2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC wheel

553 Operation
Tires and wheels
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advan-
tages, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
make sure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended direction of rotation (spinning) of
the tire.Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.
1) The Tire and Loading Information
placard can be found on the driver’s
door B-pillar. This placard tells you im-
portant information about the number
of people that can be in the vehicle and
the total weight that can be carried in
the vehicle. It also contains information
on the proper size and recommended
tire inflation pressures for the original
equipment tires on your vehicle.
2) The certification label, also found on
the driver’s door B-pillar tells you about
the gross weight capacity of your vehi-
cle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel and cargo. The certification label
also tells you about the front and rear
axle weight capacity, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR
is the total allowable weight that can be carried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle.
1Driver’s door B-pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work
with the information contained on the Tire
and Loading Information placard with re-
gards to loading your vehicle.
iSpare wheels may be mounted against the
direction of rotation (spinning) even with a unidi-
rectional tire for temporary use only until the reg-
ular drive wheel has been repaired or replaced.
Always observe and follow applicable temporary
use restrictions and speed limitations indicated
on the spare wheel.

554 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire and Loading InformationTire and Loading Information placard
1Load limit information on the Tire and
Loading Information placard
The Tire and Loading Information placard
showing the load limit information is locat-
ed on the driver’s door B-pillar.
Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX
lbs.” on the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard.
The combined weight of all occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load
(if applicable) should never exceed the
weight referenced in that statement.Seating capacity
The seating capacity gives you important
information on the number of occupants
that can be in the vehicle. Observe front
and rear seating capacity. The Tire and
Loading Information placard showing the
seating capacity is located on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 553).
Warning!G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit or total load limit as indi-
cated on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar. Over-
loading the tires can overheat them, possi-
bly causing a blowout. Overloading the tires
can also result in handling or steering prob-
lems, or brake failure.
iData shown on Tire and Loading Information
placard example are for illustration purposes
only. Load limit data are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in the illustration
below. Refer to Tire and Loading Information
placard on vehicle for actual data specific to your
vehicle.
iData shown on Tire and Loading Information
placard example are for illustration purposes
only. Seating capacity data are specific to each
vehicle and may vary from data shown in the il-
lustration below. Refer to Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on vehicle for actual data specific
to your vehicle.

555 Operation
Tires and wheels
1Seating capacity information on the
Tire and Loading Information placard
Steps for determining correct load limit
The following steps have been developed
as required of all manufacturers under
Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal Regulations,
Part 575 pursuant to the “National Traffic
and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.
Step 1
Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on
your vehicle’s Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard.Step 2
Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
Step 3
Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from XXX kilo-
grams or XXX lbs.
Step 4
The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs and there will
be five 150 lbs passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs
(1 400 – 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
Step 5
Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in step 4.Step 6 (if applicable)
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
ferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle (
page 557).
The following table shows examples on
how to calculate total and cargo load
capacities with varying seating configura-
tions and number and size of occupants.
The following examples use a load limit
of 1 500 lbs. This is for illustration
purposes only. Make sure you are using
the actual load limit for your vehicle stated
on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading
Information placard (
page 554).

556 Operation
Tires and wheels
The higher the weight of all occupants, the
less cargo and luggage load capacity is
available.
For more information, see “Trailer tongue
load” (
page 557).
ExampleCombined
weight limit
of occu-
pants and
cargo from
Tire and
Loading
Information
placardNumber of
occupants
(driver and
passengers)Seating
configura-
tionOccupants weight Combined
weight of all
occupantsAvailable cargo/luggage and trailer
tongue weight (total load limit from
Tire and Loading Information
placard minus combined weight of
all occupants)
11 500 lbs5front: 2
rear: 3Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
Occupant 3: 160 lbs
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
Occupant 5: 120 lbs750 lbs1 500 lbs – 750 lbs = 750 lbs
21 500 lbs3front: 1
rear: 2Occupant 1: 200 lbs
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
Occupant 3: 150 lbs540 lbs1 500 lbs – 540 lbs = 960 lbs
31 500 lbs1front: 1Occupant 1: 150 lbs150 lbs1 500 lbs – 150 lbs = 1 350 lbs

557 Operation
Tires and wheels
Certification label
Even after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants, cargo
and the trailer tongue load (if applicable)
(
page 557) as to not exceed the permis-
sible load limit, you must make sure that
your vehicle never exceeds the Gross Vehi-
cle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the
front or rear axle. You can obtain the
GVWR and GAWR from the certification la-
bel. The certification label can be found on
the driver’s door B-pillar, see “Technical
data” (
page 712).Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): The
total weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
all cargo, and the trailer tongue load
(
page 557) must never exceed the
GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): The to-
tal allowable weight that can be carried by
a single axle (front or rear).
To assure that your vehicle does not ex-
ceed the maximum permissible weight
limits (GVWR and GAWR for front and rear
axle), have the loaded vehicle (including
driver, passengers and all cargo and, if ap-
plicable, trailer fully loaded) weighed on a
suitable commercial scale.Trailer tongue load
The tongue load of any trailer is an impor-
tant weight to measure because it affects
the load you can carry in your vehicle. If a
trailer is towed, the tongue load must be
added to the weight of all occupants riding
and any cargo you are carrying in the
vehicle. The tongue load typically is 10% of
the trailer weight and everything loaded in
it.
Your Mercedes-Benz has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and their
cargo. Mercedes-Benz does not recom-
mend trailer towing with your vehicle.

558 Operation
Tires and wheels
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard located on
the driver’s door B-pillar (
page 553).
The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be ad-
justed on cold tires. The tires can be con-
sidered cold if the vehicle has been parked
for at least 3 hours or driven less than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on the driver’s door B-pil-
lar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best handling, tread life and
riding comfort. In addition to the tire Tire and Loading In-
formation placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar, also consult the tire inflation pres-
sure label (if available) for any additional
information pertaining to special driving
situations. For more information, see “Im-
portant notes on tire inflation pressure”
(
page 559).
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 over-
heated.
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 as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the driv-
er’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires can
overheat them, possibly causing a blowout.
Overloading the tires can also result in han-
dling or steering problems, or brake failure.

559 Operation
Tires and wheels
1Tire and Loading Information placard
with recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
The Tire and Loading Information placard
lists the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures for maximum loaded vehicle
weight. The tire inflation pressures listed
apply to the tires installed as original
equipment.Important notes on tire inflation
pressure
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure
are also increased while driving, depending
on the driving speed and the tire load.
If you will be driving your vehicle at high
speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or higher,
where it is legal and conditions allow,
consult the tire inflation pressure label on
the inside of the fuel filler flap (if available)
on how to adjust the cold tire inflation
pressure. If you do not adjust the tire infla-
tion pressure, excessive heat can build up
and result in sudden tire failure.If your vehicle is not equipped with the tire
inflation pressure label on the inside of
the fuel filler flap, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for proper tire
inflation pressure.
Be sure to readjust the tire inflation
pressure for normal driving speeds. You
should wait until the tires are cold before
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Some vehicles may have supplemental tire
inflation pressure information for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded vehi-
cle condition (
page 568). If such infor-
mation is provided, it can be found on the
tire inflation pressure label located on the
inside of the fuel filler flap (
page 538).
iData shown on Tire and Loading Information
placard example are for illustration purposes
only. Load limit data are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in the illustration
below. Refer to Tire and Loading Information
placard on vehicle for actual data specific to your
vehicle.
Warning!G
If the tire inflation pressure drops
repeatedly:

Check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects.

Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.
iDriving comfort may be reduced when the
tire inflation pressure is adjusted to the value for
speeds above 100 mph (160 km/h) as specified
on the Tire and Loading Information placard lo-
cated on the inside of the fuel filler flap.

560 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire inflation pressure changes by approxi-
mately 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of
air temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire inflation pressure
where the temperature is different from
the outside temperature.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check the tire inflation pressure
at least once a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation
pressure when the tires are cold. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm (the vehicle has
been driven for several miles or sitting less
than 3 hours), the reading will be
approximately 4 psi (0.3 bar) higher than
the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold tire in-
flation pressure. Otherwise, the tire will be
underinflated.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
Tire and Loading Information placard
on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 553) or, if available, the tire in-
flation pressure label on the inside of
the fuel filler flap. If necessary, add air
to achieve the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure.
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 over-
heated.
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 total load limit as indi-
cated on the Tire and Loading Information
placard located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
Overloading the tires can overheat them,
possibly causing a blowout. Overloading the
tires can also result in handling or steering
problems, or brake failure.