Wheels and tires -> Tire tread for your BMW 6 Series 2011-2017

Wheels and tires  
Mobility  
Temperature grade for this tire  
Treadwear  
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.  
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.  
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.◀  
RSC – Run-flat tires  
Run-flat tires, refer to page 208, are labeled  
with a circular symbol containing the letters  
RSC marked on the sidewall.  
Traction  
M+S  
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,  
are AA, A, B, and C.  
Winter and all-season tires with better cold  
weather performance than summer tires.  
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.  
Temperature  
Winter tires  
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  
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.  
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are  
less suitable for winter operation.  
205  
 
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.  
206