dtc engages alot after changing to winter tires?

dakine · 12-02-2008, 05:53 PM

wasnt sure if this is normal or not, which is why i'm asking. i got my winter tires put on today and went for a test drive on dry roads. the temperature was just below freezing if that makes a difference. to sum things up, the car seems to pull a bit at low speeds, and when going around 40-50 mph, i push the throttle about 1/2 way down in 4th gear, the dtc light kicks on and off a bunch of times and the car behaves similarly to when you're going around a high speed turn and you can feel the car shift throttle around... i thought maybe the dealer didn't fill up the tires, but the tpms didn't alarm. anyone experience this?

Ph0zenstone · 12-02-2008, 07:01 PM

i have snow tires on right now and never had DTC light go on yet. Are your tires inflated properly?

Mau1976 · 12-02-2008, 09:10 PM

I got my winter tires on a few weeks ago, and I haven't had any problems. We had a few inches of snow two days ago, and I took the car for a drive and the car didn't have any changes or lights on. Maybe you should take it to the shop.

UdubBadger · 12-02-2008, 09:19 PM

ya i'd at least give your dealership a call and talk it over with a service advisor to see what it could be.

i'd be 1 thing if you were in 5 inches of mushy snow but on dry pavement it almost sounds like you're driving on slicks

dakine · 12-03-2008, 01:10 PM

i talked to the service guy at the dealer and he said it's because i put on a different tire size in the rear that it's behaving like that. i say that's crap. The tires i have on there now are the pirelli 240 sottozero runflats 245/40/18 on stock rims. i'm going to go and measure the tire pressure right now, i didn't do it before because i refused to believe the tires are under inflated after the dealer put the winter on the rims.

dakine · 12-03-2008, 03:11 PM

i checked the tire pressure and it was low! the tire called for 50 psi max, and the tires were at about 30. i pumped them up, reset the tpms, and went for a test drive... while on the freeway, at around 60 mph, the car started to flash the dtc majorly. and the car started going limp... actually started slowing me down to about 45 mph, so i went to do a downshift and when i pressed the clutch and put the car into 4th, i immediately felt the car come out of limp mode and then go right back into it with the yellow light flashing. i almost thought i had to pull to the side of the freeway because the car kept slowing down and kind of shaking. could the change in tire size actually cause the car to go all limp like that and the car seems very unstable like it's trying to auto correct itself out and into going straight.... freaking wierd. the thing i dont get is what could they have messed up with a tire change? or are the difference in tires so drastic it would cause the dtc to flip out.... anyone got anything?

dakine · 12-03-2008, 03:17 PM

forgot to mention i kept the default size on the fronts and bought the 245/40/18s for the rear because at the time tire rack was out of the 255s and i did a premature buy-ation because the temperatures started getting colder.

nomile · 12-03-2008, 03:37 PM

If I understand the sizes you have on your car correctly (F=225/40/18, R=245/40/18), then your service rep is absolutely correct, and you need to change those wheels out ASAP. Damage to transfer case due to wrong tire size is not covered under warranty (and shouldn't be)

If you go here: http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12
you can figure out the rolling circumference of the tires you're using. If the front VS rear is off by more than 1% (yours is off by about 2.5%!!) you risk damaging your transfer case, and yes, DTC will be going nuts.

BTW, just b/c tire says max pressure is 50 PSI does not mean that's the correct pressure. The correct pressure is listed in the door-jamb of driver side, I believe. For 328xi it's F=34psi and R=36psi. not sure about 335xi.

When in doubt, consult the manual...

dakine · 12-03-2008, 04:59 PM

dammit... if that's the case, i'm sol. I cant seem to find the sottozero 240 in a 255 runflat. i should've just went with a set of new winter tires and rims. anyone know where they have available a 255/35/18 rft pirelli sottozero 240 in stock? or if worse comes to worse, is there a problem running runflats in the front and non rfts in the rear?

dakine · 12-03-2008, 06:25 PM

hey nomile, i forgot to thank you for your info... thanks. Where did you come across the info for the wheel differences? Also, would it be better to disable the DTC until i get the correct tire size? Thanks

UdubBadger · 12-03-2008, 06:49 PM

http://www.wheelsnext.com/tires/Pire...(Runflat).html

tirerack also has um in that size just not in RFT.

dakine · 12-03-2008, 06:54 PM

thanks UdubBadger, they got nice wheels, but the prices are kind of steep compared to tire rack... i guess it all boils down to how bad you want it.

offthewall · 12-03-2008, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakine

forgot to mention i kept the default size on the fronts and bought the 245/40/18s for the rear because at the time tire rack was out of the 255s and i did a premature buy-ation because the temperatures started getting colder.

As nomile stated, very very bad tire size combo on there. Besides the car being un-drivable, you're going to damage your transfer case. The rolling diameters of the front and rears much match very closely on an all wheel drive vehicle. Turning off the DTC will make the light go out but the car still isn't going to work. Put some 255/35/18's on the rear ASAP. Don't drive the car like that.

nomile · 12-04-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakine

hey nomile, i forgot to thank you for your info... thanks. Where did you come across the info for the wheel differences? Also, would it be better to disable the DTC until i get the correct tire size? Thanks

dakine,
I've been looking to get some summer tires for my 328xi and in looking around the XI forum and wheel forum, the "staggered wheel on xi" question has shown up again and again. Staggered is fine, IFF rolling diams are within a fraction of a percent. There's a post somewhere on e90post.com where someone continued to drive his car even though DTC kept coming on, and blew up transfer case, and many other such examples - peruse and you'll find them, I'm sure. Look for questions about staggered wheels.

Now get the new tires ASAP!!

dakine · 12-04-2008, 01:38 PM

Thanks for all the help guys... good thing i got the scubi to hold me over until i decide what i'm going to do. I only drove it once and for a short distance. I put the car in the garage because it felt wierd driving. Then I jumped on the forums here, trying to figure out what's going on. This forum is really great.

nomile · 12-04-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakine

Thanks for all the help guys... [...]
This forum is really great.

You're welcome, and I agree - lots of good info here, and people are very even-keeled.

atking23 · 02-05-2009, 12:19 AM

I was just about to make that same mistake. let me see if i get it, basically o xi both front and back wheels need to have the same diameter and cant be too big. so For me to put the other OEM wheels I should change the tire. put a smaller one? Thats the solution, or we simply cant use the other wheels?

AWD Addict · 02-09-2009, 02:09 PM

When temps are above 35, my snows slip a bit more, and my dtc will occasionally kick in.

ucdbiendog · 02-09-2009, 10:53 PM

i had this exact issue when i put my winter wheels on. I put on 225/45-17 in front and 255/40-17 in the rear. The tires I bought had Identical outer diameters (according to spec), but the difference in width caused a different rolling radius (front tires compressed more). I swapped the rears out for identical 225/45-17 tires and the problem disappeared.

My stock tires (staggered 18s) are 0.1" larger OD in the front than in the back, but because they are narrower, when the tires are loaded, all four have similar rolling radii.

Be very careful when selecting staggered tires, even though the tire spec says that the OD is the same, once it is loaded, it may not be.

12-02-2008, 05:53 PM	#1
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	dtc engages alot after changing to winter tires? wasnt sure if this is normal or not, which is why i'm asking. i got my winter tires put on today and went for a test drive on dry roads. the temperature was just below freezing if that makes a difference. to sum things up, the car seems to pull a bit at low speeds, and when going around 40-50 mph, i push the throttle about 1/2 way down in 4th gear, the dtc light kicks on and off a bunch of times and the car behaves similarly to when you're going around a high speed turn and you can feel the car shift throttle around... i thought maybe the dealer didn't fill up the tires, but the tpms didn't alarm. anyone experience this?
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12-02-2008, 07:01 PM	#2
Ph0zenstone Major General 335 Rep 5,370 Posts Drives: 2018 530e X-Drive Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NY iTrader: (74)	i have snow tires on right now and never had DTC light go on yet. Are your tires inflated properly?
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12-02-2008, 09:10 PM	#3
Mau1976 My God is a faithful God 10 Rep 125 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW M3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Surprise AZ iTrader: (1)	I got my winter tires on a few weeks ago, and I haven't had any problems. We had a few inches of snow two days ago, and I took the car for a drive and the car didn't have any changes or lights on. Maybe you should take it to the shop. __________________ Previous vehicles 2011 BMW M3, 2016 BMW 550i M Sport, currently driving a 2016 BMW M3
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12-02-2008, 09:19 PM	#4
UdubBadger Banned 648 Rep 24,685 Posts Drives: '04 330i ZHP Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Burbs iTrader: (22) Garage List 2004 BMW 330i ZHP [9.50] 2011 135i [7.46] 2008 328xi [8.76]	ya i'd at least give your dealership a call and talk it over with a service advisor to see what it could be. i'd be 1 thing if you were in 5 inches of mushy snow but on dry pavement it almost sounds like you're driving on slicks
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12-03-2008, 01:10 PM	#5
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	i talked to the service guy at the dealer and he said it's because i put on a different tire size in the rear that it's behaving like that. i say that's crap. The tires i have on there now are the pirelli 240 sottozero runflats 245/40/18 on stock rims. i'm going to go and measure the tire pressure right now, i didn't do it before because i refused to believe the tires are under inflated after the dealer put the winter on the rims.
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12-03-2008, 03:11 PM	#6
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	i checked the tire pressure and it was low! the tire called for 50 psi max, and the tires were at about 30. i pumped them up, reset the tpms, and went for a test drive... while on the freeway, at around 60 mph, the car started to flash the dtc majorly. and the car started going limp... actually started slowing me down to about 45 mph, so i went to do a downshift and when i pressed the clutch and put the car into 4th, i immediately felt the car come out of limp mode and then go right back into it with the yellow light flashing. i almost thought i had to pull to the side of the freeway because the car kept slowing down and kind of shaking. could the change in tire size actually cause the car to go all limp like that and the car seems very unstable like it's trying to auto correct itself out and into going straight.... freaking wierd. the thing i dont get is what could they have messed up with a tire change? or are the difference in tires so drastic it would cause the dtc to flip out.... anyone got anything?
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12-03-2008, 03:17 PM	#7
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	forgot to mention i kept the default size on the fronts and bought the 245/40/18s for the rear because at the time tire rack was out of the 255s and i did a premature buy-ation because the temperatures started getting colder.
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12-03-2008, 03:37 PM	#8
nomile Second Lieutenant 10 Rep 261 Posts Drives: 328xi; 318ti Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lyons, CO iTrader: (0)	If I understand the sizes you have on your car correctly (F=225/40/18, R=245/40/18), then your service rep is absolutely correct, and you need to change those wheels out ASAP. Damage to transfer case due to wrong tire size is not covered under warranty (and shouldn't be) If you go here: http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12 you can figure out the rolling circumference of the tires you're using. If the front VS rear is off by more than 1% (yours is off by about 2.5%!!) you risk damaging your transfer case, and yes, DTC will be going nuts. BTW, just b/c tire says max pressure is 50 PSI does not mean that's the correct pressure. The correct pressure is listed in the door-jamb of driver side, I believe. For 328xi it's F=34psi and R=36psi. not sure about 335xi. When in doubt, consult the manual... Last edited by nomile; 12-03-2008 at 03:54 PM.. Reason: Used wrong size of front tire in example...
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12-03-2008, 04:59 PM	#9
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	dammit... if that's the case, i'm sol. I cant seem to find the sottozero 240 in a 255 runflat. i should've just went with a set of new winter tires and rims. anyone know where they have available a 255/35/18 rft pirelli sottozero 240 in stock? or if worse comes to worse, is there a problem running runflats in the front and non rfts in the rear?
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12-03-2008, 06:25 PM	#10
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	hey nomile, i forgot to thank you for your info... thanks. Where did you come across the info for the wheel differences? Also, would it be better to disable the DTC until i get the correct tire size? Thanks
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12-03-2008, 06:49 PM	#11
UdubBadger Banned 648 Rep 24,685 Posts Drives: '04 330i ZHP Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Burbs iTrader: (22) Garage List 2004 BMW 330i ZHP [9.50] 2011 135i [7.46] 2008 328xi [8.76]	http://www.wheelsnext.com/tires/Pire...(Runflat).html tirerack also has um in that size just not in RFT.
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12-03-2008, 06:54 PM	#12
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	thanks UdubBadger, they got nice wheels, but the prices are kind of steep compared to tire rack... i guess it all boils down to how bad you want it.
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12-04-2008, 01:38 PM	#15
dakine Private First Class 23 Rep 192 Posts Drives: mineral white e92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: on location iTrader: (0)	Thanks for all the help guys... good thing i got the scubi to hold me over until i decide what i'm going to do. I only drove it once and for a short distance. I put the car in the garage because it felt wierd driving. Then I jumped on the forums here, trying to figure out what's going on. This forum is really great.
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02-05-2009, 12:19 AM	#17
atking23 New Member 1 Rep 13 Posts Drives: E92 335xi Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	I was just about to make that same mistake. let me see if i get it, basically o xi both front and back wheels need to have the same diameter and cant be too big. so For me to put the other OEM wheels I should change the tire. put a smaller one? Thats the solution, or we simply cant use the other wheels?
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02-09-2009, 02:09 PM	#18
AWD Addict Chief Executive 390 Rep 2,919 Posts Drives: 2008 335xi 6spd Coupe Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Boston iTrader: (1) Garage List 2008 335xi [0.00]	When temps are above 35, my snows slip a bit more, and my dtc will occasionally kick in.
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02-09-2009, 10:53 PM	#19
ucdbiendog Captain 91 Rep 610 Posts Drives: 2008 335xi E90 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Reno, NV iTrader: (0)	i had this exact issue when i put my winter wheels on. I put on 225/45-17 in front and 255/40-17 in the rear. The tires I bought had Identical outer diameters (according to spec), but the difference in width caused a different rolling radius (front tires compressed more). I swapped the rears out for identical 225/45-17 tires and the problem disappeared. My stock tires (staggered 18s) are 0.1" larger OD in the front than in the back, but because they are narrower, when the tires are loaded, all four have similar rolling radii. Be very careful when selecting staggered tires, even though the tire spec says that the OD is the same, once it is loaded, it may not be.
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