wheel BMW X3 2.5I 2005 E83 Owner's Guide

Wheels and tires
82
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but also
driving comfort and – to a great extent – driving
safety that depend on the condition of the tires
and the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
Checking pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure when the tires
are cold, i.e. 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 if necessary, including com-
pact wheel: at least every two weeks and before
beginning a longer trip. If you fail to observe this
precaution you may be driving on tires with
incorrect tire pressures, a condition that can not
only compromise your vehicle's driving stability,
but also lead to tire damage and the risk of an
accident. Do not drive with a depressurized, i.e.
flat tire. A flat tire will seriously impair your vehi-
cle'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 page50.<
Inflation pressures for factory-installed
tires
The inflation pressures for your factory-
installed tires can be found on the door jamb
when you open the driver's door.
Inflation pressures for other tire sizes
The table below provides all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
For correct identification of the right tire
inflation pressure for your tires, observe
the specifications for the corresponding tire
sizes.<
Tire size
The inflation pressures apply to the tire sizes
approved and tire brands recommended by
BMW; a list of these is available from your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center.

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X3 2.5i/3.0i
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
All pressure specifications in the table
are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires,
cold = ambient temperature
235/55 R 17 99 H M+S
235/55 R 17 99 Q, T, H M+S29/200 32/220 32/220 38/260
215/60 R 17 96 H M+S
215/60 R 17 96 Q, T, H M+S
235/50 R 18 97 H M+S
235/50 R 18 97 V32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
Front: 235/50 R 18 97 V
Rear: 255/45 R 18 99 V32/220
––
32/22035/240
––
38/260
Front: 235/45 R 19 95W
Rear: 255/40 R 19 96W32/220
––
35/24035/240
––
41/280
Compact wheel: T 135/90 R 17 104 M 61/420
More details on the permitted load and weights can be found on page112

Wheels and tires
84
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 105 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 Transport.
DOT code:
Tire age
The tire's date of manufacture is indicated on
the sidewall:
DOT ... 3004 indicates that a tire was manufac-
tured in week 30 of the year 2004.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 govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics 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. 235/50 R 18 97 V
Nominal width in mm
Cross-sectional
relationship in Ξ
Radial tire code
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating,
not for ZR tires
Speed rating,
before R on ZR tires
e.g. DOT xxxx xxx 3603
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and tire design
Tire age

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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.<
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than sum-
mer tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects lodged
in the tread. Check the tread pattern depth.
Tire tread
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. As winter tires dis-
play a noticeable loss in their ability to cope with
cold-weather driving conditions once the tread
wears to below 0.16 in/4 mm, to ensure contin-ued safety you should always have such tires
replaced.
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. At a tread
depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm these indicators, sig-
nal that the tires have reached the legally per-
missible wear limit.
Wheel/tire damage
Due to low-profile tires, please note that
wheels, tires and suspension parts are
more susceptible to road hazard and conse-
quential damages.<
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. Drive carefully to the next BMW
Sports Activity Vehicle Center or tire dealer, or
have the vehicle towed to one of these locations
if necessary.
Tire damage, extending to sudden and com-
plete loss of pressure in extreme cases, can
pose a potentially lethal safety hazard for the
vehicle's occupants and other road users
alike.<

Wheels and tires
86
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
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 danger of subsequent dam-
age and related safety hazards.<
Retreaded tires
BMW does not recommend the use of
retreaded tires, as otherwise driving
safety may be reduced. The causes for this
include the possibly different tire casing struc-
tures 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 ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle
Center for the correct wheel-and-tire combina-
tion.
The correct wheel-and-tire combination 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. After a flat
tire, always remember to have the specified
wheel-and-tire combination remounted on the
vehicle as soon as possible.
Recommended tire sizes and brands
BMW tests certain tire brands for each tire size,
classifies them as road-safe and approves
them. These are available at a specialized
dealer, preferably your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center. Observe any country-specific
regulations, e.g. on making a corresponding
entry in the vehicle documents.
The factory-mounted tires have been specially
selected to provide optimized performance
when installed on your vehicle; if properly cared
for, they will provide a combination of safety and
excellent ride comfort.
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.
Observing speed ratings
Never exceed the maximum speed for
which the winter tires are rated. Unpro-
fessional attempts by laymen to service tires
can lead to damage and accidents. Have this
work performed by skilled professionals only.
The technicians at your BMW Sports Activity
V e h i c l e C e n t e r w i l l b e g l a d t o a s s i s t y o u w i t h t h e
required professional knowledge and special-
ized equipment.<
Storage
Store wheels or tires in a cool, dry place, pro-
tecting them against light whenever possible.
Protect the tires against contact with oil, grease
and fuel. Do not exceed the maximum tire infla-
tion pressure indicated on the side wall of the
tire.

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Snow chains*
Only certain snow chains have been tested by
BMW and classified and approved as safe. You
can obtain a list of these from your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center. BMW recommends the
use of approved narrow-link snow chains only.
These snow chains are approved exclusively for
use on summer or winter tires in pairs on the
rear wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions when
installing snow chains.
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of 30 mph/
50 km/h with snow chains mounted.
Snow chains may not be mounted on the fol-
lowing tires:
>255/45 R 18
>255/40 R 19
After mounting snow chains, do not ini-
tialize the Flat Tire Monitor.
When you are driving with snow chains, it can
be beneficial to switch off DSC briefly, refer to
page48.<

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99
Do not remove the covers, and never
stare into the unfiltered light for several
hours, as irritation of the retina could result.<
Changing a wheel
Safety precautions to observe in the
event of a flat tire and during all tire
changes:
Park the vehicle as far as possible from passing
traffic. Park on a firm, flat, surface. Switch on the
hazard warning flashers.
Lock the steering wheel in straight-ahead set-
ting of the wheels. Engage the handbrake and
engage first gear, reverse gear or selector-lever
setting P.
All passengers should be outside the vehicle
and well away from your immediate working
area, behind a guardrail, for instance.
If a warning triangle or portable hazard warning
lamp is required, set it up on the roadside at an
appropriate distance from the rear of the vehi-
cle. Comply with all safety guidelines and regu-
lations.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm surface
which is not slippery. The vehicle or the jack
could slip to the side if you attempt to raise the
vehicle on a soft or slippery surface such as
snow, ice, tiles, etc.
Position the jack on a firm support surface.
Do not use a wooden block or similar object as a
support base for the jack, as this would prevent
it from extending to its full support height and
reduce its load-carrying capacity.
To avoid serious or fatal injury: never lie under
the vehicle, and never start the engine while it is
supported by the jack.<
What you will need
Open tailgate and raise or remove floor cover,
refer to page69.
1Vehicle jack
2Chock
3Lug wrench
In 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.
Compact wheel
The compact wheel is located under the cargo
area on the floor of the vehicle.
1.Unscrew bolt, refer to arrow1.
2.Fold up lifting handle, refer to arrow2.
3.Turn the handle to the left as far as possible,
refer to arrow3 on next page.
Turning the handle releases the com-
pact wheel. Weight approx. 18 Ibs./
8 kg. It must be held by the handle.<

Replacing components
100 4.Slowly lower the handle as far as possible,
refer to arrow4.
5.Take out the compact wheel towards the
back.
6.Refit the compact wheel holder in reverse
order.
The defective wheel will not fit into the
compact wheel holder in place of the
compact wheel.<
Preparing wheel change
1.Observe the safety precautions on page99.
2.Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling:
Place the wheel chock against the rear sur-
face of the front tire on the side opposite the
side being raised. If the vehicle is parked on
a downward slope, place the wheel chock
securely in front of the tire. If the wheel must
be changed on a surface with a more severe
slope, take additional precautions to secure
the vehicle from rolling.
3.Loosen the lug bolts by a γ turn.
Jacking up vehicle
1.Position the vehicle jack at the jacking point
closest to the wheel so that the entire sur-
face of the jack base perpendicularly con-
tacts the ground under the jacking point.
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not attempt
to raise another vehicle model with it or to
raise any load of any kind. To do so could
cause accidents and personal injury.<
2.Guide the jack head into the rectangular
recess of the jacking point when cranking
up, refer to section of illustration.
3.Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you are
changing is raised from the ground.
Mounting a wheel
1.Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
2.Remove accumulations of mud or dirt from
the mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub. Clean the lug bolts.
3.Position the new wheel or compact wheel.
Secure the wheel by turning at least two lug
bolts into opposite bolt holes. When you
mount wheels other than Genuine BMW

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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 jack and remove it 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
101lbft/140Nm.<
2.Stow the defective wheel in the cargo area.
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.Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page49.
Do not initialize the system when driv-
ing with the compact wheel.<
5.Replace the damaged tire with a new one as
soon as possible and have the new wheel
balanced.
Driving with compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. Do not deacti-
vate DSC, as otherwise unstable driving condi-
tions may result.<
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
Maintenance
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 Sports Activity Vehicle Center
will be happy to consult you on all questions
concerning the battery.
Warning lamp
The warning lamp lights up. The bat-
tery is no longer being charged. The
alternator V-belt is defective or there is
a malfunction in the charge current circuit of the
alternator. Have the system checked immedi-
ately.
Do not continue driving if the V-belt is
defective. The engine could be damaged
due to overheating.
Moreover, an increased amount of force is
required for steering if there is a sharp drop in
the onboard supply voltage.<
Charging battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only when the
engine is not running. Use the connections pro-
vided in the engine compartment. For connec-
tions, refer to Jump starting on page104.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of following
replacement at your BMW Sports Activity
Vehicle Center or bring them to a collection
point. Maintain the battery in an upright position
for transport and storage. Always secure the
battery to prevent it from tipping over during
transport.<

Giving and receiving assistance
106 The tow fittings used should be on the same
side on both vehicles. Should it prove impossi-
ble to avoid mounting the tow bar at an offset
angle, please observe the following:
>Clearance and maneuvering capability will
be strictly limited in corners.
>When mounted at an angle, the tow bar will
exert lateral forces, tending to push the
vehicle sideways.
Secure the tow bar to the tow fitting only.
Otherwise damage could result on other
vehicle parts.<
With tow-rope
When starting off in the towing vehicle, make
sure that the tow-rope is taut.
To avoid jerking and the associated
stresses on vehicle components when
towing, always use nylon ropes or nylon straps.
Secure the tow-rope on the tow fitting only.
Otherwise damage could result on other vehicle
parts.<
With tow truck
Do not tow the X3 with only the front or
rear axle raised, as otherwise the wheels
could lock and the transfer case could be dam-
aged.<
Only have the X3 transported on a load bed.
Tow-starting
Do not tow-start vehicles with an auto-
matic transmission.
Jump starting, refer to page104.<
Vehicles with a catalytic converter should only
be tow-started when the engine is cold. It is bet-
ter to jump start the engine, refer to page104.
1.Switch on the hazard warning flashers,
comply with country-specific regulations.
2.Turn the ignition key to position 2.
3.Engage the 3rd gear.
4.Have the vehicle tow-started with the clutch
pedal completely depressed and slowly
release the clutch. After the engine starts,
immediately depress the clutch pedal com-
pletely again.
5.Stop at a suitable location, remove the tow
bar or rope and switch off the hazard warn-
ing flashers.
6.Have the vehicle checked.
Do not activate the HDC Hill Descent
Control during tow-starting, refer to
page48.<