Winter driving
235that 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.
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. the "Minispare" or
collapsible emergency spare wheel.
R Always fit snow chains to both rear wheels,
even on vehicles with 4MATIC*. Comply with the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
! If snow chains are fitted to the front
wheels, they may come into contact with
the bodywork and axle components when
the vehicle is in motion and damage the
tyre or the vehicle.
On vehicles with AIRMATIC DC*, you must
only drive at raised vehicle level if snow
chains have been fitted (Y page 156).
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted
(Y page 60). 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. 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:
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. Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 236 Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Do not switch off the engine while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steer-
ing or the service brake when the engine is
not running.
Steering and braking require significantly
more effort and you could lose control of
the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result. 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 automatic transmission*,
select shift range
1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Speedtronic or Distronic*.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
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 driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes, when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion. Operation
* optional
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Care
244 Exceeding the service due date
One of the following messages appears in the
multi-function display:
Service A overdue by .. days
Service A overdue by .. km
You will also hear a warning tone.
A qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, will reset the
service indicator when it carries out the nec-
essary service work.
i If you fail to have the service performed
by the specified date, you may be contra-
vening the relevant laws, your warranty
may be invalidated and ex gratia claims
may be refused. Calling up the service due date
Use the buttons on the multi-function steer-
ing wheel.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Press èorÿ to select the Basic
display menu (Y page 125).
X Press jork to select the service
information.
The 9 service symbol and the service
due date are displayed.
X To select a different display, press j,
è orÿ. Care
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 rinse
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and greases
by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in
petroleum ether or lighter fluid.
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. Operation
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Care
245H
Environmental note
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 items
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
! Do not park the vehicle for a long period
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 operating
temperature. Automatic car wash G
Risk of accident
The vehicle is braked when HOLD is activa-
ted. Therefore, deactivate HOLD before the
vehicle is washed in an automatic car wash.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
Preferably use one with high-pressure jets for
prewashing.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it before
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 rain
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 any
wax and drying agents off the windscreen and
the wiper blades. This will prevent smears and
reduce wiping noises caused by residue on
the windscreen.
High-pressure cleaners G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with cir-
cular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean
your vehicle or - especially - the tyres. You
could otherwise damage the tyres and
cause an accident.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door joint
R electrical components Operation
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Care
247
Plastic trim !
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces.
X Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-free
cloth (e.g. a microfibre cloth).
X Light soiling: use a low-foaming soap (e.g.
a light liquid hand soap) diluted in water.
X Heavy soiling: use a cleaning agent that is
solvent-free and non-corrosive. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz cleaning product for this
purpose.
Cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard X
Moisten a clean lint-free cloth with water.
X Clean the plastic parts and the dashboard.
X If particularly dirty, use a mild detergent. G
Risk of injury
Do not use cleaners and cockpit care
sprays containing solvents to clean the
cockpit and steering wheel boss. Cleaners
containing solvents cause the surface to
become porous and in the event of an air- bag being triggered, plastic parts that have
become loose could cause considerable
injuries.
Leather upholstery* !
Cleaning
R Clean genuine leather covers using a
damp cloth, then wipe the covers down
using a dry cloth. When doing this, make
sure that the leather does not become
soaked. For leather care, you should use
leather care foam A 001 986 59 71 10.
You can purchase this from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
R Clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e. g. washing up liquid).
R Clean fabric covers with a microfibre
cloth moistened with a solution contain-
ing 1% detergent (e. g. washing up liquid).
When cleaning, take care not to rub too
vigorously and always wipe entire seat
sections to avoid leaving visible lines.
Leave the seat to dry afterwards. Clean- ing results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
R Clean Alcantara covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure you wipe entire seat
sections to avoid leaving visible lines.
i Note that leather covers are a natural
product and as such are subject to a natural
ageing process and may react differently
(e.g. increased formation of wrinkles) to
certain environmental influences (such as
high humidity, intense heat).
Note that regular care is essential to ensure
that the quality (both appearance and com-
fort) of the covers is retained over time.
Care of exhaust tail pipes (AMG vehi-
cles) Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface.
Regular care of the exhaust tail pipes will
ensure that their original shine is restored.
!
Do not clean exhaust tail pipes with alka-
line-based cleaning agents such as wheel
cleaner. Operation
* optional
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Where will I find...?
254 Vehicle tool kit, jack and spare
wheel*
The vehicle tool kit is located in a stowage
compartment underneath the floor of the
boot/luggage compartment. G
Risk of injury
The jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed.
If you are carrying out work on the vehicle,
you must use stands.
Make sure that the jack is placed on a firm,
non-slip and level surface. Do not use
wooden blocks or similar objects as a jack
underlay. Otherwise, the jack will not be
able to achieve its load-bearing capacity
due to the restricted height.
Do not start the engine at any time while a
wheel is being changed.
Do not lie under the vehicle when it is being
supported by the jack. If you do not raise
the vehicle as described, it could slip off the
jack (e.g. if the engine is started or a door
or the boot lid/tailgate is opened or closed)
and you could be seriously injured. i
When using the jack, you should also
observe the safety notes in the "Flat tyre"
section (Y page 324).
Saloon X
Fold up the boot floor (Y page 192).
Estate X
Open the luggage compartment floor
(Y page 193).
Vehicles with folding bench seat*
X Open the luggage compartment floor
(Y page 193).
i To reach the vehicle tool kit, the side
cover must first be released. 1
Rotary catch
2 Cover
X Turn rotary catch 1clockwise to the stop
and remove cover 2. Practical advice
* optional
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Where will I find...?
255
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit Saloon
1
Vehicle tool kit, jack, folding chock
2 Electric air pump
3 TIREFIT kit Estate 1
Vehicle tool kit, jack, folding chock
2 Electric air pump
3 TIREFIT kit Vehicles with "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel*/collapsible emergency
spare wheel* or a spare wheel 1
Vehicle tool kit, wheel wrench, jack, fold-
ing chock
2 "Minispare" emergency spare wheel/col-
lapsible emergency spare wheel or spare
wheel
3 Fastening element
i Vehicles with collapsible emergency
spare wheel:
The electric air pump is under fastening
element 3. Practical advice
* optional
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Where will I find...?
256
Removing the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel*/collapsible emergency
spare wheel or spare wheel*
X Saloon: remove the luggage well
(Y page 256).
X Estate: remove the luggage compartment
floor (Y page 194).
X Turn fastening element 3anti-clockwise.
X Remove the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel/collapsible emergency spare wheel
or the spare wheel 2.
Removing or fitting the luggage well You can only remove the luggage well from
the Saloon. 1
Securing clips 2
Luggage well
X To remove: unscrew securing clips 1
from the securing bolts by turning the clips
anti-clockwise.
X Lift up luggage well 2in the area of secur-
ing clips 1.
X Remove luggage well 2from the boot. X
To fit: insert the luggage well into the boot
in such a way that securing clips 1are
roughly aligned with the securing bolts.
X Press the front edge of the luggage well
under the trim of the loading edge in the
direction of the arrows.
X Press securing clips 1up to the stop
against the securing bolts. Setting up the foldable wheel chock The folding wheel chock serves as an addi-
tional measure for securing the vehicle
against rolling away, e.g. when a wheel is
being changed.
1
To fold the plates upwards
2 To fold out the lower plate
3 To insert the plate
X Fold both plates 1upwards.
X Fold out lower plate 2.
X Guide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
openings in base plate 3.Practical advice
* optional
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