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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 180).
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
Rin the tire pressure table in the fuel filler
flap (Ypage 98)
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 bechecked.
XPress the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
XRead the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard (
Ypage 180).
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 this, press down the metal pin in
the valve using the tip of a pen, for exam-
ple. 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
iThis function is only available in the
USA.
If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the
vehicle's wheels have sensors that monitor
the tire pressures in all four tires. The tire
pressure monitor warns you if the pressure
drops in one or more of the tires. The tire pressure monitor only functions if the cor-
responding sensors are fitted to all wheels.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provi-
ded), should be checked at least once every
two weeks when cold and inflated to the
pressure recommended by the vehicle man- ufacturer on the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion 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 indi-
cated 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 moni-
toring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low
tire pressure 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. Driv-
ing on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle's handling and stopping abil-
ity. Please note that the TPMS is not a sub-
stitute for proper tire maintenance, and it
is the driver's responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if underinfla-
tion 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 indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
Tire pressure183
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warning lamp will flash for approximately
a minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will be repea-
ted every time the vehicle is started as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem 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
incompatible 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 sit-
uation (
Ypage 180). Note that the correct tire
pressure 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 warn-
ing message is aligned to the reference val-
ues taught-in. Restart the tire pressure mon-
itor after adjusting to the cold tire pressure.
The current pressures are saved as new ref-
erence values. As a result, a warning message
will appear if the tire pressure drops sig-
nificantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you of
an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe the notes on the recommended tire pressure
(
Ypage 180).
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. The tire pressure monitor has a yellow warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster for indi-
cating a pressure loss or malfunction.
Whether the warning lamp flashes or lights up
indicates whether a tire pressure is too low
or the tire pressure monitor is malfunction-
ing:
RIf the warning lamp is lit continuously, the
tire pressure on one or more tires is sig-
nificantly too low. The tire pressure mon-
itor is not malfunctioning.
RIf the warning lamp flashes for around a
minute and then remains lit constantly, the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
iA message appears in the display in addi-
tion to the warning lamp.
Observe the information on display mes-
sages (
Ypage 126).
If the tire pressure monitor is malfunction-
ing, it may take up to ten minutes for the tire
pressure warning lamp to inform you of the
malfunction. The malfunction will be indi-
cated first by the tire pressure warning lamp
flashing for approximately 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 operation of the tire pressure monitor
can be affected by interference from radio
transmitting equipment (e.g. radio head-
phones, two-way radios) that may be being
operated in or near the vehicle.
Tire pressure monitor warning messages
If the tire pressure monitor detects a pres-
sure loss in one or more tires, a warning mes-
sage is shown in the display. The yellow warn-
ing light in the tire pressure monitor lights
up. For certain display messages a warning
tone also sounds.
RIf the Correct Tire Pressuremessage
appears in the display, the tire pressure in
at least one tire is too low. Correct the tire
pressure at the next opportunity.
RIf the Tire Pressure Warning TireFailuremessage appears in the display,
the tire pressure in one or more tires has
dropped suddenly and the tires must be
checked.
Observe the instructions and safety notes for the display messages in the "Tires" section
184Tire pressure
>> Wheels and tires.
Page 187 of 214

(Ypage 126) and the indicator and warning
lamps in the instrument cluster in the "Tires" section (
Ypage 139).
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
reference values for monitoring. In most
cases, the tire pressure monitor will auto-
matically detect the new reference values
after you have changed the tire pressure.
However, you can also define reference values
manually as described here. The tire pres-
sure monitor then monitors the new tire pres-
sure values.
XSet the tire pressure to the value recom-
mended for the corresponding driving sit-
uation on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side
(
Ypage 180).
Additional tire pressure values for dif-
ferent loads can also be found on the tire
pressure table on the inside of the fuel
filler flap (
Ypage 180).
XMake sure that the tire pressure is correct on all four wheels.
On-board computer with a color display
XTo restart the tire pressure monitor: press
the 0063 or0064 button on the steering
wheel to select the Settings
menu and
press 0076on the steering wheel to con-
firm.
XPress the 0063or0064 button to select the
TirePressureMonitorsubmenu and con-
firm with 0076.
The Tire Pressure Monitor Use Cur‐
rentPressuresAsNewReferenceVal‐ues?message appears in the display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
XPress the 0063or0064 button to select yesand press the0076button to confirm.
The Tire Pressure Monitor Restarted
message appears in the display.
XPress 0076to confirm.
After a short while, the message is also
hidden without pressing the 0076button.
After driving for a few minutes, the system
checks whether the current tire pressures are within the specified range. The new
tire pressures are then accepted as refer-
ence values and monitored.
iIf the
Tire Pressure Monitor Restar‐tedmessage does not appear after approx-
imately 5 seconds, the restart was not suc-
cessful. If this occurs, repeat the restart.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
XPress the 0063or0064 button to select noand press the0076button to confirm.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Radio type approval for the tire pressure
monitor
CountryRadio type approval number
USAFCC ID: MRXMW2433A
FCC ID: MRXGG4
FCC ID: MRXMC34MA4
CanadaIC: 2546A-MW2433A
IC: 2546A-GG4
IC: 2546A-MC34MA4
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
Overloaded tires can overheat, causing a
blowout. Overloaded tires can also impair
the steering and driving characteristics
and lead to brake failure. There is a risk of
accident.
Observe the load rating of the tires. The
load rating must be at least half of the GAWR
of your vehicle. Never overload the tires by exceeding the maximum load.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1) The Tire and Loading Information plac- ard is on the B-pillar on the driver's
side. The Tire and Loading Information
placard shows the maximum permissible
number of occupants and the maximum
permissible vehicle load. It also con-
Loading the vehicle185
>> Wheels and tires.
Z
Page 188 of 214

tains details of the tire sizes and corre-
sponding pressures for tires mounted at
the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
vehicle identification plate informs you
of the gross vehicle weight rating. It is
made up of the vehicle weight, all vehicle
occupants, the fuel and the cargo. You can
also find information about the maximum
gross axle weight rating on the front and
rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the maximum gross axle weight rating for the front or
rear axle.
0043B-pillar, driver's side
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
XSpecification for maximum gross vehicle
weight 0043is listed in the Tire and Loading
Information placard: "The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs." The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
load and luggage must not exceed the speci-
fied value.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illus-
tration are examples. The maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight rating is
vehicle-specific and may differ from that
in the illustration. You can find the valid
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
Number of seats
Maximum number of seats 0043indicates the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illus-
tration are examples. The number of seats
is vehicle-specific and can differ from the
details shown. The number of seats in your
vehicle can be found on the Tire and Load-
ing Information placard.
Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
XStep 1: Locate the statement "The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
186Loading the vehicle
>> Wheels and tires.
Page 189 of 214
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
Tire and Loading Information placard.
XStep 2:Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be rid-
ing in your vehicle.
XStep 3: Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from XXX kilograms
or XXX lbs.
XStep 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example: at a sum “XXX” of
1400 lbs and five occupants each weighing
150 lbs, the amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 750
(5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
XStep 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load capa-
city calculated in step 4.
Loading the vehicle187
>> Wheels and tires.
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Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total and cargo load capacities with
varying seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use
a load limit of 1500 lbs (680 kg).This is for illustration purposes only. Make sure you are using
the actual load limit for your vehicle stated on your vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard (
Ypage 185).
The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maximum luggage load.
Step 1
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Combined maximum
weight of occupants and
cargo (data from the
Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)
Step 2
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Number of people in the
vehicle (driver and
occupants)531
Distribution of the
occupantsFront: 2
Rear: 3Front: 1
Rear: 2Front: 1
Weight of the occupantsOccupant 1: 150 lbs
(68 kg)
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
(82 kg)
Occupant 3: 160 lbs
(73 kg)
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
(63 kg)
Occupant 5: 120 lbs
(54 kg)Occupant 1: 200 lbs
(91 kg)
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
(86 kg)
Occupant 3: 150 lbs
(68 kg)Occupant 1: 150 lbs
(68 kg)
Gross weight of all
occupants750 lbs (340 kg)540 lbs (245 kg)150 lbs (68 kg)
188Loading the vehicle
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Step 3
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Permissible load (max-
imum gross vehicle
weight rating from the
Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard minus
the gross weight of all
occupants)1500 lbs (680 kg)
00F8750 lbs (340 kg) =
750 lbs (340 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)
00F8540 lbs (245 kg) =
960 lbs (435 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)
00F8150 lbs (68 kg) =
1350 lbs (612 kg)
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle weight rating and the gross
axle weight rating are not exceeded. Details
can be found on the vehicle identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle (
Ypage 185).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the gross
weight of the vehicle, all passengers, load
and trailer load/noseweight (if applicable)
must not exceed the permissible gross vehi-
cle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum per-
missible weight that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross vehi-
cle weight and maximum gross axle weight
rating), have your loaded vehicle (including
driver, occupants, cargo, and full trailer
load if applicable) weighed on a suitable
vehicle weighbridge.
All about wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S. government specifications. Their pur-
pose is to provide drivers with uniform reli-
able information on tire performance data.
Tire manufacturers have to grade tires using
three performance factors: 0043tread wear
grade, 0044traction grade and 0087temperature
grade. These regulations do not apply to Can-
ada. Nevertheless, all tires sold in North
America are provided with the corresponding
quality grading markings on the sidewall of
the tire.
Quality grades can be found, where applica-
ble, on the tire sidewall between the tread
shoulder and maximum tire width.
Example:
RTreadwear grade: 200
RTraction grade:AA
RTemperature grade: A
All about wheels and tires189
>> Wheels and tires.
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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 treadwear 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 test track 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,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate conditions.
Traction
GWARNING
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.
!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.
smart recommends a minimum tread depth of
00CF in (4 mm) on all four winter tires. Observe
the legally required minimum tire tread
depth (
Ypage 178). Winter tires can reduce
the braking distance on snow-covered surfa- ces in comparison with summer tires. The
braking distance is still much further than on
surfaces that are not icy or covered with snow.
Take appropriate care when driving.
Further information on winter tires (M+S
tires) (
Ypage 179).
Temperature
GWARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive load-
ing, either separately or in combination,
can cause excessive heat build-up and pos- sible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B
and C. They represent the tire's resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to dis-
sipate 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.
190All about wheels and tires
>> Wheels and tires.