2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SL65AMG brake

Example illustration: Tire inflation pressuresspecific to rim diameter
Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
GWarning!
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.
Underinflated tires can
Rcause excessive and uneven tire wear
Radversely affect fuel economy
Rlead to tire failure from being overheated
Radversely affect handling characteristics
Overinflated tires
GWarning!
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.
Overinflated tires can
Radversely affect handling characteristics
Rcause uneven tire wear
Rbe more prone to damage from road
hazards
Radversely affect ride comfort
Rincrease stopping distance
Checking tire inflation pressure
Safety notes
GWarning!
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.
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
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.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least once
a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold (Y page 187).
Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
Follow the steps below to achieve correct tire
inflation pressure:
XRemove the cap from the valve on one tire.XFirmly press a tire gauge onto the valve.XRead the tire inflation pressure on the tire
gauge and check against the
recommended tire inflation pressure on the
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Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar ( Y page 194). If
necessary, add air to achieve the
recommended tire inflation pressure.XIf you have overfilled the tire, release tire
inflation 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.XInstall the valve cap.XRepeat this procedure for each tire.
Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)
Your vehicle is equipped with the Advanced
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (Advanced
TPMS). It measures the tire inflation pressure
in the vehicle’s tires and issues warnings in
case of pressure loss in one or more of the
tires.
The TPMS is equipped with a combination low
tire pressure/TPMS malfunction telltale
(USA) or a low tire pressure telltale (Canada)
in the instrument cluster. Depending on how
the telltale illuminates, it indicates a low tire
pressure condition or a malfunction in the
TPMS system itself:
R If the telltale illuminates continuously, one
or more of your tires is significantly
underinflated. There is no malfunction in
the TPMS.
R USA only: If the telltale flashes for 60
seconds and then stays illuminated, the
TPMS system itself is not operating
properly.
The TPMS only functions on wheels that are
equipped with the proper electronic sensors.
GWarning!
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures. Always
adjust tire inflation pressure according to the
Tire and Loading Information placard or the
supplemental tire inflation pressure
information on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due
to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g. tire
blowout caused by a foreign object). In this
case bring the vehicle to a halt by carefully
applying the brakes and avoiding abrupt
steering maneuvers.GWarning!
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door B-
pillar or the tire inflation pressure label on the
inside of the fuel filler flap. If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
or the tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires are significantly underinflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly underinflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability. Please note that
the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
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iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1.This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
Tire inflation pressure warnings
If the system detects a significant loss of tire
inflation pressure in one or more than one
tire, a message appears in the multifunction
display. In addition, an acoustic warning
sounds and the low tire pressure telltale in the
instrument cluster comes on.
The respective tire is indicated by a red
rectangle.
Restarting Advanced TPMSGWarning!
It is the driver’s responsibility to set the tire
inflation pressure to the recommended cold
tire inflation pressure. Underinflated tires
affect the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You might lose control over the vehicle.
When you restart the TPMS, the system sets
new reference values for each tire.
The TPMS must be restarted when you have
adjusted the tire inflation pressure to a new
level (e.g. because of different load or driving
conditions). The TPMS is then recalibrated to
the current tire inflation pressures.
iCanada only:
The TPMS usually recognizes tire pressure
adjustments and sets new reference values
automatically. You can, however, restart
the TPMS manually as described.
Restart the TPMS after adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the inflation pressure
recommended for the vehicle operating
condition. Tire inflation pressure should only
be adjusted on cold tires. Observe the
recommended tire inflation pressure on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire inflation pressure
information for driving at high speeds or for
vehicle loads less than the maximum loaded
vehicle condition. If such information is
provided, it can be found on the inside of the
fuel filler flap.
XUsing the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(Y page 194) or the supplemental tire
inflation pressure information on the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is correct.
XSwitch on the ignition.XPress button V or U on the
multifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in the
multifunction display (Y page 116).
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pressures for the original equipment tires
on your vehicle.
(2)The certification label, also found on the
driver’s door B-pillar. It tells you about the
gross weight capacity of your vehicle,
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.
:Driver’s door B-pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work with
the information contained on the Tire and
Loading Information placard with regards to
loading your vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
GWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
Tire and Loading Information placard
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 following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for actual
data specific to your vehicle.
The Tire and Loading Information placard
showing load limit information : is located
on the driver’s door B-pillar (Y page 194).
XLocate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.”
on the Tire and Loading Information
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
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 following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for actual
data specific to your vehicle.
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Maximum tire loadGWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
The maximum tire load rating : is the
maximum weight the tires are designed to
support.
For more information on tire load rating, see
(Y page 202).
For information on calculating total and cargo
load capacities, see (Y page 195).
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantages,
such as better hydroplaning performance. 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 of the tire.
Spare wheels may be mounted against the
direction of rotation (spinning) even with a
unidirectional tire for temporary use only until
the regular drive wheel has been repaired or
replaced. Always observe and follow
applicable temporary use restrictions and
speed limitations indicated on the spare
wheel.
MOExtended system
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there is
a total loss of pressure in one or more tires.
You may only use the MOExtended system in
conjunction with the Advanced TPMS
(Y page 190).
For information on driving in case of pressure
loss in one or more tires (emergency mode),
see the “Practical hints” section
(Y page 283).
Tire care and maintenance
GWarning!
Regularly check the tires for damage.
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if
the tires have sustained damage, replace
them.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least once
a month. For more information on checking
tire inflation pressure, see “Recommended
tire inflation pressure” (Y page 187).
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading is a U.S.
Government requirement designed to give
drivers consistent and reliable information
regarding tire performance. Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires
based on three performance factors:
treadwear :, traction ;, and temperature
resistance =. Although not a Government of
Canada requirement, all tires made for sale in
North America have these grades branded on
the sidewall.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
Quality grades can be found, where
applicable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
TreadwearTractionTemperature200AAA
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. Government test course. For example, 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
GWarning!
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.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
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 performance.
GWarning!
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will
be substantially reduced. Under such weather
conditions, drive, steer and brake with
extreme caution.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperature is close to the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(Y page 207) with a minimum tread depth of
approximately 1/6 in (4 mm) on all four wheels
for the winter season to ensure normal
balanced handling characteristics. On
packed snow, they can reduce your stopping
distance compared to summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
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not covered with snow or ice. Exercise
appropriate caution.
! Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Temperature GWarning!
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance 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 temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
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.
Rotating tires
GWarning!
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.
GWarning!
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts
specified for your vehicle’s rims.
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
( Y page 197).
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
configuration, tires can be rotated according
to the tire manufacturer’s recommended
intervals 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 necessary, according
to the degree of tire wear. The same rotation
(spinning) direction must be maintained.
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 disks, 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 “Flat
tire” ( Y page 276).
Tire labeling
Besides tire name (sales designation) and
manufacturer name, a number of markings
can be found on a tire.
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Aspect ratio
Aspect ratio ; is the dimensional
relationship between tire section height and
section width and is expressed in percentage.
The aspect ratio is arrived at by dividing
section height by section width.
Tire code
Tire code = indicates the tire construction
type. The “R” stands for radial tire type. Letter
“D” means diagonal or bias ply construction;
letter “B” means belted-bias ply construction.
At the tire manufacturer’s option, any tire
with a speed capability above 149 mph
(240 km/h) can include a “ZR” in the size
designation (for example: 245/40 ZR 18). For
additional information, see “Tire speed
rating” ( Y page 202).
Rim diameter
Rim diameter ? is the diameter of the bead
seat, not the diameter of the rim edge. The
rim diameter is indicated in inches (in).
Load indexGWarning!
The tire load rating must always be at least
half of the GAWR of your vehicle. Otherwise,
tire failure may be the result which may cause
an accident and/or serious injury to you or
others.
Always replace rims and tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as shown
on the original part.
GWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
Load index A is a numerical code associated
with the maximum load a tire can support.
For example, a load rating of 91 corresponds
to a maximum load of 1356 lb (615 kg) the
tire is designed to support. See also
“Maximum tire load” (Y page 197) where the
maximum load associated with the load index
is indicated in kilograms and lbs.
For additional information on the load index,
see “Load identification” ( Y page 204).
Speed symbol GWarning!
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 serious
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use prudent
driving speeds appropriate to prevailing
conditions.
Speed symbol B indicates the approved
maximum speed (tire speed rating) for the
tire.
Summer tires
IndexSpeed ratingQup to 100 mph (160 km/h)Rup to 106 mph (170 km/h)Sup to 112 mph (180 km/h)Tup to 118 mph (190 km/h)Hup to 130 mph (210 km/h)Vup to 149 mph (240 km/h)Wup to 168 mph (270 km/h)Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)ZR...Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)202Tires and wheelsOperation
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