Page 305 of 346

other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
curbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tires, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
GWARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control ofyour vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the 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 dam-
age 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 ( Ypage 303). 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-Benz for 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 ( Ypage 305).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel ( Ypage 329). The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
R Driving style
R Tire pressure
R Distance covered
Notes on tire tread
GWARNING
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 con-
ditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent 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: âin (3 mm)
R M+S tires: ãin (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached.
Marking :shows where the bar indicator
(arrow) for tread wear is integrated into the
tire tread.
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire
tread. They are visible once a tread depth of
Operation303
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 306 of 346

approximatelyáin(1.6 mm) has been
re ached. If this is the case, the tire is so worn
that it must be replaced.
Selecting, mounting and replacing
tires
R Only mount tires and wheels of the same
type and make.
Exception: it is permissible to install a dif-
ferent type or make in the event of a flat
tire. Observe here the "MOExtended tires
(tires with run-flat characteristics)" section
( Y page 285).
R Only mount tires of the correct size onto
the wheels.
R Break in new tires at moderate speeds for
the first 60 miles (100 km). They only reach
their full performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tires which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (hydroplaning).
R Replace the tires after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel ( Ypage 329).
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in con-
junction with an active tire pressure loss
warning system and only on wheels specifi-
cally tested by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with
a flat tire ( Ypage 285).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT kit may
be obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a quali-
fied specialist workshop at the onset of win-
ter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel" section ( Ypage 322).
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and braking power. Change the tires on your vehi-cle to M+S tires. Using summer tires at very
cold temperatures could cause cracks to
form, thereby damaging the tires perma-
nently. Mercedes-Benz cannot accept
responsibility for this type of damage.
GWARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control ofyour vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
M+S tires
GWARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than ã in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There is
a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than ãin
(4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), use win-
ter tires or all-season tires. Both types of tire are identified by the M+S marking.
304Winter operation
Wheels and tires
Page 307 of 346

Only winter tires bearing theisnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide the best possible grip in wintry road con- ditions. Only these tires will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tires have
been developed specifically for driving in snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling charac- teristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you havemounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires:
X Check the tire pressures ( Ypage 305).
X Restart the tire pressure loss warning sys-
tem (Canada). ( Ypage 309)
Information about driving with an emergency spare wheel ( Ypage 329).
Snow chains
GWARNING
If snow chains are mounted on the rear
wheels, the snow chains could cause abrasion
to the vehicle body or to 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 mount snow chains on the rear wheels
R only mount snow chains in pairs on the
front wheels.
!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".
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends 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. For more information,
please contact a qualified specialist work-shop.
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 ( Ypage 326).
R Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow.
Remove the snow chains as soon as possi-
ble when you come to a road that is notsnow-covered.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to mount snow chains.
R Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
R When snow chains are installed, never use
Active Parking Assist ( Ypage 175).
You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when pull-
ing away with snow chains installed( Y page 64). You can thereby allow the wheels
to spin in a controlled manner, achieving an
increased driving force (cutting action).
Information about driving with an emergency spare wheel ( Ypage 329).
Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks: R the tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
R the tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tiretraction.
R the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Tire pressure305
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 308 of 346

Follow recommended tire inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tires includ-
ing the spare wheel:R monthly, at least
R if the load changes
R before beginning a long journey
R under different operating conditions, e.g.
off-road driving
If necessary, correct the tire pressure.
iThe specifications on the sample Tire and
Loading Information placard and tire pres-
sure tables are examples. Tire pressure
specifications are vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data shown here. The tire pressure specifications that are valid for
your vehicle can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information placard and tire pres-
sure table on the vehicle.
General notes
The recommended tire pressures for the tires
mounted at the factory can be found on the
labels described here.
Operation with the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 329).
Further information on tire pressures can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
Tire and Loading Information placard
:Recommended tire pressures
The Tire and Loading Information placard is
on the B-pillar on the driver's side( Y page 310). The Tire and Loading Information placard con-
tains the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires. The recommended tire pressures
are valid for the maximum permissible load
and up to the maximum permissible vehicle
speed.
Tire pressure table
The tire pressure table is on the inside of the
fuel filler flap.
Example: tire pressure table for all tires permitted
for this vehicle by the factory
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Example: tire pressure table with tire dimensions
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the tire pressure information following is only valid
for that tire size. The load conditions "partially
laden" and "fully laden" are defined in the
table for different numbers of occupants and
amounts of luggage. The actual number of
seats may differ.
306Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Page 309 of 346

Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g.R18. Rim diameter is part of the tire size and
can be found on the tire sidewall( Y page 316).
If the tire pressures have been set to the
lower values for lighter loads and/or lower
road speeds, the pressures should be reset to
the higher values:
R if you want to drive with an increased load
and/or
R if you want to drive at higher road speeds
iThe tire pressures for increased loads
and/or higher road speeds, shown in the
tire pressure table, may have a negative
effect on driving comfort.
If the tire pressure is not set correctly, this
can lead to an excessive build up of heat and
a sudden loss of pressure.
For more information, contact a qualified spe- cialist workshop.
Important notes on tire pressure
GWARNING
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tire may be damaged. Tire
pressure that is too low may result in a tire
blow-out. There is a risk of an accident.
R Check the tire for foreign objects.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tire
valves, the tire valves may be overloaded andmalfunction, which can cause tire pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tire pres- sure monitors keep the tire valve open. This
can also result in tire pressure loss. There is a
risk of an accident.
Only screw the standard valve cap or other
valve caps approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tire valve.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the
tire pressure. The outer appearance of a tire
does not permit any reliable conclusion about the tire pressure. On vehicles equipped with
the electronic tire pressure monitor, the tire
pressure can be checked in the on-board
computer.
The tire temperature and pressure increase
when the vehicle is in motion. This is depend-
ent on the driving speed and the load.
Therefore, you should only correct tire pres-
sures when the tires are cold.
The tires are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1 mile (1.6 km)
The tire temperature changes depending on
the outside temperature, the vehicle speed
and the tire load. If the tire temperature
changes by 18 ‡ (10 †), the tire pressure
changes by approximately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/
1.5 psi). Take this into account when check-
ing the pressure of warm tires. Only correct
the tire pressure if it is too low for the current
operating conditions. If you check the tire
pressure when the tires are warm, the result- ing value will be higher than if the tires were
cold. This is normal. Do not reduce the tire
Tire pressure307
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 310 of 346

pressure to the value specified for cold tires.The tire pressure would otherwise be too low.
Observe the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires:
R on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side
R in the tire pressure table on the inside of the
fuel filler flap ( Ypage 151)
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
GWARNING
Tires with pressure that is too low can over-
heat and burst as a consequence. In addition, they also suffer from excessive and/or irreg-
ular wear, which can severely impair the brak-ing properties and the driving characteristics.There is a risk of an accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too low in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Underinflated tires may:
R overheat, leading to tire defects
R adversely affect handling
R wear excessively and/or unevenly
R have an adverse effect on fuel consumption
Overinflated tires
GWARNING
Tires with excessively high pressure can burst
because they are damaged more easily by
road debris, potholes etc. In addition, they
also suffer from irregular wear, which can
severely impair the braking properties and the
driving characteristics. There is a risk of an
accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too high in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Overinflated tires may: R increase the braking distance
R adversely affect handling R
wear excessively and/or unevenly
R have an adverse effect on ride comfort
R be more susceptible to damage
Maximum tire pressures
:Example: maximum permissible tire pres-
sure
Never exceed the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure. Always observe the rec-
ommended tire pressure for your vehicle
when adjusting the tire pressure( Y page 305).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Checking the tire pressures
Important safety notes
Observe the notes on tire pressure ( Y page 305).
Information on air pressure for the tires on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the vehicle's Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard on the B-pillar
R on the tire pressure label on the fuel filler
flap ( Ypage 151)
R in the "Tire pressure" section
308Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Page 311 of 346

Checking tire pressures manually
To determine and set the correct tire pres-
sure, proceed as follows: XRemove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.
X Press the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
X Read the tire pressure and compare it to
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard or the tire
pressure table ( Ypage 305).
X If the tire pressure is too low, increase the
tire pressure to the recommended value.
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air.
To do so, press down the metal pin in the
valve, using the tip of a pen for example.
Then check the tire pressure again using
the tire pressure checker.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat these steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure loss warning system
General notes
While the vehicle is in motion, the tire pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tire pressure using the rotational speed of the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tire. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction dis- play.
You can recognize the tire pressure loss warn-
ing in the multifunction display in the
Serv.
menu, by theRunFlatIndicatorActive
Press 'OK' to Restartmessage. Further
information on displaying this message can
be found under "Restarting the tire pressure
loss warning system" ( Ypage 309).
Important safety notes
The tire pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tire pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tire
pressure ( Ypage 305).
The tire pressure loss warning does not
replace the need to regularly check the tire
pressure. An even loss of pressure on several tires at the same time cannot be detected bythe tire pressure loss warning system.
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The function of the tire pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted on your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration).
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof).
Restarting the tire pressure loss warn-
ing system
Restart the tire pressure loss warning system
if you have: R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
X Before restarting, make sure that the tire
pressures are set properly on all four tires
for the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tire pressure can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar. Additionally, a tire
pressure table is attached to the fuel filler
flap. The tire pressure loss warning system
can only give reliable warnings if you have
Tire pressure309
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 312 of 346

set the correct tire pressure. If an incorrect
tire pressure is set, these incorrect values
will be monitored.
X Also observe the notes in the section on tire
pressures ( Ypage 305).
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock ( Ypage 135) .
X Press =or; on the steering wheel
to select the
Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The
Run Flat Indicator active
RestartwithOKmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The
Tire Pressure Now OK?message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Yes.
X Press the abutton.
The
Run Flat Indicator restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tire pressures of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel the restart: X Press the %button.
or X If the
Tire Pressure Now OK?message
appears, press the 9or: button to
select
Cancel.
X Press the abutton.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
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 permis-
sible vehicle load. It also contains details
of the tire sizes and corresponding pres-
sures for tires mounted 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 occu-
pants, 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 maxi-
mum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle.
310Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires