2011 BMW ACTIVEHYBRID X6 tires

Driving tips
139Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
speed. This is the fastest way for the cold
engine to reach its operating temperature.
Thinking ahead when driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
To do so, maintain the appropriate distance
from the vehicle in front of you. An anticipatory
and smooth driving style reduces fuel con-
sumption.
Avoiding high engine speeds
Driving at a low engine speed reduces fuel con-
sumption and minimizes wear.
Taking advantage of coasting
The flow of fuel is interrupted when coasting.
Switching off engine during longer
stops
Switch off the engine at longer stops such as
traffic signals, railroad crossings, or in traffic
congestions. You achieve fuel savings even if
the standing time is as short as approx.
4seconds.
Switching off functions currently not
required
Functions such as air conditioning, seat heat-
ing, or rear window defrosting consume a lot of
energy and require additional fuel. Their influ-
ence is particularly pronounced in city traffic
and stop & go operation. For this reason, it is a
good idea to switch these functions off when
they are not really needed.
Having maintenance carried out
Have the vehicle serviced regularly in order to
achieve the optimum economy and service life
of your vehicle. BMW recommends having the
maintenance performed by a BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center. Also pay attention to
the BMW maintenance system, refer to
page256.
General driving notes
Closing liftgate
Operate the vehicle only when the liftgate
is completely closed. Otherwise, exhaust
fumes could enter into the passenger compart-
ment.<
If it is absolutely necessary to drive with the lift-
gate open:
1.Close all windows as well as the glass sun-
roof
*/panoramic glass sunroof*.
2.Increase the air volume of the automatic cli-
mate control to a high level, refer to
page118.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high temper-
atures are generated on the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to it, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, and with it
the risk of serious property damage as well as
personal injury. Do not touch hot tailpipes, as
otherwise there is a danger of burns.<
Diesel particulate filter*
Soot particles are collected in the diesel partic-
ulate filter and periodically burned away at high
temperatures. This cleaning process lasts a few
minutes. You will notice it sometimes by the
fact that the engine temporarily runs slightly
less smoothly and requires a slightly higher
engine speed to deliver the usual power. You
may also hear sounds and observe a slight
amount of smoke coming from the exhaust up
to even a few moments after the engine is
switched off.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This phenomenon is referred to as hydro-

Things to remember when driving
140 planing, and is characterized by a partial or
complete loss of contact between the tires and
the road surface, ultimately undermining your
ability to steer and brake the vehicle.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tread
depth of the tires decreases, also refer to Mini-
mum tread depth on page248.
Driving through water
Maximum water depth:
>BMW X5 20 in/50 cm
>BMW X6 17 in/45 cm
Only drive through water up to the above-
mentioned depth at no greater than walk-
ing speed; otherwise, the engine, electrical sys-
tem, and transmission can be damaged.<
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. In situations that require it, it is best to
brake with full force. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal. Even light but consistent
pedal pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake failure.<
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent pressure on the brake pedal
can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and
possibly even brake failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be further
increased by downshifting in the manual mode
of the automatic transmission, if necessary into
first gear, refer to page64. This prevents an
excessive strain on the brakes.
Do not drive in idle or with the engine
stopped, otherwise there will be no
engine braking action or support of the braking
force and steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area of movement
of the pedals and impair their operation.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When vehicle is parked
Condensation forms in the automatic climate
control system during operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result
can assume the form of a sudden blowout.<

Things to remember when driving
144 >After driving through water at low speed,
lightly press the brake pedal several times
to dry the brakes and to prevent the braking
effect from being reduced by wetness.
>Depending on the condition of the surface,
it may be practical to briefly activate DTC,
refer to DTC Dynamic Traction Control on
page96.
>If the drive wheels spin on one side, depress
the accelerator pedal sufficiently so that the
driving stability control systems can distrib-
ute the drive forces to the individual wheels.
Please note the following points after driving on
poor roads to maintain the driving safety of your
BMW:
>Clean the coarsest dirt from the body.
>Clean mud, snow, ice etc. from the wheels
and tires and check the tires for damage.

Mobility
This section helps you maintain your
mobility by supplying important information
on vital topics including fuels and lubricants,
wheels and tires, service, maintenance
and roadside assistance.
Mobility

Mobility
239Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
The condition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure are crucial not only
to the tire's service life, but also to driving com-
fort and most importantly, driving safety.
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 increases.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it as needed, even on the
compact tire
*: at least twice a month and before
starting long trips. If you fail to observe this pre-
caution, you may be driving on tires with incor-
rect tire pressures, a condition that can not only
compromise your vehicle's driving stability, but
also lead to tire damage and the risk of an acci-
dent. Do not drive with depressurized, i.e. flat
tires, except run-flat tires. A flat tire will seri-
ously impair your vehicle's handling and braking
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can
lead to a loss of control over the vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page100, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page102.<
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes and tire brands respectively
approved and recommended by BMW; a list of
these is available from your BMW Sports Activ-
ity Vehicle Center. tion pressure for your tires, observe the follow-
ing:
>Tire sizes of your vehicle
>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
up to 100 mph/160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph/160 km/h,
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
column Traveling speeds up to max. of
100 mph/160 km/h to achieve optimum driving
comfort.
These pressure specifications can be found on
the door post when you open the driver's door.
The permissible top speed for these tire
inflation pressures is 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not exceed this speed, otherwise tire dam-
age and accidents may result.<
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please
observe, and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures
for speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from
the relevant table on the following pages. Oth-
erwise tire damage and accidents could
occur.<

Wheels and tires
240 Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the law could
occur.

Mobility
241Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Tire inflation pressures X5 xDrive35i/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
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/80 R 19 114 M60/420 60/420 60/420 60/420
Without sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 32/220 36/250 35/240 41/280
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 V XL 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 V XL - 32/220 - 36/250
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 35/240 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 33/230 - 36/250
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 33/230 - 36/250 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 36/250 - 39/270
With sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 32/220 36/250 35/240 41/280
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 V XL 32/220 - 39/270 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 V XL - 32/220 - 41/280
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 33/230 - 39/270
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 36/250 - 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page283.

Wheels and tires
242
Tire inflation pressures X5 xDrive50i 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
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/80 R 19 114 M60/420 60/420 60/420 60/420
Without sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 32/220 36/250 35/240 41/280
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 32/220 - 36/250
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 35/240 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 33/230 - 36/250
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 Y XL 33/230 - 36/250 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 Y XL - 36/250 - 39/270
With sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 32/220 36/250 35/240 41/280
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 32/220 - 39/270 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 32/220 - 41/280
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 33/230 - 42/290
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 Y XL 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 Y XL - 36/250 - 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page283.