
Contents
At the gas station ..............................  315
Refueling ......................................  315
Check regularly and before a 
long trip........................................  317
Engine compartment .........................  319
Hood ............................................  319
Engine oil .....................................  320
Transmission fluid level ................  324
Coolant level ................................  325
Batteries ......................................  326
Windshield washer system and 
headlamp cleaning system* .........  327
Tires and wheels ................................  328
Important guidelines ....................  328
Tire care and maintenance...........  329
Direction of rotation .....................  331
Loading the vehicle ......................  331
Recommended tire inflation 
pressure .......................................  337
Checking tire inflation pressure ...  339
MOExtended system* ..................  343
Tire labeling..................................  344
Load identification .......................  348
DOT, Tire Identification Number 
(TIN) .............................................  349
Maximum tire load .......................  350Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 351
Uniform Tire Quality Grading 
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 351
Tire ply material ............................ 353
Tire and loading terminology......... 353
Rotating tires ................................ 356
Winter driving ..................................... 358
Winter tires ................................... 358
Block heater* (Canada only) ......... 359
Snow chains.................................. 359
Maintenance....................................... 360
Maintenance service indicator 
message ....................................... 360
Calling up the maintenance 
service indicator display ............... 362
Resetting the maintenance 
service indicator ........................... 362
Vehicle care........................................ 364
Cleaning and care of vehicle ......... 364
Practical hints..................................  373
What to do if … ...................................  374
Lamps in instrument cluster .........  374
Lamp in center console ................ 384
Vehicle status messages in the 
multifunction display .................... 386
Where will I find ...? ............................ 422
First aid kit....................................  422
Spare wheel ..................................  422
Luggage box ................................. 423
Vehicle tool kit..............................  424
Vehicle jack ..................................  424
Unlocking/locking in an emergency ..  426
Unlocking the vehicle ...................  426
Locking the vehicle .......................  427
Fuel filler flap emergency release .  428
Manually unlocking the gear 
selector lever ................................  428
Opening/closing in an emergency .....  429
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* or 
panorama roof with power 
tilt/sliding panel* ......................... 429
Resetting activated head restraints.... 430 

330 OperationTires and wheelsTread depth 
Do not allow your tires to wear down too 
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are 
sharply reduced at tread depths under 1⁄8in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by 
law. These indicators are located in six 
places on the tread circumference and 
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately 
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point 
the tire is considered worn and should be 
replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:
Summer tires 
1/8in (3 mm)
Winter tires 
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
read W
ear I
ndicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid 
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety 
laws consider a tire to be worn when the 
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at 
approximately 
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth 
approaches 
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion 
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road 
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies 
widely.
!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.!Never use a round nozzle to power 
wash tires. The intense jet of water can 
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire. 

364 OperationVehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your 
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the vehicle 
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but 
also by:
Air pollution
Road salt
Tar
Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:
Grease and oil
Fuel
Coolant
Brake fluid
Bird droppings
Insects
Tree resins etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of 
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to 
deal with unfavorable conditions:
near the ocean
in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust 
emissions)
during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to 
time for stone chipping or other damage. 
Any damage should be repaired as soon as 
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody 
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody 
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body 
cavities which will last for the lifetime of 
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is 
neither necessary nor recommended by 
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility 
of incompatibility between materials used 
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous. 
Some are poisonous, others are flammable. 
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s 
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and 
keep them out of reach of children. 

487 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their 
suitability in our engines and durability for 
our service intervals. Therefore, only use 
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance Sys-
tem (U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada 
vehicles). For a listing of approved engine 
oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet, or con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil. 
They may damage the engine. 
Damage or malfunctions resulting from 
blending oil additives are not covered by 
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG 
lubricating oil are used in the air condition-
ing system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the 
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point 
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced 
through the absorption of moisture from 
the atmosphere.
Only brake fluid approved by 
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System 
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada 
vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter 
at change intervals longer than those 
called for by the Maintenance System 
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada 
vehicles) will result in engine damage 
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz 
Limited Warranty.
Please follow Maintenance System 
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada 
vehicles) recommendations for sched-
uled oil changes. Failure to do so could 
result in engine damage not covered by 
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Under extremely strenuous operating condi-
tions, this moisture content can lead to the 
formation of bubbles in the system, thus re-
ducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced 
regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s Mainte-
nance Booklet for replacement interval.  

506 IndexEngine
Belt layout 469
Block heater* (Canada only) 359
Cleaning 366
Compartment 319
Malfunction indicator lamp 377, 378, 
403
Maximum engine speed 471
Message in the display 377, 378, 
403
Number 468, 494
Starting 50
Starting with KEYLESS-GO* 51
Starting with the SmartKey 51
Tachometer 25
Technical data 471
Turning off with KEYLESS-GO* 62
Turning off with the SmartKey 62
Engine compartment
Hood 319
Engine coolant see Coolant
Engine malfunction indicator lamp 377, 
378, 403Engine oil
Adding 323
Additives 487
Changing 323
Checking level (Control system) 321
Checking level (Dipstick) 322
Consumption 320
Filler neck 324
Messages in display 321, 408
Recommended engine oils and oil 
filter 487
Viscosity 494
Engine oil level 318
ESP
®
94, 494
Four wheel electronic traction system 
with ESP
®
100
Messages in display 391
Warning lamp 375
ETD 494
Safety guidelines 70
Exterior rear view mirrors
Parking position 176
F
Factory, SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO* 114
Filler neck, Engine oil 324First aid kit 422
Flat tire 441
Lowering the vehicle 447
Mounting the spare wheel 441, 444
Preparing the vehicle 441
Spare wheel 441
Flexible Service System see FSS
Floormats 284
Fluids
Automatic transmission fluid 484
Brake fluid 485
Capacities 484
Engine coolant 485
Engine oil 484
Power steering fluid 485
Windshield washer and headlamp 
cleaning system 486
Fog lamps 144
Messages in display 412
Replacing bulbs 435
Four wheel electronic traction system with 
ESP
® see 4MATIC
4MATIC 100
Front air bags 71
Front lamps see Headlamps