Page 334 of 506

332 OperationTires and wheelsDOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
U.S. tire regulations require each new tire
manufacturer or tire retreader to mold a
TIN into or onto a sidewall of each tire
produced.
The TIN is a unique identifier which facili-
tates efforts by tire manufactures to notify
purchasers in recall situations or other
safety matters concerning tires and gives
purchasers the means to easily identify
such tires.
The TIN is comprised of “Manufacturer’s
identification mark”, “Tire size”, “Tire type
code” and “Date of manufacture”.1DOT
2Manufacturer’s identification mark
3Tire size
4Tire type code (at the option of the tire
manufacturer)
5Date of manufactureDOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol1 (
page 332)
which denotes the tire meets require-
ments of the U.S. Department of Transpor-
tation.
Manufacturer’s identification mark
The manufacturer’s identification mark2
(
page 332) denotes the tire
manufacturer.
New tires have a mark with two symbols.
Retreaded tires have a mark with four sym-
bols. For more information on retreaded
tires, see (
page 311).
Tire size
The code3 (page 332) indicates the
tire size.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires is specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
Page 341 of 506

339 Operation
Tires and wheels
TIN (T
ire I
dentification N
umber)
Unique identifier which facilitates efforts
by tire manufacturers to notify purchasers
in recall situations or other safety matters
concerning tires and gives purchases the
means to easily identify such tires. The TIN
is comprised of “Manufacturer's identifica-
tion mark”, “Tire size”, “Tire type code”
and “Date of manufacture”.
Tire load rating
Numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
Tire ply composition and material used
This indicates the number of plies or the
number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire tread and sidewall. Tire manufac-
turers also must indicate the ply materials
in the tire and sidewall, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.Tire speed rating
Part of tire designation; indicates the
speed range for which a tire is approved.
Traction
Force exerted by the vehicle on the road
via the tires. The amount of grip provided.
Tread
The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Treadwear indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called
“wear bars” that show across the tread of
a tire when only
1/6in (1.6 mm) of tread
remains.Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A tire information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire's traction,
temperature and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The
ratings are molded into the sidewall of the
tire.
Vehicle capacity weight
Rated cargo and luggage load plus
68 kilograms (150 lbs) times the vehicle's
designated seating capacity.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded vehicle
weight and dividing it by two.
Page 342 of 506

340 OperationTires and wheelsRotating 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
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 314).
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 3000 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 314).
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, activating the tire pressure mon-
itoring system* if necessary.
For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 407) and
(
page 425).
Warning!
G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if they are
of the same size.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
!If your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system*, there
are electronic components built into
the wheel.
Do not use mounting tools in the area
of the valve as they could damage the
electronic components.
To prevent damage or incorrect instal-
lation, have the tires changed at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle's rims.
Page 344 of 506

342 OperationWinter drivingBlock heater* (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heat-
er.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to ex-
ceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:
Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations.
Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer's mounting instructions.
Only use snow chains that are ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz. Your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center will be
glad to advise you on this subject.
Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
!When driving with snow chains, always
select the raised level of the level con-
trol system Airmatic* (
page 248).
Other settings may result in damage to
your vehicle.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
(page 89) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the vehi-
cle’s traction.
!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive,
use snow chains on rear tires only.
Use of snow chains is not permissible
with tire sizes:
265/35 ZR18
T 155/70 R17 110M
T 175/55-18 95P
Page 456 of 506
454 Technical dataRims and tiresSame size tires
16’’ tires
17’’ tires
E320 CDI
E320, E320 4MATIC
Rims (light alloy)
8 J x 16 H2
Wheel offset
1.4 in (36 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
-
All-season tires (radial-ply tires)
225/55 R16 95H M+S
Winter tires (radial-ply tires)
-E320
E500
(Appearance Package*)
E 500, E 500 4MATIC
E3204MATIC
E5004MATIC
(Appearance Package*)
Rims (light alloy)
8 J x 17 H2
8 J x 17 H2
8 J x 17 H2
Wheel offset
1.5 in (38 mm)
1.5 in (38 mm)
1.5 in (38 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
245/45 R17 95H
-
-
All-season tires (radial-ply tires)
-
245/45 R17 95H M+S
245/45 R17 95H M+S
Winter tires (radial-ply tires)
245/45 R17 95H M+S
245/45 R17 95H M+S
245/45 R17 95H M+S
Page 458 of 506
456 Technical dataRims and tiresMixed size tires
E55AMG
E320(Sport Package*)
E500(Sport Package*)
Front axle:
AMG light alloy rims
8 J x 18 EH2
Wheel offset
1.18 in (30 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
245/40 ZR18
Rear axle:
AMG light alloy rims
9 J x 18 EH2
Wheel offset
1.54 in (39 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
265/35 ZR18 XL or Extra Load M0
1
1Must not be used with snow chains