Mercedes-Benz A-Class Operator's Manual page 307

well on the government course as a tire graded
100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart signi cantly from the norm due to var-
iations in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics and climate.
T T r r action gr action grade ade
& D D AN
ANGER GER Risk of accident due to inade-
quate traction
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests.
Always adapt your driving style and drive
#
at a speed to suit the prevailing tra c
and weather conditions.
* N N O O TE TE Damage to the drivetrain from
wheelspin
Avoid wheelspin.
#
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci ed govern-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction performance.
T T em emper peratur ature gr e grade ade
& W W ARNING
ARNING Risk of accident from tire over-
heating and tire failure
Excessive speed, underin ation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause excessive heat build-up and possi-
ble tire failure.
Observe the recommended tire pressure.
#
Regularly check the pressure of all the
#
tires.
Adjust the tire pressure, if necessary.
#
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
speci ed indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
Wheels and tires 305
high temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and exces-
sive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perform-
ance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety Standard No.
109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
DOT, T , Tir ire e Identi cation DOT Identi cation Number (TIN) Number (TIN)
US tire regulations stipulate that every tire manu-
facturer or retreader must imprint a TIN in or on
the side wall of each tire produced.
305