Average weight of the vehicle
occupants (definition)
....................309
Bar (definition) ............................... 309
Changing awheel .......................... 312
Characteristics .............................. 309
Checking ........................................ 293
Definition of terms .........................309
Direction of rotatio n...................... 312
Display message ............................ 214
Distributio nofthe vehicle
occupants (definition) ....................311
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) .............................................. .308
DOT (Department of
Transportation) (definition) ............309
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
(definition) ..................................... 310
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
(definition) ..................................... 310
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) (definition) .........................310
Important safety notes ..................292
Increased vehicle weight due to
optional equipment (definition) ......309
Kilopascal (kPa) (definition) ...........310
Labeling (overview). .......................305
Load bearing index (definition) ......311
Load index ..................................... 308
Load index (definition) ...................310
M+S tires ....................................... 294
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(definition) ..................................... 310
Maximum load on a tire
(definition) ..................................... 310
Maximum permissible tire
pressure (definition) ....................... 310
Maximum tire load. ........................303
Maximum tire load (definition) .......310
MOExtended tires ..........................294
Optional equipment weight
(definition) ..................................... 311
PSI (pounds per square inch)
(definition) ..................................... 310
Replacing ....................................... 312
Service life ..................................... 294
Sidewall (definition) .......................311
Speed rating (definition) ................310
Storing ........................................... 312Structure and characteristics
(definition)
..................................... 309
Summer tires ................................. 294
Temperature .................................. 305
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
(definition) ..................................... 311
Tire bead( definition) ...................... 311
Tire pressure (definition) ................311
Tire pressures (recommended )...... 309
Tire size (data) ............................... 316
Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity, speed rating .................... 306
Tire tread ....................................... 293
Tire tread (definition) .....................311
Total load limit (definition) .............311
Traction ......................................... 304
Traction (definition) .......................311
Trea dwear ..................................... 304
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standard s...................................... 304
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standard s(definition) .................... 309
Unladen weight (definition) ............310
Wea rindicato r(definition) .............311
Whee lrim (definition ).................... 309
see Flat tire
Top Tether ............................................ 52
Towing Important safety guidelines ...........285
Installing the towing eye ................286
Removing the towing eye. ..............286
Towing away
With both axles on the ground .......286
With front axle raised ..................... 286
Tow-starting
Emergency engine starting ............287
Important safety notes ..................285
Installing the towing eye ................286
Removing the towing eye. ..............286
Traction control ................................... 63
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Transmission position display .........133
Transporting the vehicle ..................287
Trim pieces (cleaning instructions) .270
Trip computer (on-board
computer) .......................................... 182 Index
17
Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 23).Loading guidelines
G
WARNING
Always faste nitems being carried as securely
as possible using cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials appropriate for the weight
and size of the load.
In an accident, durin ghard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle .This can cause injury to
vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
transporting cargo. Do not pile luggage or
cargo higher than the seat backrests.
Never drive a vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
The handling characteristics of a laden
vehicle are dependent on the distribution of
the load within the vehicle. For this reason,
you should observe the following notes when
transporting a load:
R when transporting a load, never exceed the
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
or the gross axle weight rating of the
vehicle (including occupants). The values are specified on the vehicle identification
plate on the B-pillar of the driver's door.
R position heavy loads as far forwards as
possible and as low down in the cargo
compartmenta s possible.
R the load must not protrude above the upper
edge of the seat backrests.
R always place the load against the rear or
front seat backrests. Make sure that the
seat backrests are securely locked into
place.
R hook in the cargo net when loading.
R the maximum load capacity of the stowage
well under the cargo compartment floor is
55 lbs (25 kg).
R always place the load behind unoccupied
seats if possible.
R secure the load with sufficiently strong and
wear-resistant tie-downs. Pad sharp edges
for protection.
! Do not position the load on one part of the
folding cargo compartment floor only. The
maximum load capacity of the folding cargo
compartment floor is 220 lbs (100 kg).
Distribute the weight evenly to avoid
damaging the cargo compartment floor.
Place a solid board under the load if
necessary. Please note that the load on the
cargo compartment floor will be increased
when the load is lashed down. Stowage areas
Stowage space
Important safety notes G
WARNING
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
storing objects in the vehicle. Put luggage or
cargo in the cargo compartment if possible.
Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the
seat backrests. 230
Stowage areasStowage and features
X
Move the driver's or front-passenger seat
forward if necessary.
X Pull right or left loop ;on the backrest in
the direction of the arrow.
Corresponding seat backrest :is
released.
X Fold down backrest :fully.
X Move the driver's or front-passenger seat
back if necessary.
Folding the rear seat backrest back X
Move the driver's or front-passenger seat
forward if necessary.
! Make sure that the seat belt does not
become trapped when folding the rear seat
backrest back. Otherwise, it could be
damaged.
X Swing backrest :back.
X Adjust the backrest to the desired angle by
pulling the loop (Y page 236).
X Adjust the head restraints if necessary
(Y page 87).
X Move the driver's or front-passenger seat
back if necessary. Notes on using the cargo compartment Load position
Making the best use of your cargo
compartment:
R
Load capacity is increased when
backrest :is set to the load position (90°)
(Y page 236).
R Vehicles with a height-adjustable trunk
floor: a level load surface can be obtained
by moving the trunk floor to the upper
position (Y page 240).
R Al arge rload area can be obtained by
moving the rear bench seat as far forward
as possible (Y page 237).
R The load area can be lengthened by folding
forward the folding backrest of the front-
passenger seat (Y page 233) and the
corresponding backrest in the rear.
Adjusting the angle of the rear seat
backrests
You can set the angle of the seat backrests
to one of 13 detent positions. 236
Stowage areasStowage and features
Attaching and tightening the cargo net
X
To attach and tighten: insert guide
rod :into bracket ;.
X Attach belt hook ?to the cargo tie-down
ring and pull down on th eloose end of the
lashing strap until the cargo net is taut.
X After driving a short distance, check the
tension of the cargo net and retighten it if
necessary.
X To loosen and detach: pull belt clamp
= up to reduce the tension in the lashing
strap.
X Unhook belt hook ?from the cargo tie-
down ring.
X Detach guide rod :from bracket ;.
X To stow: press the red button on the upper
and lower guide rod.
X Fold the cargo net and roll it up.
X Close the two Velcro fasteners on the cargo
net holder. Stowage well under the cargo
compartment floor
Important safety notes !
The maximum load capacity of the
stowage well under the cargo compartment
floor is 55 lbs (25 kg). Opening/closing the trunk floor Ab
racket for TIREFIT, the vehicle tool kit, etc.
is located underneath the cargo
compartment floor. X
To open: open the tailgate.
X Press downh andle:on ribbing ;.
Handle :folds up.
X Swing the cargo compartment floor
upwards using handle :until it rests
against the cargo compartment cover. X
Fold out hook =on the underside of the
cargo compartment floor. Stowage areas
239Stowage and features Z
Number of seats
Maximum numbe
rofseats:determines the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The number of
seats is vehicle-specific and can differ from
the details shown. The number of seats in
your vehicle can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information placard. Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S.F
ederal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
X 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 Information
placard.
X Step 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
X Step 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs. X
Step 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400l bs and there are five
occupants in the vehicle each with a weight
of 150 lbs, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs (1400
Ò 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
X 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.
X Step 6 (if applicable): If your vehicle will
be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle ( Ypage 303). Loading the vehicle
301Wheels and tires Z
not covered with ice or snow. Take
appropriate care when driving.
!
Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train. Temperature
G
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire tha tis properly inflated
and not overloaded.E xcessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
excessive hea tbuild-up and possible tire
failure.
The temperature grades are A(the highest),
B, and C. These represent the tire's
resistance to the generatio nofheat 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 Ccorresponds 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 labeling
Tire labeling overview
The following markings are on the tire in addition
to the tire name (sales designation) and the
manufacturer's name:
:
Uniform tire Quality Grading Standard
(Ypage 309)
; DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 308)
= Maximum tire load (Y page 303)
? Maximum tire pressure (Y page 298)
A Manufacturer
B Tire material (Y page 309)
C Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed index (Y page 306)
D Load index (Y page 308)
E Tire name
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. Tire labeling
305Wheels and tires Z
Tire size designation,l
oad-bearing
capacity and speed rating :
Tire width
; Nominal aspec tratio in %
= Tire code
? Rim diameter
A Load bearing index
B Speed rating
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
General: depending on the manufacturer's
standards, the size imprinted in the tire wall
may not contain any letters or may contain
one lette rthat precedes the size description.
If there is no letter preceding the size
description (as shown above): these are
passenger vehicle tires according to
European manufacturing standards.
If "P" precedes the size description: these are
passenger vehicle tires according to U.S.
manufacturing standards.
If "LT" precedes the size description: these
are light truck tires according to U.S.
manufacturing standards.
If "T" precedes the size description: these are
compact emergency spare wheels at high tire
pressure, to be used only temporarily in an
emergency.
Tire width: tire width:shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Nominal aspect ratio: aspect ratio;is the
size ratio between the tire height and the tire
width and is shown in percent.T he aspectratio is calculated by dividing the tire width by
the tire height.
Tire code:
tire code=specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires; "D" represents
diagonal tires; "B" represents diagonal radial
tires.
Optionally, tires with a maximum speed of
over 149mph (240km/h) may have "ZR" in
the size description, depending on the
manufacturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
Rim diameter: rim diameter?is the
diameter of the bead seat, not the diameter
of the rim flange. The rim diameter is
specified in inches (in).
Load bearing index: load bearing indexA
is a numerical code which specifies the
maximum load-bearing capacity of a tire.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum
permissible load can be found on the
vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side
(Y page 300).
Example:
Al oad-bearing index of 91 indicates a
maximum load of 1,356lb (615kg) that can be
carried by the tires. For further information on
the maximum tire load in kilograms and
pounds, see (Y page 303).
For further information on the load-bearing
index, see Load index (Y page 308).
Speed rating: speed ratingBspecifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire. G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing
capacity and the approved maximum speed
could lead to tire damage or the tire bursting.
There is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
tire load rating and speed rating required for
your vehicle.
Regardless of the speed rating, always
observe the speed limits. Drive carefully and 306
Tire labelingWheels and tires
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximu mgross axle weight
rating. The actual load on an axle must never
exceed the gross axle weight rating. The
gross axle weight rating can be found on the
vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side. Speed rating
The speed rating is part of the tire
identification. It specifies the speed range for
which the tire is approved. GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, the spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants,
luggage and the drawbar noseweight, if
applicable.T he gross vehicle weight must not
exceed the gross vehicle weight rating GVWR
as specified on the vehicle identification plate
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permissible gross
weight of a fully loaded vehicle (the weight of
the vehicle including all accessories,
occupants, fuel, luggage and the drawbar
noseweight, if applicable). The gross vehicle
weight rating is specified on the vehicle
identification plate on the B-pillar on the
driver's side. Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The maximum weight is the sum of:
R the curb weight of the vehicle
R the weight of the accessories
R the load limit
R the weight of the factory installed optional
equipment Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa
corresponds to 1 psi. Another unit for tire
pressure is bar. 100 kilopascal (kPa) is the
equivalent of 1bar. Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall
of the tire. This specifie sthe load-bearing
capacity more precisely. Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard
equipment including the maximum capacity
of fuel, oil and coolant. It also includes the air-
conditioning system and optional equipment
if these are installed in the vehicle, but does
not include passengers or luggage. Maximum load rating
The maximum load rating in kilograms or
pounds is the maximum weight for which a
tire is approved. Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire. Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by dividing the maximum axle load of one axle
by two. PSI (pounds per square inch)
As tandard uni tofmeasure for tire pressure. 310
Definition of terms for tires and loadingWheels and tires