249
Operation
Tyres and wheels
! For safe tyreasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mend syou only use tyre swhich have bee nspe-
cially approved for yourvehicle byMercede s-
Benz. These tyres are specially suite dto your
vehicle's control systems, such as ABS or ESP.
Mercedes-Benz can accept no responsibility for
damage resulting from using tyr esother than
those approved for your ve hicle .Information
about tyr esmay be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Serv ice Centre.
If you use tyres other tha nthose which have
been test edand recommended for Mercedes-
Benz, cha racteristics suc hashandling, noi se
levels and fuel consum ption may beadversely
affected. Moreo ver, dimensional variations and
different tyre defo rmation characteristics when
running under load could cause the tyre to make
contact with thebo dywork or axle components.
The consequen cecould be damage to the tyre or
to the vehicl e. !
Retreaded tyres are neither tested nor
re commended for Mercedes-Benz vehicle s,as
previous damage cannot always be det ectedon
re treaded tyres. As aresul t, Me rced es-Benz
ca nnot guarantee driving safety.
Modification work on the brake system
and wheels is not permi tted, nor is the use
of spacer plates or brake dust shields. Any
such modifications invalidate the vehicle's
genera loperating permit. !
Only fit tyres and wheels of the same
type and make.
! Onlyfit ty res of the correct size to the
wh eels.
! Run in new tyres at moderate speeds
forthe first 10 0km.
! Check the tyres and wheels for damage
regularly, at least every 14 days. Dam-
aged rims could cause a loss of tyre
pre ssur ean d damag eto th e wheels.
! Check the tyre pressures regularly and
correct them if necessary – see Fuel
fil ler cap (
=pa ge 241).
! Do not continue to use tyres with se-
vere lyworn treads. Tyre grip dec reases
rapidly on wet roads below a tread
depth of 3 mm. Tyres and wheels
G
Risk of accident Only use wheels of the dimensions
stated in
the vehicle registration documents. If other
wheel sizes are used:
! the wheel brakes or chassis compo-
nents could be damaged
! wheel and tyre clearance scan be no
longer guaranteed Poi
nts to bear inmind 209en_d2.boo Seite
249 Dienstag, 25. Mai 2004 7:26 19
374 Practical advice
Flat tyrei
The maxim umdistance can beincreased
co nsiderably by using TIREFIT before starting
ru n-flat mode. Ifthe type of damag eis suc h that
TIREFIT cannot seal the tyre, you can still drive
the maxim um possible distance in run-flat mode. i
Ifyo u are replacing oneor more tyres, make
sure you usetyres with the "MOExtended” mark
and which are the specified size for the vehicle.
If you are replac ing one ormo re rims, make
sure you use rims approved for use with
"MOExtended” tyres and which are the specified
size for the vehicle. G
Risk of accident The handling characteristics of your vehicle
ar e adversely affected in run-flat mode, for
example:
! when cornering
! when braking
! when accelerating suddenly
You should therefor eadapt your driving
style accordingly and avoid making sudden
st eering movem ents, accelerating suddenly
and driving over obstacles (kerbs, pot holes,
off-road). The applies especially ifthe vehi-
cle is heavily laden.
The distance that can be tra velled in run-flat
mode depends la rgely on the loads placed
on the vehicle. Speed, load, sudd enacceler-
ation, road-surf aceco nditions, outside tem-
peratures, etc. can considerably reduce this
distance, whereas a conservative dr iving
st yle may inc reaseit. Run-fla
tmodemust bestopped in the event
of:
! bangi ng noises
! the vehicle shaking
! smoke development accomp anied by
the smell of rubber
! ESP continuously intervening
! tears in the tyre sid ewalls
After driving in run-flat mode, you must have
the rim checked to see if it can still be use d.
For this purpose, visit a qua lified specialist
workshop which has th e necessary special-
ist knowledge and tools to carry out the
work required. The flat tyre must be re-
placed inany case.
Mercedes -Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes -Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. Inparticular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-relate dsystems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop. 209en_d2.boo Seite
374 Dienstag, 25. Mai 2004 7:26 19
