Engine compartment
207The electronic ignition system uses high
voltage. For this reason you must never
touch components of the ignition system
(ignition coil, ignition cable, spark plug con-
nector, test socket) when :
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on and the engine
is being cranked by hand
Vehicles with a diesel engine :
The electronic injection control uses high
voltage. Therefore, never touch fuel injec -
tion system components when:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off. G
Risk of injury
The windscreen wipers and wiper rod s
could be set in motion.
When the bonnet is open, you or others
could be injured by the wiper rods. Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off and that the key has bee
n
pulled out of the ignition lock before open-
ing the bonnet.
The bonnet release lever is located in the
driver's footwell above the parking brake. 1
Bonnet release lever
X Pull release lever 1.
The bonnet is released.
! Make sure that the windscreen wipers
are not folded away from the windscreen .
You could otherwise damage the wind-
screen wipers or the bonnet. The handle for opening the bonnet is located
above the radiator grille.
1
Bonnet catch handle
X Reach into the gap, pull bonnet catch han -
dle 1up and lift the bonnet.
Closing G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap -
ped as you close the bonnet.
X Lower the bonnet and let it fall from a
height of approximately 20 cm. The bonnet
engages into place. Operation
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Tyres and wheels
21
1
may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body or the axle components when heavily
loaded or when driving with snow chains.
This could result in damage to the tyres or
the vehicle.
! Retreaded tyres are neither tested nor
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be detec-
ted on retreaded tyres. As a result,
Mercedes-Benz cannot guarantee vehicl e
safety if retreaded tyres are fitted. Do not
fit used tyres if you have no information
about their previous usage. G
Risk of accident
If wheels or tyres other than those which
have been tested are fitted:
R the brakes or chassis components could
be damage d
R wheel and tyre clearances can no longer
be guarantee d
This could cause an accident .
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted, nor is the use of
spacer plates or brake dust shields. This inva-
lidates the General Operating Permit for the
vehicle. Notes on selecting, fitting and replacing
tyres R
Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R After fitting new tyres, run them in at mod -
erate speeds for the first 100 km as they
only reach their full performance after this
distance.
R Fit new tyres on the front wheels first if
tyres of the same size are required on the
front and rear wheels.
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat -
est, regardless of wear. This also applies to
the spare wheel.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth as this significantly reduce s
the traction on wet roads (aquaplaning).
! Store tyres that are not being used in a
cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect
the tyres against oil, grease, petrol and die-
sel . Notes on regularly inspecting wheels
and tyre
s R
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of
your vehicle for damage (e.g. cuts, punctu-
res, tears, bumps on tyres and deforma-
tion, cracks or severe corrosion on wheels),
at least every 14 days, as well as after off -
road trips or after travelling on rough roads.
Damaged wheels could cause a loss of tyre
pressure.
R Regularly check the tyre tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the whol e
width of the tyre (Y page 212). If neces-
sary, turn the front wheels to full lock in
order to inspect the inner side of the tyre
surface.
R All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture.
R Regularly check the pressure of all your
tyres (including the spare tyre*), particu-
larly prior to long trips, and correct th e
pressure as necessary (Y page 213).
Notes on driving R
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteris-
tics, e.g. pulling to one side. This may indi- Operation
* optional
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Winter driving
216
The wear patterns on the front and rear tyres
differ depending on the operating conditions.
Interchange the wheels before a clear wea
r
pattern has formed on the tyres. The fron t
tyres typically wear more on the shoulders
and the rear tyres in the centre.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a whee l
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and,
if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system*. Winter driving
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Ben z
Service Centre, at the onset of winter. Winter tyres
Use winter tyres at temperatures below +7 °
C and on snow or ice-covered roads. Only
then can the effect of the ABS, ESP ®
and
4MATIC* driving systems be ensured in win-
ter too.
Use winter tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics. G
Risk of accident
You must replace winter tyres with a trea d
depth of less than 4 mm immediately. They
are no longer suitable for winter use, in par-
ticular because they do not provide suffi-
cient grip. This could cause you to lose
control of your vehicle and cause an acci-
dent .
Always observe the maximum permitted
speed specified for the winter tyres you have
fitted. If you fit winter tyres which have a
lower maximum permitted speed than that of the vehicle, affix an appropriate warning sign
in the driver's field of vision. This can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
In such circumstances, you should also use
permanent Speedtronic *15
to restrict the
maximum speed of the vehicle to the maxi-
mum permissible speed for winter tyres
( Y page 148). G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel* when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving sta-
bility will be impaired owing to unstable
cornering characteristics caused by the dif-
ferent tyres. You should therefore adap t
your driving style and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* replaced at th e
nearest qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related sys-
tems must be carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop .
15 Only available for certain countries. Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 21
7 Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains which
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz or are of a correspondin g
standard of quality.
! Information about the use of snow chain
compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable
for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only
permissible with these tyres.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R Snow chains cannot be fitted on all wheel /
tyre combinations .
R Snow chains cannot be fitted to emergency
spare wheels, e.g. on a "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel .
R Always fit snow chains on both the rea r
wheels, even on vehicles with 4MATIC* .
Comply with the manufacturer's installa-
tion instructions.
! If snow chains are fitted to the fron t
wheels, they may come into contact with
the bodywork and axle components when
the vehicle is in motion and damage th e
tyre or the vehicle. Do not exceed the maximum permissibl
e
speed of 50 km/h.
i You may wish to deactivate ES P®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted
( Y page 68). This way you can allow the
wheels to spin in a controlled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action). Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. Thi s
could cause the drive wheels to lose thei r
grip and the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission: engage
neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
shift the selector lever to N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering. Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Never switch the engine off while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steer-
ing and the service brake when the engine
is not running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake and you could therefore
lose control of the vehicle and cause an
accident. Brakin
g G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. Thi s
could cause the drive wheels to lose thei r
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking. Operatio
n
* optional
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Driving
tips 21
8
Downhill gradient
sOn long and steep downhill stretches, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must shift to a lower gear in good time or,
on vehicles with automatic transmission*,
select shift range 1,2 or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control* or Speedtronic*.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an exten t
to maintain the same speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking ,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
Heavy and light loads If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu -
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If you drive for a long time in the rain without
braking, there may be a delayed reaction
when you first brake and you will have to
depress the pedal harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. Thi
s
way the brake discs will become warm, dryin g
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion. Limited braking performance on salted
roads G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake linings may cause a delay in the brak-
ing effect, resulting in a significantly longer
braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully when you
are driving on salted roads, so that any
layer of salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
linings is removed without putting other
road users at risk.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicl e
ahead and drive with particular car e
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues ar e
removed from the brake disc.
New brake linings For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom
-
mends that you have only brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle that have been approved Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 21
9
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which corre-
spond to an equivalent quality standard.
Brake pads/linings which have not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz or which which
are not of an equivalent quality could affect
your vehicle's operating safety. G
Risk of accident
New brake linings only reach their optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilo-
metres of driving. Before this optimum
braking effect is reached, you should com-
pensate for the reduced braking effect by
applying greater pressure when braking.
This also applies after the brake discs or the
brake linings have been replaced .Tyre gri
p G
Risk of accident
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlle d
at a certain speed on dry roads, you must
reduce your speed on wet or icy roads to
achieve the same road safety. Otherwise
you could cause an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road condi-
tions at temperatures around freezing
point. If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog), a light film of water rapidly forms
on the ice when you brake, considerably
reducing tyre grip. Drive with particular
care in such weather conditions.
Driving on wet roads
If water has accumulated to a certain dept h
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully. Driving on flooded roads
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permitted still water depth is
25 cm.
R you should drive no faster than at walkin g
pace.
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction creat e
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
You must observe these notes, otherwise
damage may occur to the engine, electrics
and transmission . Operation
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Trailer towing*
22
2
specification, it is greased or dry (without
grease) when used. Notes on towing a trailer
G
Risk of accident
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached .
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R The permitted trailer drawbar nose-
weight
R The permitted trailer load
R The permitted rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R The maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues which must not be exceeded in the
vehicle documents. You will find the values approved by the
manufacturer on the vehicle identification
plates and those for the towing vehicle in
the “Technical data” section.
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling is 75 kg.
However, the weight must not exceed the fig-
ure given on the trailer hitch and trailer iden-
tification plates. The lowest weight applies.
! Use a noseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight. Do
not use a noseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer may come loose.
Bear in mind that the payload and the rear
axle load are reduced by the actual nose-
weight.
i The height of the ball coupling changes
with the load of the vehicle. If necessary,
use a trailer with a height-adjustable draw-
bar.
Coupling up a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not connect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could become trapped between the bumper and
drawbar.
! Do not uncouple a trailer with overru n
brake between the bumper and drawbar,
otherwise your vehicle could be damaged
by the spring action of the overrun brake.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer .
X Establish the electrical connectio n
between the vehicle and the trailer.
Driving tip s In Germany, the maximum permitted speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations is 80 km/h.
!
A maximum speed of 80 km/h should not
be exceeded, even in countries where
higher speeds are permitted for vehicle /
trailer combinations.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in compariso n
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capabilit yOperation
* optional
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Trailer towing*
22
3
R
has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fue l
On long and steep downhill gradients you
must select a lower gear in good time, or on
vehicles with automatic transmission*, select
the shift range 1,2 or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control* or Speedtronic*.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an exten t
to maintain the same speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking ,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu -
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely. Driving tips
R
Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine
and with it its gradient-climbing capability
decrease with increasing altitude.
If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary. G
Risk of accident
On no account should you attempt to dra w
the vehicle/trailer combination out by
increasing speed. Folding in the ball couplin
g
i Fold in the ball coupling when you are not
using the trailer tow hitch . G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are
in the pivoting range of the ball coupling.
Otherwise, they could be injured .
The release wheel is located behind the side
trim panel in the boot/luggage compartment. Saloon
1 Handl e
2 Cove r Operation
* optional
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