Wheels
- Incorrect tyre pressures increase tyre wear
and adversely affect vehicle braking and
handling - risk of accident!
(7) CAUTION
Replace any lost valve caps to prevent dam
age to the tyre valves.
(#) For
the sake of the environment
- Under-inflated tyres will increase the fuel
consumption.
- Driving with the tyre pressures adjusted to
the comfort setting* may also result in in
creased fuel consumption.
©
We recommend always using the tyre pres
sure setting
(T)
for partial loads and the set
ting
(?) for
full loads.
Wheel bolts and rims
Wheel bolts
The wheel bolts should be clean and turn easily.
A special adapter is required to turn the
anti-
theft wheel bolts*
^
page 321.
Rims
Rims with a bolted rim flange* or bolted trim
parts*
consist of several components. A special
technique is applied to bolt these components
together. Never attempt to repair or dismantle
them
o
A-
A,
WARNING
If the wheel bolts have not been tightened or
serviced correctly, they can come loose, and
you could lose control of the vehicLe - risk of
accident! For the correct tightening torque,
refer to
^page
324, After changing a wheel.
- Make sure that the wheel bolts and threads
in the wheel hubs are always clean and free
from grease.
- Only use wheel bolts that are designed to
match the rims on your car.
- Always have damaged rims repaired by a
qualified workshop. Never attempt to repair
or dismantle rims yourself - risk of accident!
Winter tyres
In winter road conditions winter tyres will consid
erably improve the car's handling. Due to their
type of construction (width, rubber compound,
tread pattern), summer tyres give less grip on ice
and snow.
•
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
•
Only use winter tyres of the correct type ap
proved for your vehicle.
•
Please note that the maximum permissible
speed for winter tyres may be lower than for
summer tyres
•=> A-
Your specialist retailer can
advise you of the maximum speed
for
your
tyres.
•
After fitting the wheels you must always check
the tyre pressures
^>page
307.
Winter tyres Lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of 4 mm. The per
formance of winter tyres is also severely impaired
by ageing, even if the tread is still much deeper
than 4 mm.
A WARNING
- Never exceed the maximum approved speed
for your tyres. This causes the tyres to over
heat and can even result in a blow-out - risk
of accident!
- Always adapt your driving style to the pre
vailing road and traffic conditions. Drive
carefully and reduce your speed on icy or
slippery roads. Even winter tyres lose their
grip on black ice.
(^)
For the sake of the environment
Summer tyres should be fitted again as soon
as possible; they give better handling on
roads which are free of snow and ice. They are
quieter, do not wear so quickly and reduce
fuel consumption. •
308
Wheels
CO
< o rN
iv
rN
i—i
o < 00
All-weather tyres can also be used instead of
winter tyres. Please note that winter tyres
with the
A
symbol are required by law during
the winter season in some countries.
Snow chains
Snow chains will improve braking ability as well
as traction in winter conditions.
• Snow chains can be used on the front wheels
only. This also applies to vehicles with four-
wheel drive*.
•
Check that the snow chains are correctly seated
after driving for
a
few yards; follow the instruc
tions given by the manufacturer.
•
Keep your speed below 50 km/h. Please ob
serve the applicable local regulations.
Only use snow chains with fine-pitch links. The
links must not protrude more than 13.5 mm
from the tyres (including tensioner).
You must remove the snow chains on roads which
are free of snow; otherwise the vehicLe handling
may be impaired and the tyres may be damaged.
For technical reasons snow chains may only be
used on tyres with certain wheel rim/tyre combi
nations.
Rim size
6.0]xl6 (steel)
Rim offset Tyre size
43 mm 205/60 R16
A WARNING
UnsuitabLe
or incorrectly mounted snow
chains can cause you to lose control of the ve
hicLe-
risk
of accident!
© CAUTION
Snow chains can damage the rim/hubcap* if
they make direct contact with it. Remove the
hubcaps* beforehand. Use snow chains which
have a protective coating.
© Note
When driving with snow chains, it may help to
switch on off-road mode
^page
146.
Low-profile tyres
Applies to: vehicles with low-profile tyres
Your vehicLe is fitted with low-profile tyres* as
standard equipment. Low-profile tyres have a
lower sidewall and provide a wider tread surface
and rim diameter than other wheel/tyre combi
nations. This makes the car's handling more
agile.
However, the ride may be Less comfortable
on poor-quality roads and tracks, and rolling
noise may be louder.
Low-profile tyres can be damaged more quickly
than standard tyres, for example by heavy jolts,
potholes, manhole covers, speed humps and
kerbs.
It is therefore particularly important to
ensure that they are inflated to the correct pres
sure
o
page 307.
Drive with particular care on poor-quality roads
to ensure that you do not damage the rims and
tyres.
Make sure to check your wheels regularly (every
3,000 km) for damage such as blisters/tears on
the tyre sidewalls or deformations/cracks on the
rims.
After a heavy jolt, or if any damage occurs, you
should have the rims and tyres checked and if
necessary replaced by
a
qualified workshop.
Tyre wear occurs more quickly on low-profile
tyres than on standard tyres.
Summer tyres are not suitable for cold condi
tions,
snow or ice. Use winter or all-season tyres
when driving in these conditions
^>page
308.
Tyre pressure loss
indicator
Tyre pressure loss indicator lamp
Applies to: vehicles with tyre pressure loss indicator
The
tyre pressure loss indicator in the instrument
cluster informs the driver if the tyre pressure is
too low or a system malfunction has occurred.
The tyre pressure loss indicator makes use of the
ABS sensors to compare the rolling circumfer
ence and the vibration of the tyres. If changes in
the inflation pressure are detected on one or •
309
