Wheels and Tyres
236
Tyre life
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
insufficiently 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. Please 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. 183 . The inflation pressures for winter tyres are
20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres ⇒page 240.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your
vehicle at all times.
On cars with full wheel trim, valve extensions are fitted in place of dust
caps ⇒fig. 184 . It is not necessary to unscrew the valve extensions in
order to check and alter the inflation pressure of the tyre.
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
accordingly if your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking (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 influ-
ences 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 rebalanced when a new tyre is fitted and each time a tyre is
repaired.
Fig. 183 An opened
fuel filler flap with the
tyre inflation pressure
table
Fig. 184 Wheel with
full trim and extended
valve
NKO B5 20.book Page 236 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Wheels and Tyres237
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
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 adverse effect on vehicle safety.
Contact your specialist garage if you notice any unusual tyre wear.
WARNING
•If the inflation pressure is too low, the tyre must perform a
greater flexing work. 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.
Wear indicators
The base of the tread of the original tyres has wear indicators 1.6 mm
high, installed at right angles to the direction of travel. These wear indica-
tors are located at 6 - 8 points depending on the make and are evenly
spaced around the circumference of the tyre ⇒fig. 185 . Markings on the
walls of the tyres through the letters “TWI”, triangular symbols or other
symbols identify the position of the wear indicators.
A remaining tread of just 1.6 mm, measured in the grooves of the tread
next to the wear indicators, means that your tyres have reached their
legally permissible minimum tread depth.
WARNING
•You must have your tyres replaced with new ones at the latest
when the wear indicators have been worn down. The legally
permissible minimu m tread depth should be observed.
•Worn tyres do not provide the necessary adhesion to the road
surface at high speeds on wet roads. One could experience “aqua-
planing” (uncontrolled movements of the vehicle - “swimming” on
a wet road surface).
Fig. 185 Tyre tread
with wear indicators
NKO B5 20.book Page 237 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Breakdown assistance247
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Hook for pulling off a full wheel trim,
•Plastic clip for a wheel bolt cover,
•Wheel wrench,
•Assembly pin for changing wheel,
•Screwdriver with reversible blade,
•Adapter for the wheel bolts lock.
After using the lifting jack, screw in the arm of the lifting jack fully before
placing it back in its stowage area.
WARNING
•The hexagon socket in the handle of the screwdriver should
only be used to fit on the wheel bolts. Never use the hexagon
socket of the screwdriver for tightening the wheel bolts because
you will not be able to achieve the necessary tightening torque with
the hexagon socket - risk of accident!
•The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model
of vehicle. On no account attempt to lift a heavier vehicle or other
loads - risk of injury!
•Ensure that the vehicle tool kit is safely attached in the luggage
compartment.
Spare wheel
The spare wheel is stowed in the spare wheel well in the
luggage compartment below the floor covering.
The spare wheel lies in a well in the luggage compartment under floor
covering and is fixed in place using special screws ⇒fig. 191 .
One should check the inflation pressure in the spare wheel (at best when
generally checking the tyre air pressures - see sign on the fuel filler flap
⇒ page 236) to ensure that the spare wheel is always ready to use.
Temporary spare wheel*
If you have such tyres on your vehicle, 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).
Fig. 191 Luggage
compartment: Spare
wheel
NKO B5 20.book Page 247 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Breakdown assistance
248
•Do not drive with this spare wheel at more than 80 km/h - risk of acci-
dent. Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
•The inflation pressure for this spare wheel is identical to the inflation
pressure of the standard tyres.
•Use this spare wheel only to reach the nearest specialist garage as it
is not intended for continuous 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
occupants of the vehicle should not stand on the road (e.g.
behind a crash barrier).
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Engage 1st gear or if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic
gearbox, position the selector lever into position P .
– If a trailer is coupled, uncouple it.
– Take the vehicle tool kit and the spare wheel ⇒ page 247
out of the luggage compartment.
WARNING
•If you find yourself in flowing traffic switch on the hazard
warning lights system and place the warning triangle on the side of
the road at the prescribed distance from your vehicle while
observing all national legal provisions. In this way you are
protecting not only yourself but also other road users.
•Never start the engine with the vehicle sitting on the raised jack
- danger of suffering injury!
Caution
If you have to change a wheel on a slope first block the opposite wheel
with a stone or similar object in order to secure the vehicle from unexpect-
edly rolling away.
Note
Comply with the national legal regulations.
Changing a wheel
Always change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
– Take off the full wheel trim* ⇒page 249 or the caps
⇒ page 251.
– In the case of light alloy wheels remove the wheel trim cap ⇒page 250.
– Slacken the wheel bolts ⇒page 251.
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Breakdown assistance249
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
– Jack up the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is clear of
the ground ⇒page 252.
– Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth, paper etc.).
– Take off the wheel.
– Fit on the spare wheel and tighten the wheel bolts slightly.
– Lower the car.
– Tighten the wheel bolts firmly, alternately and diagonally using the wheel wrench ⇒page 251.
– Mount the full wheel trim/wheel trim cap or the caps.
Note
•All bolts must be clean and must turn easily.
•You must never grease or oil the wheel bolts!
•When fitting on unidirectional tyres, ensure that the tyres rotate in the
correct direction ⇒page 235.
Subsequent steps
After changing the wheel, you must perform the following steps.
– Stow and attach the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well.
– Stow the vehicle tool kit in the space provided. –
Check the tyre pressure on the spare wheel just mounted as
soon as possible.
– Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked with
a torque wrench as soon as possible. The tightening torque for
steel and light alloy wheels must be 120 Nm.
– Have the defective tyre repaired as soon as possible.
WARNING
It is necessary to observe the guidelines given on ⇒ page 238,
“New tyres and wheels” if the vehicle is subsequently fitted with
tyres which are different to those it was fitted with at the works.
Note
•If you find, when changing the wheel, that the wheel bolts are corroded
and difficult to turn, the bolts must be replaced before checking the tight-
ening torque.
•Drive cautiously and only at a moderate speed to a workshop where
the tightening torque can be checked.
Full wheel trim*
Pulling off
– Hook the clamp (found in the vehicle toolkit) into the reinforced edge of the full wheel trim.
– Push the wheel key through the clamp, support the wheel key at the tyre and pull off the wheel trim.
NKO B5 20.book Page 249 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
General269
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Technical Data
General
Identification data
Vehicle data sticker
The vehicle data sticker ⇒fig. 211 is located on the floor of the luggage
compartment and is also stated in the Service schedule.
The vehicle data sticker contains 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 (vehicle body number) is stamped
onto the partition between the engine compartment and the passenger
compartment and on a sign on the lower left hand edge below the wind-
screen.
Engine number
The engine number is stamped into the engine block.
Type plate (production plate)
The type plate is affixed to the rear cross panel in the engine compartment
on the right looking in the direction of travel.
Vehicles for certain export countries do not have a type plate.
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,
•Tyre size,
•Tyre pressure.
Note
•You will find the technical data of your vehicle in the separate brochure
"Technical Data".
•Please note that the information stated in the official vehicle registra-
tion documents always takes priority.
Fig. 211 Vehicle data
sticker
A1
A2
A3
A4
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Index277
Two-way radio sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Two-way radio systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Type plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Tyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
U
Underbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Unidirectional tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
V
Vanity mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Vehicle data sticker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Vehicle identification data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
W
Warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warning symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
WashingWash systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
with a high-pressure cleaner . . . . . . . . . 207
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Washing vehicle by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Wax treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Wheel
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
slackening and tightening . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Wheel bolts lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235, 249
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Windows de-icing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Windscreen heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Windscreen heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Windscreen washer nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Windscreen Wiper and Washer System Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . 233 Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Windshield wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Wiper blades Replacing the wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . 67
X
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
NKO B5 20.book Page 277 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM