Mobility -> Wheels and tires for Your BMW X3 SUV 2020

Wheels and tires  
Mobility  
Wheels and tires  
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the  
tires are cold. This means after driving no more  
than 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehicle has  
been parked for at least 2 hours.  
Vehicle features and options  
This chapter describes all standard, country-  
specific and optional features offered with the  
series. It also describes features that are not  
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to  
the selected options or country versions. This  
also applies to safety-related functions and  
systems. The respectively applicable country  
provisions must be observed when using the  
respective features and systems.  
The displays of inflation devices may under-  
read by up to 1.45 psi/0.1 bar.  
For Flat Tire Monitor: after correcting the tire  
inflation pressure, reinitialize the Flat Tire  
Monitor.  
For Tire Pressure Monitor: after correcting the  
tire inflation pressure, reset the Tire Pressure  
Monitor.  
Tire inflation pressure  
Tire inflation pressure specifications  
Safety information  
The tire characteristics and tire inflation pres‐  
sure influence the following:  
The tire inflation pressure table, refer to  
page 198, contains all tire inflation pressure  
specifications for the specified tire sizes at the  
ambient temperature. Tire inflation pressure  
specifications apply to approved tire sizes and  
recommended tire brands. This information  
can be obtained from your service center.  
The service life of the tires.  
Road safety.  
Driving comfort.  
To identify the correct tire inflation pressure,  
please note the following:  
Checking the tire inflation pressure  
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly  
Tire sizes of your vehicle.  
Regularly check the tire inflation pres‐  
sure, and correct it as needed: at least twice a  
month and before a long trip. If you fail to ob‐  
serve this precaution, you may be driving on  
tires with incorrect tire pressures, a condition  
that may not only compromise your vehicle's  
driving stability, but also lead to tire damage  
and the risk of an accident.◀  
Maximum permitted driving speed.  
Tire inflation pressures up to  
100 mph/160 km/h  
For speeds of up to 100 mph/160 km/h and for  
optimum driving comfort, note the pressure  
values in the tire inflation pressure table, refer  
to page 198, and adjust as necessary.  
Tires have a natural, consistent loss of tire in‐  
flation pressure.  
Tires heat up while driving, and the tire infla‐  
tion pressure increases along with the tire's  
temperature. The tire inflation pressure speci‐  
fications relate to cold tires or tires with the  
ambient temperature.  
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Mobility  
Wheels and tires  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Front: 245/45 R 19 2.2 / 32  
-
98 W RSC  
-
2.2 / 32  
Rear: 275/40 R 19  
101 W RSC  
Front: 245/40 R 20 2.2 / 32  
-
99 Y XL RSC  
-
2.4 / 35  
These pressure values can also be found on  
the tire inflation pressure label on the driver's  
door pillar.  
Rear: 275/35 R 20  
102 Y XL RSC  
Front: 245/35 R 21 2.5 / 36  
-
Maximum permissible speed  
96 Y XL RSC  
-
2.9 /42  
Do not exceed 100 mph/160 km/h; other‐  
wise, tire damage and accidents may result.◀  
Rear: 275/30 R 21  
98 Y XL RSC  
Emergency wheel: Speed up to a max. of  
Tire inflation pressure values up to  
100 mph/160 km/h  
50 mph / 80 km/h  
T 135/80 R 18 104  
M
4.2 / 60  
X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i,  
X3 xDrive28d  
X3 xDrive35i  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Specifications in  
bar/PSI with cold  
tires  
Specifications in  
bar/PSI with cold  
tires  
245/55 R 17 102 H 2.2 / 32  
M+S RSC  
2.2 / 32  
2.4 / 35  
245/50 R 18 100 H 2.2 / 32  
M+S RSC  
2.4 / 35  
2.6 / 38  
225/60 R 17 99 H  
M+S RSC  
2.2 / 32  
245/50 R 18 100 V  
M+S A/S RSC  
245/50 R 18 100 H  
M+S RSC  
245/45 R 19 102 V 2.2 / 32  
M+S XL A/S RSC  
245/50 R 18 100 V  
M+S A/S RSC  
245/45 R 19 102 V  
M+S XL RSC  
245/45 R 19 102 V 2.2 / 32  
M+S XL A/S RSC  
2.6 / 38  
Front: 245/45 R 19 2.2 / 32  
-
98 W RSC  
-
2.2 / 32  
245/45 R 19 102 V  
M+S XL RSC  
Rear: 275/40 R 19  
101 W RSC  
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Wheels and tires  
Mobility  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Front: 245/40 R 20 2.2 / 32  
-
225/60 R 17 99 H  
M+S RSC  
2.4 / 35  
2.8 / 41  
99 Y XL RSC  
-
2.4 / 35  
Rear: 275/35 R 20  
102 Y XL RSC  
245/50 R 18 100 H  
M+S RSC  
245/50 R 18 100 V  
M+S A/S RSC  
Front: 245/35 R 21 2.5 / 36  
-
96 Y XL RSC  
-
2.9 /42  
Rear: 275/30 R 21  
98 Y XL RSC  
245/45 R 19 102 V 2.6 / 38  
M+S XL A/S RSC  
3.0 / 44  
245/45 R 19 102 V  
M+S XL RSC  
Emergency wheel: Speed up to a max. of  
50 mph / 80 km/h  
T 135/80 R 18 104  
M
4.2 / 60  
Front: 245/45 R 19 2.4 / 35  
-
98 W RSC  
-
2.6 / 38  
Rear: 275/40 R 19  
101 W RSC  
Tire inflation pressures at max.  
speeds above 100 mph/160 km/h  
Speeds above 100 mph/160 km/h  
Front: 245/40 R 20 2.4 / 35  
-
99 Y XL RSC  
In order to drive at maximum speeds in  
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please observe,  
and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures for  
speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from the  
relevant table on the following pages. Other‐  
wise tire damage and accidents could occur.◀  
-
2.6 / 38  
Rear: 275/35 R 20  
102 Y XL RSC  
Front: 245/35 R 21 2.8 / 41  
96 Y XL RSC  
3.2 / 46  
-
-
Rear: 275/30 R 21  
98 Y XL RSC  
Tire inflation pressure values over  
100 mph/160 km/h  
Emergency wheel: Speed up to a max. of  
50 mph / 80 km/h  
T 135/80 R 18 104  
M
X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i,  
X3 xDrive28d  
4.2 / 60  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Specifications in  
bar/PSI with cold  
tires  
245/55 R 17 102 H 2.2 / 32  
M+S RSC  
2.6 / 38  
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Mobility  
Wheels and tires  
R: radial tire code  
X3 xDrive35i  
18: rim diameter in inches  
96: load rating, not for ZR tires  
Y: speed rating, before the R on ZR tires  
Tire size  
Pressure specifications  
in bar/PSI  
Specifications in  
bar/PSI with cold  
tires  
Speed letter  
Q = up to 100 mph, 160 km/h  
R = up to 106 mph, 170 km/h  
S = up to 112 mph, 180 km/h  
T = up to 118 mph, 190 km/h  
H = up to 131 mph, 210 km/h  
V = up to 150 mph, 240 km/h  
W = up to 167 mph, 270 km/h  
Y = up to 186 mph, 300 km/h  
245/50 R 18 100 H 2.6 / 38  
M+S RSC  
3.0 / 44  
3.2 / 46  
245/50 R 18 100 V  
M+S A/S RSC  
245/45 R 19 102 V 2.8 / 41  
M+S XL A/S RSC  
245/45 R 19 102 V  
M+S XL RSC  
Tire Identification Number  
DOT code: DOT xxxx xxx 0115  
xxxx: manufacturer code for the tire brand  
xxx: tire size and tire design  
0115: tire age  
Front: 245/45 R 19 2.4 / 35  
-
98 W RSC  
-
2.8 / 41  
Rear: 275/40 R 19  
101 W RSC  
Front: 245/40 R 20 2.4 / 35  
-
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of  
the U.S. Department of Transportation.  
99 Y XL RSC  
-
2.8 / 41  
Rear: 275/35 R 20  
102 Y XL RSC  
Tire age  
DOT … 0115: the tire was manufactured in the  
1st week of 2015.  
Front: 245/35 R 21 2.8 / 41  
3.2 / 46  
-
96 Y XL RSC  
-
Rear: 275/30 R 21  
98 Y XL RSC  
Recommendation  
Regardless of wear and tear, replace tires at  
least every 6 years.  
Emergency wheel: Speed up to a max. of  
50 mph / 80 km/h  
T 135/80 R 18 104  
Uniform Tire Quality Grading  
M
4.2 / 60  
Quality grades can be found where applicable  
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder  
and maximum section width.  
Tire identification marks  
For example: Treadwear 200; Traction AA;  
Temperature A  
Tire size  
245/45 R 18 96 Y  
245: nominal width in mm  
45: aspect ratio in %  
DOT Quality Grades  
Treadwear  
200  
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Wheels and tires  
Mobility  
Traction AA A B C  
Temperature A B C  
car tires must meet under the Federal Motor  
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band  
A represent higher levels of performance on  
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum re‐  
quired by law.  
All passenger car tires must conform to Fed‐  
eral Safety Requirements in addition to these  
grades.  
Temperature grade for this tire  
Treadwear  
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐  
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and  
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐  
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or  
in combination, can cause heat buildup and  
possible tire failure.  
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating  
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested  
under controlled conditions on a specified gov‐  
ernment test course. For example, a tire  
graded 150 would wear one and one-half, 1 g,  
times as well on the government course as a  
tire graded 100. The relative performance of  
tires depends upon the actual conditions of  
their use, however, and may depart signifi‐  
cantly from the norm due to variations in driv‐  
ing habits, service practices and differences in  
road characteristics and climate.  
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.◀  
RSC – Run-flat tires  
Run-flat tires, refer to page 204, are labeled  
with a circular symbol containing the letters  
RSC marked on the sidewall.  
M+S  
Traction  
Winter and all-season tires with better cold  
weather performance than summer tires.  
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,  
are AA, A, B, and C.  
Those grades represent the tire's ability to  
stop on wet pavement as measured under  
controlled conditions on specified government  
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire  
marked C may have poor traction performance.  
Tire tread  
Summer tires  
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than  
0.12 in/3 mm.  
The traction grade assigned to this tire is  
based on straight-ahead braking traction tests,  
and does not include acceleration, cornering,  
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.  
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if  
the tire tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.  
Winter tires  
Temperature  
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than  
0.16 in/4 mm.  
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,  
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the  
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate  
heat when tested under controlled conditions  
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.  
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma‐  
terial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire  
life, and excessive temperature can lead to  
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds  
to a level of performance which all passenger  
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are  
less suitable for winter operation.  
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Mobility  
Wheels and tires  
In case of tire damage  
Minimum tread depth  
If there are indications of tire damage, re‐  
duce your speed immediately and have the  
rims and tires checked right away; otherwise,  
there is the increased risk of an accident.  
Drive carefully to the nearest service center. If  
necessary, have the vehicle towed or trans‐  
ported there. Otherwise, tire damage can be‐  
come life threatening for vehicle occupants  
and also other traffic.◀  
Wear indicators are distributed around the  
tire's circumference and have the legally re‐  
quired minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.  
Repair of tire damage  
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of  
your vehicle recommends that you do not have  
damaged tires repaired; they should be re‐  
placed. Otherwise, damage can occur as a re‐  
sult.◀  
They are marked on the side of the tire with  
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.  
Tire damage  
Changing wheels and tires  
General information  
Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign  
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.  
Mounting  
Information on mounting tires  
Have mounting and balancing performed  
only by a service center.  
Hints  
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,  
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles  
can cause serious damage to wheels, tires and  
suspension parts. This is more likely to occur  
with low-profile tires, which provide less cush‐  
ioning between the wheel and the road. Be  
careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your  
speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped  
with low-profile tires.  
If work is not carried out properly, there is a  
danger of subsequent damage and related  
safety hazards.◀  
Wheel and tire combination  
You can ask the service center about the right  
wheel/tire combination and wheel rim versions  
for the vehicle.  
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle de‐  
fects:  
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair  
the function of a variety of systems such as  
ABS or DSC.  
Unusual vibrations while driving.  
Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐  
dency to pull to the left or right.  
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐  
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐  
figuration from a single manufacturer.  
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over  
curbs, road damage, or similar things.  
Following tire damage, have the original wheel  
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle  
as soon as possible.  
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Mobility  
Approved wheels and tires  
Retreaded tires  
You should only use wheels and tires  
that have been approved by the vehicle manu‐  
facturer for your vehicle type; otherwise, e.g.,  
despite having the same official size ratings,  
variations can lead to chassis contact and with  
it, the risk of severe accidents  
Possibly substantial variations in the de‐  
sign and age of the tire casing structures can  
limit service life and have a negative impact on  
road safety.◀  
Winter tires  
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot eval‐  
uate non-approved wheels and tires to deter‐  
mine if they are suited for use, and therefore  
cannot guarantee the operating safety of the  
vehicle.◀  
Winter tires are recommended for operating on  
winter roads.  
Although so-called all-season M+S tires pro‐  
vide better winter traction than summer tires,  
they do not provide the same level of perform‐  
ance as winter tires.  
Recommended tire brands  
Maximum speed of winter tires  
If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher  
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,  
then a respective symbol is displayed in your  
field of vision. You can obtain this sign from the  
tire specialist or from your service center.  
Maximum speed for winter tires  
Do not exceed the maximum speed for  
the respective winter tires; otherwise, tire dam‐  
age and accidents can occur.◀  
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your ve‐  
hicle recommends certain tire brands. These  
can be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.  
Run-flat tires  
With proper use, these tires meet the highest  
standards for safety and handling.  
If you are already using run-flat tires, for your  
own safety you should replace them only with  
the same kind. No spare tire is available in the  
case of a flat tire. Your service center will be  
glad to advise you.  
New tires  
Tire traction is not optimal due to manufactur‐  
ing circumstances when tires are brand-new;  
they achieve their full traction potential after a  
break-in time.  
Rotating wheels between axles  
Different wear patterns can occur on the front  
and rear axles depending on individual driving  
conditions. The tires can be rotated between  
the axles to achieve even wear. Your service  
center will be glad to advise you. After rotating,  
check the tire pressure and correct if needed.  
Drive conservatively for the first  
200 miles/300 km.  
Retreaded tires  
The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐  
ommend the use of retreaded tires.  
Rotating the tires is not permissible on vehi‐  
cles with different tire sizes or rim sizes on the  
front and rear axles.  
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Mobility  
Wheels and tires  
into the tires, which seals the damage from the  
inside.  
Storage  
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with  
as little exposure to light as possible.  
The compressor can be used to check the tire  
inflation pressure.  
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,  
grease and fuels.  
Hints  
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres‐  
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.  
Follow the instructions on using the Mobi‐  
lity System found on the compressor and  
sealant container.  
Use of the Mobility System may be ineffec‐  
tive if the tire puncture measures approx.  
1/8 in/4 mm or more.  
Run-flat tires  
Label  
Contact the nearest service center if the  
tire cannot be made drivable.  
If possible, do not remove foreign bodies  
that have penetrated the tire.  
Pull the speed limit sticker off the sealant  
container and apply it to the steering  
wheel.  
The use of a sealant can damage the TPM  
wheel electronics. In this case, have the  
electronics checked at the next opportu‐  
nity and have them replaced if needed.  
RSC label on the tire sidewall.  
The wheels consist of tires that are self-sup‐  
porting, to a limited degree, and possibly spe‐  
cial rims.  
Enclosed areas  
Do not let the engine run in enclosed  
The support of the sidewall allows the tire to  
remain drivable to a restricted degree in the  
event of a tire inflation pressure loss.  
areas, since breathing in exhaust fumes may  
lead to loss of consciousness and death. The  
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an  
odorless and colorless but highly toxic gas.◀  
Follow the instructions for continued driving  
with a flat tire.  
Storage  
Changing run-flat tires  
The Mobility System is located under the  
cargo floor panel.  
For your own safety, only use run-flat tires. No  
spare tire is available in the case of a flat tire.  
Your service center will be glad to advise you.  
Mobility System  
The concept  
With the Mobility System, minor tire damage  
can be sealed quickly to enable continued  
travel. To accomplish this, sealant is pumped  
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Mobility  
Sealing container  
Filling the tire with sealant  
1. Shake the sealing container.  
Sealing container, arrow 1.  
Filling hose, arrow 2.  
2. Pull the connection hose fully out of the  
compressor housing. Do not kink the hose.  
Observe use-by date on the sealant container.  
Compressor  
3. Screw the connection hose onto the con‐  
nector of the sealant container.  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Holder for bottle  
Compressor  
Connector/cable for socket  
Connection hose  
On/off reel  
Inflation pressure dial  
Reduce inflation pressure  
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Mobility  
Wheels and tires  
4. Insert the sealant container on the com‐  
pressor housing in an upright position.  
7. With the ignition turned on or the engine  
running, reel on the compressor.  
Switch off the compressor after 10 mi‐  
nutes  
5. Screw the filling hose of the sealant con‐  
tainer onto the tire valve of the defective  
wheel.  
Do not allow the compressor to run longer than  
10 minutes; otherwise, the device will overheat  
and may be damaged.◀  
Let the compressor run for approx. 3 to 8 mi‐  
nutes to fill the tire with sealant and achieve a  
tire inflation pressure of approx. 2.5 bar.  
While the tire is being filled with sealant, the  
tire inflation pressure may sporadically reach  
approx. 5 bar. Do not reel off the compressor at  
this point.  
6. With the compressor switched off, insert  
the plug into the power socket inside the  
vehicle.  
If a tire inflation pressure of 2 bar is not  
reached:  
1. Switch off the compressor.  
2. Unscrew the filling hose from the wheel.  
3. Drive 33 ft/10 m forward and back to dis‐  
tribute the sealant in the tire.  
4. Inflate the tire again using the compressor.  
If a tire inflation pressure of 2 bar cannot be  
reached, contact your service center.  
Stowing the Mobility System  
1. Unscrew the filling hose of the sealant con‐  
tainer from the wheel.  
2. Unscrew the connection hose of the com‐  
pressor from the sealant container.  
3. Connect the filling hose of the sealant con‐  
tainer previously connected to the tire  
valve with the available connector on the  
sealant container.  
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Mobility  
This prevents leftover sealant from escap‐  
ing from the container.  
Snow chains  
4. Wrap the empty sealant container in suita‐  
ble material to avoid dirtying the cargo  
area.  
Fine-link snow chains  
Only certain types of fine-link snow chains  
have been tested by the manufacturer of the  
vehicle, classified as road-safe and approved.  
5. Stow the Mobility System back in the vehi‐  
cle.  
Information about the approved snow chains  
are available from the service center.  
Distributing the sealant  
Immediately drive approx. 5 miles/10 km to en‐  
sure that the sealant is evenly distributed in the  
tire.  
Use  
Use only in pairs on the rear wheels, equipped  
with the tires of the following size:  
Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.  
205/65 R 17.  
225/60 R 17.  
245/50 R 18.  
245/45 R 19.  
If possible, do not drive at speeds less than  
12 mph/20 km/h.  
To correct the tire inflation pressure  
No snow chains on size 245/55 R 17 tires  
Do not mount snow chains on size  
245/55 R 17 tires; otherwise, the vehicle may  
become damaged.◀  
1. Stop at a suitable location.  
2. Screw the connection hose of the com‐  
pressor directly onto the tire valve stem.  
3. Insert the connector into the power socket  
inside the vehicle.  
Follow the snow chain manufacturer's instruc‐  
tions.  
4. Correct the tire inflation pressure to  
2.5 bar.  
Make sure that the snow chains are always  
sufficiently tight. Retighten as needed accord‐  
ing to the chain manufacturer's instructions.  
Increase pressure: with the ignition  
turned on or the engine running, reel  
on the compressor.  
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after  
mounting snow chains, as doing so may result  
in incorrect readings.  
To reduce the pressure: press the but‐  
ton on the compressor.  
Do not initialize the Tire Pressure Monitor after  
mounting snow chains, as doing so may result  
in incorrect readings.  
Continuing the trip  
Do not exceed the maximum permissible  
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.  
When driving with snow chains, briefly activate  
Dynamic Traction Control if needed.  
Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor.  
Reinitialize the Tire Pressure Monitor.  
Maximum speed with snow chains  
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph/50 km/h  
when using snow chains.  
Replace the defective tire and the sealant con‐  
tainer of the Mobility System as soon as possi‐  
ble.  
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