erty damage. Do not fill with fuel that does not
comply with the minimum quality.◀
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
CAUTION
The use of poor-quality fuels may result
in harmful engine deposits or damage. Addi‐
tionally, problems relating to drivability, start‐
ing and stalling, especially under certain envi‐
ronmental conditions such as high ambient
temperature and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI num‐
ber — for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful en‐
gine deposits, it is highly recommended to
purchase gasoline from Top Tier retailers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled main‐
tenance.◀Seite 253FuelMobility253
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Wheels and tiresVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Tire inflation pressure Safety information
The tire characteristics and tire inflation pres‐
sure influence the following:▷The service life of the tires.▷Road safety.▷Driving comfort.
Checking the tire inflation pressure
WARNING
A tire with low or missing tire inflation
pressure impacts handling, such as steering
and braking response. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Regularly check the tire inflation pres‐
sure, and correct it as needed, e.g. twice a
month and before a long trip.◀
Also check the tire inflation pressure of the
emergency wheel in the trunk regularly, and
correct it as needed.
Tires have a natural, consistent loss of tire in‐
flation pressure.
Tires heat up while driving, and the tire infla‐
tion pressure increases along with the tire's
temperature. The tire inflation pressure speci‐
fications relate to cold tires or tires with the
ambient temperature.
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after driving no more
than 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours.
The displays of inflation devices may under-
read by up to 0.1 bar, 2 psi.
For Flat Tire Monitor: after correcting the tire
inflation pressure, reinitialize the Flat Tire
Monitor.
For Tire Pressure Monitor: after correcting the
tire inflation pressure, reset the Tire Pressure
Monitor.
Tire inflation pressure specifications
The tire inflation pressure table, refer to
page 255, contains all tire inflation pressure
specifications for the specified tire sizes at the
ambient temperature. The tire inflation pres‐
sure values apply to tire sizes approved by the
manufacturer of the vehicle for the vehicle
type.
To identify the correct tire inflation pressure,
please note the following:▷Tire sizes of your vehicle.▷Maximum permitted driving speed.
Tire inflation pressures up to
100 mph/160 km/h
For speeds of up to 100 mph/160 km/h and for
optimum driving comfort, note the pressure
values in the tire inflation pressure table, refer
to page 255, and adjust as necessary.
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Tire Identification NumberDOT code: DOT xxxx xxx 0115
xxxx: manufacturer code for the tire brand
xxx: tire size and tire design
0115: tire age
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of
the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Tire age DOT … 0115: the tire was manufactured in the
1st week of 2015.
Recommendation
Regardless of wear and tear, replace tires at
least every 6 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200; Traction AA;
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to Fed‐
eral Safety Requirements in addition to these
grades.
TreadwearThe treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov‐
ernment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half, 1 g,
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, however, and may depart signifi‐
cantly from the norm due to variations in driv‐ing habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction
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 traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest, B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma‐
terial 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 Band
A represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum re‐
quired by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.◀
RSC – Run-flat tires Run-flat tires, refer to page 260, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the sidewall.Seite 257Wheels and tiresMobility257
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M+S
Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.
Tire tread Summer tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 in/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tire tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.
Winter tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 in/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are
less suitable for winter operation.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the
tire's circumference and have the legally re‐
quired minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
They are marked on the side of the tire with
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.
Tire damage
General information
Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Information
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles
can cause serious damage to wheels, tires and
suspension parts. This is more likely to occur
with low-profile tires, which provide less cush‐
ioning between the wheel and the road. Be
careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your
speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped
with low-profile tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle mal‐
functions:▷Unusual vibrations while driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
WARNING
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation
pressure, which can lead to loss of vehicle
control. There is risk of an accident. If tire dam‐
age is suspected while driving, immediately re‐
duce speed and stop. Have wheels and tires
checked. For this purpose, drive carefully to
the nearest dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop. Have
vehicle towed or transported as needed.◀
WARNING
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation
pressure, which can lead to loss of vehicle
control. There is risk of an accident. Do not re‐
pair damaged tires, but have them replaced.◀
Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Have mounting and wheel balancing carriedout by a dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop.
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Wheel and tire combination
You can ask the dealer’s service center or an‐
other qualified service center or repair shop
about the right wheel/tire combination and
wheel rim versions for the vehicle.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair
the function of a variety of systems such as
ABS or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
WARNING
Wheels and tires which are not suitable
for your vehicle can damage parts of the vehi‐
cle, e. g. due to contact with the body due to
tolerances despite the same official size rating.
There is risk of an accident.◀
WARNING
Mounted steel wheels can cause techni‐
cal problems, e.g. independent loosening of
the lug bolts, damage to the brake discs. There
is risk of an accident. Do not mount steel
wheels.◀
Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your ve‐
hicle recommends certain tire brands. These
can be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.
New tires
Tire traction is not optimal due to manufactur‐
ing circumstances when tires are brand-new;
they achieve their full traction potential after a
break-in time.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
WARNING
Retreated tires can have different tire
casing structures. With advanced age the serv‐
ice life can be limited. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Do not use retreated tires.◀
Winter tires
Winter tires are recommended for operating on
winter roads.
Although so-called all-season M+S tires pro‐
vide better winter traction than summer tires,
they do not provide the same level of perform‐
ance as winter tires.
Maximum speed of winter tires If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,
then a respective symbol is displayed in your
field of vision. The plate is available from a
dealer’s service center or another qualified
service center or repair shop.
With mounted winter tires, observe and adhere
to the permissible maximum speed.
Run-flat tires If you are already using run-flat tires, for your
own safety you should replace them only with
the same kind. No spare tire is available in the
case of a flat tire. A dealer’s service center or
another qualified service center or repair shop
will be glad to answer additional questions at
any time.Seite 259Wheels and tiresMobility259
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▷The system has detected a wheel change,
but no reset was done.▷No reset was performed for the system.
The system therefore issues a warning
based on the tire inflation pressures before
the last reset.▷Inflation was not carried out according to
specifications.▷The tire inflation pressure has fallen below
the level of the last reset.
In these cases:
1.Check the tire pressure and correct as
needed.2.Reset the system.
Message in case of low tire pressure
The yellow warning lamp lights up.
A Check Control message is displayed.
▷There is a tire inflation pressure loss.▷No reset was performed for the system.
The system therefore issues a warning
based on the tire inflation pressures before
the last reset.
In these cases:
1.Reduce your speed and drive moderately.
Do not exceed a speed of
80 mph/130 km/h.2.At the next opportunity, e.g. gas station,
check and if necessary correct the tire in‐
flation pressure in all four tires.3.Reset the system.
Message in case of sharp tire inflation pressure loss
The yellow warning lamp lights up.
A symbol with the affected tires will be dis‐
played in the Check Control message.▷There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire in‐
flation pressure.▷No reset was performed for the system.
The system therefore issues a warning
based on the tire inflation pressures before
the last reset.
In these cases:
1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with
normal tires or run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 260, are la‐
beled with a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC marked on the tire's sidewall.
WARNING
A damaged regular tire with low or miss‐
ing tire inflation pressure impacts handling,
such as steering and braking response. Run-
flat tires can maintain limited stability. There is
risk of an accident. Do not continue driving if
the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat tires.
Observe the information on run-flat tires and
continued driving with these tires.◀
A low tire inflation pressure might turn on DSC
Dynamic Stability Control.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
The tire pressure gauge of the Mobility
System, refer to page 260, can be used for
this purpose.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is shown to be correct, it is possible that
the Tire Pressure Monitor did not perform
a reset. Then perform the reset.Seite 266MobilityWheels and tires266
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checked by a dealer’s service center or an‐
other qualified service center or repair
shop as needed.▷Malfunction: Have system checked by a
dealer’s service center or another qualified
service center or repair shop.▷TPM was unable to complete the reset.
Reset the system again.▷Interference through systems or devices
with the same radio frequency: After leav‐
ing the area of the interference, the system
automatically becomes active again.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
System
Each tire, including the spare (if provided)
should be checked monthly when cold and in‐
flated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation 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 is
significantly under-inflated. 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 pres‐
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel ef‐
ficiency and 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 under-inflation 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 indi‐
cator to indicate when the system is not oper‐
ating properly. The TPMS malfunction indica‐
tor is combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a malfunc‐
tion, the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illumi‐
nated. This sequence will continue upon sub‐
sequent 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 replace‐
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle
that prevent the TPMS from functioning prop‐
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction tell‐
tale 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 properly.
FTM Flat Tire Monitor
The concept The system detects tire inflation pressure loss
on the basis of rotation speed differences be‐
tween the individual wheels while driving.
In the event of a tire inflation pressure loss, the
diameter and therefore the rotational speed of
the corresponding wheel changes. This will be
detected and reported as a flat tire.
The system does not measure the actual infla‐
tion pressure in the tires.
Functional requirements
The system must have been initialized when
the tire inflation pressure was correct; other‐
wise, reliable flagging of a flat tire is not as‐
sured. Initialize the system after each correc‐
tion of the tire inflation pressure and after
every tire or wheel change.Seite 268MobilityWheels and tires268
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Status displayThe current status of the flat tire monitor can
be displayed, e.g., whether the RPA is active.
About iDrive:1."My Vehicle"2."Vehicle status"3. "Flat Tire Monitor"
The status is displayed.
Initialization
When initializing the once set inflation tire
pressures serve as reference values in order to
detect a flat tire. Initialization is started by con‐
firming the tire inflation pressures.
Do not initialize the system when driving with
snow chains.
About iDrive:
1."My Vehicle"2."Vehicle status"3.Flat Tire Monitor reset4.Start the engine - do not drive off.5.Start the initialization: "Perform reset"6.Drive away.
The initialization is completed while driving,
which can be interrupted at any time.
The initialization automatically continues when
driving resumes.
Indication of a flat tire The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
Check Control message is displayed.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire
inflation pressure.
1.Reduce your speed and stop cautiously.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Check whether the vehicle is fitted with
normal tires or run-flat tires.Run-flat tires, refer to page 260, are la‐
beled with a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC marked on the tire's sidewall.
WARNING
A damaged regular tire with low or miss‐
ing tire inflation pressure impacts handling,
such as steering and braking response. Run-
flat tires can maintain limited stability. There is
risk of an accident. Do not continue driving if
the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat tires.
Observe the information on run-flat tires and
continued driving with these tires.◀
When a flat tire is indicated, DSC Dynamic Sta‐
bility Control is switched on if needed.
System limits
A natural, even tire inflation pressure loss in all four tires will not be recognized. Therefore,
check the tire inflation pressure regularly.
Sudden serious tire damage caused by exter‐
nal circumstances cannot be recognized in ad‐
vance.
The system could be delayed or malfunction in
the following situations:
▷When the system has not been initialized.▷When driving on a snowy or slippery road
surface.▷Sporty driving style: spinning traction
wheels, high lateral acceleration (drifting).▷When driving with snow chains.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
Do this by checking the air pressure in all
four tires.
The tire pressure gauge of the Mobility
System, refer to page 260, can be used for
this purpose.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires
is correct, the Flat Tire Monitor may notSeite 269Wheels and tiresMobility269
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