
Things to remember when drivingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Breaking-in period
General information
Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
Engine and differential
Always obey the official speed limit.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speed:▷For gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode for the initial
miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac‐
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in pe‐
riod.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and discs. Drive moderately during this break-in
period.
Following part replacement
The same breaking in procedures should be ob‐
served if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
Using the hybrid system
efficiently
The concept
Your vehicle's hybrid system runs automatically.
Through foresighted driving, the hybrid proper‐
ties are used to the full extent, i.e. fuel consump‐
tion and energy recovery are optimized.
Optimizing energy recovery
Types of energy recovery
Energy recovery is used to charge the high-volt‐
age battery. It is important for the supply of elec‐
trical components and thus a prerequisite for
fuel economy. It appears in three stages during
rolling and braking:
Low energy recovery:
When coasting to a halt without
pressing the brake pedal.Seite 154Driving tipsThings to remember when driving154
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aged. In addition, exhaust fumes may enter the
passenger compartment.◀
If driving with the tailgate open cannot be
avoided:▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof.▷Greatly increase the blower speed.▷Drive moderately.
Hot exhaust system
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. When driv‐
ing, standing at idle and while parking, take care
to avoid possible contact between the hot ex‐
haust system and any highly flammable materi‐
als such as hay, leaves, grass, etc. Such contact
could lead to a fire, and with it the risk of serious
personal injury as well as property damage.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise, there
is the danger of getting burned.◀
Climate control windshield
The marked area is not covered with heat re‐
flective coating.
Use this area for garage door openers, devices
for electronic toll collection, etc.
Climate control laminated tinted safety
glass
The vehicle glass provides full protection
against the harmful effects of UV radiation on the
skin.
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is advised that you do not use mobile commu‐
nication devices, e.g., mobile phones, inside the
vehicle without connecting them directly to the
external antenna. Otherwise, the vehicle elec‐
tronics and mobile communication devices can
interfere with each other. In addition, there is no
assurance that the radiation generated during
transmission will be discharged from the vehicle
interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning.◀
Driving through water
Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 9.8 inches/25 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to 6 mph/10 km/h.
Adhere to water depth and speed limita‐
tions
Do not exceed this water depth and walking
speed; otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the elec‐
trical systems and the transmission may be
damaged.◀Seite 156Driving tipsThings to remember when driving156
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LoadingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
General information Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carrying
capacity of the tires, never overload the vehicle.
Overloading can lead to overheating and in‐
creases the rate at which damage develops in‐
side the tires. This could result in a sudden loss
of tire inflation pressure.◀
No fluids in the trunk
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
trunk; otherwise, the vehicle may be damaged. ◀
Determining the load limit1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐hicle and unstable driving situations may
result.2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds.4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs pas‐
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail‐
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs = 400 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
Load
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
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Mobility
To ensure that you remain mobile at all times, this chapter supplies you with important information
on the topics of fuels and lubricants, wheels and tires, service, maintenance, and Roadside Assistance.Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 900 579 - 03 12 490

Wheels and tiresVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
Tire inflation pressure
Safety information
The tire characteristics and tire inflation pres‐
sure influence the following:▷The service life of the tires.▷Road safety.▷Driving comfort.
Checking the pressure
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after driving no more
than 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours. When the tires
are warm, the tire inflation pressure is higher.
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
Regularly check the tire inflation pressure
and correct it as needed: at least twice a month
and before a long trip. If you fail to observe this
precaution, you may be driving on tires with in‐
correct tire pressures, a condition that may not
only compromise your vehicle's driving stability,
but also lead to tire damage and the risk of an
accident.◀
After correcting the tire inflation pressure:
▷Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor.▷Reinitialize the Tire Pressure Monitor.Pressure specifications
The tire inflation pressure table, refer to
page 262, contains all pressure specifications
for the specified tire sizes at the ambient tem‐
perature. Pressure specifications apply to ap‐
proved tire sizes and recommended tire brands.
This information can be obtained from your
service center.
To identify the correct tire inflation pressure,
please note the following:▷Tire sizes of your vehicle.▷Maximum permitted driving speed.
Tire inflation pressures up to 100 mph/
160 km/h
For speeds of up to 100 mph/160 km/h and for
optimum driving comfort, note the pressure val‐
ues in the tire inflation pressure table, refer to
page 262, and adjust as necessary.
These pressure values can also be found on the
tire inflation pressure label on the driver's door
pillar.
Maximum permissible speed
Do not exceed 100 mph/160 km/h; other‐
wise, tire damage and accidents may result.◀
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Tire inflation pressure values up to
100 mph/160 km/h
ActiveHybrid 5
Tire sizePressure specifications
in bar/PSI
Specifications in bar/
PSI with cold tires
245/45 R 18 100 V M
+S XL A/S RSC
245/40 R 19 98 V M
+S XL A/S RSC
245/45 R 18 96 Y
RSC
225/55 R 17 97 H M
+S RSC
245/45 R 18 100 V M
+S XL RSC
2.4 / 352.6 / 38Front: 245/45 R 18
96 Y RSC
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99
Y RSC
2.4 / 35
-
-
2.4 / 35
Front: 245/40 R 19
94 Y RSC
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96
Y RSC
2.4 / 35
-
-
2.6 / 38
Front: 245/35 R 20
95 Y XL RSC
Rear: 275/30 R 20 97
Y XL RSC
2.5 / 36
-
-
2.9 /42
Compact wheel:
T 135/90 R 17 104 M
Speed up to a max. of
50 mph / 80 km/h
4.2 / 60
Tire inflation pressures at max. speeds
above 100 mph/160 km/h
Speeds above 100 mph/160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in ex‐
cess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please observe, and,
if necessary, adjust tire pressures for speeds
exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from the relevant
table on the following pages. Otherwise tire
damage and accidents could occur.◀
Tire inflation pressure values over
100 mph/160 km/h
ActiveHybrid 5
Without high-speed tuning feature
Tire sizePressure specifications
in bar/PSI
Specifications in bar/
PSI with cold tires
245/45 R 18 100 V M
+S XL A/S RSC
245/40 R 19 98 V M
+S XL A/S RSC
245/45 R 18 96 Y
RSC
225/55 R 17 97 H M
+S RSC
245/45 R 18 100 V M
+S XL RSC
2.4 / 352.9 /42Front: 245/45 R 18
96 Y RSC
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99
Y RSC
2.4 / 35
-
-
2.4 / 35
Front: 245/40 R 19
94 Y RSC
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96
Y RSC
2.4 / 35
-
-
2.6 / 38
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Tire sizePressure specifications
in bar/PSI
Front: 245/35 R 20
95 Y XL RSC
Rear: 275/30 R 20 97
Y XL RSC
2.5 / 36
-
-
2.9 /42
Compact wheel:
T 135/90 R 17 104 M
Speed up to a max. of
50 mph / 80 km/h
4.2 / 60
With high-speed tuning feature
Tire sizePressure specifications
in bar/PSI
Specifications in bar/
PSI with cold tires
245/45 R 18 100 V M
+S XL A/S RSC
245/40 R 19 98 V M
+S XL A/S RSC
245/45 R 18 96 Y
RSC
225/55 R 17 97 H M
+S RSC
245/45 R 18 100 V M
+S XL RSC
2.7 / 393.2 / 46Front: 245/45 R 18
96 Y RSC
Rear: 275/40 R 18 99
Y RSC
2.7 / 39
-
-
2.7 / 39
Front: 245/40 R 19
94 Y RSC
Rear: 275/35 R 19 96
Y RSC
2.7 / 39
-
-
3.0 / 44
Tire sizePressure specifications
in bar/PSI
Front: 245/35 R 20
95 Y XL RSC
Rear: 275/30 R 20 97
Y XL RSC
2.8 / 41
-
-
3.2 / 46
Compact wheel:
T 135/90 R 17 104 M
Speed up to a max. of
50 mph / 80 km/h
4.2 / 60
Tire identification marks
Tire size
255/50 R 19 103 Y
255: nominal width in mm
50: aspect ratio in %
R: radial tire code
19: rim diameter in inches
103: load rating, not for ZR tires
Y: speed rating, before the R on ZR tires
Speed letter
T = up to 118 mph, 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph, 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph, 240 km/h
W = up to 167 mph, 270 km/h
Y = up to 186 mph, 300 km/h
Tire Identification Number
DOT code: DOT xxxx xxx 3510
xxxx: manufacturer code for the tire brand
xxx: tire size and tire design
3510: tire age
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
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Tire age
DOT … 3510: the tire was manufactured in the
35th week in 2010.
Recommendation
Regardless of wear, replace tires at least every
6 years.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200; Traction AA;
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
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 gov‐
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half, 1 g, 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 cli‐
mate.
Traction
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 surfa‐ces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration, cornering, hydro‐
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature
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. Sus‐
tained 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 Band A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Temperature grade for this tire
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and pos‐
sible tire failure.
If necessary, have the vehicle towed.◀
RSC – Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires, refer to page 267, are labeled with
a circular symbol containing the letters RSC
marked on the sidewall.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.Seite 264MobilityWheels and tires264
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