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100 Driving and parking
Information on brakes
& WARNING Risk of accident due to the
brake system overheating
If you leave your foot on the brake pedal
when driving, the brake system may overheat.
This increases the braking distance and the
brake system may even fail.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.
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Do not depress the brake pedal and the
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accelerator pedal at the same time
while driving.
* NOTE Wearing out the brake linings by
continuously depressing the brake pedal
Do not depress the brake pedal continu‐
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ously whilst driving.
To use the braking effect of the engine,
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shift to a lower gear in good time.
Downhill gradients
On long and steep downhill gradients you should
observe the following instructions:
in vehicles with an automatic transmission,
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shift down to shift ranges 2 or 1 in good time
so that the engine is running at a medium to
high engine speed (
page 106).
/
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Change the shift range in good time when
cruise control is activated. Observe the driv‐
ing tips (
page 98).
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You thereby make use of the braking effect of the
engine and do not have to brake as often to main‐
tain the speed. This relieves the load on the
service brake and prevents the brakes from over‐
heating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive
on for a short while. The brakes cool down more
quickly in the airflow.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effectiveness.
To do this, brake more firmly from a higher speed
while paying attention to the traffic conditions.
The brakes will grip better as a result.
Wet road surfaces
If you have been driving for a long time in heavy
rain without braking, there may be a delayed
response when you first apply the brakes. This
may also occur after driving through a car wash
or deep water. You must depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a greater distance to the
vehicle in front.
While paying attention to the traffic conditions,
you should brake the vehicle firmly after driving
on a wet road surface or through a car wash. This
heats the brake discs so that they dry more
quickly, which protects them against corrosion.
Limited braking effect on salt-treated roads:
a layer of salt on the brake discs or brakepads
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can increase braking distances considerably,
or braking may happen on only one side
maintain an especially large safe distance to
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the vehicle in front
To remove the layer of salt:
apply the brakes from time to time, paying
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attention to traffic conditions
carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
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of a journey and after the start of a new jour‐
ney
Checking the brakepad thickness
In addition to monitoring using the brakepad wear
sensor, regularly monitor and check all of the
brakepads by performing a visual inspection to
look for material wear on the pads.
If you are unable to check the brakepad wear on
the inside of the wheels, remove the wheels if
you possess the required skills, or visit a qualified
specialist workshop.
If the brakepad material thickness is less than
0.12 in (3 mm), have the brakepads checked and
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop, if
necessary.
Do not solely rely on the brakepad wear sensor.
It is also strongly recommended that you have
the brakepads checked at a qualified specialist
workshop, not only at every service displayed by
the maintenance interval display, but also prior to
long journeys and whenever the wheels are
removed.
Check the brakepads in the following cases:
At every service according to the mainte‐
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nance interval
Before long journeys
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At every tire change
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Regular visual inspection for your own safety
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