2001 Mercedes C-Class Owner's Manual - Page 258

Tire traction The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy road is always lower than on a dry road. You should pay particular attention to the condition of the road whenever the outside temperatures are close to the freezing point. Warning! If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will be substantially reduced. Under such weather conditions, drive, steer and brake with extreme caution. We recommend M+S rated radial-ply tires for the winter season for all four wheels to insure normal balanced handling characteristics. On packed snow, they can reduce your stopping distance as compared with summer tires. Stopping distance, however, is still considerably greater than when the road is not snow or ice covered. Tire speed rating Vehicles without Sport Package: Your vehicle is factory equipped with "H"-rated tires, which have a speed rating of 130 mph (210 km/h). An electronic speed limiter prevents your vehicle from exceeding the speed rating. Warning! Even when permitted by law, never operate a vehicle at speeds greater than the maximum speed rating of the tires. Exceeding the maximum speed for which tires are rated can lead to sudden tire failure causing loss of vehicle control and resulting in personal injury and possible death. Driving instructions Instruments and controls Operation Driving 249 Instrument cluster display Practical hints Car care Technical data Index