brakes MERCEDES-BENZ CL600 2003 C215 Owner's Manual

ContentsPower windows .................................. 169
Opening and closing
the windows ................................. 169
Synchronizing power windows ..... 172
Sliding / pop-up roof........................... 173
Opening and closing the
sliding / pop-up roof ..................... 173
Synchronizing the
sliding / pop-up roof ..................... 175
Driving systems ................................. 176
Cruise control............................... 176
Distronic* ..................................... 179
Active Body Control (ABC) ............ 190
Parktronic system*
(Parking assist) ............................. 193
Loading .............................................. 197
Roof rack* .................................... 197
Loading instructions ..................... 197
Cargo tie-down hooks .................. 198Useful features .................................. 199
Interior storage spaces ................ 199
Ashtrays ....................................... 206
Cigarette lighter ........................... 207
Heated steering wheel* ............... 208
Telephone* .................................. 208
Tele Aid ........................................ 209
Garage door opener ..................... 217
Infrared reflecting windshield ....... 221
Operation........................................ 223
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 224
Driving instructions............................ 225
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 225
Drinking and driving ..................... 225
Pedals .......................................... 225
Power assistance ......................... 225
Brakes .......................................... 226Driving off .................................... 227
Parking......................................... 227
Tires ............................................. 228
Hydroplaning................................ 229
Tire traction ................................. 229
Tire speed rating .......................... 229
Winter driving instructions ........... 230
Standing water............................. 231
Passenger compartment .............. 231
Driving abroad ............................. 231
Control and operation
of radio transmitters .................... 232
Catalytic converter....................... 232
Emission control .......................... 233
Coolant temperature.................... 234
At the gas station .............................. 235
Check regularly
and before a long trip................... 236

72 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsContinuous steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even with light brake pressure. The
pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving.ABS control
The
-
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when you turn the key in
the starter switch to position2 or press
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice.
It goes out when the engine is running.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 265).
iTo alert following vehicles to slippery
road conditions you discover, operate
your hazard warning flashers as appro-
priate.
Warning!
G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction. The
ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.

73 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing the braking distance. Apply
continuous full braking pressure until the
emergency braking situation is over. The
ABS will prevent the wheels from locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 273).
ESP
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
monitors the vehicle's traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting engine output, the ESP works to
stabilize the vehicle. The ESP is especially
useful while driving off and on wet or slip-
pery road surfaces.
The ESP warning lamp
v
in the instru-
ment cluster flashes when the ESP is en-
gaged.
The warning lamp
v
in the instrument
cluster lights up when you turn the key in
the starter switch to position2 or press
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice.
It goes out when the engine is running.
Warning!
G
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes
and tires or the traction. The BAS cannot
prevent accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, following an-
other vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents. The capabilities of a BAS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

75 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
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:

starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


sand or gravelThe switch is located on the center con-
sole.
1ESP off / on

Press the ESP switch1 until the ESP
warning lamp
v
in the speedometer
lights up.
ESP is deactivated.
If one or more wheels are spinning, the
ESP warning lamp
v
in the speedome-
ter flashes, regardless of the speed.
Traction control brakes a spinning wheel
even when ESP is deactivated.
ESP always operates when you are brak-
ing, even when it has been deactivated.Switching on the ESP

Press the ESP switch1.
The ESP warning lamp
v
in the in-
strument cluster goes out. You are now
again in normal driving mode.
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.iDistronic* cannot be activated when
ESP has been deactivated.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP switched
off. This may cause serious damage to
the drivetrain which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
When the ESP warning lamp
v
is
illuminated continuously, the ESP is
switched off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP.

146 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionGear selector lever position
Effect
P
Park position
Selector position when the vehicle
is parked. Only place selector lever
in positionP when vehicle is
stopped. The park position is not in-
tended to serve as a brake when
the vehicle is parked. Rather, the
driver should always set the park-
ing brake in addition to placing the
selector lever in positionP to se-
cure the vehicle.
The key can only be removed from
the starter switch with the selector
lever in positionP. With the key re-
moved the selector lever is locked
in positionP.
Effect
R
Reverse gear
Place selector lever in positionR only
when vehicle is stopped.
N
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the en-
gine to the drive axle. When the
brakes are released, the vehicle can
be moved freely (pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the transmission,
never engageN while driving.
If the ESP is deactivated or malfunc-
tioning:
Only move selector lever toN if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g.
on icy roads).
D
Drive
The transmission shifts automatical-
ly. All five forward gears are avail-
able.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever inN
can result in transmission damage that
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the selector
lever not fully engaged in positionP is dan-
gerous. Also, positionP alone is not intend-
ed to or capable of preventing your vehicle
from moving, possibly hitting people or ob-
jects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 44).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.

182 Controls in detailDriving systems
Distronic menu in the control system
In the Distronic menu you can read the cur-
rent settings for Distronic. What appears in
the display depends on whether Distronic
and the distance warning function are
turned on or off.
Press button
è
or
ÿ
repeatedly
until you see one of the following dis-
plays.
Warning!
G
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp
l
in the instru-
ment cluster is illuminated if the Distronic
system calculates that the distance to the
vehicle ahead and your vehicle’s current
speed indicate that Distronic will not be ca-
pable of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to
maintain the preset following distance,
which creates a danger of a collision.
Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
the distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front of you. The warning sound is
intended as a final caution that you have not
interceded with your own braking inputs to
avoid a potentially dangerous situation. Do
not wait for the operation of the warning sig-
nal to intercede with your own braking, as
that will result in potentially dangerous
emergency braking which will not always re-
sult in an impact being avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.
Warning!
G
Distronic brakes your vehicle with a maxi-
mum of 6.5 ft/s
2 (2 m/s
2). This corre-
sponds to about 20% of the maximum
deceleration ability of your vehicle.
Distronic brakes the vehicle in an effort to
restore the preset distance or to maintain
the speed. The brake pedal is automatically
applied as this happens which results in the
brake pedal moving.
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 Distronic system.
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal
– your foot could become caught.

186 Controls in detailDriving systemsDeactivating Distronic
There are several ways to deactivate the
Distronic system:
Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow3 (
page 183).
or

Step on the brake pedal.
Distronic will be deactivated. The last
speed set will be stored into memory.Distronic deactivates automatically when:


You set the parking brake.


You drive slower than 25 mph
(40 km/h).


The ESP is active (
page 73) or you
deactivate the ESP.


You move the transmission selector le-
ver into positionN.
A signal will sound. The
DISTRONIC OFF

message appears in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.Setting the following distance in
Distronic
You can set the specified following dis-
tance for Distronic by varying the time set-
ting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Using
this time setting and the current speed of
your vehicle, Distronic calculates and sets
the required following distance to the vehi-
cle ahead. The set distance will be shown
in the multifunction display field.
The thumbwheel for making the time set-
ting is located on the lower section of the
center console.
iThe following message will appear in
the multifunction display for approxi-
mately five seconds:
DISTRONIC OFF
.
The last stored speed is deleted when
you turn off the engine.
Warning!
G
Distronic switches off and releases the
brakes when the vehicle decelerates below
the minimum speed of approx. 25 mph
(40 km/h) by operation of the system. At
that time the driver must apply the brakes in
order to reduce vehicle speed further or
bring it to a stop.
Warning!
G
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving recom-
mendations for safe following distance.

187 Controls in detail
Driving systems
1Distance warning function on / off
switch
2Thumbwheel for setting distance
Increasing distance
Increasing the distance setting tells Dis-
tronic to maintain a greater following dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead.
Turn thumbwheel2 towards
¯
.Decreasing distance
Decreasing the distance setting tells Dis-
tronic to maintain a shorter following dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead.

Turn thumbwheel2 towards
®
.
Distance warning function
When Distronic is deactivated, this func-
tion will continue to warn you when recog-
nizing a stationary obstacle or a slower
vehicle moving in the vehicle’s path and
the danger of a collision exists:


The distance warning lamp
l
in the
instrument cluster lights up


An intermittent warning sounds.
If these warnings are issued, you must
brake manually to maintain a safe distance
and avoid a collision with the vehicle
ahead. When pressing the brake pedal, the warn-
ing sound stops. The warning sound also
stops when the distance to the vehicle
ahead is sufficient again without applying
the brake pedal. In this case the distance
warning lamp
l
also extinguishes.
Warning!
G
If the distance warning lamp
l
in the in-
strument cluster lights up while driving
and / or an intermittent warning sounds, im-
mediate attention on the part of the driver is
required.
As required by the traffic situation, apply the
brakes and navigate around a possible ob-
stacle. However, do not drive by relying on
the distance warning function, as this will re-
sult in an emergency braking application.
Especially depending on road surface condi-
tions and driver reaction, this will not always
enable you to avoid a collision.

193 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Normal level (see table)
Speed dependent lowering of vehicle chas-
sis (approximate values):

between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 40 mph
(65 km/h) – none


between 40 mph (65 km/h) and
87 mph (140 km/h) – lowered pro-
gressively by approx. 0.4 in (11 mm).Raised level 1 (see table)
Speed dependent lowering of vehicle chas-
sis (approximate values)


between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 38 mph
(60 km/h) - raised by approx. 0.55 in
(14 mm)


between 38 mph (60 km/h) and
100 mph (160 km/h) - lowered pro-
gressively by approx. 0.55 in (14 mm)
Raised level 2 (see table)
Speed dependent lowering of vehicle chas-
sis (approximate values):


between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 18 mph
(30 km/h) - raised by approx. 0.95 in
(24 mm)


between 18 mph (30 km/h) and
38 mph (60 km/h) - lowered progres-
sively by approx. 0.4 in (10 mm)


between 38 mph (60 km/h) and
100 mph (160 km/h) – lowered pro-
gressively by additional approx. 0.55 in
(14 mm).
Parktronic system* (Parking assist)
iPressing the switch twice in quick suc-
cession will cause the vehicle to imme-
diately raise or lower according to the
starting level.
The selected vehicle level setting re-
mains stored in memory even if the en-
gine is turned off and restarted.
Warning!
G
Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always rests with the driver.
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts, or road
curbs). Such objects may not be detected by
the system and can damage the vehicle.
The operational function of the Parktronic
can be affected by dirty sensors, especially
at times of snow and ice, see “Cleaning the
Parktronic system sensors” (
page 259).
Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig-
nals (e.g. working jackhammers or the air
brakes of trucks) can cause the system to
send erratic indications, and should be tak-
en into consideration.

195 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Front sensors
Rear sensorsMinimum distance
If the system detects an obstacle in this
range, all the warning lamps light up and
you hear a warning signal. If the obstacle is
closer than the minimum distance, the ac-
tual distance might no longer be indicated
by the system.
Warning indicators
1Left front area warning indicator2Right front area warning indicator
Visual signals indicate to the driver the rel-
ative distance between the sensors and an
obstacle. The warning indicators for the
front area are located above the left air
vents1 and center air vents2 in the dash-
board. The warning indicator for the rear
area is integrated in the rear trim.
Each warning indicator is divided into six
yellow and two red segments for either
side of the vehicle. The Parktronic system
is ready when the border around the indi-
cator is illuminated.Center
approx. 40 in (100 cm)
Corners
approx. 24 in (60 cm)
Center
approx. 48 in (120 cm)
Corners
approx. 32 in (80 cm)
!During parking maneuvers, pay special
attention to objects located above or
below the height of the sensors (e.g.
planters or trailer hitches). The Park-
tronic system will not detect such ob-
jects at close range and damage to
your vehicle or the object may result.
Ultrasonic signals from outside sourc-
es (e.g. truck air brakes or jackham-
mers) may impair the operation of the
Parktronic system.
Center
approx. 8 in (20 cm)
Corners
approx. 6 in (15 cm)