Page 321 of 416

Ste
p 2 Example
1E xamp le 2
Numb er of people in theve hicle
(driver and occupants) 51
Distribution of the occupant sFront: 2
Re ar: 3 Fr
ont: 1
We ight of occupant sO ccupant 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)
To talwe ight of all occupant s750 lbs (340 kg)2 00 lbs (91kg) Ste
p 3 Example
1E xamp le 2
Pe rm issible load (maximum
gross vehicle weight rating from
th eTire and Loading In form a‐
tion placard minus the gross
we ight of all occupants) 15
00 lbs (680 kg)00F8 75 0 lbs
(340 kg) = 750 lbs (340 kg)15
00 lbs (680 kg)00F8 200 lbs
(91 kg) = 1300 lbs (589 kg) Ti
re labeling Overview of tire labeling
1
Uniform Ti reQuality Grading Standards
(/ page 319)
2 DOT (Depa rtment of Transpor tation), (TIN)
Ti re Identification Number (/ page 320)
3 Maximum tire load (/ page 321)
4 Maximum tire pressure (/ page 321)5
Manufacturer
6 Chara cteristics of the tire (/ page 321)
7 Tire size designation, load-beari ng capacity,
speed rating and load ind ex (/page 321)
8 Tire name
% The da
tashown in the illustration is sample
data. Information on tire
quality grades Ac
cording totherequ irements of theU. S.
Depa rtment of Transpor tation's "Uni form Tire
Quality Grading Standards" tire manufacturers
must grade their tires using thefo llowing three
per form ance factors: Wheels and tires
319
Page 322 of 416

1
Tread weargrade
2 Traction grade
3 Temp erature grade
% The data shown in
the illustration is sample
data.
% This grading is not legally prescribed
for Can‐
ada, but specified in most cases anyw ay.
Tr ead weargrade
The tread wear grade is a comparative grading
based on tread wear grade tests conducted
under contro lled conditions on a specified U.S.
Depa rtment of Transpor tation test trac k.For
ex ample, a tire graded 150wo uld wear one and
one-half times as well on the go vernment test
track as a tire graded 100.
The relative per form ance of tires depends upon
th e actual conditions of their use, ho wever,and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
va riations in driving habits, service practices and
dif fere nces in road characteristics and climate
conditions.
Tr action grade &
DANG ER Risk of accident due toinade‐
qu ate traction
The traction grade assigned tothis tire is
based on stra ight-ahead braking traction
te sts, and does not include either accelera‐
tion, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
ch aracteristics. #
Always adapt your driving style and
drive at a speed tosuit the pr evailing
traf fic and weather conditions. *
NO
TEDama getothe driv etra in from
wheelspin #
Avoid wheelspin. The traction grades – from highest
tolowest –
are AA, A,B and C. These grades relate tothe tire's ability
tocome toast andstill on a wet pa ve‐
ment under controlled conditions on a specified
U. S. go vernment test sur face made from asphalt
and concr ete.
Te mp erature grade &
WARNING Risk of accident from tire
ove rheating and tire failure
The temp erature grade forth is tire is es tab‐
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. #
Obser vethere commended tire pres‐
sures and regular lych eck the tire pres‐
sure of all tires including the spare
wheel. #
Adjust the tire pressure as necessar y. The
temp erature grades are A (highest grade), B
and C. These relate toa tire's resis tance toheat
and its ability torelease heat on a specified test
wheel in laboratory tests under contro lled condi‐
tions. Sus tained high temp eratures can cause the
material of the tire todegenerate and reduce tire
life. In addition, excessively high temp eratures
can lead tosudden tire failure. Grade C refers to
a per form ance which all passenger vehicle tires
must exhibit, according totheU. S. Depa rtment
of Transpor tation's requ irements. Information on DOT and TIN (Tire Identifica‐
tion
Number) U.
S. tire regulations indicate that every tire man‐
ufacturer or retreader mu stimprint a TIN in or on
th e side wall of each tire produced. %
The data shown in
the illustration is sample
data. 320
Wheels and tires
Page 323 of 416

The TIN is a unique identification number
for tires
and consists of thefo llowing components:
R DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol 1indicates that the tire complies
with therequ irements of theU. S. Depa rtment
of Transpor tation.
R Manufacturer identi fication code: manu‐
fa cturer identification code 2prov ides infor‐
mation about the tire manufacturer. New tires
ha ve a code with two symbols. Retreaded
tires ha vea code with four symbols. For fur‐
th er information about retreaded tires, see
(/ page 324).
R Tire size: identifier 3describes the tire size.
R Tire type code: tire type code 4can be
used bythe manufacturer as a code to
describe specific characteristics of the tire.
R Date of manu factu re:da te of manufacture
5 prov ides information about the age of a
tire. The 1st and 2nd numbers indicate the
calendar week and the 3rd and 4th numbers
indicate theye ar of manufacture (e.g. "3208"
re fers to the 32nd week of theye ar 2008). Information on maximum tire load
%
The data shown in
the illustration is sample
data.
Maximum tire load 1isthe maximum permissi‐
ble weight for which the tire is appr oved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the maxi‐
mum permissible load. The maximum permissible
load can be found on theve hicle's Tire and Load‐
ing In form ation placard on the B-pillar on the driv‐
er's side (/ page317). Information on maximum tire pressure
%
The data shown in
the illustration is sample
data.
Maximum permitted tire pressure 1, which is
permitted forth e tires must not be exceeded.
Exception: when using the 225/ 75R16C
12 1/120R (122L) tires as a spa rewheel on the
re ar axle of Super Sin gle ve hicles with a dis tance
limit of 62 mi (100 km) and speed limit of 34 mph
(55 km/h). Information on tire
characteristics %
The data shown in
the illustration is sample
data.
This information describes the type of tire cord
and the number of la yers in side wall1 and
under tire tread 2. Ti
re size designation, load-bearing capacity,
speed rating and load index &
WARNING Risk of inju rythro ugh exceed‐
ing the specified tire load rating or the
permissible speed rating
Exceeding the specified tire load rating or the
permissible speed rating may lead totire
dama geand tothe tires bur sting. #
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
appr ovedfo ryo ur vehicle model. Wheels and tires
321
Page 324 of 416

#
Obser vethe tire load rating and speed
ra ting requ ired foryo ur vehicle. 1
Prefixing letter
2 Nominal tire width in millime ters
3 Aspect ratio (in pe rcent)
4 Tire code
5 Rim diame ter
6 Load-bearing index
7 Speed rating
8 Load ind ex
% The data shown in
the illustration is sample
data.
Fu rther information about reading tire data can
be obtained from any qualified specialist work‐
shop.
Prefixing letter 1
1:
R "LT": light truck tires in accordance with US
manufacturer standards.
R "C": tires for commercial usage in accordance
with European manufacturer standards.
Aspect ratio (in percent) 3 3:
The size ratio between the tire height and tire
width and is shown in percent (tire height divided
by tire width).
Ti re code 4
4 (tire type):
R "R": radial tire
Rim diam eter 5 5:
The diame ter of the bead seat (not the diame ter
of therim flange). The rim diame ter is specified in
inches (in).
Load-bearing index 6
6:
Numerical code which specifies the maximum
load-bearing capacity of a tire ("91" equals, e.g.
13 56 lb (6 15kg)).
The tire load-bearing capacity must be at least
half the gross axle weight rating of theve hicle. Do not
overload the tires byexceeding the maxi‐
mum permissible load.
See also:
R Maximum permissible load on theTire and
Loading In form ation placard (/ page317)
R Maximum tire load (/ page 321)
R Load index
Speed rating 7
7:
Specifies the appr oved maximum speed of the
tire.
% An electronic speed limiter pr
events your
ve hicle from exceeding a speed of 130mph
(2 10 km/h).
Ensu rethat your tires ha vetherequ ired speed
ra ting. You can obtain information on the
re qu ired speed rating at an au thorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Summer tires Inde
xS peedrating
LU pto 75 mph (120 km/h)
MU pto 81 mp h (1 30 km/h)
NU pto 87 mph (1 40 km/h)
PU pto 93 mph (150 km/h)
QU pto 100mp h (160 km/h)
RU pto 106mp h (170 km/h) Summer, all-season and winter tires
Inde
xS peedrating
L M+S 1
Upto75 mph (1 20 km/h)
M M+S 1
Upto81 mp h (130 km/h)
N M+S 1
Upto87 mph (140 km/h)
P M+S 1
Upto93 mph (150 km/h)
Q M+S 1
Upto100mp h (160 km/h)
R M+S 1
Upto118mp h (170 km/h) 1
: or "M+S 004D"for winter tires
Wi nter tires are mar ked with the004D snowflake
symbol and fulfill therequ irements of theRu bber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and theRu bber
Association of Canada (RAC) rega rding the tire
traction on sno w. 322
Wheels and tires
Page 325 of 416

Load index
8 8:
R "Light load": light load tires
R "C": commercial tires Information on definitions (tires and load‐
ing)
Ti re stru ctu reand characteristics: describes
th e number of la yers or the number of rubber-
coated la yers inthe tire tread and the tire wall.
These are made of steel, nylon, pol yester and
ot her materials.
Bar: metric unit for tire pressu re.
14 .5038 pounds per square inch (psi) and
10 0 kilopascals (kPa) are the equivalent of 1 bar.
DOT (Department of Transportation): DOT
mar ked tires fulfill there qu irements of the
U. S. Depa rtment of Transpor tatio n.
Av erage weight of vehicle occupants: the
number of occupants for which theve hicle is
designed multiplied by150 lbs (68 kg).
Un iform Tire Quality Grading Standards: a uni‐
fo rm standard tograde thequ ality of tires with
re ga rdsto tread quality, tire traction and temp er‐
ature characteristics. The quality grading assess‐
ment is made bythe manufacturer in accordance
with test specifications of theU. S. go vernment.
The quality grade of a tire is imprinted on the
side wall of the tire.
Re commended tire pressu re:there commen‐
ded tire pressure is the pressure specified forthe
tires ins talled on theve hicle at thefa ctor y.
The Tire and Loading In form ation placard con‐
ta ins there commended tire pressures for cold
tires, the maximum permissible load and the
maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table con tains there commen‐
ded tire pressures for cold tires under various
operating conditions, i.e. load and/or speed of
th eve hicle.
Increased vehicle weight due tooptional
equipment: the combined weight of all standard
and optional equipment available forth eve hicle,
re ga rdless of whe ther it is actually ins talled on
th eve hicle or not.
Rim: the part of the wheel on which the tire is
ins talled.
GA WR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): GAWR is the
gross axle weight rating. The actual load on an
axle mu stneverexc eed the Gross Axle Weight Ra
ting. You can find the Gross Axle Weight Rating
on the B-pillar on the driver's side.
Speed rating: the speed rating is pa rtof the tire
identification. It specifies the speed range for
which a tire is appr oved.
GV W (Gross Vehicle Weight): the Gross Vehicle
We ight includes thewe ight of theve hicle includ‐
ing fuel, tools, the spare wheel, accessories
ins talled, occupants, luggage and the trailer
dr aw bar nose weight if applicable. The Gross Vehi‐
cle Weight must ne verexc eed the Gross Vehicle
We ight Rating (GVWR) specified on the B-pillar on
th e driver's side.
GV WR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): the
GV WR is the maximum permitted gross weight of
th e fully laden vehicle (weight of theve hicle
including all accessories, occupants, fuel, lug‐
ga ge and the trailer dr awbar nose weight if appli‐
cable). The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is speci‐
fi ed on theve hicle identification plate on the B-
pillar on the driver's side.
Maximum weight of the laden vehicle: the
maximum weight is the sum of theve hicle's curb
we ight, weight of the accessories, maximum load
and thewe ight of thefa ctory ins talled optional
equipment.
Kilopascal (kPa): metric unitfor tire pressu re.
6.9 kPa are the equivalent of 1 psi. Ano ther unit
fo r tire pressu reis bar. 100 kilopascals (kPa) are
th e equivalent of 1 bar.
Load index: in additiontothe load-bearing index,
th e load index may also be imprinted on the side‐
wa ll of the tire. This specifies the load-bearing
capacity more precisel y.
Curb weight: thewe ight of a vehicle with stand‐
ard equipment including the maximum capacity
of fuel, oil and coolant. It also includes the air-
conditioning sy stem and optional equipment if
th ese are ins talled on theve hicle, but does not
include passengers or luggage.
Maximum tire load: the maximum tire load is
th e maximum permissible weight in kilog rams or
lbs for which a tire is appro ved.
Maximum permissible tire pressure: maximum
permissible tire pressure for one tire.
Maximum load on one tire: maximum load on
one tire. This is calculated bydividing the maxi‐
mum axle load for one axle bytwo.
PSI (pounds per square in ch):standard unit of
measurement for tire pressu re. Wheels and tires
323
Page 326 of 416

Aspect
ratio: relationship between tire height
and tire width in percent.
Ti re pressure: pressure inside the tire applying
an outward forc eto eve rysquare inch of the
tire's su rface. The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal (kPa)
or in bar. The tire pressure should only be cor rec‐
te d when the tires are cold.
Ti re pressure on cold tires: the tires are cold
when theve hicle has been par ked with the tires
out of direct sunlight for at least thre e hours and
th eve hicle has been driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
Ti re contact sur face: the part of the tire that
comes into con tact wi th thero ad.
Ti re bead: the purpose of the tire bead is to
ensure that the tire sits securely on the wheel
ri m. There are se veral wire cores in the tire bead
to preve ntthe tire from changing length on the
wheel rim.
Side wall:the part of the tire between the tread
and the tire bead.
Special equipment weight: the combined
we ight of those optional extras that we igh more
th an there placed standard parts and more than
5 lbs (2.3 kg). These op tionalextras, su chas
high-pe rformance brakes, le vel control sy stem, a
ro of luggage rack or a high-per form ance batter y,
are not included in the curb weight and the
we ight of the accessories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number): a unique iden‐
tification number which can be used bya tire
manufacturer toidentify tires, forex ample for a
product recall, and thus identify the pur chasers.
The TIN is made up of the manufacturer identifi‐
cation code, tire size, tire type code and the man‐
ufacturing date.
Load-bearing index: the load-bearing index (also
load index) is a code that con tains the maximum
load-bearing capacity of a tire.
Tr action: traction is there sult of friction between
th e tires and thero ad sur face.
We ar indicator: narrow bars (tread wear bars)
th at are distributed overth e tire tread. If the tire
tread is le vel with the bars, thewe ar limit of
1/ 16 in (1.6 mm) has been reached.
Distribution of vehicle occupants: distribution
of vehicle occupants over designated seat posi‐
tions in a vehicle. Maximum permissible pa
yload weight: nomi‐
nal load and luggage load plus 150 lbs (68 kg)
multiplied bythe number of seats in theve hicle. Changing a wheel
Note
s on selecting, installing and replacing
tires Yo
u can ask for information rega rding permit ted
wheel/tire combinations at a qualified specialist
wo rkshop. &
WARNING Risk of accident due toincor‐
re ct sizes of wheels and tires
If wheels and tires of the wrong size are used,
th e wheel brakes or wheel suspension com‐
ponents may be damaged. #
Alwaysre place wheels and tires with
ones that fulfill the specifications of the
original part.
Fo r wheels, pay attention tothefo llowing:
R Designation
R Type
R Perm issible wheel load
R Wheel of fset
Fo r tires, pay attention tothefo llowing:
R Designation
R Manufacturer
R Type
R Load-bearing index
R Speed rating &
WARNING Risk of inju rythro ugh exceed‐
ing the specified tire load rating or the
permissible speed rating
Exceeding the specified tire load rating or the
permissible speed rating may lead totire
dama geand tothe tires bur sting. #
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
appr ovedfo ryo ur vehicle model. #
Obser vethe tire load rating and speed
ra ting requ ired foryo ur vehicle. 324
Wheels and tires
Page 327 of 416

*
NO
TEVehicle and tire damage thro ugh
tire types and sizes that ha venot been
appr oved Fo
r saf etyre asons, only use tires, wheels and
accesso ries which ha vebeen specially
appr ovedby Mercedes-Benz foryo ur vehicle.
These tires ha vebeen specially adap tedfor
use with the cont rol sy stems, such as ABS or
ESP ®
.
Otherwise, cer tain properties, such as han‐
dling characteristics, vehicle noise and con‐
sum ption could be adversely af fected. Fur‐
th ermore, other tire size could result in the
tires rubbing against the body and axle com‐
ponents when loaded. This could result in
damage tothe tire or theve hicle. #
Only use tires, wheels and accessories
th at ha vebeen checked and recommen‐
ded byMercedes-Benz. *
NO
TEDriving sa fety put at risk by retrea‐
ded tires Re
treaded tires are not checked or recom‐
mended byMercedes-Benz, as pr evious dam‐
age is not alw ays de tected du ring there tread
process.
Driving sa fety cannot, therefore, be guaran‐
te ed. #
Do not use used tires when their pr evi‐
ous usage is unknown. *
NO
TEDama getoelectronic component
parts thro ugh the use of tire-ins talling
to ols Ve
hicles with a tire pressure monitoring
sy stem: there are electronic component
parts in the wheel. Tire -ins talling tools should
not be applied in the area of theva lve.
Otherwise, the electronic component parts
could be damaged. #
Always ha vetires changed at a qualified
specialist workshop. Ac
cessories that are not appr ovedfo ryo ur vehi‐
cle byMercedes-Benz, or are not being used cor‐
re ctly, can impair ope rating sa fety. Before pu
rchasing and using non-appr oved
accesso ries, visit a qualified specialist workshop
and inquire about:
R Suitability
R Legal stipulations
R Factory recommendations
Obser vethefo llowing points when selecting,
ins talling and replacing tires:
R Use only tires and wheels of the same type,
design (winter tires, all-season tire) and
make.
R Only ins tall wheels of the same size and tread
design on one axle (left and right).
It is only permissible toins tall a dif fere nt
wheel size tothis in theeve nt of a flat tire in
order todrive tothe specialist workshop.
R Only ins tall tires of the cor rect size onto the
wheels.
R Ve
hicles with a tire pressure monitoring
sy stem: all ins talled wheels must be equip‐
ped with functioning sensors forth e tire pres‐
sure monitoring sy stem.
R Attemp eratures below 50 °F (10 °C), use
winter tires or all-season tires mar ked M+S
fo r all wheels.
Wi nter tires bearing the004D snowflake sym‐
bol in addition tothe M+S marking pr ovide
th e best possible grip in wintry road condi‐
tions.
R Only use tires with the same tread.
R Obser vethe maximum permissible speed for
th e ins talled tires.
If th is is below theve hicle's maximum per‐
missible speed, this must be indicated in an
appropriate label in the driver's field of vision.
R Break in new tires at moderate speeds forthe
fi rs t 60 miles (100 km).
R Replace the tires af ter six years at the latest,
re ga rdless of wear.
Fo r more information on wheels and tires, con‐
ta ct a qualified specialist workshop.
% Ve
hicles with twin tires: Wheels and tires
325
Page 328 of 416

Fo
rve hicles with twin tires with a GVW of
11 ,030 lbs or 12,125 lbs, only use tires with
th e dimension LT215/85 R16 whi chhave
been appr ovedfo rth is vehicle bythe manu‐
fa cturer. It is not permissible touse tires with
dif fere nt dimensions; doing so may lead to a
ge neral ope rating pe rmit being rende red
in va lid.
% Ve
hicles with single tires:
Fo rve hicles with single tires with a GVW less
th an or equal to9,480 lbs, only use tires with
th e dimension LT245/75 R16 whi chhave
been appr ovedfo rth is vehicle bythe manu‐
fa cturer. It is not permissible touse tires with
dif fere nt dimensions; doing so may lead to a
ge neral ope rating pe rmit being rende red
in va lid.
% Ve
hicles with Super Single tires:
Fo rve hicles with single tires with a GVW of
11 ,030 lbs, only use tires with the dimen‐
sions 225/ 75R16C (FA) and 285/65 R16C
(RA) which ha vebeen appr ovedfo rth is vehi‐
cle bythe manufacturer. It is not permissible
to use tires with dif fere nt dimensions; doing
so may lead toage neral ope rating pe rmit
being rende red in valid.
Be sure toalso obse rveth efo llowing fur ther rela‐
te d subjects:
R Notes on tire pressure (/ page310)
R Tire and Loading In form ation placard
(/ page 317)
R Tire size designation, load-beari ng capacity,
speed rating and load ind ex (/page 321)
R Tire pressure table
R Notes on the emer gency spa rewheel
(/ page 332) Note
s onchanging wheels &
WARNING Risk of inju rythro ugh dif fer‐
ent wheel sizes
Inter changing the front and rear wheels if the
wheels or tires ha vediffere nt dimensions may
se verely impair the driving characteristics.
The wheel brakes or wheel suspension com‐
ponents may also be damaged. #
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the
wheels and tires are of the same dimen‐
sions. On
vehicles that ha vethe same size front and
re ar wheels, rotate the wheels according tothe
inter vals in the tire manufacturer's warranty book
in your vehicle documents. If this is not available,
ro tate the tires every3,000 (5,000) to
6,000 miles (10,000 km), depending on the
degree of wear. Ensure that the direction of rota‐
tion is maintained.
It is imperati vetoobser vethe instructions and
saf ety no tes on "Changing a wheel" when doing
so. Wheel size categories of wheels
The de
term ined vehicle speed is displa yed in the
instrument clus ter and is impor tant for control‐
ling the driving saf ety sy stems and driving sys‐
te ms. The display accuracy of the speedome ter
and the odome ter is legally prescribed. De term in‐
ing the speed is dependent on the tire size or the
ro lling circumference of the tires. The rim diame‐
te r is alw ays specified in inches.
Fo rth is reason, theve hicle contro l units can be
coded forth efo llowing wheel size categories:
Wheel size category 3
R 225/75 R16C FA
R 285/65 R16C RA
R LT24 5/75 R16
R LT21 5/85 R16
% Mercedes-Benz
recommends that youstay
within a wheel size category when changing a
tire. In this wa y,yo uav oid recoding the con‐
trol units.
If yo uch ange the wheel size of your vehicle, for
ins tance when changing wheels for winter opera‐
tion, check that it is assigned tothe cor rect
wheel size catego ry. If the wheel size category
ch anges, you must ha veyour vehicle's control
units recoded at a qualified specialist workshop.
Otherwise, the display accuracy of the speedom‐
et er and the odome ter will be outside the legally
prescribed tolerance. It may also be lo wer,i.e.
th e cur rent road speed is then higher than the
speed shown on the speedome ter.If a deviation
is outside thera nge of tolerance, driving saf ety
sy stems and driving sy stems may be operation‐
ally impaired or may de tect a malfunction and
switch themselves off. 326
Wheels and tires