2008 BMW X6 tires

Wheels and tires
234
Tire inflation pressure X6 xDrive 35i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a 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
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL
255/50 R 19 107 V M+S XL32/220 32/220 32/220 32/220 33/230 39/270
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 32/220 - 32/220 - 33/230 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 32/220 - 32/220 - 36/250
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 32/220 - 32/220 - 33/230 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 32/220 - 32/220 - 36/250
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/90 R 18 113 M61/420 61/420 61/420 61/420 61/420 61/420
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page260.

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235Reference
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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 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 US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT ... 3907 indicates that the
tire was manufactured in week 39 of 2007.
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 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)
255/55 R18109 H
e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 0806

Wheels and tires
236 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 page237.
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
suitable for winter conditions. For the sake of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Wear indicators at the tread-groove base are
distributed over the tire's circumference 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 Sports Activity Vehicle Center or
tire shop that works according to BMW repair
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. If necessary, have the vehicle towed
there. Otherwise, tire damage can be extremely
dangerous to vehicle occupants and other road
users.<

Mobility
237Reference
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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 page90
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure page92
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center or a tire shop that works according to
BMW repair procedures with correspondingly
trained personnel. If this work is not carried out
properly, there is a danger of subsequent dam-
age and related safety hazards. Make sure that
the new wheels are balanced.<
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
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. Your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be
happy to advise you.
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.<
When changing to larger wheels and tires,
it may be necessary to make changes to
the wheelwell trim piece, as otherwise road
users could be endangered or the vehicle could
be damaged. Only have this work carried out by
a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works in accordance with BMW
guidelines and uses appropriately trained per-
sonnel.<
You can ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center for the correct wheel/tire combination.
The correct wheel/tire combination also affects
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS, DSC, xDrive,
Dynamic Performance Control, or Flat Tire
Monitor.
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 and tires
238
Wheels with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When mounting new tires or changing 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 page91. Your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle 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.
Paying 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.<
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
Even with tires of the same size, BMW
recommends that you not rotate the front
tires to the rear or vice versa as this can nega-
tively affect handling characteristics.
When the vehicle is equipped with different
tires sizes
*, rotating tires from one axle to the
other is not permitted.<
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
can provide you with this information.
It is only permissible to use snow chains in
pairs, on the 255/50 R 19 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.
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor
*, as otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
When you are driving with snow chains, it can
be beneficial to activate DTC briefly, refer to
page86.<

Replacing components
248 2.Rotate the bulb socket to the left and
remove.
3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Insert the bulb socket in the liftgate and
engage it.
5.Replace the cover.
License plate lamp
5-Watt bulb, C5W
1.Slide the lamp to the right with a screw-
driver, refer to arrow1.
2.Remove the lamp, arrow2.
3.Replace the bulb.
4.Reinstall the lamp.
Center brake lamp
This lamp uses LED technology for operation.
In case of a defect, please go to a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires as
standard. As a result, it is not necessary to
change the wheel immediately in the case of air
loss in the event of a breakdown.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of
a flat tire page90
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure page92
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to Run-flat tires, page237.
When mounting new tires, or changing from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, use run-flat
tires for your own safety. No spare tire is avail-
able in case of a flat tire. Your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center will be happy to advise
you. Also refer to New wheels and tires,
page237.
Suitable tools for changing tires are avail-
able as accessories at your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center.<
Jacking points for vehicle jack
The jacking points for the vehicle jack are
located in the positions shown.
Compact wheel*
Safety precautions in the event of a flat
tire or wheel change: park the vehicle as
far as possible from passing traffic and on solid
ground. Switch on the hazard warning flashers.
Set the parking brake and engage transmission
position P.
Have all vehicle occupants get out of the vehicle

Replacing components
250 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 compact 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. Otherwise, incorrectly tight-
ened lug bolts are a hidden safety risk. The
tightening torque is 101 lb ft/140 Nm.<
2.Stow the defective wheel in the cargo bay.
The defective wheel cannot be stored
under the floor panel flap due to its
size.<3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems with valve screw
caps against dirt and contamination.
Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source of
gradual air loss.<
4.Initialize 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 compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
The driving characteristics change, for example
reduced track stability on braking, extended
braking distance, and altered self-steering
characteristics in the limit range. In conjunction
with winter tires, these characteristics are more
pronounced.
Only one compact wheel may be
mounted. Restore the wheels and tires to
their original size as quickly as possible. Failure
to do so is a safety risk.<
Vehicle battery
Battery care
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 Sports Activity Vehicle Center
will be glad to advise in all matters concerning
the battery.
Charging battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine switched off. Connections, refer to
Jump starting on page253.

Reference 259
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Mobility
Dimensions
All dimensions given in inches/mm.
Smallest turning circle diam.: 42.0 ft/12.8 m
With mixed tires
* the vehicle width may exceed the specified dimension.