The load conditions "partially laden" and "fully
laden" are defined in the table for different
numbers of occupants and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may differ.
Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g.
R18 . Rim diameter is part of the tire size and
can be found on the tire sidewall
( Y
page 345).
If the tire pressures have been set to the
lower values for lighter loads and/or lower
road speeds, the pressures should be reset to
the higher values: R
if you want to drive with an increased load
and/or R
if you want to drive at higher road speeds
i The tire pressures for increased loads
and/or higher road speeds, shown in the
tire pressure table, may have a negative
effect on driving comfort.
If the tire pressure is not set correctly, this
can lead to an excessive build-up of heat and
a sudden loss of pressure. For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Important notes on tire pressure
G WARNING
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tire may be damaged. Tire
pressure that is too low may result in a tire
blow-out. There is a risk of an accident. R
Check the tire for foreign objects. R
Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tire
valves, the tire valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tire pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tire pres-
sure monitors keep the tire valve open. This
can also result in tire pressure loss. There is a
risk of an accident.
Only screw the standard valve cap or other
valve caps approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tire valve.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the
tire pressure. The outer appearance of a tire
does not permit any reliable conclusion about
the tire pressure. On vehicles equipped with
the electronic tire pressure monitor, the tire
pressure can be checked in the on-board
computer.
The tire temperature and pressure increase
when the vehicle is in motion. This is depend-
ent on the driving speed and the load.
Therefore, you should only correct tire pres-
sures when the tires are cold. Tire pressure 333
Wheels and tires Z
The tires are cold: R
if the vehicle has been parked with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and R
if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1 mile (1.6 km)
The tire temperature changes depending on
the outside temperature, the vehicle speed
and the tire load. If the tire temperature
changes by 18 ‡ (10 †), the tire pressure
changes by approximately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/
1.5 psi). Take this into account when check-
ing the pressure of warm tires. Only correct
the tire pressure if it is too low for the current
operating conditions. If you check the tire
pressure when the tires are warm, the result-
ing value will be higher than if the tires were
cold. This is normal. Do not reduce the tire
pressure to the value specified for cold tires.
The tire pressure would otherwise be too low.
Observe the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires: R
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side R
in the tire pressure table on the fuel filler
flap ( Y
page 168)
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
G WARNING
Tires with pressure that is too low can over-
heat and burst as a consequence. In addition,
they also suffer from excessive and/or irreg-
ular wear, which can severely impair the brak-
ing properties and the driving characteristics.
There is a risk of an accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too low in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Underinflated tires may: R
overheat, leading to tire defects R
adversely affect handling R
wear excessively and/or unevenly R
have an adverse effect on fuel consumption
Overinflated tires
G WARNING
Tires with excessively high pressure can burst
because they are damaged more easily by
road debris, potholes etc. In addition, they
also suffer from irregular wear, which can
severely impair the braking properties and the
driving characteristics. There is a risk of an
accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too high in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Overinflated tires may: R
increase the braking distance R
adversely affect handling R
wear excessively and/or unevenly R
have an adverse effect on ride comfort R
be more susceptible to damage
Maximum tire pressures
C
Example: maximum permissible tire pres-
sure
Never exceed the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure. Always observe the rec-
ommended tire pressure for your vehicle
when adjusting the tire pressure
( Y
page 332).
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.334
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
weeks when cold and inflated to the pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pres-
sure 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
Information placard or, if available, 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 lights up,
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 stopping ability. Please note that
the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's responsi-
bility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if
underinflation has not reached the level to
trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pres-
sure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunct ion indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the sys-
tem 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 illu-
minated, 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 incom-
patible 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 or alternate Tires
and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to that recommended for cold tires
which is suitable for the operating situation
( Y
page 332). Note that the correct tire pres-
sure for the current operating situation must
first be taught-in to the tire pressure monitor.
If there is a substantial loss of pressure, the
warning threshold for the warning message is
aligned to the reference values taught-in.
Restart the tire pressure monitor after adjust-
ing the pressure of the cold tires
( Y
page 338). The current pressures are
saved as new reference values. As a result, a
warning message will appear if the tire pres-
sure drops significantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you
of an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure
( Y
page 332).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering movements.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow warn-
ing lamp in the instrument c luster for indicat-
in
g pressure loss or a malfunction. Whether
the warning lamp flashes or lights up indi-
cates whether a tire pressure is too low or the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning: R
if the warning lamp is lit continuously, the
tire pressure on one or more tires is signif-
icantly too low. The tire pressure monitor is
not malfunctioning. R
if the warning lamp flashes for around a
minute and then remains lit constantly, the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning. Tire pressure 337
Wheels and tires Z
In addition to the warning lamp, a message
appears in the multifunction display. Observe
the information on display messages
( Y
page 250).
It may take up to ten minutes for a malfunc-
tion of the tire pressure monitor to be indica-
ted. A malfunction will be indicated by the tire
pressure warning lamp flashing for approx-
imately one minute and then remaining lit.
When the malfunction has been rectified, the
tire pressure warning lamp goes out after a
few minutes of driving.
The tire pressure values indicated by the on-
board computer may differ from those meas-
ured at a gas station with a pressure gauge.
The tire pressures shown by the on-board
computer refer to those measured at sea
level. At high altitudes, the tire pressure val-
ues indicated by a pressure gauge are higher
than those shown by the on-board computer.
In this case, do not reduce the tire pressures.
The operation of the tire pressure monitor can
be affected by interference from radio trans-
mitting equipment (e.g. radio headphones,
two-way radios) that may be being operated
in or near the vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock ( Y
page 147).X
Press Y or e on the steering wheel
to select the Serv.
menu.X
Press the c or d button to select
Tire Pressure
.X
Press the v button.
The current tire pressure of each tire is
shown in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle was parked for longer than
20 minutes, the Tire pressure will be
displayed after driving a few
minutes message is shown.
After a teach-in process, the tire pressure
monitor automatically detects new wheels or
new sensors. As long as a clear allocation of the tire pressure value to the individual
wheels is not possible, the Tire Pressure
Monitor Active message is shown instead
of the tire pressure display. The tire pressures
are already being monitored.
Tire pressure monitor warning mes-
sages If the tire pressure monitor detects a pressure
loss in one or more tires, a warning message
is shown in the multifunction display. The yel-
low tire pressure warning lamp then lights up. R
If the Please Correct Tire Pressure
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play, the tire pressure in at least one tire is
too low. The tire pressure must be correc-
ted when the opportunity arises. R
If the Check Tire Pressure message
appears in the multifunction display, the
tire pressure in one or more tires has drop-
ped significantly. The tires must be
checked. R
If the Tire Pressure Warning Tire
Failure message appears in the multi-
function display, the tire pressure in one or
more tires has dropped suddenly. The tires
must be checked.
Observe the instructions and safety notes in
the display messages in the "Tires" section
( Y
page 250).
If the wheel positions on the vehicle are rota-
ted, the tire pressures may be displayed for
the wrong positions for a short time. This is
rectified after a few minutes of driving, and
the tire pressures are displayed for the cor-
rect positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor
When you restart the tire pressure monitor, all
existing warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamps go out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the refer-
ence values for monitoring. In most cases, the
tire pressure monitor will automatically
detect the new reference values after you338
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
All-weather tires and winter tires
Index Speed ra ting
Q M+S 1
up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S 1
up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S 1
up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S 1
up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
i Not all tires with the M+S marking provide
the driv ing characteristics of winter tires. In
addit ion to the M+S marking, winter tires
also have the M snowflake symbol on
the tire wall. Tires wit h 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-
cial ly developed for driving on snow.
An electron ic speed limiter prevents your
veh icle from exceeding a speed of 130 mph
(21 0 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 355).
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 C may be imprinted after the letters
that identify speed rating on the sidewall of
the tire. Speed rating ( Y
page 345).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 C is 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-1
Or M+S M for winter tires. All about wheels and tires 347
Wheels and tires Z
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 not
include 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 with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and R
if the vehicle has not been driven further
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 t h
e 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 kg (5 lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, level control, a roof rack or a high-
performance battery, are not included in the
curb weight and the weight of the accesso-
ries.
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.
Treadwear indicators
Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are dis-
tributed over the tire tread. If the tire tread is
level with the bars, the wear limit of