2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER tire type

Regular wheel and tire checks
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.
Check the wheels and tires of your vehicle for
damage regularly, i.e. at least every two weeks,
as well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of tire
pressure. Pay particular attention to damage
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 248). 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 install
anything onto the valve other than the standard
valve cap or other valve caps approved for your vehicle by dealers listed on the inside of the
front cover. Do not install any other valve caps
or systems, e.g. tire pressure monitor systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires,
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire
pressure if ne
cessary (Ypage 250).
The service life of tires depends on various fac-
tors, including the following:
Rdriving style
Rtire pressure
Rmileage
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.
Bar marking :for tread wear is integrated into
the tire tread.
Tread wear indicators (TWIs) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned over the tire
tread. They are visible once the tread depth is
approximately áin (1.6 mm). If this is the case,
the tire is so worn that it must be replaced.
Selecting, mounting and renewing
tires
ROnly mount tires and wheels of the same type
and make.
ROnly mount tires of the correct size onto the
wheels.
RBreak in new tires at moderate speeds for the first 65 miles (100 km).
248Operation
Wheels and tires

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 6 years at the latest,
regardless of wear. This also applies to the
spare wheel.
Operation in winter
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Prior to the onset of winter, ensure that snow
chains are stowed in the vehicle (
Ypage 249).
Also observe the notes in the "Changing a
wheel" section (
Ypage 266).
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tires on your vehicle
to M+S tire. Using summer tires at very cold
temperatures could cause tears to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently. We
cannot accept responsibility for this type of
damage.
M+S tires
GWARNING
Wheel and tire dimensions as well as the type of tire can vary between the spare wheel and
the wheel to be replaced. When the spare
wheel is mounted, driving characteristics may be severely affected. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
In order to reduce risks:
Ryou should therefore adapt your driving
style and drive carefully.
Rnever mount more than one spare wheel
that differs from the wheel to be replaced.
Ronly use a spare wheel that differs from the
wheel to be replaced for a short time.
Rdo not deactivate ESP®.
Rhave a spare wheel that differs from the
wheel that has been changed replaced at
the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
You must observe the correct wheel and
tire dimensions as well as the wheel type.
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.
Use winter tires or all-season tires at tempera-
tures below 45 ‡ (+7 †). Both types of tire are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tires bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking provide
the best possible grip in wintry road conditions.
Only these tires will allow driving safety systems
such as ABS and ESP
®to function optimally in
winter. These tires have been developed specif-
ically for driving in snow.
For safe driving, use M+S tire sof the same make
and tread pattern on all wheels.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
If you mount M+S tires that have a lower maxi-
mum permissible speed than that of the vehicle,
affix a corresponding warning label in the driv-
er's field of vision. You can obtain this at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Once you have mounted the winter tires:
XCheck the tire pressure (Ypage 250).
XReactivate the tire pressure moni-
tor* (
Ypage 255).
Snow chains
GWARNING
If you drive too fast with snow chains moun-
ted, they may snap. As a result, you could
injure others and damage the vehicle. There is
a risk of an accident.
Operation in winter249
Wheels and tires
* optionalZ

Observe the maximum permissible speed for
operation with snow chains.
When driving with snow chains installed, do not
exceed the maximum permissible speed of
30 mph (50 km/h). Observe the country-spe-
cific laws and regulations for operation with
snow chains.
!Check the snow chains for damage before
mounting them. Damaged or worn snow
chains may snap and damage the following
components:
Rwheel
Rwheel housing
Rwheel suspension
For this reason, you must use only snow
chains that are free of defects. Observe the
manufacturer's mounting instructions.
!Vehicles with steel wheels: if you mount
snow chains on steel wheels, you may dam-
age the hub caps. Remove the hub caps from
the relevant wheels before mounting the
snow chains.
Snow chains increase traction on roads in wintry
conditions.
For reasons of safety we only recommend using
snow chains or traction aids that are approved
for the Sprinter. The snow chains or traction aids
must be of class U or meet the SAE type U
specification. Information on snow chains is
available at any qualified specialist workshop.
When mounting snow chains, please bear the
following points in mind:
RSnow chains cannot be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. When mounting the snow chains, note the permissible tire and
snow chain dimensions.
RMount snow chains only in pairs and only to
the rear wheels. On vehicles with twin tires,
mount the snow chains to the outer wheels.
Observe the manufacturer's mounting
instructions.
RVehicles with all-wheel-drive: snow chains
are not permitted on the front axle. There is
not sufficient space for commercially-availa-
ble snow chains. Information about snow
chains for all-wheel-drive vehicles can be
obtained from an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
ROnly use snow chains when the road is cov-
ered by a layer of snow. Remove the snow chains as soon as possible when you come to
a road that is not snow-covered.
RThe use of snow chains may be restricted by
local regulations. Observe the appropriate
regulations before mounting snow chains.
RActivate all-wheel drive before driving off with
snow chains (Ypage 148).
RWhen driving with snow chains installed, do
not exceed the maximum permissible speed
of 30 mph (50 km/h).
RCheck the tension of the chains after a dis-
tance of approximately 0.5 miles (1.0 km).
You can deactivate ASR (
Ypage 53) when pull-
ing away with snow chains mounted. This allows
the wheels to spin in a controlled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action).
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 shown on the sample Tire
and Loading Information placard and tire
250Tire pressure
Wheels and tires

Tire valve
GWARNING
Tire valve that are not approved for your vehi-
cle by the distributor named on the inside
cover page may result in a loss of tire pres-
sure. This may affect road safety. There is a
risk of an accident.
Only use tire valve that are approved for your
vehicle by the distributor named on the inside
cover page. Always make sure you have the
correct tire valve type for the tires on your
vehicle.
!Do not screw additional weights (check
valves, etc.) onto the tire valves. The elec-
tronic components could thus be damaged.
Only for vehicles without a tire pressure moni-
tor:
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use tire valves that have
been tested for use on your vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure manually
In order to determine and adjust the tire pres-
sures, proceed as follows:
XRemove the valve cap of the tire you wish to
check.
XPress the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
XRead the tire pressure and compare it with the
recommended value on the loading informa-
tion table or the tire pressure table
(
Ypage 250).
XIf the tire pressure is too low, increase it to the
recommended value.
XIf the tire pressure is too high, release air by
pressing down the metal pin in the valve. Use
the tip of a pen, for example. Then, check the
tire pressure again using the tire pressure
gauge.
XScrew the valve cap onto the valve.
XRepeat the steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure monitor
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pressure
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 Infor-
mation placard or 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 illuminates,
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 stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a subs titute
fo

r proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er'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.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
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-
Tire pressure253
Wheels and tires
Z

Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo care-
fully, you should still make sure that the gross
vehicle weight rating and the gross axle weight
rating are not exceeded. Details about this can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the driver seat frame of your vehicle
(
Ypage 276).
Gross vehicle weight: the gross weight of the
vehicle, all passengers, cargo and trailer load/
noseweight (if applicable) must not exceed the
permissible gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum per-
missible load that can be carried by one axle
(front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed the
maximum permissible values (gross vehicle
weight and maximum gross axle weight rating),
have your loaded vehicle (including driver, occu-
pants, cargo, and full trailer load if applicable)
weighed on a suitable vehicle weighbridge.
Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached, the
trailer load/noseweight is included in the load
along with occupants and luggage. The trailer
load/noseweight is usually approximately 10%
of the gross weight of the trailer and its load.
What you should know about wheels
and tires
Tire labeling
Overview
:DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 263)
;Maximum tire load (Ypage 263)
=Maximum tire pressure (Ypage 252)
?Manufacturer
ATire material (Ypage 264)
BTire size designation, load-bearing capacity
and speed index (Ypage 261)
CTire name
The markings described above are on the tire in addition to the tire name (sales designation) and
the manufacturer's name.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
Tire size designation, load bearing index
and speed index
GWARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing capa-
city and the approved maximum speed could
lead to tire damage or the tire bursting. There is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
What you should know about wheels and tires261
Wheels and tires
Z

tire load rating and speed rating required for
your vehicle.
:Design standard
;Tire width
=Nominal aspect ratio in %
?Tire code
ARim diameter
BLoad bearing index
CSpeed index
General: depending on the manufacturer's
standards, the size imprinted in the tire wall may
not contain any letters or may contain one let-
ter :that precedes the size description
If "LT" precedes the size description (as shown
above): these are light truck tires according to
U.S. manufacturing standards.
If "C" precedes the size description: these are
commercial motor vehicle tires according to
European manufacturing standards.
Tire width: tire width;shows the nominal tire
width in millimeters.
Aspect ratio: aspect ratio=is the size ratio
between the tire height and tire width and is
shown in percent. The aspect ratio is calculated
by dividing the tire width by the tire height.
Tire code: tire code?specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires. "D" represents diag-
onal tires, "B" represents diagonal radial tires.
Rim diameter: rim diameterAis the diameter
of the bead seat, not the diameter of the rim
flange. The rim diameter is specified in
inches (in).
Load-bearing index: load-bearing indexBis a
numerical code tha t s
pecifies the maximum
load-bearing capacity of a tire.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissible
load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side (
Ypage 258).
Example:
The load-bearing index 120 indicates a maxi-
mum load of 3,042 lb (1,380 kg) for the tire. If
two load-bearing capacity indices are specified
(as shown above), the first number states the
load-bearing capacity for single tires, the sec-
ond number the load-bearing capacity for twin
tires. For further information on the maximum
tire load in kilograms and pounds, see
(
Ypage 263).
For further information on the load-bearing
index, see "Load index" (
Ypage 263).
Speed rating: speed ratingCspecifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire.
Regardless of the speed index always observe
the speed limits. Drive carefully and adapt your
driving style to the traffic conditions.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
IndexSpeed rating
Fup to 50 mph (80 km/h)
Gup to 56 mph (90 km/h)
Jup to 62 mph (100 km/h)
Kup to 68 mph (110 km/h)
Lup to 74 mph (120 km/h)
Mup to 80 mph (130 km/h)
Nup to 87 mph (140 km/h)
Pup to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Qup to 100 mph (160 km/h)
Rover 106 mph (170 km/h)
iNot all tires that have the M+S identification
offer the driving characteristics of winter
tires. In addition 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 Manufacturers
Association (RMA) and the Rubber Associa-
tion of Canada (RAC) regarding the tire trac-
tion on snow. They have been especially
developed for driving on snow.
262What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires

Further information on the reading of tire infor-
mation can be obtained at any qualified special-
ist workshop.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, load rat-
ing:may be imprinted after the letters that
identify speed rating on the sidewall of the tire
(
Ypage 261).
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 deviate
from the data in the example.
Maximum tire load
Maximum tire load :is the maximum permis-
sible weight for which the tire is approved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissible
load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side (
Ypage 258).
iThe actual values for tires are specific to
each vehicle and may deviate from the values
in the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
U.S. 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 retreaders
to inform purchasers of recalls and other safety-
relevant matters. It makes it possible for the
purchaser to easily identify the affected tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer identifica-
tion code ;, tire size =, tire type code ?and
manufacturing date A.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol :indicates that the tire complies with
the requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code: manufac-
turer identification code ;provides details on
the tire manufacturer. New tires have a code
with two symbols. Retreaded tires have a code
with four symbols.
Further information about retreaded tires
(
Ypage 247).
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 manufactureA
provides information about the age of a tire. The first and second positions represent the week of
manufacture, starting with "01" for the first cal-
endar week. Positions three and four represent
the year of manufacture. For example, a tire that
What you should know about wheels and tires263
Wheels and tires
Z

is marked with "3208", was manufactured in
week 32 in 2008.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
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 deviate
from the data in the example.
Definitions for tires and loading
Tire structure and characteristics
Describes the number of layers or the number of
rubber-coated belts in the tire tread and the tire
wall. These consist 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.
DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of the
United States Department of Transportation.
Average weight of vehicle occupants
The number of occupants for which the vehicle
is designed multiplied by 68 kilograms (150 lbs).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of tires
with regard to tread quality, traction and tem-
perature characteristics. The quality grading
assessment is made by the manufacturer fol- lowing specifications from the U.S government.
The quality grade of a tire is imprinted on the
sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressures are the pres-
sures specified for the tires mounted on the
vehicle at the factory.
The tire and load information table
8contains the
recommended tire pressures for cold tires, the
maximum permissible load and the maximum
permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recommen-
ded tire pressure for cold tires under various
operating conditions, i.e. loading and/or speed
of the vehicle.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
The combined weight of all standard and
optional equipment available for the vehicle,
regardless of whether it is actually installed on
the vehicle or not.
Wheel rim
The part of the wheel on which the tire is moun-
ted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
GAWR is the maximum gross axle weight rating.
The actual load on an axle must never exceed
the gross axle weight rating. The Gross Axle
Weight Rating can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate on the driver seat frame
(
Ypage 276).
Speed index
The speed index is part of the tire identification.
It specifies the speed range for which the tire is
approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
GTW is the total of weight of a trailer and the
weight of the load, accessories etc. on the
trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight of the vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
accessories installed, occupants, luggage and
the drawbar noseweight if applicable. The gross
vehicle weight may never exceed the gross vehi-
8Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs (4536 kg).
264What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires