2008 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK ESP

Air conditioning
137
The level of airflow depends on the airflow and
air distribution settings.
!
Close the glove compartment air vent
when heating mode is activated. At high
outside temperatures, open the air vent
and activate the "cooling with air dehumid-
ification" function. Otherwise, tempera-
ture-sensitive items stored in the glove
compartment could be damaged. 1
Air vent thumbwheel
2 Air vent
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel 1
clockwise or anti-clockwise. Setting the rear-compartment air vents 1
Rear-compartment air vent, left
2 Rear-compartment air vent, right
3 Thumbwheel for rear-compartment air
vents
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel 3to the
left or right. Setting the air distribution
P directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
Z directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
b directs the airflow to the entire vehicle
interior
Y directs the airflow through the footwell
and side air vents
a directs the airflow to the centre and
side air vents
Heatmatic/air-conditioning system* X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Turn thumbwheel 5to the corresponding
symbol ( Ypage 130), ( Ypage 131). The
thumbwheel can also be turned to the area
between two symbols.
Thermotronic* X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Turn thumbwheel 9to the corresponding
symbol ( Ypage 133). The thumbwheel can Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
149Enlarging the luggage compartment
The left-hand and right-hand rear seats can
be folded down to increase the luggage com-
partment capacity. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped as you fold the backrests forward.
! To prevent damage, before the backrests
are folded forward:
R the head restraints must be pushed in
fully
R the front seats must be as far forwards
as possible
R the seat cushions must be folded forward
or removed Folding the rear bench seat forwards 1
Belt retainer
X Insert the seat belt into belt retainer 1. 2
Seat cushion
X Fold left or right seat cushion 2forwards. 3
Backrest release handle
4 Backrest
X Pull left-hand or right-hand release handle
3 on backrest .
Corresponding backrest 4is unlocked.
X Fold the backrest forwards until it rests on
the hinge fixtures (Y page 151).
X Move the front seats to the desired posi-
tions. Controls
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Loading and stowing
152
i
When the ignition is switched on, a mes-
sage is displayed for the corresponding
rear seats in the upper multi-function dis-
play. If, for example, both connectors are
removed, the message: seat belt engaged appears.
X Stow connector 1in connector holder
2 in the vehicle floor.
X Pull lever 3upwards and hold it securely. 4
Backrest release handle
5 Backrest X
Pull left-hand or right-hand release handle
4 on backrest 5.
Corresponding backrest 5is unlocked.
X Fold backrest 5forwards past the vertical
to an angle of approximately 20°.
X Hold backrest 5with your free hand and
lift the backrest by pulling lever 3.
i For greater convenience, there is a recess
on the rear of the 2/3 backrest which
makes it easier to grasp the backrest.
X Remove backrest 5from the vehicle
through the rear door.
Fitting the backrest* 1
Recesses X
Place the backrest, starting with the front
seat feet, onto the locking bolts in recesses
1. 2
Red lock verification indicator
X Swing the backrest back until it engages.
Red lock verification indicator 2is no lon-
ger visible.
X Make sure that the lever is lying flat on the
vehicle floor.
X Take the connector out of the recesses on
the vehicle floor.
X Insert the connector back into the lever
until you hear it engage.
i Make sure that you insert the connector
correctly into the lever, as the rear seat belt
status will otherwise no longer be displayed
in the instrument cluster. Controls
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Tyres and wheels
176 G
Risk of fire
Washer fluid concentrate is highly flamma-
ble. Fire, naked flames and smoking are
prohibited when washer fluid concentrate
is being handled.
X At temperatures above freezing:
fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mix of
water and windscreen washer concentrate
(Y page 175).
X At temperatures below freezing:
fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mix of
water, antifreeze additive and windscreen
washer concentrate ( Ypage 175). Adapt
the mixing ratio to the outside tempera-
tures.
X Mix the windscreen washer fluid in a con-
tainer beforehand.
! Only use windscreen washer fluid which
is suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Unsuit-
able windscreen washer fluid could dam-
age the plastic lamp lenses of the head-
lamps.
X To open: pull cap1upwards by the tab.
X To close: press cap 1onto the filler neck
until it clicks into place. Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tyres have been specially adap-
ted for use with the control systems, such
as ABS or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(with run-flat characteristics)*
*Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tyres
should only be used on wheels that have
been specifically approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
If you use other tyres and wheels,
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept any respon-
sibility for damage that may result from
this. Further information about tyres,
wheels and approved combinations can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
If you use tyres other than those tested and
recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, characteristics such as handling, vehi-
cle noise emissions and fuel consumption may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body or axle components when heavily loa-
ded 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 vehicle
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 damaged.
R wheel and tyre clearances can no longer
be guaranteed.
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- Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
179R
check the tyre for foreign bodies.
R check whether the wheel is losing air or
the valve is leaking.
Tyre pressure that is too low has a negative
effect on the vehicle's active safety, which
could lead to your causing an accident.
Tyre pressure changes by approximately
0.1 bar for every 10 °C change in ambient
temperature.
If you measure the tyre pressure in enclosed
spaces where the temperature differs from
the outside temperature, you will have to cor-
rect the measured value accordingly.
When the vehicle is driven, the tyre tempera-
ture, and with it the tyre pressure, will
increase depending on the road speed and
the load on the tyres.
Therefore, you should only correct tyre pres-
sures when the tyres are cold.
The pressure of warm tyres should only be
corrected if it is too low for the current oper-
ating conditions. Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R
shorten the service life of the tyres
R increase the likelihood of tyre damage
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics (e.g. by causing aquaplaning)
i The tyre pressure values given for low
loads are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort characteristics.
However, you can also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle. H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days. Tyre pressure loss warning system
While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multi-function dis-
play. G
Risk of accident
The tyre pressure loss warning system does
not warn you of an incorrectly set tyre pres-
sure. The table on the inside of the fuel filler
flap will help you decide whether the tyre
pressures should be corrected.
The tyre pressure loss warning system does
not replace the need to regularly check
your vehicle's tyre pressures, since an even
loss of pressure on several tyres at the
same time cannot be detected by the tyre
pressure loss warning system.
The tyre pressure loss warning system is
not able to warn you of a sudden loss of
pressure, e.g. if the tyre is penetrated by a
foreign object.
In the event of a sudden loss of pressure,
bring the vehicle to a halt by braking care- Operation
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Winter driving
181Interchanging 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 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 wear patterns on the front and rear tyres
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Interchange the wheels before a clear wear
pattern has formed on the tyres. Front tyres
typically wear more on the shoulders and the
rear tyres in the centre. Interchange the wheels 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.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is changed. Check the tyre pressure and, if
necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system. Winter driving
Points to remember
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz
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 and ESP ®
driving
systems be ensured in winter too.
Use winter tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics. G
Risk of accident
Winter tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced immediately. They
are no longer suitable for winter use and
can no longer provide sufficient grip. This
could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle and cause an accident.
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 Operation
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Winter driving
182
in the driver's field of vision. This can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent Speedtronic* 25
to the max-
imum permissible speed for the winter tyres
(Y page 119).
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 178).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 adapt
your driving style and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* replaced at the
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 spe-
cialist workshop.
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 corresponding
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 to all wheel/
tyre combinations.
R snow chains must not be fitted to emer-
gency spare wheels, e.g. on a "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel.
R Fit snow chains only in pairs and only to the
front wheels. Comply with the manufactur-
er's installation instructions.
! Vehicles with 17" tyres You may only fit snow chains as a pulling-
away aid. Only use fine-link snow chains.
When snow chains are fitted, you may only
drive straight ahead. The snow chains could
otherwise come into contact with the body-
work when you turn the front wheels.
When snow chains are fitted, you cannot use
Active Park Assist* (Y page 122).
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h. Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
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:
25 Only available for certain countries. Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 183
X
Vehicles with manual transmission: engage
neutral.
X Vehicles with AUTOTRONIC*: 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. Braking
G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking. Downhill gradients On 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 AUTOTRONIC*, select shift
range
1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control* or Speedtronic*.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating 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 Operation
* optional
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