2009 BMW 525I TOURING Wheels

Wheels and tires
224
535i
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 exceed-
ing 100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications
in the table are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
245/45 R 17 95 W
225/55 R 16 95 H M+S
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 M+S W
225/50 R 17 94 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 35/240 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 W 32/220 38/260 32/220 35/240 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35 R 18 95 W32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 38/260 42/290
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30 R 19 96 Y XL33/230 39/270 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page263.

Wheels and tires
226
535i xDrive
535i xDrive Touring
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 exceed-
ing 100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications
in the table are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 W M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 36/250 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 W 33/230 36/250 33/230 36/250 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 35/240 38/260 35/240 38/260 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35 R 18 95 W32/230 35/240 33/230 33/230 38/260 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page263.
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 exceed-
ing 100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications
in the table are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
225/50 R 17 94 W M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
245/45 R 17 95 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL33/230 41/280 33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 Y 32/220 39/270 32/220 38/260 35/240 42/290
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 36/250 44/300 36/250 44/300 41/280 48/330
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page264.

Wheels and tires
228 DOT code:
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. e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire age
DOT xxxx xxx 1008

Mobility
229Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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, 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, page96
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure,
page98
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

Wheels and tires
230 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.<
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 page97. 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
s u m m e r t o w i n t e r t i r e s o r v i c e v e r s a , u s e r u n - f l a t
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
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

Mobility
231Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum tire
inflation pressure indicated on the side wall of
the tire.
Rotating wheels between axles
BMW does not recommend moving the front
wheels to the rear or vice versa, as otherwise
the handling characteristics may be impaired.
With tires of different makes and types
* such a
change is not permissible.
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Consult your BMW center for more infor-
mation.
Use is only permissible in pairs on the 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, otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
When driving with snow chains, it may be prac-
tical to briefly activate DTC, refer to page92.<

Care
240 When using high-pressure cleaning jets,
do not remain in one place for a long time
and be sure to maintain a distance of at least
12 in/30 cm from sensors, e.g. Park Distance
Control sensors or radar sensors.<
Hand washing
When washing the vehicle by hand, use plenty
of water and car washing shampoo. Clean the
vehicle with gentle pressure using a sponge or a
washing brush.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unwanted wiper operation.<
Follow local guidelines for washing vehi-
cles by hand.<
Headlamps
Do not rub dry and never use abrasives or
strong solvents to clean the covers.
Loosen dirt, e.g. insects, with shampoo or
insect remover and wash away with plenty of
water.
Use a window de-icer to remove accumulated
ice and snow, not a scraper.
Windows
Use a glass cleaner to clean the inside and out-
side surfaces of the windows and the glass sur-
faces of the mirrors.
Do not use quartz-containing cleansers
to clean glass surfaces of the mirrors.<
Wiper blades
Clean with soapy water and replace regularly to
prevent streaking.
The presence of wax and sealant residues
and dirt on the windows leads to streaking
during wiper operation and results in premature
wear on wiper blades as well as interference
with the rain sensor.<
Caring for the vehicle finish
Regular care helps your vehicle retain its value
and protects the paint from the long-term
effects of aggressive substances.Regionally occurring environmental factors can
affect and damage vehicle finish. It is therefore
important to tailor the frequency and extent of
your car care accordingly.
Immediately remove particularly aggressive
substances such as spilled fuel, oil, grease,
brake fluid, tree resin, or bird droppings; other-
wise, they may damage your paint.
Repairing paint damage
Repair stone damage or scratches imme-
diately, depending on the severity of the
damage, to prevent the formation of rust.<
BMW recommends having paint damage pro-
fessionally repaired using Genuine BMW finish
materials in accordance with factory guidelines.
Waxing
Sealant is required when w a t e r n o l o ng e r b e a ds
on the clean surface of the paint. Use only prod-
ucts that contain carnauba wax or synthetic wax
to seal your finish.
Rubber gaskets
Treat only with water or a rubber care product.
To avoid noise or damage, do not use
products that contain silicone to care for
rubber gaskets.<
Chrome components
Particularly after exposure to road salt, thor-
oughly cleanse parts like the radiator grille, door
handles, or window frames with plenty of water
with shampoo added to it. For additional treat-
ment, use chrome polish.
Alloy wheels
Depending on your system, braking can gener-
ate dust, which settles on the light-alloy wheels.
Remove this dust regularly with acid-free wheel
cleaner.
Do not use aggressive, acid-containing,
strongly alkaline, or coarse cleansers and
do not use steam cleaners at temperatures
greater than 1407/606; otherwise you may
damage your vehicle.<

Replacing components
248
Lamps in luggage compartment lid
License plate lamp
5-watt bulb, C5W
1.Insert screwdriver into the slot and press to
the right, refer to arrows. This releases the
lamp.
2.Remove the lamp and replace the bulb.
Sports Wagon:
Brake lamp and backup lamp
1.Turn the locks to the left and fold down the
trim.
2.Fold down the foam insulation.3.Pull out the bulb holder for the backup
lamp1 or brake lamp2 downward.
4.Backup lamp: remove the bulb for replace-
ment.
Brake lamp: apply gentle pressure to the
bulb while turning it to the left for removal
and replacement.
Changing wheels
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.
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 required, set it up on the roadside at an
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, tiles, 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.<