Emergency assistance
There are some restrictions on the use of the
spare tire. The spare tire has been designed spe-
cifically for your type of vehicle. Do not replace it
with the spare tire from another type of vehicle.
There are different types of spare tires available
depending on the equipment
c::> page 320.
Removing the spare tire
• Lift the cargo floor by the plast ic ha ndle
c::>fig. 282.
• Hook the hand le into the luggage compartment
weathe r strip.
• Turn the handwheel counter-clockwise and re-
move it.
• Remove the spare tire.
Snow chains
For technical reasons, the use of snow chains on
the compact spare tire is not permitted.
If you have to drive with snow chains and a front
tire fa ils, mount the spare t ire in place of a rear
tire . Install the snow chains on the rear tire that
you removed, and install that in place of the
front tire that failed.
A WARNING
-After installing a spare tire, the tire pres-
sure must be checked as quickly as possible.
- Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)
with a compact spare tire. Driving faster
than that increases the risk of an accident.
- To reduce the risk of an accident, avoid full-
throttle acceleration, heavy braking, and
fast cornering with the compact spare t ire .
- To reduce the risk of an accident, never drive
with more than one compact spare tire.
- Norma l summer or winter tires must not be
mounted on the compact spare wheel rim.
A WARNING
- Never use the spare tire if it is damaged or if
it is worn down to the tread wear indicators.
- If the spare tire is more than 6 years old,
use it only in an emergency and with ex-
treme caution and careful dr iving .
- The spare tire is intended only for tempora-
ry and short-term use.
It should be replaced
320
as soon as possible with the normal whee l
and tire.
- For technical reasons, the use of tire chains
on the spare tire is not permitted. If it is
necessary to drive with tire chains, the spare
wheel must be mounted on the front axle in
the event of a flat in a rear tire . The newly
ava ilable front wheel must then be installed
in place of the rear wheel with the flat tire.
Installing the tire chain before mounting
the wheel and tire is recommended.
- Loose items in the passenger compartment
can cause serious personal injury during
hard braking or in an accident. Never store
the inflatable spare tire or jack and tools in
the passenger compartment .
Spare tire types
Fig. 283 Luggage compartment: space -saving spa re tire
(compact spare tire)
(D Spare tire*
If you have to mount a spare tire oppos ite the
running direction because of a flat tire , drive
ca refully and restore the correc t running direc-
tion as soon as possible
<=:>page 319 .