winter tires MERCEDES-BENZ CLA-Class 2017 C117 Owner's Manual

Features .............................................. 238
Maintenance and care......................254
Engine compartment ........................... 254
ASSYST PLUS ...................................... 258
Care ..................................................... 259
Breakdown assistance .....................266
Where will I find...? .............................. 266
Flat tire ................................................ 266
Battery (vehicle) .................................. 271
Jump-starting ....................................... 273
Towing and tow-starting ...................... 276
Fuses ................................................... 279
Wheels and tires ............................... 282
Important safety notes ........................ 282
Operation ............................................ 282
Winter operation .................................. 284
Tire pressure ....................................... 285
Loading the vehicle .............................. 292
All about wheels and tires ................... 295
Changing a wheel ................................ 301
Wheel and tire combinations ............... 306
Technical data ................................... 307
Information regarding technical data ... 307
Vehicle electronics .............................. 307
Identification plates ............................. 308
Service products and filling capaci-
ties ...................................................... 309
Vehicle data ......................................... 314
Contents3

Vehicle dimensions........................... 314
Vehicle emergency locking ................ 76
Vehicle identification number
see VIN
Vehicle identification plate .............. 308
Vehicle tool kit .................................. 266
Ventilation
Setting the vents ........................... 119
Video
Operating the DVD ......................... 180
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 227
VIN
Seat ............................................... 309
Type plate ...................................... 308
W
Warning and indicator lampsABS ................................................ 218
Active Brake Assist ........................ 225
Brakes ........................................... 217
Check Engine ................................. 222
Coolant .......................................... 223
Distance warning ........................... 225
ESP
®.............................................. 219
ESP®OFF ....................................... 220
Fuel tank ........................................ 222
Overview .......................................... 32
PASSENGER AIR BAG ...................... 40
Reserve fuel ................................... 222
Restraint system ............................ 222
Seat belt ........................................ 216
SPORT handling mode ................... 220
Tire pressure monitor .................... 226
Warranty .............................................. 24
Washer fluid
Display message ............................ 214
Weather display (COMAND)
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 227
Wheel and tire combinations
Tires ............................................... 306
Wheel bolt tightening torque ........... 305
Wheel chock ...................................... 302
Wheels
Changing a wheel .......................... 301
Checking ........................................ 282 Cleaning ......................................... 261
Important safety notes .................. 282
Information on driving .................... 282
Interchanging/changing ................ 301
Mounting a new wheel ................... 304
Removing a wheel .......................... 304
Storing ........................................... 302
Tightening torque ........................... 305
Wheel size/tire size ....................... 306
Window curtain air bag
Display message ............................ 196
Operation ......................................... 46
Windows
see Side windows
Windshield
Defrosting ...................................... 116
Windshield washer system
Adding washer fluid ....................... 257
Important safety notes .................. 313
Windshield wipers
Display message ............................ 214
Problem (malfunction) ................... 108
Replacing the wiper blades ............ 107
Switching on/off ........................... 106
Winter driving
Slippery road surfaces ................... 147
Snow chains .................................. 285
Winter operation
General notes ................................ 284
Winter tires
M+S tires ....................................... 284
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 262
Imp

ortant safety notes .................. 107
Wooden trim (cleaning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 264
Workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop
Z
ZONE functionSwitching on/off ........................... 116
Index21

Rear wheel
XBring thevehicl eand wheels int o asuitable
position so that you can attach test gage A.
XSecureth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway
(Ypage 140).
XEngage park position P.
XSwitchoff th eengine.
XPlac etest gage Abetween th ewheel's
spoke son brak epad/lining =.
XHold test gage Averticall yon brak edisc :
and slid emeasurin gpin ;onto brak e
disc :.
XChec kwhic hcolor field ?thearrow on
measurin gpin ;is pointing to .
Green: thebrak epad/lining thickness is suf -
ficient.
Red :th ebrak epad/lining thickness is no t
sufficient. Hav eth ebrak epads/lining
checke dat aqualified specialist workshop.
To avoi dan inaccurat emeasurement:
Rmak esur eyou position th ewheels suitably
Rdo no tput th emeasurin gpin on arecess in
th ebrak edisc
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to acertain dept hon
th eroad surface, there is adanger of hydro-
planing occurring, eve nif:
Ryou driv eat low speeds
Rth etires hav eadequat etread dept h
Fo rthis reason ,in th eevent of heav yrain or in
condition sin whic hhydroplaning may occur ,
you mus tdriv ein th efollowin gmanner:
Rlower your spee d
Ravoidrut s
Ravoi dsudde nsteering movement s
Rbrakecarefully
Driving on flooded roads
!Do no tdriv ethroug hflooded areas .Chec k
th edept hof any water before driving throug h
it .Drive slowly throug hstanding water. Oth-
erwise, water may ente rth evehicl einterior or
th eengin ecompartment. This can damag e
th eelectronic component sin th eengin eor
th eautomatic transmission .Water can also
be drawn in by th eengine's air suction nozzles
and this can caus eengin edamage.
Winter driving
GWARNIN G
If you shif tdown on aslipper yroad surfac ein
an attemp tto increas eth eengine's braking
effect, th edriv ewheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skiddin gand
accidents .
Do no tshif tdown for additional engin ebrak -
ing on aslipper yroad surface.
GDANGER
If th eexhaust pipe is blocke dor adequat e
ventilation is no tpossible, poisonous gase s
suc has carbon monoxide (CO) may ente rth e
vehicle. This is th ecase, e.g. if th evehicl e
become strapped in snow. There is aris kof
fatal injury.
Driving tips147
Driving and parking
Z

If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heatingrunning, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position N.
XTry to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 285).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 284).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 284).
Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is
laden, you must select a low gear in good time.
You need to have selected manual drive pro-
gram M(
Ypage 135). By doing so, you will make
use of the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake system and pre-
vents the brakes from overheating and wearing
too quickly.
When the engine is running, you can use the
cruise control lever to limit the speed to any
speed between 20 mph (30 km/h) and the tech-
nically permitted maximum speed of the vehicle.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period.
The speed indicated in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account the road, traffic and
weather conditions. Cruise control is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rin poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:Activates or increases speed
;Activates or reduces speed
148Driving systems
Driving and parking

The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
Sport mode ensures even better contact with
the road. Select this mode when employing a
sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
XPress button:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. You have selected
Sport mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT
mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Select this
mode if you favor a more comfortable driving
style, but also when driving fast on straight
roads, e.g. highways.
XPress button :again so that indicator
lamp ;goes out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG
SuspensionSystemCOMFORTmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
4MATIC
!
Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the differential. Damage of
this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty. All wheels must remain
either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
4MATIC, together with ESP
®, improves the trac-
tion of your vehicle whenever a drive wheel
spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC can neither reduce the risk of accident nor override
the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic conditions.
4MATIC is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
your lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
ROnly depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
RAccelerate less when driving.
iIn wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you
use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow chains
if necessary.
Suspension with Adaptive Damping
System
General notes
A suspension with the Adaptive Damping Sys-
tem provides improved driving comfort and con-
tinuously controls the calibration of the damp-
ers. The damping characteristics adapt to the
current operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface conditions
Rthe drive program selected
The drive program can be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT button (
Ypage 127).
Selecting Comfort mode
In the Comfort drive program, the driving char-
acteristics of your vehicle are more comforta-
ble. Therefore, select this drive program if you
prefer a more comfortable driving style. Also
select the Comfortdrive program when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of highway.
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT button (Ypage 127)
as many times as necessary until the Com-
fort drive program is selected.
Selecting Sport mode
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
theSport drive program ensures even better
contact with the road. Select this drive program
when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on
winding country roads.
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT button (Ypage 127)
as many times as necessary until the Sport
drive program is selected.
Driving systems159
Driving and parking
Z

Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in each country.
XDo not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
XUse a soft sponge to clean.
XUse a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
XThoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water.
XDo not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlet.
XUse plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently.
XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
XDo not let the cleaning agent dry on the paint-work.
Carefully remove all deposits of road salt as
soon as possible when driving in winter.
Power washers
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about the
correct distance is available from the equip-
ment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
RTires
RDoor gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
RElectrical components
RBattery
RConnectors
RLamps
RSeals
RTrim
RVentilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components can
lead to leaks or failures.
!Vehicles with decorative film: parts of your
vehicle are covered with a decorative film.
Maintain a distance of at least 27.5 in (70 cm)
between the parts of the vehicle covered with
the film and the nozzle of the high pressure
cleaner.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
Cleaning the paintwork
!Do not affix:
Rstickers
Rfilms
Rmagnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by
corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
XRemove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
XSoak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
XSoak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
XRemove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils,
fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a
cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter
fluid.
XUse tar remover to remove tar stains.
XUse silicone remover to remove wax.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recommen-
ded and approved by Mercedes-Benz. This is the
case approximately every three to five months,
depending on the climate conditions and the
care product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if the
paint has become dull, the paint cleaner recom-
260Care
Maintenance and care

Where will I find...?
Vehicle tool kit
General notes
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: the TIREFIT kit is
located in the stowage well under the trunk
floor.
Vehicles with a tire-change tool kit: the tire-
change tool kit is in the stowage well under the
trunk floor.
Apart from certain country-specific variations,
the vehicles are not equipped with a tire-change
tool kit. Some tools for changing a wheel are
specific to the vehicle. For more information on
which tire changing tools are required and
approved to perform a wheel change on your
vehicle, consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Tools required for changing a wheel may
include, for example:
RJack
RWheel chock
RLug wrench
RAlignment bolt
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit
:Tire inflation compressor
;Tire sealant filler bottle
=Towing eye
XOpen the trunk lid.
XLift the trunk floor upwards (Ypage 237).
XUse the TIREFIT kit (Ypage 268) or remove it.
Towing eye =is located under tire inflation
compressor :.
Vehicles with a tire-change tool kit
XOpen the trunk lid.
XLift the trunk floor upwards (Ypage 237).
XRemove the tire-change tool kit.
The tire-change tool kit contains:
RJack
RLug wrench
ROne pair of gloves
RFolding wheel chock
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with:
RMOExtended tires (tires with run-flat proper-
ties) (Ypage 267)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on vehi-
cles with MOExtended tires
Ra TIREFIT kit (Ypage 266)
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g.
winter tires. A TIREFIT kit may be obtained from
a qualified specialist workshop.
Information on changing and mounting wheels
(
Ypage 301).
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground, as far away as possible from
traffic.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away
(Ypage 140).
XIf possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
XSwitch off the engine.
XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-function
or KEYLESS-GO: open the driver's door.
The vehicle electronics now have status 0.
This is the same as the SmartKey having been
removed.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-function
or KEYLESS-GO: remove the Start/Stop but-
ton from the ignition lock (
Ypage 121).
266Flat tire
Breakdown assistance

XMake sure that the engine cannot be started
via your smartphone (Ypage 122).
XMake sure that the passengers are not endan-
gered as they do so. Make sure that no one is
near the danger area while a wheel is being
changed. Anyone who is not directly assisting
in the wheel change should, for example,
stand behind the barrier.
XGet out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traffic
conditions when doing so.
XClose the driver's door.
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
General notes
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat char-
acteristics), you can continue to drive your vehi-
cle even if there is a total loss of pressure in one
or more tires. The affected tire must not show
any clearly visible damage.
You can recognize MOExtended tires by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
sidewall of the tire. You will find this marking
next to the tire size designation, the load-bear-
ing capacity and the speed index (
Ypage 296).
MOExtended tires may be used only in conjunc-
tion with an activated tire pressure loss warning
system (Canada only) or tire pressure monitor
(USA only).
If a pressure loss warning message appears
in the multifunction display:
Robserve the instructions in the display mes-
sages (Ypage 209).
Rcheck the tire for damage.
Rif driving on, observe the following notes.
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode is
approximately 50 miles (80 km) when the vehi-
cle is partially laden. When the vehicle is fully
laden it is approximately 19 miles (30 km).
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving dis-
tance possible depends upon:
RVehicle speed
RRoad condition
ROutside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
may be reduced by extreme driving conditions
or maneuvers, or it can be increased through a
moderate style of driving. The driving distance possible in run-flat mode is
counted from the moment the tire pressure loss
warning appears in the multifunction display.
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
When replacing one or all tires, please observe
the following specifications for your vehicle's
tires:
Rsize
Rtype and
Rthe "MOExtended" marking
If a tire has gone flat and cannot be replaced
with a MOExtended tire, a standard tire may be
used as a temporary measure. Make sure that
you use the proper size and type (summer or
winter tire).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g.
winter tires. A TIREFIT kit may be obtained from a qualified specialist workshop.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When driving in emergency mode, the driving
characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when corner-
ing, accelerating quickly and when braking.
There is a risk of an accident.
Do not exceed the stated maximum speed.
Avoid abrupt steering and driving maneuvers,
and driving over obstacles (curbs, potholes,
off-road). This applies in particular to a laden
vehicle.
Stop driving in emergency mode if:
Ryou hear banging noises.
Rthe vehicle starts to shake.
Ryou see smoke and smell rubber.
RESP®is intervening constantly.
Rthere are tears in the sidewalls of the tire.
After driving in emergency mode, have the
wheel rims checked at a qualified specialist
workshop with regard to their further use. The
defective tire must be replaced in every case.
Flat tire267
Breakdown assistance
Z

with run-flat characteristics)" section
(Ypage 267).
ROnly mount tires of the correct size onto the
wheels.
RBreak in new tires at moderate speeds for the
first 60 miles(100km). Th ene w tires only
reach their full performance after this dis-
tance.
RDo not drive with tires which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces the
traction on wet roads (hydroplaning).
RReplace the tires after six years at the latest,
regardless of wear.
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat char-
acteristics), you can continue to drive your vehi-
cle even if there is a total loss of pressure in one
or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in conjunc-
tion with an activated tire pressure loss warning
system (Canada only) or tire pressure monitor
(USA only) and only on wheels specifically tes-
ted by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with a
flat tire (
Ypage 267).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount
tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g.
winter tires. A TIREFIT kit may be obtained from
a qualified specialist workshop.
Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (
Ypage 301).
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tires on your vehicle
to M+S tires. Using summer tires 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
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
M+S tires
GWARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than
ã in(4 mm ) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There is
a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than ãin
(4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), use winter
tires or all-season tires. Both types of tire are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tires bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking provide
the best possible grip in wintry road conditions.
Only these tires will allow driving safety systems
such as ABS and ESP
®to function optimally in
winter. These tires have been developed 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 maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires:
XCheck the tire pressures (Ypage 285).
XRestart the tire pressure monitor (USA only)
(Ypage 291).
XRestart the tire pressure loss warning system
(Canada) (Ypage 289)
284Winter operation
Wheels and tires

Permissible Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):the gross weight of the vehicle, all pas-
sengers, load and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the permissible
gross vehicle weight.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): the maxi-
mum permissible weight that can be carried by
one axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed the
maximum permissible values (gross vehicle
weight and maximum gross axle weight rating),
have your loaded vehicle (including driver, occu-
pants, cargo, and full trailer load if applicable)
weighed on a suitable vehicle weighbridge.
All about wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are U.S. government specifications. Their purpose is to
provide drivers with uniform reliable information
on tire performance data. Tire manufacturers
have to grade tires using three performance fac-
tors: :tread wear grade, ;traction grade and
= temperature grade. These regulations do not
apply to Canada. Nevertheless, all tires sold in
North America are provided with the corre-
sponding quality grading markings on the side-
wall of the tire.
Quality grades can be found, where applicable,
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. Example:
RTreadwear grade:
200
RTraction grade:AA
RTemperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the stat-
utory safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-spe-
cific and may deviate from the values in the
illustration.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified U.S.
government course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half times as well
on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and cli-
mate.
Traction
GWARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor-
nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
!Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage to
the drive train.
The traction grades – from highest to lowest –
are AA, A, B and C. Those grades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as meas-
ured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum tread
depth of ãin (4 mm) on all four winter tires.
All about wheels and tires295
Wheels and tires
Z