2015 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS SPORTS Owners Manual

:B-pillar, driver's side
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
XSpecification 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 speci-
fied value.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustra-
tion are examples. The maximum permis-
sible 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 Infor-
mation placard.
Number of seats
Maximum number of seats :indicates the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustra-
tion 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 Load-
ing 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 com-
bined 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 kilo-
grams or XXX lbs.
Loading the vehicle311
Wheels and tires
Z

XStep 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 capa-city calculated in step 4.
312Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires

Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total and cargo load capacities withvarying seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples usea 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 your vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard ( Ypage 310).
The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maximum luggage load.
Step 1
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Combined maximum
weight of occupants
and cargo (data from
the Tire and Loading
Information placard)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)
Step 2
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Number of people in
the vehicle (driver
and occupants)531
Distribution of the
occupantsFront: 2
Rear: 3Front: 1
Rear: 2Front: 1
Weight of the occu-
pantsOccupant 1: 150 lbs
(68 kg)
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
(82 kg)
Occupant 3: 160 lbs (73 kg)
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
(63 kg)
Occupant 5: 120 lbs
(54 kg)Occupant 1: 200 lbs
(91 kg)
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
(86 kg)
Occupant 3: 150 lbs (68 kg)Occupant 1: 150 lbs
(68 kg)
Gross weight of all
occupants750 lbs (340 kg)540 lbs (245 kg)150 lbs (68 kg)
Loading the vehicle313
Wheels and tires
Z

Step 3
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Permissible load
(maximum gross vehi-
cle weight rating from
the Tire and Loading
Information placard
minus the gross
weight of all occu-
pants)1500 lbs (680 kg) Ò
750 lbs (340 kg) =
750 lbs (340 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg) Ò
540 lbs (245 kg)
=960 lbs (435 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg) Ò
150 lbs (68 kg) =
1350 lbs (612 kg)
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo
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 310).
Permissible Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): the gross weight of the vehicle, all
passengers, load and trailer load/noseweight (if applicable) must not exceed the permissi-
ble gross vehicle weight.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): the
maximum permissible weight that can be car- ried by one axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross vehi-
cle 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.
All about wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading Stand- ards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S. government specifications. Their pur-
pose is to provide drivers with uniform relia-
ble information on tire performance data. Tire
manufacturers have to grade tires using three
performance factors: :tread wear grade, ;
traction grade and =temperature grade.
These regulations do not apply to Canada.
Nevertheless, all tires sold in North America
are provided with the corresponding quality
grading markings on the sidewall of the tire.
Quality grades can be found, where applica-
ble, on the tire sidewall between tread shoul-
der and maximum section width.
314All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires

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.
iThe 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, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, ser-
vice practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.
Traction
GWARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor- nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
!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 wet pavement 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 surfa-
ces.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing 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 ( Ypage 303). Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
The braking distance is still much further thanon surfaces that are not icy or covered with
snow. Take appropriate care when driving.
Further information on winter tires (M+S
tires) ( Ypage 304).
Temperature
GWARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, 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, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi- pate heat when tested under controlled con-
ditions 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.
All about wheels and tires315
Wheels and tires
Z

Tire labeling
Overview
:Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards ( Y page 320)
;Department of Transportation, Tire Iden-
tification Number ( Ypage 319)
=Maximum load rating ( Ypage 318)
?Maximum tire pressures ( Ypage 308)
AManufacturer
BTire material ( Ypage 319)
CTire size designation, load-bearing capa-
city and speed rating ( Ypage 316)
DLoad index ( Ypage 318)
ETire name
The markings described above are on the tire
in addition to the tire name (sales designa-
tion) and the manufacturer's name.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating
GWARNING
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.
:Tire width
;Nominal aspect ratio in %
=Tire code
?Rim diameter
ALoad bearing index
BSpeed 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 descrip-
tion (as shown above): these are passenger
vehicle tires according to European manufac-
turing 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. manu-
facturing standards.
If "T" precedes the size description: compact emergency wheels with high tire pressure
that are only designed for temporary use in an
emergency.
Tire width: tire width:shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Aspect ratio: aspect ratio;is the size ratio
between the tire height and tire width and is
shown in percent. The aspect ratio is calcu-
316All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires

lated by dividing the tire width by the tire
height.
Tire code:tire code=specifies 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 man-
ufacturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
Rim diameter: rim diameter?is 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 indexA
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 ( Ypage 310).
Example:
Load-bearing index 91 indicates a maximum
load of 1,356 lb (615 kg) that the tires can
bear. For further information on the maximum
tire load in kilograms and lbs, see( Y page 318).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see "Load index" ( Ypage 318).
Speed rating: speed ratingBspecifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Regardless of the speed rating, always
observe the speed limits. Drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the traffic condi-
tions.
Summer tires
IndexSpeed rating
Qup to 100 mph (160 km/h)
Rup to 106 mph (170 km/h)
IndexSpeed rating
Sup to 112 mph (180 km/h)
Tup to 118 mph (190 km/h)
Hup to 130 mph (210 km/h)
Vup to 149 mph (240 km/h)
Wup to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...(..Y)over 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZRover 149 mph (240 km/h)
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 ZR18).
The service specification is made up of
load-bearing index Aand speed rating B.
R If the size description of your tire includes
"ZR" and there are no service specifica-
tions, 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 ZR18 97 Y.In this exam-
ple, "97 Y" is the service specification. The letter "Y" represents the speed rating. The
maximum speed of the tire is limited to
186 mph (300 km/h).
R The size description for all tires with maxi-
mum speeds of over 186 mph (300 km/h)
must include "ZR" andthe service specifi-
cation must be given in parentheses. Exam- ple: 275/40 ZR 18 (99 Y). Speed rating
"(Y)" indicates that the maximum speed of
the tire is over 186 mph (300 km/h). Ask
the tire manufacturer about the maximum
speed.
All about wheels and tires317
Wheels and tires
Z

All-weather tires and winter tires
IndexSpeed rating
Q M+S1up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S
1up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S 1up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S1up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
iNot all tires with the M+S marking provide
the driving characteristics of winter tires. In
addition to the M+S marking, winter tires
also have the isnowflake symbol on
the tire wall. Tires with this marking fulfill
the requirements of the Rubber Manufac-
turers Association (RMA) and the Rubber
Association of Canada (RAC) regarding the
tire traction on snow. They have been espe- cially developed for driving on snow.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of 130 mph
(210 km/ h).
The speed rating of tires mounted at the fac-
tory may 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 ( Ypage 326).
Further information about reading tire data
can be obtained from any qualified specialist workshop.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, load index :may be imprinted after the letters
that identify speed rating on the sidewall of
the tire. Speed rating ( Ypage 316).
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 reinforcedtire
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
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Maximum load rating
Maximum tire load :is 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-
1 Or M+S ifor winter tires.
318All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires