i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-spe-
cific and may deviate from the values in the
illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN) US tire regulations stipulate that every tire man-
ufacturer 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 0044, tire size 0087, tire type code 0085and
manufacturing date 0083.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol 0043marks that the tire complies with the
requirements of the U.S. Department of Trans-
portation.
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 (Y page 377).
Tire size: identifier0087describes 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 cal-
endar week. Positions three and four represent
the year of manufacture. For example, a tire that
is marked "3214" was manufactured in week 32
in 2014. i
Tire 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
0043and
under tire tread 0044.
i Tire 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
U S Department of Transportation.
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 traction and
temperature characteristics. The quality grad-
ing assessment is made by the manufacturer
following specifications from the U.S. govern-
ment. The ratings are molded into the sidewall of
the tire. 370
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires
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.
BeadThe 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 2.3 kg (5 lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, level control, a roof rack or a high-per-
formance 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.
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating)
The TWR specifies the maximum permissible
weight that the ball coupling of the trailer tow
hitch can support.
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 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
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 335) contains information and notes on
how to deal with a flat tire. Information on driv-
ing with MOExtended tires in the event of a flat
tire can be found under "MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat characteristics" (Y page 336).
Vehicles with an emergency spare wheel: in
the event of a flat tire, mount the emergency
spare wheel according to the description under "Mounting a wheel" (Y page 373). Rotating the wheels
G
WARNING
Rotating the front and rear wheels if the
wheels or tires have different dimensions may severely impair the driving characteristics.
The service brake or wheel suspension com- 372
Changing a wheelWheels and tires
ponents may also be damaged. There is a risk
of an accident.
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
(Y page 373).
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, if necessary,
restart the tire pressure loss warning system or
the tire pressure monitor (Y page 359).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.
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 X
Vehicle with emergency spare wheel:
when mounting the emergency spare wheel in
the event of a flat tire, follow the additional
notes on vehicle preparation under "Flat tire" (Y page 335).
X Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-ahead
position.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position
005D.
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
make sure that the normal vehicle level is
selected (Y page 187).
X Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering
package:
make sure that the normal level is
selected (Y page 180).
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the driv-
er's door.
The vehicle electronics are now in position
0092. This means no SmartKey is in the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 140).
X If included in the vehicle equipment, remove
the tire-change tool kit from the vehicle.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away.
i Apart from certain country-specific varia-
tions, vehicles are not equipped with a tire-
change tool kit. For more information on
which tools are required to perform a wheel
change on your vehicle, consult a qualified
specialist workshop. Changing a wheel
373Wheels and tires Z
ous damage cannot always be detected on
retreaded tires. As a result, Mercedes-Benz
cannot guarantee vehicle safety if retreaded
tires are mounted. Do not mount used tires if
you have no information about their previous
usage.
The recommended pressures for various oper-
ating conditions can be found:
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
Observe the notes on recommended tire pres-
sures under various operating conditions
(Y page 355).
Check tire pressures regularly, and only when
the tires are cold. Comply with the maintenance recommendations of the tire manufacturer in
the vehicle document wallet.
Notes on the vehicle equipment – always equip
the vehicle:
R with tires of the same size on a given axle (left
and right)
R with the same type of tires at a given time
(summer tires, winter tires, MOExtended
tires)
i Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the fac- tory. It is therefore recommended that you
additionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT
kit if you mount tires that do not feature run- flat properties, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT kit
may be obtained from a qualified specialist
workshop. Emergency spare wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The wheel or tire size as well as the tire type of the spare wheel or emergency spare wheel
and the wheel to be replaced may differ.
Mounting an emergency spare wheel may
severely impair the driving characteristics.
There is a risk of an accident. To avoid hazardous situations:
R adapt your driving style accordingly and
drive carefully.
R never mount more than one spare wheel or
emergency spare wheel that differs in size.
R only use a spare wheel or emergency spare
wheel of a different size briefly.
R do not switch ESP ®
off.
R have a spare wheel or emergency spare
wheel of a different size replaced at the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
Observe that the wheel and tire dimensions
as well as the tire type must be correct.
! Mercedes-AMG vehicles with
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel: only
use the "Minispare" emergency spare wheel
on the rear axle. If you mount the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel on the
front axle, this could result in damage to the
brake system.
If a tire on the front axle is defective, an intact
wheel from the rear axle must first be
replaced with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel. The damaged wheel on the front
axle can then be replaced by the undamaged wheel from the rear axle.
Make sure to note the placard on the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel.
When using an emergency spare wheel or spare wheel of a different size, you must not exceed
the maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
You should regularly check the pressure of the
emergency spare wheel, particularly prior to
long trips, and correct the pressure as neces-
sary (Y page 355). The value on the wheel is
valid.
Snow chains must not be mounted on emer-
gency spare wheels. General notes
Information regarding permitted emergency
spare wheels can be found at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Mounting the emergency spare wheel is descri- bed under "Mounting a wheel" (Y page 373).
An emergency spare wheel may also be moun-
ted against the direction of rotation. Observe 378
Emergency spare wheelWheels and tires