Page 279 of 417
278 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. This
service includes:
Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.
Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a premixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze which is formulated
for below freezing temperatures
(
page 382).
Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started,
even at low ambient temperatures.
Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show M+S and
the mountain/snowflake.marking on
the tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Using
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS and
ESP in winter operation.For safe handling, make sure that all
mounted winter tires are of the same make
and have the same tread design.
Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth under 1/6in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
Page 280 of 417
279 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 Light Truck
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 Light Truck
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 Light Truck Center.
i
When driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
(
page 84) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.
Page 288 of 417
287 Operation
Vehicle care
Light alloy wheels
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
should be used for regular cleaning of the
light alloy wheels.
If possible, clean wheels once a week with
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care, us-
ing a soft bristle brush and a strong spray
of water.
Follow instructions on container.Instrument cluster
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly
or clean with Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care.
Cup holder
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.Hard plastic trim items
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Headliner
Clean with soft bristle brush, or use a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of excessive
dirt.
Seat belts
The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Use only clear,
lukewarm water and soap. Do not dry the
webbing at temperatures above 176°F
(80°C) or in direct sunlight.
!
Only use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage
the clear coat.
Warning!G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Page 293 of 417
292 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible causeSuggested 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).
Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 298).
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 298).
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.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You could 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 294 of 417
293 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible causeSuggested solution
;(USA only)
3 (Canada only)
-The red brake warning lamp and
the yellow ABS indicator lamp
come on when the engine is run-
ning and you hear a warning
sound for approximately five sec-
onds.
The EBB has detected a malfunction and has
s w i t c h e d o f f . Y o u s h o u l d b e p r e p a r e d f o r y o u r
vehicle to perform differently than normal
when braking. Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.
Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 298).
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accidents.
Page 296 of 417
295 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible causeSuggested solution
vThe yellow ESP warning lamp
comes on and remains on while
driving.You engaged the differential locks. The ABS,
ESP, BAS, EBB and 4-ETS are switched off. The driving systems will switch on
again after the differential locks have
been disengaged.
Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 298).
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident! Adapt your speed and driv-
ing to the prevailing road conditions.Turn the ESP back on (page 87).
If the ESP cannot be turned back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center as
soon as possible.
The ESP is deactivated because of interrupt-
ed power supply. The ABS may still be opera-
tional. The ESP has to be synchronized.Note the messages in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 298).
The ESP, ABS, BAS, EBB or 4-ETS has detect-
ed a malfunction. All driving systems are
switched off.
Risk of accident! Adapt your speed and driv-
ing to the prevailing road conditions.Note the messages in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 298).
Page 297 of 417
296 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible causeSuggested solution
nates briefly after starting the
engine.The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.Fasten your seat belt.
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp
illuminates while driving.The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.Refuel at the next gas station.
Also note the messages in the multi-
function display (
page 298).
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp is
blinking.The fuel cap is not closed tight.Check the fuel cap.
1The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETD) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the SRS may not
be activated when needed in an accident.This could result in serious or fatal injury, or
it might deploy unexpectedly and unneces-
sarily which could also result in an accident
and/or injury to you or to others.
Page 299 of 417
298 Practical hints
What to do if …
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display
Warning and malfunction messages ap-
pear in the multifunction display located in
the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the vehicle status message
memory menu in the control system
(
page 131) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.High-priority messages appear in the mul-
tifunction display in red color.
Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (
page 120) or
buttonj, k, ·, orè on the
steering wheel.
Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority (regular
display colors) can be cleared from the
multifunction display using the reset but-
ton (
page 25) or buttonj, k,
·, orè on the steering wheel. They
are then stored in the vehicle status mes-
sage memory (
page 131). Remember
that clearing a message will only make the
message disappear. Clearing a message
will not correct the condition that caused
the message to appear.
Warning!G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.
