Treadwear indicators
Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are dis-
tributed over the tire tread. If the tire tread islevel with the bars, the wear limit of á in
(1.6 mm) has been reached.
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at
their designated seating positions.
Total load limit
Nominal load and luggage load plus 68 kg
(150 lbs) multiplied by the number of seats in the vehicle.
Changing a wheel
Flat tire
You can find information on what to do in theevent of a flat tire in the "Flat tire" section
( Y page 314).
Information on driving with MOExtended tires
in the event of a flat tire can be found under
"MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat char-
acteristics" ( Y page 315).
Rotating the wheels
GWARNING
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 acci-
dent.
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 loca-
ted in the wheel. Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec-
tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-cialist workshop.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
( Y page 356).
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 inter-
vals 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 miles (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 reac-
tivate the tire pressure monitor if necessary.
Information on changing tires and mounting
the spare wheel ( Y page 355).
Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of hydroplaning. These advantages can only
be gained if the tires are installed correspond- ing to the direction of rotation.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates
its correct direction of rotation.
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.
Changing a wheel355
Wheels and tires
Z
