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 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.
Only use wheels with tire sizes approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Prior to the onset of winter, ensure that snow
chains are stowed in the vehicle (
Ypage 280).
Snow chains cannot be mounted on all wheel/
tire combinations. Observe the restrictions on
the use of snow chains under "Wheel/tire com-
binations" (
Ypage 300).
Also observe the notes in the "Changing a
wheel" section (
Ypage 296).
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 s. Usingsu mmer tires at very cold
temperatures could cause tears to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benz 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.
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 tires of 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 the maximum
design speed of the vehicle, affix a correspond- ing warning label in the driver's field of vision.
You can obtain this at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Once you have mounted the winter tires:
XCheck the tire pressure (Ypage 280).
XRestart the tire pressure monitor
(Ypage 287).
Operation in winter279
Wheels and tires
Z
Tire pressure table
Tire pressure table inside the fuel filler flap (exam-
ple: Passenger Van)
Tire pressure table inside the fuel filler flap (exam-
ple: Cargo Van)
You will find the recommended tire pressure for
various operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap (
Ypage 133) and
under "Tire pressure table" (Ypage 288).
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the fol-
lowing tire pressure information is only valid for
that tire size.
Example: Cargo Van vehicle loads
Example: Passenger Van vehicle loads
:
Partially laden vehicle
;Fully laden vehicle
For the Passenger Van, the vehicle loads are
defined in the table as different numbers of pas-
sengers and amounts of luggage. The actual
number of seats may vary – for more informa-
tion, please refer to the vehicle's registration
documents.
The tire pressure value given for partly laden
vehicles are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort. They are not for towing trail-
ers.
You can also use the tire pressure values for a
fully laden vehicle. These are always permitted
and admissible. However, in a partially laden
vehicle, the ride is not as comfortable and fuel
consumption is only minimally reduced. In addi- tion, wear is greater in the center of the tire
tread.
For towing trailers, the applicable value for the
rear tires is the maximum tire pressure value
stated in the table inside the fuel filler flap.
282Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
For further information on displaying the current
tire pressures, refer to "Checking the tire pres-
sure electronically" (
Ypage 286).
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 substitute
for 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 al so b
een 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-
cle is started as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the mounting of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function 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 prop-
erly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to the recommended cold tire pressure
suitable for the operating conditions
(
Ypage 280).
Note that the correct tire pressure for the cur-
rent operating conditions must first be pro-
gramed into 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 programed in. Restart the
tire pressure monitor after adjusting the cold
tire pressure (
Ypage 287). The current pres-
sures are saved as new reference values. This
will ensure that a warning message will only
appear if the tire pressure drops significantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you if a
tire pressure is incorrect. Obs erve the note
s on
the recommended tire pressure (Ypage 280).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn you
of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. following pen- etration by a foreign object. In this event, brake
the vehicle until it comes to a standstill. Avoid
sudden steering movements.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow h
warning lamp in the instrument cluster for indi-
cating pressure loss/malfunctions (USA) or
pressure loss (Canada). Depending on how the
warning lamp flashes or lights up, an underin-
flated tire or a malfunction in the tire pressure
monitor is displayed:
Rif the h warning lamp is lit continuously,
the tire pressure on one or more tires is sig-
Tire pressure285
Wheels and tires
Z
Tire pressure tables
Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 6,724 lbs (3.05 t)
!The pressure difference between tires on any one axle must be no greater than 10 kPa (0.1 ba r/
1.5 psi).
The following tire pressure values apply to vehicles with:
Ra gross vehicle weight of 6,724 lbs (3.05 t)
Ra gross axle weight rating of 3,418 lbs(1,550 kg)on the rear axle and
Rthe tires referred to under "Wheel and tire combinations" (Ypage 300)
Always observe the notes under "Information on tire pressures" (
Ypage 280).
The tire pressure for the spare wheelis 340 kPa (3.4 bar/49 psi).
Partially laden vehicleFully laden vehicle
Tire sizeFront axleRear axleFront axleRear axle
225/55 R 17 XL270 kPa
(2.7 bar/ 39 psi)270 kPa
(2.7 bar/ 39 psi)300 kPa
(3.0 bar/ 44 psi)310 kPa
(3.1 bar/45 psi)
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.
Example: Tire and Loading Information placard on
the B-pillar, driver's side
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show themaximum possible load.
(1) Tire and Loading Information placard :is
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. Tire and
Loading Information placard :shows the
permissible number of occupants and the
maximum permissible load of the vehicle. It also contains details of the tire sizes and
corresponding 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 per-
missible gross weight. It is made up of the
vehicle weight, all vehicle occupants, the
fuel and the cargo. You can also find infor-
mation 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). Do not exceed the permissible gross weight or the maxi-
mum gross axle weight rating for the front
or rear axle.
288Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires
Example: Steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples of how to calculate total load and cargo capacities with varyingseating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use a maximum
load 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 .
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Step 1Combined maximum
weight of occupants
and cargo (data from
the Tire and Loading
Information placard)1500 lbs
(680 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg)
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Step 2Number of people in
the vehicle (driver and
occupants)531
Distribution of the
occupantsFront: 2
Rear: 3Front: 1
Rear: 2Front: 1
Weight of the occu-
pantsOccupant 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)
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Step 3Permissible load and
trailer load/nose-
weight (maximum per-
missible gross weight
from the Tire and
Loading Information
placard minus the
gross weight of all
occupants)1500 lbs
(680 kg) Ò750 lbs
(340 kg) =
750 lbs (340 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) Ò540 lbs
(245 kg) =
960 lbs (435 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) Ò150 lbs
(68 kg) =
1350 lbs
(612 kg)
The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maximum luggage load.
You can find further information under: "Trailer tow hitch" (
Ypage 314).
290Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load care-
fully, you should still make sure that the permis-
sible gross weight and the gross axle weight rat-
ing of your vehicle are not exceeded. This data
can be found on the vehicle identification plate
on the B-pillar of your vehicle (
Ypage 303).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the gross
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, load 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, load, 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
Tire labeling
:DOT, Tire Identification Number
(Ypage 293)
;Maximum tire load (Ypage 293)
=Maximum tire pressure (Ypage 284)
?Manufacturer
ATire material (Ypage 294)
BTire size designation, load-bearing capacity
and speed index (Ypage 291)
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 tires291
Wheels and tires
Z
tire load rating and speed rating required for
your vehicle.
:Tire width
;Nominal aspect ration in %
=Tire code
?Rim diameter
ALoad bearing index
BSpeed index
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 diameter?is 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 indexAis a
numerical code that specifies 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 288).
Example:
The load-bearing index 101 indicates a maxi-
mum load of 1819 lb (825 kg) for the tire. If two load-bearing indices are specified, the first num-
ber specifie s th
e load-bearing capacity for single
tires, the second the load-bearing capacity for
twin tires. For further information on the maxi-
mum tire load in kilograms and pounds, see
(
Ypage 293). For further information on the load-bearing
index, see "Load index" (
Ypage 293).
Speed rating: speed ratingBspecifies 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
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)
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.
Further information on the reading of tire infor-
mation can be obtained at any qualified special-
ist workshop.
292What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires
Load index
Load index (example)
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 291).
RIf no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard load
(SL) tire
RRF or Reinforced: represents a reinforced tire.
Alternatively, depending on the manufac-
turer, the designation XL (Extra Load) can be
used.
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
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 288).
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 277).
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
What you should know about wheels and tires293
Wheels and tires
Z