Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
Solutions
÷NThe yellow ESP®warning lamp flashes while the vehicle is in motion.
ESP®or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of skidding or at
least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated.
XWhen pulling away, only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary.
XEase off the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is in motion.
XAdapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
XDo not deactivate ESP®.
In rare cases (
Ypage 62), it may be best to deactivate ESP®.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP®(Ypage 62).
÷N The yellow ESP®warning lamp is lit while the engine is running.
ESP®is malfunctioning.
Other driving systems and driving safety systems may also malfunction.
GWARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the functions listed
above.
The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can thus increase.
If ESP
®is not operational, ESP®is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
XDrive on carefully.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
åN The yellow ESP®OFF warning lamp is lit while the engine is running or the ECO
start/stop function is activated.
ESP
®is deactivated.
GWARNING
If ESP
®is switched off, ESP®is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
XReactivate ESP®.
In rare cases (
Ypage 62), it may be best to deactivate ESP®.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP®(Ypage 62).
XAdapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP
®cannot be activated:
XDrive on carefully.
XHave ESP®checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster201
On-board computer and displays
Z
iDifferent driving styles may lead to high tire
wear and the tires may reach the minimum
tire tread depth after only a short time.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
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 wheels and tires for damage at least once
a month. Check wheels and tires 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 in the tires
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
all tires (
Ypage 262). 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 mount
anything onto the valve other than the standard
valve cap or other valve caps approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle. Do not use any
other valve caps or systems, e.g. tire pressure
monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires par-
ticularly prior to l
ong trips. Adjust the tire pres-
sure as necessary (Ypage 264).
The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
RDriving style
RTire pressure
RDistance covered
Notes on 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.
Marking :shows where the bar indicator
(arrow) for tread wear is integrated into the tire
tread.
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire tread.
They are visible once a tread depth of approx-
imately áin (1.6 mm) has been reached. If this
is the case, the tire is so worn that it must be
replaced.
Selecting, mounting and replacing
tires
ROnly mount tires and wheels of the same type
and make.
262Operation
Wheels and tires
RLocal regulations may restrict the use of snow
chains. Observe the appropriate regulations if
you wish to mount snow chains.
Rdo not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 31 mph (50 km/h).
You may wish to deactivate ESP
®(Ypage 63)
when pulling away with snow chains mounted.
You can thereby allow the wheels to spin in a
controlled manner, achieving an increased driv-
ing 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.
The data on the Tire and Loading Information
placard and tire pressure table shown here are
examples. Tire pressure specifications are vehi-
cle-specific and may deviate from the data
shown here. The tire pressure specifications
that are valid for your vehicle can be found on
the Tire and Loading Information placard and
tire pressure table on the vehicle.
General notes
The recommended tire pressures for the tires
mounted at the factory can be found on the
labels described here.
Further information on tire pressures can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
Tire and Loading Information placard
:Recommended tire pressures
The Tire and Loading Information placard is on
the B-pillar on the driver's side (
Ypage 269).
The Tire and Loading Information placard con-
tains the recommended tire pressures for cold
tires. The recommended tire pressures are valid
for the maximum permissible load and up to the
maximum permissible vehicle speed.
Tire pressure table
The tire pressure table is on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. It shows the tire pressure for all tires
permitted at the factory for this vehicle; see
illustration (example).
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the tire
pressure information following is only valid for
that tire size.
264Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
tors::tread wear grade, ;traction grade and
= temperature grade. These regulations do not
apply to Canada. Nevertheless, all tires sold in
North America are provided with the corre-
sponding quality grading markings on the side-
wall of the tire.
Quality grades can be found, where applicable,
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
Example:
RTreadwear grade: 200
RTraction grade:AA
RTemperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the stat-
utory safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-spe-
cific 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 course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and cli-
mate.
Traction
GWARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
!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 meas-
ured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con- crete. 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 surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum tread
depth of
ãin (4 mm) on all four winter tires.
Observe the legally required minimum tire tread
depth (
Ypage 262). Winter tires can reduce the
braking distance on snow-covered surfaces in
comparison with summer tires. The braking dis-
tance is still much further than on surfaces that
are not icy or covered with snow. Take appro-
priate care when driving.
Fur ther i
nformation on winter tires (M+S tires)
(Ypage 263).
Temperature
GWARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause excessive heat
build-up and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sus-
tained 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.
All about wheels an d tires273
Wheels and tires
Z
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 kg). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, level control, a roof rack or a high-volt-
age 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 identify the pur-
chasers. The TIN is made up of the manufactur- er'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 capa-
city 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 distrib-
uted over the tire tread. If the tire tread is level
with the bars, the wear limit of áin (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
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(Ypage 249) contains information and notes on
how to deal with a flat tire.
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 located
in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used near
the valve. This could damage the electronic
components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(
Ypage 280).
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 accord-
ing to the intervals in the tire manufacturer's
warranty book in your vehicle documents. 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 rota- ted. Check the tire pressure and reactivate the
tire pressure monitor if necessary.
Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation have
additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of hydro-planing. These advantages can only be gained if
the tires are installed corresponding to the
direction of rotation.
Changing a wheel279
Wheels and tires
Z