Get Operation, care and maintenance -> Wheels and tires Guide for BMW Z8 Roadster First Generation (2000-2003)

Tire inflation pressure

Tire condition

99n

Information for your safety

Safety tires

The vehicle's factory-approved safety

tires have been specially designed to

provide optimum safety and driving

comfort on your vehicle.

Your BMW Z8 is equipped with safety

tires.

The assembly consists of self-

supporting tires mounted on specially-

designed wheel rims. Special reinforce-

ment elements support the sidewalls in

the event of pressure loss. Although tire

performance is then restricted, the

vehicle can still be driven on the

deflated tire for a limited distance. Your

vehicle is equipped with a Flat Tire

Monitor that signals you in case of a flat

tire.

It is not merely the tire's service life, but

also driving comfort and – above all else

– driving safety that depend on the

condition of the tires and the mainte-

nance of the specified tire pressure.

Incorrect inflation pressure is a

frequent cause of tire damage. It

also significantly influences the road-

holding ability of your BMW. Check tire

inflation pressures regularly (refer to

page 26), 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 acci-

dents.<

Tire tread – tire damage

Inspect your tires frequently for tread

depth, wear, signs of damage and for

foreign objects lodged in the tread.

For further information, refer to

pages 67, 137.

Tread depth should not be allowed to

fall below 0.12 in (3 mm), even though

the legally specified minimum tread

depth is only 0.063 in (1.6 mm). At at

tread depth of 0.063 in (1.6 mm), tread

depth indicators (arrow) in the tread-

groove base will indicate that the legally

permissible wear limit has been

reached. Below 0.12 in (3 mm) tread

depth, there is an increased risk of

aquaplaning, even at relatively

moderate speeds and with only small

amounts of water on the road.

¹⁰⁰ⁿTire condition

Tire replacement

Avoid overloading the vehicle so

To maintain good handling and vehicle practices and differences in road char-

that the permitted load on the tires response, use only tires of a single

is not exceeded. Overloading can lead tread configuration from a single manu-

to overheating and increases the rate at facturer. BMW tests and approves

acteristics and climate.

Traction

which damage develops inside the

tires. You could have a blowout as a

result.

wheel and tire combinations. Refer to

page 104.

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 speci-

fied government test surfaces of

Unusual vibrations encountered during

normal vehicle operation can indicate a

flat tire or some other vehicle defect, as

can variations in normal vehicle

response, such as a pronounced

tendency to pull to the left or right.

Should this occur, respond by immedi-

ately reducing your speed. Proceed

carefully to the nearest BMW center or

professional tire center, or have the

vehicle towed in to have it and its tires

inspected.

DOT Quality Grades

Tread wear

Traction AA A B C

Temperature A B C

asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C

may have poor traction performance.

All passenger vehicle tires

must conform to Federal Safety

Requirements in addition to these

grades.<

The traction grade assigned to

this tire is based on straight-

ahead braking traction tests, and does

not include acceleration, cornering,

aquaplaning, or peak traction charac-

teristics.<

Tread wear

The tread wear grade is a comparative

rating based on the wear rate of the tire

when tested under controlled condi-

tions on a specified government test

course.

Tire damage can endanger the lives of

both the vehicle occupants and other

road users.<

For example, a tire graded 150 would

wear one and one-half (1g) times as

well on the government course as a tire

graded 100. The relative performance

of tires depends upon the actual condi-

tions of their use, however, and may

depart significantly from the norm due

to variations in driving habits, service

Tire replacement

Tire rotation

101n

Temperature

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

Between the axles

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 condi-

tions on a specified indoor laboratory

test wheel.

Quality grades can be found where

applicable on the tire sidewall between

tread shoulder and maximum section

width. For example:

If different tire sizes are mounted

on the front and rear axles (refer to

page 104), then the tires may not be

rotated from one axle to the other.<

Tread wear 200 Traction AA

Temperature A

The tread wear patterns at the front end

differ from those at the rear – the actual

patterns will vary according to indi-

vidual driving conditions. In the inter-

ests of safety and maintaining optimal

handling characteristics, tire rotation is

not recommended.

Sustained high temperature can cause

the tire material to degenerate and

reduce tire life, and excessive tempera-

ture can lead to sudden flat tire. The

grade C corresponds to a level of

performance which all passenger

vehicle tires must meet under the

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard

No. 109. Grades B and A represent

higher levels of performance on the

laboratory test wheel than the minimum

required by law.

Use only safety tires as there is no

spare tire available if you get a flat

tire.

For further information, refer to

page 137.<

Tire age

The date on which the tire was manu-

factured is indicated by the code on the

sidewall:

DOT ... 3201 indicates that the tire was

manufactured in week 32 of 2001.

Although tires may have a theoretical

service life of up to 10 years, BMW

strongly recommends that you replace

all tires after an absolute maximum of

6 years.

The temperature grade for this tire

is established for a tire that is

properly inflated and not overloaded.

Excessive speed, underinflation, or

excessive loading, either separately or

in combination, can cause heat buildup

and possibly a flat tire.<

¹⁰²ⁿWheel and tire combinations

Codes on light-alloy wheels:

For example:

x 18 EH2

The right choice

Codes on tires and wheels

Use only wheels and tires

The code on tires has the following

meaning.

8

J

approved by BMW for the corre-

sponding vehicle model, as otherwise

the tires may make contact with the

body as the result of tolerances despite

the same nominal size being used,

resulting in serious accidents. If non-

approved wheels and tires are used,

BMW cannot evaluate their suitability,

and therefore cannot be held liable for

driving safety.<

Rim width

in inches

Codes on radial tires:

Code letter for

flange type

For example:

245/45 R 18 96 W

Nominal width

in mm

Symbol for full-drop

center rim

Rim diameter in inches

Aspect ratio in X

Radial tire code

Hump on the 2 rim shoulders

Rim diameter in inches

Load rating

Protect tire valves from dirt by using

screw-on valve stem caps. Dirt in the

valves frequently leads to slow leaks.

(not on ZR tires)

Speed rating

(before R on ZR tires)

For wheel and tire specifications

approved by BMW, refer to page 104.

Safety tires carry additional designation

codes; these vary according to manu-

facturer:

The speed rating indicates the

approved maximum speed for the tire.

The correct wheel and tire combi-

nation affects different systems

that otherwise will not function prop-

erly, e.g. ABS, DSC and Flat Tire

Monitor.

Bridgestone RFT

Summer tires:

Dunlop

Goodyear

Michelin

DSST

EMT

ZP

S

T

H

V

= up to 112 mph (180 km/h)

= up to 118 mph (190 km/h)

= up to 130 mph (210 km/h)

= up to 150 mph (240 km/h)

For this reason, use only tires of the

same brand and tread pattern on the

vehicle and, for example, restore the

approved wheel and tire combination

following a flat tire as soon as

possible.<

Storage

W = up to 167 mph (270 km/h)

= up to 186 mph (300 km/h)

ZR = over 150 mph (240 km/h)

Always store tires in a cool, dry place,

protecting them against light whenever

possible. Protect the tires against

contact with oil, grease and fuel.

Y

Winter tires:

Q M+S = up to 100 mph (160 km/h)

T M+S = up to 118 mph (190 km/h)

H M+S = up to 130 mph (210 km/h)

Special features of winter tires

Snow chains*

103n

The use of narrow-link BMW snow

chains is permissible in pairs only on

the rear wheels with winter tires with

tire size 245/45 R 18 96 H. Comply with

all manufacturer's safety precautions

when mounting the chains. Do not

exceed a speed of 30 mph (50 km/h)

while driving with mounted snow

chains.

Choosing the right tire

Do not exceed specified

maximum speeds

For winter road driving, BMW recom-

mends winter tires (M+S radial belt

tires). Although all-season M+S tires

Never exceed the maximum speed

for which winter tires are rated.

provide better winter traction than stan- Unprofessional attempts by laymen to

dard summer tires with H, V, W, Y and

ZR speed ratings, they generally fail to

service tires can lead to damage and

accidents.

provide the same levels of performance Have this work performed by skilled

as standard snow tires in winter driving. professionals only. Your BMW center

will be glad to assist you with both their

In the interests of safe tracking and

Do not activate the Flat Tire

Monitor when driving with snow

chains mounted. Malfunction warnings

and undetected losses in pressure are

a possibility when driving with snow

chains.

expertise and the proper equipment for

steering response, install radial tires

your vehicle.<

made by the same manufacturer and

with the same tread configuration on all

Tire condition, tire pressure

four wheels if you elect to mount winter

tires.

Once the tread depth on winter tires is

less than 0.16 in (4 mm), they are no

longer suitable for winter road driving,

and in the interest of safety should be

replaced.

For further information, refer to

page 67.<

When selecting winter tires,

remember that you should never

mount anything other than safety tires,

as your vehicle is not equipped with a

spare tire.

Comply with the specified tire inflation

pressures – and be sure to have the

wheel and tire assemblies balanced

every time you change the tires.

For further information, refer to

page 137.<

¹⁰⁴ⁿApproved wheel and tire specifications

BMW tests certain tire brands for each tire size, classifies them as road-safe and

approves them. Your BMW center can provide further information.

Observe any regulations applicable in the country of use, e. g. requiring entry in

the vehicle documents.

Tire specifications

BMW Z8

Light-alloy wheel

Summer tires

Front: 245/45 R 18 96 W

Rear: 275/40 R 18 99 W

Winter tires

8Jx18EH2

9Jx18EH2

245/45 R 18 96 H M+S

8Jx18EH2

The use of rims and wheel bolts

that do not meet the specifica-

tions of the original factory-installed

equipment will affect the safe operation

of your vehicle and may cause an acci-

dent and personal injury.

Snow chains*

It is impossible to install snow chains

on 275/40 R 18 99 W summer tires.

Do not activate the Flat Tire

Monitor when driving with snow

chains mounted. Malfunction warnings

and undetected losses in pressure are

a possibility when driving with snow

chains.

Never mix tires of different design, such

as steel-belted radials with radial bias-

belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire

types will adversely affect roadholding

and can lead to loss of vehicle

For further information, refer to

page 67.<

control.<

Operation, care and maintenance -> Wheels and tires for Your BMW Z8 Roadster First Generation (2000-2003)

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