
Wheels and tires
196
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 +45 7/+7 6.
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. <
If the car is capable of speeds higher than that
permitted for the winter ti res, a label stating the
maximum permitted speed for the mounted
tires must be displayed in your field of view.
Specialist tire dealers and your BMW center
can supply these labels.
Storage
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires agains t 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 th is could impair driving
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes,
swapping wheels betwee n the axles is not per-
missible.
Snow chains*
Only certain fine-link sn ow chains have been
tested by BMW, classified as safe for use and
recommended. Consult your BMW center for
more information.
Snow chains must be mounted in pairs and on
the rear wheels only. Observe the manufac-
turer's instructions when mounting snow
chains. Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph or
50 km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if
snow chains are mounted, otherwise the
instrument might issue an incorrect reading.
When driving with snow chains, you may find it
helpful to activate DTC temporarily, refer to
page 78.<

Care
204
Care
Care products
Regular cleaning and care contributes signifi-
cantly to the value retention of your BMW.
BMW recommends cleaning and caring for your
vehicle with products that are approved by
BMW for this purpose.
Your BMW center will be happy to advise you on
the products and services available for cleaning
and caring for your BMW.
Original BMW CareProducts have been
material tested, labo ratory checked and
proven in the field, and offer optimal care and
protection for your vehicle. <
Do not use cleaners that contain alcohol
or solvents as these may result in
damage. <
Cleaning agents can contain substances
that are dangerous or hazardous to your
health. Therefore, follow the warning and safety
instructions on the packaging. When cleaning
inside the vehicle, always open the doors or
windows of the vehicle. In enclosed areas, pro-
vide for sufficient ventilation. Only use products
designed for cleaning vehicles. <
Exterior care
Washing the vehicle
Especially during the winter months,
ensure that the vehicle is washed more
frequently. Heavy soiling and road salt can lead
to vehicle damage. <
After washing the vehicle, apply the
brakes briefly to dry them, otherwise
water can reduce braking efficiency over the
short term and brake discs can corrode. <
Automatic car washes
Preference should be given to cloth car washes.
Do not use high-pressure car washes,
otherwise water may drip into the vehicle
around the windows. <
Before driving into a car wash, ensure that it is
suitable for your BMW. Check the following:
> Dimensions of your vehicle, refer to
page 221.
> If necessary: fold in the exterior mirrors,
refer to page 45.
> Maximum permissible tire width.
Avoid car washes with guide rail heights
over 4 in/10 cm, otherwise there is danger
of damaging chassis parts. <
Preparations before driv ing into an automatic
car wash:
> Unscrew the rod antenna
*
>Deactivate the rain sensor* to avoid unin-
tentional activation of the wipers.
> Remove additional attachments, e.g.
spoiler or telephone an tennas, if there is a
possibility that they could be damaged.
Automatic transmission
Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-
form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-
cle can roll:
1. Insert the remote cont rol, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2. Move the selector lever to position N.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Switch off the engine.
5. Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.

Mobility
205Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
7-gear sport automatic transmission
with dual clutch
Before driving into an automatic car wash, per-
form the following steps to ensure that the vehi-
cle can roll:
1. Insert the remote control, even with conve-
nient access, into the ignition lock.
2. Engage transmission position N.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Switch off the engine.
5. Leave the remote control in the ignition lock
so that the vehicle can roll.
Transmission position P is engaged:
> Automatically after approx. 30 minutes
> When you take the remo te control out of the
ignition lock
Steam jets / high -pressure washers
When using steam jets or high-pressure
washers, ensure that you maintain suffi-
cient clearance to the vehicle and do not exceed
a temperature of 60°C.
Insufficient clearance or excessive pressure or
temperature can lead to component damage or
water penetration. Follow the operating instruc-
tions of the high-pressure washer. <
When using high-pressure washers, do
not spray against the seals of the retract-
able hardtop, the sensor s and the cameras, e.g.
of the Park Distance Control or Rear View Cam-
era, for an extended period and maintain a dis-
tance of at least 12 in/30 cm. <
Manual car wash
When washing the vehicle by hand, use large
quantities of water and car shampoo if neces-
sary. Clean the vehicle with a sponge or wash-
ing brush, applying light pressure only.
Before cleaning the windshield, deacti-
vate the rain sensor or switch off the igni-
tion to prevent unintent ional activation of the
wipers. <
Observe local regulations pertaining to
washing vehicles by hand. <
Headlamps
Do not rub them dry and do not use abrasive or
corrosive cleaning agents.
Remove contamination, such as insects, by
soaking with shampoo or insect remover and
then rinsing with plenty of water.
Thaw ice with a windshield de-icer and do not
use an ice scraper.
Windows
Clean the inside and outside surfaces of the
windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.
Do not clean the mirrors with cleaners
containing quartz. <
Retractable hardtop
Proceed as you would in a normal car wash.
When you open a we t hardtop, water
drops may run into the cargo bay. If nec-
essary, remove items from the cargo bay
beforehand to avoid water stains or soiling. <
Paintwork care
Regular care contributes to value retention and
protects the paintwork against the long-term
effects of damaging substances.
Region-specific environmental influences can
damage the vehicle paintwork. Therefore, it is
important to adapt the frequency and scope of
car care accordingly.
Immediately remove aggressive materials such
as spilled fuel, oil, grease, brake fluid, tree sap or
bird droppings to prevent damage to the
paintwork.
Repairing paintwork damage
Immediately repair scratches or similar
damage, such as that caused by stones
hitting the vehicle, wher e necessary to prevent
rusting. <
BMW recommends having paintwork damage
repaired by a profession al paint repair work-
shop according to BMW specifications using
original BMW paint materials.