Page 436 of 506

434 Practical hintsBatteries
Disconnecting the battery
Depress parking brake firmly or move
gear selector lever to positionP.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start/stop button until
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Open the trunk.
!Never loosen or detach battery termi-
nal clamps while the engine is running
or the SmartKey is in the starter switch.
Otherwise the alternator and other
electronic components could be se-
verely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for main-
tenance intervals or contact your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Warning!
G
The SBC brake system requires electrical
power to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. The same applies if
battery is disconnected. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes may only be applied to
the front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adjust your driving style according-
ly. For more information, refer to “SBC brake
system” (
page 90).
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery
you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch and
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever will
have no effect
the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP
Page 442 of 506

440 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
!
To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the drive train, however, we
recommend the drive shaft be discon-
nected at the rear axle drive flange (ve-
hicles with 4MATIC: disconnected at
the front and rear axle drive flanges) for
any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:
the engine will not run
there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system
there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in the starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes may only be applied to
the front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adapt your driving style according-
ly. For more information, refer to “SBC brake
system” (
page 90).
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. Adapt your driv-
ing accordingly.
Page 443 of 506

441 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate the combina-
tion switch for the left or right turn sig-
nal in the usual manner – only the
selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2, or KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button in position2, the ve-
hicle doors lock if the left front wheel
as well as the right rear wheel are turn-
ing at vehicle speeds of approximately
9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 95).
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic cen-
tral locking (
page 118).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable,
tow rope or tow rod to the vehicle chas-
sis, frame or suspension parts.
iThe selector lever will remain locked in
positionP and the SmartKey will not
turn in the starter switch if the battery
is disconnected or discharged. For
more information see “Battery”
(page 433) or “Jump starting”
(page 436).
Manual unlocking of the transmission
selector lever (
page 412).
Page 498 of 506

496 IndexSettings
Calling up Distronic* 152, 238
Convenience functions 167
Factory, KEYLESS-GO* 105
Factory, SmartKey 99
Individual 168
Lighting (control system) 162
Menus and submenus 147
Resetting all (control system) 154
Resetting in the submenu 155
Selective 100, 106
Settings menu
Functions in 154
Individual vehicle settings 154
Submenus 155
Shift lock 475
Shifting
Gear selector lever positions 178
Into optimal gear range (automatic
transmission) 176
Side impact airbags 66
Side marker lamps 418, 422Side windows
Automatic opening 219
Cleaning 352
Closing 218, 219
Opening 218
Opening fully (Express-open) 219
Stopping 220
Synchronizing power windows 220
Sidewall 338
Simultaneous wiping and washing
Windshield wipers 52
Single wipe 52
Ski sack* 254
Removing 257
Unfolding and loading 254
Unloading and folding 256
Sliding/pop-up roof* 223
Closing 223
Opening 223
Stopping 225, 229
Synchronizing 225
Sliding/pop-up roof* or panorama slid-
ing/pop-up roof*
Emergency operations 414SmartKey 98
Battery check lamp 100, 106
Checking the batteries 101, 107
Factory setting 99
Global locking 100
Global locking and unlocking 99
Global unlocking 99
Locking and unlocking 98
Loss of 102
positions in starter switch 33
Remote controls 98, 102
Restoring to factory setting 100, 106
Selective setting 100, 106
Starting the engine 46, 47
Unlocking with 32
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 102
Global locking and unlocking 105
Loss of 108
Messages in display 391
Remote controls 102
Turning off the engine 57
Unlocking with 33
SmartKey-dependent memory
Settings 168
Page 499 of 506

497 Index
Snow chains 342
Solar panel* 230
Spare fuses 443
Spare wheel 407
Speed
Saving current 232
Speed settings
Cruise control 234
Distronic* 240, 241
Speedometer
Displays 237
Settings units 157
Speedometer display mode
Selecting 157
Split rear bench seat* 257
Sporty driving style 247
SRS 475
SRS indicator lamp 25, 364
Standing lamps 133
Standing water 295Starter switch 33
Positions 33
Starting difficulties 48
Starting position 33
Starting the engine 46
Steering column
Height adjustment 40
Length adjustment 40
Steering wheel
Adjusting 39
Cleaning 354
Electrical adjustment 40
Stolen vehicle
Tracking services 279
Stopping
Sliding/pop-up roof* 225, 229
Windows 220
Storage compartment with cup holder in
the armrest 266
Storage compartments 262
Glove box 262Storage space under center armrest 263
Storing (Memory function*)
Positions into memory 131
Storing tires 313
Submenus
Convenience 167
For settings 147
In control system 149
Instrument cluster 157, 159
Lighting 162
Resetting functions in Control
system 155
Selecting 155
Settings menu 155
Vehicle 166
Sun visors 188
Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) 475
Suspension tuning
For comfortable driving style 247
For sporty driving style 247