Intelligent Technology
133
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Traction control system (TCS) The traction control system prevents
the driven wheels from spinning
when accelerating.General The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at all possible, to start off, accelerate and climb a steep hill when the conditio
ns of the road surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle The TCS switches on automatically when th
e engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is automatically adapted by redu
cing the engine speed. Th
is occurs at all speeds.
The TCS operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 135, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)*”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system. The TCS warning light
⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a
fault on the TCS. Switching off You can switch the TCS off and on again
as you wish by pressing the button
⇒ fig. 140
. The TCS warning light
⇒page 33 lights up in the instrument cluster
when the TCS is switched off.
The TCS should normally always be switched on. It may be good practice in certain exceptional cases, such as when you wish
to have wheel slip, to switch off the
system. Examples:•
when driving with snow chains
•
when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface
•
when it is necessary to rock a vehicle when it has become stuck.
then you should switch on the TCS again.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•
All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-
free operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on
the brakes, on chassis or another combi-
nation of tyres and wheels) can in
fluence the function of the TCS
⇒page 179,
“Accessories, changes and replacement of parts”.BrakesWhat has a negative effect on braking efficiency?Wear-and-tear Wear-and-tear to the brake pads is greatly dependent on the operating conditions of the vehicle and your style of driving. Particularly if you drive a great deal in towns and over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style of driving, it may be neces- sary to have the thickness of the brake
pads inspected at a specialist garage
between the service inspections.
Fig. 140 TCS switch
s2g8.b.book Page 133 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM
