four wheel drive MERCEDES-BENZ C230 2007 W203 Owner's Manual

86 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 327) and
(
page 335).Electronic traction system
The electronic traction system is a
component of ESP
®.
The electronic traction system improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available
traction, especially under slippery road
conditions by applying the brakes to a
spinning wheel.
When you switch off the ESP
®, the
electronic traction system is still enabled.Switching off the ESP
®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:

when driving with snow chains

in deep snow

in sand or gravel
!Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because the ESP® operates automatically, the
engine must be turned off (SmartKey in starter
switch position0 or1) when

the parking brake is being tested on a brake
test dynamometer

the vehicle is being towed with the front axle
raised
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system.
For information on vehicles with 4MATIC, see
“Four wheel electronic traction system (4MATIC)
with the ESP
® ” (page 88).
iThe ESP® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 403).
Warning!G
If you are driving too fast, the electronic
traction system cannot reduce the risk of an
accident.
The electronic traction system cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
Warning!G
The ESP® should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a
Minispare wheel is mounted.
!Switch on the ESP® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.

88 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Four wheel electronic traction system
(4MATIC) with the ESP®
Models with all-wheel-drive only.
The 4MATIC improves vehicle’s ability to
use available traction, e.g. during winter
operation in mountains under snowy
conditions, by applying power to all four
wheels.
Warning!G
If you see the ESP® warning lampv
flashing in the instrument cluster, proceed
as follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible

While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
!Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
!Performance testing must only be conduct-
ed on a two-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine must be shut off (SmartKey in starter
switch position0 or1) when the parking brake is
being tested on a brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the front or rear axle
brake system.
Operational tests with the engine running can
only be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer.
iAt highly demanding operating conditions,
the electronic traction system may temporarily
switch off to prevent overheating of the drive
wheel brakes. The message
unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
will then appear in
the multifunction display while the ESP® warning
lampv is flashing. The ESP® is still function-
ing normally.

266 Operation
Driving instructions
Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 308) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately 1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to ensure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance compared to summer
tires. Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise ap-
propriate caution.
Tire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use
prudent driving speeds appropriate to
prevailing conditions.
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed
of 130 mph (210 km/h).The factory equipped tires on your vehicle
may have a tire speed rating above the
maximum speed permitted by the
electronic speed limiter.
Make sure your tires have the required tire
speed rating as specified for your vehicle in
the "Technical data" section (
page 403),
for example when purchasing new tires.
For Information on how to identify the tire
speed rating on a tire’s sidewall, see “Tire
size designation, load and speed rating”
(
page 295).
If you are uncertain about the correct read-
ing of the information given on a tire’s side-
wall, any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to assist you.!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
Warning!G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire
failure, causing loss of vehicle control and
possibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.
iFor information on speed rating for winter
tires, see “Winter tires” (
page 308).
For additional general information on tire speed
markings on tire sidewall, see “Tire speed rating”
(
page 297).

293 Operation
Tires and wheels
Reactivating the Run Flat Indicator*
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
reactivated in the following situations:

If you have changed the tire inflation
pressure

If you have replaced the wheels or tires

If you have installed new wheels or
tires
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or, if available, the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.
Switch on the ignition (page 32).
The standard display menu appears in
the multifunction display (
page 126).
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the following message appears in
the multifunction display:
Press the reset button in the
instrument cluster (
page 311).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart
Run Flat
Indicator?
Yes
Chancel
If you wish to confirm activation:
Press buttonæ.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Run Flat
Indicator
restarted
After a certain “learning phase”, the Run
Flat Indicator checks the set pressure
values for all four tires.
If you wish to cancel activation:
Press buttonç.
or
Wait until the message
Restart
Run Flat
Indicator?
Yes
Chancel
disappears.
Warning!G
The Run Flat Indicator* can only warn you in
a reliable manner if you have set the correct
tire inflation pressures for each tire.
If an incorrect tire inflation pressure was
set, the system will monitor the pressure
according to the incorrect value.

403 Technical data
Rims and Tires
Rims and Tires
!Only use tires which have been tested and
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Tires approved by Mercedes-Benz are developed
to provide best possible performance in conjunc-
tion with the driving safety systems on your vehi-
cle such as ABS or ESP
®. Tires specially
developed for your vehicle and tested and ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz can be identified by
finding the following on the tire’s sidewall:

MO = Mercedes-Benz Original equipment
tires

MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(tires with limited run-flat characteristics)
original equipment tires. Using tires other
than those approved by Mercedes-Benz may
result in damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iFor information on driving with MOExtended
tires, see “MOExtended system*” (
page 382).
!Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz can have detrimental effects,
such as

poor handling characteristics

increased noise

increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may, under load, exhibit dimen-
sional variations and different tire deformation
characteristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or axle parts.
Damage to the tires or the vehicle may be the
result.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. A placard with the recommended tire in-
flation pressures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have supplemental
tire inflation pressure information for driving at
high speeds (
page 290) or for vehicle loads
less than the maximum loaded vehicle condition
(
page 290). If such information is provided, it can be found
on the placard located on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be adjusted
on cold tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s mainte-
nance recommendation included with vehicle.
iThe following pages also list the approved
wheel rim and tire sizes for equipping your vehi-
cles with winter tires. Winter tires are not avail-
able as standard or optional factory equipment,
but can be purchased from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Depending on vehicle model and the standard or
optional factory-equipped wheel rim/tire config-
uration on your vehicle (Appearance Package,
Sport Package etc.), equipping your vehicle with
winter tires approved for your vehicle model may
also require the purchase of two or four wheel
rims of the recommended size for use with these
winter tires. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for more information.