Mersedes-Benz 280 SE 1978, Owner'S Manual

Page: 40 / 83

Safe D riving
to high loads (e.g. high speeds, heavy
loads, high am bient temperatures).
Aquaplaning:
Depending on the depth of the
w ater layer on the road, aquaplan­
ing rpay occur even with tires s till
showing the full tread depth, and
even at low speeds. Avoid track
grooves in the road and apply
brakes cautiously in the rain.
Tire friction :
Dry road = 100 %
Wet road = from approx. 50 % to
approx. 80 % (be particularly
cautious on wet and dirty roads)
Icy road = approx. 15 %
You should pay p articular attention
to the condition of the road as soon
as the prevailing temperatures fall
close to the freezing point. If ice
has formed on the road (e. g. due
to fog), a thin film of w ater is then
quickly produced on the ice which
substantially reduces the grip of
the tires. Under such weather con­
ditions, drive, steer and brake
particularly carefully.
We recommend M + S radial-ply
tires fo r the cold season. On ice
or packed snow, they can reduce
your stopping distance as com ­
pared with summ er tires. Stopping
distance, however, is nevertheless
considerably greater than when
the road is w et or dry.
On extended and steep declines,
relieve brakes by shifting the
selector lever to position “ S ” or “ L” .
After hard braking it is advisable not
to switch off the engine right away
but to drive on for some tim e so
the air stream w ill cool down the
brakes faster.
When driving in heavy rain for
some tim e w ithout applying the
brakes, the firs t braking action
may be somewhat retarded and
increased pedal pressure may be
necessary. For this reason, stay
further away from vehicle in front.
Once in a w hile check the effec­
tiveness of the system by fully
applying the brakes on an open
road (make sure the wheels w ill not
lock). This w ill also improve the
grip of the linings.
The condition of the parking brake
w ill be checked during every
maintenance service. Furtherm ore
it is recomm ended to exert once
or tw ice between the regular main­
tenance services, a maximum
pressure of 22 lbs. (10 kp) on the
parking brake pedal fo r 10 seconds
w hile travelling at a speed around
30m ph (50 km/h) on dry road. Pull
release knob during this process!
Repeat procedure once or twice.
Exercise care, the stoplights do not
work.
Have all inspections of and w ork on
the brake system carried out by a
MERCEDES-BENZ service station.
If the parking brake is released and
the brake w arning light in the in­
strum ent cluster comes on, either
the brake fluid level in the reservoir
is too low or the brake system is
leaking.
Brake pad wear may cause a
shortage of brake fluid in the
reservoir. Install only brake pads
recomm ended by us.
If other than recommended brake
pads are installed, the braking
properties of the vehicle can be
affected to an extent that the
safety is substantially impaired.