Contents
Opening and closing the roller sun-
blinds for the
panorama sliding/pop-up roof ..... 189
Opening and closing the
panorama sliding/pop-up roof ..... 190
Synchronizing the
panorama sliding / pop-up roof
and the roller sunblinds ............... 193
Driving systems ................................. 194 Cruise control .............................. 194
Loading.............................................. 197 Roof rack*.................................... 197
Luggage cover.............................. 197
Split rear bench seat .................... 197
Loading instructions..................... 199
Useful features .................................. 200 Interior storage spaces ................ 200
Ashtrays ....................................... 203
Cigarette lighter ........................... 204
Telephone* .................................. 205
Tele Aid* ...................................... 206
Garage door opener ..................... 214
Operation ......................................... 221
The first 1000 miles (1500km) .......... 222 Driving instructions ............................ 223
Drive sensibly – save fuel.............. 223
Drinking and driving ...................... 223
Pedals ........................................... 223
Power assistance .......................... 223
Brakes........................................... 224
Driving off ..................................... 225
Parking.......................................... 225
Tires .............................................. 226
Hydroplaning................................. 227
Tire traction .................................. 227
Tire speed rating ........................... 228
Winter driving instructions ............ 228
Standing water.............................. 229
Passenger compartment ............... 230
Driving abroad .............................. 230
Control and operation of
radio transmitter ........................... 230
Catalytic converter........................ 231
Emission control ........................... 231
Coolant temperature..................... 232
At the gas station ............................... 233 Refueling....................................... 233
Check regularly and
before a long trip .......................... 234
Engine compartment .......................... 236 Hood ............................................. 236
Engine oil ...................................... 237
Transmission fluid level ................ 241
Coolant level ................................. 241
Battery .......................................... 242
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 243
Tires and wheels ................................ 244 Important guidelines ..................... 244
Life of tire ..................................... 245
Direction of rotation ..................... 245
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 245
Rotating wheels ............................ 246
Winter driving ..................................... 247 Winter tires ................................... 247
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 248
Snow chains ................................. 248
Maintenance ...................................... 249 Clearing the service indicator ....... 249
Service term exceeded ................. 249
Calling up the service indicator .... 250
Resetting the service indicator ..... 250
Vehicle care ....................................... 251 Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 251
235
Operation
At the gas station
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 237).
Opening hood, see (
page 236).
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 241) Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 293).
Exterior lamp switch (
page 98).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 245).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as
this will not solve the problem. For
more information, see “Practical Hints”
(page 259).
245
Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:
Driving style
Tire pressure
Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better aquaplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
ensure that the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction
of tire rotation.Checking tire inflation pressure
Correct the tire pressure only when tires
are cold.
Regularly check your tire pressure at inter-
vals of no more than 14 days. If the tires are warm you should only cor-
rect the tire pressure if it is too low for cur-
rent operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the spec-
ified tire inflation pressures for warm and
cold tires as well as for various operating
conditions.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly:
Check the tires for punctures from for-
eign objects.
Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.
iThe pressures listed for light loads are
minimum values offering high driving
comfort.
Increased inflation pressures listed for
heavier loads may also be used for light
loads. These higher pressures produce
favorable handling characteristics. The
ride of the vehicle, however, will be
somewhat harder. Never exceed the
max. values or inflate tires below the
min. values listed in the fuel filler flap.
256 OperationVehicle careUpholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather Care.
E x e r c i s e p a r t i c u l a r c a r e w h e n cl e a n i n g p e r -
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.
MB Tex upholstery
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use damp
cloth to clean wood trims in your vehicle.
Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.
304 Practical hintsFlat tire
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.Inflating the spare tire
Take the electric air pump out of the
trunk.
1 Flap
2 Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
3 Union nut
4 Electrical plug
Please exercise appropriate caution
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while in-
stalling first wheel bolt.Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are dam-
aged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be re-
paired immediately. Do not continue to drive
under these circumstances! Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tight-
ened wheel bolts can cause the wheel to
come off. This could cause an accident.
Make sure to use the correct mounting
bolts.
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. Other wheel
bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
tip over.
Warning!
G
Observe instructions on air pump label.
333
Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Use only premium unleaded meeting
ASTM standard D 439:
The octane number (posted at the
p um p) m us t be 91 mi n. It i s an a vera ge
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M) / 2). This is also known as the
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not exceed
10%; MTBE must not exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains 10%
ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline, can be
used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
l i n e m u s t b e u s e d . I f p r e m i u m u n l e a d e d
is not available and low octane fuel is
used, follow these precautions:
Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.
Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.
Do not exceed an engine speed of
3000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two per-
sons and no luggage.
Do not exceed
2/3 of maximum ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.
iFlexible Fuel Vehicles (identified by a
label reading Premium gasoline or
E85 only! on fuel filler flap) are de-
signed to operate on premium unlead-
ed gasoline or Ethanol fuel (E85), or any
mixture of these two.
See notes on Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(page 334).
351
Index
Checking
Coolant level 235, 241
Oil level 235, 237
Tire inflate pressure 235
Vehicle lighting 235
Child safety 65 Airbags 58
Infant and child restraint systems 62, 65
LATCH child seat mounts 70
Child seat mounts see LATCH child seat mounts 70
Cigarette lighter 204
Cleaning Cup holder 255
Gear selector lever 255
Hard plastic trim items 255
Headlamps 148
Headliner and shelf below rear window 255
Instrument cluster 255
Leather upholstery 256
Light alloy wheels 254 MB Tex upholstery 256
Plastic and rubber parts 256
Seat belts 255
Steering wheel 255
Upholstery 256
Windows 254
Windshield 50
Wiper blades 254
Wood trims 256
Climate control 150 Adjusting 153
Defogging windshield 153
Defrosting 154
Rear window defroster 149
Setting the temperature 153
Clock 23, 122
Closing Glove box 200
Hood 237
power window with SmartKey 188 Roller sunblind for the
sliding/pop-up roof 189
Side windows 187
Sliding/pop-up roof 190, 292
Trunk lid 86
Windows 186
Windows with SmartKey 188
Closing sliding/pop-up roof In an emergency 292
Cockpit 20, 341
Cockpit management and data system (COMAND*) 342
Collapsible tire 342
COMAND* 342
COMAND* see separate operating instruc- tions
Combination switch 102 High beam flasher 102
Turn signals 48
Windshield wipers 49
Consumer information 339
Control and operation of radio transmitters 230
Control system 109, 342