2011 Mercedes R-Class Owner's Manual - Page 323

Maintenance and care of wheels and tires Directives to be observed ROnly 321 mount tires and wheels of the same type and make. ROnly mount tires of the correct size onto the wheels. RAfter mounting new tires, run them in at moderate speeds for the first 60 miles (100 km) as they only reach their full performance after this distance. RDo not use tires until they are excessively worn as the tire traction on wet road surfaces decreases significantly when the tread depth is less than 1/8 in (3 mm). RIf the vehicle is heavily laden, check the tire RWhen Service life of tires The service life of tires depends on the following factors amongst other things: Rdriving Maintenance and care of wheels and tires Checking wheels and tires G Warning Regularly check the tires for damage. Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pressure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if the tires have sustained damage, replace them. RRegularly style pressure Rmileage Replace the tires after six years at the latest, regardless of wear. This also applies to the emergency spare wheel/spare wheel. Rtire Tire tread Although the applicable federal motor vehicle safety laws consider a tire to be worn when the tread wear indicators (TWI) become visible at approximately 1/16 in (1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not allow your tires to wear down to that level. As tread depth approaches 1/8 in (3 mm), the adhesion properties on a wet road are sharply reduced. G Warning check the wheels and tires of your vehicle for damage (e.g. cuts, punctures, tears, bulges on tires and deformation or severe corrosion on wheels), at least once a month, as well as after driving off-road or on rough roads. Z Tires and wheels pressure and adjust it if necessary. parking your vehicle, make sure that the tires do not get deformed by the curb or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over curbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Otherwise, the tires, particularly the sidewalls, can get damaged. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of tire pressure. RRegularly check the tire tread depth and the condition of the tread across the whole width of the tire (Y page 321). If necessary, turn the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the inner side of the tire surface. RAll wheels must have a valve cap to protect the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not install anything on the valve (such as tire pressure monitoring systems) other than the standard valve cap or other valve caps approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle. RRegularly check the pressure of all the tires including the emergency spare wheel or the spare wheel, particularly prior to long trips, and correct the pressure as necessary (Y page 322).