Braking

Important safety notes

WARNING

If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.

There is an increased danger of skidding and accidents.

Do not shift down for additional engine braking on a slippery road surface.

Downhill gradients

On long and steep gradients, you must reduce the load on the brakes by shifting early to a lower gear. This allows you to take advantage of the engine braking effect and helps avoid overheating and excessive wear of the brakes.

When you take advantage of the engine braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g. on a slippery road surface. This could cause damage to the drive train. This type of damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.

Do not depress the brake pedal continuously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. causing the brakes to rub by constantly applying light pressure to the pedal. This results in excessive and premature wear to the brake pads.

Heavy and light loads

WARNING

If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even cause the braking system to fail. There is a risk of an accident.

Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never depress the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal at the same time.

Depressing the brake pedal constantly results in excessive and premature wear to the brake pads.

If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.

Drive on for a short while. This allows the airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.

Wet roads

If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain without braking, there may be a delayed reaction from the brakes when braking for the first time. This may also occur after the vehicle has been washed or driven through deep water.

You then have to depress the brake pedal more firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the vehicle in front.

After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying attention to the traffic conditions. This will warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly and protecting them against corrosion.

Limited braking performance on salttreated roads

If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt residue may form on the brake discs and brake pads. This can result in a significantly longer braking distance.

• Brake occasionally to remove any possible salt residue. Make sure that you do not endanger other road users when doing so.

• Carefully depress the brake pedal and the beginning and end of a journey.

• Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle ahead.

Servicing the brakes

If the red brake warning lamp lights up in the instrument cluster and you hear a warning tone while the engine is running, the brake fluid level may be too low.

Observe additional warning messages in the multifunction display.

The brake fluid level may be too low due to brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.

Have the brake system checked immediately. This work should be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.

A function or performance test should only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamometer. If you are planning to have the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer, contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to obtain further information first.

Otherwise, you could damage the drive train or the brake system.

Because ESP® is an automatic system, the engine and ignition must be switched off (SmartKey in position 0 or 1 or Start/ Stop button in position 0 or 1) when the electric parking brake is being tested on a brake dynamometer (maximum 10 seconds).

Braking triggered automatically by ESP® may seriously damage the brake system.

All checks and maintenance work on the brake system must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. Consult a qualified specialist workshop to arrange this.

Have brake pads installed and brake fluid replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.

If the brake system has only been subject to moderate loads, you should test the functionality of your brakes at regular intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake pedal when driving at a high speed. This improves the grip of the brake pads.

You can find a description of Brake Assist (BAS) on   or of BAS PLUS on  .

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only have brake pads/linings installed on your vehicle which have been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which correspond to an equivalent quality standard. Brake pads/linings which have not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not of an equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's operating safety.

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use brake fluid that has been specially approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or which corresponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake fluid which has not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which is not of an equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's operating safety.

High-performance brake system for AMG vehicles

The high-performance brake system is designed for heavy loads. This may lead to noise when braking. This will depend on: • Speed • Braking force • Environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity The wear of individual components of the brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driving style and operating conditions.

For this reason, it is impossible to state a mileage that will be valid under all circumstances. An aggressive driving style 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.