
Intelligent Technology
166
Active driver-steering recommendation (DSR)*Vehicles with ESP are equipped with active driver-steering recommendation (DSR). This function indicates to the driver in critical situations a steering recommendation in order to stabilise the vehicle. The active driver-steering recommendation is activated, for example, on the right and left vehicle si
de when braking sharply on different road
surfaces.
WARNING
Even with this function the vehicle canno
t steer itself! The dr
iver is furthermore
responsible for the steering of the vehicle!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. Particul
arly if you drive a great deal in towns and
over short distances or if you adopt a sporty style of driving, it may be necessary to have the thickness of the brake pads inspected at a specialist garage between the service inspections. Wet roads or road salt There may be a certain delay before the brakes
take full effect under certain conditions
such as when driving through water, during
heavy rain showers or after the vehicle has
been washed in an automatic vehicle wash
, since the brake discs and brake pads may
be moist or even have a coatin
g of ice on them in winter.
Yo u s h o u l d d r y t h e b r a k e s a s
soon as possible by applying and
releasing the brakes several times.
There also may be a certain delay before the full braking efficiency is available when driving on roads which have been treated with
road salt if you have not used the brakes
for some considerable time beforehand. The layer of salt on the brake discs and brake pads must first be rubbed off when you apply the brakes.
Corrosion Corrosion on the brake discs and dirt on th
e bake pads occur if
the vehicle has been
parked for a long period and if you do
not make much use of the braking system.
We recommend cleaning the brake discs by firm
ly applying the brakes at a fairly high
speed if you do not make much use of the braking system or if surface corrosion is present
⇒
.
Faults in the brake surface If you notice that the braking distance has
suddenly become longer and that the brake
pedal can be depressed further, it is possib
le that a brake circuit of the dual-circuit
brake system has failed. Drive, in such cases, to the nearest specialist garage without delay in order to have the problem rectifie
d. Drive at a reduced speed while on your
way to the dealer and adapt your style of
driving to the higher brake pedal pressure
required. Low brake fluid level An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system. The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically
⇒page 37, “Brake system
”.
WARNING
•
Only apply the brakes for the purpose of
drying and cleaning the brake discs
if the traffic conditions permit this. Do not place any other road users in jeop-ardy.•
When retrospectively mounting a front
spoiler, solid wheel hubs etc. one
must ensure that the air supply to the front wheel brakes is not reduced other-wise the braking system could run too hot.•
Allow for the fact that new brake pads
do not achieve their full braking effi-
ciency until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal fric
tion force. You can, however, compen-
sate for this slightly reduced braking fo
rce by increasing the pressure on the
brake pedal. This guideline also applie
s to any new brake pads installed at a
future date.
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Intelligent Technology
168
offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!•
The normal braking system is
still fully functional if there is an ABS fault.
Visit a specialist garage as quickly as poss
ible and adjust your style of driving to
take account of the ABS fault in the meantime since you will not know the extent of the fault and in how far the braking efficiency is affected.
Note
•
A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system
⇒page 36.
•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can in
fluence the function of the ABS
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Brake Assist*During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to
rapidly produce the pressure required in
the brake system. The majority of drivers do apply the brakes
in good time in dangerous situations, but
do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient
pressure. Consequently, it is not possible
for the vehicle to achieve its maximum deceleration and the vehicle covers a greater distance than necessary. The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressure exists
than during a normal
brake application.
This makes it possible, even with a relative
ly low resistance of the brake pedal, to
produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum deceleration of th
e vehicle. You must apply the brake pedal
firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible braking distance. The Brake Assist is able to help you achieve a shorter braking distance in emergency situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched off
and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist function is also not available.
Further information on the ESP
⇒page 163.
WARNING
•
The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle in terms of the braking distance required.•
Adapt your speed to the conditions of th
e road surface and to the traffic situ-
ation.•
The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to take
a greater safety risk than otherwise.Uphill-Start off-Assist*The uphill-start off-assist makes it much easier to start off on steep hills. The system assists a start off by holding the brake pressure produced by the brake pedal actuation for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the brake pedal. The driver can therefore move his foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and start off on the slope, without having to actuate the handbrake. The brake pressure drops gradually the more you operate the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle does not start off within 2 seconds, it starts to roll back. The uphill-start off-assist is active in the ev
ent of a 3 % slope, if the vehicle door is
closed. It is always active on slopes when in forward or reverse start off. When driving downhill, it is inactive.Electromechanical power steeringThe power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force. With the electromechanical power steering, the steering assist is automatically adapted to the speed and to the steering angle. It is still possible to fully steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the engine is not running (vehicle being towed in). The only difference is that greater physical effort is required.
WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology
169
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
If there is a fault in the power steering, the warning light
or lights up in the instru-
ment cluster
⇒page 32.
WARNING
Contact your specialist
garage if the power steering is defective.
Tyre inflation pressu
re-control system*
The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors the speed and also the rolling circumference of the individual wheels. If the rolling circumference of a wheel is changed, the warning light
lights up in the instrument
cluster
⇒page 35 and an audible signal sounds.
The rolling circumference of the tyre
can change if:•
the tyre inflation pressure is too low,
•
the structure of the tyre is damaged,
•
the vehicle is loaded on one side,
•
the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when driving
uphill or downhill),•
snow chains are mounted,
•
the temporary spare wheel is mounted,
•
one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of tyre inflation pressure-control system After changing the tyre inflation pressures or after changing one or several wheels, the position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. ex
changing the wheels between the axles) or
when the warning light lights up while drivin
g, a basic setting of the system must be
carried out as follows.•
Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure
⇒page 215.
•
Switch on the ignition.
•
Press button
⇒fig. 156
for more than 2 seconds. While pressing the button,
the warning light
lights up. At the same time the memory of the system is erased
and the new calibration is started, which is confirmed with an audible signal and then the warning light
goes out.
•
If the warning light
does not go out after the basic
setting, there is a fault in the
system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage. Warning light
lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least one
wheel is insufficiently inflated in comparison
to the stored basic va
lue, the warning light
⇒
lights up.
Warning light
flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
WARNING
•
When the warning light
lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvr
es. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and in
spect the tyres and their inflation pres-
sures.•
The driver is responsible for the correc
t tyre inflation pressures. For this
reason, the tyre inflation pressu
res must be checked regularly.
•
Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light
can be delayed or does not light up at all.
•
The tyre inflation pressure-control system does not take away the respon-
sability from the driver for the
correct tyre inflation pressure.
Fig. 156 Button for setting the tyre infla- tion pressure control value
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Driving and the Environment
173
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving and the EnvironmentThe first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwardsA new engine The engine has to be run in du
ring the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, that is 3/4 of
the maximum permissi
ble engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle. – Avoid high engine revolutions.– Do not tow a trailer.From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres– Increase the power output of the engine
gradually
up to the full speed of the gear
engaged, that is up to the maxi
mum permissible engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine ha
s higher internal friction than later until
all of the moving parts have harmonized. Th
e driving style which you adopt during the
first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive
part in the success of running in your
vehicle. You should not drive at unnecessarily
high engine revolutions
even after the
running-in period is complete
. The maximum permissible en
gine speed is marked by
the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up into the next higher gear on a vehi
cle fitted with manual gear
box before the red zone is
reached.
Extremely
high engine revolutions are automatically governed, by the way.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the
converse situation also applies: Do not
drive at engine revolutions which are
too low
. Shift down as soon as the engine is no
longer running smoothly.
Caution
All the speed and engine revolution figures ap
ply only when the engine is at its normal
operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears.
For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessari
ly high engine revolutions and
shifting to a higher gear as
early as possible are ways to minimise fu
el consumption and op
erating noise levels
and protects the environment.New tyresNew tyres have to be “run in” since they do
not offer optimal grip at first. You should
take account of this fact for the first 500
kilometres and drive pa
rticularly carefully.
New brake padsAllow for the fact that new brake pads do no
t achieve their full braking efficiency until
approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before they develop their optimal friction force. You ca
n, however, compensate for this slightly
reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal. This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.During the running-in pe
riod, you should avoi
d excessive stre
sses on the brakes. This
includes, for example, violent braking, part
icularly from very high speeds, and also
when crossing mountain passes.
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Driving and the Environment
174
Catalytic converterProper operation of the emission cont
rol system (catalytic converter) is
of major significance for driving your vehicle in an environmentally conscious way.Please refer to the following guidelines: – For vehicles with petrol engine only refuel with unleaded petrol
⇒page 200,
“Grades of petrol”.
– Never run the fuel tank completely empty.– Do not switch off the ignition while you are driving the vehicle. – Do not pour too much oil into the engine
⇒page 206, “Replenishing engine oil”.
– Do not tow-start the vehicle over a distance of more than 50 metres
⇒page 230,
“Tow-starting and towing vehicle”.
If you drive your vehicle in a country in
which unleaded petrol is not available, you
must have the catalytic converter replaced la
ter when driving the ve
hicle into a country
in which use of a catalyti
c converter is mandatory.
WARNING
•
In view of the high temperatures which may be produced in the catalytic
converter, one should always park a vehicle in such a way that the catalytic converter cannot come into contact with easily flammable materials below the vehicle - a risk of fire!•
Never use additional underbody protection or corrosion-protection agents
for the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat shields. Such substances might ignite when driving - risk of fire!
Caution
•
On vehicles fitted with a catalytic converte
r, never let the fuel tank run completely
empty. An irregular fuel supply can result in poor ignition or misfiring. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system an
d damage the cata
lytic converter.
•
Filling the tank even only once with lead
ed petrol will result in the catalytic
converter being destroyed.•
If you detect misfir
ing, a drop in performance or
irregular engine running when
driving, reduce your speed immediately and have the vehicle inspected by the nearest specialist garage. The symptoms described ma
y be caused by a fault in the ignition
system. Unburnt fuel may get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even if the exhaust system is operating pr
operly, a sulphur-like exhaust odour may be
produced under certain oper
ating conditions of the en
gine. This de
pends on the
sulphur content of the fuel. It is often sufficient to refuel with unleaded premium-grade petrol of a different brand or at a different filling station.Driving in an economical and environmentally conscious mannerGeneral Your personal style of driving is a major factor.Your fuel consumption, any pollution of
the environmental and the wear-and-tear to
the engine, brakes and tyres, depend essentially on three factors:•
your personal style of driving,
•
the conditions under which
your vehicle is operated,
•
technical aspects.
You can easily improve your fuel economy by
10 - 15 percent by driving in an econom-
ical way with foresight. This section is intended to provide you with a number of tips on how to protect the environment and at the same time save money. The fuel consumption can naturally also be
influenced by factors which are beyond the
driver's control. It is, for example, normal
for the fuel consumption to increase in
winter and under worsened cond
itions such as poor road conditions, towing a trailer,
etc.
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Driving and the Environment
177
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Avoid driving short distances Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.– Avoid driving a distance of no more
than 4 km if the engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter mu
st first have reached their optimal
operating
temperature
in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediately after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 10
litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre. The
engine reaches its operating temperat
ure (outside temperature and engine
dependent) only after about
4 to 10
kilometres and the fuel
consumption then stabi-
lizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible. An important factor in this connection is also the
ambient temperature
⇒fig. 161
. It
shows the fuel consumption after driving a
certain distance, on the one hand at a
temperature of +20°C and on the other hand
at a temperature of -10°C. Your vehicle
has a higher fuel consumption in winter than in summer.Checking tyre inflation pressures Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all times. The rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is too low. This will not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre we
ar and the driving behaviour will worsen.
Always check the inflation pr
essure of the tyres when
cold
.
Do not drive with
winter tyres
all year round for this costs about 10 % more fuel. They
are also louder and have poorer handling
characteristics and higher wear at tempera-
tures more than 10°C.No unnecessary ballast Transporting ballast costs fuel.The fact that every kilogram of extra
weight
increases your fuel consumption means
that it is worth taking a look in the luggage compartment to avoid transporting any unnecessary ballast. It is particularly in town traffic, when on
e is accelerating quite often, that the vehicle
weight will have a significant effect upon th
e fuel consumption. A rule of thumb here
is that an increase in weight of 100 kilogr
ams will cause an increase in fuel consump-
tion of about 1 litre/100 kilometres. You may frequently also leave a
roof rack fitted
on just out of convenience, although
you no longer need it. The in
creased aerodynamic drag of yo
ur vehicle causes it to use
about 10% more fuel than normal at a speed of 100 - 120 km/h, even when you are not carrying a load on the roof.Saving electricity Generating electricity costs fuel.– Switch off electrical components as
soon as you no longer need them.
When the engine is running,
the alternator generates and
supplies electrical power.
The greater the load on the alternator as a result of having a large number of electrical components switched on, the more fuel
will be consumed for operating the
alternator.Keeping a log of your fuel consumptionIf you really wish to keep a close check on your
fuel consumption
, it is best to enter
the figures in a logbook. This does not take much time but is a very worthwhile exer- cise. It enables you to detect any change (p
ositive and negative) at an early stage and
to take any appropriate action.
Fig. 161 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km at different temperatures
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Driving and the Environment
182
Explanation of technical termsFig. 163 Embankment angle / slope angle Fig. 164 Ground clearance / ramp angleThe technical data
⇒page 245, “Angle (in degree)” refer to ideal conditions. These
values may differ depending on the load an
d composition of the soil and the environ-
ment. The driver is responsible to decide whether a vehicle can overcome a certain situation. Embankment angle (front and rear) Transition from the horizontal plane to an
upward slope or from a downward slope
back to the plane. The angle indication determines the angle at which you can drive the vehicle down the embankment, at a slow speed, without the bumper or the under-body of the vehicle touching the ground. Slope angle The difference of altitude (upward slope) which is overcome on a stretch of road of 100 m, is indicated in percentage or degrees, i.e. the gradiant at which the vehicle can climb
a hill on its own (among other things, depe
nding on the road surface and the engine
power). Ground clearance The distance between the road surface and the deepest point of the vehicle under- body. Ramp angle The angle indication determines the angle
at which you can driv
e the vehicle over a
ramp, at a slow speed, without the underbody of the vehicle touching the ramp edge.
WARNING
When exceeding the maximum value given in the table
⇒page 245, “Angle (in
degree)”, this can result in serious injuries and/or vehicle damage. All of the data was determined on flat, firm and non-slip road surfaces as well as under dry weather conditions. There are no id
eal off-road conditions. Therefore,
never completely go according to th
e maximum values, but always leave a
safety margin.Useful utensilsMany items can be very useful wh
en driving off-road, for example:
•
compass and maps,
•
torch and spare batteries,
•
mobile phone or CB radio,
•
tow bar or tow rope with sufficient tear strength,
•
electrically driven tyre pump for connect
ing to the 12-volt power outlet of the
vehicle,•
a blanket and rubber boots,
•
snow chains,
•
a timber plank which is approximately 4 cm thick and about 1 metre long can be
used as a traction aid when the vehicle is stuck or as a base for the lifting jack,•
additional tools and a folding
yardstick or a measuring tape,
•
spare wheel and tyre repair kit,
AA
AB
AC
AD
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Driving and the Environment
183
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
shovel.
Safe off-road drivingAdopt a correct seated position and always fa
sten the seat belt correctly. Make sure
that your front passenger and your passengers
seated on the rear seats always fasten
their seat belts correctly. When driving off-road, it is perhaps more useful to adopt a slightly different seated position. Depending on the terrain, an incr
eased force may be required to turn the
steering wheel because the force is transferred from the front wheels to the steering wheel. You must be seated in such a way that you have good front visibility, especially when driving uphill or dow
nhill. You must never be seat
ed in such a way that the
distance between your chest and the midd
le of the airbag cover is less than
25 cm
⇒ page 148. Under no circumstances must you drive off-ro
ad with high heels,
slippery or open
shoes. You should wear shoes which fit your fe
et well and allow you to get a feel for the
pedals.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Before driving off-road•
Make sure the tyres are suitable for the planned off-road journey. Before you drive
through difficult terrai
n, equip your vehicle with off-road tyres.
•
Fill up your tank. The fuel consumption of
the vehicle is much higher when driving
off-road than when driving on the road.•
Install the towing eye at the front or at the rear before driving off-road. It is not
always possible to install the towing eye if the vehicle got stuck.•
Always check the inflation pressure of a
ll the tyres and if necessary correct it.
•
Check the vehicle tool kit and suppl
ement it according to your needs.
•
Fill with engine oil up to the line , so that the engine is sufficiently supplied with
engine oil when the vehicle is in a tilted position
⇒page 205, “Check engine oil level”.
•
Top up wash fluid.
•
Stow your load as low as possible in the vehicle and attach all the items which are
loose.Off-road driving•
Never be alone when driving off-road and be prepared to encounter unexpected
situations. Travel together with at least two off-road vehicles. Equipment with which you can call for help in an em
ergency is partic
ularly useful.
•
Drive slowly through unclear terrain.
•
You must stop when encountering difficul
t passages and explore the continuation
of the route on foot. If you cannot go on or
if you doubt the safety of the route, turn
back and choose another way.•
Drive slowly over hilltops. Make sure that
the wheels of the vehicle do not lift off
the ground, as this could severely damage
the vehicle and it may become disabled.
•
Drive slowly on difficult stretches of the route. When driving on a slippery ground,
shift up into the next higher gear and make
sure that the vehicle always stays in motion.
Do not drive too fast so that you don't lose control over your vehicle.•
If your vehicle got stuck in
sand, snow or sludge, it may be more effective to reverse
the vehicle than trying to drive forwards.•
Place stones, footmats or pieces of wood
under the spinning wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground.•
Do no drive through water before reading what you must take into account
⇒ page 179.•
Keep sufficient distance from other vehicles even at low speeds. When the first
vehicle suddenly gets stuck, the following vehi
cle can still stop in time without getting
stuck itself.•
Do not plan day trips which are too far in distance.
•
Do not use the cruise control system when
driving off-road. It is only intended for
driving on the road.
WARNING
•
The intelligent engineering of your ve
hicle cannot overco
me the physical
limits of your vehicle.
AA
sgg.6.book Page 183 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM