Mercedes-Benz SLK 2014, Owner'S Manual

Page: 318 / 357

damage. Hidden tyre damage could also be
causing the unusual handling characteristics.
If you find no signs of damage, have the tyres
and wheels checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tyres do not get deformed by the kerb or
other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
kerbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try
to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tyres, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged.
Regular checking of wheels and tyres
G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tyres immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of your
vehicle for damage at least once a month, as
well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tyre pressure. Pay particular attention to
damage such as:
R
cuts in the tyres
R
punctures
R
tears in the tyres
R
bulges on tyres
R
deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tyre tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tyre (
Y
page 315). If necessary, 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
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not fit
anything onto the valve other than the stand-
ard valve cap or other valve caps approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. Do not fit any
other valve caps or systems, e.g. tyre pres-
sure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres,
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tyre
pressure as necessary (
Y
page 318).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (
Y
page 334).
The service life of tyres depends on various
factors, including the following:
R
driving style
R
tyre pressure
R
mileage
Important safety notes on the tyre
tread
G WARNING
Insufficient tyre tread will reduce tyre trac-
tion. The tyre is no longer able to dissipate
water. This means that on wet road surfaces,
the risk of aquaplaning increases, in particular
where speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, tyres
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tyre tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tyres.
Minimum tyre tread depth for:
R
summer tyres: 3 mm
R
M+S tyres: 4 mm
For safety reasons, replace the tyres before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tyre tread depth is reached.
Selecting, fitting and replacing tyres
G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tyre load-bearing capa-
city and the approved maximum speed could
lead to tyre damage or the tyre bursting. There
is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tyre types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
Operation
315
Wheels
and
tyres
Z