2015 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class Owner's Manual

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)
00F8750 lbs (340 kg) =
750 lbs (340 kg) 1500 lbs (680 kg)
00F8540 lbs (245 kg)
=960 lbs (435 kg) 1500 lbs (680 kg)
00F8150 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 412).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the
gross weight of the vehicle, all passengers,
load and trailer load/noseweight (if applica-
ble) must not exceed the permissible gross
vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum per-
missible weight that can be carried 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. Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The
trailer load/noseweight is usually approx-
imately 8% of the gross weight of the trailer
and its cargo. 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: 0043tread wear grade, 0044
traction grade and 0087temperature 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.
Where applicable, the tire grading informa-
tion can be found on the tire sidewall between
the tread shoulder and maximum tire width. All about wheels and tires
415Wheels 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 test track asa 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 conditions.
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 a wet surface 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 00CFin (4 mm) on all four winter
tires. Observe the legally required minimum
tire tread depth (Y page 401). Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
The braking distance is still much further than
on surfaces that are not icy or covered with
snow. Take appropriate care when driving.
Further information on winter tires (M+S
tires) (Y page 402).
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. These represent the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to dis- sipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions 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 tempera-
ture 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. 416
All about
wheels and tiresWheels and tires

Tire labeling
Overview 0043
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
(Ypage 421)
0044 DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 420)
0087 Maximum tire load (Y page 419)
0085 Maximum tire pressure (Y page 406)
0083 Manufacturer
0084 Tire material (Y page 420)
006B Tire size designation, load-bearing capa-
city and speed index (Y page 417)
006C Load index (Y page 419)
006D 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. 0043
Tire width
0044 Nominal aspect ratio in %
0087 Tire code
0085 Rim diameter
0083 Load bearing index
0084 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: these are compact emergency spare wheels at high tire
pressure, to be used only temporarily in an
emergency.
Tire width: tire width0043shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Height-width ratio: aspect ratio0044is the
size ratio between the tire height and tire
width and is shown in percent. The aspect All about
wheels and tires
417Wheels and tires Z

ratio is calculated by dividing the tire width by
the tire height.
Tire code: tire code0087specifies 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 diameter0085is 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 index0083
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 onthe driver's side (Y page 412).
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 419).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see "Load index" (Y page 419).
Speed rating: speed rating0084specifies 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 0083and speed rating 0084.
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. 418
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires

All-weather tires and winter tires
Index Speed rating
Q M+S
2 up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S
2 up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S
2 up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S
2 up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
i
Not 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 004Dsnowflake 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 the following speeds:
R all vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
130 mph (210 km/h)
R AMG vehicles: 155 mph (250 km/h)
R AMG vehicles with increased top speed:
174 mph (280 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 (Y page 428).
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
0043may be imprinted after the letters
that identify the speed index 0084on the side-
wall of the tire (Y page 417).
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 load rating 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-
2 Or M+S 004Dfor winter tires. All about wheels and tires
419Wheels and tires Z

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 412).
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN) U.S. tire regulations prescribe that every tire
manufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN
in or on the sidewall of every 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 affec-
ted tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer identifi-
cation code 0044, tire size0087, tire type code 0085
and 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.
For further information about retreaded tires,
see (Y page 428).
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 sidewall
0043
and under tire tread 0044.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Definition of terms for tires and loading Tire ply composition and material used
Describes the number of plies or the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire
tread and sidewall. These are made of steel,
nylon, polyester and other materials.
Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure. 14.5038 pounds
per square inch (psi) and 100 kilopascals
(kPa) are the equivalent of 1 bar. 420
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires

DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the United States Department of Transporta- tion.
Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants which the vehicle is
designed for, multiplied by 68 kilograms
(150 lb).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of
tires with regards to tread quality, tire traction and temperature characteristics. Ratings are determined by tire manufacturers using U.S.
government testing procedures. The ratings
are molded into the sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressure applies to
the tires mounted at the factory.
The Tire and Loading Information placard con-
tains the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires on a fully loaded vehicle and for the maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
This is the combined weight of all standard
and optional equipment available for the vehi-
cle, regardless of whether it is actually instal-
led on the vehicle or not.
Rim
This is the part of the wheel on which the tire is mounted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum gross axle weight
rating. The actual load on an axle must never exceed the gross axle weight rating. The
gross axle weight rating can be found on the
vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side. Speed rating
The speed rating is part of the tire identifica-
tion. It specifies the speed range for which the
tire is approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
The GTW is the weight of a trailer including the
weight of the load, luggage, accessories etc.
on the trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, the spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants, lug-
gage and the drawbar noseweight, if applica- ble. The gross vehicle weight must not exceed
the gross vehicle weight rating GVWR as
specified on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permissible gross weight of a fully loaded vehicle (the weight of the vehicle including all accessories, occu-
pants, fuel, luggage and the drawbar nose-
weight, if applicable). The gross vehicle
weight rating is specified on the vehicle iden-
tification plate on the B-pillar on the driver's
side.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The maximum weight is the sum of:
R the curb weight of the vehicle
R the weight of the accessories
R the load limit
R the weight of the factory installed optional
equipment
Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa corre-
sponds to 1 psi. Another unit for tire pressure is bar. There are 100 kilopascal s(kPa) to
1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall of All about wheels and tires
421Wheels and tires Z

the tire. This specifies the load-bearing capa-
city more precisely.
Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equip-
ment including the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil and coolant. It also includes the air-condi- tioning system and optional equipment if
these are installed in the vehicle, but does notinclude passengers or luggage.
Maximum load rating
The maximum tire load is the maximum per-
missible weight in kilograms or lbs for which a
tire is approved.
Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire.
Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by dividing the maximum axle load of one axle
by two.
PSI (pounds per square inch)
A standard unit of measure for tire pressure.
Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and tire
width in percent.
Tire pressure
This is pressure inside the tire applying an
outward force to each square inch of the tire's surface. The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal
(kPa) or in bar. The tire pressure should only
be corrected when the tires are cold.
Cold tire pressure
The tires are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked without
direct sunlight on the tires for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has been driven for less than
1 mile (1.6 km). Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim.
Sidewall
The part of the tire between the tread and the bead.
Weight of optional extras
The combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
parts and more than 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs).
These optional extras, such as high-perform-
ance brakes, level control, a roof rack or a
high-performance battery, are not included in the curb weight and the weight of the acces-
sories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
This is a unique identifier which can be used
by a tire manufacturer to identify tires, for
example for a product recall, and thus identify
the purchasers. The TIN is made up of the
manufacturer's identity code, tire size, tire
type code and the manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that contains the maximum load bearing capacity of a tire.
Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the
tires and the road surface.
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating)
The TWR specifies the maximum permissible
weight that the ball coupling of the trailer tow
hitch can support. 422
All about
wheels and tiresWheels and tires