Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2010 Owner's Manual page 159

Driving tips
156
If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog), a thin film of water rapidly forms on
the ice when you brake, considerably reduc-
ing tyre grip. Drive with particular care in such
weather conditions.
Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
you drive at low speeds
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the tyres have adequate tread depth
R
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
the maximum permitted depth in still water
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is 25 cm
you should drive no faster than at walking
R
pace.
!
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
Failure to observe these notes may result
in damage to the engine, electrical systems
and transmission.
Winter driving
Important safety notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre, at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section ( page 302).
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Only available for certain countries.
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Winter tyres
Use winter tyres at temperatures below
+7 † and on snow or ice-covered roads. Only
winter tyres bearing the i snowflake sym-
bol next to the M+S marking provide the best-
possible grip in wintry road conditions. Only
these tyres will allow the ABS and ESP
ing systems to function optimally in winter, as
these tyres have been designed specifically
for driving on snow.
Use winter tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics.
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Risk of accident
Winter tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced immediately. They are
no longer suitable for winter use and can no
longer provide sufficient grip. This could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the winter tyres you have
fitted. If you fit winter tyres which have a
lower maximum permissible 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 SPEED-
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TRONIC ( page 171) so that it does not
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exceed the maximum permissible speed for
the winter tyres.
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
Check the tyre pressures (
X
Restart the tyre pressure loss warning sys-
X
tem ( page 301).
Y
G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving stability
will be impaired due to unstable cornering
®
driv-
page 299).
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