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229Driving instructions
Technical
data
Instruments
and controls
Operation Driving
Instrument
cluster display
Practical hints Car care Index
Traction in steep terrain:
Be easy on the accelerator and watch for continuous
wheel traction when driving in steep terrain.
When the differential locks are not engaged, 4-ETS
helps greatly when starting out on a steep incline. The
front wheels have then the tendency to slip due to the
weight reduction over the front axle. The ETS
recognizes the situation and limits the torque for the
front wheels by braking them. Simultaneously the
torque for the rear wheels is increased.
See page 241 for four wheel electronic traction system
(4-ETS).
Driving across a hilltop:
To prevent the vehicle from speeding up too much after
climbing a hill, decelerate just ahead of a hilltop (do not
select gear range “N”). Use the momentum of the
vehicle to drive across the hilltop. Driving in this
manner prevents the vehicle from jumping across the
hilltop and thus loosing its forward momentum.
Driving downhill:
Select gear range “1” on the automatic transmission,
see page 207.
Drive downhill observing the same rules as driving
uphill.
Driving on embankments, slopes and other steep
inclines should only be done straight up or downhill, i.e.
in the line of gravity.
Do not drive along the side of a slope (danger of vehicle
rollover). If in doing so, the vehicle begins to show a
tendency to roll, immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
Utilize the engine’s braking power when descending a
slope, observe the engine speed (do not overrev the
engine). Apply the service brake as needed.
The special LOW range ABS setting allows for precise
and brief (cyclical) blocking of the front wheels,
permitting them to dig into loose ground. Remember
that the front wheels when stopped, slide across a
surface, thus loose their ability to steer the vehicle.
Check the brakes after a lengthy downgrade drive.
Important!
Only apply the service brake if the vehicle travels
straight downhill, i.e. in the line of gravity.
J_G463.book Seite 229 Mittwoch, 19. September 2001 8:06 08