Mercedes-Benz C-Class Operator's Manual page 329

specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of ã in (4 mm) for all four winter
tires ( page 312) to maintain normal driving
Y
characteristics in winter. Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered
surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with ice or snow. Take
appropriate care when driving.
! Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train.
Temperature
G
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
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C. These represent the tire's
resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
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 performance which all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Tire labeling
Overview of tire labeling
The following markings are on the tire in
addition to the tire name (sales designation)
and the manufacturer's name:
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standard
:
( page 331)
Y
DOT, Tire Identification Number
;
( page 330)
Y
Maximum tire load (
=
Y
Maximum tire pressure (
?
Manufacturer
A
Tire material ( page 331)
B
Y
Tire size designation, load-bearing
C
capacity and speed index (
Load index ( page 330)
D
Y
Tire name
E
i
Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
Tire labeling
327
page 325)
page 316)
Y
page 328)
Y
Z