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06 Wheels and tyres
General
Driving characteristics
Tyres greatly affect the car's driving characte-
ristics. The type of tyre, dimensions, tyre pres-
sure and speed rating are important for how the
car performs.
Direction of rotation
The arrow shows the tyre's direction of rotation.
06
Tyres with a tread pattern which are designed
to only turn in one direction have the direction
of rotation marked with an arrow. The tyre must
always rotate in the same direction throughout
its lifespan. Tyres should only be switched
between front and rear positions, never
between left and right-hand sides, or vice
versa. If the tyres are fitted incorrectly, the car's
braking characteristics and capacity to force
rain and slush out of the way are adversely
affected.
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Tyres with the greatest tread depth should
always be fitted to the rear of the car (to
decrease the risk of skidding).
NOTE
Ensure that tyres of the same type and
dimensions, and also the same make, are
fitted to all four wheels.
Follow the recommended tyre pressures
specified in the tyre pressure table, see
page 300.
Tyre care
Tyre age
All tyres older than 6 years old should be
checked by an expert even if they seem
undamaged. Tyres age and decompose, even
if they are hardly ever or never used. The func-
tion can therefore be affected. This applies to
all tyres that are stored for future use. Exam-
ples of external signs which indicate that the
tyre is unsuitable for use are cracks or discol-
oration.
New tyres
Tyres are perishable. After a few years they
begin to harden at the same time as the friction
capacity/characteristics gradually deteriorate.
For this reason, aim to get as fresh tyres as
possible when you replace them. This is espe-
cially important with regard to winter tyres. The
last four digits in the sequence mean the week
and year of manufacture. This is the tyre's
DOT marking (Department of Transportation),
and this is stated with four digits, for example
1510. The tyre in the illustration was manufac-
tured in week 15 of 2010.
Summer and winter tyres
When summer and winter wheels are changed
the wheels should be marked with which side
of the car they were mounted on, for example
L for left and R for right.
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