MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class 2016 R231 Owner's Manual

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 pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(
Ypage 589).
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.
On vehicles that have the same size front and
rear wheels, you can rotate the wheels
according to the intervals in the tire manu-
facturer's warranty book in your vehicle docu-
ments. If no warranty book is available, the
tires should be rotated every 3,000 to
6,000 miles (5,000 to 10,000 km). Depending on tire wear, this may be required earlier. 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.
Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of hydroplaning. These advantages can only
be gained if the tires are installed correspond-
ing to the direction of rotation.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates
its correct direction of rotation.
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.
Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
XUnload the vehicle. The jack can only be
used when the vehicle is unladen.
XApply the electric parking brake manually.
XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO:remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XVehicles 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.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(
Ypage 152).
XIf included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tire-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
XSafeguard the vehicle against rolling away.
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
(
Ypage 550).
Changing a wheel589
Wheels and tires
Z

The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel.
XFold both plates upwards:.
XFold out lower plate;.
XGuide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate =.
Securing the vehicle on level ground
XOn 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
XOn light downhill gradients: place
chocks or other suitable items in front of
the wheels of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle
GWARNING
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.
!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:
RTo 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.
RThe 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.
RAvoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
RBefore raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised.
RThe 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.
RDo 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.
RMake sure that the distance between the
underside of the tires and the ground does not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm).
RNever place your hands and feet under the
raised vehicle.
RDo not lie under the vehicle.
590Changing a wheel
Wheels and tires

RDo not start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
RDo not open or close a door or the trunk lid
when the vehicle is raised.
RMake sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised.
XUsing lug wrench:, 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).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles and vehicles
with AMG equipment: to protect the vehicle
body, the vehicle has covers installed next to
the jacking points on the outer sills.
XMercedes-AMG vehicles and vehicles
with AMG equipment: fold cover;
upwards.
=Jacking point
?Jack
ARatchet wrench
XPosition jack ?at jacking point =.
XMake sure the foot of the jack is directly
beneath the jacking point.
Changing awheel591
Wheels an d tires
Z

XTurn crankAclockwise until jack ?sits
completely on jacking point =. The base of
the jack must lie evenly on the ground.
XTurn crank Auntil the tire is raised a max-
imum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the ground.
Removing a wheel
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: during
removal and repositioning of the wheel, the
wheel rim can strike the ceramic-brake disc
and damage it. Therefore, you should pro-
ceed carefully and get a second person
assist to you. Alternatively, you can use a
second alignment bolt.
!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.
XUnscrew the uppermost wheel bolt com-
pletely.
XScrew alignment bolt :into the thread
instead of the wheel bolt.
XUnscrew the remaining wheel bolts fully.
XRemove the wheel.
Mounting a new wheel
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes in the "Changing a wheel" sec-
tion (
Ypage 588).
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.
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: during
removal and repositioning of the wheel, the
wheel rim can strike the ceramic-brake disc
and damage it. Therefore, you should pro-
ceed carefully and get a second person
assist to you. Alternatively, you can use a
second alignment bolt.
!To prevent damage to the paintwork, hold
the wheel securely against the wheel hub
while screwing in the first wheel bolt.
592Changing a wheel
Wheels and tires

XClean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces.
XSlidethe wheel to be mounted onto the
alignment bolt and push iton.
XTighten the wheel bolts until they are fin-
ger-tight.
XUnscrew the alignment bolt.
XTighten the last wheel bolt until itis finger-
tight.
Lowering the vehicle
GWARNIN G
The wheels could work loos eif th ewhee lnut s
and bolt sare no ttightened to th especifie d
tightening torque .Ther eis aris kof accident.
Hav eth etightening torque immediately
checked at aqualified specialist worksho p
after awhee lis changed.
XTurn the crank of the jack counter-clock-
wise untilthe vehicle isonce again standing
firmly on the ground.
XPlace the jack to one side.
XTighten the wheel bolts evenly ina cross-
wise pattern inthe sequence indicated ( :
to A). The specified tightening torque is
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
XTurn the jack back to its initial position.
XSt ow the jack and the rest of the vehicle
tools inthe trunk again.
XMercedes-AMG vehicles and vehicles
with AMG equipment: insert the cover
into the outer sill.
XCheck the tire pressure of the newly moun-
ted wheel and adjust it ifnecessary.
Observe the recommended tire pressure
(
Ypage 571).
iWhen you are drivingwith the emergency
spare wheel mounte d,the tire pressure
mon itor cannot function reliably. Only
restart the tire pressure monitor when the
defect ivewheel has been replaced with a
new wheel.
All mounted wheels must be equippedwith
functioning sensors for the tire pressure
mon itor.
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 specific ally 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:
RMO = Mercedes-Benz Original
RMOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(t ires featuring run-flat characteristics)
RMO1 = Mercedes-Benz Original (only cer-
tain AMG tires)
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tires
may only be used on wheels that have been
specifically approved byMercedes-Benz.
Only use tires, wheels or accessories tes-
ted and approved byMercedes-Benz. Cer-
tain characteristics, e.g. handlin g, vehicle
noise emissions or fuel consumption, may
otherwise beadverse lyaffected. Inaddi-
tion, when driving with a load, tire dimen-
sion variations could cause the tires to
come into contact with the bodywork and
Wheel and tire combinations593
Wheels and tires
Z

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.
Information on tires, wheels and approved
combinations can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop.
!Retreaded tires are neither tested nor rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz, since pre-
vious damage cannot always be detected
on retreaded tires. As a result, Mercedes-
Benz cannot guarantee vehicle safety if
retreaded tires are mounted. Do not mount
used tires if you have no information about
their previous usage.
Overview of abbreviations used in the follow-
ing tire tables:
RBA: both axles
RFA: front axle
RRA: rear axle
The recommended pressures for various
operating conditions can be found:
Ron the Tire and Loading Information placard with the recommended tire pressures on
the B-pillar on the driver's side
Rin the tire pressure table on the inside of the
fuel filler flap
Observe the notes on recommended tire
pressures under various operating conditions
(
Ypage 571).
Check tire pressures regularly, and only when
the tires are cold. Comply with the mainte-
nance recommendations of the tire manufac-
turer in the v
ehicle document wallet.
Notes on the vehicle equipment – always
equip the vehicle with:
Rwith tires of the same size on a given axle
(left and right)
Rthe same type of tires at a given time (sum-
mer tires, winter tires, MOExtended tires)
Exception: it is permissible to install a dif-
ferent type or make in the event of a flat tire. Observe the "MOExtended tires (tires
with run-flat characteristics" section
(
Ypage 551).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally 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 work-
shop.
iNot all wheel and tire combinations are
available at the factory for all countries.
iThe following pages contain information
on approved wheel rims and tire sizes for
equipping your vehicle with winter tires.
Winter tires are not available at the factory
as standard equipment or optional extras.
If you want to equip your vehicle with
approved winter tires, it may be necessary
to obtain wheel rims in the corresponding
size. The size of the approved winter tires
may differ from the standard tires. This is
dependent on t

he model and the equip-
ment installed at the factory.
The tires and wheel rims, as well as further
information, can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop.
594Wheel and tire combinations
Wheels and tires

Tires
SL 400
Summer tires
R18
TiresAlloy wheels
BA: 255/40 R1895 Y2,3BA: 8.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
FA: 255/40 R18 95 Y2
RA: 285/35 R18 97 Y2, 4
FA: 8.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
RA: 9.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.87 in (47.5 mm)
R19
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/35 R19 96 Y XL2
RA: 285/30 R19 98 Y XL2, 4
FA: 8.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
RA: 9.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.87 in (47.5 mm)
FA: 255/35 R19 96 Y XL2
RA: 285/30 R19 98 Y XL2, 4
FA: 8.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
RA: 9.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
R19/R20
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/35 ZR19 (96 Y) XL
RA: 285/30 ZR20 (99 Y) XL
4
FA: 9.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.06 in (27 mm)
RA: 10.0 J x 20 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
2Also available as MOExtended tires.3Not in conjunction with Sports package (code 950).4Use of snow chains not permitted. Observe the notes in the "Snow chains" section.
Wheel and tire combinations595
Wheels and tires
Z

Winter tires
R18
TiresAlloy wheels
BA: 255/40 R18 99 V XL M+Si2BA: 8.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
SL 550
Summer tires
R18
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/40 R18 95 Y2
RA: 285/35 R18 97 Y2, 4
FA: 8.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
RA: 9.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.87 in (47.5 mm)
R19
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/35 R19 96 Y XL2
RA: 285/30 R19 98 Y XL2, 4
FA: 8.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
RA: 9.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.87 in (47.5 mm)
FA: 255/35 R19 96 Y XL2
RA: 285/30 R19 98 Y XL2, 4
FA: 8.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
RA: 9.5 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
R19/R20
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/35 ZR19 (96 Y) XL
RA: 285/30 ZR20 (99 Y) XL
4
FA: 9.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.06 in (27 mm)
RA: 10.0 J x 20 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
2Also available as MOExtended tires.4Use of snow chains not permitted. Observe the notes in the "Snow chains" section.
596Wheel and tire combinations
Wheels and tires

Winter tires
R18
TiresAlloy wheels
BA: 255/40 R18 99 V XL M+Si2BA: 8.5 J x 18 H2
Wheel offset: 1.40 in (35.5 mm)
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Summer tires
iMercedes-AMG vehicles with 20-inch wheels on the rear axle: if replaced with 19-inch
wheels, ETS may intervene noticeably earlier during the first few kilometers. After approx-
imately 10 km, ETS functions as usual again. Information on ETS can be found under "ETS
(Electronic Traction System)" (
Ypage 74).
R19/R20
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/35 ZR19 (96 Y) XL
RA: 285/30 ZR19 (98 Y) XLFA: 9.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.06 in (27 mm)
RA: 10.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
FA: 255/35 ZR19 (96 Y) XL
RA: 285/30 ZR20 (99 Y) XL
4
FA: 9.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.06 in (27 mm)
RA: 10.0 J x 20 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
Winter tires
R19
TiresAlloy wheels
FA: 255/35 R19 96 V XL M+S i
RA: 285/30 R19 98 V XL M+S iFA: 9.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.06 in (27 mm)
RA: 10.0 J x 19 H2
Wheel offset: 1.89 in (48 mm)
2Also available as MOExtended tires.4Use of snow chains not permitted. Observe the notes in the "Snow chains" section.
Wheel and tire combinations597
Wheels and tires
Z

598