2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK-Class traction control

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
Tire Pressure
Monitor
Inoperative No
Wheel Sensors The wheels mounted do no
thave a suitable tire pressure sensor.
The tire pressure monito ris deactivated.
X Mount wheels with suitable tire pressure sensors.
The tire pressure monitor is activated automatically after driving
for a few minutes. Check
Tires The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped significantly.
The wheel position is displayed in the multifunction display.
Aw
arning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
With tire pressures which are too low, there is a ris kofthe
following hazards:
R they may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed
increase.
R they may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly
impair tire traction.
R the driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may
be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 155).
X If there is a flat tire, inspect the tires (Y page 291).
X Check the tire pressure (Y page 316).
X If necessary, correct the tire pressure. Warning
Tire Malfunction The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped suddenly. The
wheel position is shown in the multifunction display.
G WARNING
If you drive with a flat tire, there is a risk of the following hazards:
R A flat tire affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
R You could lose control of the vehicle.
R Continued driving with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 155).
X If there is a flat tire, inspect the tires (Y page 291). Display messages
235On-board computer and displays Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
000C
The yellow ESP
®
warning lamp flashes
while the vehicle is in
motion. ESP
®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X When pulling away, only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 61).0014
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running. ESP
®
is deactivated.
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is switched off, ESP ®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 61).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Drive on carefully.
X Have ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. 0002
AMG vehicles only:
The yellow SPORT
handling mode warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
SPORT handling mode is activated.
G WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is switched on, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Only switch to SPORT handling mode in accordance with the
conditions written in the "Activating/deactivating SPORT
handling mode" section (Y page 63). Warning and indicator lamps
247On-board computer and displays Z

Regular checking of wheels and tires
G
WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle. There is a ris kof
accident.
Chec kthe tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tires 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
tire pressure. Pay particular attention to
damage such as:
R cuts in the tires
R punctures
R tears in the tires
R bulges on tires
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tire (Y page 309). If necessary, turn
the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect
the inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
mount anything onto the valve other than the
standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Ben zfor your vehicle.
Do not use any other valve caps or systems,
e.g. tire pressure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire
pressure as necessary (Y page 311).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 339).
The service life of tires depends on the
following factors amongst other things:
R Driving style
R Tire pressure
R Distance covered Tire tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where
speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at
different locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for:
R Summer tires: 000Ain (3 mm)
R M+S tires: 000Bin (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached. Bar indicator
0003for tread wear is integrated
into the tire tread.
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire
tread. They are visible once the tread depth
is approximately 0009in (1.6 mm). If this is the
case, the tire is so worn that it must be
replaced. Operation
309Wheels and tires Z

When you have mounted M+S tires:
X
Check the tire pressures (Y page 315).
X Vehicles for USA: restartthe tire pressure
monitor (Y page 316).
X Vehicles for Canada: restart the tire
pressure loss warning system
(Y page 315).
For more information on driving with the
emergency spare wheel, see (Y page 339).Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R never install snow chains to the front
wheels
R always install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
! You must drive at raised vehicle level
(level 1) if snow chains have been mounted.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! On some tire sizes there is not enough
space for snow chains. To avoid damage to
the vehicle or tires, observe the "Wheel and
tire combinations" section under "Tires and
wheels".
! Vehicles with steel wheels: if you wish
to mount snow chains on steel wheels,
make sure that you remove the respective
wheels' hubcaps first. The hubcaps may
otherwise be damaged.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use snow chains
that have been specially approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a
corresponding standard of quality. If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R
Snow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. Permissible
wheel-tire combinations (Y page 335).
R Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow.
Remove the snow chains as soon as
possible when you come to aroad that is
not snow-covered.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate
regulations if you wish to install snow
chains.
R Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains installed
(Y page 61). This way you can allow the
wheels to spin in a controlled manner,
achieving an increased driving force
(cutting action).
For more information on driving with the
emergency spare wheel, see (Y page 339). Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Tires with tire pressures that are too low or
too high are associated with the following
hazards:
R they can burst, in particular if the vehicle is
heavily laden or when driven at high
speeds.
R the tires can wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which can severely impair tire
traction.
R the driving, steering and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
There is a risk of accident. Tire pressure
311Wheels and tires
Z

All abou
twheels and tires 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: treadwear
grade 0003, traction grade 0004and temperature
grade 0024.These regulations do not apply to
Canada.N evertheless, all tires sold in North
America are provided with the corresponding
quality grading markings on the sidewall of
the tire.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
Example:
R Treadwear grade: 200
R Traction grade: AA
R Temperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration. 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.
! Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train.
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. Atire 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
freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of 000Bin(4 mm) on all four winter
tires. Observe the legally required minimum
tire tread depth (Y page 309). Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered
surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
The braking distance is still much further than 322
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires

Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and tire
width in percent.
Tire pressure
This is pressure inside the tire applying an
outward force to each square inch of the tire's
surface .The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal
(kPa) or in bar. The tire pressure should only
be corrected when the tires are cold.
Cold tire pressure
The tires are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked without
direct sunlight on the tires for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has been driven for less than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim.
Sidewall
The part of the tire between the tread and the
bead.
Weight of optional extras
The combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
parts and more than 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs).
These optional extras, such as high-
performance brakes, level control, a roof rack
or a high-performance battery, are not
included in the curb weight and the weight of
the accessories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
This is a unique identifier which can be used
by a tire manufacturer to identify tires, for
example for a product recall, and thus identify the purchasers. The TIN is made up of the
manufacturer's identity code, tire size, tire
type code and the manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that contains the maximum load bearing
capacity of a tire.
Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the
tires and the road surface.
Treadwear indicators
Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are
distributed over the tire tread. If the tire tread
is level with the bars, the wear limit of
0009in
(1.6 mm) has been reached.
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at
their designated seating positions.
Total load limit
Rated cargo and luggage load plus
68 kilograms (150 lb) multiplied by the
number of seats in the vehicle. Changing
awheel Flat tire
Information on the procedure in the event of
a fla ttire (Y page 291). Instructions for driving
with MOExtended tires in the event of a flat
tire are also provided there. Interchanging the wheels
G
WARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the drivin gcharacteristics if
the wheels or tires have different dimensions.
The wheel brakes or suspension components
may also be damaged. There is a risk of
accident. Changing
awheel
329Wheels and tires
Z