Wheels and tyres 409
Carry out the following checks on all wheels reg‐
ularly, at least once a month or as required, for
example, prior to a long journey or driving off-
road:
Notes on noise or unusual handling charac‐
teristics
&
WARNING Risk of aquaplaning due to
insufficient tyre tread
Make sure there are no vibrations, noises or
unusual handling characteristics when the vehi‐
cle is in motion. This may indicate that the
wheels or tyres are damaged. Hidden tyre dam‐
age could also be causing the unusual handling
characteristics.
If you suspect that a tyre is defective, reduce
your speed immediately and have the tyres and
wheels checked at a qualified specialist work‐
shop.
Insufficient tyre tread will result in reduced
tyre grip.
The risk of aquaplaning is increased on wet
roads, especially when the speed of the vehi‐
cle is not adapted to suit the conditions.
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Check the tyre pressure (/ page 410).
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Visually inspect wheels and tyres for dam‐
age.
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Check the valve caps.
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Thus, you should regularly check the
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Visual check of the tyre tread depth and the
tyre contact surface across the entire width.
tread depth and the condition of the
tread across the entire width of all
tyres.
The minimum tread depth for summer tyres
is 3 mm and for winter tyres 4 mm.
Minimum tread depth for:
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Summer tyres: 3 mm
M+S tyres: 4 mm
Notes on regularly inspecting wheels and
tyres
Notes on snow chains
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#
&
For safety reasons, replace the tyres
before the legally-prescribed limit for
the minimum tread depth is reached.
WARNING Risk of accident due to incor‐
rect snow chain fitting
&
WARNING Risk of injury due to damaged
tyres
If you have fitted snow chains to the front
wheels, the snow chains may drag against
the vehicle body or chassis components.
This could cause damage to the vehicle or
the tyres.
Damaged tyres can cause tyre pressure loss.
#
Check the tyres regularly for signs of
damage and replace any damaged tyres
immediately.
English 
