2014 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS SPORTS Owners Manual

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 3 Permissible load and
trailer load/
noseweight
(maximum
permissible load
ratin gfromt heTire
and Loading
Information placard
minus th egross
weight of all
occupants) 1500 lbs
(68
0kg)
000F 75 0lbs
(34 0kg) =
75 0lbs (34 0kg) 1500 lbs
(68
0kg)
000F 54 0lbs
(24 5kg) =
96 0lbs (43 5kg) 1500 lbs
(68
0kg)
000F 15 0lbs (68 kg)
=1 350lbs
(61 2kg) Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculate dthe total cargo
carefully, you should still mak esure that the
gross vehicle weight rating and th egross axle
weight rating are no texceeded. Detail scan
be found on the vehicl eide ntificatio nplate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
(Y page 323).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the
gros sweight of the vehicle, all passengers,
load and trailer load/noseweigh t(if
applicable) must not exceed the permissible
gros svehicle 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 gros saxle
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/noseweigh taffects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If atrailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
loa da long with occupants and luggage. The
trailer load/noseweight is usually between 10% and 15% of the gross weight of the trailer
and its load. Maximum load rating
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified loa dlimit. The maximum
permissible loa dcan be found on the
vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side
(Y pag e323). Maximum tire load
001Ais the maximum
permissible weight for which the tire is
approved.
i The actua lvalues for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration. Maximum load rating
327Wheels and tires Z

Uniform Tir
eQualit yGrading
Standards Overview of Tir
eQualit yGrading
Standards Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S
.government specifications. Their
purpose is to provide drivers with uniform
reliable information on tire performanc edata.
Tire manufacturer shave to grade tires using
three performanc efactors: tread wear 001A,
tire traction 0010,and heat resistance 0023.
These regulation sdonot apply to Canada.
Nevertheless ,all tires sold in Nort hAmerica
are provided with the correspondin gquality
grading markings on the sidewall of the tire.
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safet yrequirements in addition to
thes egrades.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
For example: Treadwear Traction Temperature
200 AA A Treadwear
The treadwear grade is acomparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled condition sonaspecified
U.S .government course. For example, atire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100.
The relative performanc eoftires depends
upon the actual condition softheir use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm, due to variation sindrivinghabits,
servic epractices and differences in road
characteristic sand climat econditions. 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 awet surface as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. Atire marked Cmay have poor
traction performance.
The safe speed on awet, sno wcovered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
the freezin gpoint.
Mercedes-Ben zrecommends aminimum
tread dept hof0015in(4 mm )for all four winter
tires (Y page314) to maintai nnormal driving
characteristics in winter. Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered
surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
Stoppin gdistance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is 328
Uniform TireQ
uality Grading StandardsWheels and tires

not covered with ice or snow
.Take
appropriate car ewhend riving.
! Avoi dwheelspin .Thisc an lead to damage
to the drive train. Temperature
G
WARNING
The temperatur egrade for thi stire is
established for atire tha tisproperly inflated
and not overloaded.E xcessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading ,either
separatel yorincombination, can cause
excessive hea tbuild-up and possible tire
failure.
The temperatur egrades are A(the highest),
B, and C. Thes erepresent the tire's
resistanc etothe generatio nofheat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on aspecified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerat eand reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade Ccorresponds to alevel
of performanc ewhich all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A
represent higher levels of performanc eonthe
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:
001A
Uniform tire Quality Grading Standard
(Ypage 333)
0010 DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 332)
0023 Maximum tire load (Y page 327)
0021 Maximum tire pressure (Y page 318)
001E Manufacturer
0024 Tire material (Y page 333)
0007 Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed index (Y page 330)
0008 Load index (Y page 332)
0009 Tire name
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. Tirel
abeling
329Wheels and tires Z

Tire size designation
,load-bearing
capacit yand speed rating 001A
Tire width
0010 Nominal aspec tratio in %
0023 Tire code
0021 Rim diameter
001E Load bearing index
0024 Speed rating
i Tire dat aisvehicle-specific and may
deviate from th edataint heexample.
General: dependingonthemanufacturer's
standards ,the sizeimprinted in th etirew all
may no tcontai nany letters or may contain
on elette 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 width001Ashows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Nominal aspect ratio: aspect ratio0010is 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 code0023specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires; "D" represents
diagonal tires; "B" represents diagonal radial
tires.
Optionally, tires with amaximum 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 diameter0021is 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 index001E
is an umerical code which specifies the
maximum load-bearing capacity of atire.
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 323).
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 327).
For further information on the load-bearing
index, see Load index (Y page 332).
Speed rating: speed rating0024specifies 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 arisk 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 330
Tirel
abelingWheels and tires

adapt your driving style to th
etraffic
conditions. Summer tires
Index Speed rating
Q up to 100mph (16
0km/h) R up to 106mph (17
0km/h) S up to 112mph (18
0km/h) T up to 118mph (19
0km/h) H up to 130mph (21
0km/h) V up to 149mph (24
0km/h) W up to 168mph (27
0km/h) Y up to 186mph (30
0km/h) ZR...Y up to 186mph (30
0km/h) ZR...(..Y) ove
r186mp h(30 0k m/h) ZR ove
r149mp h(24 0k m/h) R
Optionally, tires wit hamaximum spee dof
ove r149 mph (240km/h) may have "ZR" in
the size description, depending on the
manufacture r(e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
The service specifications consist of load
bearing index 001Eand spee drating 0024.
R If the size description of you rtire includes
"ZR" and there are no service
specifications, ask the tir emanufacturer in
order to fin dout the maximum speed.
If as ervice specification is available, the
maximum speed is limited accordin gtothe
speed rating in the service specification.
Example: 245/4 0ZR1897Y.Int his
example, "97 Y" is the service specification.
The letter "Y" represents the speed rating
and the maximum speed of the tir eis
limited to 186 mph (300km/h).
R The size description for all tires with
maximum speeds of over 186mph
(300km/h )must include "ZR", andthe service specification must be given in
brackets. Example: 275/4
0ZR18(99 Y).
The speed rating "(Y)" indicates that the
maximum speed of the tir eisover 186mph
(300km/h). Ask the tir emanufacturer
about the maximum speed. All-weather tires and winter tires
Index Speed rating
QM
+S4 up to 100mph (16
0km/ h) TM
+S4 up to 118mph (19
0km/ h) HM
+S4 up to 130mph (21
0km/ h) VM
+S4 up to 149mph (24
0km/ h) i
Not all tires with the M+S marking provide
the drivin gcharacteristics of winter tires.
Winter tires have, in additio ntothe M+S
identification, the 000Esnow flake symbol
on the tire sidewall. Tires with this marking
fulfill the requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)
regarding the tire traction on snow. They
have been especially developed for driving
on snow.
An electronic speed limiter prevent syour
vehicle from exceeding aspeed of 130mph
(210km/h).
The speed rating of tires mounted at the
factor ymay be higher than the maximum
speed that the electronic speed limiter
permits.
Make sure that your tires have the required
speed rating, e.g. when buying new tires. The
required speed rating for your vehicle can be
found in the "Tires" section (Y page 340).
Further information about reading tire data
can be obtained from any qualified specialist
workshop.
4 Or M+S000E for winter tires. Tirel
abeling
331Wheels and tires Z

Load index
In addition to th
eload bearin gindex, load
index 001Amay be imprinted after th eletters
that identif yspeed index 0024(Ypage 330) on
th es idewall of th etire.
R If no specificatio nisgiven: no text (as in the
example above), represents astandard
load (SL )tire
R XL or Extra Load: represents areinforced
tire
R Ligh tLoad: represent salight load tire
R C, D, E: represent saload range that
depends on the maximum load that the tire
can carry at acertain pressure
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
Canadia
ntire regulations prescribe that every
new tir emanufacturer or retreader has to
imprin taTIN in or on the sidewall of each tire
produced. The TIN is
aunique identification number. The
TIN makes it easier for tire manufacturers or
retreaders to notify customers of recalls or
other safety-related matters. It makes it
possible for the purchaser to easily identify
the affected tires.
The TIN consists of the manufacturer
identification code 0010,tire size 0023,tire type
code 0021and manufacturing date 001E.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol 001Aindicates that the tire complies
with the requirement softhe Canadian
Transport Ministry.
Manufacturer identification code:
manufacturer identification code 0010provides
details on the tire manufacturer. New tires
have acode with two symbols. Retreaded
tires have acode with four symbols.
Further information about retreaded tires
(Y page 312).
Tire size: identifier0023describes the tire size.
Tire typec ode:tire type code 0021can be
used by the manufacturer as acode to
describe specific characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture
001E 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, atire that is marked with
"3208", was manufactured in week 32 in
2008.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. 332
Tirel
abelingWheels and tires

Tire characteristics
Thi
sinformatio ndescribes the tire cord and
the number of layers in sidewall 001Aand under
tire tread 0010.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example. Definition of term
sfor tires and
loading Tirep
ly 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.
14.5038p ounds per square inch (psi) and
100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equivalent of
1b ar. DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the Canadia nTransport Ministry. Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants for which the
vehicl eisdesigned multiplied by
68 kilograms (150 lb). Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Au niform standard to grade the quality of
tire swithr egards to trea dquali ty,tire traction
and temperatur echaracteristics. Rating sare
determine dbytire manufacturer susing U.S.
government testing procedures. The ratings
ar em olde dinto the sidewall of the tire. Recommende
dtire pressure
The recommende dtire pressure applie sto
the tire smounted at the factory.
The Tire and Loading Informatio nplacard
contain sthe recommende dtirep ressures for
cold tires on afully loaded vehicle and for the
maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tir epressure table contain sthe
recommende dpressures for cold tires for
various operating conditions, i.e. differing
load and speed conditions. Increased vehicle weight du
eto
optional equipment
This is the combined weight of all standard
and optional equipmen tavailablef or the
vehicle, regardless of whethe ritisactually
installed on the vehicle or not. Rim
This is the part of the wheel on which the tire
is mounted. Definition of termsf
or tires and loading
333Wheels and tires Z

GAWR (Gross AxleW
eight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximu mgross axle weight
rating. The actua lloa donana xle must never
exceed the gross axle weight rating. The
gross axle weight rating can be found on the
vehicl eidentification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side. Speed rating
The spee drating is part of the tire
identification. It specifies the spee drange for
which the tire is approved. GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicl eweight includes the weight
of the vehicl eincluding 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 afully 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 1psi. Another unit for tire
pressure is bar. 100 kilopascal (kPa) is the
equivalent of 1bar. Load index
In addition to th eload-bearing index ,the load
index may also be imprinted on th esidewall
of th etire. This specifie sthe load-bearing
capacity more precisely. Curb weight
The weight of avehicle 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 squarei
nch)
As tandar dunitofm easure for tire pressure. 334
Definition of terms for tires and loadingWheels and tires