Tire Identification NumberTires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
DOT xxxx xxx 0313
xxxx: manufacturer code for the tire brand
xxx: tire size and tire design
0313: tire age
Tire age
The tire manufacturing date is contained in the
tire identification mark: DOT ... 0313 means
that the tire was manufactured in the week 3 of
2013.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires af‐
ter 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:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.◀
Treadwear The treadwear 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
(11/2) times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions oftheir use, however, and may depart signifi‐
cantly from the norm due to variations in driv‐
ing habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics 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 surfaces 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, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma‐
terial 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
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Temperature grade for this tire
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.◀Seite 231Wheels and tiresMobility231
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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
remain drivable to a restricted degree in the
event of a pressure loss.
Driving can continue with a damaged tire, refer
to page 94.
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.
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
obtained 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 con‐
tact and with it, the risk of severe accidents.
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot eval‐
uate non-approved wheels and tires to deter‐
mine if they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of the vehi‐
cle 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.
Retreaded tires The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
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