Page 289 of 320

nificantly too low. The tire pressure monitor
is not malfunctioning.
R USA only: if the h warning lamp flashes
for
60 seconds and then remains lit con-
stantly, the tire pressure monitor is malfunc-
tioning.
The display also shows a message:
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 207)
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 224)
USA only: if the tire pressure monitor is mal-
functioning, it may be more than ten minutes
before the malfunction is shown. The h tire
pressure warning lamp flashes for 60 seconds
and then remains lit. When the malfunction
has been rectified, the h 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 gauge.
The tire pressures shown by the on-board
computer refer to those measured at sea level.
At high altitudes, the tire pressure values indi-
cated by a pressure gauge are higher than
those shown by the on-board computer. In this
case, do not reduce the tire pressures.
If radio transmitting equipment (e.g. wireless
headphones, two-way radios) is operated
inside the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehi-
cle, this can interfere with the operation of the
tire pressure monitor.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally on vehicles with steering wheel
buttons You can only check the tire pressure electroni-
cally on vehicles with steering wheel buttons.
Using the steering wheel buttons
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Press the = or ; button to select the
Service menu.
X Use the 9 or : button to select
Tire Pressure.
X Press a to confirm.
The current tire pressure of each wheel is
shown in the display. If the vehicle has been parked for over
20 minutes
, the Tire pressure will be
displayed after driving a few minutes
message appears.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure moni-
tor 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 message is shown instead of the tire
pressure display. The tire pressures are
already being monitored.
Tire pressure monitor warning mes-
sages If the tire pressure monitor detects a loss in
pressure in one or more tires, a warning mes-
sage is shown in the display. The h warn-
ing lamp lights up.
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons
R If the Correct Tire Pressure message is
shown in the display, the tire pressure in at
least one tire is too low. The tire pressure
must be corrected at the next opportunity.
R If the Check Tire Pressure Soon mes-
sage is shown in the display, the tire pres-
sure in one or more tires has dropped signif-
icantly. The tires must be checked.
R If the Warning Tire Malfunc. message is
shown in the display, the tire pressure in
one or more tires has dropped suddenly.
The tires must be checked.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons
R If the Adjust Tire Pressure message is
shown in the display, the tire pressure in at
least one tire is too low. The tire pressure
must be corrected at the next opportunity.
R If the Check Tires message is shown in the
display, the tire pressure in one or more
tires has dropped significantly. The tires
must be checked.
R If the Warning Tire Malfunction mes-
sage is shown in the display, the tire pres-
sure in one or more tires has dropped sud-
denly. The tires must be checked. Tire pressure
287
Wheels and tires Z
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Always read and follow the instructions and
safety notes related to the display messages,
which can be found in the "Tires" section.
R for vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page
207)
R for vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 224)
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons: 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; the tire pressures are
then displayed for the correct positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor General notes
When you restart the tire pressure monitor, all
existing warning messages are deleted and the
warning lamp goes out. The monitor uses the
currently set tire pressures as the reference
values for monitoring. In most cases, the tire
pressure monitor will automatically detect the
new reference values after you have changed
the tire pressure. However, you can also set
reference values manually as described here.
The tire pressure monitor then monitors the
new tire pressure values.
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons
The vehicle must be stationary. Use the but-
tons in the instrument cluster.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Using È select the Tire Pressure menu.
X Press 3 to confirm.
The display shows the Monitoring Active
message.
X Press 3 to confirm.
The display shows the Tire Pressure OK?
message.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the f button.
The display shows the distance menu.
After you have driven for a few minutes, the
system checks whether the current tire pressures are within the specified range.
The new tire pressure levels are then accep-
ted as reference values and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the g button.
The display shows the tire pressure menu.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons Using the steering wheel buttons
X Make sure that the tire pressure of all four
wheels is set correctly for the current oper-
ating conditions. When doing so, observe
the notes under "Tire pressure"
(Y page
282).
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Press the = or ; button to select the
Service menu.
X Select the Tire Pressure submenu with
9 or :.
X Press a to confirm.
The display shows either the current tire
pressure for the individual tires, or the
Tire pressure will be displayed
after driving a few minutes message.
X Press the : button.
The display shows the Use Current Pres‐
sures as New Reference Values: mes-
sage.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the a button.
The display shows the Tire Press. Moni‐
tor Restarted message.
After you have driven for a few minutes, the
system checks whether the current tire
pressures are within the specified range.
The new tire pressure levels are then accep-
ted as reference values and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart: X Press the % button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.288
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Page 291 of 320

Tire pressure tables
Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 6614 lbs (3.0 t)!
The pressure difference between tires on any one axle must be no greater than
10 kPa
(0.1 bar/1.5 psi).
The following tire pressure values apply to vehicles with: R a permissible gross weight of 6614 lbs (3.0 t)
R a gross axle weight rating of 3307 lbs(1500 kg) on the rear axle and
R the tires referred to under "Wheel/tire combinations" (Y page 302)
Always observe the notes under "Information on tire pressures" (Y page 282).
Tire pressure for the spare wheel is 350 kPa (3.5 bar/51 psi).
Partially laden vehicle Fully laden vehicle
Tire size Front axle Rear axle Front axle Rear axle
225/55 R 17 XL 280 kPa
(2.8 bar/ 41 psi) 270 kPa
(2.7 bar/ 39 psi) 310 kPa
(3.1 bar/ 45 psi) 310 kPa
(3.1 bar/ 45 psi) Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
G
WARNING
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 acci-
dent.
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
the maximum 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 occu-
pants 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 Loading the vehicle
289
Wheels and tires Z
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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 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or
the maximum Gross Axle Weight Rating
for the front or rear axle. Tire and Loading Information placard
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating :
Maximum number of seats
; Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
X Specification for maximum Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating ; is listed on the Tire and
Loading Information placard: "The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
cargo, luggage and trailer load/trailer tongue
load (if applicable) must not exceed the speci-
fied value.
i The details on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard illustration are only an exam-
ple. The maximum Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data shown here. The maximum
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating that applies to
your vehicle can be found on your vehicle's
Tire and Loading Information placard. Number of seats
:
Maximum number of seats
; Maximum permissible gross weight
Maximum number of seats : determines the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
i The details on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard illustration are only an exam-
ple. The number of seats is vehicle-specific
and can differ from the details shown. The
number of seats in your vehicle can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
Determining the maximum load Individual steps
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575 in
accordance with the "National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
(1) Locate the statement "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on your
vehicle's placard. on your vehicle's plac-
ard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg or XXX
lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capa-
city. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals
1400 lbs and there will be five290
Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires
Page 293 of 320

150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is
650 lbs. (1400 Ò 750 (5 x
150) = 650 lbs.).
(5) Determine the combined weight of lug- gage and cargo being loaded on the vehi-
cle. That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
The vehicle placard named in Step 1 is the Tire
and loading information placard for your vehi-
cle.
Please note that not all vehicles are approved
for trailer operation. Trailer operation is only
permitted when a trailer hitch is installed
(Y page
315). If in doubt, please consult a
qualified specialist workshop. Example: Steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples of how to calculate total load and cargo capacities with vary-
ing seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use a max-
imum 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 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 1 Combined 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 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 2 Number of people in
the vehicle (driver
and occupants)
5 3 1
Distribution of the
occupants
Front: 2
Rear: 3 Front: 1
Rear: 2 Front: 1
Weight of the occu-
pants
Occupant 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
occupants
750 lbs (340 kg) 540 lbs (245 kg) 150 lbs (68 kg)Loading the vehicle
291
Wheels and tires Z
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Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 3 Permissible load and
trailer load/trailer
tongue load (maxi-
mum permissible
gross weight from
the Tire and Loading
Information placard
minus the gross
weight of all occu-
pants)
1500 lbs
(680 kg
) Ò
750 lbs (340 kg)
= 750 lbs
(340 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg
) Ò
540 lbs (245 kg)
= 960 lbs
(435 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg
) Ò
150 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"
(Y page 315).Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load care-
fully, you should still make sure that the per-
missible gross weight and the gross axle
weight rating of your vehicle are not exceeded.
This data can be found on the vehicle identifi-
cation plate on the B-pillar of your vehicle
(Y page
304).
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): the
gross weight of the vehicle, all occupants, load
and trailer load/trailer tongue load (if applica-
ble) must not exceed the permissible gross
vehicle weight.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): the maxi-
mum permissible 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 vehi-
cle weight and maximum gross axle weight rat-
ing), have your loaded vehicle (including driver,
occupants, load, and full trailer load if applica-
ble) weighed on a suitable vehicle weigh-
bridge. Trailer load/trailer tongue load
The trailer load/trailer tongue load affects the
gross weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is
attached, the trailer load/trailer tongue load is
included in the load along with occupants and
luggage. The trailer load/trailer tongue load 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
(Y page
294)
; Maximum tire load (Y page
294)
= Maximum tire pressure ( Y page
285)
? Manufacturer
A Tire material ( Y page
295)
B Tire size designation, load-bearing capacity
and speed index
(Y page 293)
C Tire name292
What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires
Page 295 of 320

The markings described above are on the tire
in addition to the tire name (sales designation)
and the manufacturer's name.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire size designation, load bearing
index and speed index G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing capa-
city 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. :
Tire width
; Nominal aspect ration in %
= Tire code
? Rim diameter
A Load bearing index
B Speed 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 calcula-
ted by dividing the tire width by the tire height.
Tire code: tire code = specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires. "D" represents
diagonal tires, "B" represents diagonal radial
tires.
Rim diameter: rim diameter ? is the diame-
ter of the bead seat, not the diameter of the rim flange. The rim diameter is specified in
inches (in).
Load-bearing index: load-bearing index
A is
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 (Y page 289).
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
number specifies the load-bearing capacity for
single tires, the second the load-bearing capa-
city for twin tires. For further information on
the maximum tire load in kilograms and
pounds, see (Y page 294). For further information on the load-bearing
index, see "Load index" (Y page 294).
Speed rating: speed rating B specifies 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.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example. Index Speed rating
Q up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
R up to 106 mph (170 km/h)
S up to 112 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
W up to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)
i
Not all tires that have the
M+S identifica-
tion offer the driving characteristics of win-
ter tires. In addition to the M+S marking,
winter tires also have the i snowflake
symbol on the tire wall. Tires with this mark-
ing fulfill the requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) regard- What you should know about wheels and tires
293
Wheels and tires Z
Page 296 of 320

ing the tire traction 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 spe-
cialist workshop.
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
(Y page
293).
R If no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard load
(SL) tire
R RF or Reinforced: represents a reinforced
tire. Alternatively, depending on the manu-
facturer, the designation XL (Extra Load) can
be used.
R Light Load: represents a light load tire
R C, D, E: represents a load range that
depends on the maximum load that the tire
can carry at a certain pressure
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate 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 (Y page 289).
i The actual values for tires are specific to
each vehicle and may deviate from the val-
ues 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 retread-
ers 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. 294
What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires