2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS SHOOTING BRAKE overheating

i
This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There
is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surfaces If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten- tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
R
Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distanc eto the vehicle
ahead.
New brake pads/linings New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometres of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes
AMG brake systems are designed for heavy
loads. This may lead to noise when braking.
This is dependent on:
R
speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity Driving tips
169Driving and parking Z

Driving with summer tyres
Observe the notes in the "Winte
roperation"
section (Y page 356).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Move the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces .Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 357). Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not change downf or additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
Cruise control cannot take account of road
and traffic conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when cruise control is activated. Cruise control is only an aid designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's
speed and for braking in good time.
G
WARNING
Do not use cruise control
R in traffic conditions that do not allow you to
drive at a constant speed (e.g. heavy traffic
or winding roads). You may otherwise
cause an accident.
R on slippery roads. The drive wheels may
lose their grip when braking or accelerating
and the vehicle may skid.
R when there is low visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer (CLS Shoot-
ing Brake only), you must select shift range
1,
2 or 3in good time. By doing so, you will make
use of the braking effect of the engine. This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. Driving systems
171Driving and parking Z

Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards =.
or
X Brake
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp :in the cruise contro llever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake.
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h.
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruisecontrol off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constan tslight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely. G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
SPEEDTRONIC is only an aid designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed and for braking in good time.
SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you do not exceed the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towin gatrailer (CLS Shoot-
ing Brake only), you must select shift range 1,
2 or 3in good time. By doing so, you will make
use of the braking effect of the engine .This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 177)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored. 174
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Notes on towing
atrailer
General notes !
Use a drawbar noseweigh tas close as
possible to the maximum permissible nose-
weight. Do not use a noseweight of less
than 50kg, otherwise the trailer may come
loose.
Note that the payload and the rear axle load
are reduced by the actual payload.
i When towing a trailer, set the tyre pres-
sure on the rear axle of the towing vehicle
for a maximum load; see the tyre pressure
table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 357).
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 396).
The maximum noseweight of the trailer draw-
bar on the ball coupling is 84 kg. The actual
noseweight may however not be higher than
the value which is given on the trailer tow
hitch or trailer identification plates. The low-
est weight applies.
Please note that when towing a trailer, PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 191), Active Parking Assist
(Y page 194) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 208) are only available with limita-
tions, or not at all.
i On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter accord-
ing to the load placed on the vehicle. If nec-
essary, use a trailer with a height-adjusta-
ble drawbar.
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 69).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max-
imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country. For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies
to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for
reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients.
On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must select shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary. Towing
atrailer
219Driving an d parking Z

!
Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreeze protection. You
could otherwise damage the engine.
Further information on coolants can be
found in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications
for Service Products, MB Specifications for
Service Products 310.1, e.g. on the Inter-
net at http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
Or contact a qualified specialist workshop.
! Always use a suitable coolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the engine cooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating.
! The engine cooling system is filled with
coolant, which must be renewed after
15 years or after 250,000 kilometres at the
latest.
The coolant is a mixture of water and anti-
freeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs the
following tasks:
R anti-corrosion protection
R antifreeze protection
R raising the boiling point
If antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor is present in
the correct concentration, the boiling point of
the coolant during operation will be approx-
imately 130 †.
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor concentra-
tion in the engine cooling system should:
R be at least 50%. This will protect the engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -37 †.
R not exceed 55% (antifreeze protection
down to -45 †). Heat will otherwise not be
dissipated as effectively.
If the vehicle has lost coolant, top it up with
equal amounts of water and antifreeze/cor-
rosion inhibitor. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends an antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor con-
centrate in accordance with MB Specifica-
tions for Service Products 310.1. The coolant is checked at every maintenance
interval at a qualified specialist workshop.
i
When the vehicle is first delivered, it is fil-
led with a coolant mixture that ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion protec-
tion. Windscreen washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. If it comes into contact with hot
engine components or the exhaust system it
could ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that no windscreen washer con-
centrate is spilled next to the filler neck.
! Only use washer fluid that is suitable for
plastic lamp lenses, e.g. MB SummerFit or
MB WinterFit. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
! Do not use distilled or de-ionised water in
the washer fluid reservoir. Otherwise, the
level sensor may be damaged.
! Only the washer fluids SummerFit and
WinterFit can be mixed. Otherwise, the
spraying nozzles could become blocked.
At temperatures above freezing:
X Fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture
of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB Sum-
merFit.
Mix 1 part MB SummerFit to 100 parts water. Service products and capacities
393Technical data Z