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Wheels and Tyres214
Ty re l i fe
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points:
Tyre pressure
The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insuffi- ciently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the handling of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at high speeds . It is therefore good to check the pressure at least once a month and also before setting off on a long trip. Pl ease do not forget the spare wheel when checking the tyres.
The tyre inflation pressures for summer tyres are indicated on the inside of the fuel filler flap ⇒fig. 151. The inflation pressures for winter tyres are 20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres ⇒page 217.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your vehicle at all times.
Always check the inflation pressure of tyres when cold. Do not reduce the higher pressure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres accord- ingly if your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and br aking (squealing tyres) increase wear- and-tear on your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influences when driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes themselves felt through vibration in the steering.
You should have the wheels rebalanced since any imbalance increases wear- and-tear on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebal- anced when a new tyre is fitted an d each time a tyre is repaired.
Wheel alignment errors
Incorrect wheel alignment at the front and rear will not only increase wear-and- tear on the tyres but will also has an ad verse effect on vehicle safety. Contact your specialist garage if yo u notice any unusual tyre wear.
WARNING
•If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a greater rolling resistance. At higher speeds the tyre will warm up as a result of this. This can result in tread separation and even a tyre blowout.
•Immediately replace the damaged rims or tyres.
For the sake of the environment
Tyres which are insufficiently inflated increase your fuel consumption.
Fig. 151 An opened fuel filler flap with the tyre inflation pressure table
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Page 224 of 258

Breakdown assistance223
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
The repair with the tyre repair kit is not at all intended to replace a permanent repair on the tyre, this repair only serves to reach the next workshop. The repair can be undertaken on th e vehicle immediately. Please read the attached instructions carefully before the repair.
The tyre repair kit is locate d in the luggage compartment.
Spare wheel*
The spare wheel is stowed in the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment belo w the floor covering.
The spare wheel lies in a well under the luggage compartment floor and is fixed in place along with the vehicle tool kit box using special screws ⇒fig. 155.
One should check the inflation pressure in the spare wheel (at best when gener- ally checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap ⇒page 195) to ensure that the spare wheel is always ready to use.
Unidirectional tyres*
If you have such tyres on your vehi cle, please refer to the notes below:
•The spare wheel provided with a car fitted with unidirectional tyres has different dimensions. The wheel is provided with a warning sticker.
•After fitting on the wheel, the warning sticker must not be concealed (e.g. by the wheel trim).
•Do not drive with this spare wheel at more than 80 km/h - risk of accident. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
•The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation pres- sure of the standard tyres.
•Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it is not intended for co ntinuous use.
Changing a wheel
Preliminary work
The following steps should be carried out before actually changing the
wheel.
– If it is necessary to change a wheel, park the vehicle as far away as
possible from the traffic flow. The place you choose should be
level .
– Have all the occupants get out. While changing a wheel, the occu-
pants of the vehicle should not stand on the road (e.g. behind a
crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
Fig. 155 Luggage compartment: Spare wheel
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General247
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Technical Data
General
Identification data
Vehicle data sticker
The vehicle data sticker ⇒fig. 182 is located on the floor of the luggage compartment and is also stated in the Service schedule.
The vehicle data sticker co ntains the following data:
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
Vehicle type
Gearbox code, paint number, interior equipment number, engine output, engine code
Partial description of the vehicle
Vehicle identification number (VIN)
The vehicle identification number - VIN (v ehicle body number) is stamped into the engine compartment on the right ha nd shock absorber dome. This number is also located on a sign on the lower left hand edge below the windscreen (together with a VIN bar code).
Engine number
The engine number is stampe d into the engine block.
Type plate (production plate)
The type plate is located in the engine co mpartment at the front on the left hand shock absorber dome.
Homologation sign
The homologation sign is located on the lock carrier. Vehicles for certain coun- tries do not have an homologation sign.
Sticker on inside of fuel filler flap
The sticker is affixed to the inside of the fuel filler flap. The sticker contains the following data:
•The prescribed types of fuel,
•Ty re s i z e ,
•Tyre pressure.
Note
•You will find the technical data of yo ur vehicle in the separate brochure "Technical Data".
Fig. 182 Vehicle data sticker
A1
A2
A3
A4
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