest of the tires. The spare tire is fully capa-
ble of running in all load and speed ranges. 
However, to recreate the original conditions, 
the tire should be replaced as soon as possi-
ble.<
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 happy to advise 
you on all questions concerning the battery.
Charging battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only via the 
terminals in the engine compartment and with 
the engine off. Connections, refer to Jump 
starting on page220.