tire size BMW X3 3.0I 2004 E83 Owner's Manual

Wheels and tires
86
Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and Ð to a great extent
Ð driving safety that depend on the condi-
tion of the tires and the maintenance of the
specified tire pressure.
Check the tire inflation pressure regu-
larly and correct it if necessary,
including compact 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 cannot 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
vehicle's handling and braking response.
Attempts to drive on a flat tire can lead to
loss of control over the vehicle.<
Checking the pressure
Only check tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. That 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 infla-
tion pressure increases.
After correcting the inflation pressure(s),
always reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor,
refer to page 53.
Checking inflation pressure
The inflation pressures for your standard
tires can be seen on the door pillar when
you open the driver's door.
After correcting the inflation pres-
sure(s), always reinitialize the Flat Tire
Monitor, refer to page 53.<
Inflation pressure 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 corre-
sponding tire size.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
87
X3 2.5i/3.0i
Tire sizePressure specifications in psi/kPa
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in psi / kilopas-
cal with cold tires Ð cold = ambient
temperature
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
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
Front: 235/50 R 18 97 V
Rear: 255/45 R 18 99 V32/220
ÐÐ
32/22035/240
ÐÐ
38/260
Front: 235/45 R 19 95W
Rear: 255/40 R 19 96W32/220
ÐÐ
35/24035/240
ÐÐ
41/280
Compact wheel
T 135/90 R 17 104 M61/420
More details on the permitted load and weights can be found on page 116.

Wheels and tires
88
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
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 ... 3603 indicates that a tire was man-
ufactured in week 36 of the year 2003.
BMW recommends that you replace all
tires after 6 years at the latest, indepen-
dently of the fact that tires can reach an age
of 10 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width.
For example:
Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform
to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.<
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one-half (1 g) 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,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences 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 govern-
ment test surfaces 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 brak-
ing traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.<
Temperature
The temperature grades are A Ð the
highest Ð B, and C, representing the tire's e.g.
Nominal width
in mm
Aspect ratio in X
Radial type
Rim diameter in inches
Load rating
(not on ZR tires)
Speed rating
(before R on ZR tires)
205/60 R1591W
e.g.
Manufacturer code
for tire make
Tire size and
tire design
Tire ageDOT xxxx xxx 3603

Wheels and tires
90 with specialized knowledge and corre-
sponding equipment.<
The correct wheel and tire combination
affects various systems whose function
would otherwise be impaired, e.g. ABS,
DSC or xDrive.
Have the wheel and tire assemblies bal-
anced every time either a wheel or a tire is
replaced.
BMW does not recommend the use of
retreaded tires, as otherwise driving
safety may be reduced. Possible variations
in the design and the age Ð which could be
substantial Ð of the carcasses can lead to
unusually rapid wear.<
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 manufacturing tolerances mean that
even wheels and tires with identical official
size ratings could actually have different
dimensions than the approved units Ð these
differences could lead to body contact, and
with it the risk of severe accidents. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used, BMW
cannot evaluate their suitability, and there-
fore cannot be held liable for driving
safety.<
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread
configuration 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 pos-
sible.
Recommended tire brands
BMW tests certain tire brands for each tire
size, classifies them as road-safe and
approves them. You can obtain a list of
these from your BMW Sports Activity Vehi-
cle Center. Observe any country-specific
regulations, e.g. on making a correspond-
ing entry in the vehicle documents.
The factory-mounted tires have been spe-
cially selected to provide optimized perfor-mance when installed on your vehicle; if
properly cared for, they will provide a com-
bination of safety and excellent ride com-
fort.
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.
When switching to winter tires, observe the
descriptions at Tire condition and Replac-
ing wheels/tires, refer to page 89.
Observing speed ratings
Never exceed the maximum speed for
which the winter tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to ser-
vice tires can lead to damage and acci-
dents. Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. The technicians at your
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be
glad to assist you with the required profes-
sional knowledge and specialized equip-
ment.<
Storage
Store wheels or tires in a cool, dry place,
protecting them against light whenever
possible. Protect the tires against contact
with oil, grease and fuel.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure specified on the side of the tire.
Snow chains*
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of
30 mph/50 km/h with snow chains
mounted.<
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

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
105
Mounting compact 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
4.Screw in the remaining lug bolts.
Tighten all the bolts securely in a diag-
onal pattern
5.Lower the jack and remove it from
beneath the vehicle
6.Tighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pat-
tern
7.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.<
After mounting the compact wheel or cor-
recting the inflation pressure, reinitialize
the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to page 53.
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.
To ensure safety, always have the lug bolts
checked with a calibrated torque wrench to
ensure that they are tightened to the spec-
ified torque of 101 lb ft/140 Nm as soon as
possible.<
Stow the defective wheel in the luggage
compartment.
When you mount wheels other than Genu-
ine BMW light-alloy wheels, different lug
bolts may also be required.
Replace the defective tire as soon as pos-
sible and have the new wheel/tire bal-
anced.
Driving with the compact wheel
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. Do not
deactivate DSC, as otherwise unstable
driving conditions 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 pro-
nounced.
Only one compact wheel may be
mounted. You should re-equipping to
wheels and tires of the original size as
quickly as possible.<
Battery
Battery care
The battery is 100% maintenance-free, i.e.,
the electrolyte will last for the life of the bat-
tery when the vehicle is operated in a tem-
perate climate.
Please contact your BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center with any ques-
tions concerning the battery.<
Do not disconnect the battery when
the engine is running. If you do so, the
ensuing voltage surge will damage the
vehicle's onboard electronics.<
Indicator lamp
The battery charge-current indica-
tor lamp lights up:
The battery is no longer being
charged. There is a defect on the alternator
V-belt or charge current circuit of the alter-
nator. Contact the nearest BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle Center.
Do not continue driving if the V-belt is
defective. The engine could be dam-
aged due to overheating.
Moreover, an increased amount of force is
required for steering if the onboard supply
voltage falls dramatically.<