2016 SMART FORTWO Owners Manual

Tire labeling
Overview of tire labeling
0043Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
(Ypage 194)
0044DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 193)
0087Maximum tire load (Ypage 193)
0085Maximum tire pressure (Ypage 182)
0083Manufacturer
0084Tire material (Ypage 194)
006BTire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating (Ypage 191)
006CLoad index (Ypage 193)
006DTire name
The markings described above are on the tire
in addition to the tire name (sales designa-
tion) and the manufacturer's name.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating
GWARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing
capacity and the approved maximum speed
could lead to tire damage or the tire burst- ing. There is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe
the tire load rating and speed rating
required for your vehicle.
0043Tire width
0044Nominal aspect ratio in %
0087Tire code
0085Rim diameter
0083Load bearing index
0084Speed rating
General: depending on the manufacturer's
standards, the size imprinted in the tire wall may not contain any letters or may contain one
letter that precedes the size description.
If there is no letter preceding the size
description (as shown above): these are
passenger vehicle tires according to Euro-
pean manufacturing standards.
If "P" precedes the size description: these
are passenger vehicle tires according to U.S.
manufacturing standards.
If "LT" precedes the size description: these
are light truck tires according to U.S. man-
ufacturing standards.
If "T" precedes the size description: compact
emergency wheels with high tire pressure
that are only designed for temporary use in an
emergency.
Tire width: tire width0043shows the nominal
tire width in millimeters.
Height-width ratio: aspect ratio0044is 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 code0087specifies the tire
type. "R" represents radial tires; "D" repre-
sents diagonal tires; "B" represents diago-
nal radial tires.
All about wheels and tires191
>> Wheels and tires.
Z

Optionally, tires with a maximum speed of
over 149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR" in the
size description, depending on the manufac-
turer (e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
Rim diameter:rim diameter0085is the diam-
eter of the bead seat, not the diameter of the
rim flange. The rim diameter is specified in
inches (in).
Load-bearing index: load-bearing index0083
is a numerical code that specifies the maxi-
mum load-bearing capacity of a tire.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permis-
sible load can be found on the vehicle's Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side (
Ypage 185).
Example:
Load-bearing index 91 indicates a maximum
load of 1,356 lb (615 kg) that the tires can bear.
For further information on the maximum tire
load in kilograms and lbs, see (
Ypage 193).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see "Load index" (
Ypage 193).
Speed rating: speed rating0084specifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
Regardless of the speed rating, always
observe the speed limits. Drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the traffic con-
ditions.
Summer tires
IndexSpeed rating
Qup to 100 mph (160 km/h)
Rup to 106 mph (170 km/h)
Sup to 112 mph (180 km/h)
Tup to 118 mph (190 km/h)
Hup to 130 mph (210 km/h)
Vup to 149 mph (240 km/h)
Wup to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)
IndexSpeed rating
ZR...(..Y)over 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZRover 149 mph (240 km/h)
ROptionally, tires with a maximum speed of
over 149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR" in the size description, depending on the manu-
facturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR18).
The service specification is made up of
load-bearing index 0083and speed rating
0084.
RIf the size description of your tire
includes "ZR" and there are no service
specifications, ask the tire manufacturer
in order to find out the maximum speed.
If a service specification is available, the maximum speed is limited according to the
speed rating in the service specification.
Example: 245/40 ZR18 97 Y.In this example,
"97 Y" is the service specification. The
letter "Y" represents the speed rating. The
maximum speed of the tire is limited to
186 mph (300 km/h).
RThe size description for all tires with
maximum speeds of over 186 mph (300 km/h)
must include "ZR", andthe service speci-
fication must be given in parentheses.
Example: 275/40 ZR 18 (99 Y). Speed rating
"(Y)" indicates that the maximum speed of
the tire is over 186 mph (300 km/h). Ask the
tire manufacturer about the maximum
speed.
All-weather tires and winter tires
IndexSpeed rating
Q M+S2up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S2up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S2up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S2up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
iNot all tires with the M+S marking pro-
vide the driving characteristics of winter
tires. In addition to the M+S marking, win-
ter tires also have the 004Dsnowflake sym-
bol on the tire wall. Tires with this mark-
ing fulfill the requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
2Or M+S 004Dfor winter tires.
192All about wheels and tires
>> Wheels and tires.

Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)
regarding the tire traction on snow. They
have been especially developed for driving
on snow.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of 130 mph
(210 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 (
Ypage 200).
Further information about reading tire data
can be obtained from any qualified special-
ist workshop.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, load
rating 0043may also be imprinted on the side-
wall of the tire. This is located after the let-
ters that identify the speed rating
(
Ypage 191).
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 load rating
Maximum tire load 0043is the maximum per-
missible weight for which the tire is
approved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permis-
sible load can be found on the vehicle's Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side (
Ypage 185).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
U.S tire regulations prescribe that every tire
manufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN
in or on the sidewall of every 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 identi-
fication code 0044, tire size0087, tire type
code 0085and manufacturing date 0083.
All about wheels and tires193
>> Wheels and tires.
Z

DOT (Department of Transportation):tire
symbol 0043indicates that the tire complies
with the requirements of the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code: manufac-
turer identification code 0044provides
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 200).
Tire size: identifier 0087describes the tire
size.
Tire type code: tire type code0085can be used
by the manufacturer as a code to describe
specific characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture0083
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
deviate from the data in the example.
Tire characteristics
This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in sidewall 0043
and under tire tread 0044.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate 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.
DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the United States Department of Transporta-
tion.
Normal occupant weight
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 regards to tread quality, tire trac-
tion and temperature characteristics. The
quality grading assessment is made by the
manufacturer following specifications from
the U.S. government. The ratings are molded
into the sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressures
The recommended tire pressure applies to the
tires mounted at the factory.
The Tire and Loading Information placard
contains the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires on a fully loaded vehicle and for
the maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
The combined weight of all standard and
optional equipment available for the vehi-
cle, regardless of whether it is actually
installed on the vehicle or not.
194All about wheels and tires
>> Wheels and tires.

Rim
This is the part of the wheel on which the tire
is mounted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The 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 identification plate on the B-pillar
on the driver's side.
Speed rating
The speed rating is part of the tire identi-
fication. It specifies the speed range for
which the tire is approved.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, the spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants, lug-
gage and the drawbar noseweight, if appli-
cable. The gross vehicle weight must not
exceed the gross vehicle weight rating GVWR
as specified on the vehicle identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permissible gross
weight of a fully loaded vehicle (the weight of
the vehicle including all accessories, occu-
pants, fuel, luggage and the drawbar nose-
weight, if applicable). The gross vehicle
weight rating is specified on the vehicle
identification plate on the B-pillar on the
driver's side.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The maximum weight is the sum of:
Rthe curb weight of the vehicle
Rthe weight of the accessories
Rthe load limit
Rthe weight of the factory installed optional
equipment
Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa corre-
sponds to 1 psi. Another unit for tire pressure
is bar. 100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equiva-
lent of 1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, the
load index may also be imprinted on the side-
wall of the tire. This specifies the load-
bearing capacity more precisely.
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-con-
ditioning system and optional equipment if
these are installed in the vehicle, but does
not include passengers or luggage.
Maximum load rating
The maximum load rating is the maximum per-
missible weight in kilograms or pounds 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'ssurface. 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)
All about wheels and tires195
>> Wheels and tires.
Z

Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the 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 5 lbs (2.3 kilograms).
These optional extras, such as high-perform-
ance brakes, level control, a roof rack or a
high-performance battery, are not included
in the curb weight and the weight of the
accessories.
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 iden-
tify 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 00CDin
(1.6 mm) has been reached.
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
You can find information on what to do in the
event of a flat tire in the "Flat tire" section
(
Ypage 161).
Rotating the wheels
GWARNING
Never interchange the front and rear wheels
as they have different dimensions, e.g.
size, wheel offset etc. Otherwise, there
could be a negative effect on the road hold- ing and you could endanger yourself or oth-
ers.
!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.
Various types of steel wheel can be fitted on
your vehicle. Some steel wheels have a red
mark in the hub cap area. The hub cap has to be
removed to see the red mark, see "Raising the
vehicle" in the "Wheel change" section
(
Ypage 197). When changing the wheels,
always fit wheels of the same type on all axles.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(
Ypage 196).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating condi-
tions. Front tires typically wear more on the
shoulders and the rear tires in the center.
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.
196Changing a wheel
>> Wheels and tires.

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 fitted corre-
sponding 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
XMake sure that you have the appropriate
tire-changing tools. For further informa-
tion inquire at any smart center.
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
XApply the parking brake (Ypage 101).
XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
XVehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position P.
XVehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
first or reverse gear.
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
XAlso secure the vehicle against rolling
away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away
XOn level ground:place chocks or other suit-
able items under the front and rear of the
wheel that is diagonally opposite the wheel
you wish to change.
XOn light downhill gradients: place chocks
or other suitable items in front of the
wheels of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle
GWARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at
the appropriate jacking point of the vehi- cle, the jack could tip over with the vehicle
raised. There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate
jacking point of the vehicle. The base of the jack must be positioned vertically,
directly under the jacking point of the
vehicle.
Changing a wheel197
>> Wheels and tires.
Z

Observe the following when raising the vehi-
cle:
Rmake sure you have a suitable jack and
wheel wrench. If used incorrectly, the jack
could tip over with the vehicle raised.
For further information inquire at any
smart center.
Rthe jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi-
cle.
Ravoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
Rbefore raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised.
Rthe jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, flat load-bearing underlay must be
used. On a slippery surface, a non-slip
underlay must be used, e.g. rubber mats.
Rdo not use wooden blocks or similar objects
as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the jack will
not be able to achieve its load-bearing
capacity due to the restricted height.
Rmake sure that the distance between the
underside of the tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm).
Rnever place your hands and feet under the
raised vehicle.
Rdo not lie under the vehicle.
Rdo not start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
Rdo not open or close a door or the tailgate
while the vehicle is raised.
Rmake sure that no persons are present in the
vehicle when the vehicle is raised.
!The jack is designed exclusively for
jacking up the vehicle at the jacking
points. Otherwise, your vehicle could be
damaged.
Steel wheel with hub cap
XVehicles with steel wheels and hub caps:
carefully reach into two of the hub cap
openings and remove the hub cap.
Steel wheel with hub cap
XVehicles with steel wheels and hub caps:
remove the hub cap.
XUsing wheel wrench 0043, loosen the bolts on
the wheel you wish to change by about one
full turn. Do not unscrew the bolts com-
pletely.
198Changing a wheel
>> Wheels and tires.