117
Wheels and tyres
Tyre pressures
Information for your safety
The factory-approved radial-ply (braced
tread) tyres have been chosen to match
your car's performance and to ensure
driving safety and the desired standard
of ride comfort.
The condition of the tyres and mainte-
nance of the correct tyre pressures not
only influence tyre life but are also deci-
sive factors in ride quality and above all
in road safety.
Incorrect pressures are often a cause of
tyre problems. They also have a consid-
erable effect on the roadholding of your
BMW.
Check tyre pressures regularly
(see page 24) including your
BMW's compact or full-size spare
wheel at least every two weeks and
before you start a long journey. Incor-
rect tyre pressures can adversely affect
the car's roadholding and cause tyre
damage, which could result in an acci-
dent.
<
Condition of tyres
Tyre tread tyre damage
Inspect the tyres frequently for damage,
the presence of foreign objects, unu-
sual wear and sufficient tread depth.
Tread depth should, if possible, not be
allowed to drop below 3 mm (approx.
1/8 in), despite the fact that European
legislation, for example, specifies a
minimum tread depth of only 1.6 mm
(approx. 1/16 in). Below a tread depth
of 3 mm (approx. 1/8 in) there is a risk
of aquaplaning at fairly high road
speeds even if the water is not very
deep. There are wear indicators in the
tread (see arrows) at points around the
circumference of the tyre, as indicated
by the letters "TWI" for Tread Wear
Indicator on the shoulder of the tyre.
They become visible when the tread
wears to 1.6 mm (approx. 1/16 in), indi-
cating that the minimum tread depth
allowed by law has been reached.
Do not continue driving with a flat
tyre. If air pressure is lost from a
tyre, this seriously affects the car's han-
dling and braking, and could cause the
driver to lose control. Avoid overloading
the car, as this could cause the tyres'
load capacity limit to be exceeded. Oth-
erwise you could overheat the tyres and
cause internal damage to them in the
short to medium term.
This could lead to sudden pressure
loss.
Unusual vibration while the car is being
driven could indicate a tyre fault or
some other defect on your car. This can
be caused by driving over kerbstones,
for example. The same applies to any
other unusual road behaviour, such as
pulling severely to the right or left. In
such cases, reduce speed immediately.
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handbook.book Page 117 Thursday, December 19, 2002 4:29 PM
Summary of Contents for 316I
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