Mercedes-Benz Metris Operator's Manual page 104

102 Driving and parking
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driving conditions. Drive carefully. Have any vehicle
damage recti ed at a quali ed specialist workshop
as soon as possible.
When driving on rough cross-country terrain, do
not shi the transmission to neutral and do not
disengage the clutch. You could lose control when
attempting to brake the vehicle with the service
brake. If your vehicle cannot manage an uphill
incline, drive back down in reverse gear.
When loading your vehicle for o -road driving or on
a construction site, keep the vehicle's center of
gravity as low as possible.
Check-lis Check -list bef t befor ore e o -r o -road oad dr driving
Check the fuel supply (
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if necessary ( / page 105).
Engine: Engine: check the oil level and add oil if neces-
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sary ( page 177). Before driving up or down
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extreme inclines or slopes, ll the oil to the
maximum level.
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If you drive up or down extreme inclines or
slopes, the 4 symbol may appear in the
instrument cluster. The engine operating
safety is not put at risk if you have lled the
engine oil to the maximum level before the
journey.
V V ehicle t ehicle tool kit: ool kit: check that the jack is working
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( page 198).
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Make sure that a lug wrench, a wooden under-
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lay for the jack, a robust tow rope, a folding
spade and a wheel chock (depending on equip-
ment) are carried in the vehicle (
T T ir ires and wheels: es and wheels: check the tire tread depth
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( / page 202) and the tire pressure
( / page 207).
R R ules f ules for or o -r o -road oad dr driving iving
Always be aware of the vehicle's ground clearance,
and avoid obstacles such as deep tire ruts.
Obstacles can damage the following parts of the
vehicle, for example:
suspension
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drivetrain
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fuel tank
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Therefore, always drive slowly when o -road. If you
must drive over obstacles, have the co-driver
instruct you.
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Mercedes-Benz recommends that you addi-
tionally carry a shovel and a recovery rope
with a shackle in the vehicle.
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iving
page 134) and re ll
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Check Check-lis
Driving over rough terrain places greater demands
on your vehicle than normal road operation. Check
your vehicle a er driving on rough terrain. This
allows you to detect damage promptly and reduce
the risk of an accident for yourself and other road
users. Clean your vehicle thoroughly before driving
on public roads.
If you nd damage to the vehicle a er o -road
page 198).
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driving, have the vehicle checked at a quali ed
specialist workshop immediately.
Observe the following points a er driving o -road,
on construction sites and before driving on public
roads:
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Make sure that loads and items of luggage are
securely stored or lashed down (
Before driving o -road, stop the vehicle and
engage a low gear.
If the surface requires, temporarily deactivate
ESP ® when pulling away (
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Only drive o -road if the vehicle has been star-
ted and a gear is engaged.
Drive slowly and smoothly. It may o en be nec-
essary to drive at walking pace.
Avoid spinning the drive wheels.
Always ensure that the wheels remain in con-
tact with the ground.
Exercise the utmost caution when driving
across unfamiliar, unpredictable terrain. As a
precaution, get out of the vehicle to take a look
at the route to be taken rst.
Look out for obstacles (e.g. rocks, holes, tree
stumps and tire ruts).
Avoid edges where the surface could crumble
or break away.
-list t a er a er dr driving iving o -r o -road oad
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Activate ESP ( page 109).
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Clean the exterior lighting, particularly the
headlamps and tail lamps, and check them for
damage.
Clean the front and rear license plates.
Clean the windshield, windows and outside
mirrors.
Clean the steps, entrances and grab handles.
This will make your footing safer.
Clean the wheels, tires, wheel wells and the
underbody of the vehicle with a water jet. This
increases road adhesion, especially on wet
road surfaces.
page 164).
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page 109).