detect the new reference values after you
have changed the tire pressure. However, you
can also define reference values manually as
described here. The tire pressure monitor
then monitors the new tire pressure values.
X Set the tire pressure to the value recom-
mended for the corresponding driving sit-
uation on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver's side
B-pillar (Y page 322).
Additional tire pressure values for different loads can also be found on the tire pressure
table on the inside of the fuel filler flap
(Y page 159).
X Make sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock (Y page 141).
X Press =or; on the steering wheel
to select the Serv. Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure
Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The multifunction display shows the cur-
rent tire pressure for each tire or the Tire
Tire
pressure will be displayed after
pressure will be displayed after
driving a few minutes driving a few minutes message.
X Press the :button.
The multifunction display shows the Use
Use
current
current pressures
pressures as
asnew
new reference
reference
values
values message.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
After driving for a few minutes, the system checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored. If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the %button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Radio type approval for the tire pres-
sure monitor Country Radio type approval number
USA FCC ID: MRXMW2433A
FCC ID: MRXGG4
FCC ID: MRXMC34MA4
Canada IC: 2546A-MW2433A
IC: 2546A-GG4
IC: 2546A-MC34MA4
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 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 Loading the vehicle
329Wheels and tires Z
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. :
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 speci-
fied value. i
The 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.
i The 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". 330
Loading the vehicleWheels and tires
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.
X Step 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. Loading the vehicle
331Wheels and tires Z
Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total and cargo load capacities with varying 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 (Y page 329).
The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maximum luggage load.
Step 1 Example 1 Example 2 Example 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 1 Example 2 Example 3
Number of people in
the vehicle (driver
and occupants)
5 3 1
Distribution of the
occupants
Front: 2
Rear: 3 Front: 1
Rear: 2 Front: 1
Weight of the occu-
pants
Occupant 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
occupants
750 lbs (340 kg) 540 lbs (245 kg) 150 lbs (68 kg)332
Loading the vehicleWheels and tires
Step 3
Example 1 Example 2 Example 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 329).
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. All about wheels and tires
333Wheels 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, 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 G
WARNING
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 (Y page 319). 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) (Y page 320).
Temperature G
WARNING
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. 334
All about
wheels and tiresWheels and tires
Tire labeling
Overview :
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
(Y page 339)
; Department of Transportation, Tire Iden-
tification Number (Y page 338)
= Maximum load rating (Y page 337)
? Maximum tire pressures (Y page 324)
A Manufacturer
B Tire material (Y page 338)
C Tire size designation, load-bearing capa-
city and speed rating (Y page 335)
D Load index (Y page 337)
E 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
capacity and speed rating 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. :
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 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- All about
wheels and tires
335Wheels and tires Z
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 (Y page 329).
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 337).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see "Load index" (Y page 337).
Speed rating: speed ratingBspecifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire.
i Tire 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 Index Speed rating
Q up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h) Index Speed rating
S up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...(..Y) over 186 mph
(300 km/h) ZR over 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. 336
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires