2015 SMART FORTWO COUPE flat tire

sion components can be damaged. Also, the
operating clearance of the wheels and the
tires may no longer be correct. G
WARNING
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is worn to minimum tread depth,
or if the tires have sustained damage,
replace them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
smart wheel bolts specified for the partic- ular rim type. Failure to do so can result in
the bolts loosening and possibly an acci-
dent.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by smart, since previous damage
cannot always be recognized on retreads.
The operating safety of the vehicle cannot
be assured when such tires are used. G
WARNING
If you feel a sudden significant vibration
or ride disturbance, or you suspect that
possible damage to your vehicle has occur- red, you should turn on the hazard warning
flashers, carefully slow down, and drive
with caution to an area which is a safe dis-
tance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to the nearest authorized electric drive smart
center or tire dealer for repairs. G
WARNING
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire
affects the ability to steer or brake the
vehicle. You could lose control of the vehi- cle. Continued driving with a flat tire or
driving at high speed with a flat tire will
cause excessive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Modifications to the brake system and
wheels and the use of brake dust rings are
not permissible. Important guidelines
R Only use sets of tires and rims of the same
type and make.
R Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.
R Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate speeds.
R Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can cause
tire pressure loss and damage to the tire
beads.
R If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.
R Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths of less
than 1
/ 8 in (3 mm). Recommended tire inflation pressure
G
WARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pres-
sures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated
tires wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and energy con-
sumption of the vehicle, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated
tires can adversely affect handling and
ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B‑pillar. Overloading the tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or brake failure. 128
Tires and wheels>> Operation.

Your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard located on
the driver’s door B‑pillar (Y page 133).
The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly. Only adjust the tire
inflation pressure on cold tires. The tires can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km). Depending on the
ambient temperature, the driving speed
and the tire load, the tire temperature
changes. When the tire temperature
changes by 18¦ (10¥), the tire inflation
pressure will change by approximately
10 kpa (0.1 bar, 1.5 psi). Keep this in mind
when checking tire inflation pressure on
warm tires and adjust the tire pressure
only if the tire inflation pressure is too
low for the current operating conditions.
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm, the reading will be
higher than the cold reading. This is nor-
mal. Do not let air out to match the speci-
fied cold tire inflation pressure. Other-
wise, the tire will be underinflated.
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B‑pillar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated pro-
vides the best handling, tread life and rid-
ing comfort.
In addition to the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on the driver’s door B‑pil- lar, also consult the tire inflation pres-
sure label (if available) on the inside of
the filler flap for any additional informa-
tion pertaining to special driving situa-
tions. For more information, see “Impor-
tant notes on tire inflation pressure”
(Y page 129).
i Data shown on Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard example are for illus-
tration purposes only. Tire data are spe- cific to each vehicle and may vary from
data shown in the following illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading Information
placard on vehicle for actual data spe-
cific to your vehicle.
The Tire and Loading Information placard
lists the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures :for maximum loaded vehicle
weight. The tire inflation pressures listed apply to the tires installed as original
equipment.
Important notes on tire inflation pres-
sure G
WARNING
If the tire inflation pressure drops repeat- edly, check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects and/or whether air is leak-
ing from the valves or from around the rim.
Tire temperature and tire inflation pres-
sure are also increased while driving,
depending on the driving speed and the
tire load.
Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires Underinflated tires
G
WARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pres-
sures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated
tires wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and energy con-
sumption of the vehicle, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Tires and wheels
129>> Operation. Z

Underinflated tires can
R cause excessive and uneven tire wear
R adversely affect energy consumption of
the vehicle
R lead to tire failure from being overhea-
ted
R adversely affect handling characteris-
tics
Overinflated tires G
WARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pres-
sures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated
tires can adversely affect handling and
ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
Overinflated tires can
R adversely affect handling characteris-
tics
R cause uneven tire wear
R be more prone to damage from road haz-
ards
R adversely affect ride comfort
R increase stopping distance Checking tire inflation pressure
Safety notes G
WARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pres-
sures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated
tires wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and energy con-
sumption of the vehicle, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated
tires can adversely affect handling and ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B‑pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or brake failure.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least
once a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation pres-
sure when the tires are cold (Y page 129).
Checking tire inflation pressure man-
ually Follow the steps below to achieve correct
tire inflation pressure:
X Remove the cap from the valve on one tire.
X Firmly press a tire gauge onto the valve.
X Read the tire inflation pressure on tire
gauge and check against the recommen-
ded tire inflation pressure on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B‑pillar (Y page 133). If
necessary, add air to achieve the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure.
X If you have overfilled the tire, release
tire inflation pressure by pushing the
metal stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of a pen. Then recheck the tire inflation
pressure with the tire gauge.
X Install the valve cap.
X Repeat this procedure for each tire.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)* Your vehicle may be equipped with a
Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).130
Tires and wheels>> Operation.
* optional

It monitors the tire inflation pressure in
all four tires. A warning is issued to alert
you to a decrease in pressure in one or more of the tires.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) is equipped with a combination low
tire pressure/TPMS malfunction telltale in the instrument cluster. Depending on how
the telltale illuminates, it indicates a low
tire pressure condition or a malfunction in
the TPMS system itself:
R If the telltale illuminates continuously,
one or more of your tires is significantly
underinflated. There is no malfunction
in the TPMS.
R If the telltale flashes for 60 seconds and
then stays illuminated, the TPMS system
itself is not operating properly.
The TPMS only functions on wheels that are
equipped with the proper electronic sen-
sors. G
WARNING
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures.
Always adjust tire inflation pressure
according to the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on the driver’s door B‑pil- lar.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g.
tire blowout caused by a foreign object). In
this case bring the vehicle to a halt by
carefully applying the brakes and avoiding abrupt steering maneuvers. G
WARNING
Each tire should be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the Tire and Loading Information plac-
ard. If your vehicle has tires of a differentsize than the size indicated on the Tire and
Loading Information placard, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pres-
sure for those tires. As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure moni-
toring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale when one or more of
your tires is 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. Driv-
ing on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure.
Underinflation also increases energy con-
sumption, reduces tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver’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.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately
1 minute and then remain continuously
illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of
incompatible replacement or alternate
tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after
replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle to ensure that the replacement Tires and wheels
131>> Operation.
Z

or alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
i If a condition causing the TPMS to mal-
function develops, it may take up to
10 minutes for the system to signal a mal-
function using the TPMS telltale flash-
ing and illumination sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few
minutes driving if the malfunction has
been corrected.
i Operating radio transmission equip-
ment (e.g. wireless headsets, two-way
radios) in or near the vehicle could
cause the TPMS to malfunction.
i USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
R This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
R this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only:
This device complies with RSS‑210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
R This device may not cause interfer-
ence, and
R this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation of
the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment. Restarting the TPMS G
WARNING
It is the driver’s responsibility to cali-
brate the TPMS on the recommended cold
inflation pressure. Underinflated tires
affect the ability to steer or brake and
might cause you to lose control of the vehi- cle.
When you restart the TPMS, the system sets
new reference values for each tire.
The TPMS must be restarted when you have
adjusted the tire inflation pressure to a
new level (e.g. because of different load or driving conditions). The TPMS is then
recalibrated to the current tire inflation
pressures.
X Using the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B‑pillar
(Y page 133), make sure the tire infla-
tion pressure of all four tires is correct.
i Restart the TPMS after adjusting the
tire inflation pressure to the inflation
pressure recommended for the vehicle
operating condition. Tire pressure
should only be adjusted on cold tires.
Observe the recommended tire inflation
pressure on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on the driver’s door
B‑pillar (Y page 133). X
Press Restarting TPMS button :.
The combination low tire pressure/TPMS malfunction telltale in the instrument
cluster (Y page 23) flashes for approx-
imately 5 seconds and then goes out. 132
Tires and wheels>> Operation.

After driving a few minutes the system
verifies that the current tire inflation
pressures are within the system’s speci-
fied range. Afterwards the current tire
inflation pressures are accepted as refer-
ence pressures and then monitored. Maximum tire inflation pressure
G
WARNING
Never exceed the max. tire inflation pres- sure. Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated
tires wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and energy con-
sumption, and are more likely to fail from
being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated
tires can adversely affect handling and
ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc. i
For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
This is the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure :for the tire.
Always follow the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure (Y page 128) for proper tire
inflation. Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.
1) The Tire and Loading Information plac- ard can be found on the driver’s door
B‑pillar. This placard tells you impor- tant information about the number of
people that can be in the vehicle and
the total weight that can be carried in
the vehicle. It also contains informa-
tion on the proper size and recommen-
ded tire inflation pressures for the
original equipment tires on your vehi-
cle.
2) The certification label, also found on the driver’s door B‑pillar, tells you
about the gross weight capacity of your
vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, automotive fluids and
cargo. The certification label also
tells you about the front and rear axle
weight capacity, called the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR is the
total allowable weight that can be car-
ried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle. :
Driver’s door B‑pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work
with the information contained on the Tire
and Loading Information placard with
regards to loading your vehicle. Tires and wheels
133>> Operation. Z

For more information on tire load rating
(Y page 140).
For information on calculating total and
cargo load capacities (Y page 134).Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advan-
tages, such as better hydroplaning per-
formance. To benefit, however, you must
make sure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended direction of rotation (spinning)
of the tire. Tire care and maintenance
G
WARNING
Regularly check the tires for damage. Dam- aged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control
of your vehicle.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least
once a month. For more information on
checking tire inflation pressure, see
“Recommended tire inflation pressure”
(Y page 128).
Tire inspection Every time you check the tire inflation
pressure, you should also inspect your
tires for the following
R excessive treadwear (Y page 137)
R cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber
R bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or splits in
the tread or side of the tire
Replace the tire if you find any of the above conditions. Life of tire G
WARNING
Tires should be replaced after 6 years,
regardless of the remaining tread.
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying factors including but not limited
to
R driving style
R tire inflation pressure
R distance driven
Tread depth G
WARNING
Although the applicable federal motor
vehicle safety laws consider a tire to be
worn when the treadwear indicators (TWI)
become visible at approximately 1
/ 16 in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not allow your tires to wear down to that level. As
tread depth approaches 1
/ 8 in (3 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction var- ies widely.
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths of less than
1 / 8 in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately 1
/ 16 in (1.6 mm), at which point the
tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:
Summer tires 1
/ 8 in (3 mm)
Winter tires 1
/ 6 in (4 mm) Tires and wheels
137>> Operation. Z

The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent 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 perform-
ance.
Temperature G
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive load-
ing, either separately or in combination,
can cause excessive heat build-up and pos- sible 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 todissipate heat when tested under control-
led conditions on a specified indoor lab-
oratory test wheel. Sustained high temper- ature 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 perform-
ance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law. Rotating tires
G
WARNING
Do not rotate front and rear wheels as they
have different dimensions, e.g. rim size,
wheel offset etc. Otherwise, the handling
can be affected and you could endanger
yourself and others. Thoroughly clean the mounting face of the
wheels and brake discs, i.e. the inner side of the wheels/tires each time the wheels/
tires are changed. Check for and ensure
proper tire inflation pressure. G
WARNING
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
81 lb‑ft (110 Nm).
Only use genuine smart wheel bolts speci-
fied for your vehicle’s rims.
For information on wheel change, see “Flat
tire” (Y page 187). Tire labeling
Besides tire name (sales designation) and
manufacturer name, a number of markings
can be found on a tire.
Following are some explanations for the
markings on your vehicle’s tires: :
Uniform Quality Grading Standards
(Ypage 138)
; DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
(Ypage 142)
= Maximum tire load (Y page 136)
? Maximum tire inflation pressure
(Ypage 133) Tires and wheels
139>> Operation. Z