2012 BMW X3 Owners Manual

combination, can cause heat buildup and pos‐
sible tire failure.
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.◀
RSC – Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires, refer to page 227, are labeled with
a circular symbol containing the letters RSC
marked on the sidewall.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.
Tire tread
Summer tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 in/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.
Winter tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 in/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are
less suitable for winter operation.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the tire's
circumference and have the legally required
minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
They are marked on the side of the tire with TWI,
Tread Wear Indicator.
Tire damage
General information
Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign ob‐
jects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Notes
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces, as
well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires and sus‐
pension parts. This is more likely to occur with
low-profile tires, which provide less cushioning
between the wheel and the road. Be careful to
avoid road hazards and reduce your speed, es‐
pecially if your vehicle is equipped with low-pro‐
file tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle de‐
fects:▷Unusual vibrations during driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong tendency
to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
In case of tire damage
If there are indications of tire damage, re‐
duce your speed immediately and have the
wheels and tires checked right away; otherwise,
there is the increased risk of an accident.
Drive carefully to the next service center or tire
shop.
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.
Otherwise, tire damage can be life-threatening
for vehicle occupants and other traffic partici‐
pants.◀
Repair of tire damage
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends that you do not have
damaged tires repaired; they should be re‐
placed. Otherwise, damage can occur as a re‐
sult.◀
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Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Information on mounting tires
Have mounting and balancing performed
only by a service center or tire specialist.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.◀
Wheel and tire combination
Information on the correct wheel-tire combina‐
tion and rim versions for your vehicle can be ob‐
tained from your service center.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair the
function of a variety of systems such as ABS or
DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
Approved wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle recom‐
mends that you use only wheels and tires that
have been approved for your particular vehicle
model.
For example, despite having the same official
size ratings, variations can lead to body contact
and with it, the risk of severe accidents.
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot evalu‐
ate non-approved wheels and tires to determine
if they are suited for use, and therefore cannot
ensure the operating safety of the vehicle if they
are mounted.◀Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your ve‐
hicle recommends certain tire brands. These
can be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.
With proper use, these tires meet the highest
standards for safety and handling.
New tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac‐
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in pe‐
riod.
Drive conservatively for the first 200 miles/
300 km.
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
Retreaded tires
Possibly substantial variations in the de‐
sign and age of the tire casing structures can
limit service life and have a negative impact on
road safety.◀
Winter tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle recommends
winter tires for winter roads or at temperatures
below +45 ℉/+7 ℃.
Although so-called all-season M+S tires do pro‐
vide better winter traction than summer tires,
they do not provide the same level of perform‐
ance as winter tires.
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Maximum speed of winter tires
If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,
then display a corresponding sign in the field of
vision. You can obtain this sign from the tire spe‐
cialist or from your service center.
Maximum speed for winter tires
Do not exceed the maximum speed for the
winter tires; otherwise, tire damage and acci‐
dents can occur.◀
Run-flat tires
For your own safety, only use run-flat tires. No
spare tire is available in the case of a flat tire. Your
service center will be glad to advise you.
Rotating wheels between axles
The manufacturer of your vehicle advises
against swapping wheels between the front and
rear axles.
This can impair the handling characteristics.
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 pres‐
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.Run-flat tires
Label
RSC label on the tire sidewall.
The wheels are composed of special rims and
tires that are self-supporting, to a limited de‐
gree.
The support of the sidewall allows the tire to re‐
main drivable to a restricted degree in the event
of a pressure loss.
Continued driving with a damaged tire, refer to
page 93.
Changing run-flat tires
For your own safety, only use run-flat tires. No
spare tire is available in the case of a flat tire. Your
service center will be glad to advise you.
Snow chains
Fine-link snow chains
Only certain types of fine-link snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your vehicle,
classified as road-safe and recommended.
Consult your service center for more informa‐
tion.
Use
Use only in pairs on the rear wheels, equipped
with the tires of the following size:
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▷245/50 R 18.
No snow chains with tires of size 245/45 R
19
Do not mount snow chains on tires of size
245/45 R 19; otherwise, the vehicle can become
damaged.◀
Follow the chain manufacturer's instructions.
Make sure that the snow chains are always suf‐
ficiently tight. Retighten as needed according to
the chain manufacturer's instructions.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after
mounting snow chains, as doing so may result
in incorrect readings.
Do not initialize the Tire Pressure Monitor after
mounting snow chains, as doing so may result
in incorrect readings.
When driving with snow chains, briefly activate
Dynamic Traction Control if necessary.
Maximum speed with snow chains
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph/50 km/h when
using snow chains.
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Engine compartmentVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipmentis also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Important features in the engine compartment
1Washer fluid reservoir2Vehicle identification number3Jump-starting, negative terminal4Jump-starting, positive terminal5Coolant reservoir6Oil filler neckHood
Opening the hood Working in the engine compartment
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without the
necessary professional technical training.If you are unfamiliar with the statutory guide‐
lines, have any work on the vehicle performed
only by a service center.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards.◀Seite 229Engine compartmentMobility229
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Never reach into the engine compartment
Never reach into the intermediate spaces
or gaps in the engine compartment. Otherwise,
there is risk of injury, e.g. from rotating or hot
parts.◀1.Pull the lever.2.Press the release handle and open the hood.3.Be careful of protruding parts on the hood.
Danger of injury when the hood is open
There is a danger of injury from protruding
parts when the hood is open.◀
Closing the hood
Let the hood drop from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm and push down on it to lock it fully.
Make sure you hear the engine compartment lid
engage.
Hood open when driving
If you see any signs that the hood is not
completely closed while driving, pull over imme‐
diately and close it securely.◀
Danger of pinching
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear; otherwise, injuries may result.◀
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Engine oilVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
General information
The engine oil consumption is dependent on the
driving style and driving conditions.
Therefore, regularly check the engine oil level
after refueling.
Checking the oil level
The concept
The oil level is monitored electronically during
driving and shown on the Control Display.
If the oil level reaches the minimum level, a
check control message is displayed.
Requirements▷The engine must be running and warm after
the vehicle has been driven for at least
6 miles/10 km.▷The vehicle is stopped or being driven on a
level roadway.
Displaying the oil level
1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Engine oil level"
Possible messages
▷"Engine oil level OK"▷"Measurement not possible at this time."▷"Measuring engine oil level..."
Duration with the engine running: ap‐
prox. 3 minutes.
Duration while driving: approx. 5 minutes.▷"Engine oil level below minimum. Add 1
quart!"
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km.▷"Engine oil level too high! Have this
checked."
Have the vehicle checked immediately.
Too much engine oil
Have the vehicle checked immedi‐
ately; otherwise, surplus oil can lead to en‐
gine damage.◀▷"Measurement inactive. Have this
checked."
Note the newly calculated remaining mile‐
age until the next oil service. Have the sys‐
tem checked as soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Filler neck
When the indicator lights up in the instrument
cluster, add 1 US quart/liter of engine oil within
the next 125 miles/200 km.
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Protect children
Keep oil, grease, etc., out of reach of chil‐
dren and heed the warnings on the containers
to prevent health risks.◀
Oil types for refilling
Notes No oil additives
Oil additives may lead to engine damage. ◀
Viscosity grades for engine oils
When selecting an engine oil, ensure that
the engine oil belongs to one of the viscosity
grades SAE 0W-40, SAE 0W-30, SAE 5W-40,
and SAE 5W-30 or malfunctions or engine dam‐
age may occur.◀
The engine oil quality is critical for the life of the
engine.
Some types of oils in some cases are not avail‐
able in all countries.
Approved oil typesSpecificationBMW High Performance SAE 5W-30BMW Longlife-01BMW Longlife-01 FE
Additional information about the approved
types of oils can be requested from the service
center.
Alternative oil types
If the approved engine oils are not available, up
to 1 US quart/liter of an oil with the following
specification can be added:
SpecificationAPI SM or superior grade specificationOil change
An oil change should be carried out by your
service center only.
Coolant
General information Danger of burns from hot engine
Do not open the cooling system while the
engine is hot; otherwise, escaping coolant may
cause burns.◀
Suitable additives
Only use suitable additives; otherwise, en‐
gine damage may occur. The additives are
harmful to your health.◀
Coolant consists of water and additives.
Not all commercially available additives are suit‐
able for your vehicle. Ask your service center for
suitable additives.
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