Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery.
G WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion. R
Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts. R
Never place metal objects or tools on a battery. R
It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery. R
When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected. R
It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables. R
Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running.
G WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
! Vehicles with a gasoline engine: avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the
catalytic converter could be damaged by non-combusted fuel.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the dis-
charged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor charge the
battery. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter. The starting characteristics can be
impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed-out battery checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a donor battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points: R
The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a donor battery or a jump-starting device. R
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust
system are cold. R
Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first. R
Only jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating. R
Only use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps. R
If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly. R
Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch. Jump-starting 347
Breakdown assistance Z
Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g. R18 .
The rim diameter is part of the tire size and can
be found on the tire sidewall ( Y
page 369).
If the tire pressures have been set to the lower
values for lighter loads and/or lower road
speeds, the pressures should be reset to the
higher values: R
if you want to drive with an increased load
and/or R
if you want to drive at higher road speeds
The tire pressures for increased loads and/or
higher road speeds, shown in the tire pressure
table, may have a negative effect on driving
comfort.
If the tire pressure is not set correctly, this can
lead to an excessive build up of heat and a sud-
den loss of pressure.
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Important notes on tire pressure
G WARNING
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tire may be damaged. Tire
pressure that is too low may result in a tire
blow-out. There is a risk of an accident. R
Check the tire for foreign objects. R
Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tire
valves, the tire valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tire pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tire pres-
sure monitors keep the tire valve open. This
can also result in tire pressure loss. There is a
risk of an accident.
Only screw the standard valve cap or other
valve caps approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tire valve.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the tire
pressure. The outer appearance of a tire does not permit any reliable conclusion about the tire
pressure. On vehicles equipped with the elec-
tronic tire pressure monitor, the tire pressure
can be checked in the on-board computer.
The tire temperature and pressure increase
when the vehicle is in motion. This is dependent
on the driving speed and the load.
Therefore, you should only correct tire pres-
sures when the tires are cold.
The tires are cold: R
if the vehicle has been parked with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least three hours
and R
if the vehicle has not been driven further than
1 mile (1.6 km)
The tire temperature changes depending on the
outside temperature, the vehicle speed and the
tire load. If the tire temperature changes by
18 ‡ (10 †), the tire pressure changes by
approximately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/1.5 psi) . Take
thi s into account when checking the pressure of
warm tires. Only correct the tire pressure if it is
too low for the current operating conditions. If
you check the tire pressure when the tires are
warm, the resulting value will be higher than if
the tires were cold. This is normal. Do not
reduce the tire pressure to the value specified
for cold tires. The tire pressure would otherwise
be too low.
Observe the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires: R
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side R
in the tire pressure table in the fuel filler flap
( Y
page 157) R
printed in yellow on the rim of the emer-
gency/collapsible spare wheel (depending on
vehicle equipment)
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
G WARNING
Tires with pressure that is too low can over-
heat and burst as a consequence. In addition,
they also suffer from excessive and/or irreg-
ular wear, which can severely impair the brak-
ing properties and the driving characteristics.
There is a risk of an accident. Tire pressure 359
Wheels and tires Z
sudden loss of pressure, bring the vehicle to a
halt by braking carefully. Avoid abrupt steering
movements.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow warning
lamp in the instrument cluster for indicating
pressure loss or a malfunction. Whether the
warning lamp flashes or lights up indicates
whether a tire pressure is too low or the tire
pressure monitor is malfunctioning: R
if the warning lamp is lit continuously, the tire
pressure on one or more tires is significantly
too low. The tire pressure monitor is not mal-
functioning. R
if the warning lamp flashes for approximately
a minute and then remains lit constantly, the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
In addition to the warning lamp, a message
appears in the multifunction display. Observe
the information on display messages
( Y
page 273).
It may take up to ten minutes for a malfunction
of the tire pressure monitor to be indicated. A
malfunction will be indicated by the tire pres-
sure 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 tire pressure values indicated by the on-
board computer may differ from those meas-
ured at a gas station with a pressure gage. The
tire pressures shown by the on-board computer
refer to those measured at sea level. At high
altitudes, the tire pressure values indicated by a
pressure gage are higher than those shown by
the on-board computer. In this case, do not
reduce the tire pressures.
The operation of the tire pressure monitor can
be affected by interference from radio transmit-
ting equipment (e.g. radio headphones, two-way
radios) that may be being operated in or near the
vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position H
( Y
page 140) in the ignition lock. X
Press the Y or e button on the steering
wheel to select the Serv. menu. X
Press the c or d button to select
Tire Pressure . X
Press v .
The current tire pressure of each tire is shown
in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle has been parked for longer than
20 minutes, the Tire pressure will be
displayed after driving a few minutes
message appears.
After a teach-in process, the tire pressure mon-
itor automatically detects new wheels or new
sensors. As long as a clear allocation of the tire
pressure value to the individual wheels is not
possible, the Tire Pressure Monitor Active
display message is shown instead of the tire
pressure display. The tire pressures are already
being monitored.
If an emergency spare wheel is mounted, the
system may continue to show the tire pressure
of the wheel that has been removed for a few
minutes. If this occurs, note that the value dis-
played for the position where the spare wheel is
mounted is not the same as the current tire
pressure of the emergency spare wheel.
Tire pressure monitor warning mes-
sages If the tire pressure monitor detects a pressure
loss in one or more tires, a warning message is
shown in the multifunction display. The yellow
tire pressure warning lamp then lights up. R
If the Please Correct Tire Pressure
message appears in the multifunction display,
the tire pressure in at least one tire is too low.
The tire pressure must be corrected when the
opportunity arises. R
If the Check Tires message appears in the
multifunction display, the tire pressure in at
least one tire has dropped significantly. The
tires must be checked. R
If the Warning Tire Malfunction message
appears in the multifunction display, the tire
pressure in at least one tire has dropped sud-
denly. The tires must be checked.
Be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in the display messages in the "Tires" sec-
tion ( Y
page 273).
If the wheel positions on the vehicle are rotated,
the tire pressures may be displayed for the
wrong positions for a short time. This is rectified
after a few minutes of driving, and the tire pres-
sures are displayed for the correct positions. Tire pressure 363
Wheels and tires Z
Speed rating The speed rating is part of the tire identification.
It specifies the speed range for which the tire is
approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight) The GTW is the weight of a trailer including the
weight of the load, luggage, accessories etc. on
the trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) The gross vehicle weight includes the weight of
the vehicle including fuel, tools, the spare wheel,
accessories installed, occupants, luggage and
the drawbar noseweight, if applicable. The gross
vehicle weight must not exceed the gross vehi-
cle weight rating GVWR as specified on the vehi-
cle 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, occupants,
fuel, luggage and the drawbar noseweight, 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: R
the curb weight of the vehicle R
the weight of the accessories R
the load limit R
the 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 equivalent of
1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall of
the tire. This specifies the load-bearing capacity
more precisely.
Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant. It also includes the air-conditioning sys- tem and optional equipment if these are instal-
led in the vehicle, but does not include passen-
gers or luggage.
Maximum load rating The maximum tire load is the maximum permis-
sible weight in kilograms or lbs 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 out-
ward force to each square inch of the tire's sur-
face. 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: R
if the vehicle has been parked with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least three hours
and R
if the vehicle has not been driven further than
1 mile (1.6 km)
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.All about wheels and tires 373
Wheels and tires Z