abs MERCEDES-BENZ C300 2008 W204 User Guide

241 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control, with which the vehicle
can maintain a preset speed.

Hill start assist system which helps you
to start off smoothly on a hill.
For information on the ABS, Adaptive
Brake, BAS, EBP, ESP
®, and 4MATIC, see
“Driving safety systems” (
page 59).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of the cruise control is recom-
mended for driving at a constant speed for
extended periods of time.
You can set or resume the cruise control at
any speed over 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
Warning!G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle’s speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road,
traffic, and weather conditions make it
advisable to travel at a steady speed.

The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow
safe driving at a steady speed.

The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in
wheel spin and loss of control.

Deactivate the cruise control when
driving in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
Warning!G
The cruise control brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded. The
brake pedal depresses when the cruise con-
trol engages the brakes.
Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times, in-
cluding the area under the brake pedal. Ob-
jects stored in this area may impair pedal
movement which could interfere with the
braking ability of the cruise control system.
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal
– your foot could become caught.
Keep in mind that the cruise control is a con-
venience system designed to assist the driv-
er during vehicle operation. The driver is and
must always remain responsible for the ve-
hicle’s speed and for safe brake operation.

311 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent,
depends on driving habits and operating
conditions.
To save fuel you should:

Keep tires at the recommended tire
inflation pressures.

Remove unnecessary loads.

Remove roof rack when not in use.

Allow engine to warm up under low
load use.

Avoid frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.

Have all maintenance work performed
at the intervals specified in the Mainte-
nance Booklet and as required by the
Maintenance System. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic,
on short trips, and in hilly area.
Drinking and drivingPedals
Power assistance
Warning!G
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs
and driving are very dangerous combina-
tions. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal ac-
cident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Warning!G
Make sure absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure the pedals still have
sufficient clearance. Otherwise this could
lead to accidents or injury.
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.

317 Operation
Driving instructions
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 elec-
tronic speed limiter.
Make sure your tires have the required tire
speed rating as specified for your vehicle in
the “Technical data” section (
page 467),
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 348).
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.
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to position N. Try
to keep the vehicle under control by cor-
rective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely
affect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
iFor information on speed ratings for winter
tires, see (
page 351) and (page 360).
iFor information on driving with snow chains,
see “Snow chains” (
page 361).
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.
Warning!G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.

352 Operation
Tires and wheels
Load identification
1Load identification
In addition to tire load rating, special load
identification1 may be molded into the
tire sidewall following the letter designat-
ing the tire speed rating6 (
page 348).
No specification given: absence of any text
(like in above example) indicates a
standard load (SL) tire.
XL (Extra Load): designates an extra load
(or reinforced) tire.Light Load: designates a light load tire.
C, D, E: designates load range associated
with the maximum load a tire can carry at
a specified pressure.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
U.S. tire regulations require each new tire
manufacturer or tire retreader to mold a
TIN into or onto a sidewall of each tire
produced.
The TIN is a unique identifier which facili-
tates efforts by tire manufactures to notify
purchasers in recall situations or other
safety matters concerning tires and gives
purchasers the means to easily identify
such tires.
The TIN is comprised of “Manufacturer’s
identification mark”, “Tire size”, “Tire type
code” and “Date of manufacture”.1DOT
2Manufacturer’s identification mark
3Tire size
4Tire type code (at the option of the tire
manufacturer)
5Date of manufacture
DOT (D
epartment of Transportation)
A tire branding symbol1 (
page 352)
which denotes the tire meets require-
ments of the U.S. Department of Transpor-
tation.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

360 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning* system. Add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB Summerfit”
to a premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze which is formulated for
below freezing temperatures
(
page 485).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.

Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, EBP,
ESP
® and 4MATIC in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available at your tire
dealer or any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.

374 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Lamps in instrument cluster
General information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during the
bulb self-check when switching on the igni-
tion, have the respective bulb checked and
replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow Antilock
Brake System (ABS)
indicator lamp comes on
while the engine is
running.The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The BAS, ESP® and EBP
are also switched off (see messages in mul-
tifunction display).
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the systems specified
above.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as navigation system*
or the automatic transmission* may also be
malfunctioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking, re-
ducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 387).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.

375 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow Antilock
Brake System (ABS)
indicator lamp comes on
while the engine is
running.The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off. The
BAS, ESP
® and EBP are also switched off
(see messages in the multifunction display)
The battery may not be charged sufficiently.
Switch off electrical consumers that are
currently not needed, e.g. seat heat-
ing*.
If necessary, have the generator and
battery checked.
When the voltage is above this value again,
the ABS is operational again and the ABS in-
dicator lamp should go out.
-The yellow ABS indicator
lamp comes on while the
engine is running.The ABS is temporarily not available. The
ESP®, BAS and EBP are also unavailable.
The system’s self-diagnosis may not be
completed yet.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the systems specified
above.
Drive a short distance with added
caution at a vehicle speed of above
12 mph (20 km/h).
When the ABS indicator lamp goes out,
the ABS, ESP
®, BAS and EBP are avail-
able again.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.

376 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-
vThe yellow ABS malfunc-
tion indicator lamp and
the yellow ESP
® warning
lamp come on while the
engine is running and an
acoustic warning sounds.
ABS and ESP® are switched off due to a
malfunction.
The BAS and EBP are also switched off.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 387).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
-
v
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while the
engine is running. In addi-
tion, the yellow ABS mal-
function indicator lamp,
and the yellow ESP
®
warning lamp come on
and an acoustic warning
sounds.
A malfunction in the Electronic Brake Pro-
portioning (EBP) was detected. The ABS,
BAS and ESP
® are also switched off (see
messages in multifunction display).
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without electronic support.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 387).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.

389 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messages
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABS and ESP
Currently Unavailable
See Operator’s ManualABS and ESP® are not available due to a malfunction.
BAS and the hill start assist are also switched off. It
is possible that the self-diagnostics have not yet
been completed.
The brake system still functions normally.Drive a short distance with gentle turns above a
speed of 12 mph (20 km/h).
The message disappears when ABS and ESP
®
are again available.
The ABS and ESP® were deactivated because of in-
sufficient power supply. The charging voltage has
fallen below 10 volts. BAS and the hill start assist are
also deactivated.
The brake system still functions normally but without
the ABS and ESP
® available.
When the voltage is above this value again, the ABS
and ESP® are operational again and the message in
the multifunction display should disappear.
If the message in the multifunction display does not
disappear:
Have the generator (alternator) and the battery
checked.
ABS and ESP
Inoperative
See Operator’s ManualABS and ESP® are switched off due to a malfunction.
BAS and the hill start assist are also switched off.
The brake system still functions normally but without
the ABS and ESP
® available.
Continue driving with added caution. Wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing steering
capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.

397 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Symbol messages
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
-ABS and ESP
Currently Unavailable
See Operator’s ManualABS and ESP® are not available due to a
malfunction. BAS and the hill start assist
are also switched off. It is possible that the
self-diagnostics have not yet been complet-
ed.
The brake system still functions normally.Drive a short distance with gentle turns
above a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h).
The message disappears when ABS and
ESP
® are again available.
The ABS and ESP® were deactivated be-
cause of insufficient power supply. The
charging voltage has fallen below 10 volts.
BAS and the hill start assist are also deacti-
vated.
The brake system still functions normally
but without the ABS and ESP
® available.
When the voltage is above this value again,
the ABS and ESP® are operational again and
the message in the multifunction display
should disappear.
If the message in the multifunction display
does not disappear:
Have the generator (alternator) and the
battery checked.