2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-CLASS ROADSTER warning

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
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. :
B-pillar, driver's side Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
X
Specification for maximum gross vehicle
weight :is listed in the Tire and Loading
Information placard: "The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
load and luggage must not exceed the
specified value.
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. Loading the vehicle
253Wheels and tires Z

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. 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
freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of
ãin(4 mm) on all four winter
tires. Observe the legally required minimum
tire tread depth (Y page 245). 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.
Further information on winter tires (M+S
tires) can be found in the Digital Operator's
Manual.
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. 256
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires

Tire labeling
Overview :
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
(Y page 261)
; DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Y page 260)
= Maximum tire load (Y page 260)
? Maximum tire pressure (Y page 249)
A Manufacturer
B Tire material (Y page 260)
C Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed index (Y page 257)
D Load index (Y page 259)
E Tire name
The markings described above are on the tire
in addition to the tire name (sales
designation) and the manufacturer's 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 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.
:
Tire width
; Nominal aspect ratio in %
= Tire code
? Rim diameter
A Load bearing index
B Speed rating
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:shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Height-width ratio: aspect ratio;is the
size ratio between the tire height and tire
width and is shown in percent. The aspect All about
wheels and tires
257Wheels and tires Z

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 áin
(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 a wheel
Flat tire
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 227) contains information and notes
on how to deal with a flat tire. Information on
driving with MOExtended tires in the event of
a flat tire can be found under "MOExtended
tires (tires with run-flat characteristics"
(Y page 227). Rotating the wheels
G
WARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tires have different dimensions.
The wheel brakes or suspension components may also be damaged. There is a risk of
accident.
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the wheels
and tires are of the same dimensions.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are
located in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the
electronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(Y page 264).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires
in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you
can rotate the wheels according to the
intervals in the tire manufacturer's warranty
book in your vehicle documents. If no
warranty book is available, the tires should be
rotated every 3,000 to 6,000 mile s (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if tire wear requires. Do
not change the direction of wheel rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and, if
necessary, restart the tire pressure loss
warning system or the tire pressure monitor. Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of hydroplaning. You will only gain these
benefits if the correct direction of rotation is
maintained.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates
its correct direction of rotation. Changing a wheel
263Wheels and tires Z

Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel. Cleaning the wheels
G
WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components.
Components damaged in this way may fail
unexpectedly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced
immediately. Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Unload the vehicle. The jack can only be
used when the vehicle is unladen.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 121). X
If included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tire-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tire-change tool kit
(Y
page 226).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel.
X Fold both plates upwards :.
X Fold out lower plate ;.
X Guide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate =. Securing the vehicle on level ground
X On level ground: place chocks or other
suitable items under the front and rear of 264
Changing a wheelWheels and tires

the wheel that is diagonally opposite the
wheel you wish to change.
Securing the vehicle on slight downhill gradients
X On light downhill gradients: place
chocks or other suitable items in front of
the wheels of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle G
WARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the
appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate
jacking point of the vehicle. The base of the
jack must be positioned vertically, directly
under the jacking point of the vehicle.
! The jack is designed exclusively for
jacking up the vehicle at the jacking points.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged.
The following must be observed when raising
the vehicle:
R to raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If used
incorrectly, the jack could tip over with the
vehicle raised.
R the jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for
performing maintenance work under the
vehicle. R
avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never
disengage the parking brake while the
vehicle is raised.
R the jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, load-bearing underlay must be used.
On a slippery surface, a non-slip underlay
must be used, e.g. rubber mats.
R do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the
jack will not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
R make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm).
R never place your hands and feet under the
raised vehicle.
R never lie under the raised vehicle.
R never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
R never open or close a door or the trunk lid
when the vehicle is raised.
R make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised. X
Using lug wrench :, loosen the bolts on
the wheel you wish to change by about one
full turn. Do not unscrew the bolts
completely. Changing a
wheel
265Wheels an d tires Z

X
Unscrew the uppermost wheel bolt
completely.
X Screw alignment bolt :into the thread
instead of the wheel bolt.
X Unscrew the remaining wheel bolts fully.
X Remove the wheel.
Mounting a new wheel G
WARNING
Oiled or greased wheel bolts or damaged
wheel bolts/hub threads can cause the wheel
bolts to come loose. As a result, you could
lose a wheel while driving. There is a risk of
accident.
Never oil or grease wheel bolts. In the event
of damage to the threads, contact a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. Have the
damaged wheel bolts or hub threads
replaced/renewed. Do not continue driving. G
WARNING
If you tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is raised, the jack could tip
over. There is a risk of injury.
Only tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is on the ground.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 263).
Only use wheel bolts that have been designed
for the wheel and the vehicle. For safety
reasons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you only use wheel bolts which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the
respective wheel.
! AMG vehicles: during removal and
repositioning of the wheel, the wheel rim
can strike the ceramic-brake disc and
damage it. Therefore, take precautions and
get a second person to assist you.
Alternatively, you can use a second
alignment bolt. !
To prevent damage to the paintwork, hold
the wheel securely against the wheel hub
while screwing in the first wheel bolt. X
Clean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces.
X Slide the wheel to be mounted onto the
alignment bolt and push it on.
X Tighten the wheel bolts until they are
finger-tight.
X Unscrew the alignment bolt.
X Tighten the last wheel bolt until it is finger-
tight.
Lowering the vehicle G
WARNING
The wheels could work loose if the wheel nuts
and bolts are not tightened to the specified
tightening torque. There is a risk of accident.
Have the tightening torque immediately
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
after a wheel is changed. Changing a wheel
267Wheels and tires Z

X
Turn the crank of the jack counter-
clockwise until the vehicle is once again
standing firmly on the ground.
X Place the jack to one side.
X Tighten the wheel bolts evenly in a
crosswise pattern in the sequence
indicated (: toA). The specified
tightening torque is 96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
X Turn the jack back to its initial position.
X Stow the jack and the rest of the vehicle
tools in the trunk again.
X AMG vehicles and vehicles with AMG
equipment: insert the cover into the outer
sill.
X Check the tire pressure of the newly
installed wheel and adjust it if necessary.
Observe the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 246).
i Vehicles with tire pressure loss warning
system: as long as you are driving with an
emergency spare wheel, the tire pressure
loss warning system cannot function
reliably. Only restart the tire pressure loss
warning system when the defective wheel
has been replaced with a new wheel.
i Vehicles with tire pressure monitor: all
wheels mounted must be equipped with
functioning sensors. Wheel and tire combinations
General notes
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use tires and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your
vehicle. These tires have been specially adapted for
use with the control systems, such as ABS
or ESP
®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(tires featuring run-flat characteristics)
R MO1 = Mercedes-Benz Original (only
certain AMG tires)
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tires
may only be used on wheels that have been
specifically approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Only use tires, wheels or accessories
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Certain characteristics, e.g. handling,
vehicle noise emissions or fuel
consumption, may otherwise be adversely
affected. In addition, when driving with a
load, tire dimension variations could cause
the tires to come into contact with the
bodywork and axle components. This could
result in damage to the tires or the vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz accepts no liability for
damage resulting from the use of tires,
wheels or accessories other than those
tested and approved.
Information on tires, wheels and approved
combinations can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop.
! Retreaded tires are neither tested nor
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be
detected on retreaded tires. As a result,
Mercedes-Benz cannot guarantee vehicle
safety if retreaded tires are mounted. Do
not mount used tires if you have no
information about their previous usage.
Overview of abbreviations used in the
following tire tables:
R BA: both axles
R FA: front axle
R RA: rear axle 268
Wheel and tire combinationsWheels and tires