information table or the tire pressure table
(Y
page 290).
X If the tire pressure is too low, increase it to
the recommended value.
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air
by pressing down the metal pin in the valve.
Use the tip of a pen, for example. Then,
check the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat the steps for the other tires. Tire pressure monitor
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pressure
label on the inside of the fuel filler flap. If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard or the tire pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon
as possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly underin-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle's handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will
flash for approximately a minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will be repeated every time the vehi-
cle is started as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the mounting of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
Vehicles with a tire pressure monitor are
equipped with sensors in the wheels that
monitor the tire pressure of all four tires. The
tire pressure monitor monitors the pressure
in all four tires; you set this pressure when
you activate the tire pressure monitor. The
tire pressure monitor warns you when the
pressure drops in one or more of the tires. The
tire pressure monitor only functions if the
corresponding sensors are installed to all
wheels.
You should always adjust the tire pressure
according to the vehicle load. Restart the tire
pressure monitor if you change the tire pres-
sure.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you
if a tire pressure is incorrect. Observe the Tire pressure
293Wheels and tires Z
notes on the recommended tire pressure
(Y
page 290).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. follow-
ing penetration by a foreign object. In this
event, brake the vehicle until it comes to a
standstill. Do not carry out any sudden steer-
ing maneuvers.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow 0077
warning lamp in the instrument cluster for
indicating pressure loss/malfunctions (USA)
or pressure loss (Canada). Depending on how
the warning lamp flashes or lights up, an
underinflated tire or a malfunction in the tire
pressure monitor is displayed:
R if the 0077 warning lamp is lit continuously,
the tire pressure on one or more tires is
significantly too low. The tire pressure mon-
itor is not malfunctioning.
R USA only: if the 0077warning lamp flashes
for 60 seconds and then remains lit con-
stantly, the tire pressure monitor is mal-
functioning.
Only vehicles with steering wheel buttons: the
on-board computer displays information on
tire pressure. After a few minutes of driving,
the current tire pressure of each tire is shown
in the on-board computer.
USA only: if the tire pressure monitor is mal-
functioning, it may be more than 10 minutes
before the malfunction is shown. The 0077
tire pressure warning lamp flashes for
60 seconds and then remains lit. When the
malfunction has been rectified, the 0077tire
pressure warning lamp goes out after a few
minutes of driving.
The tire pressure values indicated by the on-
board computer may differ from those meas-
ured at a gas station with a pressure gauge.
The tire pressures shown by the on-board
computer refer to those measured at sea
level. At high altitudes, the tire pressure value
indicated by a pressure gauge are higher than
those shown by the on-board computer. In
this case, do not reduce the tire pressures. If radio transmitting equipment (e.g. wireless
headphones, two-way radios) is operated
inside the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehi-
cle, this can interfere with the operation of
the tire pressure monitor.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally (vehicles with steering wheel but-
tons) Tire pressure display
Using the steering wheel buttons
X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 0080or007F button repeatedly
until the standard display is shown
(Y page 189).
X Press the 0041or0068 button repeatedly
until the current pressure of the individual
tires is shown in the display.
If the vehicle is parked for longer than
20 minutes or you then drive at less than
18 mph (30 km/h), the Tire pres. dis‐
Tire pres. dis‐
played after driving for several played after driving for several
minutes minutes message appears.
i The tire pressure value shown in the dis-
play may differ from those measured at a
gas station using a pressure gauge. The on-
board computer will generally give you a
more exact value.
Tire pressure loss warning system Vehicles with steering wheel buttons
If the tire pressure monitor detects a signifi-
cant pressure loss on one or more tires, the
on-board computer displays a warning mes-
sage. The 0077tire pressure loss warning 294
Tire pressureWheels and tires
lamp in the instrument cluster (Y
page 229)
lights up.
The tire pressure is shown in 2 red rectangles.
The pressure of the tire concerned is shown
in one of the two rectangles (Y page 199).
Additionally, a warning tone sounds.
Each tire that is affected by a significant loss
of pressure is highlighted in the pressure dis-
play.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor When you restart the tire pressure monitor,
the currently set tire pressure are taken as
reference values for monitoring.
In most cases, the tire pressure monitor
detects the new reference values automati-
cally, e.g. after you have:
R changed the tire pressure
R mounted
R mounted new wheels or tires
However, you can also define reference val-
ues manually as described here.
Before restarting the tire pressure moni-
tor:
X Set the tire pressure to the value recom-
mended on the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard or the tire pressure table on
the B-pillar on the driver's side
(Y page 290).
Observe the notes on tire pressure when
doing so (Y page 290).
X Make sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels. Restarting the tire pressure monitor
(vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons):
X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 0079menu button on the instru-
ment cluster repeatedly until the display
shows the following message:
+CAL- TPMS
+CAL- TPMS
X Press the 0074button on the instrument clus-
ter.
The display shows:
OK TPMS OK TPMS
The tire pressure monitor activation proc-
ess has begun. The tire pressures meas-
ured for the individual wheels are stored as
the new reference values, provided that the
tire pressure monitor considers them to be
plausible.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the 0075button or the 0079menu button
on the instrument cluster.
The activation process is canceled auto-
matically if 30 seconds elapse without
input.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor
(vehicles with steering wheel buttons):
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 0080or007F button on the steer-
ing wheel repeatedly until the standard dis-
play is shown ( Ypage 189).
X Press the 0041or0068 button on the steer-
ing wheel repeatedly until the current pres-
sure of the individual tires is displayed or
the display shows the following message:
Tire Tire pres.
pres. displayed
displayed after
afterdriving
driving
for several minutes
for several minutes
X Press the 0045reset button on the instru-
ment cluster.
The display shows the following message: Tire pressure
295Wheels and tires Z
Monitor current tire pressure?
Monitor current tire pressure?
X Press the 0081button on the steering
wheel.
The display shows the following message:
Tire pres. monitor reactivated Tire pres. monitor reactivated
The tire pressure monitor activation proc-
ess has begun. The tire pressures meas-
ured for the individual wheels are stored as
the new reference values, provided that the
tire pressure monitor considers them to be
plausible.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the 0082button on the steering
wheel. 296
Tire pressureWheels and tires
Tire pressure table
Front axle tire pressure values: the following tire pressure values only apply to vehicles with
a permissible front axle load of 3970 lbs (1801 kg), 4080 lbs (1851 kg) or 4410 lbs
(2000 kg). Tires/disc wheel Front axle load
3970 lbs
(1801 kg) 4080 lbs
(1851 kg) 4410 lbs
(2000 kg) LT 215/85 R 16 115/ 112N
5.5Jx16
Half distance between centers:
4.82 in (122.5 mm) — 380 kPa
(3.8 bar/55 psi) 420 kPa
(4.2 bar/61 psi) LT 215/85 R 16 115/112Q
5.5Jx16
Half distance between centers:
4.82 in (122.5 mm) — 380 kPa
(3.8 bar/55 psi) 420 kPa
(4.2 bar/61 psi) LT 245/75 R 16 120/116N
6.5J x 16
Wheel offset: 2.13 in (54 mm) 320 kPa
(3.2 bar/47 psi) — —
Rear axle tire pressure values:
the following tire pressure values only apply to vehicles with
a permissible rear axle load of 5360 lb s (2431 kg), 7060 lbs (3202 kg) or 7720 lbs (3502 kg). Tires/disc wheel Rear axle load
5360 lbs
(2431 kg) 7060 lbs
(3202 kg) 7720 lbs
(3502 kg) LT 215/85 R 16 115/ 112N
5.5Jx16
Half distance between centers:
4.82 in (122.5 mm) — 380 kPa
(3.8 bar/55 psi) 420 kPa
(4.2 bar/61 psi) LT 215/85 R 16 115/112Q
5.5Jx16
Half distance between centers:
4.82 in (122.5 mm) — 380 kPa
(3.8 bar/55 psi) 420 kPa
(4.2 bar/61 psi) LT 245/75 R 16 120/116N
6.5J x 16
Wheel offset: 2.13 in (54 mm) 480 kPa
(4.8 bar/70 psi) — —Tire pressure
297Wheels and tires Z
0087
Maximum tire pressure (Y page 292)
0085 Manufacturer
0083 Tire material (Y page 304)
0084 Tire size designation, load-bearing capa-
city and speed index (Y page 302)
006B Tire name
The markings described above are on the tire
in addition to the tire name (sales designa-
tion) and the manufacturer's name.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire size designation, load bearing index
and speed index G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing capa-
city 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. 0043
Design standard
0044 Tire width
0087 Nominal aspect ratio in %
0085 Tire code
0083 Rim diameter
0084 Load bearing index
006B Speed index General:
depending on the manufacturer's
standards, the size imprinted in the tire wall
may not contain any letters or may contain
one letter 0043that precedes the size descrip-
tion
If "LT" precedes the size description (as
shown above): these are light truck tires
according to U.S. manufacturing standards.
If "C" precedes the size description: these are
commercial motor vehicle tires according to
European manufacturing standards.
Tire width: tire width0044shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Aspect ratio: aspect ratio0087is the size ratio
between the tire height and tire width and is
shown in percent. The aspect ratio is calcu-
lated by dividing the tire width by the tire
height.
Tire code: tire code0085specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires. "D" represents
diagonal tires, "B" represents diagonal radial
tires.
Rim diameter: rim diameter0083is the diam-
eter of the bead seat, not the diameter of the
rim flange. The rim diameter is specified in
inches (in).
Load-bearing index: load-bearing index0084
is a numerical code that specifies the maxi-
mum load-bearing capacity of a tire.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissi-
ble load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side (Y page 298).
Example:
The load-bearing index 120 indicates a max-
imum load of 3,042 lb (1,380 kg) for the tire.
If two load-bearing capacity indices are speci-
fied (as shown above), the first number states
the load-bearing capacity for single tires, the
second number the load-bearing capacity for
twin tires. For further information on the max-
imum tire load in kilograms and pounds, see
(Y page 303). 302
What you should know about wheels and tiresWheels and tires
For further information on the load-bearing
index, see "Load index" (Y page 303).
Speed rating: speed rating006Bspecifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire.
Regardless of the speed index always observe
the speed limits. Drive carefully and adapt
your driving style to the traffic conditions.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example. Index Speed rating
F up to 50 mph (80 km/h)
G up to 56 mph (90 km/h)
J up to 62 mph (100 km/h)
K up to 68 mph (110 km/h)
L up to 74 mph (120 km/h)
M up to 80 mph (130 km/h)
N up to 87 mph (140 km/h)
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
R over 106 mph (170 km/h)
i
Not all tires that have the M+S identifica-
tion offer the driving characteristics of win-
ter tires. In addition to the M+S marking,
winter tires also have the 004Dsnowflake
symbol on the tire wall. Tires with this mark-
ing 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.
Further information on the reading of tire
information can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop. Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, load rat-
ing
0043may be imprinted after the letters that
identify speed rating on the sidewall of the tire
(Y page 302).
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
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Maximum tire load Maximum tire load
0043is the maximum per-
missible weight for which the tire is approved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissi-
ble load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and What you should know about wheels and tires
303Wheels and tires Z
Loading Information placard on the B-pilla
ron
the driver's side (Y page 298).
i The actual values for tires are specific to
each vehicle and may deviate from the val-
ues in the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN) U.S. tire regulations stipulate that every tire
manufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN
in or on the sidewall of each tire produced. The TIN is a unique identification number. The
TIN enables the tire manufacturers or retread-
ers 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 identifi-
cation code 0044, tire size 0087, tire type
code 0085and manufacturing date 0083.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol 0043indicates that the tire complies
with the requirements of the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code: manu-
facturer identification code 0044provides
details on the tire manufacturer. New tires
have a code with two symbols. Retreaded
tires have a code with four symbols.
Further information about retreaded tires
(Y page 286).
Tire size: identifier0087describes the tire size.
Tire type code: tire type code0085can 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.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire characteristics This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in side-
wall 0043and under tire tread 0044.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Definitions for tires and loading Tire structure and characteristics
Describes the number of layers or the number
of rubber-coated belts in the tire tread and
the tire wall. These consist of steel, nylon,
polyester, and other materials.
Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure.
14.5038 pound
s per square inch (psi) and
100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equivalent of
1 bar. 304
What you should know about wheels and tiresWheels and tires