MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class 2015 W166 Owner's Manual

All-weather tires and winter tires
Index Speed rating
Q M+S
2 up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
T M+S
2 up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
H M+S
2 up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V M+S
2 up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
i
Not 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 004Dsnowflake symbol on
the tire wall. Tires with this marking fulfill
the requirements of the Rubber Manufac-
turers Association (RMA) and the Rubber
Association of Canada (RAC) regarding the
tire traction on snow. They have been espe- cially developed for driving on snow.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding the following speeds:
R all vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
130 mph (210 km/h)
R AMG vehicles: 155 mph (250 km/h)
R AMG vehicles with increased top speed:
174 mph (280 km/h)
The speed rating of tires mounted at the fac- tory 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 (Y page 428).
Further information about reading tire data
can be obtained from any qualified specialist workshop. Load index In addition to the load bearing index, load
index
0043may be imprinted after the letters
that identify the speed index 0084on the side-
wall of the tire (Y page 417).
R If no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard
load (SL) tire
R XL or Extra Load: represents a reinforced
tire
R Light Load: represents a light load tire
R C, D, E: represents a load range that
depends on the maximum load that the tire
can carry at a certain pressure
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Maximum load rating Maximum tire load
0043is the maximum per-
missible weight for which the tire is approved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissi-
2 Or M+S 004Dfor winter tires. All about wheels and tires
419Wheels and tires Z

ble load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side (Y page 412).
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN) U.S. tire regulations prescribe that every tire
manufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN
in or on the sidewall of every tire produced. The TIN is a unique identification number. The
TIN enables the tire manufacturers or retread- ers to inform purchasers of recalls and other
safety-relevant matters. It makes it possible
for the purchaser to easily identify the affec-
ted tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer identifi-
cation code 0044, tire size0087, tire type code 0085
and manufacturing date 0083.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol 0043indicates that the tire complies
with the requirements of the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code: manu-
facturer identification code 0044provides
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 (Y page 428).
Tire size: identifier0087describes the tire size. Tire type code:
tire type code0085can be used
by the manufacturer as a code to describe
specific characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture
0083 provides information about the age of a
tire. The first and second positions represent the week of manufacture, starting with "01"
for the first calendar week. Positions three
and four represent the year of manufacture.
For example, a tire that is marked with
"3208", was manufactured in week 32 in
2008.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire characteristics This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in sidewall
0043
and under tire tread 0044.
i Tire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate 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.
Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure. 14.5038 pounds
per square inch (psi) and 100 kilopascals
(kPa) are the equivalent of 1 bar. 420
All about wheels and tiresWheels and tires

DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the United States Department of Transporta- tion.
Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants which the vehicle is
designed for, multiplied by 68 kilograms
(150 lb).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of
tires with regards to tread quality, tire traction and temperature characteristics. Ratings are determined by tire manufacturers using U.S.
government testing procedures. The ratings
are molded into the sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressure applies to
the tires mounted at the factory.
The Tire and Loading Information placard con-
tains the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires on a fully loaded vehicle and for the maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
This is the combined weight of all standard
and optional equipment available for the vehi-
cle, regardless of whether it is actually instal-
led on the vehicle or not.
Rim
This is the part of the wheel on which the tire is mounted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum gross axle weight
rating. The actual load on an axle must never exceed the gross axle weight rating. The
gross axle weight rating can be found on the
vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side. Speed rating
The speed rating is part of the tire identifica-
tion. It specifies the speed range for which the
tire is approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
The GTW is the weight of a trailer including the
weight of the load, luggage, accessories etc.
on the trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, the spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants, lug-
gage and the drawbar noseweight, if applica- ble. The gross vehicle weight must not exceed
the gross vehicle weight rating GVWR as
specified on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permissible gross weight of a fully loaded vehicle (the weight of the vehicle including all accessories, occu-
pants, fuel, luggage and the drawbar nose-
weight, if applicable). The gross vehicle
weight rating is specified on the vehicle iden-
tification plate on the B-pillar on the driver's
side.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The maximum weight is the sum of:
R the curb weight of the vehicle
R the weight of the accessories
R the load limit
R the weight of the factory installed optional
equipment
Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa corre-
sponds to 1 psi. Another unit for tire pressure is bar. There are 100 kilopascal s(kPa) to
1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall of All about wheels and tires
421Wheels and tires Z

the tire. This specifies the load-bearing capa-
city more precisely.
Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equip-
ment including the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil and coolant. It also includes the air-condi- tioning system and optional equipment if
these are installed in the vehicle, but does notinclude passengers or luggage.
Maximum load rating
The maximum tire load is the maximum per-
missible weight in kilograms or lbs for which a
tire is approved.
Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire.
Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by dividing the maximum axle load of one axle
by two.
PSI (pounds per square inch)
A standard unit of measure for tire pressure.
Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and tire
width in percent.
Tire pressure
This is pressure inside the tire applying an
outward force to each square inch of the tire's surface. The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal
(kPa) or in bar. The tire pressure should only
be corrected when the tires are cold.
Cold tire pressure
The tires are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked without
direct sunlight on the tires for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has been driven for less than
1 mile (1.6 km). Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim.
Sidewall
The part of the tire between the tread and the bead.
Weight of optional extras
The combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
parts and more than 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs).
These optional extras, such as high-perform-
ance brakes, level control, a roof rack or a
high-performance battery, are not included in the curb weight and the weight of the acces-
sories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
This is a unique identifier which can be used
by a tire manufacturer to identify tires, for
example for a product recall, and thus identify
the purchasers. The TIN is made up of the
manufacturer's identity code, tire size, tire
type code and the manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that contains the maximum load bearing capacity of a tire.
Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the
tires and the road surface.
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating)
The TWR specifies the maximum permissible
weight that the ball coupling of the trailer tow
hitch can support. 422
All about
wheels and tiresWheels and tires

Treadwear indicators
Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are dis-
tributed over the tire tread. If the tire tread is level with the bars, the wear limit of 00CDin
(1.6 mm) has been reached.
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at
their designated seating positions.
Total load limit
Rated cargo and luggage load plus
68 kilograms (150 lb) multiplied by the num-
ber of seats in the vehicle. Changing a wheel
Flat tire
You can find information on what to do in the
event of a flat tire in the "Breakdown assis-
tance" section (Y page 383). Information on
driving with MOExtended tires in the event of
a flat tire can be found under "MOExtended
tires (tires with run-flat characteristics"
(Y page 383).
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 383) contains information and notes
on how to deal with a flat tire. Information on
driving with MOExtended tires in the event of
a flat tire can be found under "MOExtended
tires (tires with run-flat characteristics"
(Y page 383).
Vehicles with an emergency spare wheel: in the event of a flat tire, mount the emer-
gency spare wheel according to the descrip-
tion under "Mounting a wheel" (Y page 424).Rotating the wheels
G
WARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tires have different dimensions. The wheel brakes or suspension components may also be damaged. There is a risk of acci-
dent.
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the wheels and tires are of the same dimensions.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are loca-
ted in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec- tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-cialist workshop.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(Y page 424).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you can rotate the wheels according to the inter-
vals in the tire manufacturer's warranty book
in your vehicle documents. If no warranty
book is available, the tires should be rotated
every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if tire wear requires. Do
not change the direction of wheel rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and, if nec- essary, restart the tire pressure loss warning
system or the tire pressure monitor. Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of hydroplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates
its correct direction of rotation. Changing a wheel
423Wheels and tires Z

Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel. Cleaning the wheels
G
WARNING
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. Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Vehicle with emergency spare wheel:
when mounting the emergency spare
wheel in the event of a flat tire, follow the
additional notes on vehicle preparation
under "Flat tire" (Y page 383).
X Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Unload heavy luggage.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
make sure that highway level is selected
(Y page 211).
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. X
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 158).
X If included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tire-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
i Apart from certain country-specific varia-
tions, vehicles are not equipped with a tire-
change tool kit. For information on which
tools are required to perform a wheel
change on your vehicle, consult an author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Necessary wheel-changing tools can
include, for example:
R Jack
R Wheel chock
R Lug wrench
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tire-change tool kit
(Y page 382).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel. 424
Changing a wheelWheels and tires

X
Fold both plates upwards 0043.
X Fold out lower plate 0044.
X Guide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate 0087.Securing the vehicle on level ground
X On level ground: place chocks or other
suitable items under the front and rear of
the wheel that is diagonally opposite the
wheel you wish to change. Securing the vehicle on slight downhill gradients
X On light downhill gradients: place
chocks or other suitable items in front of
the wheels of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle G
WARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate jack-
ing point of the vehicle. The base of the jack must be positioned vertically, directly under
the jacking point of the vehicle.
! AMG vehicles with "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel: use the "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel only on the rear
axle . If you mount the "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel on the front axle, this
could result in damage to the brake system.
If a tire on the front axle is defective, an
intact wheel from the rear axle must first be
replaced with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel. The faulty wheel on the front
axle may only then be replaced by the
undamaged wheel from the rear axle.
Make sure to note the placard on the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel.
! The jack is designed exclusively for jack-
ing up the vehicle at the jacking points.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged.
Observe the following when raising the vehi-
cle:
R To raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If used incor-
rectly, the jack could tip over with the vehi-
cle raised.
R The jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi- cle.
R Avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R Before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Do not disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised.
R The jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, flat, load-bearing underlay must be
used. On a slippery surface, a non-slip
underlay must be used, e.g. rubber mats. Changing a wheel
425Wheels and tires Z

R
Do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the
jack will not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
R Make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm).
R Do not place your hands or feet under the
raised vehicle.
R Do not lie under the vehicle.
R Do not start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
R Never open or close a door or the tailgate
when the vehicle is raised.
R Make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised. X
Using lug wrench 0043, loosen the bolts on
the wheel you wish to change by about one full turn. Do not unscrew the bolts com-
pletely. The jacking points are located just behind the
front wheel housings and just in front of the
rear wheel housings (arrows). X
Take the ratchet wrench out of the vehicle
tool kit and place it on the hexagon nut of
the jack so that the letters AUFare visible. 0044
Jacking point
0087 Jack
0085 Crank
X Position jack 0087at jacking point 0044.
The alignment bolt on the jack must be
inserted into the intended opening on the
jacking point. Example
X Make sure the foot of the jack is directly
beneath the jacking point.
X Turn ratchet wrench 0085until jack 0087sits
completely on jacking point 0044and the
base of the jack lies evenly on the ground.
X Turn ratchet wrench 0085until the tire is
raised a maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the ground. 426
Changing a
wheelWheels and tires

Removing a wheel
!
Do not place wheel bolts in sand or on a
dirty surface. The bolt and wheel hub
threads could otherwise be damaged when you screw them in. X
Unscrew the uppermost wheel bolt com-
pletely.
X Screw alignment bolt 0043into the thread
instead of the wheel bolt.
X Unscrew the remaining wheel bolts fully.
X Remove the wheel.
Mounting a new wheel G
WARNING
Oiled or greased wheel bolts or damaged
wheel bolts/hub threads can cause the wheel bolts to come loose. As a result, you could
lose a wheel while driving. There is a risk of
accident.
Never oil or grease wheel bolts. In the event of damage to the threads, contact a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. Have the
damaged wheel bolts or hub threads
replaced/renewed. Do not continue driving. G
WARNING
If you tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is raised, the jack could tip
over. There is a risk of injury.
Only tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is on the ground. !
To prevent damage to the paintwork, hold
the wheel securely against the wheel hub
while screwing in the first wheel bolt.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes in the "Changing a wheel" sec-
tion (Y page 423).
Only use wheel bolts that have been designed
for the wheel and the vehicle. For safety rea-
sons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
only use wheel bolts which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the respective wheel.
! Always use wheel bolts
0044to mount the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel. Using
other wheel bolts to mount the "Minispare" emergency spare wheel could damage the
brake system. 0043
Wheel bolts for all wheels supplied by the
factory
0044 Wheel bolts for the collapsible spare
wheel Changing a wheel
427Wheels and tires Z

X
Clean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces.
X Slide the wheel to be mounted onto the
alignment bolt and push it on.
X Tighten the wheel bolts until they are fin-
ger-tight.
X Unscrew the alignment bolt.
X Tighten the last wheel bolt until it is finger-
tight.
Lowering the vehicle G
WARNING
The wheels could work loose if the wheel nuts and bolts are not tightened to the specified
tightening torque. There is a risk of accident.
Have the tightening torque immediately
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
after a wheel is changed. X
Place the ratchet wrench onto the hexagon
nut of the jack so that the letters ABare
visible.
X Turn the ratchet wrench until the vehicle is
once again standing firmly on the ground.
X Place the jack to one side.
X Tighten the wheel bolts evenly in a cross-
wise pattern in the sequence indicated ( 0043
to 0083). The tightening torque must be
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).
X Turn the jack back to its initial position. X
Stow the jack and the rest of the tire-
change tool kit in the stowage well under
the cargo compartment floor again.
X Check the tire pressure of the newly moun-
ted wheel and adjust it if necessary.
Observe the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 404).
i Vehicles with tire pressure monitor: all
wheels mounted must be equipped with
functioning sensors. Wheel and tire combinations
General notes
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tires and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle.
These tires have been specially adapted for
use with the control systems, such as ABS
or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(tires featuring run-flat characteristics)
R MO1 = Mercedes-Benz Original (only cer-
tain AMG tires)
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tires
may only be used on wheels that have been
specifically approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Only use tires, wheels or accessories tes-
ted and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Cer-
tain characteristics, e.g. handling, vehicle
noise emissions or fuel consumption, may
otherwise be adversely affected. In addi-
tion, when driving with a load, tire dimen-
sion variations could cause the tires to
come into contact with the bodywork and
axle components. This could result in dam- age to the tires or the vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz accepts no liability for
damage resulting from the use of tires,
wheels or accessories other than those tes-
ted and approved. 428
Wheel and tire combinationsWheels and tires