
Intelligent Technology
164
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an acci- dent!
Note
•
All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the ESP. Differing rolling circum
ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)* The electronic differential lock prev
ents an individual wheel from slip-
ping.Models fitted with ESP ar
e equipped with electronic differential lock (EDL).
General The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes
at all possible, to start off, accelerate
and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavourable. Operating principle The EDL is activated automaticall
y, that is without any action
on the part of the driver.
It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. Should only
one
drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will be an appreciable
difference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function brakes the slipping wheel and the differential transmits a greate
r driving force to the other driven wheel.
This control process is also accompanied by noises. Overheating of the brakes The EDL switches off automatica
lly if unusually severe stresses exist in order to avoid
excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being braked. The vehicle can continue to be driven and has
the same characteristics as a vehicle not
fitted with EDL.
The EDL switches on again automatically
as soon as the brake has cooled down.
EDL Off-road* After switching on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, EDL Off-road is activated.
EDL Off-road is matched in such a way that it assists the traction of the vehicle when driving on an unfirm ground. EDL is activated earlier in the Off-road mode than in the normal mode. The brake pres- sure builts up more quickly on the slipping
wheel, on one axle, as well as diagonally.
WARNING
•
Carefully depress the accelerator when
accelerating on uniformly slippery
road surfaces, such as ice and snow. Th
e driven wheels might still spin despite
the EDL and affect the stability of
the vehicle - risk of an accident!
•
You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road
surface and to the traffic situation even
when your vehicle is fitted with EDL.
The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•
If the ABS or ESP warning light comes on, this may also indicate a fault in the EDL.
Please have the vehicle inspected as soon
as possible by a specialist garage.
•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the EDL
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.
WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology
165
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 th
e conditions 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 auto- matically adapted by reducing the engine speed. The system operates at all speeds. The TCS operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 167, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system. The TCS warning light lights up in the instru
ment cluster when there is a fault on the
TCS
⇒page 34.
During an intervention of the system, the TCS warning light
flashes quickly in the
instrument cluster
⇒page 34.
Switching off You can switch the TCS off and on again as yo
u wish. On vehicles fitted with ABS, you
can switch off the TCS by pressing the button
⇒fig. 155
, on vehicles fi
tted with ESP*,
you can switch off the TCS wi
th the aid of the button
⇒page 163, fig. 154
. The TCS
warning light
flashes slowly in the instrument cluster if the system is switched off
⇒ page 34. 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. TCS Off-road* After switching on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, TCS Off-road is activated.
TCS Off-road provides a more effective a
cceleration of the vehicle on an unfirm
ground, as it allows higher traction be
tween the slipping wheels and the ground.
The system operates when starting off or at low speeds.
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 unde- sirable reduction in the engine output.•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.
Fig. 155 TCS switch
sgg.6.book Page 165 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Intelligent Technology
167
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Caution
•
Never allow the brakes to rub by applying sl
ight pressure if you do not wish to brake
the vehicle. This causes the br
akes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking
distance and excessive wear.•
Before negotiating a steep downhill section, please reduce your speed, shift down
into the next lower gear (manual gearbox)
or select a lower driving stage (automatic
gearbox). This enables you to make full us
e of the braking power of the vehicle and
reduces the strain on the brakes. Any additional braking should be done intermittently, not continuously.
Note
The brake light flashes automatically in case
of an emergency braking at speeds greater
than 60 km/h or with the intervention of the ABS, which lasts longer than 1.5 seconds. After the speed was reduced below 10 km/h or the vehicle was stopped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically
after accelerating
or driving off again.
Brake boosterThe brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake pedal. The necessary pressure is only genera
ted when the engine is running.
WARNING
•
Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
•
The brake booster only operates when
the engine is running. Greater phys-
ical effort for braking is required when en
gine is switched off. Because if you do
not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Antilock brake system (ABS)ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.General The ABS contributes significantly to enhanc
ing the active safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a vehicle not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain optimal steering ability even during a full br
ake application on a slippery road surface
because the wheels do not lock up. You must not expect, however, that the br
aking distance will be shorter under all
circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driv
ing slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too low for the speed of the vehicle and tending
to lock. This control
cycle is noticeable
from a
pulsating movement of the brake pedal
which is accomp
anied by noises.
This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optimally control the brake application in this braking range. Never interrupt the application of the brakes! ABS Off-road* After switching on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, ABS Off-road is activated.
ABS Off-road increases the braking power of
the vehicle on an unfirm ground, as it
keeps the wheels blocked for a longer period
of time when the brake is applied while
sliding. The system is only available, if the front wheels are in the straight-ahead posi-tion. The system operates at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
WARNING
•
The ABS can also not overcome the physical
limits of your ve
hicle. Please do
not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating within the control range, adapt your speed immediately to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety
sgg.6.book Page 167 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Intelligent Technology
171
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
TCS Off-road
⇒page 165,
•
ABS Off-road
⇒page 167.
Switch on Off-road The Off-road mode is switched on by pressing the button
⇒page 170, fig. 158
. The
warning light in the button lights up. The wa
rning light lights up in the instrument
cluster if the system is switched on
⇒page 38.
Switch off Off-road The Off-road mode is switched off by repe
ated pressing of the button. The warning
light in the button goes out. When switching
off the ignition, the Off-road mode is also
switched off and can be switched on again, if necessary, after switching on the ignition. If the engine is switched off by accident an
d restarted within 30 seconds, the Off-road
mode remains switched on. All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve proper operation of the Off-road mode. Differing rolling circum
ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.
WARNING
•
Always adjust your speed to suit weat
her, road and traffic conditions. The
increased safety must not tempt you to take a greater safety risk than otherwise - risk of accident!•
The Off-road equipment can also not overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle.•
The effect of the Off-road equipm
ent depends as well on the tyres.
•
The Off-road equipment
is not designed for the use on common roads.
Start-Off Assist*The Start-Off Assist enhances the driving comfort and can be used when starting off, in particular on a slope. When the vehicle is stationary, the Start-Off Assist is activated after switching it on using the button for the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, fig. 158
.
Operating principle When depressing the accelerator pedal fully, the engine speed required for the start- up procedure of the stationary vehicle is restricted. The overspeed trip unit is automat-ically deactivated after terminating the start-up procedure. As part of the Assist System, the accelerator pedal is adapted in its characteristics for an easier start-off on slippery and loose soil.Downhill Drive Support*Operating principle The Downhill Drive Support maintains a cons
tant speed on a steep downhill section
when driving forwards and backwards by
automatically intervening in the brake
system of all wheels. It prevents the wheels locking because the ABS remains active. The warning light
in the information display of the instrument cluster indicates that
the Downhill Drive Support is available
⇒page 38.
The vehicle speed, which is maintained by the Assist System, is selected by the driver while driving on a downhill section as of the
moment the first intervention of the Assist
System is performed or else, while driving on a downhill section, the driver must control the vehicle speed until the Assist System intervenes for the first time. When the Assist System actively intervenes, this is indicated by the warning light flashing or by a pulsating movement of the brake pedal,
similar to the intervention of the ABS.
The Downhill Drive Support is available in the speed range of 2 km/h up to 30 km/h. If the gear is engaged and the clutch pedal is
not pressed, the lower limit of the idling
speed corresponds to the respective gear which is engaged. You can increase or reduce the speed, even when no gear is engaged, by operating the accelerator or brake pedal. Thus the function
is always interrupted and is reactivated
afterwards. The Downhill Drive Support is activated auto
matically if the following conditions are
met:•
the Off-road mode is switched on and the warning light
lights up in the instru-
ment cluster,•
the engine of the vehicle is running and either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear, the reverse
gear or no gear is engaged,•
the speed is less than 30 km/h,
sgg.6.book Page 171 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Driving and the Environment
180
Note
After driving through a body of water, we
recommend that the vehi
cle is checked by a
specialist garage.Off-road drivingImportant information
WARNING
•
Never drive too fast, particularly not around curves, and never undertake
extreme driving manoeuvres.•
Always adjust your speed and adapt your style of driving to suit road, off-
road, traffic and weather conditions.•
In case the vehicle is stationary on a hi
llside at a steep angl
e, do not exit the
vehicle when it is facing downhill. Throug
h this the overall centre of gravity can
shift in such a way that the vehicle tilts and rolls down the hillside - hazard! Always carefully exit your vehicle on the side facing uphill
⇒page 186.
•
A lack of experience and knowledge when
driving off-road can lead to crit-
ical situations an
d serious injuries.
•
Never choose a dangerous route and never take a risk which could jeop-
ardize your safety and that of your passengers. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the route, turn back and choose another way. Even a terrain, which looks harmless, can be difficult and dangerous, and may bring you and your passengers into
a critical
situation.
•
If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing your
seat belt at all, or you are holding th
e steering wheel incorrectly when driving
off-road, the risk of severe or even fata
l injuries increases.
Correctly fastened
seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden braking manoeuvers and accidents. As long as the vehicle is in motion, always have your seat belt and those of your passen
gers correctly fastened. Take yo
ur thumbs off the steering
wheel when driving off-road. Should resist
ance build up in front of the wheels,
the steering wheel may suddenly and unexpect
edly spin and hur t you. Hold the
steering wheel with both hands firmly on
the outer edge in the 9 o'clock and 3
o'clock position.•
If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing your
seat belt at all, or you are holding th
e steering wheel incorrectly when driving
off-road, the risk of severe or
even fatal injuries increases.
•
Correctly fastened seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden
braking manoeuvers and accidents. Th
erefore you and your passengers must
always fasten your seat belts correctl
y as long as the vehicle is moving.
•
Take your thumbs off the steering wh
eel when driving off-road. If the
wheels hit an obstacle, the steering wh
eel may suddenly and unexpectedly spin
and hurt you!•
Never use the cruise control system when driving off-road. The use of the
cruise control system when driving off-
road is unsuitable and can even be
dangerous.•
Do not drive over embankments, ramps or
hillsides at too high a speed. This
can lead to the wheels of the vehicle lifting off the ground so that you can no longer steer and control the vehicle.•
If the wheels lose contact with the
ground, for example when the vehicle
rebounds while driving over
corrugations, steer straight ahead. If the wheels
are turned when making the contact with
the ground again, the vehicle can roll
over.•
There should never be any person in front or behind the vehicle when rocks,
scrub, wood pieces or other objects ar
e placed under the wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground. Turning the wheels can trans-form these objects into dangerous “bullets” – hazard!Warning of a rolloverVehicles of this type
have a higher centre of gravit
y than ordinary vehicles. This
increases the risk of vehicle rollover when driving on-road and off-road. Therefore, you must always pay attention to the safety information which is stated in the Owner's Manual.
WARNING (continued)
sgg.6.book Page 180 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Towing a trailer
191
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Headlights Before starting off with a hitched trailer, also check the setting of the headlights. Alter the setting as necessary with the ai
d of the headlight beam adjuster
⇒page 58.
Detachable ball head The ball rod is detachable on vehicles which
feature a factory-fitted
towing device. It is
stowed together with separate fitting instru
ctions in the spare wheel well in the luggage
compartment of the vehicle. Further information on the towing device
⇒page 192.
Note
•
We recommend that you also have your
vehicle inspected between service inter-
vals if you tow a trailer frequently.•
The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be put on when coupling and decou-
pling the trailer.Driving Tips Particular caution is required when towing a trailer.– Do not, as far as possible, drive with
your vehicle unladen and the trailer laden.
– Do not make full use of the legal maximum speeds. This applies in particular to
downhill sections.
– Apply the brakes in good time. – Keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if the outside temperature is high. Distribution of weight The distribution of the weight
is very poor if your vehicle
is unladen and the trailer is
laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving with this combina-tion. Driving speed Do not drive faster than 80 km/hour for safety reasons. This also applies for countries in which higher speeds are allowed.
The fact that the driving stability of the vehicle + trailer combination reduces with increasing speed means that the legally allowed speed should not be used when there are unfavourable road, weather or wind cond
itions, particularly near accident black
spots. You must always reduce your speed immediat
ely as soon as you detect even just the
slightest swaying
of the trailer. On no account attempt to stop the trailer from
“swaying” by accelerating. Apply the brakes in good time! If
the trailer is fitted with a
trailer brake
, apply the
brakes gently at first and then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts resulting from the trailer wheels locking. Shift down gears in good time before negotiating a downhill section to allow the engine to also act as a brake. Engine overheating Please keep a check on the coolant temperature gauge if you have to negotiate a lengthy slope in a low gear at a high engi
ne speed when the outside temperature is
very high
⇒page 17, “Coolant temperature gauge”.
If the needle of the coolant temperature gauge moves into the right-hand area or even the red area of the scale, reduce your speed immediately. Stop and switch off the engine if the warning light
in the instrument cluster begins flashing. Wait a few
minutes and check the level of coolant in the coolant expansion bottle
⇒page 207,
“Inspecting the coolant level”. Please refer to the following guidelines
⇒page 34, “Coolant temperature/ Coolant
quantity
”.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by switching on the heating.Any increase in the cooling effect of the coolant fan through shifting down a gear and increasing the engine speed is not possible
since the fan speed is independent of the
engine speed. One should also not drop a gear
for this reason when towing a trailer as
long as the engine can manage th
e slope without any drop in speed.
sgg.6.book Page 191 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Towing a trailer
192
Detachable towing device*The detachable ball head of the towing device is stowed in a box for the car tool kit in the luggage compartment. An instruction for correct installation and remo
val of the ball head of the towing device
is supplied with the ball head. Inspect the ball head to ensure that it is prop
erly locked each time before setting off.
The inspection is performed by turning th
e closed locking lever downwards. If the
locking lever can only be turned around a small angle (approx. 5°), the locking mecha- nism is O.K. After the inspection pull the locking lever back again to its stop. The towing device must not be used, if it does not wish to
close or if it can be turned freely in the
closed position.
WARNING
Do not use any aids or tools for installing or removing the ball head. This might result in damage to the locking mechanism to the extent that the safety of the towing device is no longer assured - risk of an accident.
Note
•
Do not carry out any modifications or re
pairs to the ball head or to any other
components on the towing device.•
Contact a specialist garage if you en
counter any problems
using the device.
•
Never unlock the ball head with a trailer coupled to it.
•
You should take off the ball head if yo
u drive without towing a trailer. Inspect
whether the end cover properly seals off the mounting shaft.•
Remove the ball head beforehand if you
wish to clean your vehicle using a steam
jet. Ensure that the end cover properly seals the mounting shaft.•
It is recommended to wear gloves when installing and removing.
Fig. 167 Detachable ball head
sgg.6.book Page 192 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM

Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the vehicle
194
There are no particular points to note be
fore washing your vehicle in an automatic
vehicle wash system other than the usua
l precautionary measures (closing the
windows and the sliding/tilting roof etc.). If you have any particular atta
ched parts fitted to your car
- such as spoiler, roof rack
system, two-way radio aerial - it is best to first of all consult the operator of the car wash plant. It is important to degrease
the lips of the windscreen
wiper rubbers after passing
through the automatic
vehicle wash system.
Washing vehicle by handIt is important to first soften the dirt with
plenty of water and rinse it off as thoroughly
as possible before washin
g your vehicle by hand.
One should then clean the vehicle using a soft
washing sponge
, washing glove
or a
washing brush
and only slight pressure. Work from
the top to the bottom - beginning
with the roof. Only place slight pressure on
the vehicle paintwork
during cleaning. Only
use a
car shampoo
for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such areas.Rinse off the vehicle well after giving it a wash and dry it off using a chamois leather.
WARNING
•
The ignition should always be switched off when you wash your vehicle -
risk of accident!•
Protect your hands and arms from sharp-edged metal parts when you are
cleaning the underfloor, the inside of
the wheel housings or
the wheel trims -
risk of cuts.
Caution
•
Do not wash your vehicle in bright
sunlight - risk of paint damage.
•
Ensure that the jet of water is not aimed di
rectly at the locking cylinders or at the
door and panel joints if you spray your vehi
cle in winter down with a hose - risk of
freezing.
•
Do not use any insect sponges, rough kitc
hen sponges or similar cleaning products
- risk of damage to the surface of paintwork.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash your vehicle at wa
shing bays specifically reserved for this purpose. This
ensures that no water which may be contaminated by oil flows into the sewage system. It is not even permitted to wash your vehicl
e in certain areas except at such specific
washing bays.Washing with a high-pressure cleanerWhen you wash your vehicle with a high-press
ure cleaner, it is essential to comply with
the instructions for use of the cleaning equi
pment. This applies in particular to the
pressure
used and to the
spraying distance
. Maintain a sufficiently large distance to
soft materials such as rubber hoses or insulation material. On no account use
circular spray nozzles
or so-called
dirt cutters
!
WARNING
It is particularly important that you do not clean tyres with circular spray jets. Visible but also invisible
damage to tyres may occur ev
en at a relatively large
spraying distance and if sprayed only for a short time - risk of accident!
Caution
The water containing wax must be no hotter
than 60°C, otherwise the vehicle can be
damaged.Wax treatmentGood wax treatment is an effective way of
protecting the paintwork from harmful envi-
ronmental influences and
minor mechanical damage.
The vehicle must be treated with a high-quali
ty hard wax polish at the latest, when no
more drops form on the clean paintwork.
sgg.6.book Page 194 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM