245 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving system of your vehicle is
described on the following pages:
Cruise control, with which the vehicle
can maintain a preset speed.
For information on the BAS, ABS and ESP
®,
see “Driving safety systems” (
page 82).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of cruise control is recommended
for driving at a constant speed for extend-
ed periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed over 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 22).
Warning!G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always re-
main responsible for the vehicle’s speed and
for safe brake operation.
Only use cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.
The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.
The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.
Deactivate cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.
316 Operation
Tires and wheels
Placard (Example B)
1Vehicle Tire Information placard with
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
Placard (Example B) lists the recommend-
ed cold tire inflation pressures for maxi-
mum loaded vehicle weight. The tire
inflation pressures listed apply to the tires
installed as original equipment.Important notes on tire inflation
pressure
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure
are also increased while driving, depending
on the driving speed and the tire load.
If you will be driving your vehicle at high
speeds of 100 mph (160 km / h) or higher,
where it is legal and conditions allow,
consult the placard on the inside of the fuel
filler flap on how to adjust the cold tire
inflation pressure. If you do not adjust the
tire inflation pressure, excessive heat can
build up and result in sudden tire failure.Be sure to readjust the tire inflation
pressure for normal driving speeds. You
should wait until the tires are cold before
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Some vehicles may have supplemental tire
inflation pressure information for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded
vehicle condition. If such information is
provided, it can be found on the placard
located on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
Tire inflation pressure changes by approxi-
mately 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of
air temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire inflation pressure
where the temperature is different from
the outside temperature.
i
Placard (Example B) may list
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures for different vehicle loads.
Warning!G
If the tire inflation pressure repeatedly
drops:
Check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects.
Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.
318 Operation
Tires and wheels
Install the valve cap.
Repeat this procedure for each tire.Run Flat Indicator* (Canada only)
While the vehicle is being driven, the Run
Flat Indicator monitors the set tire inflation
pressures by evaluating each wheel’s rota-
tional speed. This allows the system to de-
tect a significant loss of pressure in a tire.
If a wheel’s rotational speed changes due
to falling tire inflation pressure, you will
see a corresponding warning message in
the multifunction display.
The Run Flat Indicator* may function in a
restricted manner or with a delay if:
snow chains are mounted to the
vehicle
winter road conditions prevail in
presence of ice and snow
you are driving on a loose surface (e.g.
sand or gravel)
you are driving in a very sporty manner
(involving rapid acceleration or high
speeds in curves)
i
If you have overfilled the tire, release
tire inflation pressure by pushing the
metal stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of
a pen. Then recheck the tire inflation
pressure with the tire gauge.Warning!G
When the multifunction display shows the
message
Tire pressure Check tires,
one or more of your tires is significantly un-
der-inflated. You should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper tire inflation pressure as
indicated on the vehicle’s tire information
placard. Driving on a significantly under-in-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Each tire, including the
spare, should be checked monthly when
cold and set to the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure as specified in the vehicle
placard and owner’s manual.
319 Operation
Tires and wheels
Reactivating the Run Flat Indicator*
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
reactivated in the following situations:
If you have changed the tire inflation
pressure
If you have replaced the wheels or tires
If you have installed new wheels or
tires
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or, if available, the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.
i
The recommended tire inflation pres-
sures for your vehicle can be found on
the tire placard located on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 315). The tire in-
flation pressures are not listed in the
owner’s manual.
Warning!G
The Run Flat Indicator* does not provide a
warning for wrongly selected tire inflation
pressures. Always adjust tire inflation pres-
sure according to the placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or fuel filler flap.
The Run Flat Indicator* does not replace
regular checks of the tire inflation pressures
since a gradual pressure loss in all four tires
cannot be detected by the Run Flat
Indicator*.
The Run Flat Indicator* is not able to issue a
warning due to a sudden dramatic loss of
tire inflation pressure (e.g. tire blowout
caused by a foreign object). In this case
bring the vehicle to a halt by carefully apply-
ing the brakes and avoiding abrupt steering
maneuvers.
335 Operation
Tires and wheels
Rotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 308).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 308).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 380) and
(
page 404).
Warning!G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.
364 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Run Flat Indicator
inactive
The Run Flat Indicator* is malfunc-
tioning.Have the Run Flat Indicator* checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Check tires
Then reactivate
Run Flat Indicator
There was a warning message about
a loss in tire inflation pressure and
the Run Flat Indicator* has not been
reactivated yet.Make sure that the correct tire inflation pressure
is set for each tire.
Then reactivate the Run Flat Indicator*.
Run Flat Indicator
unavailable
The Run Flat Indicator* has been
switched off due to an error.Have the Run Flat Indicator* checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Tire pressure
Check tires
The Run Flat Indicator* indicates
that the pressure is too low in one or
more tires.Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding
abrupt steering and braking maneuvers. Observe
the traffic situation around you.
Check and adjust the tire inflation pressure as
required (
page 317).
If necessary, change the wheel (page 404).
Reactivate the Run Flat Indicator* after adjusting
the tire inflation pressure values (
page 319).
Warning!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. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
381 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
1Vehicle jack
2Collapsible wheel chock and spare
wheel bolts
3Towing eye bolt
4Alignment bolt
5Wheel wrench
6Spare fuses and valve extractor
7Electric air pumpVehicle jackThe vehicle jack is located in the storage
compartment underneath the trunk floor.
Storage position
Turn crank handle in the direction of ar-
row as far as it will go.
Warning!G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use,
especially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Make sure the jack arm is
fully seated in the jack take-up bracket.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient
capacity jackstands before working under
the vehicle.
384 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
Pierce the protective wrap with
retaining screw3.
Secure the spare wheel by turning re-
taining screw3 clockwise.In case of a flat tire, you may temporarily
use the spare wheel with collapsible tire
when observing the following restrictions:
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest tire repair facility
to have the flat tire repaired or
replaced as appropriate.
Do not operate vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
For more information, see “Rims and Tires”
(
page 429).
!
To prevent damage, always disengage
trunk floor handle from upper edge of
trunk and lower trunk floor before
closing the trunk.
Warning!G
The dimensions of the spare wheel with
collapsible tire are different from those of
the road wheels. As a result, the vehicle han-
dling characteristics change when driving
with a spare wheel mounted.
The spare wheel with collapsible tire should
only be used temporarily, and should be re-
placed with a regular road wheel as quickly
as possible.