2009 BMW 6 SERIES Owners Manual

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Tire inflation pressures for 650i Coupe
Tire inflation pressures for 650i Convertible
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
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 18 96 V M+S
245/50 R 17 99 H M+S32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
Front: 245/45 R 18 96 W
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99 W32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
Front: 245/40 R 19 94 W
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96 W32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
Front: 245/35 R 20 91 W
Rear: 275/30 R 20 93 Y32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page245.
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
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 18 96 V M+S
245/50 R 17 99 H M+S32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/45 R 18 96 W
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99 W32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/40 R 19 94 W
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96 W32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/35 R 20 91 W
Rear: 275/30 R 20 93 Y32/220 39/270 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page245.

Wheels and tires
216
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
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 tire's date of manufacture is indicated on
the sidewall:
DOT ... 1008 indicates that the tire was manu-
factured in week 10 of 2008.
BMW recommends replacing all tires at least
every 6 years, 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 govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics 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 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.<
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
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating
(not on ZR tires)
Speed code letter
(in front of the R on ZR tires)
245/45 R 18 96 W
e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 1008

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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 page218.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer 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.
Winter tires noticeably loose their suitability for
winter use below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm.
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.<

Wheels and tires
218
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, page92
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure,
page93
New wheels and tires
Only have new wheels and tires mounted
by a BMW center or a repair shop 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. 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 right wheel-and-tire combination is
another vital factor in ensuring reliable opera-
tion of various vehicle systems such as ABS
and DSC.
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 page92. Your BMW center will be
happy to advise you on this subject.

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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.
Watch 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
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.
These snow chains are approved exclusively for
use in pairs on the rear wheels with the tire size:
>245/50 R 17
>245/45 R 18
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after
installing snow chains as this could cause
the Flat Tire Monitor to malfunction.
When driving with snow chains, it may be prac-
tical to briefly activate DTC, refer to page89.<

Under the hood
220
Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without
the required professional technical training.
If you do not know what repair procedures to
follow, have work on your vehicle done only by
your BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If this work is
not carried out properly, there is a danger of
subsequent damage and related safety haz-
ards.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull lever.
Opening
Press the release handle and open the hood. Do
not open the hood until the engine has cooled
down.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
4 0 c m w i t h m o m e n t um . I t m u st b e c l e a r l y h e a r d
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear; otherwise, injuries may
result.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while driving your vehicle, you
should stop at once and close it securely.<

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Engine compartment
1Filler spout for engine oil, refer to Adding
engine oil
2Starting-aid terminal, refer to page236
3Filler neck for washer fluid of the headlamp
and windshield cleaning systems, refer to
page67
4Expansion tank for coolant, refer to
page223

Under the hood
222
Engine oil
The engine oil consumption is dependent on
driving style and driving conditions.
Checking engine oil level
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic oil
level check.
The condition for the most accurate indication
of the oil level possible is measurement with the
engine at operating temperature, i.e. following
an uninterrupted drive of at least 6 miles/10 km.
You can display the oil level on the Control Dis-
play while driving or when stopped on a level
surface with the engine running.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Info sources" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Turn the controller until "Service Info" is
selected and press the controller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "Service requirements" is
selected and press the controller.6.Change to the second field from the top if
necessary. Turn the controller until "Engine
oil level" is selected and press the control-
ler. The oil level is displayed.
Possible messages
>"Engine oil level O.K."
>"No measurement available: Updating
engine oil level measurement...":
The engine oil level is measured. This pro-
cess can take approx. 1 minute when
stopped on a level surface with the engine
running and approx. 5 minutes while driv-
ing.
If the engine oil has been topped off, the
measurement of the oil level can take up to
30 minutes.
>"Oil level at the minimum! Refill with 1 quart
of engine oil.":
Add a maximum of 1 US quart/liter of
engine oil at the next opportunity, refer also
to Adding engine oil below. Add at least
0.5 US quart/liter of oil; otherwise, the oil
level check cannot reliably display the new
oil level.
If the oil level displayed is below minimum,
add engine oil immediately. Failure to do so
may lead to engine damage.
>"Engine oil level too high":
Have the vehicle checked immedi-
ately, otherwise engine damage may
result if too much oil has been added.<
>"Please observe recalculated service inter-
val for engine oil":
Do not add engine oil. Before continuing to
drive, note the recalculated remaining mile-
age until the next oil change service, refer to
Service requirements on page79. Have the
system checked as soon as possible.