BMW 745i Sedan 2004 - Manual (Page 194)

Wheels and tires
192
Replacing wheels/tires
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled pro-
fessionals only. The technicians at your
BMW center will be glad to assist you with
the required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment.
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The correct wheel and tire combination
affects various systems whose function
would otherwise be impaired, e.g. ABS or
DSC.
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 driv-
ing safety may be reduced. Possible varia-
tions in the design and the age – which
could be substantial – of the carcasses can
lead to unusually rapid wear.
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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 – 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.
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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 original 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 find out about
these at specialized dealers or at your
BMW 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.
Run-flat tires
If your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires,
refer to Run-flat tires, only use these tires,
as in the event of a breakdown there is no
spare wheel available.
Special characteristics of winter
tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in
cold winter driving conditions. Although
so-called all-season M+S tires provide bet-
ter 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
description at Tire condition, and Replac-
ing wheels/tires, refer to page
191 .
Run-flat tires
If your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires,
refer to Run-flat tires, only use these tires,
as in the event of a breakdown there is no
spare wheel available.
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 center will be glad to assist you with
the required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment.
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