Wheels and tires, Tire inflation pressure, Tire condition – BMW M3 Coupe 2004 User Manual

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Wheels and tires

Tire inflation pressure

Information for your safety

The factory-approved tires are matched
to your vehicle and have been selected
to provide optimum safety and driving
comfort when used properly.

It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and – above all else
– driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire pressure.

Incorrect tire inflation pressure is
a frequent cause of tire damage. It

also significantly influences the road-
holding ability of your BMW. Check tire
inflation pressures on a regular basis,
refer to page

, at least every two

weeks and before beginning a longer
trip. If this is not done, incorrect tire
pressures can cause driving instability
and tire damage, ultimately resulting in
accidents.

Tire condition

Tire tread – tire damage

Inspect your tires frequently for tread
wear, signs of damage and for foreign
objects lodged in the tread. Check the
tread depth.

Tread depth should not be allowed to
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though
the legally specified minimum tread
depth is only 1/16 in / 1.6 mm.

Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at
relatively moderate speeds and with
only small amounts of water on the
road. Tread wear indicators in the
tread-groove base – see arrow – are
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-

wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At
a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the
indicators signal that the legally permis-
sible wear limit has been reached.