Mercedes-Benz 2009 R-Class, Operator'S Manual

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Driving instructions
280
longer brake or accelerate. This could lead
to accidents and injury.
Power assistance
G
Warning!
There is no power assistance for the
steering and the service brake when the
engine is not running.
Steering and braking requires significantly
more effort and you could lose control of
the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result.
Do not turn off the engine while the vehicle
is in motion.
Brakes
Downhill grades
!
When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes by
shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps prevent
overheating of the brakes and reduces
wear.
When using the engine’s braking power, a
drive wheel may not spin for an extended
period of time, e.g. on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage
to the drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Continuous or hard braking
G
Warning!
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their
effectiveness. It may not be possible to
stop the vehicle in sufficient time to avoid
an accident.
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive on
for some time, rather than immediately park,
so that the air stream will cool down the
brakes faster.
Wet roads
G
Warning!
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through
water deep enough to wet brake
components, the first braking action may
be somewhat reduced and increased pedal
pressure may be necessary to obtain
expected brake effect. Maintain a safe
distance from vehicles in front.
To help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet or salt-covered roads, it is
advisable to brake the vehicle with
considerable force prior to parking. The heat
generated serves to dry the brakes.
Salt-covered roads
G
Warning!
A layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly
Operation