M+S Tires; Service Life; Winter Operation - Mercedes-Benz G-Class Operator's Manual

Winter operation

244
(100 km) as they only reach their full
performance after this distance.
Do not use tires that are excessively worn
R
as the tire traction on wet road surfaces
decreases significantly when the tread
depth is less than
Replace the tires after six years at the
R
latest, regardless of wear. This also applies
to the spare wheel.
The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
driving style
R
tire pressure
R
distance covered
R
Winter operation
Please bear the following in mind
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section ( Y page 265).
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), the
elasticity of summer tires and therefore also
the traction and braking capability are
reduced considerably — equip your vehicle
with M+S tires. Using summer tires at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage.

M+S tires

At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), use
winter tires or all-season tires. Both types of
tire are identified by the M+S marking.
Not all tires with the M+S marking provide the
driving characteristics of winter tires. In
addition to the M+S marking, winter tires also
bear the snowflake symbol i on the
1
/ in (3 mm).
8
sidewall. Tires with this marking fulfill the
requirements of the Rubber Manufacturers
Association (RMA) and the Rubber
Association of Canada (RAC) regarding snow
traction, and were specially developed for
driving on snow. Only these tires will allow
driving safety systems such as ABS and
®
ESP to function optimally in winter, as these
tires have been designed specifically for
driving on snow.
i You can obtain information about winter
tires that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz especially for your vehicle
at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics.
i
For further information about tires, see
Y
( page 268).
G
WARNING
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than
1
/ inch (4 mm) must be replaced
6
immediately. They are no longer suitable for
use in winter.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted the M+S tires:
X
Check the tire pressures (
X
Restart the tire pressure monitor
( Y page 251).
G
WARNING
The spare wheel and M+S tires have different
tire characteristics. Driving characteristics
can be severely impaired when you mount the
spare wheel. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
and drive carefully. Have the spare wheel
replaced with a new wheel with an M+S tire
at the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
Y page 245).