other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
curbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try
to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tires, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
GWARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tires of your
vehicle for damage at least once a month, as
well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tire pressure. Pay particular attention to dam-
age such as:
Rcuts in the tires
Rpunctures
Rtears in the tires
Rbulges on tires
Rdeformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tire (
Ypage 289). If necessary, turn the
front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the
inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
mount anything onto the valve other than the
standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
Do not use any other valve caps or systems,
e.g. tire pressure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire
pressure as necessary (
Ypage 291).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (
Ypage 329). The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
RDriving style
RTire pressure
RDistance covered
Notes on tire tread
GWARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where speed is not adapted to suit the driving con-
ditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for:
RSummer tires: âin (3 mm)
RM+S tires: ãin (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached.
Marking :shows where the bar indicator
(arrow) for tread wear is integrated into the
tire tread.
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire
tread. They are visible once a tread depth of
Operation289
Wheels and tires
Z
approximatelyáin(1.6 mm )ha sbeen
re ached. If this is the case, the tire is so worn
that it must be replaced.
Selecting, mounting and replacing
tires
ROnly mount tires and wheels of the same
type and make.
Exception: it is permissible to install a dif-
ferent type or make in the event of a flat
tire. Observe the "MOExtended tires (tires
with run-flat characteristics" section
(
Ypage 272).
ROnly mount tires of the correct size onto
the wheels.
RBreak in new tires at moderate speeds for
the first 60 miles (100 km). They only reach
their full performance after this distance.
RDo not drive with tires which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (hydroplaning).
RReplace the tires after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (
Ypage 329).
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in con-
junction with an active tire pressure monitor
and only on wheels specifically tested by
Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with
a flat tire (
Ypage 272).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT kit can
be obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Winter operation
General notes
You can find information about this in the
Digital Operator's Manual.
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45
‡(+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tires on your vehi-
cle to M+S tires. Using summer tires at very
cold temperatures could cause cracks to
form, thereby damaging the tires perma-
nently. Mercedes-Benz cannot accept
responsibility for this type of damage.
GWARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
M+S tires
GWARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than
ã in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There is
a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than ãin
(4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
Further information can be found in the Digi-
tal Operator's Manual.
290Winter operation
Wheels and tires
Snow chains
GWARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
Rnever install snow chains to the front
wheels
Ralways install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
Further information can be found in the Digi-
tal Operator's Manual.
Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks:
Rthe tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
Rthe tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tires includ-
ing the spare wheel:
Rmonthly, at least
Rif the load changes
Rbefore beginning a long journey
Runder different operating conditions, e.g.
off-road driving
If necessary, correct the tire pressure.
iThe specifications on the sample Tire and
Loading Information placard and tire pres-
sure tables are examples. Tire pressure
specifications are vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data shown here. The tire
pressure specifications that are valid for
your vehicle can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information placard and tire pres-
sure table on the vehicle.
General notes
The recommended tire pressures for the tires
mounted at the factory can be found on the
labels described here.
Operation with an emergency spare
wheel: information on operation with an
emergency spare wheel can be found in the
general notes in the "Emergency spare wheel"
section (
Ypage 329).
Further information on tire pressures can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
Tire and Loading Information placard
:Recommended tire pressures
The Tire and Loading Information placard is
on the B-pillar on the driver's side
(
Ypage 298).
The Tire and Loading Information placard con-
tains the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires. The recommended tire pressures
are valid for the maximum permissible load
and up to the maximum permissible vehicle
speed.
Tire pressure291
Wheels and tires
Z
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
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.
The tires are cold:
Rif the vehicle has been parked without
direct sunlight on the tires for at least three
hours and
Rif 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:
Ron the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side
Rin the tire pressure table on the inside of the
fuel filler flap
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
GWARNING
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:
Roverheat, leading to tire defects
Radversely affect handling
Rwear excessively and/or unevenly
Rhave an adverse effect on fuel consumption
Overinflated tires
GWARNING
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:
Rincrease the braking distance
Radversely affect handling
Tire pressure293
Wheels and tires
Z
Rwear excessively and/or unevenly
Rhave an adverse effect on ride comfort
Rbe more susceptible to damage
Maximum tire pressures
: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
(
Ypage 291).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Checking the tire pressures
Important safety notes
Observe the notes on tire pressure
(
Ypage 291).
Information on air pressure for the tires on
your vehicle can be found:
Ron the vehicle's Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard on the B-pillar
Ron the tire pressure label on the fuel filler
flap
Rin the "Tire pressure" section
Checking tire pressures manually
To determine and set the correct tire pres-
sure, proceed as follows:
XRemove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.
XPress the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
XRead the tire pressure and compare it to
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard or the tire
pressure table (
Ypage 291).
XIf the tire pressure is too low, increase the
tire pressure to the recommended value.
XIf the tire pressure is too high, release air.
To do so, press down the metal pin in the
valve, using the tip of a pen for example.
Then check the tire pressure again using
the tire pressure checker.
XScrew the valve cap onto the valve.
XRepeat these steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure monitor
General notes
If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the vehi-
cle's wheels have sensors that monitor the
tire pressures in all four tires. The tire pres-
sure monitor warns you if the pressure drops
in one or more of the tires. The tire pressure
monitor only functions if the corresponding
sensors are installed in all wheels.
Information on tire pressures is displayed in
the multifunction display. After a few minutes
of driving, the current tire pressure of each
tire is shown in the Service
menu of the mul-
tifunction display, see illustration (example).
Example: Sedan, current tire pressure display
294Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
For information on the message display, refer
to the "Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally" section (
Ypage 296).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once every two
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 thatthe 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
trigg er i
llumination 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 malfunction 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
(
Ypage 291). 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
(
Ypage 297). 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 ti
re pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure (
Ypage 291).
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 maneuvers.
Tire pressure295
Wheels and tires
Z
Example:
RTread wear grade:200
RTraction grade:AA
RTemperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Treadwear
The tread wear 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 course as a
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.
Traction
GWARNING
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 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 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
ãin (4 mm) on all four winter
tires. Observe the legally required minimum
tire tread depth (
Ypage 289). 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 appropri ate ca
re when driving.
Further information on winter tires (M+S
tires) can be found in the Digital Operator's
Manual.
Temperature
GWARNING
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, representing the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dissi-
pate heat when tested under controlled con-
ditions 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 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 performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
302All about wheels an d tires
Wheels and tires
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at
their designated seating positions.
Total load limit
Nominal load and luggage load plus 68 kg
(150 lbs) multiplied by the number of seats in
the vehicle.
Changing a wheel
Flat tire
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(
Ypage 271) contains information and notes
on how to deal with a flat tire. Information on driving with MOExtended tires in the event of
a flat tire can be found under "MOExtended
tires (tires with run-flat characteristics"
(
Ypage 272).
Vehicle with emergency spare wheel: in
the event of a flat tire, the emergency spare
wheel is mounted as described under "Mount-
ing a wheel" (
Ypage 309).
Rotating the wheels
GWARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tires have different dimensions. The wheel brakes or suspension components
may also be damaged. There is a risk of acci-
dent.
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the wheels and tires are of the same dimensions.
!On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are loca-
ted in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec- tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(
Ypage 309).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires
in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you
can rotate the wheels according to the inter-
vals in the tire manufacturer's warranty book
in your vehicle documents. If no warranty
book is available, the tires should be rotated
every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if tire wear requires. Do
not change the direction of wheel rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and reac-
tivate the tire pressure monitor if necessary
(
Ypage 297).
Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of hydroplaning. These advantages can only
be gained if the tires are installed correspond-
ing to the direction of rotation.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates its correct direction of rotation.
Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel.
Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
XApply the parking brake.
Changing a wheel309
Wheels and tires
Z