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236
Wheels and Tyres
Tyre life
The life of your tyres very much depends on the following points:
Tyre pressure
The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are
insufficiently or over-inflated and this will have an adverse effect on the
handling of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of particular importance when travelling at high
speeds. It is therefore good to check the pressure at least once a month
and also before setting off on a long trip. Please do not forget the spare
wheel when checking the tyres.
The tyre inflation pressures for summer tyres are indicated on the inside
of the fuel filler flap
20 kPa (0.2 bar) higher than those for summer tyres ⇒ page 240.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest pressure specified for your
Fig. 179 An opened
fuel filler flap with the
vehicle at all times.
tyre inflation pressure
table
On cars with full wheel trim, valve extensions are fitted in place of dust
⇒ fig.
caps
order to check and alter the inflation pressure of the tyre.
Always check the inflation pressure of tyres when cold. Do not reduce the
higher pressure of warm tyres. Adapt the inflation pressure of the tyres
accordingly if your vehicle is carrying a significantly higher payload.
Driving style
Fast cornering, sharp acceleration and braking (squealing tyres) increase
wear-and-tear on your tyres.
Balancing wheels
The wheels of a new vehicle are balanced. There are a wide range of influ-
Fig. 180 Wheel with
ences when driving which may result in an imbalance and which makes
full trim and extended
themselves felt through vibration in the steering.
valve
You should have the wheels rebalanced since any imbalance increases
wear-and-tear on the steering, the suspension and tyres. A wheel must
also be rebalanced when a new tyre is fitted and each time a tyre is
repaired.
⇒ fig.
179. The inflation pressures for winter tyres are
180. It is not necessary to unscrew the valve extensions in
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