Driving safety sys
tems 69ESP
®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot overrid e
the laws of physics .
! If the vehicle is to be towed with the front
or rear axle raised, the ignition must be
switched off (key in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock). Application of the brakes by
ESP ®
could otherwise destroy the brake
system on the front or rear axle.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC* may not be towe d
with the front or rear axle raised .
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly .
ESP ®
trailer stabilisin g If your trailer begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly .
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and detect s
if the trailer begins to snake. ES P®
slows the
vehicle down by braking and limiting the
engine output until the vehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilised. Trailer stabilising is active from about
65 km/h. G
Risk of accident
If the road and weather conditions are bad,
trailer stabilising will not be able to prevent
the trailer from lurching or reduce the ris k
of accident. Trailers with a high centre of
gravity can tip over before ESP ®
can detect
this .
Trailer stabilising does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or switched off because of a mal-
function .
ETS (Electronic Traction Support) Traction control is part of ES
P®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side.
Traction control remains active when you
deactivate ESP ®
. G
Risk of accident
Traction control cannot reduce the risk of
an accident if you drive too fast. Traction
control cannot override the laws of physics .Deactivating/activating ESP
® ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ES P®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chain s
R in deep sno w
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the reason for
deactivation is longer present. ES P®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi -
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R The engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R Traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. Safety
* optional
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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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Tyres and wheels
21
5
X
Press the íbutton.
The following appears in the multi-function
display: Tyre press. OK?
Yes+ Cancel -
To confirm the restart of the tyre pressure
loss warning system:
X Press the +button.
The following appears in the multi-function
display: Run Flat Indicator restar -
ted.
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system* will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
or
To cancel the restart of the tyre pressure
loss warning system:
X Press the -button.
The previous settings will not be changed.
Configuring with the luxury multi-func-
tion steering wheel*
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock .
X Press (or& to select the Service
menu. X
Press $or% to select Tyre pres-
sur e.
X Press #.
The following appears in the multi-function
display: Run Flat Indicator active
Restart with OK
X Press #.
The following appears in the multi-function
display: Tyre press. now OK?
To confirm the restart of the tyre pressur e
loss warning system:
X Press $or% to select Yes.
X Press #.
The following appears in the multi-function
display: Run Flat Indicator restarted
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system* will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
or
To cancel the restart of the tyre pressur e
loss warning system:
X Press $or% to select Cancel.
X Press #.
The previous settings will not be changed. Interchanging the wheels
G
Risk of accident
Interchange the front and rear wheels only
if they have the same dimensions, for exam-
ple size, offset, etc.
After every wheel interchange/change,
have the tightening torque checked at a
qualified specialist workshop that has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
The wheels could work loose if they are not
tightened to a tightening torque of
130 Nm.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom -
mends that you only use wheel bolts of the
correct size which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The wheels may be interchanged every 5,000
km to 10,000 km depending on the degree of
tyre wear, provided that the vehicle has the
same size front and rear tyres. Do not reverse
the direction of tyre rotation. Operation
* optiona l
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Car
e 227Care
Notes on care
Regular and proper care maintains the value
of your vehicle.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substances imme-
diately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard:
R Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off afterwards .
R Soak bird droppings with water and rins e
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and grease by
rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in clean-
ing or lighter fluid .
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. H
Environmental not
e
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environ-
mentally-responsible manner.
! Do not affix :
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
! Do not park the vehicle for a long perio d
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operatin g
temperature.
Automatic car wash You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start,!
Do not use high pressure car wash sys-
tems. The strong water jet could damage
painted parts or attachments.
! Do not use a brush-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
but preferably one without brushes.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it befor e
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! Make sure the side windows are com-
pletely closed, the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. The rai n
sensor may otherwise be activated, for
instance, leading to inadvertent wiper
sweeps being triggered. This could cause
damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen. Operation
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Flat tyre
319specialist workshop which has the neces-
sary specialist knowledge and tools to carry
out the work required. Mercedes-Benz rec -
ommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre for this purpose. In particu-
lar, work relevant to safety or on safety-
related systems must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. 9
Pressure release button
a Pressure gauge
X If the tyre pressure is still at least 1.3 bar,
correct it (see fuel filler flap for values).
To increase the tyre pressure: switch on
the electric air pump.
To reduce the tyre pressure :press yellow
pressure release button 9next to pres-
sure gauge a. X
Drive to the nearest workshop and have the
tyre changed there.
X Have the TIREFIT kit replaced as soon as
possible at a qualified specialist workshop ,
e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of accident
Do not exceed the maximum speed of 80
km/h.
The “max. 80 km/h” sticker must be affixe d
within the driver's field of vision.
The vehicle's handling characteristics may
be affected. H
Environmental not
e
Have the used TIREFIT kit disposed of pro-
fessionally, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
X Have the TIREFIT kit replaced every fou r
years at a qualified specialist workshop ,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Changing a wheel and fitting the spar
e
wheel * G
Risk of accident
The wheel dimensions and tyre size of the
spare wheel*, the emergency spare
wheel* and standard wheels may differ
from one another.
Your vehicle's handling characteristics will
be altered when a "Minispare"/collapsibl e
emergency spare wheel* is fitted. Adapt
your style of driving accordingly.
The “Minispare”/collapsible emergency
spare wheel* must only be used as a tem-
porary measure. Do not exceed the maxi-
mum speed of 80 km/h and do not
deactivate ESP ®
. G
Risk of accident
Have the “Minispare”/collapsible emer-
gency spare wheel* or the spare wheel *
replaced with a new wheel as soon as pos-
sible at a 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 Practical advice
* optiona l
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Flat tyre
323
X
Turn the jack back to its initial position and
store it and the rest of the vehicle tool kit
in the boot/luggage compartment.
Vehicles with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel*:
X Transport the faulty wheel in the boot/lug-
gage compartment.
or
X Depending on the size of the wheel, yo u
may also be able to secure the faulty whee l
in the spare wheel well. In this case, you
will have to remove the stowage well casin g
from the spare wheel well and stow it
securely in the boot/luggage compart-
ment. MOExtended run-flat system*
The MOExtended run-flat system* must only
be used in conjunction with the tyre pressure
loss warning system*.
! The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode depends on
the load in the vehicle. It is 50 km if the
vehicle is partially laden and 30 km if fully
laden. The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted
from the moment the tyre pressure loss
warning appears in the multi-function dis-
play.
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
80 km/h.
i Vehicles featuring the MOExtended run-
flat system* are not equipped with the
TIREFIT kit*.
It is therefore recommended to additionally
equip your vehicle with the TIREFIT kit*
when fitting tyres that do not feature run-
flat properties, e.g. winter tyres.
i A TIREFIT kit* is available from any quali-
fied specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of accident
The handling characteristics of your vehicl e
deteriorate in run-flat mode, for example:
R when cornering
R when braking
R when accelerating rapidly
Adapt your driving style accordingly and
avoid sudden changes in direction and sud- den acceleration, as well as driving over
obstacles (i.e. kerbs, potholes), and driving
off-road. This is particularly the case when
the vehicle is heavily laden .
The maximum permissible distance that
can be driven in run-flat mode depends to
a large extent on the loads placed on the
vehicle. It can be shorter due to high
speeds, a heavy load, sudden acceleration
and/or manoeuvring, the road surface con-
dition, outside temperature, etc., or further
if you drive carefully and conservatively.
Do not continue to drive in run-flat mode if:
R you hear banging noises
R the vehicle starts to shake
R you see smoke and smell rubber
R ESP ®
is intervening constantly
R there are tears in the sidewalls of the tyr e
After driving in run-flat mode, you must
have the rims checked for damage at a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. The faulty
tyre must be replaced in every case.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this Practical advice
* optional
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