245 Driving instructions
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent, depends on driving
habits and operating conditions.
To save fuel you should:
•keep tires at the recommended inflation pressures.
•remove unnecessary loads,
•remove roof rack when not in use,
•allow engine to warm up under low load use,
•avoid frequent acceleration and deceleration,
•have all maintenance work performed at regular
intervals by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driving in cold
weat her, i n stop -and -go traf f ic, on short trip s an d i n hilly
country.Drinking and driving
Ped al s
Wa r n i n g !
Drinking or taking drugs and driving can be a very
dangerous combination. Even a small amount of
alcohol or drugs can affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.The possibility of a serious or even fatal accident is
sharply increased when you drink or take drugs
and drive.Please don’t drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive after drinking or taking drugs.Wa r n i n g !
Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times. Objects
stored in this area may impair pedal movement.
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249 Driving instructions
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by law. These
indicators are located in six places on the tread
circumference and become visible at a tread depth of
approximately
1/16 in (1.5 mm), at which point the tire is
considered worn and should be replaced.
The tread wear indicator appears as a solid band across
the tread.Specified tire pressures must be maintained. This
applies particularly if the tires are subjected to high
loads (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high ambient
temperatures).
Wa r n i n g !
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or ride
disturbance, or you suspect that possible damage to
your vehicle has occurred, you should turn on the
hazard warning flashers, carefully slow down, and
drive with caution to an area which is a safe
distance from the roadway.Inspect the tires and under the vehicle for possible
damage. If the vehicle or tires appear unsafe, have
it towed to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or
tire dealer for repairs.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far. As
tread depth approaches
1/16 in (1.5 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are sharply
reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road surface
(conditions), the tire traction varies widely.Wa r n i n g !
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You may lose
control of the vehicle. Continued driving with a flat
tire or driving at high speed with a flat tire will
cause excessive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
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252 Driving instructions
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy roads is to
drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt acceleration, braking
and steering maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, move
selector lever to position “N”. Try to keep the vehicle
under control by corrective steering action.
Road salts and chemicals can adversely affect braking
efficiency. Increased pedal force may become necessary
to produce the normal brake effect. We therefore
recommend depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn roads. This can
bring road salt impaired braking efficiency back to
normal. A prerequisite is, however, that this be done
without endangering other drivers on the road.If the vehicle is parked af ter being driven on salt treated
roads, the braking ef f iciency should be tested as soon as
possible after driving is resumed while observing the
safety rules in the previous paragraph.
Wa r n i n g !
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make sure
that snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around the vehicle with engine running.
O t h e rw i s e , d e a d ly c a r b o n m o n ox i d e ( CO ) ga s e s m ay
enter vehicle interior resulting in unconsciousness
and death.To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open a
window slightly on the side of the vehicle not
facing the wind.
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293 What you should know at the gas station
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Tire pressure
For tire pressure, refer to tire pressure label inside the
fuel filler flap. See page 351 for further details.
Air conditioner
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubricant, refer to
“Technical Data”.
Spark plugs
Approved spark plugs, refer to page 397.
Windshield cleaning
To prevent damage to the engine hood, the windshield
wipers must not be folded forward in parked position.
See page 386 for cleaning the windshield.Bulbs
Low beam: Xenon,
high beam: H7 (55 W)
fog lamps: H1 (55 W),
turn signal lamps, front: 1156 NA bulb,
parking and standing lamps, front: H 6W
side marker lamps, front: W 5 W/4 cp,
turn signal lamps, rear: 1156 NA bulb,
tail and parking lamp: 67/4 cp,
tail, parking and rear fog lamp, driver’s side: P 21/4 W,
tail, parking, standing and
side marker lamp: 67/4 cp,
backup lamps: 1160/32 cp,
license plate lamps: C 5 W/4 cp
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303 Malfunction and warning messages
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Malfunction and warning messages in the
multifunction display
Malfunction and warning messages for the following
systems will be displayed immediately in the
multifunction display.
They are divided into three categories.
Category C1:
Messages of most immediate priority.
These cannot be cleared from the instrument cluster
using the Jbutton.
Categories C2 and C3:
Messages of less immediate priority.
These can be cleared from the instrument cluster using
the Jbutton and are then stored in the malfunction
message memory, see page 138 Note:
Certain malfunction and warning messages are
accompanied by an audible signal.
Malfunction and warning messages in red are always
accompanied by an audible signal.
Temporary messages such as “TRUNK OPEN!” will not
be stored in the malfunction message memory.
Wa r n i n g !
All categories of messages contain important
information which should be taken note of and,
where malfunction indicated, addressed as soon as
possible at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty, or result in property damage or personal
injury.
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305 Malfunction and warning messages
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index BATTERY /ALTERNATOR
* C = Category, see page 303
This message indicates a malfunction which must be
repaired immediately.
It may indicate that the poly-V-belt has broken. Should
this condition occur, the poly-V-belt must be replaced
before continuing to operate the vehicle. Otherwise, the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative water pump
which may result in damage to the engine.
Do not continue to drive the vehicle with this message
displayed.
Doing so could result in serious engine damage that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Line 1 Line 2 C*
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR VISIT WORKSHOP! 2
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351 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Tire inflation pressure
A table (see fuel filler flap) lists the tire inflation
pressures specified for Mercedes-Benz recommended
tires as well as for the varying operating conditions.
For notes on checking the tire pressure using the tire
inflation pressure monitor, see page 153.
Important!
Tire pressure changes by approx. 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per
18
°F (10
°C) of air temperature change. Keep this in
mind when checking tire pressure inside a garage –
especially in the winter.
Example:
If garage temperature = approx. +68
°F (+20
°C) and
ambient temperature = approx. +32
°F (0
°C) then the
adjusted air pressure = specified air pressure +3 psi
(+0.2 bar).Tire pressures listed for light loads are minimum values
offering high driving comfort. Increased inflation
pressures for heavy loads produce favorable handling
characteristics with lighter loads and are perfectly
permissible. The ride of the vehicle, however, will
become somewhat harder.
Tire temperature and pressure increase with the vehicle
speed. Tire pressure should therefore only be checked
and corrected on cold tires. Correct tire pressure in
warm tires only if pressure has dropped below the
pressure listed in the table and the respective operating
conditions are taken into consideration.
An underinflated tire due to a slow leak (e.g. due to a
nail in the tire) may cause damage such as tread
separation, bulging etc.. Regular tire pressure checks
(including the spare tire) at intervals of no more than
14 days are therefore essential.
If a tire constantly loses air, it should be inspected for
damage.
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380 Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar careIndex
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
In operation, your vehicle is subjected to varying
external influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the underbody and
cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme and varying
climatic conditions, but also by air polution, road salt,
tar, gravel and stone chipping. Grease and oil, fuel,
coolant, brake fluid, bird droppings, insects, tree resins
etc. should be removed immediately to avoid paint
damage. Frequent washing reduces and /or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above adverse
influences.More frequent washings are necessary to deal with
unfavorable conditions; for example, near the ocean, in
industrial areas (smoke, exhaust emissions), or during
winter operation.
You should check your vehicle from time to time for
stone chipping or other damage. Any damage should be
repaired as soon as possible to prevent the start of
corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underside of the vehicle.
A prerequisite for a thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough inspection. Damaged
areas need to be reundercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory with a wax-
base rustproofing in the body cavities which will last for
the lifetime of the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by Mercedes-Benz
because of the possibility of incompatibility between
materials used in the production process and others
applied later.
We have selected car-care products and compiled
recommendations which are specially matched to our
vehicles and which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved car-care
products at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Wa r n i n g !
Many cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are poisonous, others are flammable. Always follow
the instructions on the particular container.
Always open your vehicle’s doors or windows when
cleaning the inside.Never use fluids or solvents that are not designed
for cleaning your vehicle.
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