Mercedes-Benz E 2008 Series Owner's Manual page 231

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Operation
Tyres and wheels
Notes on selecting, fitting and replacing
tyres
Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
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and make.
Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
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wheels.
After fitting new tyres, run them in at mod-
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erate speeds for the first 100 km as they
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.
228
Version: 2.9.4
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, bumps on tyres and deforma-
tion, cracks or severe corrosion on wheels),
at least every 14 days, as well as after off-
road trips or after travelling on rough roads.
Damaged wheels could 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 ( page 229). If neces-
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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.
Regularly check the pressure of all your
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tyres (including the spare tyre*), particu-
larly prior to long trips, and correct the
pressure as necessary ( page 229).
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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 inspected
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, try to
do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tyres, particularly the sidewalls,
could get damaged.
* optional