2009 BMW M3 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
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Wheels and tires
186
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
page78, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page79.<
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
100 mph or 160 km/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.
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Mobility
187Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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
235/40 R 18 M+S 33/230 39/270 33/230 36/250 38/260 46/320
Front: 245/40 ZR 18 33/230 - 35/240 - 38/260 -
Rear: 265/40 ZR 18 - 35/240 - 35/240 - 41/280
Front: 245/35 ZR 19 35/240 - 35/240 - 41/280 -
Rear: 265/35 ZR 19 - 36/250 - 35/240 - 44/300
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page220.
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Wheels and tires
188
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 … 3208 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 32 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 3208
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Mobility
189Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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
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Wheels and tires
190 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 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 page79. 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 winter roads
or at temperatures below +457/+76.
Although all-season M+S tires provide better
winter traction than summer tires, they gener-
ally 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
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Everything from A - Z
228
Everything from A - Z
Index
"..." Identifies Control Display
texts used to select
individual functions and
refers you to the page where
these texts can be found.
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System76
Acceleration assistant, refer to
Launch Control57
Accident, refer to Sending an
Emergency Request210
Activated-charcoal filter for
automatic climate control92
Adaptive brake light
– brake force display82
Adaptive Head Light86
Additives
– coolant196
Address, entering117,123
Address for navigation
– entering117,123
Adjusting temperature inside
the car, refer to Automatic
climate control90
Adjusting the thigh support38
Adjusting the tone during
audio operation, refer to
Tone control136
Airbags82
– indicator/warning lamp84
– sitting safely37
Air conditioning mode
– automatic climate control90
– ventilation92
Air distribution
– automatic90
Air flow rate91
Airing, refer to Ventilation92
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure186Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air mode91
Air supply
– automatic climate control90
– ventilation92
Air vents89
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications184
Alarm system31
– avoiding unintentional
alarms32
– interior motion sensor32
– switching off an alarm32
– tilt alarm sensor32
Album information for
music153
Albums of music
collection153
All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires190
AM, waveband139
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air mode91
Antenna for mobile phone162
Antifreeze
– coolant196
– washer fluid60
Antilock Brake System
ABS
76
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system31
Anti-theft system27
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights220
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights220
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest98
Arrival time, refer to
Computer64
Ashtray
– front99
– rear100Assistance systems, refer to
Driving stability control
systems76
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control91
Audio136
– controls136
– switching on/off136
– tone control136
– volume136
Audio device, external98
Automatic
– air distribution90
– air flow rate90
– cruise control60
– headlamp control85
Automatic car washes199
Automatic climate control89
– automatic air distribution90
Automatic curb monitor43
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC91
Automatic Service
Request179
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
– towing212
– tow-starting212
AUTO program for automatic
climate control90
AUX-IN port155
Average fuel consumption64
– setting the units65
Avoid highways in
navigation127
Avoiding unintentional
alarms32
Axle loads, refer to
Weights220
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Reference 231
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Control Display
– brightness73
– changing the language73
– switching off/on19
Control Display, refer to
iDrive16
Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls and displays10
Control unit, refer to iDrive16
Convenient access32
– replacing the battery34
Convenient operation
– glass roof28
– glass roof with convenient
access33
– windows28
– windows with convenient
access33
Coolant196
– checking level196
Coolant temperature63
Cooling, maximum90
Cooling fluid, refer to
Coolant196
Cooling system, refer to
Coolant196
Copyright2
Corner-illuminating lamps,
refer to Adaptive Head
Light86
Cornering lamps, refer to
Adaptive Head Light86
Correct tires190
Country codes DVD146
Courtesy lamps, refer to
Interior lamps87
Criteria for route127
Cross-hairs in navigation122
Cruise control60
Cruising range64
Cup holders99
Curb weight, refer to
Weights220
Current playback of music
collection152
Current position
– displaying133
Customer Relations179D
Dashboard, refer to
Cockpit10
Dashboard, refer to
Instrument cluster12
Dashboard lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting87
Data, technical218
– dimensions219
– engine218
– weights220
Data transfer180
Date
– date format70
– setting69
Daytime running lamps86
Deactivating front passenger
airbags83
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking28
Defect
– door lock29
– fuel filler door184
– glass roof36
Destination, entering by town/
city name117
Destination address
– entering117,123
Destination for navigation
– entering by voice123
– entering via map122
– entry117
– home address120
– manual entry117
Destination guidance127
– bypassing a route
section128
– changing specified
route127
– continuing127
– starting127
– voice instructions128
– volume of voice
instructions129
Digital clock62
Digital compass96
Digital radio, refer to High
Definition Radio140Dimensions219
Directional indicators, refer to
Turn signals58
Direction instructions, refer to
Voice instructions128
Directory for navigation, refer
to Address book119
Displacement, refer to Engine
data218
Display, refer to iDrive
controls16
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting87
Displays
– on the Control Display16
Displays, refer to Instrument
cluster12
Displays and controls10
Disposal
– coolant196
– remote control battery34
– vehicle battery208
Distance remaining to service,
refer to Service
requirements66
Distance warning, refer to
Park Distance Control
PDC75
Door key, refer to Remote
control26
Door lock29
Doors, emergency
operation29
DOT Quality Grades188
Draft-free ventilation92
Drinks holders, refer to Cup
holders99
Drivelogic55
Drive mode53
Drive-off assistance, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC76
Drive-off assistant78
Drive position, engaging, refer
to Selector lever
positions52
Drive programs, refer to
Drivelogic55
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