2009 Mercedes CLS-Class Owner's Manual - Page 229

Operation Tires and wheels for the winter season to ensure normal balanced handling characteristics. On packed snow, they can reduce your stopping distance compared to summer tires. Stopping distance, however, is still considerably greater than when the road is not covered with snow or ice. Exercise appropriate caution. can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law. This marking tells you about the type of cord and number of plies in the sidewall and under the tread. Tire and loading terminology Accessory weight The combined weight (in excess of those standard items which may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that these items are available as factory-installed equipment (whether installed or not). ! Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Temperature G Warning! The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause excessive heat build-up and possible tire failure. The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature Tire ply material Air pressure The amount of air inside the tire pressing outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or bar. 1 Plies in sidewall 2 Plies under tread i For illustration purposes only. Actual data on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary from data shown in above illustration. Aspect ratio Dimensional relationship between tire section height and section width expressed in percentage. Z 227