2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class CABRIOLET brake

XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.XMove the selector lever to P.XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.XSecure the vehicle.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
Tow-starting (emergency starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
Fuses
Important safety notes
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
stop operating.
GWARNING
Only use fuses approved by Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system in
question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse. Using other than
approved fuses or using repaired or bridged
fuses may cause an overload leading to a fire,
and/or cause damage to electrical
components and/or systems. Have the cause
determined and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart. An authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center will be happy to
advise you.
i If a fuse has blown, contact a breakdown
service or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or
systems could be damaged.
Before changing a fuse
XPark the vehicle and apply the parking
brake.XSwitch off all electrical consumers.XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R fuse box on the driver's side of the
dashboard
R fuse box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R fuse box in the trunk on the right-hand side
of the vehicle, when viewed in the direction
of travel
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit ( Y page 290) in the stowage
compartment under the trunk floor.
Dashboard fuse box
! Do not use a pointed object such as a
screwdriver to open the cover in the
Fuses303Breakdown assistanceZ

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops ( Y page 23).
Important safety notes
Consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
if you require information on approved and
recommended tires and wheels for summer
and winter operation. Advice on purchasing
and caring for tires is also available there.
GWARNING
Replace rims or tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as shown
on the original part. For further information
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted, the wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged. Also, the
operating clearance of the wheels and the
tires may no longer be correct.
GWARNING
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.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can result
in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be
recognized on retreads. The operating safety
of the vehicle cannot be assured when such
tires are used.GWARNING
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possible
damage to your vehicle has occurred, you
should turn on the hazard warning flashers,
carefully slow down, and drive with caution to
an area which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle appears
unsafe, have the vehicle towed to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.
GWARNING
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high speed
with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire.
i Further information about Tires and
wheels can be obtained from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Operation
Notes on driving
R If the vehicle is heavily laden, check the tire
pressures and correct them if necessary.
R When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tires do not get deformed by the curb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive
over curbs, speed humps or similar
elevations, try to do so slowly and at an
obtuse angle. Otherwise, the tires,
particularly the sidewalls, can get
damaged.
308OperationWheels and tires

impairs cornering ability and reduces driving
stability. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare wheel replaced by a normal
wheel with an M+S tire at the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use snow chains
which have been specially approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a
corresponding standard of quality.
! There is not enough space for snow
chains on some wheel sizes. Observe the
information under "Tires and wheels" in the
"Technical Data" section to avoid damage
to the vehicle or the wheels.
R Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow. Do not
exceed the maximum permissible speed of
30 mph (50 km/h). Remove the snow
chains as soon as possible when you are no
longer driving on snow-covered roads.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Applicable regulations must
be observed if you wish to mount snow
chains.
R Snow chains must not be mounted on
emergency spare wheels.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R you may not attach snow chains to all
wheel-tire combinations; see the
information under "Wheel and tire
combinations" in the "Wheels and tires"
section.
R mount snow chains only in pairs and only
to the rear wheels. Observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions.
! If snow chains are mounted on the front
wheels, the snow chains could grind
against the bodywork or components of the
chassis. This could result in damage to the
vehicle or the tires.
! Vehicles with steel wheels: if you wish
to mount snow chains on steel wheels,
make sure that you remove the respective
wheels' hubcaps first. The hubcaps may
otherwise be damaged.
i You may wish to deactivate
ESP ®
(Y page 63) when pulling away with
snow chains mounted. This way you can
allow the wheels to spin in a controlled
manner, achieving an increased driving
force (cutting action).
Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
GWARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
The recommended tire pressures for the tires
mounted at the factory can be found on the
labels described here.
Option 1) Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle ( Y page 319).Tire pressure311Wheels and tiresZ

Checking the tire pressures
Important safety notesGWARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Check the tire pressure at least once a month.
Only check and correct tire pressures when
the tires are cold ( Y page 311).
Checking tire pressure manually
To determine and set the correct tire
pressure, proceed as follows:
XRemove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.XPress the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.XRead the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side of your vehicle.XIf necessary, increase the tire pressure to
the recommended value ( Y page 311).XIf the tire pressure is too high, release air
by pressing down the metal pin in the valve
using the tip of a pen, for example. Thencheck the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.XScrew the valve cap onto the valve.XRepeat these steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure loss warning system
(Canada only)
Important safety notes
While the vehicle is in motion, the tire
pressure loss warning system monitors the
set tire pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tire. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction
display.
GWARNING
If the Check Tire Pressure Soon message
appears in the multifunction display, one or
more tires are significantly underinflated.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible and
inflate the tires to the pressure specified on
the vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard or (where available) in the tire
pressure table.
Driving on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Underinflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Check all tires when cold, including the spare
tire, at least once a month. The tires should
be inflated to the recommended pressure.
This information can be found:
R on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side
or
R in the table for the tire pressure on the
inside of the fuel filler flap
Tire pressure315Wheels and tiresZ

GWARNING
The tire pressure loss warning system does
not provide a warning for wrongly selected tire
inflation pressures. Always adjust tire
inflation pressure according to the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the driver's
door B-pillar or on the tire inflation pressure
label located on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The tire pressure loss warning system does
not replace regular checks of the tire inflation
pressures since a gradual pressure loss in
more than one tire cannot be detected by the
tire pressure loss warning system.
The tire pressure loss warning system is not
able to issue a warning due to a sudden
dramatic loss of tire inflation pressure (e.g.
tire blowout caused by a foreign object). In
this case bring the vehicle to a halt by carefully
applying the brakes and avoiding abrupt
steering maneuvers.
The function of the tire pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted to your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style
(cornering at high speeds or driving with
high rates of acceleration).
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof).
Restarting the tire pressure loss
warning system
Restart the tire pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mount new wheels or tires
XBefore restarting, consult the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side or the tire
pressure table on the inside of the fuel filler
flap to ensure the tire pressure in all fourtires is set correctly for the current
operating conditions.XObserve the notes in the section on tire
pressures ( Y page 311).GWARNING
The tire pressure loss warning system can
only give reliable warnings if you have set the
correct tire pressure.
If an incorrect tire pressure is set, these
incorrect values will be monitored.
A tire with insufficient pressure results in
vehicle instability when driving, thus
increasing the risk of an accident.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in
position 2 ( Y page 145) in the ignition lock.XPress the = or ; button to select the
Serv. menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
Tire Pressure .XPress the a button.
The Run Flat Indicator Active
Press 'OK' to Restart message
appears in the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
XPress the a button.
The Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears in the multifunction display.XPress 9 or : to select Yes.XPress the a button.
The Run Flat Indicator Restarted
message appears in the multifunction
display.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tire pressures of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
XPress the % button.
or
XIf the Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears, press 9 or : to select
Cancel .316Tire pressureWheels and tires

short time. This is rectified after a few
minutes of driving, and the tire pressures
are displayed for the correct positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitorGWARNING
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to the recommended cold tire
pressure. Underinflated tires affect the ability
to steer or brake the vehicle. You might lose
control over the vehicle.
When you restart the tire pressure monitor,
all existing warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamps go out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the
reference values for monitoring.
The tire pressure monitor must be restarted
when you set the tire pressure to a new value
(as a result of changed drive or load
characteristics, for example). The tire
pressure monitor then monitors the new tire
pressure values.
Restart the tire pressure monitor after you
have set the tire pressure to the value
recommended for the desired driving
situation ( Y page 311). Only correct tire
pressures on cold tires. Comply with the
recommended tire pressures on the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side. Additional tire pressure
values for driving at high speeds or with heavy
loads can be found in the tire pressure table
on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
XMake sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels.XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Serv. menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
Tire Pressure .XPress the a button.
The multifunction display shows the
current tire pressure of the individual tiresor the Tire pressures will be
displayed after driving a few
minutes message.XPress the : button.
The Use Current Pressures as New
Reference Values message appears in
the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
XPress the a button.
The Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction
display.
After driving for a few minutes, the system
checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
XPress the % button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1)The Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
Tire and Loading Information placard
shows the maximum permissible number
of occupants and the maximum
permissible vehicle load. It also contains
details of the tire sizes andLoading the vehicle319Wheels and tiresZ

Example 1Example 2Example 3Step 3Permissible cargo
and trailer load/
noseweight
(maximum gross
vehicle weight rating
from the Tire and
Loading Information
placard minus the
gross weight of all
occupants)1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
750 lbs (340 kg)
= 750 lbs
(340 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
540 lbs (245 kg)
= 960 lbs
(435 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
150 lbs (68 kg) =
1350 lbs
(612 kg)
The higher the weight of all the occupants, the smaller the maximum load for luggage.
Further information can be found under "Towing a trailer" ( Y page 323).
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle weight rating and the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side (Y page 319).
Gross vehicle weight: the gross weight of
the vehicle, all passengers, cargo and trailer
load/noseweight (if applicable) must not
exceed the permissible gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum
permissible load that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross
vehicle weight and maximum gross axle
weight rating), have your loaded vehicle
(including driver, occupants, cargo, and full
trailer load if applicable) weighed on a
suitable vehicle weighbridge.
Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The
trailer load/noseweight is usually
approximately 10% of the gross weight of the
trailer and its load.
Your Mercedes-Benz has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and their
luggage. Mercedes-Benz does not
recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Maximum load rating
GWARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Maximum load rating323Wheels and tiresZ

the tire's ability to stop on a wet surface as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.GWARNING
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 dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum tire
tread depth of 1
/ 6 in (4 mm) for all four winter
tires ( Y page 310) to maintain normal driving
characteristics in winter. Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow covered
surfaces in comparison to summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with ice or snow. Take
appropriate care when driving.
! Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train.
Temperature
GWARNING
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. These represent 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.
Tire labeling
Tire labeling overview
The following markings are on the tire in
addition to the tire name (sales designation)
and the manufacturer's name:
:Uniform tire Quality Grading Standard
( Y page 329);DOT, Tire Identification Number
( Y page 328)=Maximum tire load ( Y page 323)?Maximum tire pressure ( Y page 314)AManufacturerBTire material ( Y page 329)CTire size designation, load-bearing
capacity and speed rating ( Y page 326)Tire labeling325Wheels and tiresZ