Page 338 of 474
337 Operation
Winter driving
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block
heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.
Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:
Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations.
Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.
Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to advise you on this subject.
Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
®
(
page 89) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.
!Some tire sizes do not leave adequate
clearance for snow chains. To help
avoid serious damage to your vehicle or
tires, use of snow chains is not permis-
sible with the following tire sizes:
245/40 R17 91W
245/40 R17 91W MOExtended
T 125/90 R16 98M
T 125/80 R17 99M
Page 339 of 474
338 OperationMaintenanceWe strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, in accordance with
the Maintenance Booklet at the times
called for by the maintenance service
indicator display.
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet
and maintenance service indicator at the
designated times /mileage will result in
vehicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Maintenance service indicator
message
The maintenance service indicator will
notify you when your next maintenance
service is due.
Starting approximately 1 month before
your next maintenance service is due, one
of the following messages will appear in
the multifunction display while you are
driving or when you switch on the ignition
(example service A):Service A in XXXXX Miles
(Km)
Service A in XXX Days
Service A due now
The type of maintenance service due is
indicated in the multifunction display:
9Basic service (A)
½Extended service (B)
iVehicles equipped with FSS (F
lexible
S
ervice S
ystem) only (Canada
vehicles): The interval between
maintenance services depends on your
driving habits. A gentle driving style,
moderate engine speeds and the
avoidance of short-distance trips will
lengthen the interval between services.
Page 341 of 474
340 OperationMaintenance
Resetting the maintenance service indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can
have the maintenance service indicator
reset. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the
maintenance service indicator in the
maintenance-relevant information for your
vehicle. Such information is available from
either your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or directly from Mercedes-Benz.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the maintenance
service indicator. To arrive at the true
maintenance service deadline, you will
need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service
indicator message or maintenance ser-
vice indicator display.
Do not confuse the maintenance
service indicator with the engine oil
level indicatorN.
iIf the maintenance service indicator
was inadvertently reset, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance
service has been performed. Resetting
the system without performing the
proper service as called for by the
maintenance service indicator will
result in engine damage and/or other
vehicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Page 344 of 474
343 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax, should be applied to the en-
gine compartment after every engine
cleaning. Before applying, all control
linkage bushings and joints should be
lubricated. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys
should be protected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
!Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in
exterior rear view mirrors prior to run-
ning the vehicle through an automatic
car wash to prevent damage to the
mirrors.
Make sure that the windshield wiper
switch is set to0 (
page 53). Other-
wise, the rain sensor could activate and
cause the wipers to move unintention-
ally. This may lead to vehicle damage.
Page 352 of 474
351 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.
Release the parking brake (
page 50).
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.
Risk of accident! Carefully stop the vehi-
cle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the prob-
lem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.
!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.
Page 353 of 474
352 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
There is a malfunction in:
The fuel management system
The ignition system
The emission control system
Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the en-
gine to its limp-home (emergency
operation) mode.
Have the vehicle checked as soon as pos-
sible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is used
by the service station to link the vehicle to
the shop diagnostics system. It allows the
accurate identification of system malfunc-
tions through the readout of diagnostic
trouble codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell next to the parking
brake pedal.
A loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be
closed properly or the fuel system may be
leaky.
Check the fuel cap (
page 294).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
H a v e t h e f u e l s y s t e m c h e c k e d b y a n a u t h o -
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Page 354 of 474
353 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
Your fuel tank is empty.
After refuelling start, turn off and restart
the engine three or four times in succes-
sion.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do not
need to have your vehicle checked.
Page 356 of 474
355 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on after starting the engine with
all doors closed.
The seat belt telltale reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts before
driving off.
Fasten your seat belts.
The red seat belt telltale flashes
and you additionally hear an in-
termittent warning signal with in-
creasing intensity for a maximum
of 60 seconds when the vehicle’s
speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h).
You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses the
front passenger seat as being occupied.
Fasten your seat belts.
Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint
systems. The air bags or emergency
tensioning devices (ETDs) could deploy
unexpectedly or fail to deploy in an accident.
Drive with added caution to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is
indicated as outlined above, the SRS may
not be operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately to have the system
checked; otherwise the SRS may not be
deployed when needed in an accident,
which could result in serious or fatal injury,
or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in an
accident and/or injury to you or to others.
