ContentsTires and wheels ................................ 224
Important guidelines .................... 224
Life of tire ..................................... 225
Direction of rotation ..................... 225
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 225
Rotating wheels............................ 226
Winter driving..................................... 228
Winter tires................................... 228
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 228
Snow chains ................................. 229
Maintenance ...................................... 230
Clearing the service indicator....... 230
Service term exceeded................. 230
Calling up the service indicator .... 231
Resetting the service indicator ..... 231
Vehicle care ....................................... 232
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 232Practical hints.................................. 237
What to do if … .................................. 238
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 238
Lamp in center console ................ 244
Messages in the display ............... 246Where will I find ................................ 268
First aid kit ................................... 268
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 268
Vehicle jack.................................. 269
CD-changer .................................. 269
Spare wheel ................................. 270
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 272
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 272
Locking the vehicle ...................... 273
Changing batteries in
the SmartKey ............................... 273
Fuel filler flap ............................... 274
Manually unlocking the
transmission selector lever .......... 275
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 276
Sliding/pop-up roof ..................... 276
Brush guard* ..................................... 277
Lowering and raising brush guard 278
Replacing bulbs ................................. 279
Bulbs ............................................ 279
Replacing bulbs for front lamps ... 281
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps..... 286
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 289
Removal ....................................... 289
Installation ................................... 289Flat tire .............................................. 290
Preparing the vehicle ................... 290
Mounting the spare wheel............ 291
Battery............................................... 295
Charging the battery .................... 295
Disconnecting the battery ............ 296
Reconnecting the battery............. 296
Jump starting ..................................... 297
Towing the vehicle ............................. 299
Transporting the vehicle .............. 301
Towing the vehicle with
various faults ............................... 301
Front towing eye .......................... 302
Rear towing eye ........................... 302
Freeing a stranded vehicle ........... 302
Fuses ................................................. 303
Fuse box in passenger
compartment ............................... 303
Fuse box in battery box................ 303
Fuse box in front passenger
footwell ........................................ 304
Fuse box in middle tunnel ............ 305
33 Getting started
Unlocking
Starter switch positionsStarter switch0For removing key
The steering is locked when the key is
removed from the starter switch. If
necessary, move steering wheel slight-
ly to allow the locking mechanism to
engage.
1Power supply to some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
3Starting position
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch and lock
the vehicle. Do not leave children unattend-
ed in the vehicle, or with access to an un-
locked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle
equipment may cause an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
!If the key is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of
time, it can no longer be turned in the
starter switch.
Remove key from the starter switch
and reinsert.
If the key can still not be turned, the
battery may not be sufficiently
charged.
Check the battery and charge it if
necessary (
page 295).
Get a jump start (
page 297).
To prevent accelerated battery dis-
charge and a possible dead battery, al-
ways remove the key from the starter
switch.
44 Getting startedDriving
Make sure that the selector lever is set
toP.
Do not depress accelerator.
Turn key in the starter switch to
position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 33).
Depress the brake pedal.
The selector lever lock is released.
For information on turning off the engine,
see “Turning off engine” (
page 51).Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:
Turn key in starter switch to position0
and repeat starting procedure.
Remember that extended starting at-
tempts can drain the battery.
Get a jump start (
page 297).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.Parking brake
1Lever
2Button
iYou can also use the “touch-start”
function. Turn the key to position3 and
release it again immediately. The en-
gine then starts automatically.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and lock the ve-
hicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could release the parking brake,
which could result in an accident and/or se-
rious personal injury.
187 Controls in detail
Useful features
Roadside Assistance button
•
Located below the center armrest cover is
the Roadside Assistance button
•
.
Press and hold the button (for longer
than 2 seconds).
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside As-
sistance dispatcher will be initiated.
The button will flash while the call is in
progress. The message
ROADSIDE AS-
SISTANCE – CONNECTING CALL
will ap-
pear in the multifunction display.
When the connection is established, the
message
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE –
CALL CONNECTED
appears in the multifunc-
tion display. The Tele Aid system will trans-
mit data generating the vehicle
identification number, model, color and lo-
cation (subject to availability of cellular
and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established. When a
voice connection is established the audio system mutes and the message
TELE AID
– ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CALL ACTIVE
ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
Describe the nature of the need for as-
sistance.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. For
services such as labor and/or towing,
charges may apply. Refer to the Roadside
Assistance manual for more information.
These programs are only available in the
USA:
Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable
Remote Vehicle Diagnostics: This func-
tion permits the Mercedes-Benz Road-
side Assistance dispatcher to
download malfunction codes and actu-
al vehicle data.
iThe indicator lamp in the Roadside As-
sistance button
•
remains illumi-
nated in red for approx. 10 seconds
during the system self-check after turn-
ing the key in the starter switch to
position2 (together with the SOS but-
ton and the Information button
¡
).
See system self-check (
page 184)
when the indicator lamp does not light
up in red or stays on longer than ap-
proximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp in the Roadside
Assistance button
•
is illuminated
continuously and there was no voice
connection to the Response Center es-
tablished, then the Tele Aid system
could not initiate a Roadside Assis-
tance call (e.g. the relevant cellular
phone network was not available). The
message
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE –
CALL FAILED
appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
206 OperationDriving instructionsDriving in steep terrainSlope angle127°
236°
Comply with the warnings
(page 203) and rules for off-road
driving (
page 204).
Driving on embankments, slopes and
other steep inclines should only be
done straight up or downhill, i.e. in the
line of gravity. Maximum vehicle climb-
ing ability is a 80% grade.
Select gear range2 or1 on the auto-
matic transmission (
page 137).
Drive slowly.
Utilize the engine’s braking power
when descending a slope, observe the
engine speed (do not overrev the en-
gine). Apply the service brake as need-
ed.
Check the brakes after a lengthy down-
grade drive.
Traction in steep terrain
Be easy on the accelerator and watch for
continuous wheel traction when driving in
steep terrain.Driving across a hilltop
Decelerate just ahead of a hilltop (do not
select gear rangeN), to prevent the vehi-
cle from speeding up too much after climb-
ing a hill.
Use the momentum of the vehicle to drive
across the hilltop.
After climbing a hill, driving in this manner
prevents the vehicle from:
jumping across the hilltop
loosing its forward momentum.
speeding up too much after climbing
the hill.
iThe 4-ETS helps greatly when starting
out on a steep incline when the front
wheels have then the tendency to slip
due to the weight shifting away the
front axle.The 4-ETS recognizes the sit-
uation and limits the torque for the
front wheels by braking them. Simulta-
neously the torque for the rear wheels
is provided.
223 Operation
Battery
Battery
The battery is located in front of the rear
seat bench and below the cup holder. Jump
starting terminals are located in the left
side of the engine compartment
(page 298).
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life.
If you use your vehicle less than approxi-
mately 200 miles (300 km) per month,
mostly for short distance trips, or if it is not
used for long periods of time, you will need
to have the battery charge checked more
frequently and corrected if necessary.
When replacing batteries, always use bat-
teries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center about steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
More information on battery can be found
in the “Practical hints” section
(
page 295).
G
Observe all safety instructions
and precautions when handling
automotive batteries.
A
Risk of explosion
D
Keep flames or sparks away
from battery. Do not smoke.
B
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with clear
water and seek medical help if
necessary.
E
Wear eye protection.
C
Keep children away.
F
Follow the instructions in this
Operator's Manual.
iIf the battery is discharged
you will no longer be able to turn
the key in the starter switch
the selector lever will remain
locked in positionP
237 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Opening/closing in an emergency
Brush guard*
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Battery
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses
249 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Category
#
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The battery was charged with a bat-
tery charger or jump started.
Have the battery checked at a
service station.
2
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:
alternator malfunctioning
broken poly-V-belt
Stop immediately and check
the poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:
Do not continue to drive. Oth-
erwise the engine will overheat
due to an inoperative water
pump which may result in seri-
ous engine damage not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
If it is intact:
Turn off unnecessary electric
consumers.
Drive immediately to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.