Driving System - Mercedes-Benz Metris Operator's Manual

Driving systems
140
Checklist after driving off-road
!
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Off-road driving places a higher demand on your
vehicle than normal road operation. Check your
vehicle after driving on rough terrain. By doing
so you will notice any damage in good time and
reduce the risk of an accident for yourself and
other road users. Clean your vehicle thoroughly
before driving on public roads.
Observe the following points after driving off-
road, on construction sites and before driving on
public roads:
®
Activate ESP
X
Clean the headlamps and tail lamps and
X
check them for damage.
Clean the front and rear license plates.
X
Clean the windshield, windows and exterior
X
mirrors.
Clean the steps, door sills and grab handles.
X
This increases safety of footing.
Clean the wheels/tires, wheel housings and
X
the underbody of the vehicle with a water jet.
This increases road grip, especially on wet
road surfaces.
Check the wheels/tires and wheel housings
X
for trapped foreign objects and remove them.
Trapped foreign objects can damage the
wheels/tires and may be flung out from the
vehicle when you continue driving.
Check the underbody for trapped branches or
X
other parts of plants and remove them.
Trapped branches or other parts of plants
increase the risk of fire and can cause dam-
age to fuel lines, brake hoses and the rubber
bellows of axle joints and drive shafts.
Clean the brake disks, brake pads and axle
X
joints, particularly after operation in sand,
mud, grit/gravel, water or similarly dirty con-
ditions.
Check the entire floor assembly, the tires,
X
wheels, bodywork structure, brakes, steering,
chassis and exhaust system for any damage.
Check the service brake for operating safety,
X
e.g. carry out a brake test.
If you notice strong vibrations after driving off-
X
road, check the wheels and drive train for for-
eign objects again. Remove any foreign
( page 64).
Y
objects which can lead to imbalances and
thus cause vibrations.
Driving in mountainous areas
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine, and with it its
gradient climbing capability, decrease with
increasing altitude. Please take note of this par-
ticularly when driving with a trailer in mountain-
ous areas.
The maximum permissible trailer loads are valid
for journeys at altitudes up to 1100 yds
(1000 m) above sea level with gradients up to
12%.
Information on maximum permissible trailer
loads can be found in your vehicle registration
papers and on the vehicle identification plate
( page 294) or under "Trailer loads"
Y
( page 305).
Y
When driving at altitudes of 2700 yds (2500 m)
above sea level, the ECO start/stop function is
no longer available.
Notes on braking on downhill gradients can be
found in the "Braking" section (
Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes
Cruise control maintains the speed of the vehi-
cle for you. It brakes automatically in order to
avoid exceeding the set speed.
Use cruise control if road and traffic conditions
make it appropriate to maintain a steady speed
for a prolonged period. You can set any speed
from 30 km/h upwards in increments of 1 km/h
and 10 km/h.
If you have set Miles
speedometer, you can set any speed above
20 mph in increments of 1 mph and 5 mph.
Changing the display unit for the digital speed-
ometer and the distance:
on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
R
( page 174)
Y
on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
R
( page 185)
Y
Cruise control should not be activated when
driving off-road or on construction sites.
page 136).
Y
as the unit for the digital