All-weather tires and winter tires
IndexSpeedrating
Q M+S1up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S1up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S1up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S1up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
iNot 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 isnowflake symbol on
the tire wall.Tires with 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 lydeveloped for driving on snow.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
veh icle from exceeding a speed of 130 mph
(21 0km/ 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 (
Ypage 367).
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 :may be imprinted after the letters
that identify speed rating on the sidewall of
the tire. Speed rating (
Ypage 357).
RIf no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard
load (SL) tire
RXL or Extra Load: represents a reinforced
tire
RLight Load: represents a light load tire
RC, D, E: represents a load range that
depends on the maximum load that the tire
can carry at a certain pressure
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Maximum load rating
Maximum tire load :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-
1Or M+S ifor winter tires.
All about wheels and tires359
Wheels and tires
Z
ble load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side (
Ypage 351).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
US tire regulations stipulate that every tire
manufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN
in or on the sidewall of each tire produced.
The TIN is a unique identification number. The
TIN enables the tire manufacturers or retread-
ers to inform purchasers of recalls and other
safety-relevant matters. It makes it possible
for the purchaser to easily identify the affec-
ted tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer identifi-
cation code ;, tire size=, tire type code ?
and manufacturing date A.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol :marks that the tire complies with
the requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code: manu-
facturer identification code ;provides
details on the tire manufacturer. New tires
have a code with two symbols. Retreaded
tires have a code with four symbols.
For further information about retreaded tires,
see (
Ypage 367).
Tire size: identifier=describes the tire size. Tire type code:
tire type code?can be used
by the manufacturer as a code to describe
specific characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture
A provides information about the age of a
tire. The first and second positions represent
the week of manufacture, starting with "01"
for the first calendar week. Positions three
and four represent the year of manufacture.
For example, a tire that is marked with
"3208", was manufactured in week 32 in
2008.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire characteristics
This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in sidewall :
and under tire tread ;.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Tire ply composition and material used
Describes the number of plies or the number
of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire
tread and sidewall. These are made of steel,
nylon, polyester and other materials.
Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure. 14.5038 pounds
per square inch (psi) and 100 kilopascals
(kPa) are the equivalent of 1 bar.
360All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires
DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT-markedtires fulfill th erequirements of
th e U S Departmen tof Transportation .
Normal occupant weigh t
The number of occupant sfo rwhic hth evehi-
cle is designed multiplie dby 68 kilograms
(15 0lbs) .
Unifor mTire Qualit yGrading Standards
A uniform standard to grade th equalit yof
tires wit hregards to tread quality, tire traction
and temperature characteristics .The qualit y
gradin gassessmen tis made by th emanufac -
turer following specification sfrom th eU.S.
government. The ratings are molded into th e
sidewall of th etire.
Recommended tire pressure s
The recommended tire pressur eapplies to
th etires mounted at th efactory.
The Tir eand Loadin gInformation placard con-
tains th erecommended tire pressures fo r
cold tires on afull yloade dvehicl eand fo rth e
maximum permissibl evehicl espeed.
The tire pressur etable contain sth erecom-
mended pressures fo rcold tires fo rvarious
operating conditions, i.e. differin gload and
speed conditions.
Increased vehicle weigh tdu eto optiona l
equipment
The combine dweight of all standard and
optional equipmen tavailable fo rth evehicle,
regardless of whether it is a
ctually installed
on th evehicl eor not.
Ri m
This is th epart of th ewhee lon whic hth etire
is mounted.
GAW R(Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAW Ris th emaximum gross axl eweight
rating. The actual load on an axl emus tnever
exceed th egross axl eweight rating. The
gross axl eweight ratin gcan be found on th e
vehicl eidentification plat eon th eB-pillar on
th edriver's side . Speed rating
The speed ratin
gis part of th etire identifica-
tion .It specifies th espeed range fo rwhic hth e
tire is approved.
GV W(Gross Vehicle Weight )
The gross vehicl eweight includes th eweight
of th evehicl eincludin gfuel ,tools ,th espar e
wheel, accessories installed ,occupants, lug-
gage and th edrawbar noseweight ,if applica-
ble. The gross vehicl eweight mus tno texceed
th egross vehicl eweight ratin gGVWR as
specified on th evehicl eidentification plat eon
th eB-pillar on th edriver's side .
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is th emaximum permissibl egross
weight of afull yloade dvehicl e(the weight of
th evehicl eincludin gall accessories, occu-
pants ,fuel, luggage and th edrawbar nose-
weight ,if applicable). The gross vehicl e
weight ratin gis specified on th
eve
hicl eiden -
tification plat eon th eB-pillar on th edriver's
side .
Maximum loaded vehicle weigh t
The maximum weight is th esum of :
Rthecur bweight of th evehicl e
Rtheweight of th eaccessories
Rth eload limi t
Rtheweight of th efactory installed optional
equipmen t
Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric uni tfo rtire pressure. 6. 9kP acorre-
spond sto 1psi .Another uni tfo rtire pressur e
is bar. 10 0kilopascal s(kPa) are th eequiva-
len tof 1bar.
Load index
In addition to th eload-bearin gindex ,th eload
index may also be imprinte don th esidewall of
th etire. This specifies th eload-bearin gcapa-
cit ymor eprecisely.
All about wheels and tires36 1
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:
Rif the vehicle has been parked with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and
Rif 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 sit
s
securely on t
he 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 áin
(1.6 mm) has been reached.
362All about wheels and 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 322) 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 323).
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.
Observe the instructions and safety notes in
the "Changing a wheel" section (
Ypage 363).
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.
On vehicles that have the same size front and
rear wheels, you can rotate the wheels
according to the intervals in the tire manu-
facturer's warranty book in your vehicle docu-
ments. If no warranty book is available, the
tires should be rotated every 3,000 to
6,000 miles (5,000 to 10,000 km). Depending
on tire wear, this may be required earlier. 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, if nec-
essary, restart the tire pressure loss warning
system or the tire pressure monitor.
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 electric parking brake manually.
XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
Changing a wheel363
Wheels and tires
Z
XTighten the wheel bolts evenly in a cross-
wise pattern in the sequence indicated (:
to A). The specified tightening torque is
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
XTurn the jack back to its initial position.
XStow the jack and the rest of the vehicle
tools in the vehicle again.
XCheck the tire pressure of the newly moun-
ted wheel and adjust it if necessary.
Observe the recommended tire pressure
(
Ypage 343).
When you are driving with the collapsible
spare wheel mounted, the tire pressure loss
warning system or the tire pressure monitor
cannot function reliably. Only restart the tire
pressure loss warning system or tire pressure
monitor when the defective wheel has been
replaced with a new wheel.
Vehicles with a tire pressure control sys-
tem: all installed wheels must be equipped
with functioning sensors.
Wheel and tire combinations
General notes
!
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tires and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tires have been specially adapted for
use with the control systems, such as ABS
or ESP
®, and are marked as follows:
RMO = Mercedes-Benz Original
RMOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(tires featuring run-flat characteristics)
RMO1 = Mercedes-Benz Original (only cer-
tain AMG tires)
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tires
may only be used on wheels that have been
specifically approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Only use tires, wheels or accessories tes-
ted and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Cer-
tain characteristics, e.g. handling, vehicle
noise emissions or fuel consumption, may
otherwise be adversely affected. In addi-
tion, when driving with a load, tire dimen-
sion variations could cause the tires to
come into contact with the bodywork and
axle components. This could result in dam-
age to the tires or the vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz accepts no liability for
damage resulting from the use of tires,
wheels or accessories other than those tes-
ted and approved.
Information on tires, wheels and approved
combinations can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop.
!Retreaded tires are neither tested nor rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz, since pre-
vious damage cannot always be detected
on retreaded tires. As a result, Mercedes-
Benz cannot guarantee vehicle safety if
retreaded tires are mounted. Do not mount
used tires if you have no information about
their previous usage.
Overview of abbreviations used in the follow-
ing tire tables:
RBA: both axles
RFA: front axle
RRA: rear axle
Wheel and tire combinations367
Wheels and tires
Z
The recommended pressures for various
operating conditions can be found:
Ron the Tire and Loading Information placardon the B-pillar on the driver's side
Rin the tire pressure table in the fuel filler flap
Observe the notes on recommended tire
pressures under various operating conditions
(
Ypage 343).
Check tire pressures regularly, and only when
the tires are cold. Comply with the mainte-
nance recommendations of the tire manufac-
turer in the vehicle document wallet.
Notes on the vehicle equipment – always
equip the vehicle with:
Rwith tires of the same size on a given axle
(left and right)
Rthe same type of tires at a given time (sum-
mer tires, winter tires, MOExtended tires)
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 323).
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 may
be obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
iNot all wheel and tire combinations are
available at the factory for all countries.
iThe following pages contain information
on approved wheel rims and tire sizes for
equipping your vehicle with winter tires.
Winter tires are not available at the factory
as standard equipment or optional extras.
If you want to equip your vehicle with
approved winter tires, it may be necessary
to obtain wheel rims in the corresponding
size. The size of the approved winter tires
may differ from the standard tires. This is
dependent on the model and the equip-
ment installed at the factory. The tires and wheel rims, as well as further
information, can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop.
368Wheel and tire combinations
Wheels and tires