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A quaplaning:
D e pending on the d e p th o f th e w a te r
layer on th e road, aquapla ning may
o c c u r even w ith tire s still s h o w in g the
full tread de p th , and even at low
speeds. Avoid tra c k g ro o v e s in the
road and apply bra kes ca u tio u s ly in
the rain.
Tire fric tio n :
Dry road = 100 %
W et road = fro m ap p ro x. 50 % to
a p pro x. 80 o/o (be p a rtic u la rly c a u
tio u s on w e t and d irty roads)
Icy road = approx. 15 %
A given spe ed at w h ich a veh icle
driven on dry roads can still be fu lly
co n tro lle d m ust be re d u c e d w h en the
sam e veh icle is to be driven safely on
a w e t o r icy road.
You should pay p a rticu la r a tte n tio n to
the c o n d itio n o f the road as so o n as
th e prevailing te m p e ra tu re s fall clo se
to the fre e zin g point.
If ice has fo rm e d on th e road (e.g. due
to fo g ), a th in film o f w a te r is then
q u ic k ly p ro d u c e d on th e ice w h ich
s u b s ta n tia lly re d u c e s th e g rip o f the
tire s . U n de r s uch w e a th e r c o n d itio n s ,
drive, stee r, a cc e le ra te and brake
p a rticu la rly carefully.
W e re co m m e n d M + S rad ia l-ply tire s
fo r the co ld season. O n ice o r pa cked
snow , the y can re d u c e y o u r s to p p in g
d ista n ce as c o m p a re d w ith s u m m e r
tire s . S to p p in g d ista n ce , ho w e ver, is
n e v e rth e le ss c o n s id e ra b ly g re a te r
than w h en the road is w e t o r dry.
B rakes:
W hen d riv in g d o w n lo n g and ste e p
d e clin e s, relieve th e b ra k e s by e n g a g
ing s e le c to r lever p o s itio n " S " o r " L " .
T his p re v e n ts o v e rh e a tin g o f th e
b ra kes and re d u c e s b ra ke pad wear.
A fte r hard b ra kin g it is advisable
to drive on fo r som e tim e so th e air
s tre a m w ill co o l d o w n th e b ra kes
faster.
Safe Driving
W hen d rivin g in heavy rain fo r som e
tim e w ith o u t ap plying th e brakes, the
firs t b ra kin g actio n may be som e w h at
re ta rd e d and in cre a se d pedal p re s
su re may be necessary. F or th is
reason, sta y fu rth e r away fro m a
v e h ic le in fro n t.
The c o n d itio n o f th e p a rkin g brake
s h o u ld be ch e c k e d d u rin g every
m a inten ance service. F u rth e rm o re it
is re c o m m e n d e d to e x e rt o n c e o r
tw ic e b e tw e e n th e re g u la r m a in te
nance services, a m axim um pre ss u re
o f
10
k p
/22
lb on th e p a rkin g brake
10
pedal fo r
s e c o n d s w h ile travellin g
at a sp e e d a ro un d 50 k m /h /3 0 m ph
on d ry road. Pull release kn o b du rin g
th is p ro c e s s ! R epeat p ro c e d u re on ce
o r tw ic e . E xercise care, th e brake
la m ps do n o t w o rk.
Have all in s p e c tio n s o f and w o rk on
th e bra ke system c a rrie d o u t by a
M E R C E D E S -B E N Z se rvice station.
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