Tire Load Rating; Used; Tread; Vehicle Maximum Load On - SMART fortwo coupe Operator's Manual

Winter driving
136

Tire load rating

Numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
Tire ply composition and material used
This indicates the number of plies or the
number of layers of rubber-coated fabric
in the tire tread and sidewall. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the ply
materials in the tire and sidewall, which
include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
Tire speed rating
Part of tire designation; indicates the
speed range for which a tire is approved.

Total load limit

Rated cargo and luggage load plus
68 kilograms (150 lbs) times the vehicle's
designated seating capacity.
Traction
Force exerted by the vehicle on the road via
the tires. The amount of grip provided.

Tread

The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Treadwear indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called "wear
bars" that show across the tread of a tire
1
when only / in (1.6 mm) of tread remains.
16
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A tire information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire's
traction, temperature and treadwear.
Ratings are determined by tire
manufacturers using U.S. government
testing procedures. The ratings are molded
into the sidewall of the tire.

Vehicle maximum load on the tire

Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each axle
its share of the maximum loaded vehicle
weight and dividing it by two.
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized smart
center. This service includes:
Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
R
concentration.
Addition of washer concentrate to the
R
water of the windshield/rear window.
Use a windshield washer concentrate
labeled for winter which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
Y
( page 212).
Battery test. Battery capacity drops with
R
decreasing ambient temperature. A well
charged battery helps to make sure the
engine can be started, even at low
ambient temperatures.
Tire change.
R

Winter tires

G
Warning!
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than
1
/ in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
6
longer suitable for winter operation.
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45¦ (7¥) and whenever wintry road
conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated tires
provide special winter performance. Make
sure the tires you use show the mountain/
snowflake marking i on the tire
sidewall. These tires meet specific snow
traction performance requirements of the
Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
and the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)