253 Operation
Driving instructions
Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal 
force may become necessary to produce 
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically 
when traveling at length on salt-strewn 
roads can bring road-salt impaired braking 
efficiency back to normal. 
If the vehicle is parked after being driven 
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information on winter driving, see 
“Winter driving” (
page 280).
Standing water
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endager any other road 
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.
Warning!
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 the 
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon 
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and 
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, 
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and 
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road 
surface is free of ice.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or 
water of unknown depth. Before driving 
through water, determine its depth. 
Never accelerate before driving into 
water. The bow wave could force water 
into the engine and auxiliary equip-
ment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from 
entering the passenger compartment 
or the engine compartment. Water in 
these areas could cause damage to 
electrical components or wiring of the 
engine or transmission, or could result 
in water being ingested by the engine 
through the air intake causing severe 
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.