inflation pressure BMW 6 SERIES 2009 Owners Manual

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In the event of a pressure loss, there is a change
in the rolling circumference and therefore the
rotation speed of the corresponding wheel. The
system detects this change and reports it as a
flat tire.
Functional requirement
To ensure the reliable signaling of a flat tire, the
system must be initialized at the correct tire
inflation pressure.
The initialization must be repeated after
every correction of the tire inflation pres-
sure and after every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot indicate sudden
severe tire damage caused by outside factors
and does not detect a natural, even pressure
drop in all four tires.
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Sporty driving style: slip in the drive wheels,
high lateral acceleration
>Driving with snow chains
*
Initializing system
The initialization finishes during driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. The system is initialized
after this activation phase. The system is not
initialized when traveling with snow chains
*.<
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Turn the controller until "Settings" is
selected and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.
5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "FTM" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7.Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
9.Start to drive.
The message "resetting FTM …" is dis-
played.
The initialization finishes during driving.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
92
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up red. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display.
In addition, an acoustic signal sounds.
There is a flat tire or extensive inflation pressure
loss.
1.Cautiously reduce the vehicle speed to
below 50 mph/80 km/h. Avoid severe brak-
ing and steering maneuvers and do not
exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
Stop driving if the vehicle is no longer
equipped with run-flat tires, as it was
when it came from the factory, refer to
page218. Continued driving after a flat tire
can result in serious accidents.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor
may not have been initialized. The system
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guide values:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, cargo bay full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 94 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 persons, luggage compartment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the
event of pressure loss, vehicle handling
changes. This includes reduced tracking
stability in braking, extended braking dis-
tance and altered natural steering charac-
teristics.
If unusual vibrations or loud noises occur
while the vehicle is being driven, this can
indicate final failure of the damaged tire.
Reduce speed and stop at a suitable loca-tion as soon as possible, otherwise pieces
of the tire could become detached and
cause an accident. Do not continue driving,
but instead contact your BMW center.<
TPM Tire Pressure Monitor*
The concept
TPM checks the tire inflation pressure in the
four mounted tires. The system reports when
the tire inflation pressure has dropped consid-
erably in one or several tires.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must have been reset with the
correct tire inflation pressure.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics, oth-
erwise fault-free operation of the system is not
ensured.
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
System limits
TPM cannot announce sudden serious
tire damage caused by external influ-
ences.<
The system does not function properly if it has
not been reset, e.g. a flat tire is reported despite
correct tire inflation pressures.
The system is inactive and cannot display a flat
tire if a wheel has been mounted without TPM
electronics, or if TPM is temporarily interfered
with by other systems or devices which use the
same radio frequency.
Status display on Control Display
The tire and system status is indicated by the
color of the tires.
TPM takes the fact that the tire pressure
changes during driving into account. A correc-
tion is only required if requested by TPM with
the color.

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Green
The tire pressure matches the learned set state.
"TPM active" appears on the Control Display.
One wheel is yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in
the indicated tire. A message appears on the
Control Display.
All wheels are yellow
Flat tire or a major drop in inflation pressure in
several tires. A message appears on the Control
Display.
Gray
The system cannot detect a flat tire.
Reasons for this can be:
>TPM is being reset
>Temporary interference due to systems or
devices which use the same radio fre-
quency
>Malfunction
Resetting system
Reset the system again after each correc-
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.<
Resetting finishes during driving, which can be
interrupted at any time. When driving resumes,
resetting is continued automatically.
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Settings" and press the controller.
4.Select "Vehicle / Tires" and press the con-
troller.5.Change to upper field if necessary. Turn the
controller until "TPM" is selected and press
the controller.
6.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
7.Select "Reset" and press the controller.
8.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
9.Start to drive.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After a few minutes of driving, the set tire infla-
tion pressures in the tires are applied as the set
values to be monitored. Resetting finishes dur-
ing driving. The tires are shown in green on the
Control Display.
If a flat tire is detected during resetting
and applying the tire inflation pressures,
all tires are shown in yellow on the Control Dis-
play. The message "Tire low!" is displayed.<
Message with low tire inflation
pressure
The warning lamp lights up yellow. A
message appears on the Control Dis-
play. In addition, an acoustic signal
sounds. There is a flat tire or extensive inflation
pressure loss.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
94 1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph/
80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and steer-
ing maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph/80 km/h.
Stop driving if the vehicle is no longer
equipped with run-flat tires, as it was
when it came from the factory, refer to
page218. Continued driving after a flat tire
can result in serious accidents.<
2.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guide values:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, cargo bay full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 95 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 persons, luggage compartment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the event of
pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distance and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations or loud noises occur while
the vehicle is being driven, this can indicate final
failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and
stop at a suitable location as soon as possible,
otherwise pieces of the tire could become
detached and cause an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving, but instead contact your BMW
center.<
Malfunction
The yellow warning lamp flashes and
then lights up continuously. The tires
are shown in gray on the Control Dis-
play and a message is displayed. No flat tire can
be detected.
A message like this is displayed in the following
situations:>In case of a malfunction;
have the system checked.
>If a wheel is mounted without TPM elec-
tronics.
>If TPM is temporarily interfered with by
other systems or devices which use the
same radio frequency.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. If
your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires. As
an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem, TPMS, that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your tires are signif-
icantly underinflated. Accordingly, when the
low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly underinflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's han-
dling and stopping ability. Please note that the
TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire mainte-
nance, and it is the driver's responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if underin-
flation has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys-
tem detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash
for approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence will
continue upon subsequent vehicle startups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator lights up, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of

Things to remember when driving
126
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. To ensure that your vehicle contin-
ues to provide optimized economy of operation
throughout an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the follow-
ing section.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at changing engine and driving speeds,
however do not exceed 4,500 rpm or 100 mph/
160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kick-down mode during these
initial miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive reservedly during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive in a reserved manner during
this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch is only at its opti-
mized level after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
Observe the break-in instructions again if com-
ponents mentioned above must be replaced
after subsequent driving operation.
Saving fuel
The fuel consumption of your vehicle depends
on various factors. Through a few simple steps,
your driving style, and regular maintenance, you
can have a positive influence on your fuel con-
sumption and environmental impact.
Removing unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Removing add-on parts after use
Remove unneeded auxiliary mirrors, roof or rear
luggage racks after use. Add-on parts attached
to the vehicle impede the aerodynamics and
increase the fuel consumption.
Closing windows and glass sunroof
An open glass sunroof or open windows like-
wise increase the drag coefficient and therefore
the fuel consumption.
Checking tire inflation pressures
regularly
Check and correct the tire inflation pressure as
needed at least twice a month and before long
trips.
An insufficient tire inflation pressure increases
the rolling resistance and thus increases the
fuel consumption and tire wear.
Driving off immediately
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it
running while the vehicle remains stationary.
Instead, begin to drive at a moderate engine
speed. This is the fastest way for the cold
engine to reach its operating temperature.

Wheels and tires
214
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: at least twice a
month and before starting long trips. Other-
wise, driving instability or tire damage, and
therefore accidents, can result from incorrect
tire inflation pressures.<
After correcting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page91, or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor,
refer to page93.<
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 for your vehicle
>Load conditions
>Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for driving
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 for traveling speeds up to a max. of
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 maximum permissible speed for
these tire pressures is 100 mph/
160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed, otherwise
tire damage and accidents could occur.<
Tire inflation pressures for driving
above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please
note the tire pressures for speeds exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h listed in the relevant column
of the table on the following pages and adjust
your tire inflation pressures as needed. Other-
wise, tire damage and accidents could occur.<
Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits, otherwise violations of the law could
occur.

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Tire inflation pressures for 650i Coupe
Tire inflation pressures for 650i Convertible
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to max. of
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds including those exceed-
ing 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 18 96 V M+S
245/50 R 17 99 H M+S32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
Front: 245/45 R 18 96 W
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99 W32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
Front: 245/40 R 19 94 W
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96 W32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
Front: 245/35 R 20 91 W
Rear: 275/30 R 20 93 Y32/220 33/230 32/220 33/230 33/230 39/270
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page245.
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
Traveling speeds
up to max. of
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds including those exceed-
ing 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 18 96 V M+S
245/50 R 17 99 H M+S32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/45 R 18 96 W
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99 W32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/40 R 19 94 W
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96 W32/220 38/260 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
Front: 245/35 R 20 91 W
Rear: 275/30 R 20 93 Y32/220 39/270 32/220 38/260 39/270 46/320
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page245.

Wheels and tires
218
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, page92
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure,
page93
New wheels and tires
Only have new wheels and tires mounted
by a BMW center or a repair shop that
works in accordance with BMW guidelines and
uses appropriately trained personnel. If this
work is not carried out properly, there is a dan-
ger of subsequent damage and related safety
hazards. Make sure that the new wheels are bal-
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 right wheel-and-tire combination is
another vital factor in ensuring reliable opera-
tion of various vehicle systems such as ABS
and DSC.
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 page92. 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.
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.
Watch 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.
With tires of different makes and types
* such a
change is not permissible.
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.
These snow chains are approved exclusively for
use in pairs on the rear wheels with the tire size:
>245/50 R 17
>245/45 R 18
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed
of 30 mph/50 km/h with the chains mounted.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after
installing snow chains as this could cause
the Flat Tire Monitor to malfunction.
When driving with snow chains, it may be prac-
tical to briefly activate DTC, refer to page89.<

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License plate lamps
5-watt bulb, W5W
1.Push a screwdriver from the left under the
lamp and pry out the lamp toward the right.
2.Turn the bulb holder to the left by 905 and
remove.
3.Remove and replace the bulb.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires as a
standard feature. An immediate wheel change
in the event of a flat tire is therefore no longer
required.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of
a flat tire, page92
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure,
page93
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side
of the tire, refer to Run-flat tires on page218.
If you have new tires mounted or switch from
summer to winter tires, or vice versa, use run-
flat tires because no spare tire is provided in
case of a flat. Your BMW center will be glad to
advise you.
Also refer to New wheels and tires, page218.
The suitable tools for changing tires are
available as accessories from your BMW
center.<
Car jacking points
The jacking points for the car jack are located in
the positions shown.
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 switched off. Connections, refer to
Jump starting on page236.
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
Following a temporary power failure, e.g. due to
a discharged battery, the use of some equip-
ment will be restricted, requiring its reinitializa-
tion. In the same way, individual settings are lost
and must be updated again: