Winter driving
Points to remember
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, at the onset of winter.
Winter tyres
Use winter tyres at
temperatures below +7 °C and on snow or ice-covered roads. Only
then can the effect of the ABS, ESP® and 4MATIC* driving systems be ensured in
winter too.
Use
winter tyres of the same make and tread on all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics.
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Winter tyres with a tread depth of less than 4 mm must be replaced immediately. They are no longer suitable for winter use, can no longer provide sufficient grip. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause an accident.
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Always observe the
maximum permitted speed specified for the winter tyres you have fitted. If you
fit winter tyres which have a lower maximum permitted speed than that of the
vehicle, affix an appropriate warning sign in the driver's field of vision.
This can be obtained at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Under these circumstances,
you should also restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle using permanent
Speedtronic
to the maximum permissible speed for the winter tyres
more.
Once
you have fitted the winter tyres:
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Check the tyre
pressures
more.
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Restart the tyre
pressure monitor* more.
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If you fit the spare wheel* when driving with winter tyres, bear in mind that driving stability will be impaired owing to unstable cornering characteristics caused by the different tyres. You should therefore adapt your driving style and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* replaced at the nearest qualified specialist workshop which has the necessary specialist knowledge and tools to carry out the work required. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose. In particular, work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
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Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use snow chains which have been specially approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding standard of quality.
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Information about the use of snow chain-compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only permissible with these tyres.
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If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear the following points in mind:
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snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel/tyre combinations.
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snow chains must not be fitted to emergency spare wheels, e.g. on a "Minispare" emergency spare wheel.
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always fit snow chains to both rear wheels, even on vehicles with 4MATIC*. Comply with the manufacturer's installation instructions.
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If snow chains are fitted to the front wheels, they may come into contact with the bodywork and axle components when the vehicle is in motion and damage the tyre or the vehicle.
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On vehicles with AIRMATIC more or Active Body Control (ABC)* more, you must drive at raised vehicle level if snow chains have been fitted.
Do not exceed the maximum permissible speed of 50 km/h.
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You may wish to deactivate ESP® when pulling away with snow chains fitted more. This way you can allow the wheels to spin in a controlled manner, achieving an increased driving force (cutting action).
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Winter driving
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Do not shift 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.
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You should drive particularly carefully on slippery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be stopped when moving at low speed:
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Shift the selector lever to N.
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Try to bring the vehicle under control using corrective steering.
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