spare wheel BMW 325CI CONVERTIBLE 2004 E46 Owner's Manual

95
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot pro-
vide you with advance warning of
sudden and severe tire damage caused
by external factors and does not detect
the balanced and very gradual pressure
loss that takes place in all four tires
over an extended period of time.<
On the other hand, the following situa-
tions can lead to a delayed detection of
pressure loss and even to the system
not functioning:
>Driving on snow-covered or slippery
roads
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at
the drive wheels, high levels of lateral
acceleration
>When driving with snow chains, false
warnings and undetected pressure
losses may occur
>When driving with a space-saver
spare tire, the Flat Tire Monitor can-
not function.
Initializing the system
Each time you correct the pres-
sure in a tire, or change a wheel or
tire, reinitialize the system immediately
afterwards. This requires a bit of driv-
ing.<
1. Before driving off, start the engine
but do not start driving
2. Press the button as long as you need
to until the yellow indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up for a
few seconds
3. Drive off.
It takes a few minutes before the Flat
Tire Monitor can detect a flat tire and
issue a warning.
When driving with snow chains or
a space-saver spare tire, do not
initialize the system.<
Flat tire
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up red. This
visual alert is accompanied by
an acoustic warning signal.
1. Carefully reduce speed and come to
a stop. Avoid sudden braking and
steering maneuvers
2. Determine which wheel is damaged
If this cannot be determined, con-
tact your BMW center.<
3. Replace the damaged wheel, refer to
Changing a wheel on page 153.
After replacing the damaged tire, initial-
ize the system.
Vehicles with Run Flat tires:
1. Carefully reduce your speed to under
50 mph / 80 km/h. Avoid sudden
braking and steering maneuvers. Do
not exceed a speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h
Flat Tire Monitor*
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129 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressureInformation for your safetyThe factory-approved tires are matched
to your vehicle and have been selected
to provide optimum safety and driving
comfort when used properly.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and – above all else
– driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire inflation pressure.
Incorrect tire inflation pressure is
a frequent cause of tire damage.
Tire pressure also has a major effect on
your BMW's handling response. Be
sure to check the tire inflation pressure,
including the space-saver spare tire or
the spare tire, on a regular basis, at
least twice a month and before every
extended journey, refer to page 25. If
this is not done, incorrect tire pressures
can cause driving instability and tire
damage, ultimately resulting in acci-
dents.<
Tire conditionTire tread – tire damageInspect your tires frequently for tread
wear, signs of damage and for foreign
objects lodged in the tread. Check the
tread depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though
the legally specified minimum tread
depth is 1/16 in / 1.6 mm.
Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at
relatively moderate speeds and with
only small amounts of water on the
road. Tread wear indicators in the
tread-groove base – see arrow – are
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-
wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At
a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the
indicators signal that the legally permis-
sible wear limit has been reached.
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131
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tem-
perature 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.
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 separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure. applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Tread wear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
BMW advises against using
retreaded tires, since driving
safety may be impaired. This is due to
the possible variations in casing struc-
tures and, in some cases, to their
extreme age, which can lead to a
decrease in their durability.<
Tire ageThe date on which the tire was manu-
factured is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT... 3603 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in week 36 of the year
2003.
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires – including the spare tire* –
when the tires are no more than 6 years
old, even if a tire life of 10 years is pos-
sible.Run Flat tires*Before purchasing tires, check if your
BMW is equipped with Run Flat tires.
These are indicated by a circular sym-
bol containing the letters RSC on the
tire sidewall, refer to Changing a wheel.
In this case, use only Run Flat tires,
since no spare wheel is available in the
event of a flat.
For more information on Run Flat tires,
refer to page 156.
Tire replacement
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133
the tire sidewall, refer to Changing a
wheel. In this case, use only Run Flat
winter tires, since no spare tire is pro-
vided in the event of a flat tire.Tire condition, tire pressureAt tread depths below approx. 3/16 in /
4 mm, winter tires display a perceptible
decrease in their ability to cope with
winter driving conditions, and should be
replaced in the interest of safety.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures — and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assembly balanced
every time you change a tire or wheel.Snow chains*Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and determined and
approved as roadworthy. Consult any
BMW center for details. BMW recom-
mends using only these approved fine-
link snow chains. Use them in pairs on
either summer or winter tires, but only
on both rear wheels.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph /
50 km/h when using snow chains.You cannot mount snow chains with the
following tires:
225/50 R 16
225/45 R 17
225/40 R 18
245/40 R 17
255/35 R 18
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Moni-
tor after mounting snow chains to
the tires.
When driving with snow chains, it may
be useful to turn off the DSC for a short
time, refer to page 94. OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

153
License plate lamps5 watt bulb
1. Place a screwdriver in the slot and
press toward the left to release the
lens
2. Replace the bulb.
Changing a wheel
Safety precautions in the event of
a flat tire or wheel change:
Stop the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Park on a firm, flat, sur-
face. Switch on the hazard warning
flashers. Turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position and engage the
steering lock. Shift into 1st or Reverse,
or if you have an automatic transmis-
sion position the selector lever in Park,
and engage the parking brake.
All passengers should be outside the
vehicle and well away from your imme-
diate working area – behind a guardrail,
for example.
If a warning triangle or portable hazard
warning lamp is available, set it up on
the roadside at an appropriate distance
from the rear of the vehicle. Comply
with all safety guidelines and regula-
tions.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm
surface which is not slippery. Avoid
jacking the vehicle on a soft or slippery
support surface – snow, ice, loose
gravel, etc. – as either the vehicle or the
jack could slip sideways.
Position the jack on a firm support sur-
face.
Do not place wooden blocks or similar
objects under the jack. They could pre-
vent the jack from extending to its full
height and reduce its support capacity.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported
by the jack. There is otherwise a risk of
fatal injury.<
Your BMW is equipped with a space-
saver spare tire designed for temporary
use in maintaining the vehicle's mobility
in an emergency.
To remove the space-saver spare
tire, lift the floor panel in the lug-
gage compartment completely out,
refer to page 37.<
Lamps and bulbs
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154
What you will needIn order to avoid rattling noises later,
note the position of the tools when you
remove them and return them to their
original position when you are through
using them.
>Jack 1
Raise the floor panel in the luggage
compartment, refer to page 37, and
undo the jack.
When you have completed work, fold
the handle back and insert it in its
holder
>Chock 2
Located behind the jack on the wall
in the luggage compartment. Loosen
the wingnut to remove it
>Space-saver spare tire – next to jack
Loosen the wing nut by hand, remove
the storage shelf and take the wheel
out
>Lug wrench – in the onboard tool kit
on the underside of the luggage com-
partment lid, refer to page 148.Procedure1. Read and comply with the safety
precautions provided on the previ-
ous page
2. Secure the vehicle to prevent it
from rolling:
Place the chock against the rear
surface of the front tire on the side
opposite the side being raised. If
the vehicle is parked on a down-
ward slope, place the chock
securely in front of the tire. If the
wheel must be changed on a sur-
face with a more severe slope, take
additional precautions to secure
the vehicle from rolling
3. Wheels with full wheel covers*:
reach into the ventilation openings
and pull the cover off
4. Loosen the lug bolts by rotating
half a turn
Changing a wheel

155
5. Position the jack at the jacking
point closest to the flat tire with the
jack base vertically below the jack-
ing point. The entire surface of the
head of the jack moves into the
square recess of the jacking point –
refer to the detail in the next illus-
tration – when the jack is cranked
6. Continue raising the vehicle up
until the wheel you are changing is
raised from the ground
7. Unscrew the lug bolts and remove
the wheel
8. Remove accumulations of mud and
dirt from the mounting surfaces of
the wheel and hub. Clean the lug
bolts
9. Position the new wheel or the
space-saver spare tire on the hub
and screw at least two lug bolts fin-
ger-tight into opposite bolt holes
10. Screw in the remaining lug bolts.
Screw in all the bolts in a diagonal
pattern
11. Lower the jack and remove it from
beneath the vehicle
12. Tighten the lug bolts securely in a
diagonal pattern
13. Wheels with full wheel covers*:
place the wheel cover with the
valve opening over the valve. Use
both hands to press the cover
securely onto the rim
14. Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure at the earliest opportunity.
Vehicles with Flat Tire Monitor:
After mounting the spare tire or
correcting the tire inflation pres-
sure, reinitialize the system, refer to
page 95.
Protect valve stems and valves from dirt
using screw-on valve stem caps. Dirty
valve stems frequently lead to slow
pressure loss.
Do not place the full wheel cover
on the space-saver spare tire,
since this could damage the cover.<
Changing a wheel
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156
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not
attempt to raise another vehicle model
with it or to raise any other type of load.
To do so could cause accidents and
personal injury.
To ensure continued safety, have the
tightness of the torque bolts checked
with a calibrated lug wrench – torque
specification: 88.5 lb ft/120 Nm – at the
earliest opportunity.<
When storing a wheel in the spare tire
recess, take care to avoid bending the
threaded rod.
If light-alloy wheels other than original
BMW light-alloy wheels have been
mounted, it may be necessary to use
different lug bolts for those wheels.
Replace the defective tire as soon as
possible and have the new wheel/tire
balanced.
Driving with the space-saver
spare tireDrive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 45 mph / 80 km/h.
Be aware that vehicle handling may be
altered. Anticipate, e.g., reduced track-
ing during braking, longer braking dis-
tances and changed steering charac-
teristics when approaching limit
conditions. These handling characteris-
tics will be even more pronounced if
winter tires are mounted.
Only one space-saver spare tire
may be mounted at one time.
Mount a wheel and tire of the original
size at the earliest possible opportu-
nity.<
Run Flat tires*Run Flat tires are labeled on the side-
wall with a circular symbol containing
the letters RSC. Run Flat tires consist of
self-supporting tires and special rims.
The tire reinforcement ensures that
driving remains possible to a restricted
degree in the event of pressure drop or
even if the tire is deflated.
When mounting or replacing sum-
mer tires with winter tires, or vice
versa, use Run Flat tires since no spare
wheel is available in the event of a flat.
In this event, BMW recommends con-
sulting your BMW center. Your BMW
center has the information needed for
working with Run Flat tires and is
equipped with the necessary special
tools.<
Changing a wheel

Everything from A to ZFlat tire 153
Flat Tire Monitor 94
space-saver spare tire 153
Flat Tire Monitor 94
indicator lamp 18, 19, 95
Flat tire, refer to Tire condi-
tion 129
Fluid reservoir for washer
systems 138
Fog lamps 99
indicator lamp 20
Follow me home lamps 97
Footbrake, refer to General
driving notes 125
Front airbags 61
Front fog lamps 99
Front seat adjustment 53
Fuel
display 87
quality 25
volume 169
Fuel consumption
display 91
Fuel display, refer to Fuel
gauge 87
Fuel economy, refer to
Energy control 86
Fuel filler door 24
release following an elec-
trical malfunction 24
Fuel level indicator, refer to
Fuel gauge 87Fuel mixture preparation 166
Fuel reserve indicator, refer
to Fuel gauge 87
Fuel tank capacity 169
Fully-automatic convertible
top 46
activation 46
convenience operation
32, 33
opening, closing 47
remote control 32
Fuses 157
G
Garage door opener, refer to
Integrated universal
remote control 112
Gasoline consumption, refer
to Average fuel consump-
tion 91
Gasoline, refer to Fuel spec-
ifications 25
Gear indicator 77, 81
Gear lever
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 79
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 75
Gearbox
manual transmission 74
Gearshift lever
manual transmission 74General driving notes 125
Glove compartment 111
Grills, refer to Ventilation
102, 106
Gross weight, refer to
Weights 168
H
Handbrake, refer to Parking
brake 73
Hardtop 127
Hardtop preparation 127
Hardtop, refer to the sepa-
rate Owner's Manual 127
Hazard warning flashers 14
Hazard warning triangle 23
Head restraints 54
Headlamp cleaning system
cleaning headlamps 84
washer fluid 138, 169
Headlamp control, auto-
matic 97
Headlamp flasher 99
indicator lamp 21
Headlamps
bulb replacement 149
care, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Heated mirrors 59Heated rear window
air conditioning 104
automatic climate
control 109
Heated seats 58
Heating
exterior mirrors 59
rear window 104, 109
seats 58
Heating and ventilation
102, 106
Heavy loads, refer to Cargo
loading 119
Height adjustment
seats 53
steering wheel 59
Height, refer to
Dimensions 167
High beams 82, 83, 99
bulb replacement 150
headlamp flasher 99
indicator lamp 21
Holder for beverages 115
Hood release 134
Horn 14
Hub cap 154
Hydraulic brake assistant,
refer to DBC 125
Hydraulic system
brakes 126
Hydroplaning 125

Everything from A to ZRollover protection
system 68
indicator lamp 19
lowering 68
Roof load capacity 168
Roof-mounted luggage
rack 121
Rope, refer to Towing the
vehicle 161
Run Flat tires 131, 156
S
Safe seating position 52
Safety belt height adjust-
ment 56
Safety belts 56
seat-integrated safety belt
system 55
sitting safely 52
warning lamp 18
Safety systems, refer to
Antilock Brake
System 125
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 93
Screwdriver, refer to
Onboard tool kit 148
Seat adjustment 53
BMW sports seat 53
power 53
Seat belt tensioner, refer to
Safety belts 56Seat heating 58
Seat memory, refer to Seat
and mirror memory 57
Seat positions, storing 57
Seats 53
Securing cargo 120
Securing child-restraint sys-
tem 66
Securing the vehicle
from inside 34
from outside 31, 33
Selector lever
automatic transmission 79
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 75
Selector lever lock, refer to
Shiftlock 75, 79
Selector lever positions
automatic transmission 79
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 75
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG 75
indicator lamp 19
Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet 142
Service Engine Soon
warning lamp 19
Service interval display
88, 142
Shift paddles 76Shifting gears
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 79
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 76
Shiftlock 75
Shiftlock, refer to Range
selection 79
Side airbags 61
Side turn signal indicators
bulb replacement 151
Sitting safely
with airbags 52
with safety belts 52
Size 167
Ski bag 117
Slipstream deflector, refer to
Wind deflector 50
SMG sequential manual
gearbox 75
indicator lamp 19
Smokers' package, refer to
Ashtray 115
Snow chains 133
SOS, refer to Emergency
call 158
Space-saver spare tire
changing a wheel 153
Spare key 30
Spare tire 153
Spare wheel 156
Special oils 139Specified oils 139
Speed gauge, refer to
Speedometer 16
Speedometer 16
SPORT button 78
Sport program
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 80
Sports seat 53
Stability control, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 93
Standing lamps 99
Starting difficulties
jump-starting 159
temperature 71
Starting help DSC 93
Starting the engine 71
Starting, refer to Starting the
engine 71
Status of the Owner's Man-
ual 5
Steering wheel lock 71
Steering wheel, adjusting 59
Steptronic, refer to Manual
operation 80
Storage compartments 114
Storage nets 114
Storing seat positions,
refer to Seat and mirror
memory 57
Storing tires 132