2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class winter tires

X
To activate/deactivate: press button0010.
If indicator lamp 001Ais lit, operatio nofthe
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp 001Ais off,
operation is possible using the switches in
the rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 66)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 67)
R BAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System Plus)
(Y page 67)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 68)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 71)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 72)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 72) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front,f
or vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road, weather and traffic
conditionsa nd maintain asafe distanc efrom
th ev ehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems describe donly
work as effectivel yaspossible when there
is adequat econtac tbetween th etires and
th er oad surface. Pleas epay special
attentio ntothenote sont ires,
recommende dminimu mtire tread depths,
etc .(Ypage 334).
In wintry drivin gconditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
sno wchains. Only in this way will the
drivin gsafet ysystems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Brakin
gSystem)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafet ynotes"
sectio n(Ypage 66). G
WARNING
If ABSisf aulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully.H ave ABS checked
immediately at aqualified specialist
workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 267) and
displaym essages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 238).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such away
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and
adapt yourd riving and braking accordingly
during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in
correspondingly high brake wear. Observe
the 0002 brake wearw arning lamp in the
instrumen tcluster and not eany brak estatus
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performanc edriving, it is
importan ttomaintain and have the brake
system checked regularly. Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to
acertain depth
on the road surface, there is adanger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason ,inthe even tofheavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning may
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R brak ecarefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through floode dareas.
Check the dept hofany water befor edriving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water .Otherwise, water ma yente rthe
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or the automatic
transmission. Water can also be drawn in
by the engine's air suction nozzles and this
can cause engine damage. Winter driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on aslippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect,t he drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on aslippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is arisk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open
aw indow on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at aqualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 336).
Driving with summer tires Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y
page 336).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
If you shift down on aslippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect,t he drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on aslippery road surface. 174
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Load compensation
The vehicle can compensat
edifferences in
th ev ehicle level by raisin gorlowering the
rear axle. This is the case, for example, if
people get out or if luggage is being loaded.
Load compensation takes place if:
R ad oor or the trunk lid/tailgate is opened
R the parked vehicle is unlocked
For larger level changes, the engine must be
running. 4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic
conditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front,f or vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
If ad rive wheel spins due to insufficien tgrip:
R Only depress the accelerator peda lasfar
as necessary when pulling away.
R Accelerate less when driving.
! Never tow the vehicl ewith one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damag eofthis sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remai neithe ront he ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
4MATIC ensures that allf our wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
,it
improves the traction of you rvehicle
whenever adrive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip. PARKTRONIC
Important safet ynotes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parkin
gaid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distanc ebetween your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a
replacemen tfor your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting aparkin gspace. When
maneuvering, parkin gorpulling out of a
parkin gspace, make sure that ther eare no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detec tsuch objects
when they are in th eimmediat evicinity of
th ev ehicle. You could damag ethe vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objectst hat absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or apneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z

Do not remove the SmartKe
yfromt he
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door or front-passenge rdoor when the
engine is switched off. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission selects park
position Pautomatically and locks the
wheels. You can prevent this by shifting
the automatic transmission to N
beforehand.
R Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
Do not open the driver's door or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N:
X Make sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 147).
Use the SmartKey instead of the Start/
Stop button on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the
windshield.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowe
datspecially equipped washing bays. Observe the legal requirements in all
countries concerned.
X
Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use asoft sponge to clean.
X Use amild cleaning agent, such as acar
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with achamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
Power washers G
WARNING
The water jet from acircular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components.
Component sdamaged in this way may fail
unexpectedly. There is arisk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced
immediately.
! Always maintain adistance of at least
11.8in( 30 cm) between the vehicl eand the
powe rwasher nozzle. Information about
th ec orrec tdistanc eisavailabl efromt he
equipmen tmanufacturer.
Mov ethe power washe rnozzle around
when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tires
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
R electrical components 312
CareMaintenance and care

In addition to the vehicle load, the driving
distance possible depends upon:
R
Speed
R Roadc ondition
R Outside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
may be reduced by extreme driving
conditions/maneuvers, or it can be increased
through amoderate style of driving.
The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted from
the moment the tire pressure loss warning
appears in the multifunction display.
You must not exceed amaximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
i When replacing one or all tires, make sure
that you use only tires:
R of the size specified for the vehicle and
R marked "MOExtended"
If at ire has gone flat and cannot be
replaced with aMOExtended tire, a
standard tire may be used as atemporary
measure. Make sure that you use the
proper size and type (summe rorwinter
tire).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When drivin ginemergenc ymode, the driving
characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when
cornering, accelerating quickly and when
braking. There is arisk of an accident.
Do not exceed the stated maximum speed.
Avoid abrupt steerin gand drivin gmaneuvers,
and drivin gover obstacles (curbs, potholes,
off-road). This applies in particular to aladen
vehicle.
Stop drivin ginemergenc ymode if:
R you hear bangin gnoises.
R the vehicle starts to shake.
R you see smok eand smell rubber. R
ESP ®
is intervenin gconstantly.
R there are tear sinthe sidewalls of the tire.
After drivin ginemergency mode, have the
wheel rims checked at aqualified specialist
workshop with regar dtotheir further use. The
defectiv etirem ust be replaced in ever ycase. Battery (vehicle)
Important safety notes
Special tools and expert knowledge are
require dwhen working on the battery, e.g.
removal and installing. You should therefore
have all work involvin gthe battery carried out
at aq ualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Work carried out incorrectly on the battery
can lead, for example, to ashor tcircuit and
thus damage the vehicle electronics. This can
lead to function restriction sapplying to
safety-relevan tsystems ,e.g.t he lighting
system, AB S(anti-loc kbrakin gsystem) or
ESP ®
(Electronic Stabilit yProgram). The
operating safet yofyour vehicl emay be
restricted. You could lose control of the
vehicle, for example:
R braking
R in th eevent of abrup tsteerin gmaneuver
and/o rwhen the vehicle's speed is not
adapted to the road conditions
There is arisk of an accident.
In the event of ashort circuit or asimilar
incident, contact aqualified specialist
workshop immediately. Do not drive any
further. You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at aqualifie dspecialist
workshop. G
WARNING
Electrostatic build-up can lead to th ecreation
of sparks ,whic hc ould ignite th ehighly
explosive gases of abattery. Ther eisariskof
an explosion. 322
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

Useful information
............................334
Importan tsafet ynotes .................... 334
Operation ........................................... 334
Winter operation ............................... 336
Check ................................................. 338
Loading the vehicle ..........................345
All about wheels and tires ...............349
Changing awheel ............................. 357
Wheel and tir ecombinations ...........362
Emergency spar ewheel ................... 367 333Wheels and tires

Bar indicator
001Afor trea dwearisi ntegrated
into the tire tread.
Treadwear indicator s(TWI) are required by
law. Six indicator sare positioned on the tire
tread. The yare visible once the trea ddepth
is approximately 0014in (1.6 mm). If this is the
case ,the tire is so worn that it mus tbe
replaced. Selecting, mounting and replacing
tires
R Only mount tires and wheels of the same
type and make.
Exception: it is permissible to install a
different type or make in the event of aflat
tire. Observe the "MOExtended tires (tires
with run-flat characteristics" section
(Y page3 21).
R Only mount tires of the correct size onto
the wheels.
R Break in new tires at moderate speeds for
the first 60 mile s(100 km) .They only reach
their full performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tires which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (hydroplaning).
R Replace the tires after six years at the
latest, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 367). MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is atotal loss of
pressure in one or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in
conjunction with an active tire pressure loss
warning system or with an active tire pressure
monitor and on wheels specifically tested by
Mercedes-Benz. Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with
af
lat tire (Y page 321).
i Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with aTIREFIT kit at the
factory. It is therefore recommended that
you additionall yequip your vehicle with a
TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not
feature run-flat properties, e.g. winter tires.
AT IREFIT kit can be obtained from a
qualified specialist workshop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at aqualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing awheel"
section (Y page 357). Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity significantly ,and
therefore traction and braking power as well.
Change the tires on you rvehicle to
M+S tires. Using summer tires at very cold
temperatures could cause crack stoform,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. M+S tires
G
WARNING
M+S tires with atiret read dept hofless than
001F in (4 mm )are no tsuitable for use in winter
and do no tprovide sufficient traction .There
is ar iskofana ccident.
M+S tires wit hatread dept hofless than 001F
in (4 mm )must be replace dimmediately.
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), use
winter tires or all-weather tires. Both type sof
tir ea re identified by th eM+S marking. 336
Winte
roperationWheels and tires

Only winter tires bearing the
0012snowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking
provide the best possibleg rip in wintry road
conditions.
Only these tires will allowd riving safety
systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to function
optimally in winter. These tires have been
developeds pecificallyfor driving in snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics.
Alwayso bserve the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
Once the winter tires are mounted:
X Check the tire pressures (Y page 341).
X Vehiclesf or Canada: restart the tire
pressure loss warning system
(Y page 342).
X Restart the tire pressure monitor
(Y page 342).
For more information on driving with the
emergency spare wheel, see (Y page 367).Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is arisk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R never install snow chains to the front
wheels
R always install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
! On vehicles with AIRMATIC, you must
drive at raised vehicle level if snow chains
have been mounted. The vehicle may
otherwise be damaged.
! On some tire sizes there is not enough
space for snow chains. To avoid damage to the vehicle or tires, observe the "Wheel and
tire combinations" section under "Tires and
wheels".
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use snow chains
that have been speciallya pproved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,ora re of a
corresponding standard of quality.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R Snow chains may not be mounted on all
wheel/tire combinations. Permissible
wheel-tire combinations (Y page 362).
R Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow.
Remove the snow chains as soon as
possiblew hen you come to aroad that is
not snow-covered.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate
regulations if you wish to mount snow
chains.
R Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains installed
(Y page 69). This way you can allow the
wheels to spin in acontrolled manner,
achieving an increased driving force
(cutting action).
For more information on driving with the
emergenc yspare wheel, see (Y page 367). Winter operation
337Wheels and tires Z