BMW M5 2000, Manual, Page: 118 / 189

118 n
Tire replacement Tire rotation
Do not use retreaded tires. Driving
safety may be impaired by their
use. This is due to the possible varia-
tions in casing structures and, in some
cases, to their extreme age – factors
that can lead to a decrease in their du-
rability.
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Tire age
The date on which the tire was manu-
factured is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT ... 328 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in Week 32 of 1998.
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires when the tires are no more than
6 years old, even if a tire life of 10 years
is possible.
Between the axles
The tread wear patterns at the front end
differ from those at the rear – the actual
patterns will vary according to individ-
ual driving conditions. In the interests of
safety and maintaining optimal handling
characteristics, tire rotation is not rec-
ommended.
When considering the potential eco-
nomic benefits of interaxle tire rotation,
you must decide whether the expense
of having the tires rotated is likely to be
amortized during the anticipated exten-
sion in tire life. In principle, interaxle tire
rotation should be performed at short in-
tervals, with a maximum of 3,000 miles
(5,000 km). Consult your BMW center
for more information.
Should you decide to rotate the tires, it
is essential that you comply with the fol-
lowing:
Rotate tires on the same side only,
since braking characteristics and road
grip could otherwise be adversely
affected.
Following rotation, correct the tire infla-
tion pressure.
If different tire sizes are mounted
on the front and rear axles (refer to
page 122 ), the wheels may not be ro-
tated from one axle to the other. <