tire size BMW 550I 2006 Owners Manual

Practical interior accessories
108
Cigarette lighter, front
Press in the lighter with the engine running or
the ignition switched on.
The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
Always take along the remote control when you
leave the vehicle, otherwise children could, for
example, use the lighter and burn themselves.<
Rear ashtray
Emptying
Press the entire cover down. The ashtray rises
and can be removed.
Cigarette lighter, rear
Refer to Cigarette lighter, front.
Connecting electrical devices
Sockets
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, the cigarette lighter socket can be used as
a power outlet for hand flashlights, car vacuum
cleaners, etc., with power ratings of up to
approx. 200 W at 12 V. Avoid damaging the
socket due to inserting plugs of different
shapes or sizes. The same is true for all power
outlets in the vehicle.
In front passenger footwell
Access to socket:
Fold open the cover.

Practical interior accessories
112 When you no longer required the separation
net, grasp the rod on both sides and remove it
from the brackets, arrow2. Then slowly allow
the separation net to glide into the case.
With larger cargo area
1.Fold over both rear backrests, refer to
Increasing cargo area.
2.Unlock the case on both sides with the but-
tons, arrow1.
3.Pull out the case downward, arrow2; avoid
tilting when doing so.
4.Push the case into the guides on the back of
the seat backrests.
5.Carefully pull out the separation net and
insert it in the front brackets as described in
With normal cargo area. This is best carried
out from the front seat.
To restore the original state, proceed in the
reverse order. Finally, lay the case in the two
side brackets and then press forward until it
engages. The red warning indicator disappears
in the recess when the catch is engaged. Check
whether the case is properly locked in place by
pulling it with a sudden movement.
Compartment in floor
Opening: reach into the recess and swing up
the handle.
The floor panel flap can be locked.
The partitions in the compartment can be rear-
ranged.
Folding up spare tire cover
Swing up the cover.
Detach the hook from the bracket and hook into
the floor panel flap.
Before swinging down, return the hook to its
original position.
Storage area package*
Retaining straps
You can unhook the right-hand retaining strap,
e.g. to open the side panel. To unhook at the
rear end, pull downward; to hook in, press it into
the opening. In addition, it can also be secured
in the center. This makes it possible to secure
objects of different sizes.

Wheels and tires
188
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
The condition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure are crucial not only
to the tire's service life, but also to driving com-
fort and most importantly, driving safety.
Checking pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure when the tires
are cold. This means after a maximum of
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours. When tires are
warm, the tire inflation pressure increases.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it as needed, even on the
compact tire
*: at least twice a month and before
starting long trips. Otherwise driving instability
or tire damage, and therefore accidents, can
result from incorrect tire inflation pressures.
Do not drive with depressurized, i.e. flat tires,
except run-flat tires. A flat tire will seriously
impair your vehicle's handling and braking
response. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can
lead to loss of control over the vehicle.<
After correcting the inflation pressure(s),
always reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor,
refer to page88.<
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes and tire brands respectively
approved and recommended by BMW; a list of
these is available from your BMW center.<
For correct identification of the right tire infla-
tion pressure for your tires, observe the follow-
ing:
>Tire sizes of your vehicle
>Load conditions>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
up to 100 mph/160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph/160 km/h
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
column Traveling speeds up to max. 100 mph/
160 km/h to achieve optimum driving comfort.
These pressure specifications can be found on
the door post when you open the driver's door.
The permissible top speed for these tire
inflation pressures is 100 mph/160 km/h.
Do not exceed this speed, otherwise tire dam-
age and accidents may result.<
Tire inflation pressures for speeds
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please
observe, and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures
for speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from
the relevant table on the following pages.
Otherwise tire damage and accidents could
occur.<
Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the law could
occur.

Mobility
189Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
525i/530i
Tire size Pressure 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 XL29/200 33/230 29/200 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+S 29/200 36/250 29/200 35/240 36/250 44/300
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35R1895W29/200 33/230 29/200 33/230 36/250 42/290
Front: 245/35 R 19 93 Y XL
Rear: 275/30R1996YXL30/210 38/260 29/200 33/230 35/240 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page221.

Wheels and tires
190
525xi/530xi
Tire size Pressure 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 XL29/200 35/240 29/200 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+S30/210 36/250 30/210 36/250 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 W 30/210 38/260 30/210 36/250 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 W
Rear: 275/35 R 18 95 W30/210 35/240 30/210 33/230 38/260 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page221.

Mobility
191Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
530xi Sports Wagon
550i
Tire size Pressure 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 XL30/210 38/260 32/220 39/270 38/260 45/310
245/40 R 18 93 Y 32/220 39/270 29/200 36/250 35/240 42/290
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page221.
Tire size Pressure 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 30/210 38/260 29/200 35/240 33/230 41/280
245/45 R 17 95 W
245/45 R 17 99 V M+S XL29/200 35/240 32/220 38/260 36/250 44/300
225/50 R 17 94 V M+S
225/50 R 17 94 W
225/50 R 17 94 H M+S29/200 36/250 33/230 39/270 38/260 45/310
Front: 245/40 R 18 93 Y
Rear: 275/35R1895Y30/210 35/240 29/200 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 44/300
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page221.

Wheels and tires
192
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... 3705 indicates that the
tire was manufactured in week 37 of 2005.
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
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 3705

Wheels and tires
194
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, refer to
Indication of a flat tire, page88.
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, since driving safety may
be impaired. The causes for this include the
possibly 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.
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.

Mobility
209Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts. Tighten all
the bolts securely in a diagonal pattern.
5.Lower the vehicle and remove the jack from
beneath the vehicle.
After mounting
1.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
To ensure safety, always have the
lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench as soon as possible to
ensure that they are tightened to the speci-
fied torque. The tightening torque is
88.5 lb ft/120 Nm.<
2.When stowing the wheel and tools in the
vehicle, execute these steps in the reverse
order.
3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems and valve stem
seal caps against dirt and contamina-
tion. Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source
of gradual air loss.<
4.Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page88.
5.Replace the damaged tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire balanced.
Driving with compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
The driving characteristics change, for example
reduced track stability on braking, extended
braking distance, and altered self-steering
characteristics in the limit range. In conjunction
with winter tires, these characteristics are more
pronounced.
Only one compact wheel may be
mounted. You should re-equip with
wheels and tires of the original size as quickly as
possible.<
Vehicle battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, i.e., the
electrolyte will last for the life of the battery
when the vehicle is operated in a temperate cli-
mate. Your BMW center will be glad to advise in
all matters concerning the battery.
Charging 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 page212.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by your
BMW center or hand them in to a recy-
cling center. Maintain the battery in an upright
position for transport and storage. Always
restrain the battery to prevent it from tipping
over during transport.<
Power failure
After a temporary power loss, the functioning of
some equipment may be limited and require
reinitialization. Individual settings are also lost
and must be updated:
>Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory
The positions must be stored again, refer to
page45.
>Time and Date
The values must be updated, refer to
page80.
>Radio
Stations must be stored again if necessary,
refer to page150.
>Navigation system
Wait until the system starts, refer to
page141.

Reference 243
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Tires
– age192
– air loss88
– breaking-in116
– changing194
– condition193
– damage193
– flat tire, refer to Changing
wheels207
– inflation pressure188
– new wheels and tires194
– pressure monitoring87
– replacing207
– retreaded tires194
– run-flat tires194
– size192
– tread193
– wear indicators193
– wheel/tire combination194
– winter tires195
"Tone"145
Tone in audio mode
– adjusting145
– middle setting147
Tone on locking/unlocking31
Tools, refer to Onboard
toolkit203
"Top 8" for mobile phone172
Torque
– engine218
– lug bolts, refer to After
mounting209
Touch tone dialing173
Tow fitting213
Towing213
– tow fitting213
"Town / City" for destination
entry126
Tow-starting213,215
Tracks
– random play sequence160
– sample scan159
Track width, refer to
Dimensions219
Traction-assist feature, refer
to DSC Dynamic Stability
Control84Traction control, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control84
Traffic congestion, refer to
Bypassing route
sections140
Transmission
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic61
– deactivating selector lever
interlock on automatic
transmission with
Steptronic62
– manual transmission58
– SMG Sequential Manual
Gearbox59
– starting assistant117
Transporting children
safely52
Transport securing device,
refer to Securing cargo120
Tread depth, refer to Minimum
tire tread193
"Treble", refer to Tone
control146
Treble, refer to Tone
control145
"Trip computer"75
Trip computer74
Trip-distance counter, refer to
Trip odometer72
"Triple turn signal
activation"63
Trip odometer72
Turning circle, refer to
Dimensions219
Turn signals62
– indicator lamp10,12
– replacing bulbs205
U
Underbody protection, refer to
Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Uniform Tire Quality Grading/
UTQR192
"Units"81Units
– average fuel
consumption81
– temperature81
Universal garage-door
opener, refer to Integrated
universal remote
control104
Universal remote control104
"Unlock button"30
Unlocking
– from inside33
– from outside30
– without key, refer to Comfort
access37
Unlocking without key, refer to
Comfort access37
"Update services"182
"Use current location as
address"133,134
Used batteries
– refer to Disposal209
– refer to Replacing battery39
V
Valve screw caps, refer to
After mounting209
Vehicle
– battery209
– break-in period116
– care202
– care, refer to Caring for your
vehicle brochure
– dimensions219
– loading118
– parking57
– washing, refer to Caring for
your vehicle brochure
– weights221
Vehicle jack207
– jacking points208
Vehicle position, refer to
Displaying current
position140
"Vehicle settings", when
unlocking30