343 Operation
Tires and wheels
Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
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.
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 336). If necessary, add air to
achieve the recommended tire inflation
pressure.
Install the valve cap.
Repeat this procedure for each tire.Run Flat Indicator (Canada only)
While the vehicle is being driven, the Run
Flat Indicator monitors the set tire inflation
pressures by evaluating each wheel’s rota-
tional speed. This allows the system to de-
tect a significant loss of pressure in a tire.
If a wheel’s rotational speed changes due
to falling tire inflation pressure, you will
see a corresponding warning message in
the multifunction display.
The Run Flat Indicator may function in a
restricted manner or with a delay
if snow chains are mounted to the
vehicle
in winter road conditions prevail in
presence of ice and snow
if you are driving on a loose surface
(e.g. sand or gravel)
if you are driving in a very sporty man-
ner (involving rapid acceleration or high
speeds in curves)
Warning!
G
Follow recommend 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.
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 or vehicle capacity
weight as indicated on the placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout.
i
If you have overfilled the tire, release tire in-
flation 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.
354 OperationTires and wheelsAll-season and winter tires
Load identification
1Load identificationIn addition to tire load rating, special load
identification1 may be molded into the
tire sidewall following the letter designat-
ing the tire speed rating6 (
page 350).
No specification given: absence of any text
(like in above example) indicates a
standard load (SL) tire.
XL or Extra Load: designates an extra load
(or reinforced) tire.
Light Load: designates a light load tire.
C, D, E: designates load range associated
with the maximum load a tire can carry at
a specified pressure.
Index
Speed rating
QM+S
1
1or M+S
.
for winter tiresup to 100 mph (160 km/h)
TM+S
1
up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
HM+S
1
up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
VM+S
1
up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
i
Not all M+S rated tires provide special win-
ter performance. Make sure the tires you use
show M+S and the mountain/snow-
flake.marking on the tire sidewall. These
tires meet specific snow traction performance
requirements of the Rubber Manufacturers As-
sociation (RMA) and the Rubber Association of
Canada (RAC) and have been designed specifi-
cally for use in snow conditions.
i
For illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
364 OperationWinter drivingBefore the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:
Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.
Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system.
Add MB Concentrate “S” to a premixed
windshield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 500).
Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started
even at low ambient temperatures.
Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, ESP
®
and 4MATIC in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure that all
mounted winter tires are of the same make
and have the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
365 Operation
Winter driving
Block 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 chainsSnow 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
(page 481).
Use snow chains in pairs and on rear
wheels only. Follow the manufacturer’s
mounting instructions.
Only use snow chains that are ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz. Any 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.
Do not use snow chains on the spare
wheel (
page 487).
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.!
When driving with snow chains, always se-
lect the raised level of the level control system
Airmatic (
page 266). Other settings may result
in damage to your vehicle.
!
Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive, use
snow chains on rear tires only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clearance
for snow chains. To help avoid serious damage to
your vehicle or tires, make sure that the use of
snow chains is permissible as specified in the
“Technical data” section of this Operator’s Man-
ual, see “Rims and tires” (
page 481).
!
If snow chains are mounted to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the body or axle
components. The tires or the vehicle could be
damaged as a result.
i
When driving with snow chains, you may
wish to switch off the ESP
® (page 102) before
setting the vehicle in motion. This will improve
the vehicle’s traction.
i
E63AMG:
Do not switch off the ESP
® when driving in snow
or with snow chains mounted.
409 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Tire pressure is
only displayed
after driving for
a few minutes
Vehicles with Advanced TPMS*:
The tire inflation pressure is being checked.
Drive the vehicle for a few minutes.
Tire pressure
monitor
inoperative
The Advanced TPMS* (Canada only) is
malfunctioning.
Have the Advanced TPMS* checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Tire pressure
monitor
inoperative
No wheel sensors
There are wheels without appropriate wheel
sensors mounted (e.g. winter tires).
Have the Advanced TPMS* checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the appropriate wheel sensors installed by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Tire pres. monitor
No wheel sensors
One or more sensors malfunction (e.g. bat-
tery in one or more wheel sensor is empty).
One or more wheels without appropriate
wheel sensors mounted (e.g. spare tire).
Have the Advanced TPMS* checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the wheel sensors installed by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
The tire pressure for the respective tire is shown in the
multifunction display.
481 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
!
Only use tires which have been tested and
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Tires approved by Mercedes-Benz are developed
to provide best possible performance in
conjunction with the driving safety systems on
your vehicle such as ABS or ESP
®. Tires specially
developed for your vehicle and tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz can be identified by
finding the following on the tire’s sidewall:
MO = M
ercedes-Benz O
riginal equipment
tires
AMG vehicles:
Does not apply to all approved tires on AMG
vehicles. For information on tested and
approved tires for AMG vehicles, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz may result in damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!
Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz can have detrimental effects,
such as
poor handling characteristics
increased noise
increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may, under load, exhibit dimen-
sional variations and different tire deformation
characteristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or axle parts.
Damage to the tires or the vehicle may be the re-
sult.
i
Further information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter. A placard with the recommended tire infla-
tion pressures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have supplemental
tire inflation pressure information for driving at
high speeds (
page 342) or for vehicle loads
less than the maximum loaded vehicle condition. If such information is provided, it can be found
on the placard located on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be adjusted
on cold tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s mainte-
nance recommendation included with the vehi-
cle.
i
The following pages also list the approved
wheel rim and tire sizes for equipping your vehi-
cles with winter tires. Winter tires are not avail-
able as standard or optional factory-equipment,
but can be purchased from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Depending on vehicle model and the standard or
optional factory-equipped wheel rim/tire config-
uration on your vehicle (Appearance Package,
Sport Package etc.), equipping your vehicle with
winter tires approved for your vehicle model may
also require the purchase of two or four wheel
rims of the recommended size for use with these
winter tires. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for more information.
482 Technical dataRims and tiresSame size tires
16’’ tiresModel
E 320 BLUETEC
Rims (light alloy)
8 J x 16 H2
Wheel offset
1.42 in (36 mm)
All-season tires
1
1Radial-ply tires
225/55 R16 95H M+S
Winter tires
1,2
2Not available as factory equipment.
225/55 R16 95H M+S.
483 Technical data
Rims and tires
17’’ tiresModel
E 350
E 550
E 350 4MATIC
E 550 4MATIC
Rims (light alloy)
8 J x 17 H2
Wheel offset
1.5 in (38 mm)
All-season tires
1
1Radial-ply tires
245/45 R17 95H M+S
Winter tires
1,2
2Not available as factory equipment.
245/45 R17 99V XL (Extra Load) M+S.