reduce the risk of an accident to yourself and
other road users.
X
If the Off-road or Off-road Plus drive pro-
gram is selected: select the Individual,
Sport, Comfort or Slippery drive program
(
Y
page 166).
X
Deactivate the LOW RANGE offroad gear
(
Y
page 255).
X
Deactivate DSR (
Y
page 252).
X
Lower the vehicle level again to a level suita-
ble to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level.
X
Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X
Clean the front and rear licence plates.
X
Clean the wheels and tyres with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects.
X
Clean the wheels, wheel arches and the vehi-
cle underside with a water jet; check for any
foreign objects and damage.
X
Check whether twigs or other parts of plants
have become trapped. These increase the risk
of fire and can damage fuel pipes, brake
hoses or the rubber bellows of the axle joints
and propeller shafts.
X
After the trip, examine without fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tyres, brakes, body-
work structure, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage.
X
After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
X
If you detect strong vibrations after driving
off-road, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if
necessary. Foreign objects can disturb the
balance and cause vibrations.
Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Y
page 254).
R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Y
page 254).
R
Select a higher vehicle level.
R
Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain.
R
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise, the vehicle could dig itself
into the sand.
R
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that:
-
the tyre ruts are not too deep
-
the sand is firm enough
-
your vehicle has sufficient ground clear-
ance
Tyre ruts and gravel roads
!
Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged or
bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving along
ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose
gravel:
R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Y
page 254).
R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Y
page 254).
R
Select a higher vehicle level.
R
Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddle.
R
Drive slowly.
R
Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels on one side on the middle section of
turf if possible.
Driving over obstacles
!
Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. Any damage to the vehicle
always increases the risk of an accident.
Driving tips
201
Drivi
ng
and
parking
Z
