2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 flat tire

350 OperationTires and wheelsReactivating the Run Flat Indicator
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
reactivated in the following situations:

If you have changed the tire inflation
pressure


If you have replaced the wheels or tires


If you have installed new wheels or
tires

Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or, if available, the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.

Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
Make sure the standard display menu
appears in the multifunction display
(
page 150).

Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the following message appears in
the multifunction display:

Press buttonæ.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Tire pressure OK now?
If you wish to confirm activation:
Press buttonæ.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Run Flat Indicator
reactivated
After a certain “learning phase”, the Run
Flat Indicator checks the set pressure val-
ues for all four tires.
If you wish to cancel activation:
Press buttonç.
or

Wait until the messageTire pressure OK now?disappears.
Warning!
G
The Run Flat Indicator can only warn you in
a reliable manner if you have set the correct
tire inflation pressures for each tire.
If an incorrect tire inflation pressure was
set, the system will monitor the pressure ac-
cording to the incorrect value.

351 Operation
Tires and wheels
Checking tire pressure electronically
with the Advanced Tire Pressure Moni-
toring System* (Advanced TPMS*)The TPMS only functions on wheels that
are equipped with the proper electronic
sensors. It monitors the tire inflation pres-
sure, as selected by the driver, in all four
tires. A warning is issued to alert you to a
decrease in pressure in one or more of the
tires.
Tire pressure inquiries are made using the
multifunction display.The present inflation
pressures are displayed only after a few
minutes’ travel time.

Switch on the ignition (
page 34).

Press thej or kbutton until
the current inflation pressures for each
tire appear in the multifunction display.
iThe Advanced T
ire P
ressure M
onitoring
S
ystem* (Advanced TPMS*) is
equipped with a combination low tire
pressure/TPMS malfunction telltale in
the instrument cluster (
page 24). De-
pending on how the telltale illuminates,
it indicates a low tire pressure condi-
tion or a malfunction in the TPMS sys-
tem itself:


If the telltale illuminates continu-
ously, one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. There is
no malfunction in the TPMS.


If the telltale flashes for 60 seconds
and then stays illuminated, the
TPMS system itself is not operating
properly.
iPossible differences between the read-
ings of a tire pressure gauge of an air
hose, e.g. gas station equipment, and
the vehicle’s control system can occur.
Usually the readings issued by the con-
trol system are more precise.
iWhen the message
Tire pressure
display appears after driving sev-
eral minutes
appears in the display,
the individual inflation pressure values
are matched with the tires. The individ-
ual values are displayed after a few
minutes driving.
iWith a spare wheel without wheel sen-
sor mounted, the system may still indi-
cate the tire inflation pressure of the
removed wheel for some minutes. If
this happens, keep in mind that the in-
dicated value where the spare wheel is
mounted does not reflect the actual
spare tire inflation pressure.

352 OperationTires and wheelsWarning!
G
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures. Always
adjust tire inflation pressure according to
the placard on the driver’s door B-pillar or, if
available, the supplemental tire pressure in-
formation on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due
to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g.
tire blowout caused by a foreign object). In
this case bring the vehicle to a halt by care-
fully applying the brakes and avoiding
abrupt steering maneuvers.
Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should consult the appropriate section
of this owner’s manual to determine the
proper tire inflation pressure). When the low
tire pressure telltale is illuminated, one or
more of your tires is significantly under-in-
flated. You should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure. Under-infla-
tion also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s han-
dling and stopping ability.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction telltale to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. When
the malfunction telltale is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS mal-
functions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the installation of incompatible
replacement tires on the vehicle. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after
replacing one or more tires on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement tires are
compatible with the TPMS.

353 Operation
Tires and wheels
Reactivating Advanced TPMS*
The TPMS must be reactivated when you
have adjusted the tire inflation pressure to
a new level (e.g. because of different load
or driving conditions). The TPMS is then
recalibrated to the current tire inflation
pressures.
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 339) or, if avail-
able, the supplemental tire pressure
information on the inside of the fuel fill-
er flap (
page 346), make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.

Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display menu ap-
pears in the multifunction display
(page 156).
iIf a condition causing the TPMS to mal-
function develops, it may take up to
10 minutes for the system to signal a
malfunction using the TPMS telltale
flashing and illumination sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few
minutes driving if the malfunction has
been corrected.iOperating radio transmission equip-
ment (e.g. wireless headsets, two-way
radios) in or near the vehicle could
cause the TPMS to malfunction.
iReactivate the TPMS after adjusting
the tire inflation pressure to the infla-
tion pressure recommended for the
vehicle operating condition. Tire pres-
sure should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Observe the recommended tire
inflation pressure on the placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar (
page 339).
Some vehicles may have supplemental
tire pressure information for driving at
high speeds (
page 346) or for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded
vehicle condition (
page 346). If such
information is provided, it can be found
on the inside of the fuel filler flap.


354 OperationTires and wheels
Press thej or kbutton repeat-
edly until you see the current inflation
pressures for each tire appear in the
display or the following message ap-
pears in the displayTire pressure display

appears after driving
several minutes

Press the reset button (
page 24).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Check current
tire pressure?

Press the æbutton.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Tire pressure monitor
reactivatedThe TPMS will now monitor the tire in-
flation pressure values of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel activation:

Press the çbutton.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
characteristicsOverinflated 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
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.
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.


355 Operation
Tires and wheels
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 362)
2DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
(page 360)
3Maximum tire load (
page 361)
4Maximum tire inflation pressure
(
page 362)
5Manufacturer
6Tire ply material (
page 364)
7Tire size designation, load and speed
rating (
page 355)
8Load identification (
page 359)
9Tire nameTire size designation, load and speed
rating
1Tire width
2Aspect ratio in %
3Radial tire code
4Rim diameter
5Tire load rating
6Tire speed rating
iFor 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 487).
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehi-
cle and may vary from data shown in
above illustration.

362 OperationTires and wheelsMaximum tire inflation pressure
1Maximum permissible tire inflation
pressure
This is the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure for the tire.Always follow the recommended tire
inflation pressure (
page 345) for proper
tire inflation.Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
(U.S. vehicles)
Tire manufacturers are required to grade
tires based on three performance factors:
treadwear, traction and
temperature resistance.
1Treadwear
2Traction
3Temperature resistance
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehi-
cle and may vary from data shown in
above illustration.
Warning!
G
Never exceed the max. tire inflation
pressure. Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adverse-
ly affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride com-
fort, wear unevenly, increase stopping dis-
tance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road de-
bris, potholes etc.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehi-
cle and may vary from data shown in
above illustration.

364 OperationTires and wheelsTemperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Tire ply material
1Plies in sidewall
2Plies under tread
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the sidewall
and under the tread.
Warning!
G
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underin-
flation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehi-
cle and may vary from data shown in
above illustration.