
X
If the tire pressure is too high, release air by
pressing down the metal pin in the valve.
Use the tip of a pen, for example. Then,
check the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat the steps for the other tires. Tire pressure monitor
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pressure
label on the inside of the fuel filler flap. If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard or the tire pressure label, you should determine the proper tire pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon
as possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly underin-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only: Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will
flash for approximately a minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will be repeated every time the vehi-
cle is started as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the mounting of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
Vehicles with a tire pressure monitor are
equipped with sensors in the wheels that
monitor the tire pressure of all four tires. The tire pressure monitor monitors the pressure
in all four tires; you set this pressure when you
activate the tire pressure monitor. The tire
pressure monitor warns you when the pres-
sure drops in one or more of the tires. The tire
pressure monitor only functions if the corre-
sponding sensors are installed on all wheels.
You should always adjust the tire pressure
according to the vehicle load. Restart the tire
pressure monitor if you change the tire pres-
sure.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you if a tire pressure is incorrect. Observe the notes
on the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 288).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. follow-
ing penetration by a foreign object. In this
event, brake the vehicle until it comes to a Tire pressure
291Wheels and tires Z

DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the United States Department of Transporta- tion.
Average weight of vehicle occupants
The number of occupants for which the vehi-
cle is designed multiplied by 68 kilograms
(150 lbs).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of
tires with regard to tread quality, traction and
temperature characteristics. The quality
grading assessment is made by the manufac- turer following specifications from the U.S
government. The quality grade of a tire is
imprinted on the sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressures are the
pressures specified for the tires mounted on
the vehicle at the factory.
The tire and load information table 9
contains
the recommended tire pressures for cold
tires, the maximum permissible load and the
maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended tire pressure for cold tires under var- ious operating conditions, i.e. loading and/orspeed of the vehicle.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
The combined weight of all standard and
optional equipment available for the vehicle,
regardless of whether it is actually installed
on the vehicle or not.
Wheel rim
The part of the wheel on which the tire is
mounted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
GAWR is the maximum gross axle weight rat-
ing. 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 driver seat
frame (Y page 316).
Speed index
The speed index is part of the tire identifica-
tion. It specifies the speed range for which the tire is approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
GTW is the total of weight of a trailer and the
weight of the load, accessories etc. on the
trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants, lug-
gage and the drawbar noseweight if applica-
ble. The gross vehicle weight may never
exceed the gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) specified on the vehicle identification
plate at the base of the driver's seat
(Y page 316).
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permitted gross
weight of the fully laden vehicle (weight of the
vehicle including all accessories, occupants,
fuel, luggage and the drawbar noseweight if
applicable). The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
is specified on the vehicle identification plate on the driver seat frame (Y page 316).
Maximum weight of the laden vehicle
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 are the
equivalent of 1 psi. Another tire pressure unit
9 Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs (4536 kg). What you should know about wheels and ti
res
303Wheels and tires Z

is bar. 100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equiva-
lent of 1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load bearing index, a load
index can be stamped onto the sidewall of the
tire. It specifies the load-bearing capacity of
the tire more precisely.
Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equip-
ment including the maximum filling capacity
of fuel, oil, and coolant. It also includes the
air-conditioning system and optional equip-
ment if these are installed on the vehicle, but
does not include passengers or luggage.
Maximum tire load
The maximum tire load in kilograms or
pounds is the maximum weight 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)
Standard unit of measurement for tire pres-
sure.
Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and width in
percent.
tire pressure
Pressure inside the tire applying an outward
force to every square inch of the tire's sur-
face. Tire pressure is specified in pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal (kPa) or in bar.
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 for at least
three hours without direct sunlight on the
tires, and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1 mile (1.6 km)
Tire tread
The part of the tire th at comes into contact
with the road.
Tire 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
tire 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 kg (5lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, a roof rack or a high-performance
battery, are not included in the curb weight
and the weight of the accessories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
A unique identification number 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 composed of the manufacturer identification code, tire
size, tire model code and 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. 304
What you should know about wheels and tiresWheels and tires

i
Malfunctions resulting from paraffin sep-
aration can only be rectified by heating the
entire fuel system. Park the vehicle in a
heated garage, for example.
To prevent operating problems, diesel with
better flow qualities is available during the
winter months. You can obtain information at the gas station or from your fuel supplier.
Your vehicle is equipped with a fuel preheat-
ing system. This improves the flow properties
of the diesel by approximately 46 ‡ (8 †).
ULTRA-LOW SULFUR DIESEL can be used
without risk of malfunction down to an out-
side temperature of approximately 14 ‡
(00F810 †).
Fuel additives
! Do not add gasoline or kerosene to diesel
fuel to improve its flow characteristics.
Gasoline or kerosene impairs the lubricat-
ing properties of the diesel fuel. This can
result in damage to the fuel injection sys-
tem, for example.
Information on fuel consumption H
Environmental note
CO 2(carbon dioxide) is the gas which scien-
tists believe to be principally responsible for
global warming (the greenhouse effect). Your
vehicle's CO 2emissions are directly related to
fuel consumption and therefore depend on:
R efficient use of the fuel by the engine
R driving style
R other non-technical factors, such as envi-
ronmental influences, road conditions or
traffic flow
You can minimize your vehicle's CO 2emis-
sions by driving carefully and having it serv-
iced regularly.
Fuel consumption depends on: R the vehicle version
R the style of driving R
the operating conditions
R the type or quality of the fuel used
The vehicle will use more fuel than usual in the following situations:
R at very low outside temperatures
R in city traffic
R during short journeys
R on mountainous terrain
R when towing a trailer
To keep fuel consumption low, observe the
advice in the "Protection of the environment" section (Y page 23).
The following components of the different
vehicle versions influence fuel consumption:
R tire sizes, tire tread, tire pressure, tire con-
dition
R body
R transmission ratios for the drive assem-
blies
R additional equipment (e.g. air-conditioning
system, auxiliary heating system)
For these reasons, the actual consumption
figures for your vehicle may deviate from the
consumption figures determined according
to EU Directive 80/1268/EEC.
Data concerning fuel consumption are recor- ded in the on-board computer; use the steer-
ing wheel buttons to call up the Trip com-
puter menu (Y page 195).
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) General notes
! Only use DEF in accordance with
ISO 22241. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system may otherwise be damaged.
Observe the MB Specifications for Service
Products, Sheet No. 352.0.
Damage caused by the use of other reduc-
ing agents will invalidate the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. 320
Service products and capacitiesTechnical data