MERCEDES-BENZ SLK-CLASS ROADSTER 2015 Owners Manual

Checking tire pressures manually
To determine and set the correct tire pres-
sure, proceed as follows: XRemove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.
X Press the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
X Read the tire pressure and compare it to
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard or the tire
pressure table ( Ypage 315).
X If the tire pressure is too low, increase the
tire pressure to the recommended value.
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air.
To do so, press down the metal pin in the
valve, using the tip of a pen for example.
Then check the tire pressure again using
the tire pressure checker.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat these steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure loss warning system
(Canada only)
General notes
While the vehicle is in motion, the tire pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tire pressure using the rotational speed of the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tire. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction dis- play.
You can recognize the tire pressure loss warn-
ing by the
Run Flat Indicator Active
Press 'OK' to Restartmessage which
appears in the
Serv.menu of the multifunc-
tion display. Information on the message dis-
play can be found in the "Restarting the tire
pressure loss warning system" section( Y page 319).
Important safety notes
The tire pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tire pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tire
pressure ( Ypage 315).
The tire pressure loss warning does not
replace the need to regularly check the tire
pressure. An even loss of pressure on several tires at the same time cannot be detected bythe tire pressure loss warning system.
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The function of the tire pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted on your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration).
R you drive with a heavy load.
Restarting the tire pressure loss warn-
ing system
Restart the tire pressure loss warning system
if you have: R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
X Before restarting, make sure that the tire
pressures are set properly on all four tires
for the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tire pressure can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar. Additionally, a tire
pressure table is attached to the fuel filler
flap. The tire pressure loss warning system
can only give reliable warnings if you have
set the correct tire pressure. If an incorrect
Tire pressure319
Wheels and tires
Z

tire pressure is set, these incorrect values
will be monitored.
X Also observe the notes in the section on tire
pressures ( Ypage 315).
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock ( Ypage 139).
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the
Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The
Run Flat Indicator Active
Press 'OK' to Restartmessage
appears in the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The
Tire Pressure Now OK?message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Yes.
X Press the abutton.
The
Run Flat Indicator Restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tire pressures of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel the restart: X Press the %button.
or
X If the
Tire Pressure Now OK?message
appears, use the 9or: button to
select
Cancel.
X Press the abutton.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Tire pressure monitor
General notes
If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the vehi-
cle's wheels have sensors that monitor the
tire pressures in all four tires. The tire pres- sure monitor warns you if the pressure drops
in one or more of the tires. The tire pressure
monitor only functions if the corresponding
sensors are installed in all wheels.
Information on tire pressures is displayed in
the multifunction display. After a few minutes of driving, the current tire pressure of each
tire is shown in the
Servicemenu of the mul-
tifunction display.
Example: current tire pressure display
For information on the message display, refer to the "Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally" section ( Ypage 322).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pressure
label on the inside of the fuel filler flap. If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard or the tire pressure label, you should determine the proper tire pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoringsystem (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon
as possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly underin-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
320Tire pressure
Wheels and tires

reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, andmay affect the vehicle's handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will
flash for approximately a minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will be repeated every time the vehi- cle is started as long as the malfunctionexists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc- tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the installation of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheelsallow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to that recommended for cold tires
which is suitable for the operating situation( Y page 315). Note that the correct tire pres-
sure for the current operating situation must
first be taught-in to the tire pressure monitor. If there is a substantial loss of pressure, the
warning threshold for the warning message is
aligned to the reference values taught-in.
Restart the tire pressure monitor after adjust-
ing the pressure of the cold tires( Y page 322). The current pressures are
saved as new reference values. As a result, a warning message will appear if the tire pres-
sure drops significantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you
of an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure
( Y page 315).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster for indicat- ing a pressure loss or malfunction. Whether
the warning lamp flashes or lights up indi-
cates whether a tire pressure is too low or the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning:
R if the warning lamp is lit continuously, the
tire pressure on one or more tires is signif-
icantly too low. The tire pressure monitor is
not malfunctioning.
R if the warning lamp flashes for around a
minute and then remains lit constantly, the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
iIn addition to the warning lamp, a mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Observe the information on display mes-
sages ( Ypage 236).
It may take up to ten minutes for you to be
informed about a malfunction in the tire pres-
sure monitor. The tire pressure warning lamp informs you about the malfunction by 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 val-
ues indicated by a pressure gauge are higher
Tire pressure321
Wheels and tires
Z

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 trans-
mitting equipment (e.g. radio headphones,
two-way radios) that may be being operated
in or near the vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock ( Ypage 139).
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the
Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The current tire pressure of each tire is
shown in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle has been parked for over
20 minute s,the
Tire pressure will be
displayed after driving a few
minutesmessage appears.
After a teach-in process, the tire pressure
monitor 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, the
Tire Pressure
Monitor Activedisplay message is shown
instead of the tire pressure display. The tire
pressures are already being monitored.
iIf 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 displayed for the posi-
tion 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 and the yellow tire pressure monitor warning lamp
comes on.
R If the
Please Correct Tire Pressure
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play, the tire pressure in at least one tire is
too low and must be corrected at the next
opportunity.
R If the
CheckTiresmessage appears in the
multifunction display, the tire pressure in
one or more tires has dropped significantly and the tires must be checked.
R If the
Warning Tire Malfunction
appears in the multifunction display, the
tire pressure in one or more tires has drop-
ped suddenly and the tires must be
checked.
Observe the instructions and safety notes in
the display messages in the "Tires" section( Y page 236).
iIf the wheel positions on the vehicle are
rotated, the tire pressures may be dis-
played for the wrong positions for a short
time. This is rectified after a few minutes of driving, and the tire pressures are displayedfor the correct positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor
When you restart the tire pressure monitor, allexisting warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamp goes out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the refer-
ence values for monitoring. In most cases, the
tire pressure monitor will automatically
detect the new reference values after you
have changed the tire pressure. However, you
can also define reference values manually as described here. The tire pressure monitor
then monitors the new tire pressure values.
X Set the tire pressure to the value recom-
mended for the corresponding driving sit-
322Tire pressure
Wheels and tires

uation on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver's side
B-pillar ( Ypage 315).
Additional tire pressure values for different loads can also be found on the tire pressure
table on the inside of the fuel filler flap( Y page 315).
X Make sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the
Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The multifunction display shows the cur-
rent tire pressure for the individual tires or
the
Tirepressurewillbedisplayed
after driving a few minutesmes-
sage.
X Press the :button.
The
Use Current Pressures as New
Reference Valuesmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The
Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis- play.
After driving for a few minutes, the system
checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart: X Press 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 occupants and the maximum permis-
sible vehicle load. It also contains details
of the tire sizes and corresponding pres-
sures for tires mounted at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle occu-
pants, the fuel and the cargo. You can
also find information about the maximum gross axle weight rating on the front and
rear axle.
Loading the vehicle323
Wheels and ti res
Z

The maximum gross axle weight rating isthe maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the maxi-
mum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle.
:B-pillar, driver's side
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
X Specification 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 speci-
fied value.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustra-
tion are examples. The maximum permis-
sible 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 Infor-
mation 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 Informationplacard.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustra-
tion 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 Load-
ing 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
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966". X Step 1: Locate the statement "The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on
324Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires

your vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard.
X Step 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
X Step 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX kilo-
grams or XXX lbs.
X Step 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will be five
150-lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
X Step 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load capa- city calculated 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 num- ber and size of occupants. The following
examples use a load limit of 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( Y page 323).
The greater the combined weight of the occu-
pants, the lower the maximum luggage load. Step 1
Example 1Example 2
Combined
maximum
weight of
occupants
and cargo
(data from the
Tire and Load-
ing Informa-
tion placard)1500 lbs
(680 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg)
Step 2
Example 1Example 2
Number of
people in the
vehicle (driver
and occu-
pants)12
Weight of the
occupantsOccu-
pant 1:
175 lbs
(80 kg)Occu-
pant 1:
175 lbs
(80 kg)
Occu-
pant 2:
195 lbs
(88 kg)
Gross weight
of all occu-
pants175 lbs
(80 kg)370 lbs
(168 kg)
Loading the vehicle325
Wheels and tires
Z

Step 3
Example 1Example 2
Permissible
load (maxi-
mum gross
vehicle weight
rating from
the Tire and
Loading Infor-
mation plac-
ard minus the
gross weight
of all occu-
pants)1500 lbs
(680 kg) Ò
175 lbs
(80 kg) =
1325 lbs
(600 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) Ò
370 lbs
(168 kg) =
1130 lbs
(512 kg)
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo
carefully, 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( Y page 323).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the
gross weight of the vehicle, all passengers
and the load must not exceed the permissible
gross vehicle weight.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): the
maximum permissible weight that can be car- ried by one axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross vehi-
cle weight and maximum gross axle weight
rating), have your loaded vehicle (including
driver, occupants and the load) 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 pur-
pose is to provide drivers with uniform relia-
ble information on tire performance data. Tire
manufacturers have to grade tires using three
performance factors: treadwear grade :,
traction grade ;and temperature grade =.
These regulations do not apply to Canada.
Nevertheless, all tires sold in North America
are provided with the corresponding quality
grading markings on the sidewall of the tire.
Where applicable, the tire grading informa-
tion can be found on the tire sidewall between
the tread shoulder and maximum tire width. Example:
R Treadwear grade: 200
R Traction grade: AA
R Temperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
326All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires

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, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm, due to variations in driving habits, ser-
vice practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate conditions.
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 a wet surface as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. 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 surfa-
ces.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of ãin (4 mm) on all four winter
tires. Observe the legally required minimum
tire tread depth ( Ypage 313). Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
The braking distance is still much further than on surfaces that are not icy or covered with
snow. Take appropriate care when driving.
Further information on winter tires (M+S
tires) (
Ypage 314).
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. These represent the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to dis- sipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tempera-
ture 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.
All about wheels and tires327
Wheels and tires
Z

Tire labeling
Overview
:Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard ( Y page 332)
;DOT, Tire Identification Number(Y page 331)
=Maximum tire load ( Ypage 330)
?Maximum tire pressure ( Ypage 318)
AManufacturer
BTire material ( Ypage 331)
CTire size designation, load-bearing capa-
city and speed index ( Ypage 328)
DLoad index ( Ypage 330)
ETire name
The markings described above are on the tire in addition to the tire name (sales designa-
tion) and the manufacturer's name.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate 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
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.
manufacturing standards.
If "LT" precedes the size description: these
are light truck tires according to U.S. manu-
facturing standards.
If "T" precedes the size description: compact emergency wheels with high tire pressure
that are only designed for temporary use in an
emergency.
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
328All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires