wheels and tires BMW X5 2011 E70 User Guide
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Page 244 of 312

Wheels and tires
242
Tire inflation pressures X5 xDrive50i with two rows of seats
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa 
Traveling speeds 
up to a 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
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/80 R 19 114 M60/420 60/420 60/420 60/420
Without sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 32/220 36/250 35/240 41/280
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 32/220 - 36/250
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 35/240 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 33/230 - 36/250
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 Y XL 33/230 - 36/250 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 Y XL - 36/250 - 39/270
With sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 32/220 35/240 35/240 41/280
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 32/220 36/250 35/240 41/280
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 32/220 - 39/270 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 32/220 - 41/280
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 33/230 - 42/290
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 Y XL 33/230 - 38/260 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 Y XL - 36/250 - 45/310
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page283. 
Page 246 of 312

Wheels and tires
244
Tire inflation pressures X5 xDrive50i with three rows of seats
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa 
Traveling speeds 
up to a 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
Without sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 36/250 44/300 41/280 48/330
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 32/220 - 35/240 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 38/260 - 42/290
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 35/240 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 39/270 - 42/290
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 Y XL 35/240 - 38/260 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 Y XL - 42/290 - 45/310
With sport package:
255/55 R 18 109 H M+S XL 33/230 41/280 38/260 45/310
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL 36/250 44/300 41/280 48/330
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 32/220 - 41/280 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 38/260 - 44/300
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 33/230 - 41/280 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 39/270 - 48/330
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 Y XL 35/240 - 41/280 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 Y XL - 42/290 - 44/300
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page283. 
Page 248 of 312

Wheels and tires
246
Tire inflation pressures for X6 xDrive50i
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa 
Traveling speeds 
up to a 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
255/50 R 19 107 H M+S XL
255/50 R 19 107 V M+S XL33/230 33/230 41/280 42/290
Front: 255/50 R 19 107 W XL 36/250 - 42/290 -
Rear: 285/45 R 19 111 W XL - 36/250 - 42/290
Front: 275/40 R 20 106 W XL 36/250 - 44/300 -
Rear: 315/35 R 20 110 W XL - 36/250 - 44/300
Front: 285/35 R 21 105 W XL 36/250 - 45/310 -
Rear: 325/30 R 21 108 W XL - 36/250 - 45/310
Compact wheel
*:
T 155/90 D 18 113 M
T 155/80 R 19 114 M60/420 60/420 60/420 60/420
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page283. 
Page 250 of 312

Wheels and tires
248 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 page249.
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/
3mm, 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 are 
distributed over the tire's circumference 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 Sports Activity Vehicle Center or 
tire shop that works according to BMW repair 
procedures with correspondingly trained per-
sonnel. If necessary, have the vehicle towed 
there. Otherwise, tire damage can be extremely 
dangerous to vehicle occupants and other road 
users.< 
Page 251 of 312

Mobility
 249Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
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 page100
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure 
page103
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires installed only 
by your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
Center or a 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. Make sure that 
the new wheels are balanced.<
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
When mounting new tires or changing over 
from summer to winter tires and vice versa, 
mount Run-flat tires for your own safety. Your 
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center will be 
happy to advise you.
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.<
When changing to larger wheels and tires, 
it may be necessary to make changes to 
the wheelwell trim piece, as otherwise road 
users could be endangered or the vehicle could 
be damaged. Only have this work carried out by 
a BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center or a 
workshop that works in accordance with BMW 
guidelines and uses appropriately trained per-
sonnel.<
You can ask your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle 
Center for the correct wheel/tire combination.
The correct wheel/tire combination also affects 
various systems whose function would other-
wise be impaired, e.g. ABS, DSC, xDrive, 
Dynamic Performance Control in the BMW X6, 
or Flat Tire Monitor.
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 changing from 
summer to winter tires or vice versa, only use 
wheels with TPM electronics, otherwise the  
Page 252 of 312

Wheels and tires
250 Tire Pressure Monitor cannot detect a flat tire, 
refer to page101. Your BMW Sports Activity 
Vehicle Center will be happy to advise you on 
this subject.
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.
Special characteristics of winter tires
BMW recommends using winter tires for opera-
tion on winter road or at temperatures below 
+457/+76. Although all-season M+S tires 
provide better winter traction than summer 
tires, they generally fail to provide the same lev-
els of cold-weather performance as winter tires.
Paying 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
Even with tires of the same size, BMW 
recommends that you not rotate the front 
tires to the rear or vice versa as this can nega-
tively affect handling characteristics.
When the vehicle is equipped with different 
tires sizes
*, rotating tires from one axle to the 
other is not permitted.<
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain fine-link snow chains, 
classifies them as road-safe and recommends 
them. Your BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Center 
can provide you with this information.
BMW X5: use is only permitted in pairs on the 
rear wheels with tires of the size:
>255/55 R 18
>255/50 R 19
BMW X6: it is only permissible to use snow 
chains in pairs, on the 255/50 R 19 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
*, as otherwise 
incorrect displays can occur.
When you are driving with snow chains, it can 
be beneficial to activate DTC briefly, refer to 
page96.< 
Page 270 of 312

Replacing components
268
License plate lamp
5-Watt bulb, C5W
1.Slide the lamp to the right with a screw-
driver, refer to arrow1.
2.Remove the lamp, arrow2.
3.Replace the bulb.
4.Reinstall the lamp.
Center brake lamp
This lamp uses LED technology for operation. 
In case of a defect, please go to a BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center or a workshop that 
works according to BMW repair procedures 
with correspondingly trained personnel.
Changing wheels
Your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires as 
standard. As a result, it is not necessary to 
change the wheel immediately in the case of air 
loss in the event of a breakdown.
To continue driving with a damaged tire:
>With Flat Tire Monitor, refer to Indication of 
a flat tire page100
>With Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to Mes-
sage with low tire inflation pressure 
page103
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, page249.
When mounting new tires, or changing from 
s u m m e r  t o  w i n t e r  t i r e s  o r  v i c e  v e r s a ,  u s e  r u n - f l a t  
tires for your own safety. No spare tire is avail-
able in case of a flat tire. Your BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center will be happy to advise you. Also refer to New wheels and tires, 
page249.
BMW X6: do not rotate the front wheels to 
the rear or vice versa, as otherwise the 
handling characteristics will be negatively 
affected.<
Suitable tools for changing tires are avail-
able as accessories at your BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center.<
Jacking points for vehicle jack
The jacking points for the vehicle jack are 
located in the positions shown.
Compact wheel*
Safety precautions in the event of a flat 
tire or wheel change: park the vehicle as 
far as possible from passing traffic and on solid 
ground. Switch on the hazard warning flashers.
Set the parking brake and engage transmission 
position P.
Have all vehicle occupants get out of the vehicle 
and ensure that they remain outside the imme-
diate area in a safe place, such as behind a 
guardrail. 
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  
Page 272 of 312

Replacing components
270 3.Position the new wheel or compact wheel. 
Secure the wheel by screwing at least two 
lug bolts into opposite bolt holes.
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. Otherwise, incorrectly tight-
ened lug bolts are a hidden safety risk. The 
tightening torque is 101 lb ft/140 Nm.<
2.Stow the defective wheel in the cargo area.
The defective wheel cannot be stored 
under the floor panel flap due to its 
size.<
3.Check and correct the tire inflation pressure 
at the earliest opportunity.
Protect valve stems with valve screw 
caps against dirt and contamination. 
Dirt in valve stems is a frequent source of 
gradual air loss.<
4.Initialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to 
page100, or reset the Tire Pressure Moni-
tor, refer to page102.
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. Otherwise, 
changes in the driving characteristics could 
result, 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 charac-
teristics are more pronounced.
their original size as quickly as possible. Failure 
to do so is a safety risk.<
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 Sports Activity Vehicle Center 
will be glad to advise in all matters concerning 
the battery.
Replacing battery
Only use vehicle batteries that have been 
approved for your vehicle by the manu-
facturer; otherwise, the vehicle could be dam-
aged and systems or functions may not be fully 
available.<
After a battery replacement, have the battery 
registered on the vehicle by your BMW Sports 
Activity Vehicle Center to ensure that all com-
fort functions are fully available.
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 page274.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of following 
replacement at your BMW Sports Activity 
Vehicle Center or bring them to a recycling cen-
ter. 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- 
Page 294 of 312

Everything from A - Z
292
Everything from A - Z
Index
A
ABS Antilock Brake 
System95
ACC, refer to Active cruise 
control68
Accessories5
Access to 3rd row seats47
Acoustic signal, refer to Check 
Control82
Activated-charcoal filter121
Active cruise control68
– distance, selecting70
– indicator lamp72
– radar sensor72
– warning lamps72
Active seat51
Active seat ventilation50
Active steering105
– malfunction105
– warning lamp105
Adaptive brake lamp
– brake force display106
Adaptive Drive98
Adaptive fixing system133
Adaptive Light Control112
Address, entering149,155
Address for navigation
– entering149
Adjusting opening 
height31,33
Adjusting temperature with 
expanded-scope automatic 
climate control118
Adjusting the tone during 
audio operation, refer to 
Tone control168
Adjusting thigh 
support43,44
Airbags107
– sitting safely42
– warning lamp108Air distribution
– automatic117,121
– manual118
Airing, refer to Ventilation120
Air recirculation119
– AUC Automatic 
recirculated-air control119
– recirculated-air mode119
Air vents116
– refer to Ventilation120
Air vents of automatic climate 
control116
Air volume118,
122
AKI, refer to Fuel 
specifications235
Alarm system34
– avoiding unintentional 
alarms35
– interior motion sensor35
– switching off alarm34
– switching off tilt alarm 
sensor and interior motion 
sensor35
– tilt alarm sensor35
Albums of music 
collection189
Alloy wheels259
All-season tires, refer to 
Winter tires250
All-wheel drive, refer to 
xDrive97
Alterations, technical, refer to 
For your own safety5
AM, waveband171
Antenna for mobile phone212
Antifreeze
– coolant255
– washer fluid67
Antilock Brake System 
ABS95
Anti-theft system, refer to 
Alarm system34Anti-theft system, refer to 
Central locking system27
Approved axle weights, refer 
to Weights283
Approved engine oils255
Approved gross vehicle 
weight, refer to Weights283
Armrest, refer to Center 
armrest, front128
Around the center console14
Around the steering wheel10
Arrival time, refer to 
Computer79
Ashtray
– front129
– rear129
Assist, refer to separate 
operating instructions
Assistance systems, refer to 
Driving stability control 
systems95
AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control119
Audio168
– controls168
– switching on/off168
– tone control168
– volume168
Audio CDs, DVD system in 
rear202
Audio device, external128
Automatic
– air distribution117,121
– air volume
117,121
– cruise control68
– headlamp control111
– liftgate operation31
– steering wheel adjustment, 
refer to Easy entry/exit53
Automatically switching high-
beams on and off, refer to 
High-beam Assistant113
Automatic car washes258 
Page 297 of 312

Reference 295
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Cell phone
– refer to Mobile phone
Center armrest
– front128
– rear131
Center brake lamp265,268
Center console14
Central locking system27
– Comfort Access35
– from inside vehicle30
Changes, technical, refer to 
For your own safety5
Changes, technical, refer to 
Parts and accessories5
Changing gears
– using shift paddles64
Changing language on 
Control Display86
Changing tires249
Changing trips157
Changing units of measure on 
Control Display86
Changing wheels268
Check Control82
Checking the air pressure, 
refer to Tire inflation 
pressure239
Children, transporting54
Child restraint devices54
Child restraint fixing system 
LATCH55
Child restraint systems54
Child-safety locks57
Child seats54
Chime, refer to Check 
Control82
Cigarette lighter, refer to 
Lighter130
Cleaning your BMW, refer to 
Care258
Clock76
– 12h/24h mode85
– setting time85
Closing
– from inside30
– using remote control28
Closing fuel filler cap234
Clothes hooks128
Cockpit10Cold start, refer to Starting 
engine59
Combination instrument, refer 
to Instrument panel12
Comfort Access35
– observe in car wash36
– replacing battery37
Comfort area, refer to Around 
the center console14
Comfort start, refer to Starting 
engine59
Compact wheel
– inflation pressure241
– wheel change268
Compartment for remote 
control, refer to Ignition 
lock58
Compartments, refer to 
Storage compartments128
Compass, digital125
Computer78
– displaying information78
– opening via iDrive79
Concierge service227
Condition Based Service 
CBS256
Confirmation signals, 
adjusting for locking and 
unlocking28
Connecting car vacuum 
cleaner, refer to Connecting 
electrical devices130
Connecting headphones197
Consumption, refer to 
Average fuel 
consumption78
Consumption indicator
– energy control77
Consumption statistics, refer 
to Average fuel 
consumption78
Contacts
– creating224
Control Center, refer to 
iDrive16
Control Display, refer to 
iDrive16
– setting brightness86
– switching on/off19Controller, refer to iDrive16
Controls, refer to Cockpit10
Controls DVD system in 
rear196
Convenient opening and 
closing
– glass sunroof28,29
– glass sunroof with Comfort 
Access36
– windows28,29
– windows with Comfort 
Access36
– with Comfort Access36
Coolant255
– checking level255
– temperature77
Cooling, maximum119
Copyright2
Cornering Brake Control 
CBC95
Country codes DVD181
Courtesy lamps, refer to 
Interior lamps115
Cradle for telephone or mobile 
phone128
Criteria for route158
Cruise control67
– active cruise control68
Cruising range78
Cupholders128
Current playback
– external devices194
– of music collection189
Customer Relations229
Cylinders, refer to Engine 
data280
D
Dashboard, refer to 
Cockpit10
Dashboard lighting, refer to 
Instrument lighting115
Data280
– capacities284
– dimensions281
– engine280
– technical data280
– weights283