traction control MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class COUPE 2017 CL205 Owner's Manual

Tire pressures (recommended) ...... 334
Tire size (data) ...............................340
Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity, speedr ating .................... 330
Tire tread ....................................... 317
Tire tread (definition) ..................... 335
Total loa dlimit (definition) ............. 335
Traction ......................................... 329
Traction (definition) ....................... 335
Treadw ear..................................... 329
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standard s...................................... 329
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standard s(de finition) .................... 334
Wea rindicator (definition) ............. 335
Wheel and tire combination ........... 340
Wheel rim (definition) .................... 334
see Fla ttire
Top Tether ............................................ 59
Touchpad
Changing the station/music
track .............................................. 261
Character suggestions ................... 260
Deleting characters ....................... 260
Entering aspace ............................ 260
Entering characters ....................... 260
Gesture control .............................. 260
Handwriting recognition ................ 260
Operating the touchpa d................. 260
Overview ........................................ 260
Quick access for Audio .................. 261
Switching ....................................... 260
Switching input line ....................... 260
Tow-starting
Emergency engine starting ............ 313
Important safety notes .................. 310
Towin gatrailer
ESP
®(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 69
Towin gaway
Important safety guideline s........... 310
Installing the towing eye. ............... 311
Note sfor 4MATI Cvehicles ............ 313
Removing the towing eye. .............. 311
Transporting the vehicl e................ 312
With both axles on the ground ....... 312
With the rea raxler aised ................ 311
Towin geye......................................... 300 Trafficr
eports
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ua l.................................................. 258
TrafficS ig
nA ssis t
Di

spla ymessage ............................ 238
Function/note s............................. 190
Important safety notes .................. 190
Instrument cluster display ............. 191
Transfer case ..................................... 149
Transmission
see Automati ctransmission
Transmissio nposition display ......... 142
Transmissio nposition display
(DIRECT SELECT lever) ...................... 142
Transporting the vehicle .................. 312
Trim piece s(clea ning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 297
Trip computer (on-board com-
puter) .................................................. 205
Trip odometer
Calling up ....................................... 204
Resetting (on-board computer) ...... 206
Trunk
Important safety notes .................... 82
Locking separately. .......................... 86
Opening/closing (automatically
from inside )...................................... 85
Opening/closing (automatically
from outside) ................................... 83
Opening/closing (fro moutside,
HANDS-FREE ACCESS) .................... 84
Opening/closing (manuall yfrom
outside) ............................................ 83
Trunk lid
Displa ymessage ............................ 244
Obstacl erecognition ........................ 83
Opening dimensions ...................... 349
Opening/closing .............................. 82
Trunk load (maximum) ...................... 349
Turn signals
Changing bulb s(front) ................... 115
Displa ymessage ............................ 231
Switching on/of f........................... 111
Two-wa yradio
Frequencie s................................... 342
Installation ..................................... 342
Transmission output( maximum) .... 342
20Index

It may be best to deactivate ESP®in the follow-
ing situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
describeda bove no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be abl etostabilize the vehicle if
the vehicle starts to skid or awheel starts to
spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheel sfor an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. You
could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
You can deactivate or activate ESP®via the on-
board computer (Ypage 212)
ESP®deactivated:
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
ESP
®activated:
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Characteristic swhen ESP®is deactivated
If ESP®is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP
®wil lnot stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
REngine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheel sare abl etospin.
The spinning of the wheel sresults in acutting
action for better traction on loose surfaces.
RTraction control is still activated.
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSISTisnol onger
available; nor is it activated if you brake firmly
with assistance from ESP
®.
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP®inter-
venes.
RPRE-SAFE®Brake is no longer available, it is
also not activated if you brake firmly and ESP®
intervenes.
RESP®still providess upport when you brake
firmly.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
(Mercedes‑AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
You can select betwee nthe following states of
ESP
®:
RESP®is activated.
RSPORT handling mode is activated.
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is agreater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit-
uations describedint he following.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®,E SP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle.T here is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheelsf or an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. You
could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
In the following situations, it may be better to
activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP
®:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Ron specially designated roads when the vehi-
cle's own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP
®requires an extremely qualifieda nd expe-
rienced driver.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
describeda bove no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be abl etostabilize the vehicle if
the vehicle starts to skid or awheel starts to
spin.
68Driving safety systems
Safety

Deactivating/activating ESP®
XTo activate SPORT handling mode:briefly
press butto n:.
The M SPORT handlin gmodew arnin g
lamp in th einstrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mod e
message appears in
th em ultifunction display.
XTo deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefl ypress butto n:.
The M SPORT handlin gmodew arnin g
lamp in th einstrument cluster goe sout.
XTo deactivate ESP®:press butto n: until
th eå ESP®OF Fw arnin glamp lights up in
th ei nstrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
message appears in th emulti-
function display.
XTo activate ESP®: briefl ypress butto n:.
The å ESP®OF Fw arnin glamp in th e
instrumen tcluster goe sout.T he ÷ ON
message appears in th emultifunction display.
Characteristics of activate dSPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handlin gmodeisa ctivated and on eor
mor ewheels start to spin ,the ÷ ESP®warn -
in gl amp in th einstrument cluster flashes .ESP®
only stabilizes th evehicl etoal imiteddegree .
Whe nSPORT handlin gmodeisa ctivated:
RESP®only improves drivin gstabilit ytoa limi-
te dd egree .
RTraction control is still activated.
REnginetorque is no longer limite dand th e
drive wheels are able to spin .
The spinning of th ewheels result sinacutting
action fo rbette rtraction on loos esurfaces.
RESP®still provides support when you brak e
firmly.
Characteristics when ESP®is deactivate d
If ESP®is deactivated and on eormorew heels
start to spin ,the ÷ ESP®warnin glamp in th e
instrumen tcluster doe snotflash. In suc hsitua-
tions, ES P
®will notstabiliz ethe vehicle.
If you deactivat eESP®:
RESP®no longer improves drivin gstability.
REngin etorque is no longer limite dand th e
drive wheels are able to spin .
The spinning of th ewheels result sinacutting
action fo rbette rtraction on loos esurfaces.
RTraction control is still activated.
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no longer
available; no risitactivated if you brak efirmly
wit ha ssistanc efromE SP
®.
RPRE-SAF E®is no longer available, no risit
activated if you brak efirmly and ES P®inter-
venes.
RPRE-SAF E®Brake is no longer available, it is
also no tactivated if you brak efirmly and ES P®
intervenes.
RESP®still provides support when you brak e
firmly.
ESP®trailer stabilization
General information
ES P®trailer stabilization is no tavailable in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begin sto
swerve, ES P
®assistsyou in this situation .ESP®
slows th evehicl edown by brakin gand limiting
th ee ngineo utput until th evehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilized.
Important safet ynotes
GWARNIN G
If roa dand weather condition sare poor,
trailer stabilization will no tbeable to preven t
th ev ehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailer swithah ighc enter of gravit ycan
ti po verb efore ES P
®can detec tthis. There is
ar iskofana ccident.
Always adapt your drivin gstyle to th eprevail -
in gr oada nd weather conditions.
If your vehicl ewitht railer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination )begin stol urch, you can only stabiliz e
Driving safetysystems69
Safety
Z

vehicleinfront, for vehicl espeed, for braking in
good time and for staying in you rlane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintai naconstant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could caus ethe drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicl ecould then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is achange of drivers ,advise the new
driver of the speeds tored.
iThe speedindicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the speeds tored.
Cruise control lever
:Activates or increasesspeed
;Activates or reduces speed
=Deactivates cruise control
?Activates at the current speed/last stored
speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speediss howninthe multifunction display for
five seconds. In addition, the ésymbol
appears in the multifunction display.
Speedometer with segments: when cruise
control is activated ,the segments from the
stored speedtot he maximumpermitted speed
light up.
Storing and maintainingt he current
speed
You can store the current speedify ou are driv-
ing faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
XAccelerate the vehicl etothe desired speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;.
XRemove you rfoot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated .The vehicl eauto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speedonu phill gradients. The
stored speedisr esumedwhen the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speedond ownhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Storing the current spee dorcalling up
the last stored speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speeda nd it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicl edeceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicl ecould decelerate unexpectedly. There
is ar isk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speeda gain.
XBriefly pullthe cruise control lever towards
you ?.
XRemove you rfoot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated ,it
stores the current speedorr egulates the
speedoft he vehicletothe previousl ystored
speed.
Setting aspeed
Keep in mind that it may take abrief moment
until the vehicl ehas accelerated or braked to
the speeds et.
XPress the cruise control lever up :for a
highers peedord own;for alower speed.
XTo adjust the set spee din1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): brieflypress
Driving systems161
Driving and parking
Z

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Check TiresThe tire pressureinoneor mor etires has dropped significantly. The
whee lposition is displayed in th emultifunction display.
Aw arning tone also sounds.
GWARNIN G
Tir ep ressures that are to olow pos ethe followin ghazards :
Rthey may burst, especially as th eload and vehicl espeed increase.
Rthey may wear excessivel yand/o runevenly, whic hmay greatl y
impair tire traction .
Rthed rivin gcharacteristics ,aswell as steering and braking ,may be
greatl yimpaired.
There is ariskofana ccident.
XStop thevehicl ewithout making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers .Pay attention to th etraffic condition sasyou do so.
XSecur ethe vehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 152).
XChec kthe tires and ,ifneces sary, follow th einstruction sfor aflat
tire (Ypage 300).
XChec kthe tire pressur e(Ypage 323).
XIf necessary, correc tthe tire pressure.
Warnin gTireM al‐functionThe tire pressur einoneor mor etires has dropped suddenly. The whee l
position is shown in th emultifunction display.
GWARNIN G
Drivin gwithaf lat tire poses ariskoft hefollowin ghazards :
Raflat tire affects th eabilit ytos teer or brak ethe vehicle.
Ryou could lose control of th evehicle.
Rcontinued drivin gwithaf lat tire will caus eexces sive heat build-up
and possibl yafire.
There is ariskofana ccident.
XStop thevehicl ewithout making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers .Pay attention to th etraffic condition sasyou do so.
XSecur ethe vehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 152).
XChec kthe tires and ,ifneces sary, follow th einstruction sfor aflat
tire (Ypage 300).
TirePress.Monito rCurrently Unavaila‐ble
Becausethere is interferenc efromas tron gs ource of radi owaves, no
signals from th etirep ressur esensor sare detected. The tire pressur e
monitor is temporarily malfunctioning .
XDrive on.
The tire pressur emonitor restarts automatically as soo nasthe
problem has been resolved.
TirePress .Sen‐sor(s) Missin gThere is no signal from th etirep ressur esensor of on eorseveral
wheels. The pressur eoftheaffecte dtireisn otdisplayed in th emul-
tifunction display.
XHav ethe fault ytirep ressur esensor replace dataqualified special -
ist workshop .
242Display messages
On-boardcomputer andd isplays

Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possiblec auses/consequences and M
Solutions
÷NThe yellow ESP®warning lamp flashes while the vehicleisinm otion.
ESP®or traction control has intervened because there is arisk of skidding or at
least one whee lhas started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
XWhen pulling away, only depress the accelerator pedalasf ar as necessary.
XEase off the accelerator pedalwhile the vehicleisinmotion.
XAdapt yourdriving style to sui tthe road and weather conditions.
XDo not deactivate ESP®.
In rare cases it may be better to deactivate ESP®:
Rall vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles (Ypag e67)
RMercedes-AMG vehicles (Ypag e68)
Observe the important safety notes on ESP®(Ypag e67).
÷NThe yellow ESP®warning lamp is lit while the engine is running.
ESP®is malfunctioning.
Other driving systems and driving safety systems may als obefaulty.
GWARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the functions listed
above.
The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can thus increase.
If ESP
®is not operational ,ESP®is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
XObserve the additiona ldisplay messages in the multifunction display.
XDrive on carefully.
XVisi taq ualified specialist worksho pimmediately.
250Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays

Turn on ESP®and adapt your driving style
accordingly. When the outside temperature
falls below 10 †, use M+S tires.
iDifferent driving styles may lead to high tire
wear and the tires may reach the minimum
tire tread depth after only ashort time.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
GWARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As aresult, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is arisk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Check wheels and tires for damage at least once
am onth. Check wheels and tires after driving
off-road or on rough roads. Damaged wheels
can cause aloss of tire pressure. Pay particular
attention to damage such as:
Rcuts in the tires
Rpunctures
Rtears in the tires
Rbulges on tires
Rdeformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width of
the tire (
Ypage 317). If necessary, turn the
front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the
inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have avalve cap to protec tthe
valve against dirt and moisture. Do not mount
anything ontot he valve other than the standard
valve cap or other valve caps approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle. Do not use any
other valve caps or systems, e.g. tire pressure
monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires par-
ticularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire pres-
sure as necessary (
Ypage 319).
The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
Rdriving style
Rtire pressure
Rdistance covered
Notes on tire tread
GWARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where speed is not adapted to suit the driving con-
ditions. There is arisk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for:
RSummer tires: âin (3 mm)
RM+S tires: ãin (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached.
Marking :shows where the bar indicator
(arrow) for tread wear is integrated into the tire
tread.
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire tread.
They are visible once atread depth of approx-
imately áin (1.6 mm) has been reached. If this
is the case, the tire is so worn that it must be
replaced.
Selecting, mounting and replacing
tires
ROnly mount tires and wheels of the same type
and make.
Operation317
Wheels and tires
Z

Exception: it is permissibletoinstalladiffer-
ent typ eormakeint he event of aflatt ire.
Observe the "MOExtende dtires(tires with
run-flat characteristics" sectio n(
Ypage 301).
ROnlymount tire softhe correct size onto the
wheels.
RBrea kinn ew tire satmoderate speeds for the
first 60 miles (100 km). The yonlyr each their
full performance after thisd istance.
RDo not drive with tire swhich have too little
trea ddepth,ast hissignificantl yreduce sthe
tractio nonw etroads (hydroplaning).
RReplace the tire safter sixy earsat the latest,
regardless of wear.
MOExtende dtires(tires with run-flat
properties)
With MOExtende dtires(tires with runf latc har-
acteristics), yo ucan continue to drive your vehi-
cle eve nifthere is atotall ossofp ressure in one
or mor etires.
MOExtende dtiresm ayonl ybeu sedinc onjunc-
tio nw ithana ctive tire pressure loss warning
system or with an active tire pressure monitor
and on wheels specifically teste dbyMercedes-
Benz.
Note sond rivingwithM OExtende dtiresw itha
fla ttire (
Ypage 301).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtende dtiresa re
not equipped with aTIREFIT kit at the factory .It
is therefore recommende dthaty ouadditionally
equi pyourvehicl ewithaT IREFIT kit if yo umount
tire sthatd onot featur erun-flat properties, e.g.
winter tires. ATIREFIT kit can be obtained from
aq uali fied specialis tworkshop.
Winter operation
General notes
Hav eyourv ehicl ewinter-proofed at aquali fied
specialis tworkshop at the onse tofwinter.
Observe the note sinthe "Changing awheel "
sectio n(
Ypage 335).
Driving with summe rtires
At temperatures belo w45‡(+7 †),summer
tire slos ee last icity and therefore tractio nand
braking power. Chang ethe tire sonyourvehicle to M+S tire
s. Usingsumme rtires at very cold
temperatures could cause cracks to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility for
this type of damage.
GWARNING
Damage dtires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As aresult, you could lose control of
you rvehicle. There is arisk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
M+S tires
GWARNING
M+S tires with atire tread depth of less than
ã in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provid esufficient traction. There is
ar isk of an accident.
M+S tires with atread depth of less than ãin
(4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
At temperatures belo w45‡ (+7 †), use winter
tires or all-season tires. Bot htype soft ire are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tires bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking provide
the best possibl egrip in wintry road conditions.
Only these tires wil lallow driving safety systems
such as ABS and ESP
®to function optimally in
winter. Theset ires have beend eveloped specif-
ically for driving in snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on all
wheels to maintain safe handling characteris-
tics.
Always observe the maximu mpermissible
speeds pecified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires:
XCheck the tire pressures (Ypag e322).
XRestart the tire pressure monitor
(Ypag e325).
318Wintero peration
Wheels and tires

Snow chains
GWARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is arisk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
Rnever install snow chains to the front
wheels
Ralways install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that have
been specially approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz, or are of acorresponding
standard of quality. For more information,
please contact aqualified specialist workshop.
If you inten dtomount snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
RSnow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations .Permissible wheel-
tire combination s(
Ypage 340).
ROnly use snow chains when driving on roads
completely covered by snow. Remove the
snow chains as soon as possible when you
come toaroad that is not snow-covered.
RLocal regulations may restrict the use of snow
chains. Observe the appropriate regulations if
you wish to mount snow chains.
RDo not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 31 mph (50 km/h).
ROn vehicles with AIRMATIC, you must drive at
raised vehicle level if snow chains have been
installed (
Ypage 172).
RWhen snow chains are installed, never use
Active Parking Assist (Ypage 177).
You may wish to deactivate ESP®when pulling
away with snow chains installed:
RAll vehicles (except Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles)
(Ypage 67)
RMercedes‑AM Gvehicles (Ypage 68)
You can thereby allow the wheels to spin in a
controlled manner, achieving an increased driv- ing force (cuttin gaction).
Tire pressure
Tire pressures pecifications
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks:
Rthe tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
Rthe tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is arisk of an accident.
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tires includ-
ing the spare wheel:
Rmonthly, at least
Rif the load changes
Rbefore beginning along journey
Runder different operating conditions, e.g.
off-road driving
If necessary, correct the tire pressure.
The data on the Tire and Loading Information
placard and tire pressure table shown here are
examples. Tire pressure specifications are vehi-
cle-specific and may deviate from the data
shown here. The tire pressure specifications
that are valid for your vehicle can be found on
the Tire and Loading Information placard and
tire pressure table on the vehicle.
General notes
The recommended tire pressures for the tires
mounted at the factory can be found on the
labels described here.
Further information on tire pressures can be
obtained at aqualified specialist workshop.
Tire pressure319
Wheels and tires
Z

Vehicleidentificatio nplate
Even if yo uhavec alculate dthe totalc argo care-
fully ,you shoul dstillm ake sure thatt he gross
vehicl eweigh trating and the gross axl eweigh t
rating are not exceeded .Detail scan be found on
the vehicl eide ntificatio nplate on the B-pillar on
the driver' ssideoft he vehicl e(
Ypage 326).
Permissibl eGrossVehicl eWeight Rating
(GVWR): the gross weight of the vehicle, al lpas -
sengers ,loa da nd traile rload/n oseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the permissible
gross vehicl eweigh t.
Gros sAxleW eight Ratin g(GAWR): the maxi-
mump ermissibl eweigh tthatc an be carrie dby
one axl e(front or rea raxle).
To ensure thaty ourvehicl edoesn ot exceed the
maximu mpermissibl evalue s(gros sv ehicle
weight and maximu mgross axl eweigh trating),
have your loaded vehicl e(including driver, occu-
pants, cargo, and ful ltraile rloa difa pplicable)
weighed on asuitabl evehicl eweigh bridge.
Alla bout wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Overvie wofTire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard sare U.S.
government specifications. Their purpose is to
provid edrivers with uniform reliabl einformation
on tire performanc edata. Tire manufacturers
have to grade tire susing thre eperformanc efac-
tors: :trea dwearg rade, ;tractio ngrade and
= temperature grade .These regulations do not
appl ytoC anada. Nevertheless ,alltire ssoldi n
North America are provided with the corre- sponding quality grading marking
sonthe side-
wall of the tire.
Quality grade scan be found, where applicable,
on the tire sidewall between trea dshoulde rand
maximu msection width.
Example:
RTreadwear grade: 200
RTraction grade:AA
RTemperature grade: A
All passenger car tire smustc onform to the stat-
utory safety requirements in additio ntothese
grades.
iThe actual value sfor tire sare vehicle-spe-
cifi cand mayd eviate from the value sinthe
illustration.
Treadwear
The treadwea rgrade is acomparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on aspecified U.S.
government course.F or example,atire graded
150 woul dwearo ne and one-hal ftime sasw ell
on the government test trac kasat ire graded
100.
The relative performance of tire sdepen ds upon
the actual conditions of thei ruse,h owever, and
mayd epartsignificantly from the norm du eto
variations in driving habits, service practices
and difference sinroadc haracteristic sand cli-
mate.
Traction
GWARNING
The tractio ngrade assigned to thist ire is
based on straight-ahea dbraking traction
tests ,and does not includ eacceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak tractio nchar-
acteristics.
!Avoi dwheelspin.T hisc an lead to damage to
the drive train.
The tractio ngrade s–from highest to lowest –
are AA, A, Band C. Those grade srepresent the
tire's ability to stop on we tpavement as meas-
ured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete .Atire marked Cmayhave poor traction
performance.
Al la bout wheels and tires329
Wheel sand tires
Z