such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
!
Take care not to damage the sealing strip
and the moulding on the side of the rear win-
dow when scraping ice off the rear window.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration,
steering and braking manoeuvres. Do not use
cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X
Shift the transmission to position N.
X
Try to bring the vehicle under control by using
corrective steering.
When driving in snow with or without snow
chains, select driving program Slippery
(
Y
page 155).
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around freezing point.
Further information on driving with snow chains
(
Y
page 364).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (
Y
page 363).
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (
Y
page 369).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip
sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving on an incline, drive into the line
of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk
of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
G
WARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle centre of
gravity is raised. This could cause the vehicle
to tip over more easily on uphill or downhill
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
!
There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
R
the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
kerb or an unpaved road
R
you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
kerb, a speed bump or a pothole in the road
R
a heavy object strikes the underbody or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
body, chassis parts, wheels or tyres could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the strain they are designed
to.
If the underbody panelling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
176
Driving tips
Driving
and
parking
