258
MobilityWheels and tires
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 driving on 
winter roads or at temperatures below +45 7/
+7 6. Although all-season M+S tires provide 
better winter traction th an summer tires, they 
generally fail to provide th e 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 tires, 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 this could impair driving 
characteristics. If the tires are of mixed sizes, 
swapping wheels betwee n the axles is not per-
missible.
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 spec ial rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls en sures that the tire can 
continue to be used su bject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat 
tire, refer to In dication of a flat tire, page 101.
Snow chains
Only certain fine-link snow 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 Fl at 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 DT C temporarily, refer to 
page 98.<
Online  Edition  for Part  no. 01 40 2 609  333 - \251  08/11  BMW AG