2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class winter tires

584 OperationTires and wheelsTread depth
Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths of less
than
1/8in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately 1/16in (1.6 mm), at which point the
tire is considered worn and should be re-
placed.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:


Summer tires
1/8in (3 mm)


Winter tires
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
readW
ear I
ndicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
!
Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry place
with as little exposure to light as possible. Pro-
tect tires from contact with oil, grease and gaso-
line.
!
Never use a round nozzle to power wash
tires. The intense jet of water can result in dam-
age to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.

601 Operation
Tires and wheels
the service description for the tire must
be referred to. The service description
is comprised of the tire load rating5
(page 598) and the tire speed
rating6 (
page 598).
If your tire includes “ZR” in the size
designation and no service
description5 and6 (
page 598) is
given, the tire manufacturer must be
consulted for the maximum speed ca-
pability.
If a service description5 and6
(
page 598) is given, the speed capa-
bility is limited by the speed symbol in
the service description.
Example: 245/40 ZR18 97Y.
In this example, “97Y” is the service
description. The letter “Y” designates
the speed rating and the speed capabil-
ity of the tire is limited to 186 mph
(300 km/h).


Any tire with a speed capability above
186 mph (300 km/h) must include a
“ZR” in the size designation AND the
service description must be placed in
parenthesis.
Example: 275/40 ZR 18 (99Y).
The “(Y)” speed rating in parenthesis
designates the maximum speed capa-
bility of the tire as being above
186 mph (300 km/h). Consult the tire
manufacturer for the actual maximum
permissible speed of the tire.
All-season and winter tires
Load identification
1Load identification
Index
Speed rating
QM+S
1
1or M+S.for winter tires
up 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.

610 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 Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB Summerfit”
to a premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze which is formulated for
below freezing temperatures
(page 772).


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, EBP,
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
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from 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.

611 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chainsSnow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 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 754).


Use snow chains in pairs and on rear
wheels only. Follow the manufacturer’s
mounting instructions.


Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized 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 754).
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.
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 468) or ABC* (
page 471).
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
Manual, see “Rims and tires” (
page 754).
!
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
All models except S 63 AMG:
When driving with snow chains, you may wish to
switch off the ESP
® (page 74) before setting
the vehicle in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.
i
S 63 AMG:
Do not switch off the ESP
® when driving in snow
or with snow chains mounted.

754 Technical dataRims and tires!
Only use tires which have been tested and
approved 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
result.
i
Further information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. A placard with the recommended tire in-
flation pressures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar (
page 585). Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire inflation pressure information
for driving at high speeds (
page 591) or for ve-
hicle loads less than the maximum loaded
vehicle condition (
page 598). If such informa-
tion is provided, it can be found on the placard lo-
cated 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 maintenance
recommendation included with vehicle.
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. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for more information.

756 Technical dataRims and tiresModel
S63AMG
S 63 AMG (Performance Package*)
S65AMG
Rims (light alloy)
8.5 J x19 H2
Wheel offset
1.69 in (43 mm)
Winter tires
1,2,3

1Radial-ply tires.2For use with snow chains contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.3Not available as factory equipment.
255/40 R19 100V XL (Extra Load) M+S.

795 Index
Tilt/sliding sunroof see Power tilt/sliding
sunroof
Time
Setting (COMAND) 259
TIN 608
Tire and Loading Information
Placard 586
Tire Identification Number see TIN
Tires 582
Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)* 593
And Rims 754
And Wheels 582
Care and maintenance 583
Chains 611
Checking inflation pressure electroni-
cally with Advanced Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (Advanced
TPMS) 593
Cleaning 584
Cold tire inflation pressure 606
Combination low tire pressure
malfunction telltale 29, 638
Direction of rotation 585
Driving instructions 563Important notes on tire inflation
pressure 591
Inflation pressure 590
Information placard 586
Inspection 583
Load rating 599, 608
Load rating, Maximum 603, 607
Minispare wheel 707
Ply composition and
material used 608
Problems under-/overinflation 590
Retreads 582
Rotating 609
Service life 583
Sizes 754
Snow 610
Spare wheel 759
Speed rating 564, 600, 608
Storing 584
Temperature 591, 605
Terminology 606
Total load limit 608
TPMS malfunction telltale 638
TPMS* malfunction telltale 29
Traction 564, 608Tread depth 584
Tread depth, Winter 610
Treadwear indicators 608
Vehicle maximum load on 609
Wear pattern 609
Winter 610
Tools 705
Top tether
Children in the vehicle 62
Towing eye bolt (vehicle tool kit) 705,
740
Towing the vehicle 737
Tow-start 734, 737
Traction 564, 605, 608
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Traveling abroad 567
Tread 608
Tread depth, Tires 584
Tread depth, Winter tires 610
Treadwear indicators 608
Trip odometer 291
Resetting 292
Troubleshooting
Voice Control 352

797 Index
Video (COMAND) 132
Video AUX
Screen settings 130
Video AUX (COMAND) 130
Video DVD
Operating (COMAND) 132
Operating (Control system) 295
Submenu overview 134
Switching to mode 134
Video game 140
VIN 749
Voice Control
Address book 330
Command list 340
DVD changer 338
Individualization 355
Individualization (COMAND) 261
Introduction 309
Navigation 320
Operating safety 308
Operation via the multifunction
steering wheel 311
Radio 334
Switching help window on or off
(COMAND) 261
Telephone 313Troubleshooting 352
W
Warning indicators
Park Assist* 479
Parktronic* 474
Warning sounds
DISTRONIC Plus* 454
Drivers seat belts 55
Electronic parking brake 424
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* 80
Seat belt telltale 636
Warranty coverage 747
Washing the vehicle 615
Wear pattern, Tires 609
Weights, Vehicle 763
Wheels
Change 723
Collapsible wheel chock 707
Minispare wheel 707
Removing 726
Rims and Tires 754
Sizes 754
Spare wheel 759
Tightening torque 728
Tires and wheels 582Window curtain air bags 46, 47
Windows see Power windows
Windshield
Cleaning 622
Cleaning wiper blades 622
Infrared reflecting 556
Windshield washer fluid 768, 774
Mixing ratio 774
Refilling 580
Wiping with 409
Windshield wipers 408
Cleaning wiper blades 622
Replacing wiper blades 721
Single wipe 409
Winter driving 610
Snow chains 611
Tires 610
Winter driving instructions 565
Winter tires 610
Wood trims, Cleaning 625
Wrench, wheel (vehicle tool kit) 705
X
Xenon headlamp see Headlamps