2010 BMW M3 Owners Manual

Reference
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Mobility
127
Sedan: tire inflation pressures for the 335d
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100mph / 160km/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
Without Sport Package:
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 W33/230 41/280 39/270 46/320
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 35/240 42/290 39/270 46/320
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 33/230 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 36/250 - 41/280
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 35/240 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 41/280 - 45/310
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 Y 35/240 - 35/240 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - 41/280 - 41/280
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 41/280 - 41/280 -
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 46/320 - 46/320
With Sport Package:
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 W33/230 41/280 41/280 48/330
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 35/240 42/290 42/290 49/340
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 33/230 - 41/280 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 36/250 - 45/310
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 35/240 - 42/290 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 41/280 - 49/340
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 Y 35/240 - 38/260 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - 41/280 - 45/310
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 41/280 - 44/300 -
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 46/320 - 49/340
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page177.

Wheels and tires
128
Sports Wagon: tire inflation pressures for the 328i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those
exceeding
100mph / 160km/h
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
Without Sport Package:
225/50 R 16 92 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 W32/220 39/270 36/250 44/300
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S 32/220 39/270 39/270 46/320
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 W33/230 41/280 39/270 46/320
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 35/240 42/290 41/280 48/330
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 33/230 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 36/250 - 42/290
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 36/250 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 44/300 - 46/320
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 Y 36/250 - 36/250 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - 44/300 - 44/300
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 36/250 - 41/280 -
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 44/300 - 48/330

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With Sport Package:
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 W32/220 39/270 39/270 46/320
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 W33/230 41/280 42/290 49/340
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 35/240 42/290 42/290 49/340
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 33/230 - 42/290 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 36/250 - 46/320
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 36/250 - 44/300 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 44/300 - 51/350
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 Y 36/250 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - 44/300 - 46/320
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 36/250 - 42/290 -
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 44/300 - 49/340
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page177.
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100mph / 160km/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

Wheels and tires
130
Sports Wagon: tire inflation pressures for the 328xi
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those
exceeding
100mph / 160km/h
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
Without Sport Package:
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 W32/220 39/270 36/250 44/300
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 W33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 35/240 42/290 39/270 46/320
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 36/250 - 41/280
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 36/250 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 42/290 - 46/320
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 Y 36/250 - 36/250 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - 42/290 - 42/290
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 39/270 - 39/270 -
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 46/320 - 46/320

Reference
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131
With Sport Package:
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 H M+S
225/50 R 16 92 W32/220 39/270 38/260 45/310
225/45 R 17 91 H M+S
225/45 R 17 91 W33/230 41/280 41/280 48/330
225/45 R 17 94 V M+S XL 35/240 42/290 42/290 49/340
Front: 225/45 R 17 91 V 33/230 - 41/280 -
Rear: 255/40 R 17 94 V - 36/250 - 45/310
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W 36/250 - 42/290 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W - 42/290 - 49/340
Front: 225/40 R 18 88 Y 36/250 - 38/260 -
Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 Y - 42/290 - 45/310
Front: 225/35 R 19 88 Y XL 39/270 - 42/290 -
Rear: 255/30 R 19 91 Y XL - 46/320 - 49/340
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page177.
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100mph / 160km/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

Wheels and tires
132
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 or 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph or 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 … 3209 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 32 of 2009.
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.<
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
225/45 R1791 V
e.g.
Manufacturer's
code for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 3209

Reference
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Mobility
133
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 page134.
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.<
Tire age
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, BMW recommends tire replace-
ment after no more than 6 years, regardless of
the actual wear of the tires.

Wheels and tires
134 The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT ... 3209 means that the tire was manufac-
tured in week 32 of 2009.
Run-flat tires
The symbol identifying run-flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-flat tires comprise a conditionally self-sup-
porting tire and a special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can
continue to be used subject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire, page73.
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
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
h a z a r d s . M a k e s u re t h a t t h e n e w w h ee l s a r e b a l-
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
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount run-flat tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad 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, which could
lead to body contact and thus to severe acci-
dents. 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, DSC or
FTM.
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 page73. Your BMW
center will be glad to advise you.