2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-CLASS SUV Owners Manual

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 3 Permissible load and
trailer load/
noseweight
(maximum
permissible load
rating from the Tire
and Loading
Information placard
minus the gross
weight of all
occupants)
1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
750 lbs (340 kg)
= 750 lbs
(340 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
540 lbs (245 kg)
= 960 lbs
(435 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
150 lbs (68 kg)
=
1350 lbs
(612 kg) The higher the weight of all the occupants, the smaller the maximum load for luggage.
Further information can be found under "Towing a trailer" (
Y page 343).Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle weight rating and
the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
(Y page 339).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the
gross weight of the vehicle, all passengers,
load and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the permissible
gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum
permissible weight that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross
vehicle weight and maximum gross axle
weight rating), have your loaded vehicle
(including driver, occupants, cargo, and full
trailer load if applicable) weighed on a
suitable vehicle weighbridge. Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the
gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached, the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The
trailer load/noseweight is usually
approximately 8% of the gross weight of the
trailer and its load.
Maximum load rating
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 339). i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from
the values in
the illustration. Maximum load rating
343
Wheels and tires Z

Maximum tire load
0043 is 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 0043,
tire traction 0044 and heat resistance 0087. 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
specified government test surfaces of

asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of 00CF in (4 mm) for all four winter
tires ( Y page 330) to maintain normal driving
characteristics in winter. Winter tires can 344
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
Wheels and tires

reduce the braking distance on snow-covered
surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
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 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. These represent 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. Tire labeling
Overview of tire labeling
The following markings are on the tire in
addition to the tire name (sales designation)
and the manufacturer's name: 0043
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
(Y page 349)
0044 DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Y page 348)
0087 Maximum tire load ( Y page 343)
0085 Maximum tire pressure (Y page 334)
0083 Manufacturer
0084 Tire material ( Y page 349)
006B Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed index (
Y page 346)
006C Load index ( Y page 348)
006D Tire name
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. Tire labeling
345
Wheels and tires Z

Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating
0043
Tire width
0044 Nominal aspect ratio in %
0087 Tire code
0085 Rim diameter
0083 Load bearing index
0084 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 letter that 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 0043 shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Height-width ratio: aspect ratio 0044 is the
size ratio between the tire height and tire
width and is shown in percent. The aspect ratio is calculated by dividing the tire width by
the tire height.
Tire code:
tire code 0087 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 149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR" in
the size description, depending on the
manufacturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
Rim diameter: rim diameter 0085 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 index 0083
is a numerical code that 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 339).
Example:
Load-bearing index 91 indicates a maximum
load of 1,356 lb (615 kg) that the tires can
bear. For further information on the maximum
tire load in kilograms and lbs, see
(Y page 343).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see "Load index" ( Y page 348).
Speed rating: speed rating 0084 specifies 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 346
Tire labeling
Wheels 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 specification is made up of
load-bearing index 0083 and speed rating
0084.
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 description for 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
16 up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S
16 up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S
16 up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S
16 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 004D snowflake 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 a speed of 130mph
(210km/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 357), e.g. if you
buy new tires.
Further information about reading tire data
can be obtained from any qualified specialist
workshop.
16 Or M+S 004D for winter tires. Tire labeling
347
Wheels and tires Z

Load index
i
Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
In addition to the load-bearing index, load
index 0043 may be imprinted after the letters
that identify speed rating 0084(Y page 346) on
the sidewall of the tire.
R If no specification is
given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard
load (SL) tire
R XL or Extra Load: represents a reinforced
tire
R Light Load: represents a light load tire
R C, D, E: represents a load range that
depends on the maximum load that the tire
can carry at a certain pressure DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
U.S. tire regulations prescribe that every
manufacturer of new tires or

retreader has to
imprint a TIN in or on the sidewall of each tire
produced. The TIN is a unique identification number. The
TIN enables tire manufacturers to inform
purchasers of recalls and other safety-
relevant matters. It makes it possible for the
purchaser to easily identify
the

affected tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer
identification code 0044, tire size 0087, tire type
code 0085 and manufacturing date 0083.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol 0043 indicates that the tire complies
with the requirements of the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code:
manufacturer identification code 0044 provides
details on the tire manufacturer. New tires
have a code with two symbols. Retreaded
tires have a code with four symbols.
For further information about retreaded tires,
see ( Y page 328).
Tire size: identifier 0087 describes the tire size.
Tire type code: tire type code 0085 can be used
by the manufacturer as a code to describe
specific characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture
0083 provides information about the age of a
tire. The first and second positions represent
the week of manufacture, starting with "01"
for the first calendar week. Positions three
and four represent the year of manufacture.
For example, a tire that is marked with
"3208", was manufactured in week 32 in
2008. 348
Tire labeling
Wheels and tires

Tire characteristics
i
Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in
sidewall 0043 and under tire tread 0044. Definition of terms for tires and
loading
Tire ply composition and material
used
Describes the number of plies
or the number
of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire
tread and sidewall. These are made of steel,
nylon, polyester and other materials. Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure.
14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi) and 100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equivalent of
1 bar. DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the United States Department of
Transportation. Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants for which the
vehicle is designed multiplied by
68 kilograms (150 lbs). Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of
tires with regards to tread

quality, tire traction
and temperature characteristics. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using U.S.
government testing procedures. The ratings
are molded into the sidewall of the tire. Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressure applies to
the tires mounted at the factory.
The Tire and Loading Information placard
contains the recommended tire pressures

for
cold tires on a fully loaded vehicle and for the
maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the
recommended pressures for cold tires for
various operating conditions, i.e. differing
load and speed conditions. Increased vehicle weight due to
optional equipment
This is the combined weight of all standard
and optional equipment available for the
vehicle, regardless of whether it is actually
installed on the vehicle or not. Rim
This is the part of

the wheel on which the tire
is mounted. Definition of terms for tires and loading
349
Wheels and tires Z

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum
gross 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. GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
The GTW is the weight of a trailer including
the weight of the load, luggage, accessories
etc. on the trailer. 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. The 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 the curb
weight of the vehicle, the weight of the
accessories, the total load limit and the
weight of the optional equipment

installed at
the factory. Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa
corresponds to 1 psi. Another unit for tire
pressure is bar. 100 kilopascals

(kPa) are the
equivalent of 1 bar. Load index
In addition to the load-bearing

index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall
of the tire. This specifies the 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. 350
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Wheels and tires