2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK spare wheel

wheels and tyres for damage. Hidden tyre
damage could also be causing the unusual
handling characteristics. If you find no
signs of damage, have the wheels and tyres checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
R When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tyres do not get deformed by the kerb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive
over kerbs, speed humps or similar eleva-
tions, try to do so slowly and at an obtuse
angle. Otherwise, the tyres, particularly the sidewalls, may be damaged. Regular checking of wheels and tyres
G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damage and replace any damaged tyres immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of your
vehicle for damage at least once a month, as well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tyre pressure. Pay particular attention to
damage such as:
R cuts in the tyres
R punctures
R tears in the tyres
R bulges on tyres
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tyre tread depth and the condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tyre (Y page 319). If necessary, turn
the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect
the inner side of the tyre surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not fit
anything onto the valve other than the stand-
ard valve cap or other valve caps approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle. Do not fit any other valve caps or systems, e.g. tyre pres-
sure monitoring systems. Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres,
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tyre pressure as necessary (Y page 321).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 332).
The service life of tyres depends on various
factors, including the following:
R driving style
R tyre pressure
R tyre mileage Tyre tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient tyre tread will reduce tyre trac-
tion. The tyre is no longer able to dissipate
water. This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk of aquaplaning increases, in particularwhere speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, tyres may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tyre tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tyres.
Minimum tyre tread depth for:
R summer tyres: 3 mm
R M+S tyres: 4 mm
For safety reasons, replace the tyres before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tyre tread depth is reached. Selecting, fitting and replacing tyres
R Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
Exception: it is permissible to fit a different type or make in the event of a flat tyre.
Observe the "MOExtended tyres (tyres with
run-flat characteristics)" section
(Y page 300).
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels. Operation
319Wheels and tyres Z

R
Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for
the first 100 km. They only reach their full
performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth. This otherwise significantly
reduces the traction on wet roads (aqua-
planing).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 332). MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an active tyre pressure loss
warning system and only on wheels specifi-
cally tested by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tyres with
a flat tyre (Y page 300).
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit can be obtained from a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 324). Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tyres on your vehi- cle to M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form, thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. M+S tyres
G
WARNING
M+ Styres with a tyre tread depth of less than
4 mm are not suitable for use in winter as they
do not provide sufficient traction. There is a
risk of accident.
M+S tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced.
At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres or all-season tyres. Both types of tyre are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tyres bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide the best possible grip in wintry road con- ditions. Only these tyres will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tyres have
been developed specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling charac-
teristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have
fitted.
If you fit M+S tyres that have a lower maxi-
mum permissible speed than that of the vehi-
cle, affix an appropriate warning sign in the
driver's field of vision. This can be obtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent SPEEDTRONIC so that it 320
Winter operationWheels and ty
res

does not exceed the maximum permissible
speed for the M+S tyres(Y page 172).
When you have fitted the M+S tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 321).
X Restart the tyre pressure loss warning sys-
tem (Y page 323).
For more information on driving with the
emergency spare wheel, see (Y page 332).Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are fitted to the rear wheels,
they may scrape against the vehicle body or
chassis components. This could cause dam-
age to the vehicle or the tyres. There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R never fit snow chains on the rear wheels
R always fit snow chains in pairs to the front
wheels.
! Vehicles with steel wheels:
if you fit
snow chains on steel wheels, you may dam-
age the hub caps. Remove the hub caps
from the relevant wheels before fitting the
snow chains.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specially approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or that are of a corre-
sponding standard of quality.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel-
tyre combinations. Permissible wheel-tyre
combinations (Y page 329).
R only use snow chains when the road sur-
face is completely snow-covered. Remove
the snow chains as soon as possible when
you come to a road that is not snow-cov-
ered. R
local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to fit snow chains.
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
R when snow chains are fitted, never use
Active Parking Assist (Y page 186).
i You may wish to deactivate
ESP ®
(Y page 65) when pulling away with
snow chains fitted. This way you can allow
the wheels to spin in a controlled manner,
achieving an increased driving force (cut-
ting action).
Information about driving with an emergency spare wheel (Y page 332). Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure specifications
G
WARNING
Tyres with too low or too high tyre pressure
contain the following hazards:
R they can burst, in particular if the vehicle is
heavily laden or when driven at high
speeds.
R the tyres can wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which can severely impair tyre
traction.
R the driving, steering and braking character-
istics may be severely impaired.
There is a risk of accident.
Follow recommended tyre inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tyres includ- ing the spare wheel:
R at least every two weeks
R if the load changes
R before beginning a long journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. Tyre pressure
321Wheels and tyres Z

G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is a risk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in a tyre
blow-out. There is a risk of accident.
R Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop. H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days.
You will find a table of tyre pressures for var- ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Operation with an emergency spare
wheel (Ypage 332).
Operation with a trailer: the applicable
value for the rear tyres is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
The table inside the fuel filler flap may state
tyre pressures for different load conditions.
These are defined in the table as different
numbers of passengers and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may vary;
for more information, please refer to the vehi-
cle's registration documents.
If tyre sizes are not specified, the tyre pres-
sures stated on the tyre pressure information label apply for all tyres approved for this vehi-
cle. If a tyre size precedes a tyre pressure, the
following tyre pressure information is only
valid for that tyre size.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the
tyre pressure. The outer appearance of a tyre
does not permit any reliable conclusion aboutthe tyre pressure.
If possible, only correct tyre pressures when
the tyres are cold.
The tyres are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked with the tyres
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1.6 km
Depending on the ambient temperature, the
speed at which you are driving and the load on the tyres, the tyre temperature and thus the
tyre pressure change by approximately
10 kPa per 10 † (0.1 bar/1.5 psi). Take this
into account when checking the pressure of
warm tyres. Only correct the tyre pressure if it
is too low for the current operating condi-
tions.
Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damage
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics and thus the driving safety (e.g.
aquaplaning) 322
Tyre pressureWheels and tyres

After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
or
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the %button.
or
X If the Tyre press. now OK? Tyre press. now OK? message
appears, use the 9or: button to
select Cancel Cancel .
X Press the abutton.
The tyre pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Changing a wheel
Flat tyre
You can find information on what to do in the event of flat tyre in the "Flat tyre" section
(Y page 300). You will also find information on
driving with MOExtended tyres in the event of a flat tyre.
Vehicles with an emergency spare wheel:
in the event of a flat tyre, the emergency
spare wheel is fitted according to the descrip-
tion under "Fitting a wheel" (Y page 325).Interchanging the wheels
G
WARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tyres have different dimensions. The wheel brakes or suspension components may also be damaged. There is a risk of acci-
dent.
Interchange front and rear wheels only if the
wheels and tyres are of the same dimensions.
Interchanging the front and rear wheels of
differing dimensions can render the general
operating permit invalid. Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(Y
page 324).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tyres differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Interchange the wheels before a clear wear
pattern has formed on the tyres. Front tyres
typically wear more on the shoulders and the
rear tyres in the centre.
On vehicles that have the same size front and rear wheels, you can interchange the wheels
every 5,000km to 10,000 km depending on
the degree of tyre wear. Maintain the direc-
tion of tyre rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and, if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system. Direction of rotation
Tyres with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of aquaplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tyre indicates
its correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tyres against oil, grease, petrol and diesel. Cleaning the wheels
G
WARNING
The water jet of circular-jet nozzles (dirt grind- ers) can cause damage not visible from the
outside to tyres or chassis components. Com-
ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail. There is a risk of an accident. 324
Changing a wheelWheels and tyres

Winter tyres Light-alloy wheels V
1 V
2 V
3 V
4 V
5 V
6 V
7 BA 215/45 R18 93 V XL
M+Si 7.5 J x 18 H2 ET 42 — — — — — — #
BA 235/40 R18 95 V XL
M+Si
16 8.0 J x 18 H2 ET 48 — — — — — — #
Emergency spare wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The wheel/tyre dimensions and the tyre type of the spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
and the wheel to be replaced may differ. Fit-
ting a spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
may severely impair the driving characteris-
tics. There is a risk of accident.
To prevent hazardous situations:
R Adapt your driving style accordingly and
drive carefully.
R Never fit more than one spare wheel/emer-
gency spare wheel if the dimensions are
different to those of the wheel being
replaced.
R Only use a spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel briefly if the dimensions are different
to those of the wheel being replaced.
R Do not switch off ESP ®
.
R Have the spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel in question replaced at the nearest
qualified specialist workshop. Make sure
that the wheel/tyre dimensions and tyre
type are correct.
When using an emergency spare wheel or
spare wheel of a different size, you must not
exceed the maximum speed of 80 km/h.
Snow chains must not be fitted to emergency
spare wheels. General notes
You should regularly check the pressure of
the emergency spare wheel, particularly prior
to long trips, and correct the pressure as nec- essary (Y page 321). The value on the wheel
or as given in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 329) is valid.
i When you are driving with the emergency
spare wheel fitted, the tyre pressure loss
warning system cannot function reliably.
Only restart the tyre pressure loss warning
system when the defective wheel has been replaced with a new wheel.
An emergency spare wheel may also be fitted against the direction of rotation. Observe the
time restriction on use as well as the speed
limitation specified on the emergency spare
wheel.
Replace the tyres after six years at the latest,
regardless of wear. This also applies to the
emergency spare wheel. Removing the emergency spare wheel
16
Use of snow chains not permitted. Observe the notes in the "Snow chains" section. 332
Emergency spare wheelWheels and tyres

X
Open the tailgate.
X Loosen lashing straps ;on emergency
spare wheel bag :.
X Remove emergency spare wheel bag :
with the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel.
For further information on changing and fit-
ting a wheel, see (Y page 325). Technical data
"Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel
Tyres Steel wheel
T 125/80 R17 99 M
Tyre pressure: 420 kPa
(4.2 bar/61 psi) 3.5 B x 17 H2
ET 19.5 Emergency spare wheel
333Wheels and tyres Z