2006 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 Owner's Manual

256 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire and Loading Information
Tire and Loading Information placard1Load limit information on the Tire and
Loading Information placard
The placard showing the load limit informa-
tion is located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX
lbs.” on this placard.
The combined weight of all occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load
(if applicable) should never exceed the
weight referenced in that statement.Seating capacity
The seating capacity gives you important
information on the number of occupants
that can be in the vehicle. Observe front
and rear seating capacity.
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are designated seating posi-
tions and seat belts available. Be sure ev-
eryone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt.
Warning!G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the plac-
ard on the driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading
the tires can overheat them, possibly caus-
ing a blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.
i
Data shown on placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Load limit
data are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in the illus-
trations below. Refer to placard on ve-
hicle for actual data specific to your
vehicle.
i
Data shown on placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Load limit
data are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in the fol-
lowing illustration. Refer to placard on
vehicle for actual data specific to your
vehicle.

257 Operation
Tires and wheels
Placard
1Seating capacity
Steps for determining correct load limit
The following steps have been developed
as required of all manufacturers under Title
49, Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part
575 pursuant to the “National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.
Step 1
Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on
your vehicle’s placard.Step 2
Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
Step 3
Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from XXX kilo-
grams or XXX lbs.
Step 4
The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs and there will
be five 150 lbs passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs
(1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
Step 5
Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in step 4.Step 6 (if applicable)
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
ferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle (
page 259).
The following table shows examples on
how to calculate total and cargo load
capacities with varying seating configura-
tions and number and size of occupants.
The following examples use a load limit
of 1500 lbs. This is for illustration
purposes only. Make sure you are using
the actual load limit for your vehicle stated
on the vehicle’s placard (
page 256).

258 Operation
Tires and wheels
The higher the weight of all occupants, the
less cargo and luggage load capacity is
available.
For more information, see “Trailer tongue
load” (
page 259).
ExampleCombined
weight limit
of occu-
pants and
cargo from
placardNumber of
occupants
(driver and
passengers)Seating
configura-
tionOccupants weight Combined
weight of all
occupantsAvailable cargo/luggage and trailer
tongue weight (total load limit or
vehicle capacity weight from
placard minus combined weight of
all occupants)
11500 lbs5front: 2
rear: 3Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
Occupant 3: 160 lbs
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
Occupant 5: 120 lbs750 lbs1500 lbs - 750 lbs = 750 lbs
21500 lbs3front: 1
rear: 2Occupant 1: 200 lbs
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
Occupant 3: 150 lbs540 lbs1500 lbs - 540 lbs = 960 lbs
31500 lbs1front: 1Occupant 1: 150 lbs150 lbs1500 lbs - 150 lbs = 1350 lbs

259 Operation
Tires and wheels
Certification label
Even after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants, cargo
and the trailer tongue load (if applicable)
(
page 259) as to not exceed the permis-
sible load limit, you must make sure that
your vehicle never exceeds the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for ei-
ther the front or rear axle. You can obtain
the GVWR and GAWR from the
Certification label. The Certification label
can be found on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 255).Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): The
total weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
all cargo, and the trailer tongue load
(
page 259) must never exceed the
GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): The
total allowable weight that can be carried
by a single axle (front or rear).
To assure that your vehicle does not ex-
ceed the maximum permissible weight
limits (GVWR and GAWR for front and rear
axle), have the loaded vehicle (including
driver, passengers and all cargo and, if ap-
plicable, trailer fully loaded) weighed on a
suitable commercial scale.Trailer tongue load
The tongue load of any trailer is an impor-
tant weight to measure because it affects
the load you can carry in your vehicle. If a
trailer is towed, the tongue load must be
added to the weight of all occupants riding
and any cargo you are carrying in the
vehicle. The tongue load typically is ten
percent of the trailer weight and every-
thing loaded in it.
If an approved Mercedes-Benz trailer hitch
is available for your G-Class vehicle model,
consult the instructions included in the
trailer hitch kit for vehicle towing capacity,
permissible gross trailer weight, trailer
tongue weight rating, and instructions on
loading and towing a trailer.

260 Operation
Tires and wheels
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Your vehicle is equipped with either the
Tire and Loading Information placard locat-
ed on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 255). The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be ad-
justed on cold tires. The tires can be con-
sidered cold if the vehicle has been parked
for at least three hours or driven less than
one mile (1.6 km).
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on placard.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
In addition to the tire placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar, also consult the fuel
filler flap for any additional information
pertaining to special driving situations. For
more information, see “Important notes on
tire inflation pressure” (
page 261).1Tire and Loading Information placard
with recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
The placard lists the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures for maximum load-
ed vehicle weight. The tire inflation pres-
sures listed apply to the tires installed as
original equipment.
Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and / or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from being over-
heated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride
comfort, wear unevenly, increase stopping
distance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road
debris, potholes etc.
i
Data shown on placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Tire data are
specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in the illustrations
below. Refer to placard on vehicle for
actual data specific to your vehicle.

261 Operation
Tires and wheels
Important notes on tire inflation
pressure
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure
are also increased while driving, depending
on the driving speed and the tire load.
If you will be driving your vehicle at high
speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or higher,
where it is legal and conditions allow,
consult the placard on the inside of the fuel
filler flap on how to adjust the cold tire in-
flation pressure. If you do not adjust the
tire inflation pressure, excessive heat can
build up and result in sudden tire failure.Be sure to readjust the tire inflation
pressure for normal driving speeds. You
should wait until the tires are cold before
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Some vehicles may have supplemental tire
inflation pressure information for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded vehi-
cle condition. If such information is provid-
ed, it can be found on the placard located
on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
Tire inflation pressure changes by approxi-
mately 1.5 psi per 18°F (0.1 bar per 10°C)
of air temperature change. Keep this in
mind when checking tire inflation pressure
where the temperature is different from
the outside temperature.Checking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check your tire inflation pressure
at least once a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation
pressure when the tires are cold. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least three hours or
driven less than one mile (1.6 km).
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm (the vehicle has
been driven for several miles or sitting less
than three hours), the reading will be
approximately 4 psi (0.3 bar) higher than
the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold tire in-
flation pressure. Otherwise, the tire will be
underinflated.
Follow the steps below to achieve correct
tire inflation pressure:
Remove the cap from the valve on one
tire.
Firmly press a tire gauge onto the
valve.
Warning!G
If the tire inflation pressure repeatedly
drops:

Check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects.

Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.


262 Operation
Tires and wheels
Read tire inflation pressure on tire
gauge and check against the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure on the
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 255). If necessary, add air to
achieve the recommended tire inflation
pressure.
Install the valve cap.
Repeat this procedure for each tire.Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires
Underinflated tire inflation pressure
Underinflated tires can:

cause excessive and uneven tire wear

adversely affect fuel economy

lead to tire failure from being
overheated

adversely affect handling
characteristics
i
If you have overfilled the tire, release
tire inflation pressure by pushing the
metal stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of
a pen. Then recheck the tire inflation
pressure with the tire gauge.
i
The recommended tire inflation pres-
sures for your vehicle can be found on
the tire placard located on the driver’s
door B-pillar. The tire inflation pres-
sures are not listed in the Operator’s
Manual.
Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and / or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from being over-
heated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride
comfort, wear unevenly, increase stopping
distance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road
debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the plac-
ard on the driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading
the tires can overheat them, possibly caus-
ing a blowout.
Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and / or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from being
overheated.


263 Operation
Tires and wheels
Overinflated tire inflation pressure
Overinflated tires can:

adversely affect handling
characteristics

cause uneven tire wear

be more prone to damage from road
hazards

adversely affect ride comfort

increase stopping distance
Tire labeling
Besides tire name (sales designation) and
manufacturer name, a number of markings
can be found on a tire.
Following are some explanations for the
markings on your vehicle’s tires:1Uniform Quality Grading Standards
(
page 271)
2DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
(
page 268)
3Maximum tire load (
page 269)
4Maximum tire inflation pressure
(
page 270)
5Manufacturer
6Tire ply material (
page 273)
7Tire size designation, load and speed
rating (
page 264)
8Load identification (
page 267)
9Tire name
Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride
comfort, wear unevenly, increase stopping
distance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road
debris, potholes etc.
i
For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehi-
cle and may vary from data shown in
above illustration.
For more information, see “Rims and
tires” (
page 371).