2008 BMW M3 COUPE tires

Mobility
This section helps you maintain your car's
mobility by supplying important information
on vital topics including fuels and lubricants,
wheels and tires, service, maintenance and
roadside assistance.
Mobility

Wheels and tires
110
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressures
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tires' service life, but also
driving comfort and, to a great extent, driving
safety that depend on the condition of the tires
and the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
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 is higher.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it, if necessary: at least twice a
month and before starting long trips. If you fail
to observe this precaution you may be driving
on tires with incorrect tire pressures, a condi-
tion that can not only compromise your vehi-
cle's driving stability, but also lead to tire dam-
age and the risk of an accident. Do not drive on
a flat tire. 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
page69, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page70.<
Inflation pressure specifications
The table below provides all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes approved and tire brands recom-
mended by BMW; a list of these is available
from your BMW center.<
For correct identification of the right tire infla-
tion pressures, observe the following:
>Tire sizes for your vehicle>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for driving up to
100 mph or 160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
and to achieve optimum driving comfort, adjust
pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the following page in the col-
umns for traveling speeds up to a maximum of
100mph or 160km/h.
These tire inflation pressures can also be found
on the driver's-side door post when the driver's
door is open.
The maximum permissible speed for
these tire pressures is 100 mph or
160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed, otherwise
tire damage and accidents could occur.<
Tire inflation pressures for driving
above 100 mph or 160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph or 160 km/h, adjust
pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the following page in the col-
umns for traveling speeds including those
exceeding 100 mph or 160 km/h. Otherwise tire
damage and accidents could occur.<
Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the laws could
occur.

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
111
Coupe: tire inflation pressures
Convertible: tire inflation pressures
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100mph / 160km/h
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
235/40 R 18 M+S 33/230 36/250 33/230 36/250 38/260 44/300
Front: 245/40 ZR 18 33/230 - 33/230 - 39/270 -
Rear: 265/40 ZR 18 - 35/240 - 35/240 - 44/300
Front: 245/35 ZR 19 33/230 - 33/230 - 41/280 -
Rear: 265/35 ZR 19 - 35/240 - 35/240 - 44/300
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page155.
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100mph / 160km/h
All pressure specifications in
the table are indicated in
psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
235/40 R 18 M+S 36/250 42/290 36/250 42/290 41/280 51/350
Front: 245/40 ZR 18 33/230 - 35/240 - 41/280 -
Rear: 265/40 ZR 18 - 35/240 - 35/240 - 46/320
Front: 245/35 ZR 19 36/250 - 35/240 - 42/290 -
Rear: 265/35 ZR 19 - 38/260 - 35/240 - 46/320
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page155.

Wheels and tires
112
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed code 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
Z = over 150 mph/240 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT … 0708 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 7 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.
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.< e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter, in
front of the R on ZR tires
235/40 R18100 V
245/35 ZR19
e.g.
Manufacturer's code
for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 4607

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
113
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
Designation for 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 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;
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
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazard 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. 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.
Otherwise, tire damage can pose a lethal hazard
to 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

Wheels and tires
114 work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
h a z a r d s . M a k e s u re t h a t t h e n e w w h ee l s a r e b a l-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW recommends that you do not use
retreaded tires, since driving safety may
be impaired. The causes for this include poten-
tially different tire casing structures and often
wide variations in tire age, which can result in a
limited service life.<
Correct 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, which could
lead to body contact and thus to severe acci-
dents. When selecting tires, also take their load
capacity into account. If non-approved wheels
and tires are used, BMW cannot evaluate their
suitability, and therefore cannot guarantee their
driving safety.<
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination 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 or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-
nation again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM electronics
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 puncture, refer to page70. Your BMW center
will be glad to advise you.
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.
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 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.<
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 sidewall of
the tire.
Swapping wheels between axles
BMW advises against swapping wheels
between the front and rear axles, even if all tires
have the same size, as this could impair driving
characteristics. With standard-equipment tires

Everything from A to Z
156
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System67
Acceleration assistant, refer to
Launch Control53
Accident, refer to Sending an
Emergency Request135
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate control83
Adaptive Head Light77
Additives
– coolant119
Adjusting temperature inside
the car, refer to Automatic
climate control81
Adjusting the thigh support36
Airbags72
– indicator/warning lamp74
– sitting safely35
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control81
– ventilation83
Air distribution
– automatic81
Air flow rate81
Airing, refer to Ventilation83
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure110
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode82
Air supply
– automatic climate control81
– ventilation83
Air vents80
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications109
Alarm system25
– avoiding unintentional
alarms26
– interior motion sensor26
– switching off an alarm26
– tilt alarm sensor26All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires114
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode82
Antifreeze
– coolant119
– washer fluid57
Antilock Brake System
ABS67
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system25
Anti-theft system19
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights155
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights155
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest88
Ashtray
– front90
– rear90
Assistance systems, refer to
Driving stability control
systems67
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control82
Audio device, external88
Automatic
– air distribution81
– air flow rate81
– cruise control57
– headlamp control76
Automatic car washes123
Automatic climate control80
– automatic air distribution81
Automatic curb monitor42
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC82
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
– towing137
– tow-starting137AUTO program for automatic
climate control81
AUX-In port88
Average fuel consumption61
– setting the units62
Avoiding unintentional
alarms26
Axle loads, refer to
Weights155
B
Backrest contour, refer to
Lumbar support36
Backrests, refer to Seat
adjustment36
Backrest width adjustment37
Back seats
– refer to Rear seats38
Backup lamps
– replacing bulb129
Backup lamps, refer to Tail
lamps129
Bag holder92
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
pouch136
Bar, refer to Towing
methods138
Base plate for telephone or
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter in
the center armrest storage
compartment88
Battery133
– charging133
– disposal28,133
– jump starting136
– remote control18
– temporary power failure133
Battery renewal
– remote control28
– remote control for vehicle28
Being towed138

Everything from A to Z
158 Child-restraint fixing system
LATCH45
Child-restraint systems44
Child seats, refer to
Transporting children
safely44
Chrome parts125
Chrome polish125
Cigarette lighter, refer to
Lighter90
Cleaning headlamps56
– washer fluid57
Cleaning your BMW, refer to
Care123
Clock59
– 12h/24h format62
– setting time64
Closing
– from inside23
– from outside19
Clothes hooks89
Cockpit10
Cold start, refer to Starting the
engine47
Combined instrument, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Comfort access, refer to
Convenient access27
Comfort area, refer to Around
the center console14
"Comfort" with EDC69
Compartment for remote
control, refer to Ignition
lock46
Compass86
Computer60
Condensation, refer to When
the vehicle is parked100
Condition Based Service
CBS121
Configuring settings, refer to
Personal Profile18
Confirmation signals for
locking/unlocking the
vehicle21
Connecting vacuum cleaner,
refer to Connecting
electrical appliances90Consumption, refer to
Average consumption61
Consumption indicator, refer
to Average consumption61
Controls and displays10
Convenient access27
– replacing the battery28
Convenient loading in
convertible21
Convenient operation
– glass roof20
– glass roof with convenient
access27
– retractable hardtop20
– windows20
– windows with convenient
access27
Convertible
– bag holder92
– convenient loading21
– enlarging cargo bay91
– folding down rear
backrest92
– retractable hardtop31
– rollover protection
system74
– securing cargo101
Coolant119
– checking level119
Coolant temperature60
Cooling, maximum81
Cooling fluid, refer to
Coolant119
Cooling system, refer to
Coolant119
Copyright2
Corner-illuminating lamps,
refer to Adaptive Head
Light77
Cornering lamps, refer to
Adaptive Head Light77
Correct tires114
Courtesy lamps, refer to
Interior lamps79
Cruise control57
Cruising range61
Cup holders89
Curb weight, refer to
Weights155
D
Dashboard, refer to
Cockpit10
Dashboard, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Dashboard lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting78
Data, technical152
– dimensions153
– engine152
– weights155
Date
– setting64
Daytime running lamps77
Deactivating front passenger
airbags73
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking20
Defect
– door lock22
– fuel filler door108
– glass roof30
Digital clock59
Digital compass86
Dimensions153
Directional indicators, refer to
Turn signals55
Displacement, refer to Engine
data152
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting78
Displays, refer to Instrument
cluster12
Displays and controls10
Disposal
– coolant119
– remote control battery28
– vehicle battery133
Distance remaining to service,
refer to Service
requirements63
Distance warning, refer to
Park Distance Control
PDC67
Door key, refer to Remote
control18
Door lock22