Tyres and wheels
233
Restarting the tyre pressure monitor In most cases, the tyre pressure monitor will
automatically detect the new reference val-
ues, e.g. if you have:
R
changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyres
R fitted new wheels or tyres
If you wish to define the new reference values
manually:
X Use the table on the inside of the fuel filler
flap to ensure that the tyre pressure is set
correctly in all four tyres for the current
operating conditions.
Also observe the notes in the section on
tyre pressures (Y page 229).
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
The standard display appears in the multi-
function display (Y page 125).
X Press the jork button to select the
Tyre pressure function or wait until the
following message appears:
Tyre pressure displayed only after
driving for a few minutes X
Press the reset button on the left of the
instrument cluster (Y page 243).
The following message appears in the
multi-function display: Check current
tyre pressure?
X Press the æbutton.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Tyre pressure monitor restarted
The tyre pressure monitor has stored the
pressure of the tyres as a new reference
value.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the çbutton. 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 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.
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. The front
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 wheel
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and,
if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system or the tyre pressure moni-
tor*. Operation
* optional
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Winter driving
234
!
On vehicles fitted with a tyre pressure
monitor*, electronic components are loca-
ted in the wheel.
Tyre fitting tools should not be applied in
the area of the valve, as this could damage
the electronic components.
Always have the wheels interchanged/
changed at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. 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, 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
Winter tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced immediately. They
are no longer suitable for winter use, 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
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
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent Speedtronic 32
to the maxi-
mum permissible speed for winter tyres
(Y page 154).
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 229).
X Restart the tyre pressure moni-
tor* (Y page 232). 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
32 Only available for certain countries. Operation
* optional
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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
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Driving
tips 237
Limited braking performance on salted
roads G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in
the braking effect, resulting in a signifi-
cantly longer braking distance, which could
lead to an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are
removed from the brake disc.
New brake pads/linings For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle that have been approved 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 are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety. G
Risk of accident
New brake pads/linings only reach their
optimum braking effect after several hun-
dred kilometres of driving. Before this opti-
mum braking effect is reached, you should
compensate for the reduced braking effect
by applying greater pressure when braking.
This also applies after the brake discs or the
brake pads/linings have been replaced.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. Braking can there-
fore cause noises. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
Because of this, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. Tyre grip
G
Risk of accident
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled
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. Operation
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Driving ab
road 238 Driving on wet roads
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
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 walking
pace.
! Note that vehicles in front or oncoming
vehicles create waves. This could mean
that the maximum permitted water depth
is exceeded.
You must observe these notes, otherwise
damage may occur to the engine, electrics
or transmission. Driving abroad
Points to remember
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain the relevant workshop directories
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Only low-octane fuel is available in certain
countries.
You can find further information about fuel
grades on (Y page 218). Symmetrical dipped beam
If your journey takes you to countries where
vehicles are driven on the opposite side of the
road to the country in which the vehicle is
registered, your headlamps must be switched
to symmetrical dipped beam. Oncoming traf-
fic will be dazzled less. G
Risk of injury
Vehicles with xenon headlamps*:
Xenon bulbs are under high voltage. You
could get an electric shock and be seriously
or even fatally injured if you touch the elec-
tric contacts on xenon bulbs. Do not, there-
fore, remove the cover on xenon bulbs. Do not change xenon headlamps yourself,
but have them replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop which 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
purpose. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
1
Protective cap
X Turn cap 1anti-clockwise and remove it. Operation
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Trailer towing
2391
Switchover lever
X Switch lever 1over.
X Replace the cap. G
Risk of accident
Have your headlamps switched back to
asymmetrical dipped beam if you visit a
country in which traffic drives on the same
side of the road as in the country in which
your vehicle was registered. You may oth-
erwise dazzle the oncoming traffic and
could cause an accident. Trailer towing
Folding out the ball coupling
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle,
you must fit the ball coupling.
i In vehicles with a folding bench seat, first
remove the folding bench seat cushion
(Y page 86) and fold up the luggage com-
partment floor ( Ypage 195).
The telescopic lever is under the boot/lug-
gage compartment mat on the left-hand side. 1
Telescopic lever
2 Indicator lamp G
Risk of accident
Make sure that the ball coupling is fully
engaged both when it is folded in and when
it is folded out. The indicator lamp is not lit.
Do not pull the telescopic lever if a trailer
is attached. The trailer could otherwise
come loose.
X Pull telescopic lever 1out forwards.
X Pull telescopic lever 1upwards.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
from under the rear bumper.
Indicator lamp 2flashes. The trailer power
socket folds away automatically.
X Guide telescopic lever 1back again. Operation
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Trailer towing
240
X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow by hand until it engages in a ver-
tical position.
Indicator lamp 2goes out.
The message Trailer tow hitch
Check locking mech. is shown in the
multi-function display until the ball cou-
pling is engaged.
X Remove the protective cap from the ball
coupling. 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.
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 375).
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling is 76 kg
(Saloon) or 84 kg (Estate). However, the
actual noseweight must not exceed the value
given on the trailer coupling 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 On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter accord-
ing to the load placed on the vehicle. In this
case, you should use a trailer with a height-
adjustable drawbar.
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 overrun
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 connection
between the vehicle and the trailer. Operation
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