BMW 2004 330xi Sedan Manual Do Proprietário

125

Do not drive on a flat tire unless 
your vehicle is equipped with Run 

Flat tires. A flat tire greatly impairs 
steering and braking response, and can 
lead to complete loss of control over 
the vehicle. Avoid overloading the vehi-
cle so that the permitted load on the 
tires is not exceeded. Overloading can 
lead to overheating and internal tire 
damage.
The ultimate result can assume the 
form of a sudden air loss.
Unusual vibrations encountered during 
normal vehicle operation can indicate a 
flat tire or some other vehicle malfunc-
tion. This type of problem can be 
caused by contact with curbs, etc. This 
is also true for abnormalities in the vehi-
cle's handling characteristics, such as a 
pronounced tendency to pull to the left 
or right. Should this occur, respond by 
immediately reducing your speed. Pro-
ceed carefully to the nearest BMW cen-
ter or professional tire center, or have 
the vehicle towed in to have it, its 
wheels or its tires inspected.
Tire damage up to and including sud-
den and complete air loss can endan-
ger the lives of both the vehicle occu-
pants and other road users.

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To maintain good handling and vehicle 
response, use only tires of a single 
tread configuration from a single manu-
facturer.

Comply with the specified tire inflation 
pressures — and be sure to have the 
wheel and tire assembly balanced 
every time you change a tire or wheel.

Tread wear

Traction AA A B C

Temperature A B C

All passenger car tires must con-
form to Federal Safety Require-

ments in addition to these grades.

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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.

For example, a tire graded 150 would 
wear one and one-half – 1 

1

/

2

 – 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 
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.

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 
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C 
may have poor traction.

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 charac-
teristics.

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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.

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