Winter Operation; In Winter - SMART forfour Owner's Manual

Winter operation

250
Pay special attention to the country-spe-
cific requirements for tyre approval.
These requirements can stipulate a spe-
cific tyre type for your vehicle. Further-
more, the use of certain tyre types in cer-
tain regions and areas of operation can be
highly beneficial. You can find further
information regarding tyres at specialist
tyre retailers, at qualified specialist
workshops or at any smart centre.
Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
R
and make.
Exception: it is permissible to fit a dif-
ferent type or make in the event of a flat
tyre.
Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
R
wheels.
Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for
R
the first 100 km. They only reach their
full performance after this distance.
Do not drive with tyres which have too
R
little tread depth. This otherwise sig-
nificantly reduces the traction on wet
roads (aquaplaning).
Replace the tyres after six years at the
R
latest, regardless of wear.
Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a
qualified specialist workshop at the onset
of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a
wheel" section (
Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tyres on your
vehicle to M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at
very cold temperatures could cause tears to
form, thereby damaging the tyres perma-
Y
page 255).
nently. smart cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage.
G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle. There is a risk of
accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of dam-
age and replace any damaged tyres imme-
diately.
M+S tyres
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.
At temperatures below +7 † use winter
tyres marked with M+S.
Only winter tyres bearing the i snow-
flake symbol in addition to the M+S mark-
ing provide the best possible grip in win-
try road conditions. Only these tyres will
allow driving safety systems such as ABS
®
and ESP to function optimally in winter.
These tyres have been developed specifi-
cally for driving in snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have
fitted. Therefore, only use tyre types and
sizes approved for smart. Observe the tyre
load rating and speed rating required for
smart.
Tyres with a specified direction of rota-
tion have additional benefits, e.g. if there
is a risk of aquaplaning. These advantages
can only be gained if the tyres are fitted