291 Controls in detail
Useful features
Information button¡
The Information button¡ is located be-
low the center armrest cover.
Press and hold the ¡button (for
longer than two seconds).
A call to the Customer Assistance
Center will be initiated. The
¡button will flash while the call is
in progress. The message
Connecting call will appear in the
multifunction display and the audio
system is muted.
When the connection is established, the
message
Call connected appears in the
multifunction display. The Tele Aid system
will transmit data generating the vehicle
identification number, model, color and
location (subject to availability of cellular
and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Customer
Assistance Center representative and the
occupants of the vehicle will be
established. Information regarding the
operation of your vehicle, the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or Mercedes-Benz
USA products and services is available to
you.
For more details concerning the Tele Aid
system, please visit www.mbusa.com and
use your ID and password (sent to you
separately) to learn more (USA only).
iThe indicator lamp on the Information
button¡ remains illuminated in red for ap-
proximately ten seconds during the system
self-check after switching on ignition (together
with the SOS button and the Roadside Assis-
tance button•).
See System self-check (
page 287) when the
indicator lamp does not come on in red or stays
on longer than approximately ten seconds.If the indicator lamp on the Information
button¡ is flashing continuously and there
was no voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate an Information call (e.g. the relevant cel-
lular phone network is not available). The mes-
sage
Call failed appears in the multifunction
display.
Information calls can be terminated using
thet button on the multifunction steering
wheel or the respective button for ending a
telephone call on the audio system or the
COMAND* headunit.
!If the indicator lamps do not start flashing
after pressing one of the buttons or remain illu-
minated (in red) at any time, the Tele Aid system
has detected a malfunction or the service is not
currently active, and may not initiate a call. Visit
an Mercedes-Benz Center and have the system
checked or contact the Response Center at
1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada) as soon as possi-
ble.
292 Controls in detail
Useful features
Call priority
If other service calls such as a Roadside
Assistance call or Information call are ac-
tive, an Emergency call is still possible. In
this case, the Emergency call will take pri-
ority and override all other active calls.Remote door unlock
In case you have locked your vehicle unin-
tentionally (e.g. SmartKey inside vehicle),
and the reserve SmartKey is not handy:
Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.
Then return to your vehicle and pull the
trunk recessed handle for a minimum
of 20 seconds until the SOS button is
flashing.
The message
Connecting call ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
As an alternative, you may unlock the vehi-
cle via Internet using the ID and password
sent to you shortly after the completion of
your acquaintance call.
The Response Center will then unlock your
vehicle with the remote door unlocking
feature.
iThe indicator lamp in the respective button
flashes until the call is concluded. Calls can only
be terminated by a Response Center or Custom-
er Assistance Center representative except
Roadside Assistance and Information calls,
which can also be terminated by pressing
buttont on the multifunction steering wheel
or the respective button for ending a telephone
call on the audio system or the COMAND* head
unit.
!If the indicator lamp continues to flash or
the system does not reset, contact the Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA), or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada), or Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) in the USA, or Customer Ser-
vice at 1-800-387-0100 in Canada.
iWhen a Tele Aid call has been initiated, the
audio system or the COMAND* system audio is
muted and the selected mode (radio or CD)
pauses. The optional cellular phone (if installed)
switches off. If you must use this phone, the ve-
hicle must be parked. Disconnect the coiled cord
and place the call. The COMAND* navigation
system (if engaged) will continue to run. The dis-
play in the instrument cluster is available for use,
and spoken commands are only available by
pressing the RPT button on the COMAND* head-
unit. A pop-up window will appear in the
COMAND* display to indicate that a Tele Aid call
is in progress.
299 Operation
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)
Driving instructions
At the gas station
Engine compartment
Tires and wheels
Winter driving
Maintenance
Vehicle care
304 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine gradually. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.Parking
Warning!G
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until
that time, you may need to use increased
brake pedal pressure while braking. Please
be aware of this and adjust your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in
period.
Excessive high demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition mes-
sages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
!When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a drive wheel to spin for an extended
period with the ESP
® switched off. Doing so may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brake reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake wear
and drivetrain wear.
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.
To reduce the risk of personal injury, or
damage to the vehicle or the vehicle
drivetrain, as a result of vehicle movement,
always do the following before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle:
Keep right foot firmly on brake pedal.
Firmly depress parking brake pedal.
Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.
Slowly release brake pedal.
When parked on an incline, always turn
the front wheels towards the road curb.
306 Operation
Driving instructions
For more information, see “Tires and
wheels” (
page 323).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 351) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately 1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to ensure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance compared to summer
tires. Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise
appropriate caution.
Warning!G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Warning!G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
308 Operation
Driving instructions
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to position N. Try
to keep the vehicle under control by cor-
rective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information, see “Winter driving”
(
page 351).
iFor information on driving with snow chains,
see “Snow chains” (
page 352).
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.
Warning!G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.
Warning!G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monox-
ide (CO) gases may enter vehicle interior re-
sulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.
Warning!G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.
316 Operation
Engine compartment
The hood lock release lever is located to
the left of the steering wheel under the
dashboard.
1Hood lock release lever
Pull lever 1 downwards.
The hood is unlocked.2Lever for opening the hood
Push lever 2 on the hood upwards.
Pull up on the hood and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wipers or
hood, never open the hood if the wiper arms are
folded forward away from the windshield.
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fingers.
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.
Make sure that the hood is securely en-
gaged before driving off. Do not continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage af-
ter an accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and injure you and/or others.
323 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tires and wheels
See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for information on tested and
recommended rims and tires for summer
and winter operation. They can also offer
advice concerning tire service and
purchase.Important guidelines
Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.
Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.
Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.
Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire inflation pressure loss and
damage to the tire beads.
If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.
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).
When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted:
The wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged.
The operating clearance of the wheels
and the tires may no longer be correct.
Warning!G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use Genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can
result in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on re-
treads. The operating safety of the vehicle
cannot be assured when such tires are used.