2011 BMW 7 Series Owner's Manual - Page 223

Fuel quality Refuel with unleaded fuel only Do not use leaded fuel as this would per‐ manently damage the catalytic converter.◀ Do not refuel with ethanol Do not refuel with E85, i.e., fuel with an ethanol content of 85 %, or with Flex Fuel, as this would damage the engine and fuel supply sys‐ tem.◀ Minimum fuel grade The use of poor-quality fuels may result in driveability, starting and stalling problems es‐ pecially under certain environmental conditions such as high ambient temperature and high al‐ titude. Should you encounter driveability problems which you suspect could be related to the fuel you are using, we recommend that you respond by switching to a recognized high-quality brand such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier Detergent Gasoline. Failure to comply with these recommendations may result in unscheduled maintenance.◀ Required fuel Super Premium Gasoline/AKI 91 This gasoline is highly recommended. Gasoline with lower AKI However, you may also use gasoline with less AKI. The minimum AKI Rating is 89. If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐ ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds when starting at high outside temperatures. This has no effect on the engine life. Minimum fuel grade Do not use any gasoline below the mini‐ mum specified fuel grade; otherwise, engine damage may occur.◀ Use high-quality brands Field experience has indicated significant differ‐ ences in fuel quality: volatility, composition, ad‐ ditives, etc., among gasolines offered for sale in the United States and Canada. Fuels containing up to and including 10 % etha‐ nol or other oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight, that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an equivalent amount of co-solvent, will not void the applicable warranties with respect to defects in materials or workmanship. 223 Online Edition for Part no. 01 41 2 603 958 - 03 10 500 Reference Mobility Communication Entertainment Navigation Driving tips Controls At a glance Fuel