brakes MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2008 Owners Manual

8 G
Garage door Opening/closing (with the remote
control) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Garage door opener . . . . . . . . . . . . ..214
Clearing the memory . . . . . . . . . . .216
Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .391
Programming the remote control . .214
Gear indicator (on-board computer) 126
Gearshift program Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts . . . ..344
Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . ..205
Gross vehicle weight, maximum
permissible . . ..369, 371, 372, 373, 374 H
Headlamp Misting up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299
Headlamps
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Cleaning system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Headlamps delayed switch-off
see Exterior lighting delayed switch-off
Head restraint
Adjusting (front) . . . . . . . . . . . . .79, 80
Adjusting (rear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Luxury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79, 81 NECK-PR
O.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Removing (rear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Head restraints
Resetting triggered NECK-PRO
head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309
Heating
see Air conditioning
High-pressure cleaners . . . . . . . . . ..245
HOLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Display message . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
HomeLink ®
see Garage door opener I
Immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Indicator and warning lamp Brakes (red ).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287
Distronic (red ).. . . . . . . . . . .149, 286
Engine diagnostic . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288
ESP ®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60, 285
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF . . . .49, 283
Reserve fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
Seat belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290
SRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41, 289
Tyre pressure monitor . . . . . . . . . .289
Indicator and warning lamps . . . . ..285
Indicator lamp see Indicator and warning lamp Instrument cluster
. . . . . . . . . . . . ..120
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26, 28
Selecting the language (on-board
computer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Instrument lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . ..120
Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . ..55
Intelligent Light System . . . . . . . . ..103
Display message . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274
Menu (on-board computer) . . . . . .137
Interior lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Ambient (on-board computer) . . . .136
Automatic control . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Delayed switch-off (on-board
computer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Manual control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Reading lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Interior motion sensor . . . . . . . . . . ..63
ISOFIX child seat securing system ..54 J
Jack Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324
Storage location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333
Jump leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333 K
Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Changing the battery . . . . . . . . . . .310 Index
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Driving safety sys
tems 59
X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force. G
Risk of accident
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the
vehicle when braking and the braking dis-
tance may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS and ESP are also deactivated.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle
skidding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style
to suit the prevailing road and weather con-
ditions. BAS (Brake Assist)
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. G
Risk of accident
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking sys-
tem remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect. However, braking force is not
automatically increased in emergency
braking situations and the stopping dis-
tance may increase. Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS,
the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an
even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you drive
faster than 10 km/h again. You can also
switch off the hazard warning lamps using the
hazard warning switch button (Y page 102). Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems60 ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified, if
necessary, to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the vwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any cir-
cumstances.
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R Adapt your driving style to suit the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid. ESP
®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override
the laws of physics.
! If the vehicle is to be towed with the front
or rear axle raised, the ignition must be
switched off (key in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock). Application of the brakes by
ESP ®
could otherwise destroy the brake
system on the front or rear axle.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC* may not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning
wheels produce a cutting effect for better
traction.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. Safety
* optional
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Transmission
114 Switching off the engine
G
Risk of accident
If the engine is not running, there is no
power assistance for the steering and
brakes. Steering and braking then takes
much more effort.
As a result, you might lose control of the
vehicle, cause an accident and injure your-
self and others.
Do not switch off the engine while driving.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first or reverse gear.
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 76) in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
Vehicles with automatic transmission* X
Move the selector lever to P.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 76) in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated. Using KEYLESS GO*
X
Press and hold the KEYLESS GO button
(Y page 77).
The engine stops and all the lamps in the
instrument cluster go out ( Ypage 26). Transmission
Introduction to the transmission
G
Risk of accident
The movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way. Do not keep any
objects in the driver's footwell. Make sure
that floormats or carpets are correctly
secured and that there is sufficient clear-
ance for the pedals. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. This could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident. Controls
* optional
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Transmission
116 ë Neutral
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
Do not move the selector lever to
N while you are driving. The auto-
matic transmission could other-
wise be damaged.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only move the selector lever to Nif
the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
e.g. on icy roads. ê Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
One-touch gearshifting
When the selector lever is in position
D, you
can perform gearshifts yourself, even on vehi-
cles with automatic transmission.
X To shift up: briefly press the selector lever
to the right towards D+.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear, depending on the gearshift pro- gram selected. This also extends the shift
range.
X To shift down: briefly press the selector
lever to the left towards D–.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear, depending on the gear cur-
rently selected. This also restricts the shift
range.
i To prevent the engine from overrevving,
the automatic transmission does not shift
down if you push the selector lever towards
D– while driving at too high a speed.
X To derestrict the shift range: press and
hold the selector lever towards D+until D
is shown once more in the display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
X To select the most effective shift
range: press and hold the selector lever to
the left towards D–.
The automatic transmission will shift to a
range which allows ideal acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission will shift down one or more
gears. Shift ranges When the selector lever is in position
D, it is
possible to restrict or derestrict the shift
range for the automatic transmission.
X Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+or to the left towards D–.
The shift range selected is shown in the
display. The automatic transmission shifts
only as far as the selected gear.
i If the maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to accel-
erate, the automatic transmission shifts up
in order to prevent the engine from over-
revving even if the shift range is restricted. Driving situation
è The braking effect of the engine can
be used in this position.Controls
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Driving sys
tems 143Cruise control
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
shift to a lower gear in good time or select
shift range 1,2or 3in vehicles with automatic
transmission*. By doing so you will make use
of the braking effect of the engine, which
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. G
Risk of accident
Cruise control cannot take account of road
and traffic conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when cruise control is activated. Cruise control is only an aid designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed and for braking in good
time. G
Risk of accident
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do
not allow you to maintain a constant
speed (e.g. heavy traffic or winding
roads). You could otherwise cause an
accident.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerat-
ing could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to
fog, heavy rain or snow
Cruise control display in the speedom-
eter When cruise control is activated, the seg-
ments from the set speed to the maximum
speed light up in the multi-function display. 1
Segments
Cruise control lever You can operate cruise control and variable
Speedtronic with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R
LIM indicator lamp off:
cruise control is selected
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
variable Speedtronic is selected Controls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 1441
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
2 LIM indicator lamp
3 To select the current or last stored speed
4 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
5 To switch between cruise control and var-
iable Speedtronic
6 Deactivating cruise control
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp 2is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow 5.
LIM indicator lamp 2in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected. Storing and maintaining the current
speed You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 30 km/h and ESP ®
is acti-
vated (Y page 60).
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up
1 or down 4.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
R Always drive at adequate, but not exces-
sive, engine speeds.
R Change gear in good time.
R If possible, do not change down several
gears at a time. Selecting the current or last stored
speed G
Risk of accident
Only select a stored speed if you know what
that speed is and whether it is suitable for
the current situation. Otherwise, sudden
acceleration or braking could endanger you
or others.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 3.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever up 1for a
higher speed or down 4for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. Controls
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Driving sys
tems 145
i
Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin-
ished overtaking.
i Deceleration of the vehicle by means of
the cruise control lever is assisted by auto-
matic application of the brakes.
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
On long downhill gradients, the automatic
transmission shifts down as a further meas-
ure.
Making fine adjustments in 1 km/h
increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever up
1 for a higher speed or down 4for a
lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control: X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 6.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow 5.
Variable Speedtronic is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp 2in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if,
for example:
R you depress the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
is intervening or you deactivate
ESP ®
R you move the selector lever to Nin vehicles
with automatic transmission* while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise con-
trol off message in the multi-function dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Distronic*
Distronic regulates the speed and automati-
cally maintains the distance to the vehicle in
front. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is
laden or towing a trailer, you must select shift
range 1,2or 3. By doing so,you will make use
of the braking effect of the engine, which
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Distronic is only an aid designed to assist
driving. The driver remains fully responsible
for the vehicle's distance from other vehi-
cles, the vehicle's speed and braking in
good time. Controls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 146 Distronic does not react to:
R
pedestrians
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. sta-
tionary or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
Distronic may not detect narrow vehicles
driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles driving on a different line. Therefore,
always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when Distronic is activated. Other-
wise, you may fail to recognise dangers in
time, could cause an accident and injure
yourself and others.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
Distronic causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain a preset distance to the vehicle in
front. G
Risk of accident
Distronic cannot take account of road and
traffic conditions. Deactivate, or do not
activate, Distronic if it does not detect the
vehicle in front, or if it no longer detects it.
This is especially the case:
R before corners
R on filter lanes R
when changing to a lane with faster mov-
ing traffic
R in complex driving situations or where
the lanes are diverted, e.g. at motorway/
roadway construction sites
Otherwise, Distronic maintains the current
speed or accelerates to the set speed.
Distronic cannot take account of weather
conditions. Deactivate, or do not activate,
Distronic:
R if the roads are slippery, snow-covered or
icy. The wheels could lose their grip
under braking or acceleration. The vehi-
cle could start to skid.
R if the sensors are dirty or there is poor
visibility, e.g. due to snow, rain or fog.
Distance control may be impaired.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when Distronic is activated. Other-
wise, you may fail to recognise dangers in
time, could cause an accident and injure
yourself and others.
If there is no vehicle in front, Distronic oper-
ates in the same way as cruise control. Dis-
tronic functions in the 30 km/h to
180 km/h range. G
Risk of accident
Distronic brakes your vehicle at a maximum
of 2 m/s 2
, depending on its speed. This
corresponds to approximately 20% of your
vehicle's maximum braking power. You
must also apply the brakes yourself if this
braking power is not sufficient.
If Distronic detects a risk of collision with a
vehicle in front, an intermittent warning
tone sounds. In addition, the ldistance
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up. Brake to avoid a collision.
Cruise control lever With the cruise control lever you can operate
Distronic and variable Speedtronic.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R
LIM indicator lamp off:
Distronic is selected
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
variable Speedtronic is selected Controls
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Driving sys
tems 1471
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
2 LIM indicator lamp
3 To select the current or last stored speed
4 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
5 To switch between Distronic and variable
Speedtronic
6 To deactivate Distronic
Selecting Distronic X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp 2is off.
If it is off, Distronic is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow 5.
LIM indicator lamp 2in the cruise control
lever goes out. Distronic is selected. Switching on Distronic, storing the cur-
rent speed and maintaining it If Distronic is not activated after the cruise
control lever is pressed, you will see the mes-
sage - - - in the multi-function display.
You cannot activate Distronic in the following
circumstances:
R if you are driving slower than 30 km/h or
faster than 180 km/h
R when braking
R when you have applied the parking brake
R if ESP ®
is deactivated
R when the selector lever* is in position P,
R or N
R for two minutes after the engine is started
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up
1 or down 4.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Distronic is activated. The vehicle main-
tains the stored speed until the distance to
the vehicle in front becomes too small. i
If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC override message
appears in the multi-function display. The
distance to a slower-moving vehicle in front
will then not be adjusted. You will be driving
at the speed you determine by the position
of the accelerator pedal.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever up 1for a
higher speed or down 4for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Deceleration of the vehicle by means of
the cruise control lever is assisted by auto-
matic application of the brakes. On long
downhill gradients, the automatic trans-
mission* shifts down as a further measure. Controls
* optional
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