Operation Manual

vide the best possible grip in wintry road con-
ditions. Only these tires will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP
®
to
function optimally in winter. These tires have
been developed specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling charac-
teristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires:
X
Check the tire pressures (Y page 365).
X
Vehicles for Canada: restart the tire pres-
sure loss warning system (Y page 369).
X
Restart the tire pressure monitor
(Y page 367).
Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R
never install snow chains to the front
wheels
R
always install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
!
Vehicles with steel wheels: if you
mount snow chains on steel wheels, you
may damage the hub caps. Remove the hub
caps from the relevant wheels before
mounting the snow chains.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R
Snow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. Permissible
wheel-tire combinations (Y page 386).
R
Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow.
Remove the snow chains as soon as possi-
ble when you come to a road that is not
snow-covered.
R
Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to mount snow chains.
R
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
R
On vehicles with AIRMATIC, you must drive
at raised vehicle level if snow chains have
been installed (Y page 197).
You may wish to deactivate ESP
®
when pull-
ing away with snow chains installed
(Y page 72). You can thereby allow the wheels
to spin in a controlled manner, achieving an
increased driving force (cutting action).
Check
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks:
R
the tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
R
the tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction.
R
the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Check
361
Wheels and tires
Z