MERCEDES-BENZ GLE COUPE 2017 C292 Owner's Manual
Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ, Model Year: 2017, Model line: GLE COUPE, Model: MERCEDES-BENZ GLE COUPE 2017 C292Pages: 366, PDF Size: 8.61 MB
Page 331 of 366

Important safety notes
GWARNING
Eac htire, includin gth espar e(if provided),
should be checke dat least once amonth
when cold and inflated to th epressur erec -
ommended by th evehicl emanufacturer on
th eTir eand Loading Information placard on
th edriver' sdoor B-pillar or th etire pressur e
label on th einside of th efuel filler flap .If your
vehicl ehas tires of adifferen tsiz ethan th e
siz eindicated on th eTir eand Loading Infor -
mation placard or th etire pressur elabel, you
should determine th eproper tire pressur efor
those tires .
As an added safet yfeature, your vehicl ehas
been equipped wit h atire pressur emonitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminate s alow tire pres-
sur etelltale when on eor mor eof your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when th elow tire pressur etelltale illuminates,
you should stop and chec kyour tires as soo n
as possible ,and inflat ethem to th eproper
pressure. Drivin gon asignificantly underin-
flated tire causes th etire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduce sfuel efficiency and tire tread life ,and
may affec tth evehicle's handlin gand stop-
pin gability.
Pleas enote that th eTPM Sis no t asubstitut e
for proper tire maintenance ,a
nd it is th edriv -
er' sresponsibilit yto maintai ncorrec ttire
pressure, eve nif underinflation has no t
reached th elevel to trigge rillumination of th e
TPM Slow tire pressur etelltale.
US Aonly:
Your vehicl ehas also been equipped wit h a
TPM Smalfunction indicator to indicat eif th e
system is no toperating properly. The TPM S
malfunction indicator is combined wit hth e
low tire pressur etelltale. When th esystem
detects amalfunction ,th ewarning lamp will
flas hfor approximately aminute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequenc ewill be repeated every time th evehi-
cle is started as lon gas th emalfunction
exists.
When th emalfunction indicator is illuminated,
th esystem may no tbe able to detec tor signal
low tire pressur eas intended. TPM Smalfunc -
tion smay occur for avariet yof reasons,
includin gth emounting of incompatible
replacemen tor alternate tires or wheels on
th evehicl ethat preven tth eTPM Sfrom func-
tioning properly. Always chec kth eTPM Smal-
function telltale after replacing on eor mor e
tires or wheels on your vehicl eto ensur ethat
th ereplacemen tor alternate tires and wheels
allow th eTPM Sto continue to function prop-
erly.
It is th edriver' sresponsibilit yto set th etire
pressur eto that recommended for cold tires
whic his suitable for th eoperating situation
(
Ypage 324). Not ethat th ecorrec ttire pressur e
for th ecurren toperating situation must first be
taught-in to th etire pressur emonitor. If there is
a substantial loss of pressure, th ewarning
threshold for th ewarning message is aligned to
th ereferenc evalue staught-in .Restart th etire
pressur emonitor after adjusting th epressur eof
th ecold tires (
Ypage 330). The curren tpres-
sures are saved as ne wreferenc evalues. As a
result , awarning message will appear if th etire
pressur e
d
rops significantly.
The tire pressur emonitor does no twarn you of
an incorrectl yset tire pressure. Observ eth e
note son th erecommended tire pressur e
(
Ypage 324).
The tire pressur emonitor is no table to warn you
of asudde nloss of pressure, e.g. if th etire is
penetrated by aforeign object. In th eevent of a
sudde nloss of pressure, brin gth evehicl eto a
halt by braking carefully. Avoid abrup tsteering
movements.
The tire pressur emonitor has ayellow warning
lamp in th einstrumen tcluste rfor indicating
pressur eloss or amalfunction .Whether th e
warning lamp flashes or lights up indicates
whether atire pressur eis to olow or th etire
pressur emonitor is malfunctioning :
Rif thewarning lamp is lit continuously, th etire
pressur eon on eor mor etires is significantly
to olow. The tire pressur emonitor is no tmal-
functioning .
Rif thewarning lamp flashes for aroun d a
minute and then remain slit constantly, th e
tire pressur emonitor is malfunctioning .
Tire pressure329
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 332 of 366

In addition to the warning lamp, a message
appears in the multifunction display. Observe
the information on display messages
(
Ypage 244).
It may take up to ten minutes for a malfunction of the tire pressure monitor to be indicated. A
malfunction will be indicated by the tire pres-
sure warning lamp flashing for approximately
one minute and then remaining lit. When the
malfunction has been rectified, the 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 indicated by a
pressure gauge are higher than those shown by the on-board computer. In this case, do not
reduce the tire pressures.
The operation of the tire pressure monitor can
be affected by interference from radio transmit-
ting equipment (e.g. radio headphones, two-way
radios) that may be being operated in or near the vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position 2
in the ignition lock (Ypage 125).
XPress the =or; button on the steering
wheel to select the Serv.menu.
XPress the9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
XPress the abutton.
The current tire pressure of each tire is shown
in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle has been parked for longer than
20 minutes, the Tire pressure will be
displayed after driving a few minutesmessage appears.
After a teach-in process, the tire pressure mon-
itor 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, theTire
PressureMonitorActivedisplay message is shown instead of the tire
pressure display. The tire pressures are already
being monitored.
If an emergency spare wheel is mounted, the
system may continue to show the tire pressure of the wheel that has been removed for a few
minutes. If this occurs, note that the value dis-
played for the position where the spare wheel is
mounted is not the same as the current tire
pressure of the emergency spare wheel.
Tire pressure monitor warning mes-
sages
If the tire pressure monitor detects a pressure
loss in one or more tires, a warning message is
shown in the multifunction display. The yellow
tire pressure warning lamp then lights up.
RIf the
Please Correct Tire Pressuremessage appears in the multifunction display,
the tire pressure in at least one tire is too low.
The tire pressure must be corrected when the
opportunity arises.
RIf theCheck Tiresmessage appears in the
multifunction display, the tire pressure in at
least one tire has dropped significantly. The
tires must be checked.
RIf the WarningTireMalfunctionmessage
appears in the multifunction display, the tire
pressure in at least one tire has dropped sud- denly. The tires must be checked.
Be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in the display messages in the "Tires" sec-
tion (
Ypage 244).
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, and the tire pres-
sures are displayed for the correct positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor
When you restart the tire pressure monitor, all
existing warning messages are deleted and the
warning lamps go out. The monitor uses the cur-
rently set tire pressures as the reference values
for monitoring. In most cases, the tire pressure
monitor will automatically detect the new refer-
ence values after you have changed the tire
pressure. However, you can also define refer-
ence values manually as described here. The tire
pressure monitor then monitors the new tire
pressure values.
XSet the tire pressure to the value recommen-
ded for the corresponding driving situation on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's side B-pillar (
Ypage 324).
330Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Page 333 of 366

You can find more tire pressure values for
various operating conditions in the tire pres-
sure table inside the fuel filler flap
(
Ypage 324).
XMake sure that the tire pressure is correct on
all four wheels.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position2
in the ignition lock.
XPress the =or; button on the steering
wheel to select the Serv.menu.
XPress the9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
XPress the abutton.
The multifunction display shows the current
tire pressure for the individual tires or the
Tire pressure will be displayed
after driving a few minutesmessage.
XPress the :button.
The UseCurrentPressuresasNewRef‐erenceValuesmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
XPress the abutton.
The TirePress.MonitorRestartedmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
After driving for a few minutes, the system
checks whether the current tire pressures are
within the specified range. The new tire pres-
sures are then accepted as reference values
and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
XPress the %button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Radio type approval for the tire pres-
sure monitor
CountryRadio type approval number
USAFCC ID: MRXMW2433A
FCC ID: MRXGG4
FCC ID: MRXMC34MA4
CanadaIC: 2546A-MW2433A
IC: 2546A-GG4
IC: 2546A-MC34MA4
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
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 accident.
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.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show the maximum possible load.
(1) The Tire and Loading Information placard is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The Tire
and Loading Information placard shows the
maximum permissible number of occu-
pants and the maximum permissible vehicle
load. 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 iden-
tification plate informs you of the gross
vehicle weight rating. It is made up of the
vehicle weight, all vehicle occupants, the
fuel and the cargo. You can also find infor-
mation about the maximum gross axle
weight rating on the front and rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried by
one axle (front or rear axle). Never exceed
the maximum load or the maximum gross
axle weight rating for the front or rear axle.
:B-pillar, driver's side
Loading the vehicle331
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 334 of 366

Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
XSpecification for maximum gross vehicle
weight:is listed in the Tire and Loading
Information placard: "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kilograms or XXX lbs."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants, load
and luggage must not exceed the specified
value.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustration are examples. The maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight rating is vehicle-specific
and may differ from that in the illustration.
You can find the valid maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight rating for your vehicle on
the Tire and Loading Information placard.
Number of seats
Maximum number of seats :indicates the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information plac-
ard.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustration
are examples. The number of seats is vehicle-
specific and can differ from the details shown.
The number of seats in your vehicle can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575 pur-
suant to the "National Traffic and Motor Vehicle
Safety Act of 1966".
XStep 1: Locate the statement "The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
Tire and Loading Information placard.
XStep 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
XStep 3: Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from XXX kilograms or
XXX lbs.
XStep 4: The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage load capa-
city. For example, if the "XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be five 150-lb pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
XStep 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehi-
cle. That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity cal- culated in step 4.
Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total and cargo load capacities with varying
seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use a load limit of
332Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires
Page 335 of 366

1500 lbs (680 kg).This is for illustration purposes only. Make sure you are using the actual load
limit for your vehicle stated on your vehicle's Tire and Loading Information placard (Ypage 331).
The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maximum luggage load.
Additional information when towing a trailer (
Ypage 200).
Step 1
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Combined maximum
weight of occupants
and cargo (data from
the Tire and Loading
Information placard)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)
Step 2
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Number of people in
the vehicle (driver and
occupants)531
Distribution of the
occupantsFront: 2
Rear: 3Front: 1
Rear: 2Front: 1
Weight of the occu-
pantsOccupant 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)
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
(86 kg)
Occupant 3: 150 lbs
(68 kg)Occupant 1: 150 lbs
(68 kg)
Gross weight of all
occupants750 lbs (340 kg)540 lbs (245 kg)150 lbs (68 kg)
Step 3
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Permissible load (maxi-
mum gross vehicle
weight rating from the
Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard minus
the gross weight of all
occupants)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)
Loading the vehicle333
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 336 of 366

Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo care-
fully, you should still make sure that the gross
vehicle weight rating and the gross axle weight
rating are not exceeded. Details can be found on
the vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side of the vehicle (
Ypage 331).
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.
Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached, the trailer load/noseweight is included in the load
along with occupants and luggage. The trailer
load/noseweight is usually approximately 8% of
the gross weight of the trailer and its cargo.
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.
334All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires
Page 337 of 366

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 ofãin (4 mm) on all four winter tires.
Observe the legally required minimum tire tread
depth (
Ypage 322). Winter tires can reduce the
braking distance on snow-covered surfaces in
comparison with summer tires. The braking dis-
tance is still much further than on surfaces that are not icy or covered with snow. Take appro-
priate care when driving.
Further information on winter tires (M+S tires)
(
Ypage 323).
Temperature
GWARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
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.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sus-
tained high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Tire labeling
Overview
:Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
(Ypage 339)
;Department of Transportation, Tire Identifi-
cation Number (Ypage 338)
=Maximum load rating (Ypage 338)
?Maximum tire pressures (Ypage 327)
AManufacturer
BTire material (Ypage 338)
CTire size designation, load-bearing capacity
and speed rating (Ypage 335)
DLoad index (Ypage 337)
ETire name
The markings described above are on the tire in
addition to the tire name (sales designation) and
the manufacturer's name.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating
GWARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing capa-
city and the approved maximum speed could
lead to tire damage or the tire bursting. There is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
All about wheels and tires335
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 338 of 366

tire load rating and speed rating required for
your vehicle.
:Tire width
;Nominal aspect ratio in %
=Tire code
?Rim diameter
ALoad bearing index
BSpeed rating
General: depending on the manufacturer's
standards, the size imprinted in the tire wall may
not contain any letters or may contain one letter
that precedes the size description.
If there is no letter preceding the size descrip-
tion (as shown above): these are passenger
vehicle tires according to European manufac-
turing standards.
If "P" precedes the size description: these are
passenger vehicle tires according to U.S. man-
ufacturing standards.
If "LT" precedes the size description: these are
light truck tires according to U.S. manufacturing
standards.
If "T" precedes the size description: compact
emergency wheels with high tire pressure that
are only designed for temporary use in an emer-
gency.
Tire width: tire width:shows the nominal tire
width in millimeters.
Height-width ratio: aspect ratio;is the size
ratio between the tire height and tire width and
is shown in percent. The aspect ratio is calcula-
ted by dividing the tire width by the tire height.
Tire code:tire code =specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires; "D" represents diag-
ona l ti
res; "B" represents diagonal radial tires.
Optionally, tires with a maximum speed of over
149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR" in the size description, depending on the manufacturer
(e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
Rim diameter:
rim diameter?is the diameter
of the bead seat, not the diameter of the rim
flange. The rim diameter is specified in
inches (in).
Load-bearing index: load-bearing indexAis a
numerical code that specifies the maximum
load-bearing capacity of a tire.
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 (
Ypage 331).
Example:
Load-bearing index 91 indicates a maximum
load of 1,356 lb (615 kg) that the tires can bear.
For further information on the maximum tire
load in kilograms and lbs, see (
Ypage 338).
For further information on the load bearing
index, see "Load index" (
Ypage 337).
Speed rating:speed rating Bspecifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
Rega rdle
ss of the speed rating, always observe
the speed limits. Drive carefully and adapt your
driving style to the traffic conditions.
Summer tires
IndexSpeed rating
Qup to 100 mph (160 km/h)
Rup to 106 mph (170 km/h)
Sup to 112 mph (180 km/h)
Tup to 118 mph (190 km/h)
Hup to 130 mph (210 km/h)
Vup to 149 mph (240 km/h)
Wup to 168 mph (270 km/h)
Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...Yup to 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZR...(..Y)over 186 mph (300 km/h)
ZRover 149 mph (240 km/h)
ROptionally, tires with a maximum speed of
over 149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR" in
336All about wheels an d tires
Wheels and tires
Page 339 of 366

the size description, depending on the man-
ufacturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR18).
The service specification is made up of load-
bearing indexAand speed rating B.
RIf the size description of your tire includes
"ZR" and there are no service specifications,
ask the tire manufacturer in order to find out
the maximum speed.
If a service specification is available, the max-
imum speed is limited according to the speed
rating in the service specification. Example:
245/40 ZR18 97 Y.In this example, "97 Y" is
the service specification. The letter "Y" rep-
resents the speed rating. The maximum
speed of the tire is limited to 186 mph
(300 km/h).
RThe size description for all tires with maxi-
mum speeds of over 186 mph (300 km/h)
must include "ZR", andthe service specifica-
tion must be given in parentheses. Example:
275/40 ZR 18 (99 Y). Speed rating "(Y)" indi-
cates that the maximum speed of the tire is
over 186 mph (300 km/h). Ask the tire man-
ufacturer about the maximum speed.
All-weather tires and winter tires
IndexSpeed rating
Q M+S2up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S2up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S2up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S2up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
iNot all tires with the M+S marking provide
the driving characteristics of winter tires. In
addition to the M+S marking, winter tires also
have the isnowflake symbol on the tire
wall. Tires with this marking fulfill the require-
ments of the Rubber Manufacturers Associa-
tion (RMA) and the Rubber Association of
Canada (RAC) regarding the tire traction on
snow. They have been especially developed
for driving on snow. An electronic speed limiter prevents your vehi-
cle from exceeding the following speeds:
RAll vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG GLE 63):
130 mph (210 km/h)
RMercedes-AMG GLE 63 vehicles: 155 mph
(250 km/h)
RMercedes-AMG GLE 63 with increased top
speed: 174 mph (280 km/h)
The speed rating of tires mounted at the factory may be higher than the maximum speed that the
electronic speed limiter permits.
Make sure that your tires have the required
speed rating, e.g. when buying new tires. The
required speed rating for your vehicle can be
found in the "Tires" section (
Ypage 345).
Further information about reading tire data can
be obtained from any qualified specialist work-
shop.
Load index
In addition to the load bearing index, load
index :may be imprinted after the letters that
identify speed index Bon the sidewall of the
tire (
Ypage 335).
RIf no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard load
(SL) tire
RXL or Extra Load: represents a reinforced tire
RLight Load: represents a light load tire
RC, D, E: represents a load range that depends
on the maximum load that the tire can carry at
a certain pressure
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
2Or M+S ifor winter tires.
All about wheels and tires337
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 340 of 366

Maximum load rating
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 (
Ypage 331).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-spe-
cific and may deviate from the values in the
illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
US tire regulations stipulate that every tire man-
ufacturer 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 retreaders
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.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol :marks that the tire complies with the requirements of the U.S. Department of Trans-
portation.
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.
For further information about retreaded tires,
see (
Ypage 345).
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 manufactureA
provides information about the age of a tire. The
first and second positions represent the week of
manufacture, starting with "01" for the first cal-
endar week. Positions three and four represent
the year of manufacture. For example, a tire that
is marked "3214" was manufactured in week 32
in 2014.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
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 ;.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may deviate
from the data in the example.
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Tire ply composition and material used
Describes the number of plies or the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread
and sidewall. These are made of steel, nylon,
polyester and other materials.
338All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires