338 OperationTires and wheelsTire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than one mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for
the front and rear axle indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
installed accessories, passengers and
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GWV must never exceed the
GWVR indicated on the certification label
located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
339 Operation
Tires and wheels
GVWR (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passen-
gers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9 kPa to one psi; another metric unit for
air pressure is bars. There are
100 kilopascals (kPa) to one bar.
Maximum load rating
The maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The sum of curb weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight and production
options weight.Maximum tire inflation pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
under normal driving conditions.
Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants the vehicle is
designed to seat, multiplied by
68 kilograms (150 lbs).
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle
at their designated seating positions.
Production options weight
The combined weight of those installed
regular production options weighing over
5 lbs (2.3 kilograms) in excess of those
standard items which they replace, not
previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty
battery, and special trim.PSI (P
ounds per s
quare i
nch)
A standard unit of measure for air pressure
-> bar, kilopascal (kPa).
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Recommended tire inflation pressure
listed on placard located on driver’s door
B-pillar for normal driving conditions.
Provides best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
Rim
A metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Sidewall
The portion of a tire between the tread and
the bead.
341 Operation
Tires and wheels
Rotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 319).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 319).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 389) and
(
page 412).
Warning!
G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.
412 Practical hintsFlat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.
Turn on the hazard warning flasher
(page 131).
Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead
position.
Set the parking brake (
page 55).
Move the gear selector lever toP.
Vehicles with SmartKey:
Turn off the engine (
page 56).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button on the
gear selector lever once (
page 57).
Open the driver’s door (this puts the ig-
nition in position0, same as with the
SmartKey removed from the starter
switch). The driver’s door then can be
closed again.
Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the spare wheel
(Minispare or collapsible tire) are different
from those of the road wheels. As a result,
the vehicle handling characteristics change
when driving with a spare wheel mounted.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted,
ensure proper tire pressure and do not ex-
ceed a vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
iOpen door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
417 Practical hints
Flat tire
Take the electric air pump out of the
trunk (
page 391).
1Flap
2On/off switch
3Electrical plug
4Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
5Union nut
Open flap 1 on electric air pump.
Pull out electrical plug 3 and air hose
with pressure gauge 4.
Remove the valve cap from the
collapsible tire valve.
Screw air hose 4 onto the collapsible
tire valve.
Insert electrical plug 3 into vehicle
cigarette lighter socket.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1.
Press I on electric air pump switch 2.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the collapsible
tire.
Inflate the tire to approximately 36 psi
(2.5 bar).
This takes about five minutes for the
collapsible tire. Air hose 4 and union
nut5 can become hot duration infla-
tion. Exercise proper caution to avoid
burning yourself when using the equip-
ment.
Press 0 on electric air pump switch 2.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.
If the tire pressure is above 36 psi
(2.5 bar), release excess tire pressure
using the vent screw.!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than six minutes without inter-
ruption. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the electric air pump
again after it has cooled off.
418 Practical hintsFlat tire
Detach the electric air pump.
Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the
electric air pump back in the trunk.Lowering the vehicle
Lower vehicle by turning crank
counterclockwise until vehicle is
resting fully on its own weight.
Remove the jack.1 - 5Wheel bolts
Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly,
following the diagonal sequence
illustrated (1to5), until all bolts are
tight. Observe a tightening torque
of 80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
Warning!
G
Follow recommend inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes,
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
Warning!
G
Vehicles with collapsible tire
(CLK 55 AMG only):
Inflate collapsible tire only after the wheel is
properly mounted.
Inflate the collapsible tire using the electric
pump (
page 416) before
lowering the ve-
hicle.
439 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
Only use tires and rims which have been
specifically developed for your vehicle and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Other tires and rims can have detrimental
effects, such as
poor handling characteristics
increased noise
increased fuel consumption
!Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by Mercedes-Benz may, under load, ex-
hibit dimensional variations and differ-
ent tire deformation characteristics
that could cause them to come into
contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. Damage to the tires or the vehi-
cle may be the result.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. A placard with
the recommended tire inflation pres-
sures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have sup-
plemental tire pressure information for
driving at high speeds (
page 326) or
for vehicle loads less than the maxi-
mum loaded vehicle condition. If such
information is provided, it can be found
on the placard located on the inside of
the fuel filler flap. The tire inflation
pressure should be checked regularly
and should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s main-
tenance recommendation included
with vehicle.
462 IndexAir bags 61
Children 62
Front 65
Passenger 65
Safety guidelines 64
Side impact 66
Window curtain 66
Air conditioning (cooling) 191
Turning off 192, 204
Turning on 192, 204
Air conditioning refrigerant 450
Air distribution
Adjusting 188, 198
Air pressure 338
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air pump, electric
Turning on 417
Air recirculation mode 190, 201
Activating 190, 201
Deactivating 191, 202
Air vents, rear passenger compartment
Adjustable 193, 206
Air volume
Adjusting 199Alarm
Audible 83, 91, 92
Canceling 91, 92
Visual 90
Alarm system
Anti-theft 90
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 415, 455
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 453
Antiglare
Auto-dimming 178
Antilock brake system (ABS) 455
Anti-theft alarm system
Arming 90
Canceling alarm 91, 92
Disarming 91
Anti-theft systems 89
Anti-theft alarm system 90
Immobilizer 89
Tow-away alarm 91
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Armrest
Front 273
Rear 274
Storage compartments 273Ashtray (Center console) 276
Opening 276
Reinstalling 276
Removing 276
Ashtray (Rear seat) 276
Opening 277
Reinstalling 277
Removing 277
Aspect ratio 338
At the gas station 305
ATF (automatic transmission fluid) 312
AUDIO menu 143
Operate CD player 144
Selecting radio station 143
Selecting satellite radio* station 143
Audio system 207
Audio and telephone, operation 207
Button and soft key operation 210
CD operation 225
Operating and display elements 208
Operating safety 207
Operation 210
Radio operation 215
Switching off 211
Switching on 210
Telephone* operation 232