Page 34 of 376
34 Getting startedAdjustingHead 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 93).
Steering wheelThe stalk is located on the steering column
(lower left).
Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.
All the lights in the instrument cluster
light up.
1Steering column, lengthen or shorten
2Steering column, height
Steering column, lengthen or shorten
Move stalk forward or back in the direc-
tion of arrow1 until a comfortable
steering wheel position is reached with
your arms slightly bent at the elbow.
iThe memory function (
page 99) lets
you store the steering wheel adjust-
ment together with the adjustment for
the seat and the exterior rear view mir-
rors.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv-
ing could cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and take the
KEYLESS-GO
* card (if so equipped) with
you.
The steering wheel adjustment feature can
also be operated with the driver’s door
open. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Page 36 of 376
36 Getting startedAdjusting
Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.
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 145).
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. Warning!
G
In 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 respiratory system.
In case it does, immediately flush the affect-
ed area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.
!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.iThe memory function (
page 99) lets
you store the steering wheel adjust-
ment together with the adjustment for
the seat and the exterior rear view mir-
rors.
!If an exterior rear view mirror housing
is forcibly pushed forward or rearward,
reposition it by applying firm pressure
until it snaps into place. The mirror
housing is now properly positioned and
you can adjust the mirror normally.
Page 38 of 376
38 Getting startedDriving
1Seat belt housing
2Latch plate
3Buckle
4Release button
With a smooth motion, pull the belt
from the seat belt outlet1.
Place the belt over your shoulder.
Push the latch plate2 into the buckle3
until it clicks.
If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.
Proper use of seat belts:
Do not twist the belt when fastening.
Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck or pass under the
arm).
Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.
Place the seat backrest in a nearly up-
right position.
Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.
Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest reclined. Sitting in an excessively
reclined position can be dangerous. You
could slide under the seat belt in a collision.
If you slide under it, the belt would apply
force at the abdomen or neck. That could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The seat
backrest and seat belt provide the best re-
straint when the wearer is in an upright po-
sition and the belt is properly positioned on
the body.Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt.
Warning!
G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices in the “Safety and Security” section
(page 58).
Page 39 of 376
39 Getting started
Driving
Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time.
Check your seat belt during travel to
ensure that it is properly positioned.
Ensure that the seat belt is always fit-
ted snugly. You should avoid wearing
bulky clothing, such as winter coats,
when traveling in the vehicle.
Starting the engine
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionP Park position with selector lever lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral
D Drive position
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 137).
Make sure that the gear selector lever
is set to P.
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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 with at least one window
fully open.
Page 40 of 376
40 Getting startedDrivingStarting with the SmartKey
Turn the key in the starter switch to
position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 29).
Depress the brake pedal.
The selector lever lock is released.
For information on turning off the engine
with the key, see “Turning off engine with
the key” (
page 48).Starting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without a key
using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
on the gear selector lever.
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
Depress the brake pedal during the
starting procedure. Do not depress ac-
celerator.
The selector lever lock is released.
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button1 once.
The engine starts automatically.
For information on turning off the engine
with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off engine
with KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 49).
iYou can also use the “touch-start”
function. Turn the key to position3 and
release it again immediately. The en-
gine then starts automatically.
Page 41 of 376
41 Getting started
Driving
Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:
If you are starting the engine with the
key: Turn key in starter to position0
and repeat starting procedure.
If you are starting the engine with
KEYLESS-GO: Close any doors that
may be open to allow for better detec-
tion of the card.
Or:
Start the engine with the key as radio
signals from another source may be in-
terfering with the KEYLESS-GO card.
Repeat the starting procedure
(page 39). Remember that extended
starting attempts can drain the battery.
Get a jump start (
page 323).
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
Center.
Parking brake
1Parking brake
2Release handle
Release the parking brake by pulling on
handle2.
The indicator lamp
;
(USA only) or
3
(Canada only) in the
speedometer goes out.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle always remove the
key from the starter switch, take the KEY-
LESS-GO card (if so equipped) with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could release the
parking brake, which could result in an acci-
dent and/or serious injury.
Page 42 of 376
42 Getting startedDrivingDriving
Place the gear selector lever in
positionD orR.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the automat-
ic central locking system engages and the
locking knobs drop down.After a cold start, the transmission engag-
es at a higher revolution. This allows the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature earlier.iYou can open a locked door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions
are safe to do so.!If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.
iWait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.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.
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.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 44 of 376
44 Getting startedDrivingWindshield wipers
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
2Switching on windshield wipers
Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.Switching on windshield wipers
Turn the combination switch to the de-
sired position depending on the inten-
sity of the rain.
0 Windshield wipers off
I Intermittent wiping (interval depen-
dent on wetness of windshield)
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speed (Canada only:
goes to setting II when the car is
standing still)
Single wipe
Press switch briefly in the direction of
arrow1.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
iThe intermittent wiping interval is de-
pendent on wetness of windshield.
Wiping will not occur with a door open.
!Do not leave windshield wipers in inter-
mittent setting when vehicle is taken to
an automatic car wash or during wind-
shield cleaning. Wipers will operate in
the presence of water sprayed on the
windshield, and wipers may be dam-
aged as a result.
The switch should not be left in inter-
mittent setting as the wipers will wipe
the windshield once every time the en-
gine is started. Dust that accumulates
on the windshield might scratch the
glass when wiping occurs on a dry
windshield.
