Selecting, mounting and replacing
tires
R Only mount tires and wheels of the same
type and make.
Exception: it is permissible to install a
different type or make in the event of a flat
tire. Observe the "MOExtended tires (tires
with run-flat characteristics)" section
(Y page 297)
R Only mount tires of the correct size onto
the wheels.
R After mounting new tires, break them in at
moderate speeds for the first 60 miles
(100 km), as they only reach their full
performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tires which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (hydroplaning).
R Replace the tires after six years at the
latest, regardless of wear. This also applies
to the spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel.
The service life of tires depends on the
following factors amongst other things:
R Driving style
R Tire pressure
R Distance covered MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties) allow you to continue driving your
vehicle even if one or more tires are entirely
deflated.
MOExtended tires may only be used in
conjunction with an active tire pressure loss
warning system or with an active tire pressure
monitor and on wheels specifically tested by
Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires in the
event of a flat tire can be found in the
"Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 297). Winter operation
Points to remember
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 334). Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tires on your
vehicle to M+S tires. Using summer tires at
very cold temperatures could cause cracks to
form, thereby damaging the tires
permanently. Mercedes-Benz cannot accept
responsibility for this type of damage. M+S tires
G
WARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than
000A in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There
is a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than 000A
in (4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), use
winter tires or all-season tires. Both types of
tire are identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tires bearing the 0002snowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking
provide the best possible grip in wintry road
conditions. Only these tires will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tires have
bee ndeveloped specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics. 312
Winter operationWheels and tires
Checking the tire pressures
Important safety notes Observe the "tire pressure information"
sectio n(Ypage 313).
Information on air pressure for the tires on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the vehicle's Tire and Loading
Information placard on the B-pillar
R on the tire pressure label on the fuel filler
flap
R in the "Tire pressure information" section
Checking tire pressures manually To determine and set the correct tire
pressure, proceed as follows:
X Remove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.
X Press the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
X Read the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side of your vehicle.
X If necessary, increase the tire pressure to
the recommended value (Y page 313).
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air
by pressing down the metal pin in the valve
using the tip of a pen, for example. Then,
chec kthe tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeatt hese steps for the other tires. Tire pressure loss warning system
(Canada only)
General notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tire
pressure loss warning system monitors the
set tire pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tire. If the speed of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appearint
he multifunction
display.
You can recognize the tire pressure loss
warning by the Run Flat Indicator Active Press 'OK' to Restart message
which appears in the Service menu of the
multifunction display. Further information on
the message display can be found under
"Restarting the tire pressure loss warning
system" section (Y page 318).
Important safety notes The tire pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tire pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tire
pressure (Y
page 313).
The tire pressure loss warning system does
not replace the need to regularly check your
vehicle's tire pressures, since an even loss of
pressure on several tires at the same time
cannot be detected by the tire pressure loss
warning system.
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The function of the tire pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted on your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style
(cornering at high speeds or driving with
high rates of acceleration).
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof). Tire pressure
317Wheels and tires Z
Restarting the tire pressure loss
warning system Restar
tthe tire pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
X Before restarting, consult the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side or the tire
pressure table on the inside of the fuel filler
flap to ensure the tire pressure in all four
tires is set correctly for the current
operating conditions.
The tire pressure loss warning system can
only give reliable warnings if you have set
the correct tire pressure. If an incorrectt ire
pressure is set, these incorrect values will
be monitored.
X Observe the notes in the section on tire
pressures (Y page 313).
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2(Y page 141) in the ignition lock .
X Press the 0002or0005 button to selec tthe
Service menu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
Tire Pressure .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The Run Flat Indicator Active Press 'OK' to Restart message
appears in the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
Yes .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The Run Flat Indicator Restarted message appears in the multifunction
display. After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tire pressures of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the 0006button.
or
X If the Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears, use the 0003or0004 button to
select Cancel .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Tire pressure monitor
General notes If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the
vehicle's wheels have sensors that monitor
the tire pressures in all four tires. The tire
pressure monitor warns you if the pressure
drops in one or more of the tires. The tire
pressure monitor only functions if the correct
sensors are installed to all wheels.
Information on tire pressures is displayed in
the multifunction display. After a few minutes
of driving, the current tire pressure of each
tire is shown in the multifunction display. Example: current tire pressure display
Important safety notes
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to that recommended for cold tires
which is suitable for the operating situation
(Y page 313). Note that the correct tire
pressure for the current operating situation
must first be taught-in to the tire pressure
monitor. If there is a substantial loss of 318
Tire pressureWheels and tires
If the tire pressure monitor is
malfunctioning, it may take more than ten
minutes for the tire pressure warning lamp
to inform you of the malfunction by flashing
for approximately one minute and then
remaining lit.
When the malfunction has been rectified,
the tire pressure warning lamp goes out
after a few minutes of driving.
i The tire pressure values indicated by the
on-board computer may differ from those
measured at a gas station with a pressure
gauge. The tire pressures shown by the on-
board computer refer to those measured at
sea level.Ath igh altitudes, the tire pressure
values indicated by a pressure gauge are
higher than those shown by the on-board
computer. In this case, do not reduce the
tire pressures.
i The operation of the tir epressure monitor
can be affected by interference from radio
transmitting equipment (e.g. radio
headphones, two-way radios) that may be
being operated in or near the vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure
electronically X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2(Y page 141) in the ignition lock .
X Press the 0002or0005 button on the
steering wheel to select the Servicemenu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
Tire Pressure .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The current tire pressure of each tire is
show ninthe multifunction display.
If the vehicle has been parked for over
20 minutes ,the Tire pressures will be
displayed after driving a few
minutes message appears.
After a teach-in process, the tire pressure
monitor automatically detects new wheels or
new sensors. As long as a clear allocation of
the tire pressure value to the individual wheels is not possible, the
Tire Pressure Monitor Active display message is shown
instead of the tire pressure display. The tire
pressures are already being monitored.
i If a spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
is mounted, the system may continue to
show the tire pressure of the wheel that has
been removed for a few minutes. If this
occurs, note that the value displayed for
the position where the spare tire is
mounted is not the same as the spare
wheel/emergency spare wheel's current
tire pressure.
Tire pressure monitor warning
messages If the tire pressure monitor detects a
significant pressure loss on one or more tires,
a warning message is shown in the
multifunction display.
Awarning tone also
sounds and the tire pressure warning lamp
lights up in the instrumen tcluster.
Each tire that is affected by a significant loss
of pressure is highlighted with a color.
If the following message appears in the
multifunction display: Correct Tire Pressure:
X
Check the tire pressure on all four wheels
and correct it if necessary.
i If the wheel positions on the vehicle are
rotated, the tire pressures may be
displayed for the wrong positions for a
shor ttime. This is rectified after a few
minutes of driving, and the tire pressures
are displayed for the correc tpositions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor When you restart the tire pressure monitor,
all existing warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamps go out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the
reference values for monitoring. In most
cases, the tire pressure monitoring system
recognizes the new reference values
automatically.320
Tire pressureWheels and tires
However, you can also define reference
values manually as described here:
X
Set the tire pressure to the value
recommended for the corresponding
driving situation on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the B-pillar on the
driver's side (Y page 313).
Additional tire pressure value sfor driving
at high speeds or with heavy loads can be
found in the tire pressure table on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.
X Make sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Press the 0002or0005 button on the
steering wheel to select the Servicemenu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
Tire Pressure .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The multifunction display shows the
current tire pressure for the individual tires
or the Tire pressures will be displayed after driving a few
minutes message.
X Press the 0004button.
The Use Current Pressures as New Reference Values message appears in
the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The Tire Press. Monitor Restarted message appears in the multifunction
display.
After driving for a few minutes, the system
checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored. If you wish to cancel the restart:
X
Press the 0006button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
G
WARNING
Overloaded tires can overheat, causing a
blowout. Overloaded tires can also impair the
steering and driving characteristics and lead
to brake failure. There is a risk of accident.
Observe the load rating of the tires. The load
rating must be at least half of the GAWR of
your vehicle. Never overload the tires by
exceeding the maximum load.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1) The Tire and Loading Information placard is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
Tire and Loading Information placard
shows the maximum permissible number
of occupants and the maximum
permissible vehicle load. It also contains
details of the tire sizes and
corresponding pressures for tires
mounted at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle
occupants, the fuel and the cargo. You
can also find information about the
maximum gross axle weight rating on the
front and rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the
maximum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle. Loading the vehicle
321Wheels and tires Z
i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Maximum tire load 0002is the maximum
permissible weight for which the tire is
approved. Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards Overview of Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S. government specifications. Their
purpose is to provide drivers with uniform
reliable information on tire performance data.
tire manufacturers have to grade tires using
three performance factors: tread wear
0002,
tire traction 0003and heat resistance 0022. All
tires sold in North America are provided with
the corresponding quality class mark on the
sidewall of the tire, even though these
regulations do not apply to Canada. i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
For example: Treadwear Traction Temperature
200 AA A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory 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 course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half
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 conditions. Traction
G
WARNING
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 a wet surface as
measured under controlled conditions on 326
Uniform Tire Quality Grading StandardsWheels and tires
adapt your driving style to the traffic
conditions. Summer tires
Index Speed rating
Q up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...(..Y) over 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR over 149 mph (240 km/h)
R
Optionally, tires with a maximum speed of
over 149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR"
in the size description, depending on the
manufacturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR18).
The service specificatio nis made up of
load-bearing index 001Fand speed rating
0020.
R If the size description of your tire includes
"ZR" and there are no service
specifications, ask the tire manufacturer in
order to find out the maximum speed.
If a service specification is available, the
maximum speed is limited according to the
speed rating in the service specification.
Example: 245/40 ZR 18 97 Y.In this
example, "97 Y" is the service specification.
The letter "Y" represents the speed rating.
The maximum speed of the tire is limited to
186 mph (300 km/h).
R The size descriptio nfor all tires with
maximum speeds of over 186 mph (300 km/h) must include "ZR", and
the
service specification must be given in
parentheses. Example:
275/40 ZR 18 (99 Y). Speed rating "(Y)"
indicates that the maximum speed of the
tire is over 186 mph (300 km/h). Ask the
tire manufacturer about the maximum
speed. All-weather tires and winter tires
Index Speed rating
Q M+S
12 up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S
12 up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S
12 up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S
12 up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
i
Not all tires with the M+S marking provide
the driving characteristics of winter tires.
In addition to the M+S marking, winter tires
also have the 0002snowflake symbol on
the tire wall. Tires with this marking fulfill
the requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)
regarding snow traction, and were specially
developed for driving on snow.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding the following speeds:
R all vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
130 mph (210 km/h)
R AMG vehicles: 155 mph (250 km/h)
R AMG vehicles with increased top speed:
174 mph (280 km/h)
The speed rating of tires mounted at the
factory may be higher than the maximum
speed that the electronic speed limiter
permits.
Make sure that your tires have the required
speed rating for your vehicle as specified in
the "tires" section (Y page 338), e.g. if you
buy new tires.
12 Or M+S0002 for winter tires. Tire labeling
329Wheels and tires Z
Useful information
............................346
Information regarding technical
data .................................................... 346
Warranty ............................................ 346
Identification plates .........................346
Service products and filling capaci-
ties ..................................................... 347
Vehicle data ...................................... 355 345Technical data