
Intelligent technology
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The ASR should normally be activated all the time . Only in certain
except ional situations when some slip is desirable does it make sense
to deactivate the ASR. Examples:
• when driving with tire chains
• when driving in deep snow or on loose ground and
• when rocking the vehicle loose after it has become stuck.
When the abnormal s ituation is over, you should activate the ASR
again .
& WARNING
The increased safety afforded by ASR does not mean that you can
take safety risks. Always adapt your driving style to the road
conditions and traffic situation.
[I] Tips
To ensure that the ASR works properly, all four whee ls must be fitted
with ident ical tires . Any differences in rolling radius of the tir es can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
See also=>
page 305, "New tires and replacing tires and wheels". •
Braking
General information
What affects braking efficiency?
Operating conditions and driving habits
The brakes on today's automob iles are still subject to wear ,
depending largely on operating conditions and driving habits=>& .
On vehicles that are either driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic or
are driven hard, the brake pads should be checked by your authorized
Aud i dealer more often than specified in the
Warranty & Mainte-
Controls and equip ment Safety first Vehicle operation nance booklet.
Failure to have your brake pads
inspected can result
in reduced brake performance .
On steep slopes, you should use the brak ing effect of the engine . This
way, you prevent unnecessary wear on the brake system. If you must
use your brakes, do not hold the brakes down continuously. Pump the
brakes at intervals.
Noises may occur when brak ing depending on the speed , braking
force and outside cond it ions such as temperature and humidity.
Moisture or road salt
If you are driving faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) and the windshield
wipers are on, the brake pads will briefly touch the brake discs in
regular intervals so as to improve reaction t ime when braking on wet
surfaces. You, the driver, will not notice anything.
Under certain cond it ions, for example , when driving through water or
very heavy rain, or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect
can be reduced due to moisture (or in freezing conditions ice) on the
brake pads. A few careful brake applications should dry off the brake
pads or remove any ice coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a sa lt-covered road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and
pads with a few careful applications of the brake=>& .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and
corrosion to form on the discs if the car is not dr iven regularly or only
for short trips with little use of the brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if corrosion has formed on
the discs, it is advisable to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fi rm ly a few times from a moderately high speed=>& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in brake pedal travel, then one
of the two brake circuits may have failed=>& . .,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data

lffll __ C_h_ e_c _k _i_n -=g :a,__ a_n_ d_ f_ i_ l _li _n _,g;._ __________________________________________ _
Checking and filling
Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the vehicle.
-Open the driver's door.
Fig. 205 Driver's side
footwell: engine hood
release lever
- Pull the release lever on the left under the instrument
panel => fig. 205 in the direction of the arrow.
The hood pops up slightly under spring pressure. •
Opening the engine hood
Fig. 206 Release lever
under the engine hood
Before opening the engine hood, make sure that the wind
shield wipers are flat against the windshield. Otherwise, they
could damage the paint on the hood.
Pull up on the release under the hood=> fig. 206. This
releases the catch =>
&.
- Open the hood all the way.
& WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
• To reduce the risk of being burned, never open the hood if you
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine compart
ment. Wait until no steam or coolant can be seen or heard before
carefully opening the hood. •

__ _:._A..:. l:.! p:.. h ::....:..:: a:.:b:.. e=-= t.:..:ic :.:a:.. l:.....:..: in~ d:...:e :..: x.:...._ ___________________________________________ _
Remote control key .. .. ...... .. .... 42 Warranty coverages ....... ... .. ... .. 344 When should I adjust the tire pressures? 301
Using the key ................... .. 43 Washer reservo ir ....... ... . ... .. .. . 292 When should I chec k the t ire pressures? 301
V
Wash ing .... ....... ..... ........ .. 258 W here are lower a nchorages located? .. 232
Automatic ca r wash ....... ....... 259 Whe re can I find the t ire pressures for my car?
Valet key function by hand ...
.... ...... .. .. .. .. ...
259 300
Activat ing and deact ivat ing ... .. ... . 40
General inf ormat io n ....... .. .. .. . 2 58 Why safe ty belts? . .. .. ... . ... ... 185 , 186
Vanity mirror ... ... .... ..... .. .. . ... 64
Vehicle Ident ifi cat io n Number (VI N) . .. 338
Vehicle jack . .. ...... .... . .. .. .. 316,321
V ehicle lite rature . ... .. .. ........ ... .. 4
Vehicle-care prod ucts ............ ...
258
Ventilation
Climate controls ..................
96
w
w it h a powe r washer ....... .. .. .. .
Waxing .................... ... ... .
Wear indicator 2 60
261
304
Weat herst rips . .. ................. . 263
Weights .. .... ............. .. .... . 339
What happens if you wea r your safe ty belt too
loose? .. .......... ... .. ... ....
190
What happens to unbelted occupants? . 187
What impairs dr iv ing safety? .. .. .... .. 175
What should I do after changing a whee l? .. .
30 1
Warning lights · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 12 W hat should I do after replacing w heels?
W arning/ind ic a tor lights .. .. .... ....... 8
30 l
Brake system ............ .. .... .. . 18
Cru ise control ................. .. . 16
Electromechanical parking brake .... . 17
Electro nic power control ........... 14
Electronic stabilization program ( ESP) 14
H igh beam ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 16
Ma lf un ction I ndicato r Lamp ( MIL) .... 15
Safety bel t ... .. .. .. .. .. ......... .
Ad
aptive Ai r Suspe nsion . ... .... ....
1 6 W hee l bolts
Adaptive Cr uise Contro l .... ... .. ..
127 T o rque ........ ...... .. ...... ... 31 1
Airbag system ...... .. .... .. .. . ... 14
293
Anti-loc k bra ke system (ABS) . . . . . . . . 17 Wheels · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
Cast a lloy ...... .. .... .. .... .....
263
Checking tire pressure ............ 300
Cold tire inflation p ressure . ... .. .. . 297
General notes .......... .. .. .. .. . 293
Glossary of tire and loading terminology .
294
1 5
1 5
W hen must a sa fe ty belt be rep laced? .. 1 88 Tir e pressure moni to ring sys tem .... .
Tur n signals .. ... ... ... ... .... ....
1 5 W hen m ust the airbag system be inspected? .
206
New tires and w heels ........ .... . 305
Tires and vehicle load limi ts . .. .... . 301
Win dows
Cleani ng ... .... ... .. . .. .. .... ..
262
Convenience close/open feature . ... . 52
Defogging . .. .. .... ............. 100
Defrost ing . .. .. .. .. ............. 100
Rapid defrosting/defogg ing . .. .. .. 101
Wi nds hield washer fluid
Low leve l .. .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .
30
W inds hield wipers
Faul ty . .. .. ..................... .
32
Intermittent wiping . ............. . 66
One -tap w iping .... ... ... .. .. .. .. . 66
Rain sensor . .... . ... ..... .. .. ... . 66
Serv ice position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Washer reservoir .... .. .. .. ...... . 292
Winte r ope ration
Ba tte ry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
288
C oolan t system ............ .. .. .. 2 8 4
Steering wheel hea tin g .... ... .. .. 104
T ir es . ..... .. .. ...... ... .. .. .. .. 2 4 6
Windows ... .... ... .. . .... .... .. 262
Winte r tir es ....... ..... .. .. ... .. .. 309
All-whee l dr ive ...... .. .... .. .. .. 309
Wiper blades
Insta lling new wiper b lades . ... .. .. .
68
See also Windsh ie ld w ipers ......... 68