Avoiding damage to your vehicle
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Driving Tips
109
Driving through water
109
Driving Tips
Only drive on roads and terrain that are appropriate to the vehicle parameters
» page 175 , Technical data .
The driver is always responsible for deciding whether the vehicle can cope
with the conditions and the terrain.
When travelling off paved roads, we recommend activating the OFF ROAD
mode » page 112 .
WARNING■
Adjust the speed and driving style to the current visibility, weather, road
and traffic conditions. Too high a speed or an erroneous manoeuvre may
cause serious injury and damage to the vehicle.■
Combustible objects such as dry leaves or twigs caught under the base of
the vehicle could ignite on hot vehicle parts - risk of fire!
CAUTION
■ Pay attention to the ground clearance of the vehicle! When driving over ob-
jects which are larger than the ground clearance, the vehicle can get damaged.■
Any objects that get trapped under the vehicle floor must be removed as
soon as possible. These items can cause damage to the vehicle (e.g. to parts of
the fuel or brake system).
Driving through waterFig. 130
Maximum permissible water lev-
el when driving through water
The following must be observed to avoid damage to the vehicle when driving
through bodies of water (e.g. flooded roads).
›
Therefore determine the depth of the water before driving through bodies of
water. The water level must not go above the web of the lower beam
» Fig. 130 .
›
Drive at no more than walking pace, otherwise a wave may form in front of
the vehicle, which could cause the water to enter into the vehicle’s systems
(e.g. the air intake system for the engine).
›
Never stop in the water, do not reverse and do not switch the engine off.
CAUTION
■ If water gets into the vehicle’s systems (e.g. the air intake system for the en-
gine) it can cause serious damage to the vehicle!■
Oncoming vehicles can generate water waves which can exceed the permis-
sible water level for your vehicle.
■
Do not drive through salt water, as the salt can cause corrosion. An vehicle
coming into contact with salt water is to be thoroughly rinsed with fresh wa-
ter.
109Starting-off and Driving
