Owner's Manual for the vehicle. With a quick reference ... - E38.org

Tire replacement
Tire rotation
133n
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single
tread configuration from a single manufacturer.
BMW tests and approves
wheel/tire combinations. Refer to
page 136.
Do not use retreaded tires, since
driving safety may be impaired by
their use. This is due to the possible
variations in casing structures and, in
some cases, to their extreme age,
which can lead to a decrease in their
durability.<
Tire age
The date on which the tire was manufactured
is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT ... 178 means that the tires were
manufactured in the 17th week of 1998.
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires when the tires are no more than
6 years old, even if a tire life of 10 years
is possible.
Spare tires over 6 years old should be
used only in case of emergency. Such a
tire should be replaced by a new tire
immediately, and should not be
mounted together with new tires.
Between the axles
The tread wear patterns at the front end
differ from those at the rear - the actual
patterns will vary according to individual
driving conditions. In the interests of
safety and maintaining optimal handling
characteristics, tire rotation is not recommended.
If a proposed interaxle rotation of tires
is based on economic considerations,
one should consider whether the costs
for the rotation are likely to be recaptured
by any increase in the service life
of the tires which might be realized. Rotation
should always be carried out at
short intervals, with a maximum of
3,000 miles (5,000 km). Consult your
authorized BMW center for more information.
Should you decide to rotate the tires, it
is essential to comply with the following:
Rotate tires on the same side only,
since braking characteristics and road
grip could otherwise be adversely affected.
Following rotation, correct the tire inflation
pressure.
If different tire sizes are mounted
on the front and rear axles
(page 136), the tires may not be rotated
from one axle to the other.<
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