2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER GT tires

Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
G
WARNING
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.
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
installed 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. 0043
B-pillar, driver's side Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight rating is
vehicle-specific and may differ from that in
the illustration. You can find the valid
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard. X
The Tire and Loading Information placard
gives you details on maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight rating 0043: "The gross
weight of occupants and luggage must
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX
pounds."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
cargo, luggage and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the specified
value. 258
Loading the vehicleWheels and tires

Number of seats
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. Maximum number of seats
0043determines the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information 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. Federal 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 1400 lbs and there will be five
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 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 (Y page 261). Loading the vehicle
259Wheels and tires Z

Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total load and cargo capacities with
varying seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use
a load limit of 1500 lbs (680 kg). This is for illustration purposes only. Make sure you are
using the actual load limit for your vehicle stated on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard (Y page 259). Example 1 Example 2
Step 1 Combined maximum
weight of occupants and
cargo (data from the Tire
and Loading Information
placard)
1500 lbs (680 kg) 1500 lbs (680 kg)
Example 1 Example 2
Step 2 Number of people in the
vehicle (driver and
occupants)
1 2
Weight of the occupants
Occupant 1: 175 lbs
(80 kg) Occupant 1: 175 lbs
(80 kg)
Occupant 2: 195 lbs)
(88 kg
Gross weight of all
occupants
175 lbs (80 kg) 370 lbs (168 kg)
Example 1 Example 2
Step 3 Permissible cargo and
trailer load/noseweight
(maximum gross vehicle
weight rating from the Tire
and Loading Information
placard minus the gross
weight of all occupants)
1500 lbs (680 kg) -
175 lbs (80 kg) =
1325 lbs (600 kg) 1500 lbs (680 kg) -
370 lbs (168 kg) =
1130 lbs (512 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 261).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 258). 260
Loading the vehicleWheels and tires

Gross vehicle weight:
the gross weight of
the vehicle, all passengers, cargo 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 10% of the gross weight of the
trailer and its load.
Your Mercedes-Benz has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and their
luggage. Mercedes-Benz does not
recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Maximum load rating
G
WARNING
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. i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Maximum tire load 0043is the maximum
permissible weight for which the tire is
approved.
Further information on tire loads
(Y page 263). 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 Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
261Wheels and tires Z

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: Tread wear Traction Temperature
200 AA A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades. Tread wear
The tread wear 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 test track 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. G
WARNING
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 dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum tire
tread depth of 1
/ 6in (4 mm) for all four winter
tires (Y page 251) to maintain normal driving
characteristics in winter. Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered
surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
The braking distance is still much further than
on surfaces that are not icy or covered with
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 262
Uniform Tire Quality Grading StandardsWheels and tires

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
(Ypage 267)
0044 DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 266)
0087 Maximum tire load (Y page 261)
0085 Maximum tire pressure (Y page 254)
0083 Manufacturer
0084 Tire material (Y page 266)
006B Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating (Y page 263)006C
Load index (Y page 265)
006D Tire name
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. 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 Tire labeling
263Wheels and tires Z

pressure, to be used only temporarily in an
emergency.
Tire width: tire width0043shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Nominal aspect ratio: aspect ratio0044is the
ratio between the tire height and tire width
and is shown as a percentage. The aspect
ratio is calculated by dividing the tire width by
the tire height.
Tire code: tire code0087specifies 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 diameter0085is 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 index0083
is a numerical code which specifies the
maximum load-bearing capacity of a tire. G
WARNING
The tire load rating must always be at least
half of the GAWR of your vehicle. Otherwise,
sudden tire failure may be the result which
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you or others.
Always replace rims and tires with rims and
tires having the same specifications
(designation, manufacturer and type) as
shown on the original part. G
WARNING
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. Example:
The load bearing index 91 is equivalent to a
maximum load of 1356 lbs (615 kg) that the
tire can carry. For further information on the
maximum tire load in kilograms and pounds,
see (Y
page 261).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see Load index (Y page 265).
Speed rating: speed rating0084specifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire. G
WARNING
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 speed rating, always
observe the speed limits. Drive carefully and
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) Above 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR Above 149 mph (240 km/h)264
Tire labelingWheels and tires

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 ZR 18).
The service specifications consist of load
bearing index 0083and 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,
and the maximum speed of the tire is
limited to 186 mph (300 km/h).
R Every tire that has a maximum speed above
186 mph (300 km/h) must have "ZR" in the
size description andthe service
specification must be given in brackets.
Example: 275/40 ZR 18 (99 Y). The speed
rating "(Y)" shows that the maximum speed
of the tire is above 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
13 Up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S
13 Up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S
13 Up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S
13 Up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
i
Not all tires that have the M+S
identification offer 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 identification fulfill the
requirements of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Rubber
Association of Canada (RAC) regarding the
tire traction on snow and have been
especially developed for driving on snow.
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 as specified in the "Tires"
section (Y page 270), e.g. if you buy new
tires.
Further information about reading tire data
can be obtained from any qualified specialist
workshop. 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 0043may be imprinted after the letters
that identify speed rating 0084(Ypage 263) 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
13 Or M+S004D for winter tires. Tire labeling
265Wheels and tires Z