Break-In Period; Driving On Flooded Roads; Driving On Wet Roads; Hydroplaning - Mercedes-Benz M-Class Operator's Manual

Driving tips
186
will lead to high wear. You can obtain further
information about this from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and
adapt your driving and braking accordingly
during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in
correspondingly high brake wear. Observe
the # brake wear warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and note any brake status
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.

Driving on wet roads

Hydroplaning

If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
you drive at low speeds.
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the tires have adequate tread depth.
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For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning may
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
lower your speed.
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avoid ruts.
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brake carefully.
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Driving on flooded roads

! Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or the automatic
transmission. Water can also be drawn in
by the engine's air suction nozzles and this
can cause engine damage.
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Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
set the raised level before driving through
standing water.

Off-road fording

! Under no circumstances should you
accelerate before entering the water. The
bow wave could cause water to enter and
damage the engine and other assemblies.
! Do not open any of the vehicle's doors
while fording. Otherwise, water could get
into the vehicle interior and damage the
vehicle's electronics and interior
equipment.
Establish how deep the water is and the
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characteristics of the body of water before
fording.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
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select the highest possible vehicle level.
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
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steering wheel paddle shifter.
Avoid high engine speeds.
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Enter and exit the water at a flat place and
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at a steady walking pace.
Drive slowly and at an even speed through
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the water.
Do not stop.
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Water offers a high degree of resistance,
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and the ground is slippery and in some
cases unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and
dangerous to pull away in the water.
Ensure that a bow wave does not form as
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you drive.
Clean any mud from the tire tread after
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fording.
Apply the brakes to dry them after fording.
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Always observe the fording depth values
( page 454).
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