Winter Operation - Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2011 Owner's Manual

Winter operation

364
The service life of tyres depends on various
factors, including the following:
driving style
R
tyre pressure
R
mileage
R
MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat char-
acteristics) allow you to continue driving the
vehicle even if one or more tyres lose all air
pressure.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an activated tyre pressure loss
warning system or with an activated tyre pres-
sure monitor and on wheels specifically tes-
ted by Mercedes-Benz.
i
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with the TIREFIT
kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-
flat characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A
TIREFIT kit can be obtained from a qualified
specialist workshop.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tyres in
the event of a flat tyre can be found in the
"Breakdown assistance" section
( page 349).
Y
Winter operation
Points to remember
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section ( page 370).
Y
Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power; change the tyres on your vehi-
cle to M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form,
thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage.
M+S tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres
or all-season tyres. Both types of tyre are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tyres bearing the i snowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide the best possible grip in wintry road con-
ditions. Only these tyres will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP
function optimally in winter. These tyres have
been developed specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics.
G
WARNING
M+S tyres with a tyre tread depth of less than
4 mm are not suitable for use in winter as they
do not provide sufficient traction. There is a
risk of accident.
M+S tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have
fitted.
If you fit M+S tyres that have a lower maxi-
mum permissible speed than that of the vehi-
cle, affix an appropriate warning sign in the
driver's field of vision. This can be obtained in
a qualified specialist workshop.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent SPEEDTRONIC so that it
does not exceed the maximum permissible
speed for the M+S tyres (
®
to
page 185).
Y