fuel MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2017 MY17 Operator’s Manual
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Page 223 of 286

If the: indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes on, drain the fuel filter with the
water separator immediately.
iWe recommend that you have this mainte-
nance work carried out at a qualified special-
ist workshop.
XPark the vehicle safely and secure it from roll-
ing away.
XSwitch off the auxiliary heating system .
XSwitch off the engine.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 214).
XPlace a suitable receptacle under drain
hose :.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
XOpen drain plug ;immediately until the
water/fuel mixture flows out of drain hose :.
XScrew in drain plug;as soon as approx-
imately 0.2 qt (0.2 l)of the water/fuel mixture
has been collected.
The electrical fuel pump automatically halts
the flow of the water/fuel mixture after
30 seconds.
XAfter draining, turn the SmartKey back to
position 0in the ignition lock.
XDispose of the collected water/fuel mixture
in an environmentally responsible manner,
e.g. at a qualified specialist workshop.
XCheck drain plug ;. The drain plug must be
closed.
When the engine is running and drain hose ;
is open, fuel is lost through drain hose :.
XClose the hood (Ypage 215).
If the : indicator lamp does not go out after
draining:
XDrain the fuel filter again.
XIf the : indicator lamp does not go out
after draining for the second time, have the
cause checked immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Vehicle interior
Air filter for the rear-compartment air
conditioning
!
Regularly check the air filters for visible dirt.
Clean or replace a dirty filter mat. The dirt may otherwise lead to damage to the air-condi-
tioning system.
Filter magazine, located on the roof in the rear
compartment
An increased amount of sand or dust may collect
in the air filter of the rear-compartment air con-
ditioning when you drive on dusty or sandy
roads.
XTo remove the filter mat: carefully pry
cover :out of recesses ;and remove.
XRemove the filter mat from the air duct.
XTo clean the filter mat: wash the dirty filter
mat with clear water.
XLeave the filter mat to dry.
iThe filter mat must not be cleaned or dried in
a machine.
XTo install the filter mat: insert the filter mat
into the air duct.
XReplace and engage cover :.
Maintenance
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Observe measures to protect the environ-
ment when working on the vehicle. You must
observe the legal requirements when dispos-
ing of service products, e.g. engine oil. This
also includes all components, e.g. filters,
which have come into contact with service
products. Any qualified specialist workshop
can provide information about this.
Dispose of empty containers, cleaning cloths
and care products in an environmentally
Maintenance221
Maintenance and care
Z
Page 231 of 286

!Do not use cleaning agents containing fuel.
Cleaning agents containing fuel corrode the
battery housing.
!If dirt gets into the battery cell, battery self-
discharge will increase and the battery may
be damaged.
The following points on battery care must be
observed:
XRegularly check the battery terminals and the
fastening of the negative cable to the chassis
to ensure that they are firmly seated.
XAlways keep the battery terminals and battery
surfaces clean and dry.
XLightly grease the undersides of the battery
terminals with acid-resistant grease.
XOnly clean the battery casing with a commer-
cially available cleaning product.
Care
Notes on care
GWARNING
If you use openings in the bodywork or
detachable parts as steps, you could:
Rslip and/or fall
Rdamage the vehicle and cause yourself to
fall.
There is a risk of injury.
Always use secure climbing aids, e.g. a suita-
ble ladder.
!For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any of
the following:
Rdry, rough or hard cloths
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective films
with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice scraper.
You could otherwise scratch or damage the
surfaces and protective film.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor- rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
HEnvironmental note
Only clean your vehicle at specially designed
wash bays. Dispose of empty containers and
used cleaning products in an environmentally
responsible manner.
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents recom-
mended and approved for Sprinter vehicles.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
!Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
!Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle.
Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, fold in the exterior mirrors and
remove any additional antennas. Otherwise,
the exterior mirror, antenna or the vehicle
itself could be damaged.
Make sure that the exterior mirrors are fully
folded out again and that any additional
antennas are re-installed when you leave the
automatic car wash.
Care229
Maintenance and care
Z
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Cleaning the paintwork
!Do not affix:
Rstickers
Rfilms
Rmagnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by
corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
XRemove impurities immediately, where pos-
sible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
XSoak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
XSoak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
XRemove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils,
fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a
cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter
fluid.
XUse tar remover to remove tar stains.
XUse silicone remover to remove wax.
Cleaning the windows
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not fold the windshield wipers away from
the windshield unless the hood is closed. Oth-
erwise, you could damage the hood.
!Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if the
wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
!Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring. There
is otherwise a risk of damaging the windows. Before cleaning the windshield
XTurn the key to position
0in the ignition lock
or remove it.
XFold the windshield wiper arms away from the
windshield until you feel them engage.
Before switching the ignition on again, fold
the windshield wipers back into position.
Cleaning the windows
XClean the inside and outside of the windows
with a damp cloth and a cleaning agent that is
recommended and approved for Sprinter
vehicles.
Exterior
Cleaning the wheels
!Do not use any acidic or alkaline cleaning
agents. They can cause corrosion on the
wheel bolts (wheel nuts) or the retainer
springs for the wheel-balancing weights.
!Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after cleaning.
Braking heats the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings, thus drying them. The vehicle
can then be parked.
If you clean the wheels with a power washer,
observe the safety notes for the power washer
(
Ypage 230). You could otherwise damage the
tires.
Cleaning the wiper blades
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
Care231
Maintenance and care
Z
Page 250 of 286

Important notes on tire pressure
GWARNING
If th etire pressur edrops repeatedly, th e
wheel, valv eor tire may be damaged. Tir e
pressur ethat is to olow may result in atire
blow-out .Ther eis aris kof an accident.
RChec kth etire for foreign objects .
RCheckwhether th ewhee lis losing air or th e
valv eis leaking .
If you are unable to rectify th edamage, con-
tac t a qualified specialist workshop.
Use asuitable pressur egage to chec kth etire
pressure. The outer appearanc eof atire does
no tpermit any reliable conclusio nabout th etire
pressure. On vehicles equipped wit hth eelec -
tronic tire pressur emonitor, th etire pressur e
can be checke dusin gth eon-board computer.
The tire temperature and pressur eincreas e
when th evehicl eis in motion .This is dependen t
on th edriving spee dand th eload.
Therefore, you should only correc ttire pressur e
when th etires are cold.
The tires are cold:
Rif th evehicl ehas been parked for at least
three hour swithout direct sunligh ton th e
tires ,and
Rif th evehicl ehas no tbeen driven further than
1 mile (1.6 km )
Tire temper ature changes depending on the
ambient temperature, driving speed and tire
load. If the tire temperature changes by 18 ‡
(10 †), the tire pressure ch anges by approx
-
imately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/1.5 psi). Take this into
account when checking the pressure of warm
tires. Only correct the tire pressure if it is too low
for the current operating conditions. If you
check the tire pressure when the tires are warm,
it results in a higher value than when the tires
are cold. This is normal. Do not under any cir-
cumstances release the air in order to adjust the
pressure to the prescribed value for cold tires.
The tire pressure would otherwise be too low. Observe the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires:
Ron the Tire and Loading Information placard5
on the B-pillar on the driver's side, or
Ron the tire pressure plate on the B-pillar on the
driver's side of the vehicle
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflated tires:
GWARNING
Tires with pressure that is too low can over-
heat and burst as a consequence. In addition, they also suffer from excessive and/or irreg-
ular wear, which can severely impair the brak-
ing properties and the driving characteristics.
There is a risk of an accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too low in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Underinflated tires can:
Rfail from being overheated
Radversely affect handling
Rwear excessively and/or unevenly
Rhave an adverse effect on fuel consumption
Overinflated tires
GWARNING
Tires with excessively high pressure can burst
because they are damaged more easily by
road debris, potholes etc. In addition, they
also suffer from irregular wear, which can
severely impair the braking properties and the driving characteristics. There is a risk of an
accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too high in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Overinflated tires can:
Rincrease the braking distance
Radversely affect handling
Rwear excessively and/or unevenly
5Only for vehicle swith agross weigh tof less than 10,00 0lbs (4,536 kg).
248Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Page 251 of 286

Radversely affect ride comfort
Rbe more susceptible to damage
Maximum tire pressures
:Maximum permitted tire pressure (example)
Never exceed the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure. When adjusting the tire pres-
sures always observe the recommended tire
pressure for your vehicle (
Ypage 246).
iThe actual values for tires are specific to
each vehicle and may deviate from the values in the illustration.
Tire valve
GWARNING
Tire valve that are not approved for your vehi-
cle by the distributor named on the inside
cover page may result in a loss of tire pres-
sure. This may affect road safety. There is a
risk of an accident.
Only use tire valve that are approved for your
vehicle by the distributor named on the inside
cover page. Always make sure you have the
correct tire valve type for the tires on your
vehicle.
!Do not screw additional weights (check
valves, etc.) onto the tire valves. The elec-
tronic components could thus be damaged.
Only for vehicles without a tire pressure moni-
tor:
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use tire valves that have
been tested for use on your vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure manually
In order to determine and adjust the tire pres-
sures, proceed as follows:
XRemove the valve cap of the tire you wish to
check.
XPress the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
XRead the tire pressure and compare it with the
recommended value on the loading informa-
tion table or the tire pressure table
(
Ypage 246).
XIf the tire pressure is too low, increase it to the
recommended value.
XIf the tire pressure is too high, release air by
pressing down the metal pin in the valve. Use
the tip of a pen, for example. Then, check the
tire pressure again using the tire pressure
gauge.
XScrew the valve cap onto the valve.
XRepeat the steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure monitor
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 monitoring
system (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-
Tire pressure249
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 252 of 286

flated tire causes the tire to overheat and canlead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may 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.
USA only:
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 malfunction
exists.
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 mounting 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 wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
Vehicles with a tire pressure monitor are equip-
ped with sensors in the wheels that monitor the
tire pressure of all four tires. The tire pressure
monitor monitors the pressure in all four tires;
you set this pressure when you activate the tire pressure monitor. The tire pressure monitor
warns you when the pressure drops in one or
more of the ti
res. The tire pressure monitor only
functions if the corresponding sensors are
installed on all wheels. You should always adjust the tire pressure
according to the vehicle load. Restart the tire
pressure monitor if you change the tire pres-
sure.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you if a
tire pressure is incorrect. Observe the notes on the recommended tire pressure (
Ypage 246).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn you
of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. following pen- etration by a foreign object. In this event, brake
the vehicle until it comes to a standstill. Do not
carry out any sudden steering maneuvers.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow h
warning lamp in the instrument cluster for indi-
cating pressure loss/malfunctions (USA) or
pressure loss (Canada). Depending on how the
warning lamp flashes or lights up, an underin-
flated tire or a malfunction in the tire pressure
monitor is displayed:
Rif the h warning lamp is lit continuously,
the tire pressure on one or more tires is sig-
nificantly too low. The tire pressure monitor is
not malfunctioning.
RUSA only: if the hwarning lamp flashes for
60 seconds and then remains lit constantly,
the tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
Only vehicles with steering wheel buttons: the
on-board computer displays information on tire
pressure. After a few minutes of driving, the cur-
rent tire pressure of each tire is shown in the on-
board computer.
USA only: if the tire pressure monitor is mal-
functioning, it may be more than 10 minutes
before the malfunction is shown. The htire
pressure warning lamp flashes for 60 seconds
and then remains lit. When the malfunction has been rectified, the htire pressure warning
lamp goes ou
t 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 gage. 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 gage are higher than those shown by
the on-board computer. In this case, do not
reduce the tire pressures.
If radio transmitting equipment (e.g. wireless
headphones, two-way radios) is operated inside
the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehicle, this
can interfere with the operation of the tire pres-
sure monitor.
250Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Page 256 of 286

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.
The Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show themaximum possible load.
(1) Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg):
Tire and Loading Information placard :is
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. Tire and
Loading Information placard :shows the
permissible number of occupants and the
maximum permissible load of the vehicle. It
also contains details of the tire sizes and
corresponding pressures for tires mounted
at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is located on the base of the driver's seat. The vehicle
identification 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). Do not exceed
the maximum gross vehicle weight or the maximum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle.
Tire and Loading Information placard
General notes
Only vehicles with a gross weight of less than
10,000 lbs (4,536 kg) have a Tire and Loading
Information placard on the B-pillar on the driv-
er's side.
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
:Maximum number of seats
;Maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
rating
XSpecification for maximum gross vehicle
weight ;is listed in the Tire and Loading
Information placard: "The gross weight of
occupants and luggage must not exceed XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants, cargo,
luggage and trailer load/noseweight (if applica-
ble) must not exceed the specified value.
iThe details on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard illustration are only an exam-
ple. The maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating is vehicle-specific and may dif-
fer from that which is illustrated. You can find
the valid maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
254Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires
Page 262 of 286

Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure. 14.5038 pounds
per square inch (psi) and 100 kilopascals (kPa)
are the equivalent of 1 bar.
DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of the
United States Department of Transportation.
Average weight of vehicle occupants
The number of occupants for which the vehicle
is designed multiplied by 68 kilograms (150 lbs).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of tires
with regard to tread quality, traction and tem-
perature characteristics. The quality grading
assessment is made by the manufacturer fol-
lowing specifications from the U.S government.
The quality grade of a tire is imprinted on the
sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressures are the pres-
sures specified for the tires mounted on the
vehicle at the factory.
The tire and load information table
8contains the
recommended tire pressures for cold tires, the
maximum permissible load and the maximum
permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recommen- ded tire pressure for cold tires under various
operating conditions, i.e. loading and/or speed
of the vehicle.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
The combined weight of all standard and
optional equipment available for the vehicle,
regardless of whether it is actually installed on
the vehicle or not.
Wheel rim
The part of the wheel on which the tire is moun-
ted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
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 iden- tification plate on the driver seat frame
(
Ypage 272).
Speed index
The speed index is part of the tire identification.
It specifies the speed range for which the tire is
approved.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
GTW is the total of weight of a trailer and the
weight of the load, accessories etc. on the
trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight of
the vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
accessories installed, occupants, luggage and
the drawbar noseweight if applicable. The gross
vehicle weight may never exceed the gross vehi-
cle weight rating (GVWR) specified on the vehi-
cle i
dentification plate at the base of the driver's
seat (Ypage 272).
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permitted gross
weight of the fully laden vehicle (weight of the
vehicle including all accessories, occupants,
fuel, luggage and the drawbar noseweight if
applicable). The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is
specified on the vehicle identification plate on
the driver seat frame (
Ypage 272).
Maximum weight of the laden vehicle
The maximum weight is the sum of:
Rthe curb weight of the vehicle
Rthe weight of the accessories
Rthe load limit
Rthe weight of the factory installed optional
equipment
Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa are the
equivalent of 1 ps i.Another tire pressure unit is
bar. 100 kilopascal s(kPa) are the equivalent of
1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load bearing index, a load
index can be stamped onto the sidewall of the
tire. It specifies the load-bearing capacity of the
tire more precisely.
8Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs (4536 kg).
260What you should know about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires
Page 263 of 286

Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equipment
including the maximum filling capacity of fuel,
oil, and coolant. It also includes the air-condi-
tioning system and optional equipment if these
are installed on the vehicle, but does not include
passengers or luggage.
Maximum tire load
The maximum tire load in kilograms or pounds is
the maximum weight 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)
Standard unit of measurement for tire pressure.
Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and width in
percent.
tire pressure
Pressure inside the tire applying an outward
force to every square inch of the tire's surface.
Tire pressure is specified in pounds per square
inch (psi), in kilopascal (kPa) or in bar. Tire pres-
sure should only be corrected when the tires are
cold.
Cold tire pressure
The tires are cold:
Rif the vehicle has been parked for at least
three hours without direct sunlight on the
tires, and
Rif the vehicle has not been driven further than
1 mile (1.6 km)
Tire tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tire bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits securely
on t
he 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
tire 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 kg (5 lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, a roof rack or a high-performance bat-
tery, are not included in the curb weight and the
weight of the accessories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
A unique identification number 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 composed of the
manufacturer identification code, tire size, tire
model code and manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a code
that contains the maximum load bearing capa-
city of a tire.
Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the tires
and the road surface.
TWR (permissible trailer drawbar load)
The TWR is the maximum permissible weight
that may act on the ball coupling of the trailer
tow hitch.
Wear indicator
Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are distrib-
uted over the tire tread. If the tir e tread is level
with the bars, the wear limit of áin (1.6 mm)
has been reached.
Distribution of the vehicle occupants
The distribution of vehicle occupants over des-
ignated seat positions in a vehicle.
Maximum permissible payload weight
Nominal load and goods/luggage load plus
68 kg (150lbs) multiplied by the number of
seats in the vehicle.
What you should know about wheels and tires261
Wheels and tires
Z
Page 264 of 286

Flat tire
General notes
If your vehicleis equipped wit h aspar ewheel,
th espar ewhee lis under th erear of th evehicl e
(
Ypage 268).
Information about installin g awhee lcan be
foun din th e"Whee lchange" section
(
Ypage 263).
Changing wheels
Rotating the wheels
GWARNIN G
Interchangin gth efron tand rear wheels may
severely impair th edriving characteristics if
th ewheels or tires have different dimensions.
The whee lbrakes or suspension component s
may also be damaged. Ther eis aris kof acci-
dent.
Rotate fron tand rear wheels only if th ewheels
and tires are of th esam edimensions.
!On vehicles equipped wit h atire pressur e
monitor, electronic component sare locate d
in th ewheel.
Tire-mounting tools should no tbe used near
th evalve. This could damag eth eelectronic
components.
Only have tires changed at aqualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Always observ eth einstruction sand safet y
note sin th e"Mounting awheel" section
(
Ypage 263).
The wear pattern son th efron tand rear tires
differ, depending on th eoperating conditions.
Rotate th ewheels before aclear wear pattern
has formed on th etires .Fron ttires typically
wear mor eon th eshoulder sand th erear tires in
th ecenter.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows ,you
can rotate th etires according to th eintervals in
th etire manufacturer' swarrant ybook in your
vehicl edocuments .If no warrant ybook is avail-
able, th etires should be rotate devery 3,000 to
6,000 mile
s(
5,00 0to 10,00 0km), or earlier if
tire wear requires. Do no tchang eth edirection
of rotation . Clean th
econtact surface sof th ewhee land th e
brak edisc thoroughly every time awhee lis rota-
ted.
Chec kth etire pressur eand reactivat eth etire
pressur emonitor if necessary.
Diagram showin gtir erotation for single and dual
tires
Single tires: if thetires are of identical dimen-
sions, you can rotate bot hwheels on bot hth e
fron tand rear axle sso that th etires 'original
direction of rotation is maintained. On unidirec -
tional tires ,an arrow on th esidewall shows th e
prescribe ddirection of rotation of th etire.
Twin rea rtires: if thetires are of identical
dimensions, you can rotate th ewheels on th e
fron taxle and th einner wheels on th erear axle
in pair ssuc hthat th eoriginal direction of tire
rotation is retained. Wit hunidirectional tires ,
you may rotate th eoutside wheels at th erear
axle from on eside to th eother .
Direction of rotation
Tires wit h aspecifie ddirection of rotation have
additional benefits ,e.g. if there is aris kof hydro-
planing .You will only gain these benefits if th e
correct direction of rotation is observed.
An arrow on th esidewall of th etire indicates it s
correct direction of rotation .
You may moun t aspar ewhee lagainst th edirec-
tion of rotation .Observ eth etime restriction on
use as well as th espee dlimitation specifie don
th espar ewheel.
Storing wheels
Store wheels that are no tbein gused in acool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect th etires
from contact wit hoil, grease and fuel .
262Changing wheels
Wheels and tires