Mercedes-Benz C 230 1998 Owner's Manual page 100

Electronic S tability Program
(ESP) (optional)
The ESP enhances directional
control and reduces driving wheel
spin of the vehicle under any
driving condition.
O ver/understeering of the vehicle
is counteracted by applying brakes
to the appropriate w heel to create
a counterpointing vehicle m ove­
ment. The ESP warning lamp,
located in the speedom eter dial,
starts to flash.
Im portant!
If the ESP w arning lam p flashes,
adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road conditions.
Caution!
If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised (see Towing the vehicle
in Index), the engine m ust be shut
off (key in steering lock position 0
or 1). O therw ise, the electronic
stability program will im m ediately
be engaged and will apply the rear
wheel brakes.
98
Notes:
The indicator lam p for the ESP is
com bined with that o f the BAS.
The yellow BAS/ESP m alfunction
indicator lamp in the instrum ent
cluster and the yellow ESP warning
lamp in the speedom eter dial come
on with the electronic key in
steering lock position 2. They
should go out with the engine
running.
If the BAS/ESP malfunction
indicator lamp com es on perm a­
nently with the engine running, a
m alfunction has been detected in
either system . Pressing the accel­
erator pedal will require greater
effort. Only partial engine output
will be available.
If the BAS m alfunctions, the brake
system functions in the usual
manner, but w ithout BAS.
Have the BAS or ESP checked at
your authorized M ercedes-Benz
dealer as soon as possible.
W ith the ABS m alfunctioning, the
ESP is also switched off.
Driving the vehicle with varied size
tires w ill cause the w heels to rotate
at different speeds, therefore the
electronic stability program may
activate (yellow ESP warning lamp
in speedom eter dialcom es on). For
this reason, all w heels, including
the spare w heel, m ust have the
sam e tire size.
W hen testing the parking brake on
a brake test dynam om eter, the en­
gine m ust be shut off. O therwise,
the electronic stability program will
im m ediately be engaged and will
apply the rear w heel brakes.
In w inter operation, the m axim um
effectiveness of the electronic
stability program is only achieved
with M ercedes-Benz recom m end­
ed M+S radial-ply tires and/or snow
chains.