Page 37 of 321
37 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat fore and aft adjustment
Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow2 until you can
comfortably press the pedals all the
way to the floor.
Seat cushion tilt
Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow3 until your upper legs
are lightly supported.
Backrest tilt
Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow4 until your
hands are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel. Head restraint height
Pull up or push down on head restraint
until it is in desired position.
Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint. Push or pull on the lower
edge of the head restraint cushion.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 91).
Steering wheel
1Lever
iWith the front door open, the seats can
still be adjusted approx. 30 minutes af-
ter the ignition has been turned off.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint to support the back of
the head approximately at ear level.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. The steering wheel must be locked
while driving. Adjusting the steering wheel
while driving, or driving without the steering
column locked could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
Page 38 of 321
38 Getting startedAdjusting
Move lever1 to its stop down.
Move steering wheel up or down to de-
sired position.
Move lever1 to its stop up.
The steering column is locked.
Mirrors
Adjust the inside and exterior rear view
mirrors before driving so that you have a
good view of the road and traffic condi-
tions.Inside rear view mirror
Manually adjust the inside rear view
mirror.
Exterior rear view mirrors
!If the indicator lamp
_
(page 26)
comes on while the engine is running,
the steering column is not locked prop-
erly.
Warning!
G
In the case of an accident, liquid electrolyte
may escape the mirror housing if the mirror
glass breaks.
Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not al-
low the liquid to come into contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or the respiratory sys-
tem. In case it does, immediately flush af-
fected area with water, and seek medical
help if necessary.
Warning!
G
Exercise care when using the passenger
side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your in-
side rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.!Electrolyte drops coming into contact
with the vehicle paint finish can only be
completely removed while in their liq-
uid state and by applying plenty of wa-
ter.
Page 39 of 321
39 Getting started
Adjusting
The buttons are on the lower part of the
center console.
1Driver’s side mirror
2Passenger side mirror
3Adjustment button
Switch on the ignition by turning the
key in the steering lock to position2
(page 33)
All the lights in the instrument cluster
light up.
Press button1 for the left mirror or
button2 for the right mirror.
Push adjustment button3 up, down,
left or right according to the setting de-
sired.More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 119).
iWith the front doors closed, the exteri-
or mirrors can still be adjusted approx.
30 minutes after the ignition has been
turned off.
At low outside temperatures, the exte-
rior mirrors will be automatically
heated.
Page 44 of 321
44 Getting startedDrivingStarting the engine
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position with selector lever lock
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
For more information on “Automatic trans-
mission” (
page 113).
Make sure that the gear selector lever
is set to P.
Turn the key in the steering lock 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
with the key, see “Turning off engine”
(
page 51).
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open.
!Do not depress the accelerator.
Page 45 of 321
45 Getting started
Driving
Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:
Turn key in starter to position0 and re-
peat starting procedure.
Remember that extended starting at-
tempts can drain the battery.
Get a jump start (
page 264).
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
1Parking brake pedal
2Release handle
Release the parking brake by pulling on
handle2.
The indicator lamp
É
in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Driving
Place the gear selector lever in
positionD orR.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
!Ensure that the brake pedal is de-
pressed when starting the engine.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock the vehi-
cle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi-
cle. Children could release the parking
brake, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iWait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.
Page 46 of 321
46 Getting startedDrivingAfter a cold start the transmission engages
at a higher revolution. This allows the cata-
lytic converter to reach its operating tem-
perature earlier.More information can be found in the “Op-
eration” section (
page 177).
For information on off-road driving, see
Driving instructions (page 186).
Switching on headlamps
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.
Combination switch1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
3High beam lamps on
Turn the switch to
õ
.
Low beam headlamps on.
!If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out
ofP orN if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the en-
gine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
Page 47 of 321
47 Getting started
Driving
High beam
Push the exterior lamp switch forward.
The high beam symbol
A
in the
instrument cluster lights up.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 102)
Turn signals
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch up1 or
down2.
The switch is automatically cancelled
when the steering wheel is turned to a
large enough degree.
Windshield wipers
The combination switch is on the right of
the steering column.Wiper switch0Windshield wipers off
1Intermittent wiping
2Normal wiper speed
3Fast wiper speed
4Wiping with windshield wiper fluid
iTo signal minor directional changes,
move combination switch to point of
resistance only and release. The turn
signal blinks three times.
Page 50 of 321
50 Getting startedParking and locking
Parking and lockingYou have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Parking brake
2Release handle
Step firmly on parking brake1.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lamp
É
in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the key from the steering lock. The
vehicle cannot be steered when the key is
removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the steering system. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to steer the vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:
Keep right foot on brake pedal.
Firmly depress parking brake pedal.
Move the selector lever to positionP.
Slowly release brake pedal.
When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.
Turn the key to starter switch position 0
and remove.
Take the key and lock vehicle when leav-
ing.
