Consumer Information - Mercedes-Benz 560 SL 107 1988 Owner's Manual

Consumer Information

This has been prepared as required
of all manufacturers of passenger
cars under Title 49, Code of U.S.
Federal Regulations, Part 575 pur­
suant to the "National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Relevant tire grade information on
tire flanks.
All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety require­
ments in addition to these grades.
102
Tread wear
The treadwear grade is a compara­
tive rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under con­
trolled conditions on a specified
government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and a half (1V fe ) times as
well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative perform­
ance 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, sen/ice practices and
differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction "A", "B", "C"
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are "A", "B" and "C" and
they represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spe­
cified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
"C" may have poor traction perform­
ance.
Warning!
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests
and does not include cornering
(turning) traction.
Temperature "A", "B", "C"
The temperature grades of "A" (the
highest). "B" and "C" representing
the tire's resistance to the genera­
tion of heat and its ability to dissip­
ate heat when tested under con­
trolled conditions on a specified in­
door laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade "C"
corresponds to a level of per­
formance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades " B" and "A" repres­
ent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning!
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
build up and possible tire failure.