tires BMW 1 SERIES 2010 User Guide

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Coupe: tire inflation pressures for the 128i
Coupe: tire inflation pressures for the 135i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100mph / 160km/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
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S 32/220 38/260 35/240 42/290
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S32/220 35/240 35/240 42/290
Front: 205/50 R 17 89 V 32/220 - 36/250 -
Rear: 225/45 R 17 91 V - 35/240 - 44/300
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y - 39/270 - 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page149.
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
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S 33/230 36/250 38/260 42/290
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y 36/250 - 38/260 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y - 39/270 - 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page149.

Wheels and tires
108
Convertible: tire inflation pressures for the 128i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100mph / 160km/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
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S 32/220 35/240 32/220 39/270
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S 32/220 38/260 35/240 42/290
Front: 205/50 R 17 89 V 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 225/45 R 17 91 V - 36/250 - 41/280
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y 35/240 - 35/240 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y - 41/280 - 41/280
with Sport Package
205/55 R 16 91 H M+S 32/220 35/240 32/220 39/270
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S 32/220 38/260 35/240 42/290
Front: 205/50 R 17 89 V 32/220 - 39/270 -
Rear: 225/45 R 17 91 V - 36/250 - 46/320
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y 35/240 - 38/260 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y - 41/280 - 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page149.

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Convertible: tire inflation pressures for the 135i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to a max. of
100 mph / 160 km/hTraveling speeds
including those exceeding
100mph / 160km/h
All pressure specifications in the table
are indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold
tires. Cold = ambient temperature
without Sport Package
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S 32/220 38/260 36/250 42/290
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y 39/270 - 39/270 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y - 41/280 - 41/280
with Sport Package
205/50 R 17 89 H M+S 32/220 38/260 36/250 42/290
Front: 215/40 R 18 85 Y 39/270 - 39/270 -
Rear: 245/35 R 18 88 Y - 41/280 - 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page149.

Wheels and tires
110
Tire identification marks
Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire
makes it easier to identify and choose the right
tires.
Tire size
Speed code letter
Q = up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph or 300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the US Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT … 3209 means that the
tire was manufactured in week 32 of 2009.
BMW recommends that you replace all tires
after 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:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear 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 (1γ) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteris-
tics 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 sur-
faces 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, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.<
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 e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter, in
front of the R on ZR tires
225/45 R1791 V
e.g.
Manufacturer's
code for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 3209

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heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material 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 Vehi-
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either sep-
arately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.<
RSC – run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to page112.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Designation for specially reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 1/8 in/
3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
1/16 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 1/8 in/
3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed
hydroplaning, even when only small amounts of
water are present on the road surface.
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth of 1/6 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter conditions. In the interest of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove
are distributed around the tire's circumference;
the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. Once the tire tread has
worn down to the wear indicators, the tire has
worn to a depth of 1/16 in/1.6 mm.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazard and consequential dam-
ages.
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by driving over curbs. The same
applies to any other abnormal road behavior,
such as pulling severely to the right or left.
In these cases, reduce speed immedi-
ately and have wheels and tires thor-
oughly checked. To do so, drive carefully to the
nearest BMW center or tire shop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If necessary,
have the vehicle towed there.
Otherwise, tire damage can pose a lethal hazard
to vehicle occupants and other road users.<

Wheels and tires
112
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 special rim. The reinforce-
ment in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can
continue to be used subject to certain restric-
tions, even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire on page67.
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW center or tire shop that
works according to BMW repair procedures
with correspondingly trained personnel. If this
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
h a z a r d s . M a k e s u re t h a t t h e n e w w h ee l s a r e b a l-
anced.<
Retreaded tires
BMW recommends that you do not use
retreaded tires, since driving safety may
be impaired. The causes for this include poten-
tially different tire casing structures and often
wide variations in tire age, which can result in a
limited service life.<
Correct 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. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad 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, which could
lead to body contact and thus to severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot guarantee their driving
safety.<
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination at your BMW center.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS, DSC or
FTM.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-
nation again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM electronics
When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only
use wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise,
the Tire Pressure Monitor may not be able to
detect a puncture, refer to page68. Your BMW
center will be glad to advise you.
Recommended tire brands
Certain makes of tire are recommended by
BMW for each tire size. They are marked with a
clearly visible BMW designation on the sidewall
of the tire.

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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 winter roads
or at temperatures below +457/+76.
Although all-season M+S tires provide better
winter traction than summer tires, they gener-
ally fail to provide the 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
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 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 between the axles is not per-
missible.
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 manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with chains.
Do not initialize the Flat 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 DTC temporarily, refer to
page65.<

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127
3Lateral reflector
4Roadside parking lamp and tail lamp LED
5Reflector
6Turn signal
7Backup lamp
8Brake Force Display lamp
Replacing tail lamps
Outer brake lamp
The outer brake lamp can be accessed through
a single socket.
The figure shows the right side of the vehicle.
1.Remove the cover from the panel of the
cargo area.
2.Turn the bulb holder to the left, see arrow,
and remove it.
3.Apply gentle pressure to the bulb while
turning it to the left for removal and replace-
ment.
4.Attach the bulb holder and turn it all the way
in the opposite direction.
5.Reattach the cover.
The roadside parking lamp/tail lamp uses
LED design. After replacing the bulb,
ensure that the bulb holder is properly seated;
otherwise, the roadside parking lamp/tail lamp
may not work.<
Inner brake lamp, turn signal, backup
lamp and Brake Force Display lamp
The bulbs are integrated in a single bulb holder.
1.Remove the cover from the panel of the
cargo area.
2.Detach the bulb holder by pressing
together the clips, see arrows, and remove
it.
3.Brake lamps and turn signal: apply gentle
pressure to the bulb while turning it to the
left for removal and replacement.
4.Backup lamp: pull the bulb out of the socket
and replace it.
5.Attach the bulb holder and let it snap into
place.
6.Reattach the cover.
License plate lamps and center brake
lamp
These lamps use LED technology for operation.
In the event of a malfunction, please contact
your BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires as
standard. This removes the need to change a
wheel immediately in the event of a puncture.
For information on continuing to drive with a
damaged tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire on
page67.
The symbol identifying run-flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall, refer to
Run-flat tires, page112.

Replacing components
128 When mounting new tires or changing over
from summer to winter tires and vice versa,
mount run-flat tires for your own safety. In the
event of a flat, no spare wheel is available. Your
BMW center will be glad to advise you. Refer
also to New wheels and tires, page112.
The tools for changing wheels are avail-
able as optional accessories from your
BMW center.<
Jack mounting points
The jacking points are at the positions shown in
the illustration.
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
ma te. Your BM W center will be glad to advise in
all matters concerning the battery.
Charging the battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the
terminals in the engine compartment with the
engine off. Connections, refer to Jump-starting
on page131.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by your
BMW center or bring them to a recycling
center. Maintain the battery in an upright posi-
tion for transport and storage. Always secure
the battery against tipping over during trans-
port.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require
reinitialization. Individual settings may likewise
have been lost and will have to be programmed:
>Time and date
These values must be updated, refer to
page62.
>Radio
Stations must be stored again, refer to the
separate Owner's Manual for Radio.
>Glass roof
It may happen that the roof can only be
raised. The system must be initialized.
Please contact your BMW center.
>Seat and mirror memory
*
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page40.
>Inside rearview mirror with digital compass
The system must be calibrated, refer to
page87.
>Active steering
The system automatically initializes itself
briefly during a trip. The system is deacti-
vated during this time, refer to page70.
Fuses
Never attempt to repair a blown fuse and
do not replace a defective fuse with a sub-
stitute of another color or amperage rating; oth-
erwise, this could lead to a circuit overload, ulti-
mately resulting in a fire in the vehicle.<
In the glove compartment
Accessing the fuse box:

Everything from A to Z
152
Everything from A to Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake
System64
Accessories, refer to The
individual vehicle5
Accident, reporting, refer to
Emergency Request130
Activated-charcoal filter84
Active steering70
Adaptive light control76
Additives
– coolant117
– engine oil116
Airbags71
– sitting safely35
– warning lamp72
Air conditioner79
Air distribution
– automatic83
– individual80
Airing, refer to
Ventilation81,84
Air outlets, refer to Air
vents79
Air pressure, checking, refer
to Tire inflation
pressure106
Air recirculation, refer to
Recirculated-air
mode80,83
Air vents79
Air volume80,83
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications104
Alarm system24
– avoiding unintentional
alarms25
– interior motion sensor25
– switching off an alarm25
– tilt alarm sensor25
ALL program83All-season tires, refer to
Winter tires113
Ambient air, refer to
Recirculated-air
mode80,83
Antifreeze
– coolant117
– washer fluid53
Antilock Brake System
ABS64
Anti-theft alarm system, refer
to Alarm system24
Anti-theft system19
Approved axle loads, refer to
Weights149
Approved gross vehicle
weight, refer to Weights149
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest
88
Ashtray90
Assistance systems, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC65
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control83
Automatic
– air distribution83
– air volume83
– cruise control54
– headlamp control74
Automatic car washes120
Automatic climate control79
– automatic air distribution83
Automatic curb monitor42
Automatic high beams and
low beams, refer to High-
beam assistant76
Automatic lamps
– refer to Welcome lamps74
Automatic recirculated-air
control AUC83Automatic transmission with
Steptronic49
– selector lever lock50
– shiftlock50
– towing132
– tow-starting132
AUTO program for automatic
climate control83
Average fuel consumption58
– setting the units60
Average speed58
Avoiding unintentional
alarms25
Axle loads, refer to
Weights149
B
Backrests, refer to Seats36
Backrest width adjustment37
Back seats, refer to Rear seats
– adjusting head restraints38
Backup lamp, replacing
bulb127
Bag for skis, refer to Ski
bag92
Band-aids, refer to First-aid
pouch130
Bar, refer to Tow-starting,
towing away133
Battery128
– charging128
– disposal27,128
– jump-starting131
– temporary power failure128
Battery renewal
– remote control for vehicle27
Being towed132
Belts, refer to Safety belts41
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety
belts41
Beverage holders, refer to
Cupholders89