Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class 2015 Owners Manual - Manual (Page 172)

Checklist after driving off-road
!
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X
Deactivate off-road program (
Y
page 186).
X
Deactivate DSR (
Y
page 184).
X
Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear license plates.
X
Clean the wheels/tires with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X
Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle 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 bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X
After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X
After driving in sand, mud, gravel, water or
similar dirty conditions, have the following
checked and cleaned:
R brake discs
R
the wheels
R
brake pads
R axle joints
X If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, 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 over poor road surfaces places
greater demands on your vehicle than driving
on normal roads. After driving off-road, check
the vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident to
yourself and other road users.
Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Select the off-road program (
Y
page 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the terrain.
R Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
R
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
sible. Make sure that:
- the tire ruts are not too deep.
- the sand is sufficiently firm.
- the ground clearance of the vehicle is
sufficient.
Tire 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 Activate the off-road program
(
Y
page 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
R Drive slowly.
R Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy
area, if possible.
Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle
G WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
170
Driving tips
Driv
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and
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