2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV brake

Tyres and wheels
230
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
multi-function steering wheel
(Y page 242).
The Restart Tyre pressure monitor
Yes Cancel message appears in the multi-
function display.
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 150 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 interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and,
if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system or the tyre pressure moni-
tor*.
! 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.
i Vehicles with a tyre pressure monitor*
If the positions of the wheels on the vehicle
are changed, the tyre pressure may be tem-
porarily displayed at the wrong position.
This is rectified after a few minutes of driv-
ing, and the tyre pressures are displayed
for the correct positions. Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 232
R
Snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel/
tyre combinations.
R Snow chains must not be fitted to emer-
gency wheels, e.g. a collapsible emergency
spare wheel.
R Fit snow chains only in pairs and only to the
rear wheels. Comply with the manufactur-
er's installation instructions.
On vehicles with the AIRMATIC package*, if
snow chains have been fitted, you may only
drive at raised vehicle level (Y page 152).
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 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
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. Operation
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Driving
tips 233
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must select shift range
1,2or 3in good
time.
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.
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. Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 234 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. 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
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
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*
2371
Key
2 Protective cap
5 Green area on the handwheel
6 White dot on the ball coupling
X Handwheel 4turns automatically, aligning
green area 5on handwheel 4with white
dot 6on the ball coupling.
X Turn key 1to the stop in the direction of
the arrow (lock).
X Remove key 1.
X Press protective cap 2onto the lock. G
Risk of accident
The ball coupling is only securely mounted
when the green area on the handwheel is
aligned with the white dot on the ball cou-
pling and the key can be removed. If the ball coupling is not securely mounted, it may
come loose.
The ball coupling must be locked and the
key must be removed when towing a trailer.
This is the only way to guarantee that the
ball coupling is secured and cannot come
loose while the vehicle is in motion. If the
ball coupling cannot be locked and the key
cannot be removed, remove the ball cou-
pling and clean it.
If the ball coupling can still not be fitted
(locked) after it has been cleaned, remove
the ball coupling. The trailer tow hitch must
then not be used to tow a trailer, as safe
operation is not guaranteed.
Have the entire trailer tow hitch checked at
a qualified specialist workshop. 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. 1
Socket Coupling up and uncoupling a trailer
Coupling up a trailer Steel-spring vehicles
X
Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking 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
* optional
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Trailer towing*
238
Vehicles with rear axle level control* G
Risk of injury
Never lock, unlock, open or close a vehicle
door or tailgate when coupling up or decou-
pling a trailer. The vehicle level could
change and you could endanger yourself or
others.
Never press the ADS button* or operate the
level control* while you are coupling up or
decoupling a trailer.
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
X Start the engine.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package* G
Risk of injury
Never lock, unlock, open or close a vehicle
door or tailgate when coupling up or decou-
pling a trailer. The vehicle level could
change and you could endanger yourself or
others. Never press the ADS button* or operate the
level control* while you are coupling up or
decoupling a trailer.
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Set the vehicle to highway level
(Y page 152).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
i If you have coupled a trailer, the vehicle
will remain at highway level.
The vehicle automatically lowers to high-
way level if you drive faster than 8 km/h
with a trailer. The vehicle is not lowered to
the high-speed level even if you are travel-
ling at higher speeds.
This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer coupling (e.g. a bicycle rack). Decoupling 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.
Steel-spring vehicles
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
Vehicles with rear axle level control*
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable. Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing*
239G
Risk of injury
As soon as you raise the trailer drawbar, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly. The vehicle
then lowers to driving level.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel arch or the underbody. You could
otherwise trap yourself or others.
X Lift up the trailer drawbar and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package*
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away. G
Risk of injury
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you dis-
connect the trailer cable. Make sure that
nobody is in the vicinity of the wheel arch
or the underbody. You could otherwise trap
yourself or others.
As soon as you decouple the trailer, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly. Make sure that you or others are not injured in the
process.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. 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 354).
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling is 85 kg.
However, the actual noseweight must not
exceed the value given on the trailer coupling
and trailer identification 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. Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing*
240Bear 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.
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 60).
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 comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance R
is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fuel
On long and steep downhill gradients you
must select the shift range 1,2or 3in good
time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Distronic* or Speedtronic.
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. 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 consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing 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 draw
the vehicle/trailer combination out by
increasing speed. Operation
* optional
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