obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure that the
pedals still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers,
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
Power assistance
G
Warning!
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the
brake when the engine is not running.
Steering and braking requires significantly
more effort and you could lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident as a result.
Do not turn off the engine while the vehicle is
in motion. Brakes
Downhill grades !
When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes by
shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking
power. This helps prevent
overheating of the brakes and reduces
wear.
When using the engine’s braking power, a
drive wheel may not spin for an extended
period of time, e.g. on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage
to the drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Continuous or hard braking G
Warning!
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads. It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their
effectiveness. It may not be possible to stop
the vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an
accident.
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive on
for some
time, rather than immediately park,
so that the air stream will cool down the
brakes faster.
Wet roads G
Warning!
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying
the brakes or through water
deep enough to wet brake components, the
first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may be
necessary to obtain expected brake effect.
Maintain a safe distance from vehicles in
front.
To help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet or salt-covered roads, it is
advisable to brake the vehicle with
considerable force prior to parking. The heat
generated serves to dry the brakes.
Salt-covered roads G
Warning!
A layer of salt on the brake discs and the brake
linings may cause a delay in the braking
effect, resulting in a significantly increased
braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully when you are
driving on salt-covered roads, so that any
layer of salt that may have built up on the
brake discs and the brake linings is 398
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removed without putting other road users
at risk
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
Brake service !
The brake fluid level in the reservoir may
be too
low if the red brake warning lamp in
the instrument cluster comes on while the
engine is running and an acoustic warning
sounds. Observe additional messages in
the multifunction display that may appear.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the
reservoir.
Have the brake system inspected
immediately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and use brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. G
Warning!
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can
be degraded to an extent that safe
braking is substantially impaired. This could
result in an accident.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Because the ESC operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0
or 1
) when the electronic parking
brake is being tested on a brake test
dynamometer.
Active braking action through the ESC may
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
! Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because the ESC operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0 or 1) when the electronic parking
brake is being tested on a brake test
dynamometer or when the vehicle is being
towed with one axle raised.
Active braking action through the ESC may
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
If your brake system is only subjected to
moderate loads, you should occasionally test
the effectiveness of the brakes by applying
above-normal braking pressure at higher
speeds. This will also enhance the grip of the
brake pads. G
Warning!
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.
Refer to the description of the Brake Assist
System (BAS) ( Y page 57) or BAS PLUS
(Y page 57). Driving instructions
399
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High-performance brake system
The high-performance brake system is only
available on CL 63 AMG and CL 65 AMG.
G
Warning!
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum
braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed to operate under the extremely high
operating demands required to
accommodate the performance capabilities
of the vehicle.
The brakes may produce a squeaking-type
noise depending on the
R vehicle speed
R brake force applied
R ambient conditions, e.g. temperature and
humidity
As with any brake system, the wear of
individual brake system components such as
brake pads or disks strongly depends on your
driving style and the conditions under which
you operate the vehicle. Thus, a driving style
calling for high-demand braking will cause
your vehicle’s brakes to wear more quickly. Driving off
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not place
full load on the engine until the operating
temperature has been reached.
! When driving
off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a drive wheel to spin for an
extended period with the ESC switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
! Simultaneously depressing the
accelerator pedal and applying the brakes
reduces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty. Hydroplaning
Depending on
the depth of the water layer on
the road, hydroplaning may occur, even at low
speeds and with new tires. In heavy rain or
when conditions indicate possible
hydroplaning:
X Reduce vehicle speed.
X Avoid track grooves in the road.
X Apply brakes cautiously. Standing water
! Do not drive through flooded areas.
Before driving
through water, determine its
depth.
If you must drive through standing water,
drive slowly to prevent water from entering
the passenger compartment or the engine
compartment. Water in these areas could
cause damage to electrical components or
wiring of the engine or transmission, or
could result in water being ingested by the
engine through the air intake causing
severe internal engine damage. Any such
damage is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. 400
Driving instructions
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Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
!
The windshield wipers must be in a
vertical position before folding them away
from the windshield. They could otherwise
damage the hood.
Never open
the hood when the wiper arms
are folded forward.
X Make sure the hood is fully closed.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Turn combination switch to wiper setting
° (Y page 280).
X With wiper arms in vertical position, switch
off the ignition. G
Warning!
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch before
cleaning the windshield and/or the wiper
blades. Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: Make
sure the vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status 0. Otherwise, the wiper motor could
suddenly turn on and cause injury.
! Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts.
They could tear.
X Fold the wiper arms forward until they snap
into place.
X Clean the windshield and the wiper blade
inserts with a clean cloth and mild
detergent solution.
X Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild window
cleaning solution on all outside and inside
glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is
recommended.
! Fold the
windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey
in the starter switch or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper
arm back. If released, the force of the impact from the tensioning spring could
crack the windshield.
! To clean the window interior, do not use
a dry
cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners
containing solvents. Do not touch the
inside of the windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
Light alloy wheels If possible, clean wheels once a week.
X
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care,
a soft bristle brush and a strong spray of
water for cleaning the light alloy wheels.
! Only use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage the
clear coat.
! The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately after
it has
been cleaned. This applies especially
after the wheel rims have been cleaned
with wheel rim cleaner. Wheel rim cleaners
can lead to increased corrosion of the
brake disks and brake pads. Non-approved
wheel cleaners may also damage the wheel
paint if the vehicle is not driven after
cleaning.
Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it is
parked after cleaning. Drive your vehicle for
several minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz approved
Tire Care and Mercedes-Benz approved
Wheel Care products, take care not to
spray them on the brake disks. 408
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X Solutions÷ Currently
Unavailabl
e See
Oper.
Manual If the yellow ESC warning lamp
÷ flashes while driving and
this message appears, the Electronic Traction System (ETS/
4-ETS) has switched off to prevent overheating of the drive
wheel brakes.
The BAS PLUS and the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake are also not
available.
As soon as the brakes have cooled off, the Electronic Traction
System (ETS/4-ETS) switches on again.
The message in the multifunction display disappears and the
ESC warning lamp ÷ goes out.G Tele Aid
Inoperativ
e One or more main functions of the Tele Aid system are
malfunctioning.
X
Have the Tele Aid system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. 6 SRS
Malfunctio
n Service
Required There is a malfunction in the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS). The air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
could deploy unexpectedly or fail to activate in an accident.
X
Drive with added caution to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. 6 Front
Left SRS
Malfunctio
n Service
Required Components of the driver’s supplemental restraint system
may not work properly.
X
Drive with added caution to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. 6 Front
Right SRS
Malfunctio
n Service
Required Components of the front passenger’s supplemental restraint
system may not work properly.
X
Drive with added caution to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. 6 Rear Left
SRS
Malfunctio
n Service
Required Components of the left rear passenger’s supplemental
restraint system may not work properly.
X
Drive with added caution to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. 6 Rear
Right SRS
Malfunctio
n Service
Required Components of the right rear passenger’s supplemental
restraint system may not work properly.
X
Drive with added caution to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. 436
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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Driving systems
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
X Solutions·
DISTRONIC PLUS
or PRE-SAFE ®
Brake: The red
distance warning
lamp comes on
while driving and
an acoustic
warning sounds. You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle ahead of you or
DISTRONIC
PLUS
or PRE-SAFE®
Brake has recognized a stationary
obstacle on your probable line of travel.
X Apply the brakes immediately.
X Carefully observe the traffic situation. You may need to brake
or maneuver to avoid hitting an obstacle. Vehicle
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsThe yellow fuel tank
reserve
warning
lamp in
the fuel gauge comes
on while driving. The fuel level has gone below the reserve mark.
X
Refuel at the next gas station. Engine
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
X Solutions;
The yellow engine
malfunction indicator
lamp comes on when
the engine is running.
There may be a malfunction in
R
the fuel management system
R the ignition system
R the emission control system
R systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive emissions values and
may switch
the engine to limp-home (emergency operation) mode.
X Have the vehicle checked as soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
i Some states may by law require you to visit a workshop as
soon as
the engine malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Check
local requirements. ;
The yellow engine
malfunction indicator
lamp comes on when
the engine is running.
A loss of pressure has been detected in the fuel system. The fuel
cap may not be closed properly or the fuel system may be leaky.
X
Check the fuel cap ( Y page 366).
X If it is not closed properly: Close the fuel cap.
X If it is closed properly: Have the fuel system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. What to do if …
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X
Unscrew the uppermost wheel bolt and
remove it.
X Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt :.
X Remove the remaining bolts.
! Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt.
This could result in damage to the wheel
bolts and wheel hub threads.
X Remove the wheel.
Attaching the spare wheel G
Warning!
Always replace wheel bolts that are damaged
or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be
repaired immediately. Do not continue to
drive under these circumstances! Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tightened
wheel bolts can cause the wheel to come off.
This could cause an accident. Make sure to
use the correct wheel bolts. G
Warning!
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts.
Other wheel bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the
vehicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
fall off the jack. Wheel bolt
: must be used for light alloy
rims. Wheel bolt ; must be used for the
Minispare wheel. The wheel bolts for the
Minispare wheel are located in the trunk with
the Minispare wheel.
! Wheel bolts ; must be used when
mounting the Minispare wheel. The use of
any wheel bolts other than wheel bolts ;
for the Minispare wheel will damage the
vehicle’s brakes. G
Warning!
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel
after it has been repaired.
X Clean contact surfaces of wheel and wheel
hub.
! To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while
installing first wheel bolt. X
Guide the spare wheel onto the alignment
bolt and push it on.
X Insert the wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.
X Unscrew the alignment bolt.
X Install the last wheel bolt and tighten it
slightly. 468
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