Wheels and tires -> Tire tread for your BMW i8 2014-2020
Wheels and tires
MOBILITY
does not include acceleration, cornering, hydro‐
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
Designation
Manufacture date
38th week, 2019
DOT … 3819
Temperature
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
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 material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and exces‐
sive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform‐
ance which all passenger car tires must meet un‐
der the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades Band A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
E.g.: Treadwear 200; Traction AA; Temperature
A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to Fed‐
eral Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
Warning
The temperature grade for this tire is estab‐
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in com‐
bination, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
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. E.g., 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 significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.
Tire tread
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
Summer tires
Do not drive with a tire tread of less than
0.12 in/3 mm, otherwise there is an increased
risk of hydroplaning.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfa‐
ces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Winter tires
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
Do not drive with a tire tread of less than
0.16 in/4 mm, as such tires are less suitable for
winter operation.
209
Online Edition for Part no. 01402914089 - X/19
Wheels and tires
MOBILITY
▷ Tire inflation pressure too low.
▷ Vehicle overloading.
Minimum tread depth
▷ Incorrect tire storage.
Safety information
Warning
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation pressure,
which can lead to loss of vehicle control. There
is a risk of accident. If tire damage is suspected
while driving, immediately reduce speed and
stop. Have wheels and tires checked. For this
purpose, drive carefully to the nearest dealer’s
service center or another qualified service cen‐
ter or repair shop. Have vehicle towed or trans‐
ported as needed. Do not repair damaged tires,
but have them replaced.
Wear indicators are distributed around the tire's
circumference and have the legally required min‐
imum height of 0.063 inches/1.6 mm.
The positions of the wear indicators are marked
on the tire sidewall with TWI, Tread Wear Indica‐
tor.
Tire damage
Warning
Tires can become damaged by driving over ob‐
stacles, e.g., curbs or road damage, at high
speed. Larger wheels have a smaller tire cross-
section. The smaller the tire cross-section, the
higher the risk of tire damage. There is a dan‐
ger of accidents and property damage. If possi‐
ble, avoid driving over objects or road condi‐
tions that may damage tires, or drive over them
slowly and carefully.
General information
Inspect your tires regularly for damage, foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces, as
well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires and sus‐
pension parts. This is more likely to occur with
low-profile tires, which provide less cushioning
between the wheel and the road. Be careful to
avoid road hazards and reduce your speed, es‐
pecially if your vehicle is equipped with low-pro‐
file tires.
Changing wheels and tires
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle mal‐
functions:
Mounting
Have mounting and wheel balancing carried out
by a dealer’s service center or another qualified
service center or repair shop.
▷ Unusual vibrations.
▷ Unusual tire or running noises.
▷ Unusual handling such as a strong tendency
to pull to the left or right.
Damage can be caused by the following situa‐
tions, for instance:
▷ Driving over curbs.
▷ Road damage.
210
Online Edition for Part no. 01402914089 - X/19





