Mercedes-Benz Metris Operator's Manual page 102

100 Driving and parking
100
so that the engine is running at a medium to
high engine speed ( page 104).
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%
Change the shi range in good time when
cruise control is activated. Observe the driving
tips ( page 98).
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You thereby make use of the braking e ect of the
engine and do not have to brake as o en to main-
tain the speed. This relieves the load on the
service brake and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Hea Heavy and light loads vy 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 air ow.
If the brakes have been used only moderately, you
should occasionally test their e ectiveness. To do
this, brake more rmly from a higher speed while
paying attention to the tra c conditions. The
brakes will grip better as a result.
Wet r t road surf We oad surfaces aces
If you have been driving for a long time in heavy
rain without braking, there may be a delayed
response when you rst apply the brakes. This may
also occur a er driving through a car wash or deep
water. You must depress the brake pedal more
rmly. Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front.
While paying attention to the tra c conditions, you
should brake the vehicle rmly a er 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 e ect 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 tra c conditions
Carefully depress the brake pedal at the end of
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a journey and a er the start of a new journey
Chec Checking t king the br he brak akepad t epad thic hickness kness
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 quali ed spe-
cialist workshop.
If the brakepad material thickness is less than
0.12 in (3 mm), have the brakepads checked and
replaced at a quali ed specialist workshop, if nec-
essary.
Do not solely rely on the brakepad wear sensor.
It is also strongly recommended that you have the
brakepads checked at a quali ed specialist work-
shop, not only at every service displayed by the
maintenance interval display, but also prior to long
journeys and whenever the wheels are removed.
In the following situations, check the brake pads:
At every service according to maintenance
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interval
Before long journeys
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Every time a tire is replaced
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During regular visual inspections for your own
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safety
N N e e w br w brak ake discs and br e discs and brak akepads epads
New brakepads and brake discs only reach their
optimal braking e ect a er a few hundred miles (a
few hundred kilometers).
Until then, compensate for the reduced braking
e ect by applying greater pressure to the brake
pedal. For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brakepads and brake
discs which are approved by Mercedes-Benz instal-
led on your vehicle.
Other brake discs or brakepads may compromise
the safety of your vehicle.
Always replace all brake discs and brakepads on
an axle at the same time. Always install new brake-
pads when replacing brake discs.
Inf Infor ormation about dr mation about driving on we iving on wet r t roads
Not Notes on h es on hydr ydroplaning oplaning
Hydroplaning can take place once a certain
amount of water has accumulated on the road sur-
face.
Observe the following notes during heavy precipi-
tation or in conditions in which hydroplaning may
occur:
Reduce your speed
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Avoid tire ruts
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Avoid sudden steering movements
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Brake carefully
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oads