Tyres And Wheels - Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2009 Owner's Manual

only reach their full performance after this
distance.
Fit new tyres on the front wheels first if
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tyres of the same size are required on the
front and rear wheels.
Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
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est, regardless of wear. This also applies to
the spare wheel*.
Do not drive with tyres which have too little
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tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (aquaplaning).
! Store tyres that are not being used in a
cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect
the tyres against oil, grease, petrol and die-
sel.
Notes on regularly inspecting wheels
and tyres
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of
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your vehicle for damage (e.g. cuts, punctu-
res, tears, bulges on tyres and deformation,
cracks or severe corrosion on wheels), at
least every 14 days, as well as after driving
off-road or on rough roads. Damaged
wheels can cause a loss of tyre pressure.
Regularly check the tyre tread depth and
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the condition of the tread across the whole
width of the tyre (
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sary, turn the front wheels to full lock in
order to inspect the inner side of the tyre
surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
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the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
fit anything onto the valve (such as tyre
pressure monitoring systems) other than
the standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehi-
cle.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres
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including the spare tyre*, particularly prior
to long trips, and correct the pressure as
necessary ( page 186).
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* optional
page 186). If neces-

Tyres and wheels

Notes on driving
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
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noises and unusual handling characteris-
tics, e.g. pulling to one side. This may indi-
cate that the wheels or tyres are damaged.
If you suspect that a tyre is defective,
reduce your speed and stop the vehicle as
soon as possible to check the wheels and
tyres for damage. Hidden tyre damage
could also be causing the unusual handling
characteristics. If you find no signs of dam-
age, have the wheels and tyres examined
at a specialist workshop, for example at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
When parking your vehicle, make sure that
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the tyres do not get deformed by the kerb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive
over kerbs, speed humps or similar eleva-
tions, try to do so slowly and at an obtuse
angle. Otherwise, the tyres, particularly the
sidewalls, can get damaged.
Direction of rotation
Tyres with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of aquaplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tyre indicates
its correct direction of rotation.
MOExtended run-flat system*
The MOExtended run-flat system allows you
to continue driving the vehicle even when one
or more tyres lose all air pressure.
The MOExtended run-flat system may only be
used in combination with the activated tyre
pressure loss warning system and only on
wheels specifically tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
185
Z