55 Getting started
Driving
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Press the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow1 past the resistance
point.
The windshield wipers operate with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 329).iTo prevent smears on the windshield,
wipe with windshield washer fluid every
now and then even when it is raining.
!If anything blocks the windshield
wipers (leaves, snow, etc.), switch
them off immediately.
For safety reasons, stop the vehicle
in a safe location and,
remove SmartKey from starter
switch
or
turn off the engine by pressing
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button and open the driver’s
door (with the driver’s door
open, starter switch is in posi-
tion 0, same as with SmartKey
removed from starter switch)
before attempting to remove any
blockage.
Remove blockage.
Turn the windshield wipers on
again.
If windshield wipers fail to function at
all in combination switch positionI,
set the combination switch to the
next higher wiper speed
have the windshield wipers
checked at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
57 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows:
Parking brake
1Release handle
2Parking brake pedal
Step firmly on parking brake pedal2.
When the engine is running, the
warning lamp;(USA only)
or3(Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and 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.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of inadvertent vehicle movement, be-
fore turning off the engine and leaving the
vehicle always:
Keep right foot on brake pedal.
Firmly depress parking brake pedal.
Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.
Slowly release brake pedal.
When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.
Turn the SmartKey to starter switch
position0 and remove, or press
start / stop button (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*).
Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* and lock vehicle when
leaving.
58 Getting startedParking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch toM
(page 52).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 127).
Turning off the engine
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.
Turning off the engine with the
SmartKey
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
(page 34) to position0 and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it 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 and/or move the gear selec-
tor lever from positionP, either of which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear se-
lector lever not fully engaged in positionP is
dangerous. Also, when parked on an incline,
positionP alone may not prevent your vehi-
cle from moving, possibly hitting people or
objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 168).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the curb.iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
59 Getting started
Parking and locking
Turning off the engine with
KEYLESS-GO*
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton to shut off the engine.
With the driver's door closed, the start-
er switch is now in position1. With the
driver’s door opened, the starter switch
is set to position0, same as SmartKey
removed from starter switch
(page 34).
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(page 46).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.
Locking
!If you hear a warning signal you have
either tried to turn off the engine while
the gear selector lever is not inP.
Place the gear selector lever inP.
!Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so
that the seat belt and/or latch plate
cannot get caught or pinched in the
door or in the seat mechanism. This
can damage the seat belt and impair
the effectiveness of the seat belt,
and/or cause damage to the door
and/or door trim panel. Such damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limit Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
60 Getting startedParking and locking
Exit the vehicle, take the SmartKey or
the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with
you, and close all doors and the trunk
lid.
Locking with the SmartKey
Press lock button‹on the
SmartKey (
page 32).
With the trunk and both doors closed,
all turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “SmartKey”
(
page 96).Locking with KEYLESS-GO*
1Lock button
Press lock button1 on an outside
door handle or on the trunk lid
(page 106).
With the trunk and both doors closed,
all turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 100).
iOpening a door causes the windows on
that side of the car to open slightly.
They will return to the up position when
the door is closed.iA warning sounds and the message Turn off lamps
appears in the multi-
function display if the vehicle’s exterior
lamps are not switched off
with the SmartKey removed from
the starter switch and the driver’s
door open
with the engine turned off using the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
and the driver’s door open (same as
SmartKey removed from starter
switch)
Switch off the exterior lamps.
81 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 56indicator lamp is located in
the center console.
1Front passenger front air bag off indica-
tor lamp
The 56indicator lamp1 will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed or in starter switch position0.
If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and
secure child restraint with the vehicle's
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be
activated (
page 79).
iDeployment of the driver front air bag
does not mean that the front passenger
front air bag also should have de-
ployed.
The Occupant Classification System
(page 78) may have determined:
that the seat was empty or
occupied by the weight up to or less
than that of a typical 12-month-old
child seated in a
standard child restraint - both
instances where the system sup-
presses deployment of the front
passenger front air bag even
though the impact met the criteria
and was of sufficient severity to
deploy the driver front air bag.
that the seat was occupied by a
small individual (such as a young
teenager or a small adult) or a child
weighing more than the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint - instances
where the system may suppress
deployment of the front passenger
front air bag even though the
impact met the criteria and was of
sufficient severity to deploy the
driver front air bag.
82 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 56 indicator lamp
located in the center console illuminates. If
an adult occupant is properly sitting on the
front passenger seat and the system
senses the occupant as being an adult,
the56 indicator lamp will
illuminate and go out after approximately
six seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the front passenger seat as being
empty, the 56 indicator lamp will
illuminate and not go out. More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 381).
Warning!
G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
56indicator lamp are lit at the same
time, there is a malfunction in the Occupant
Classification System. The front passenger
front air bag will be deactivated in this case.
In order to ensure proper operation of the
air bag system and OCS:
Have the system checked as soon as
possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.
Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle
over the door as this may cause the OCS
to be unable to correctly approximate
the occupant weight category.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
Warning!
G
If the 56 indicator lamp should not
illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must see an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center before seating any child on the front
passenger seat.Warning!
G
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the Occupant Classifi-
cation System. The bottom of the child seat
must make full contact with the passenger
seat cushion. An incorrectly mounted child
seat could cause injuries to the child in case
of an accident, instead of increasing protec-
tion for the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of child seats.
85 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Blocking of rear side window operation
You can block the rear side window
operation (for instance when you have
children riding in the rear passenger
compartment).
The override switch is located on the door
control panel of the driver’s door.
1Deactivating override switch
2Activating override switch
3Override switchActivating override switch
Slide override switch3 to the right in
direction2.
The rear side windows can no longer be
operated using the respective switch
located in the rear trim panels.
Deactivating override switch
Slide override switch3 to the left in
direction1.
The rear side windows can be operated
using the respective switch located in
the rear trim panels.
For more information, see “Power win-
dows” (
page 249).
Warning!
G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children may otherwise injure them-
selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the win-
dow opening.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment can cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iOperation of the rear side windows
with the switches located on the door
control panel of the driver’s door is still
possible.