2010 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS traction control

MOExtended system
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there is
a total loss of pressure in one or more tires.
You
may only use the MOExtended system in
conjunction with the tire pressure loss
warning system ( Y page 186), the TPMS
(Y page 188), or the Advanced TPMS
(Y page 190).
For information on driving in case of pressure
loss in one or more tires (emergency mode),
see the “Practical Hints” section
(Y page 277). Tire care and maintenance
G
Warning!
Regularly check the tires for damage.
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle.
Worn,

old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if
the tires have sustained damage, replace
them.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least once
a month. For more information on checking
tire inflation pressure, see “Recommended
tire inflation pressure” ( Y page 183).
Tire inspection Every time you check the tire inflation
pressure, you should also inspect your tires
for the following:
R
excessive treadwear ( Y page 198)
R cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber
R bumps,

bulges, cuts, cracks or splits in the
tread or side of the tire
Replace the tire if you find any of the above
conditions.
Make sure you also inspect the spare tire
periodically for condition and inflation. Spare tires will age and become worn over time even
if never used, and thus should be inspected
and replaced when necessary.
Life of tire G
Warning!
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
6 years, regardless of the remaining tread.
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:
R Driving style
R Tire inflation pressure
R Distance driven
Tread depth G
Warning!
Although the applicable federal motor vehicle
safety laws consider a tire to be worn when
the

treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible
at approximately 1
/ 16 in (1.6 mm), we
recommend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches 1
/ 8 in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far.
Adhesion properties on wet roads are sharply
reduced at tread depths of less than 1
/ 8 in
(3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six places
on the tread circumference and become
visible at a tread depth of approximately
1 / 16 in (1.6 mm), at which point the tire is
considered worn and should be replaced.
The recommended minimum tire tread depth
for summer tires is 1
/ 8 in (3 mm). The
recommended minimum tire tread depth for
winter tires is 1
/ 6 in (4 mm). 198
Tires and wheels
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Treadwear indicator
: appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Storing tires !
Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry place
with as little exposure to light as possible.
Protect tires from contact with oil, grease
and fuels.
Cleaning tires !
Never use a round nozzle to power wash
tires. The intense jet of water can result in
damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire. Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading is a U.S.
Government requirement designed to give
drivers consistent and reliable information
regarding tire performance. Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires based on three performance factors:
treadwear
:, traction ;, and temperature
resistance =. Although not a Government of
Canada requirement, all tires made for sale in
North America have these grades branded on
the sidewall.
i For illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
Quality grades can be found, where
applicable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear Traction Temperature
200 AA A
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. Government test course. For example, a
tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
(1
1
/ 2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction G
Warning!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, Tires and wheels
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cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified
government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. G
Warning!
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will
be
substantially reduced. Under such weather
conditions, drive, steer and brake with
extreme caution.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperature is close to the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(Y page 208) with a minimum tread depth of
approximately 1
/ 6 in (4 mm) on all four wheels
for the winter season to ensure normal
balanced handling characteristics. On
packed snow, they can reduce your stopping
distance compared to summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise
appropriate caution.
! Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Temperature G
Warning!
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B,

and C, representing the tire’s resistance to
the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Rotating tires
G
Warning!
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires

(different tire dimensions front vs. rear),
tire rotation is not possible. G
Warning!
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
Only

use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts
specified for your vehicle’s rims.
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all around.
If your vehicle is equipped with tires of the
same dimension all around, tires can be
rotated, observing a front-to-rear rotation
pattern that will maintain the intended
rotation (spinning) direction of the tire
(Y page 197).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle is
equipped with mixed-size tires (different tire 200
Tires and wheels
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Treadwear indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called “wear bars”
that
show across the tread of a tire when only
1 / 16 in (1.6 mm) of tread remains.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards A tire information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire’s traction,
temperature and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using U.S.
government testing procedures. The ratings
are molded into the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
Load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of the
maximum

loaded vehicle weight and dividing
it by two. Winter driving
General information
Have
your vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Winter tires
G
Warning!
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than
1 / 6 in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation. G
Warning!
If you use your spare wheel when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the

difference in tire characteristics may very
well impair turning stability and that overall
driving stability may be reduced. Adapt your
driving style accordingly.
Have the spare wheel replaced by a regular
road wheel with a winter tire at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45‡ (7†) and whenever wintry road
conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated tires
provide special winter performance. Make
sure the tires you use show the mountain/
snowflakeimarking on the tire sidewall.
These tires meet specific snow traction
performance requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) and
have been designed specifically for use in
snow conditions. Use of winter tires is the
only way to achieve the maximum
effectiveness of your vehicle’s driving safety
systems such as the ABS and the ESP
®
in
winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.
For information on winter tires for your
vehicle model, see the “Technical data”
section ( Y page 291).
Always

observe the speed rating of the winter
tires installed on your vehicle. Snow chains
! When driving with snow chains, always
select the raised level of the vehicle level
control. Other settings may result in
damage to your vehicle.
! Some tire sizes do not leave adequate
clearance for snow chains. To help avoid
serious damage to your vehicle or tires,
make sure the use of snow chains is
permissible as specified in the “Technical
data” section of this Operator’s Manual.
Snow chains should only be driven on snow-
covered roads at speeds not to exceed
30 mph (50 km/h)

. Remove chains as soon
as possible when driving on roads without
snow. 208
Winter driving
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Observe the following guidelines when using
snow chains:
R
Use
of snow chains is not permissible with
all wheel/tire combinations ( Y page 291).
R Use snow chains in pairs and on rear
wheels only. Follow the manufacturer’s
mounting instructions.
! If snow chains are mounted to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the body
or axle components. The tires or the vehicle
could be damaged as a result.
R Only use snow chains that are approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Any authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center will be glad to advise you on
this subject.
R Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check local
and state laws before installing snow
chains.
R Do not use snow chains on the spare wheel.
i When driving with snow chains, you may
wish to switch off the ESP ®
(Y page 59)
before setting the vehicle in motion. This
will improve the vehicle’s traction. Winter driving instructions
G
Warning!
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) gases may enter vehicle interior
resulting in unconsciousness and death.
To

assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind. G
Warning!
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing

point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. G
Warning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result

in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt
acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, shift
the automatic transmission to neutral
position N. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.
i For information on driving with snow
chains, see “Snow chains” ( Y page 208).
Road salts and chemicals can adversely
affect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce the
normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically when
traveling at length on salt-strewn roads can
bring road-salt-impaired braking efficiency
back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven on
salt-treated roads, the braking efficiency
should be tested as soon as possible after
driving is resumed. G
Warning!
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers. Winter driving
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