15 Introduction
Symbols
Symbols
Registered trademarks
®:
ESP
® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler.
HomeLink
® is a registered trademark
of Prince, a Johnson Controls Compa-
ny.
The following symbols are found in this
Operator’s Manual:
* Optional equipment is identified
with an asterisk. Since standard
equipment varies between models,
the descriptions and illustrations in
this manual may differ slightly from
the actual equipment of your vehi-
cle.
This symbol points to instructions for
you to follow.
A number of these symbols appearing
in succession indicates a multiple-step
procedure.
Page This symbol tells you where to
look for further information on a
topic.
This continuation symbol marks
an interrupted procedure which
will be continued on the next
page.
-> In the glossary of technical
terms, this symbol is used to in-
dicate cross-references to term
definitions.
Display
Words appearing in the multi-
function display are printed in
the type shown here.
Warning!
G
Warning notices draw your attention to haz-
ards that may endanger your health or life,
or the health or life of others.!Highlights hazards that may result in
damage to your vehicle.iHelpful hints or further information you
may find useful.
62 Getting startedParking and lockingSwitching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch toM
(page 54).
For more information, see the “Controls in
detail” section (
page 141).
Turning off engine
Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.
Apply the parking brake (
page 61).Turning off with the SmartKey
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
(page 36) to position0 and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.Turning off with KEYLESS-GO*
Place the gear selector lever inP.
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 36).
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb.
iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
!If you hear a warning signal, you have
either
forgotten to switch off the vehicle’s
exterior lamps before opening the
driver’s door,
or
tried to turn off the engine while the
gear selector lever is not inP.
Turn off the lights or place the gear se-
lector lever inP.
63 Getting started
Parking and locking
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(page 48).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.
Locking
Exit the vehicle and close all doors and
the trunk.
!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
Limited 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 that there
is no possibility of someone getting caught
in a door during closing.Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you, and lock the vehi-
cle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi-
cle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment
may cause an accident and/or serious per-
sonal injury.
iA warning sounds and the message Switch off lights
appears in the mul-
tifunction display if the vehicle’s exteri-
or 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.
66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
Seat belts (
page 73)
Child restraints (
page 86)
Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH) (
page 88)
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with
Air bags (
page 67)
Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)
Emergency tensioning device (ETD) for
seat belts (
page 76)Air bag system components with
75indicator lamp
(page 85)
Front passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(page 81)
As independent systems, their protective
functions work in conjunction with each
other. The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The
1
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is
switched on and goes out no later than a
few seconds after the engine has been
started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness if the
1
indicator lamp is not
lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the
1
indicator lamp:
fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started
does not come on at all
comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 78).
142 Controls in detailLightingManual headlamp mode
The low beam headlamps and the parking
lamps can be switched on and off with the
exterior lamp switch.
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:
Low beam headlamps
Tail and parking lamps
License plate lamps
Side marker lamps
Turn exterior lamp switch to
positionU.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1 or the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button pressed once, only the parking
lamps will switch on and off automatically.When the engine is running, the low beam
headlamps, the tail and parking lamps, the
license plate lamps, and the side marker
lamps will switch on and off automatically.
Daytime running lamp mode
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM orU.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps are automatically
switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the fol-
lowing lamps will switch on additional-
ly:
Tail and parking lamps
License plate lamps
Side marker lamps
For nighttime driving you should turn the
exterior lamp switch to positionB to
permit activation of the high beam head-
lamps.
Warning!
G
If the exterior lamp switch is set toU,
the headlamps may switch off unexpect-
edly when the system senses bright am-
bient light, for example light from
oncoming traffic.
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others, acti-
vate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch to B when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position U to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from U to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.
187 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop longer with the engine
idling and/or on a hill:
Set the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.Working on the vehicle
Warning!
G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to positionP. Otherwise the vehicle could
roll away.
413 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
.
Low beam,
right
The right low beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Halogen headlamp:
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Bi-Xenon* headlamp:
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Front Marker light,
left
The front left side marker lamp is mal-
functioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Front Marker light,
right
The front right side marker lamp is mal-
functioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Fr. Park. lamp, left
The left parking lamps are malfunction-
ing.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Fr. Park. lamp, right
The right parking lamps are malfunction-
ing.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Rear foglamp
Substitute bulb on
The rear fog lamp is malfunctioning. A
substitute bulb is being used.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Backup lamp, left
The left reverse lamp is malfunctioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Backup lamp, right
The right reverse lamp is malfunctioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Switch off lamps
Lamps have been turned on although the
SmartKey in the starter switch is in posi-
tion 0.
Switch off the headlights.
433 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Replacing bulbs
Bulbs
Safe vehicle operation depends on proper
exterior lighting and signaling. It is there-
fore essential that all bulbs and lamp as-
semblies are in good working order at all
times.
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely
important. Have headlamps checked and
readjusted at regular intervals and when a
bulb has been replaced. See your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for headlamp
adjustment.
iIf the headlamps or front fog lamps are
fogged up on the inside as a result of
high humidity, driving the vehicle a dis-
tance with the lights on should clear up
the fogging.
iSubstitute bulbs will be brought into
use when lamps malfunction. Read and
observe messages in the multifunction
display (
page 412).