Wheels and tyres
182
Wheels and tyres
Tyre pressures
Information for your safety
The condition of the tyres and maintenance of
the correct tyre pressures not only influence
tyre life but are also decisive factors in road
safety and ride quality.
Checking pressures
Check and adjust the tyre pressures –
including the compact wheel
*
– on a reg-
ular basis, but at least twice a month and before
setting out on any long journey. Failure to do so
could cause incorrect tyre pressures to affect
driving stability or damage the tyres, therefore
leading to accidents.<
After correcting tyre pressures, reinitial-
ise the Run Flat Indicator, see page 87.<
Tyre pressure values
The tyre pressures for your standard tyres are
visible on the driver's door post, with the
driver's door open.
Tyre pressures for heavy loads and
trailer towing
For trailer towing, the tyre pressures for the
higher load in the table apply.
Note tyre size
These tyre pressures apply to sizes of tyre
approved by BMW and makes of tyre recom-
mended by BMW; details are available from
BMW Service.
Condition of tyres
Inspect tyres frequently for damage, the pres-
ence of foreign bodies, unusual wear and suffi-
cient tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tyre tread depth should not be allowed to
drop below 3 mm, approx. 1/8 in. Below a tread
depth of 3 mm, approx. 1/8 in, there is an
increased risk of aquaplaning when driving on
wet roads at fairly high speeds.
Below a tread depth of 4 mm, approx. 3/16 in,
winter tyres become noticeably less suitable for
winter driving conditions. New tyres should be
fitted in the interests of safety.
Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove,
see arrow, are distributed around the tyre's cir-
cumference; the letters TWI – Tread Wear Indi-
cator – on the tyre's flanks identify tyres that
incorporate these wear indicators. Once the
tyre tread has worn down to the wear indicators,
a tread depth of 1.6 mm, approx. 1/16 in, has
been reached.
Tyre damage
Unusual vibration while the car is being driven
could indicate a tyre fault or some other defect
on your car. This may have been caused e.g. by
driving over a kerb or similar. The same applies
to any other abnormal road behaviour, such as
pulling severely to the right or left.
Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 159 725 © 09/05 BMW AG