297 Operation
Tires and wheels
Important guidelines
Only use sets of tires and rims of the 
same type and make.
Tires must be of the correct size for the 
rim.
Break in new tires for approximately 
60 miles (100 km) at moderate 
speeds.
Regularly check the tires and rims for 
damage. Dented or bend rims can 
cause tire pressure loss and damage 
the tire beads.
If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire 
pressure and correct as required.
Do not allow your tires to wear down 
too far. Adhesion properties on wet 
roads are sharply reduced at tread 
depths under 
1/8in (3 mm).
When replacing individual tires, you 
should mount new tires on the front 
wheels first (on vehicles with 
same-sized wheels all around).
Life of tires
The service life of a tire is dependent upon 
various factors including but not limited to:
Driving style
Tire pressure
Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must 
make sure the tires rotate in the direction 
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of tire rotation.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after 
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry 
place with as little exposure to light as 
possible. Protect tires from contact 
with oil, grease and gasoline. 
374 Practical hintsReplacing bulbs
Only use 12 volt bulbs of the same type 
and with the specified watt rating. 
Switch lights off before changing a bulb 
to prevent short circuits. 
Always use a clean lint-free cloth when 
handling bulbs. 
Your hands should be dry and free of oil 
and grease.
If the newly installed bulb does not 
come on, visit an authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the LEDs and bulbs for the follow-
ing lamps replaced by an authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Additional turn signal lamps in the 
exterior rear view mirrors
High mounted brake lamp
Bi-Xenon* lamps
Front fog lamps
Replacing bulbs for front lamps 
Front lamps halogen-type
1Housing cover for low beam lamp
2Housing cover for high beam lamp3Bulb socket for turn signal lamp
4Low beam bulb
5High beam bulb
6Parking and standing lamp