Mercedes-Benz A Series Owner's Manual page 187

Operation
Driving tips
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads
If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes, when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salted
roads
G Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in
the braking effect, resulting in a signifi-
184
cantly longer braking distance, which could
lead to an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
occasionally brake carefully, without put-
R
ting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
R
ahead and drive with particular care.
carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
R
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are
removed from the brake disc.
New brake pads/linings
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
G Risk of accident
New brake pads/linings only reach their
optimum braking effect after several hun-
dred kilometres of driving. Before this opti-
mum braking effect is reached, you should
compensate for the reduced braking effect
by applying greater pressure when braking.
This also applies after the brake discs or the
brake pads/linings have been replaced.
Tyre grip
G Risk of accident
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled
at a certain speed on dry roads, you must
reduce your speed on wet or icy roads to
achieve the same road safety. Otherwise,
you could cause an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road condi-
tions at temperatures around freezing
point.
If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog), a light film of water rapidly forms
on the ice when you brake, considerably
reducing tyre grip. Drive with particular
care in such weather conditions.