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Switching off
You can switch the ESP off and on again as you wish, by pressing the button ⇒ page 165, fig. 133. The ESP warning light ⇒page 33 lights up in the instru- ment cluster when the ESP is switched off.
The ESP should normally al ways be switched on. It may be good practice in certain exceptional cases, such as when you wish to have wheel slip, to switch off the system.
Examples:
•when driving with snow chains,
•when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface,
•when it is necessary to rock a car free when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the ESP again.
WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of driving to the condition of the road surface and the traffic situation. This particularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free operation of the ESP. Differ ing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other assignment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Traction control system (TCS)*
The traction control system prevents the driven wheels from
spinning when accelerating.
General
The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accel- erate and climb a steep hill when the co nditions of the road surface are unfa- vourable.
Operating principle
The TCS switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is automatically adap ted by reducing the engine speed. This occurs at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS ⇒page 169, “Antilock brake system (ABS)*”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system.
Fig. 134 TCS switch
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The TCS warning light ⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on the TCS.
Switching off
You can switch the TCS off and on again as you wish by pressing the button ⇒ page 166, fig. 134. The TCS warning light ⇒page 33 lights up in the instru- ment cluster when the TCS is switched off.
The TCS should normally al ways be switched on. It may be good practice in certain exceptional cases, such as when you wish to have wheel slip, to switch off the system.
Examples:
•when driving with snow chains,
•when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface,
•when it is necessary to rock a car free when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the TCS again.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead to an undesirable re duction in the engine output.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other assignment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)*
The electronic differential lock prevents an individual wheel
from slipping.
Models fitted with ESP are equipped with electronic differential lock (EDL).
General
The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accel- erate and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfa- vourable.
Operating principle
The EDL is activated automatically, that is without any action on the part of the driver. It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. Should only one drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will be an appreciable di fference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function brakes the slipping wheel and the differential transmits a greater driving force to the other driven wheel. This control process is also accompa- nied by noises.
Overheating of the brakes
The EDL switches off automati cally if unusually severe stresses exist in order to avoid excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being braked. The vehicle can continue to be driven and has the same characteristics as a vehicle not fitted with EDL.
The EDL switches on again automatically as soon as the brake has cooled down.
WARNING
•Depress the accelerator carefully when accelerating on uniformly slippery road surfaces, such as ic e and snow. The driven wheels might still spin despite the EDL and affect the stability of the vehicle - risk of an accident!
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•You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road surface and to the traffic situation even when your vehicle is fitted with EDL. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•If the ABS or TCS or ESP warning light comes on, this may also indicate a fault in the EDL. Please have the car inspecte d as soon as possible by a specialist garage.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other assignment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the EDL ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Brakes
What has a negative effect on braking efficiency?
Wear-and-tear
Wear-and-tear to the brake pads is greatly dependent on the operating condi- tions of the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive a great deal in towns and over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style of driving, it may be necessary to have the thickness of th e brake pads inspected at a specialist garage between the service inspections.
Wet roads or road salt
There may be a certain delay before the brakes take full effect under certain conditions such as when driving through water, during heavy rain showers or after the vehicle has been washed in an automatic vehicle wash, since the brake discs and brake pads may be moist or even have a coating of ice on them in
winter. You should dry the brakes as soon as possible (by applying and releasing the brakes several times, if the road conditions and the traffic situation allows it).
There also may be a certain delay before the full braking efficiency is available when driving on roads which have been tr eated with road salt if you have not used the brakes for some considerable ti me beforehand. The layer of salt on the brake discs and brake pads must first be rubbed off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion
Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on the bake pads occur if the vehicle has been parked for a long period and if yo u do not make much use of the braking system.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firmly applying the brakes at a fairly high speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or if surface corrosion is present ⇒.
Faults in the brake surface
If you notice that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that the brake pedal can be depressed further, it is possible that a brake circuit of the dual-circuit brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to the nearest specialist garage without delay in order to have the problem rectified. Drive at a reduced speed while on your way to the dealer and adapt your style of driving to the higher brake pedal pressure required.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system. The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically ⇒page 34, “Brake system ”.
WARNING
•Only apply the brakes for the purpose of drying and cleaning the brake discs if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users in jeopardy.
WARNING (continued)
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•When retrospectively mounting a front spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced otherwise the braking system could run too hot.
•Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency until approximat ely 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pe dal. This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
Caution
•Never allow the brakes to rub by applying slight pressure if you do not wish to brake the vehicle. This causes the brakes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking distance and excessive wear.
•Before negotiating a steep downhill section, please reduce your speed and shift down into the next lower gear (ma nual gearbox) or select a lower driving stage (automatic gearbox). This enables you to make full use of the braking power of the vehicle and reduces the st rain on the brakes. Any additional braking should be done intermittently, not continuously.
Brake booster
The brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake pedal. The necessary pressure is only gene rated when the engine is running.
WARNING
•Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
•The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Antilock brake system (ABS)*
ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.
General
The ABS contributes significantly to enhanc ing the active safety of your vehicle. Compared to a car not fitted with the AB S brake system, you are able to retain optimal steering ability even during a full brake application on a slippery road surface because the wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the braking distance will be shorter under all circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driving slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle
As soon as the vehicle speed has incr eased to about 20 km/hour an automatic test procedure is conducted during which you will be able to hear a pumping noise for about 1 second.
The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too low for the speed of the ve hicle and tending to lock. This control cycle is noticeable from a pulsating movement of the brake pedal which is accompanied by noises. This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optimally
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
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control the brake application in this braking range. Never interrupt the applica- tion of the brakes!
WARNING
•The ABS can also not overcome the physical limits of your vehicle. Please do not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating wi thin the control range, adapt your speed immediately to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
•The normal braking system is still fu lly functional if there is an ABS fault. Visit a specialist garage as quickly as possible and adjust your style of driving to take account of the ABS fault in the meantime since you will not know how great the damage is.
Note
•A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system ⇒page 34.
•Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or other assignment of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ABS ⇒ page 220, “Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.
Brake Assist*
During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to rapidly produce the pressure required in the brake system.
The majority of drivers do apply the br akes in good time in dangerous situa- tions, but do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient pressure. Conse-
quently, it is not possible for the car to achieve its maximum deceleration and the car covers a greater distance than necessary.
The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressu re exists than during a normal brake application. This makes it possible, even with a relatively low resistance of the brake pedal, to produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum deceleration of the car. You must apply the brake peda l firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible braking distance.
The Brake Assist is able to help you ac hieve a shorter braking distance in emer- gency situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched off and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist function is also not available. Further information on the ESP ⇒ page 165.
WARNING
•The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your car in terms of the braking distance required.
•Adapt your speed to the conditions of the road surface and to the traffic situation.
•The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to take a greater safety risk than otherwise.
Electrohydraulic power steering
The power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force.
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The steering characteristics can be changed by a specialist garage.
You will place great stresses on the power steering system if the steering is turne d to full lock when the v ehi cl e i s s ta ti onar y. Turning the stee ri ng to full lock in such a situation will be accompanied by noises.
It is still possible to fully steer the vehi cle if the power steering fails or if the engine is not running (veh icle being towed in). The only difference is that greater physical effort is required.
It is possible that the hydraulic pump of the power steering will not run due to the low vehicle network voltage if the batte ry has gone flat and the engine must started with the help off jump leads. This condition will be indicated by lighting up of the warning light.
The power steering operates again if the battery is charged to a specific range when engine is running. It also operates again, if the engine can be started with its own battery.
Caution
Do not leave the steering at full lock for more than 15 seconds when the engine is running - risk of dama ging the power steering!
Note
Have the steering inspected as soon as possible by a specialist garage if there is a leak or fault in the system.
Tyre inflation pressure-control system*
The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors the speed and also the rolling ci rcumference of the individual wheels. If the inflation pressure and therefore the rolling circumference of a wheel has changed significantly, the warning light lights up in the dash panel ⇒ page 33. The tyre inflation pressure-control system functions late or too sensitively if:
•the structure of the tyre is damaged,
•the vehicle is loaded to one side or with a load on the roof,
•the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when driving uphill or downhill),
•the vehicle is operated in unfavourable winter conditions or on an unfirm ground,
•snow chains or emergency wheel are mounted,
•the driver has a sporty style of driving (with sharp acceleration and high speed when cornering).
Fig. 135 Button for setting the tyre inflation pressure control value
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Driving and the Environment
The first 1 500 kilometres and then
afterwards
A new engine
The engine has to be run in du ring the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the mamimum speed of the gear in
use, that is 3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full
speed of the gear engaged, that is up to the maximum permissible
engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later until all of the moving parts have ha rmonized. The driving style which you adopt during the first approx.1 500 kilo metres plays a decisive part in the success of running in your car.
You should not driv e at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the running-in period is complete. The maximum permissible engine speed is marked by the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter.
Shift up into the next higher gear on a vehicle fitted with manual gearbox before the red zone is reached. Extremely high engine revolutions are automatically governed, by the way.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbo x the converse situation also applies: Do not drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the engine is no longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figure s apply only when the engine is at its normal operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessarily high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear as early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption and operating noise levels and protects the environment.
New tyres
New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You should take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly carefully.
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New brake pads
Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency until approximately 200 ki lometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
During the running-in peri od, you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes. This includes, for example, violen t braking, particularly from very high speeds, and also when cr ossing mountain passes.
Catalytic converter
Proper operation of the emission control system (catalytic
converter) is of major significan ce for driving your vehicle in
an environmentally conscious way.
Please refer to the following guidelines:
– For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol
⇒ page 193, “Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.
– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle.
– Do not pour too much oil into the engine ⇒page 202, “Replen-
ishing engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50
metres ⇒page 233, “Tow-starting a vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in which unleaded petrol is not available, you must have the catalyti c converter replaced later when driving the vehicle into a country in which use of a catalytic converter is mandatory.
WARNING
•In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the cata- lytic converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below the vehicle - a risk of fire!
•Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents for the exhaust pipes, catalyti c converters or heat shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•Vehicles fitted with catalytic converte r should never be allowed to let the fuel tank to run completely empty. An ir regular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
•Filling the tank even only once with lead ed petrol will result in the catalytic converter being destroyed.
•If you detect misfiring, a drop in pe rformance or irregular engine running when driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The sy mptoms described may be caused by a fault in the ignition system. Unburnt fu el may get into the exhaust system and damage the cata lytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating properly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be produced under certain operat ing conditions of the engine. This depends on the sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded premium-grade petrol of a diff erent brand or at a different filling station.
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