Wheels and tires
232
Tire inflation pressures X5 xDrive30i/X5 xDrive48i/X5 xDrive35d with two rows
of seats
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
without sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 36/250 44/300 41/280 48/330
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 V XL 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 V XL - 38/260 - 42/290
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 35/240 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 39/270 - 42/290
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 35/240 - 38/260 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 42/290 - 45/310
with sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 36/250 44/300 41/280 48/330
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 V XL 32/220 - 41/280 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 V XL - 38/260 - 48/330
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 41/280 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 39/270 - 48/330
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 35/240 - 42/290 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 42/290 - 49/340
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page271.
ba8_e70ag.book Seite 232 Freitag, 5. Juni 2009 11:42 11
Mobility
233Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Tire inflation pressure X6 xDrive35i
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
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL
255/50 R 19 107 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 36/250 42/290
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 V XL 32/220 - 36/250 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 V XL - 32/220 - 38/260
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 32/220 - 36/250 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 32/220 - 36/250
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 32/220 - 38/260 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 33/230 - 39/270
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/80 R 19 114 M60/420 60/420 60/420 60/420
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page271.
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Wheels and tires
234
Tire inflation pressures for X6 xDrive50i
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
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL
255/50 R 19 107 V M+S XL33/230 33/230 41/280 42/290
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 36/250 - 42/290 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 36/250 - 42/290
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 36/250 - 44/300 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 36/250 - 44/300
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 36/250 - 45/310 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 36/250 - 45/310
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/80 R 19 114 M60/420 60/420 60/420 60/420
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page271.
ba8_e70ag.book Seite 234 Freitag, 5. Juni 2009 11:42 11
Mobility
237Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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 page93
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure page95
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center or a tire shop that works according to
BMW repair procedures with correspondingly
trained personnel. If this work is not carried out
properly, there is a danger of subsequent dam-
age and related safety hazards. Make sure that
the new wheels are balanced.<
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
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount Run-Flat Tires for your own safety. Your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be
happy 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 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.<
When changing to larger wheels and tires,
it may be necessary to make changes to
the wheelwell trim piece, as otherwise road
users could be endangered or the vehicle could
be damaged. Only have this work carried out by
a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a
workshop that works in accordance with BMW
guidelines and uses appropriately trained per-
sonnel.<
You can ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center for the correct wheel/tire combination.
The correct wheel/tire combination also affects
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS, DSC, xDrive,
Dynamic Performance Control in the BMW X6,
or Flat Tire Monitor.
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.
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Wheels and tires
238
Wheels with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When mounting new tires or changing 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 page94. Your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle 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.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends using winter tires for opera-
tion on winter road or at temperatures below
+457/+76. Although all-season M+S tires
provide better winter traction than summer
tires, they generally fail to provide the same lev-
els 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
and fuels. Do not exceed the maximum tire
inflation pressure indicated on the side wall of
the tire.
Rotating wheels between axles
Even with tires of the same size, BMW
recommends that you not rotate the front
tires to the rear or vice versa as this can nega-
tively affect handling characteristics.
When the vehicle is equipped with different
tires sizes
*, rotating tires from one axle to the
other is not permitted.<
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
can provide you with this information.
BMW X5: use is only permitted in pairs on the
rear wheels with tires of the size:
>255/55 R 18
>255/50 R 19
BMW X6: it is only permissible to use snow
chains in pairs, on the 255/50 R 19 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
*, as otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
When you are driving with snow chains, it can
be beneficial to activate DTC briefly, refer to
page89.<
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Replacing components
256 3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Insert the bulb socket in the liftgate and
engage it.
5.Replace the cover.
License plate lamp
5-Watt bulb, C5W
1.Slide the lamp to the right with a screw-
driver, refer to arrow1.
2.Remove the lamp, arrow2.
3.Replace the bulb.
4.Reinstall the lamp.
Center brake lamp
This lamp uses LED technology for operation.
In case of a defect, please go to a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires as
standard. As a result, it is not necessary to
change the wheel immediately in the case of air
loss in the event of a breakdown.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of
a flat tire page93
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure page95
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to Run-flat tires, page237.
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. No spare tire is avail-
able in case of a flat tire. Your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center will be happy to advise
you. Also refer to New wheels and tires,
page237.
BMW X6: do not rotate the front wheels to
the rear or vice versa, as otherwise the
handling characteristics will be negatively
affected.<
Suitable tools for changing tires are avail-
able as accessories at your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center.<
Jacking points for vehicle jack
The jacking points for the vehicle jack are
located in the positions shown.
Compact wheel*
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
ba8_e70ag.book Seite 256 Freitag, 5. Juni 2009 11:42 11
Replacing components
258 2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular
recess of the jacking point when cranking
up, refer to illustration detail.
3.Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you are
changing is raised from the ground.
Mounting a wheel
1.Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
2.Remove accumulations of mud or dirt from
the mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub. Also clean the lug bolts.
3.Position the new wheel or compact wheel.
Secure the wheel by screwing at least two
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes.
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts. Tighten all
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5.Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from
beneath the vehicle.
After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety, always have the
lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench as soon as possible to
ensure that they are tightened to the speci-
fied torque. Otherwise, incorrectly tight-
ened lug bolts are a hidden safety risk. The
tightening torque is 101 lb ft/140 Nm.<
2.Stow the defective wheel in the cargo bay.
The defective wheel cannot be stored
under the floor panel flap due to its
size.<3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems with valve screw
caps against dirt and contamination.
Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source of
gradual air loss.<
4.Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page93, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page94.
5.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Driving with compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. Otherwise,
changes in the driving characteristics could
result, for example reduced track stability on
braking, extended braking distance, and altered
self-steering characteristics in the limit range.
In conjunction with winter tires, these charac-
teristics are more pronounced.<
Only one compact wheel may be
mounted. Restore the wheels and tires to
their original size as quickly as possible. Failure
to do so is a safety risk.<
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, i.e., the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center
will be glad to advise in all matters concerning
the battery.
Charging battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine switched off. Connections, refer to
Jump starting on page262.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of following
replacement at your BMW Sports Activity
ba8_e70ag.book Seite 258 Freitag, 5. Juni 2009 11:42 11
Reference 281
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
C
Calibrating driver's seat50
California Proposition 65
Warning6
Call
– accepting205
– ending205
– rejecting205
Calling, refer to Phone
numbers, dialing206
Calling, refer to telephone
operating instructions
Camera
– refer to Rear view camera86
– refer to Top View84
Can holder, refer to Cup
holders119
Capacities272
Capacity of cargo bay271
Car battery, refer to Vehicle
battery258
Care246
– car-care products246
– carpets248
– car washes246
– CD/DVD-player249
– chrome components247
– displays249
– exterior246
– fine wooden
components248
– hand washing247
– headlamps247
– high-pressure cleaning
jets247
– interior248
– leather248
– light-alloy wheels247
– paint247
– plastic components248
– rubber gaskets247
– running boards248
– safety belts248
– sensors and cameras248
– upholstery materials and
cloth-covered paneling248
– windows247Cargo
– refer to Loading133
– securing134
– securing with ski bag126
Cargo area, refer to Cargo
bay122
Cargo area cover, refer to Roll-
up cover122
Cargo bay
– capacity271
– emergency actuation, refer
to Manually opening or
closing
34
– emergency operation, refer
to Opening manually31
– expanding124
– opening33
– opening/closing, refer to
Liftgate30,33
– opening/closing, refer to
Tailgate33
– opening from inside31
– opening from outside31
– opening with remote
control28
Cargo bay cover, refer to Roll-
up cover122
Caring for the vehicle
finish247
Car key, refer to Keys/remote
control26
Car phone
– installation location, refer to
Center armrest, front119
– refer to separate operating
instructions
– refer to Telephone202
Car radio, refer to Radio163
Car wash246
– before driving in60
– with comfort access37
Catalytic converter, refer to
Hot exhaust system131
CBC Cornering Brake
Control88
CBS Condition Based
Service244CD
– audio playback172
– refer to Playing audio tracks,
DVD system in rear193
CD-/DVD player in rear188
CD changer171
– controls160
– fast forward/reverse173
– random play sequence172
– selecting a track172
– switching on/off160
– tone control160
– volume160
CD player171
– controls160
– fast forward/reverse173
– random play sequence172
– selecting a track172
– switching on/off160
– tone control160
– volume160
Cell phone, refer to Mobile
phone
Center armrest
– front119
– rear122
Center brake lamp253,256
Center console14
Central locking system27
– comfort access35
– from inside vehicle30
Changes, technical
– refer to For your own
safety5
– refer to Parts and
accessories5
Changing gears using shift
paddles65
Changing language on
Control Display81
Changing tires237
Changing trips149
Changing units of measure on
Control Display80
Changing wheels256
Check Control77
Checking the air pressure,
refer to Tire inflation
pressure229
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