For further information on displaying the cur-
rent tire pressures, refer to "Checking the tire
pressure electronically"
(Y page 287).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Risk of accident due to incorrect tire
pressure
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommen-
ded by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehi-
cle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If
your vehicle has tires of a different size than
the size indicated on the vehicle placard or
the tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-
inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle's han-
dling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver's responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination
of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when 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 telltale
will flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illumina-
ted, the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea-
sons, including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale
after replacing one or more tires or wheels
on your vehicle to ensure that the replace-
ment or alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to the recommended cold tire pres-
sure suitable for the operating conditions
(Y page
282).
Note that the correct tire pressure for the cur-
rent operating conditions must first be pro-
gramed into the tire pressure monitor. If a sub-
stantial pressure loss occurs, the warning
threshold for the warning message is aligned
to the taught-in reference values. Restart the
tire pressure monitor after adjusting the cold
tire pressure ( Y page 288). 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. Observe the notes
on the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 282).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. following
penetration 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:
R if the h warning lamp is lit continuously,
the tire pressure on one or more tires is sig- 286
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
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
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
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
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
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
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
(Y page
278).
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 manufacture
A provides information about the age of a
tire. The first and second positions represent
the week of manufacture, starting with "01"
for the first calendar week. Positions three and
four represent the year of manufacture. For
example, a tire that is marked with "3208" was
manufactured in week 32 in 2008.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire characteristics This information describes the type of tire cord
and the number of layers in sidewall : and
under tire tread ;.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example. Definitions for tires and loading Tire structure and characteristics
Describes the number of layers or the number
of rubber-coated belts in the tire tread and the
tire wall. These consist of steel, nylon, poly-
ester, 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 United States Department of Transporta-
tion.
Average weight of vehicle occupantsThe 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 regard to tread quality, traction and tem-
perature characteristics. The quality grading
assessment is made by the manufacturer fol-
lowing specifications from the U.S govern-
ment. The quality grade of a tire is imprinted
on the sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressures are the pres-
sures specified for the tires mounted on the
vehicle at the factory.
The tire and load information table 1
contains
the recommended tire pressures for cold tires,
the maximum permissible load and the maxi-
mum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended tire pressure for cold tires under vari-
ous operating conditions, i.e. loading and/or
speed of the vehicle.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
The combined weight of all standard and
optional equipment available for the vehicle,
regardless of whether it is actually installed on
the vehicle or not.
1 Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than
10,000 lbs (4536 kg).What you should know about wheels and tires
295
Wheels and tires Z
Wheel rim
The part of the wheel on which the tire is
mounted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) GAWR is the maximum gross axle weight rat-
ing. The actual load on an axle must never
exceed the gross axle weight rating. You can
find the maximum gross axle weight rating on
the
B-pillar on the driver's side ( Y page 304).
Speed index The speed index is part of the tire identifica-
tion. It specifies the speed range for which the
tire is approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight) GTW is the total of weight of a trailer and the
weight of the load, accessories etc. on the
trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants, lug-
gage and the drawbar noseweight if applica-
ble. The gross vehicle weight must never
exceed the permissible gross weight (GVWR)
specified on the B-pillar on the driver's side
(Y page 304).
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) The GVWR is the maximum permitted gross
weight of the fully laden vehicle (weight of the
vehicle including all accessories, occupants,
fuel, luggage and the drawbar noseweight if
applicable). The permissible gross weight is
specified on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side (Y page 304).
Maximum weight of the laden vehicle
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 are the
equivalent of 1 psi. Another tire pressure unit
is bar. 100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equivalent
of 1 bar. Load index
In addition to the load bearing index, a load
index can be stamped onto the sidewall of the
tire. It specifies the load-bearing capacity of
the tire more precisely.
Curb weight The weight of a vehicle with standard equip-
ment including the maximum filling capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant. It also includes the air-
conditioning system and optional equipment if
these are installed on the vehicle, but does not
include passengers or luggage.
Maximum tire load
The maximum tire load in kilograms or pounds
is the maximum weight 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)
Standard unit of measurement for tire pres-
sure.
Aspect ratioRelationship between tire height and width in
percent.
Tire pressure
Pressure inside the tire applying an outward
force to every square inch of the tire's surface.
Tire pressure is specified in pounds per square
inch (psi), in kilopascal (kPa) or in bar. 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 for at least
three hours without direct sunlight on the
tires, and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than
1 mile (1.6 km)296
What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires