BMW 525I TOURING 2007 E61 Owner's Manual

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219Reference
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528i
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to 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
245/45 R 17 95 W
225/55 R 16 95 H M+S
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 V M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
245/40 R 18 93 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 35/240 36/250 44/300
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35R1895W32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 36/250 42/290
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30R1996YXL32/220 38/260 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page255.

Wheels and tires
220
535i
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to 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
245/45 R 17 95 W
225/55 R 16 95 H M+S
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 M+S W
225/50 R 17 94 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 35/240 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 W 32/220 38/260 32/220 35/240 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35 R 18 95 W32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 38/260 42/290
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30 R 19 96 Y XL33/230 39/270 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page255.

Mobility
221Reference
At a glance
Controls
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Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
528xi
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to 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
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 V M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S
245/40 R 18 93 W
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 36/250 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35R1895W32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 38/260 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page255.

Wheels and tires
222
535xi
535xi Sports Wagon
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to 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
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL32/220 35/240 32/220 33/230 35/240 42/290
225/50 R 17 94 W M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S32/220 36/250 32/220 36/250 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 W 33/230 36/250 33/230 36/250 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S 35/240 38/260 35/240 38/260 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35 R 18 95 W32/230 35/240 33/230 33/230 38/260 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page255.
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to 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
225/50 R 17 94 W M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
245/45 R 17 95 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL33/230 41/280 33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 Y 32/220 39/270 32/220 38/260 35/240 42/290
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S 36/250 44/300 36/250 44/300 41/280 48/330
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page256.

Mobility
223Reference
At a glance
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550i
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Compact wheel
*:
T 135/80 R 17 102 M61/420
Traveling speeds
up to 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
245/40 R 18 93 Y 32/220 38/260 32/220 35/240 33/230 41/280
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 97 V M+S XL 33/230 39/270 33/230 39/270 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 Y
Rear: 275/35R1895Y32/220 35/240 32/220 32/220 33/230 38/260
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30R1996YXL35/240 39/270 33/230 38/260 38/260 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page255.

Wheels and tires
224
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 letter
Q = up to 100 mph/160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph/190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph/210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph/240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph/270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph/300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DOT code:
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding: DOT... 3406 indicates that the
tire was manufactured in week 34 of 2006.
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.< e.g.
Nominal width in mm
Aspect ratio in Ξ
Belted construction – radial
Rim diameter in inches
Carrying capacity ID-code
(not in ZR tires)
Speed code letter
(in ZR tires before the R)
225/50 R1794 W
e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 3406

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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
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 page226.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
XL
Indicates 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 0.12 in/
3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 0.12 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 0.16 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter conditions. For the sake of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Wear indicators at the tread-groove base, refer
to arrow, are distributed over the tire's circum-
ference and are marked on the side of the tire
with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. If the tire tread
has been driven down to the wear indicators, a
tread depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm has been
reached.
Wheel/tire damage
Please note that low-profile tires cause wheels,
tires and suspension parts to be more suscep-
tible to road hazards 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. These
kinds of problems may also be signaled by other
changes in vehicle response, such as a strong
tendency to pull to the left or right.
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. Tire damage can
be extremely dangerous for vehicle occupants
and other road users.<

Wheels and tires
226
Run-flat tires*
You will recognize run-flat tires by the circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire.
Run-flat tires consist of partially self-contained
tires and special rims. The sidewall reinforce-
ment ensures that the tire retains some residual
safety in the event of pressure drop and driving
remains possible to a restricted degree.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of
a flat tire, page95
>With Tire Pressure Control, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure,
page97
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 does not recommend that you use
retreaded tires, as driving safety may be
impaired. The causes for this include the possi-
bly different tire casing structures and the often
wide variations in their age, which can result in a
limited service life.<
The right wheels and tires
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 than the
approved units – these differences could lead to
body contact, and with it the risk of severe acci-
dents. If non-approved wheels and tires are
used, BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,
and therefore cannot be held liable for driving
safety.<
You can inquire about the right wheel/tire com-
bination at your BMW center.
The correct wheel/tire combination also affects
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS, DSC or xDrive.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread config-
uration from a single manufacturer. Following
tire damage, have the original wheel and tire
combination remounted on the vehicle as soon
as possible.
Wheels with electronics for
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor
When mounting new tires or converting from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPM electronics, otherwise the
Tire Pressure Monitor cannot detect a flat tire,
refer to page95. Your BMW center will be
happy to advise you on this subject.

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Recommended tire brands
Certain tire makes are recommended by BMW
depending on the tire size. You can recognize
these from the clearly visible BMW marking on
the tire sidewall.
When used properly, these tires comply with
the most demanding standards for safety and
vehicle response.
Run-flat tires
When mounting new tires, or changing from
summer to winter tires or vice versa, use run-flat
tires for your own safety. In addition, no spare
tire is available in case of a flat tire. Your BMW
center will be glad to advise you.
For safety reasons, BMW recommends
that you do not have damaged run-flat
tires repaired; they should be replaced.<
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in cold
winter driving conditions. Although all-season
M+S tires provide better winter traction than
summer tires, they generally fail to provide the
same levels of cold-weather performance as
winter tires.
Pay attention to speed
Always observe the maximum permissi-
ble speed for the winter tires, otherwise
tire damage may occur, which can result in acci-
dents.<
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 pressure indicated on the side wall of
the tire.
Rotating wheels between axles
BMW does not recommend moving the front
wheels to the rear or vice versa, as otherwise
the handling characteristics may be impaired.
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains,
classifies them as road-safe and recommends
them. Consult your BMW center for more infor-
mation.
Use is only permissible in pairs on the rear
wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor, otherwise
incorrect displays can occur.
When driving with snow chains, it may be prac-
tical to briefly activate DTC, refer to page91.<

Under the hood
228
Under the hood
Never attempt to perform any service or
repair operations on your vehicle without
the required professional technical training.
If you do not know what repair procedures to
follow, have work on your vehicle done only by
your BMW center or a workshop that works
according to BMW repair procedures with cor-
respondingly trained personnel. If this work is
not carried out properly, there is a danger of
subsequent damage and related safety haz-
ards.<
Hood
Releasing
Pull lever.
Opening
Press the release handle and open the hood.
Closing
Close the hood from a height of approx. 16 in/
40 cm with momentum. It must be clearly heard
to engage.
Make sure that the closing path of the
hood is clear, otherwise injuries may
result.
If you see any signs that the hood is not com-
pletely closed while driving your vehicle, you
should stop at once and close it securely.<