2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 warning

320 Operation
Tires and wheels
Press reset buttonJ (page 118).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart tire
pressure monitor?
Press button æ.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Tire Pressure Monitor
Restarted
After driving a few minutes the current
tire inflation pressure values are
accepted as reference pressures and
then monitored.
If you wish to cancel activation:
Press button ç.Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
Underinflated tires can:

cause excessive and uneven tire wear

adversely affect fuel economy

lead to tire failure from being
overheated

adversely affect handling
characteristicsOverinflated tires
Overinflated tires can:

adversely affect handling
characteristics

cause uneven tire wear

be more prone to damage from road
hazards

adversely affect ride comfort

increase stopping distance
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
overheated.
Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
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.


323 Operation
Tires and wheels
Rim diameter
The rim diameter4 (
page 322) is the
diameter of the bead seat, not the
diameter of the rim edge. Rim diameter is
indicated in inches (in).
Tire load rating
The tire load rating5 (
page 322) is a
numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
For example, a load rating of 91 corre-
sponds to a maximum load of 1 356 lbs
(615 kg) the tire is designed to support.
See also “Maximum tire load”
(
page 327) where the maximum load as-
sociated with the load index is indicated in
kilograms and lbs.For additional information on tire load
rating, see “Load identification”
(
page 325).
Tire speed rating
The tire speed rating6 (
page 322)
indicates the approved maximum speed
for the tire.
Warning!G
The tire load rating must always be at least
half of the GAWR (
page 331) of your
vehicle. Otherwise, tire failure may be the
result which may cause an accident and/or
serious personal injury to you or others.
Always replace rims and tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as
shown on the original part.
Warning!G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated 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.
iTire load rating5 (page 322) and Tire
speed rating6 (
page 322) are also referred
to as “service description”.
Warning!G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the
maximum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire
failure, causing loss of vehicle control and
possibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.

327 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire type code
The code4 (
page 326) may, at the
option of the manufacturer, be used as a
descriptive code for identifying significant
characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture
The date of manufacture5 (
page 326)
identifies the week and year of manufac-
ture.
The first two figures identify the week,
starting with “01” to represent the first full
week of the calendar year. The second two
figures represent the year.
For example, “3202” represents the 32nd
week of 2002.
Maximum tire load
1Maximum tire load rating
The maximum tire load is the maximum
weight the tires are designed to support.For more information on tire load rating
(
page 323).
For information on calculating total and
cargo load capacities (
page 309).
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
Warning!G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated 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.

328 Operation
Tires and wheels
Maximum tire inflation pressure
1Maximum permissible tire inflation
pressure
This is the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure for the tire.Always follow the recommended tire
inflation pressure (
page 311) for proper
tire inflation. Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (U.S. vehicles)
Tire manufacturers are required to grade
tires based on three performance
factors: treadwear, traction and
temperature resistance.
1Treadwear
2Traction
3Temperature resistance
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
Warning!G
Never exceed the max. tire inflation
pressure. 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.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

329 Operation
Tires and wheels
Quality grades can be found, where appli-
cable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
TreadwearTractionTemperature
200AAA
Warning!G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

330 Operation
Tires and wheels
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.Tire ply material
1Plies in sidewall
2Plies under tread
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the sidewall
and under the tread.
Warning!G
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underin-
flation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

334 Operation
Tires and wheels
Rotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 307).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 307).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake discs, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 392) and
(
page 408).
Warning!G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.

335 Operation
Winter driving
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Checking anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Adding of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning* system. Add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
to a pre-mixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
(
page 458).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure 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 M+S and
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
Canada (RAC) and have been designed
specifically for use in snow conditions. Use
of winter tires is the only way to achieve
the maximum effectiveness of the ABS and
ESP
® in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires mounted to 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.
!When scraping ice or snow from the rear
window, be careful not to damage the sealing
strip or apertures along the side of the window.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6 in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are
no longer suitable for winter operation.