323 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least 3 hours or driv-
en no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for
the front and rear axle indicated on the
Certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
installed accessories, passengers and
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GVW must never exceed the
GVWR indicated on the Certification label
located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
331 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the maintenance service indicator
You can call up the maintenance service in-
dicator display, in the multifunction dis-
play, every time, to check when the next
maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (
page 38).
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 147).
Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 141).
Press buttonk or j until the
maintenance service indicator display
with the service symbol9 and the
service deadline appears in the multi-
function display.Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can
have the maintenance service indicator re-
set. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the main-
tenance service indicator in the mainte-
nance-relevant literature for your vehicle.
Such literature is available from either your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or
directly from Mercedes-Benz.
i
The menu overview can be found on
(
page 145).
i
If the battery is disconnected, the days of
disconnection will not be included in the count
shown by the maintenance service indicator. To
arrive at the true maintenance service deadline,
you will need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service indicator
message or the maintenance service indicator
display.
Do not confuse the maintenance service indica-
tor with the engine oil level indicator:.
i
If the maintenance service indicator was in-
advertently reset, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance service has
been performed. Resetting the system without
performing the proper service as called for by
the maintenance service indicator will result in
engine damage and/or other vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
338 OperationVehicle care
Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.
!
Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or pressing the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper arm
back. If released, the force of the impact from
the tensioning spring could crack the windshield.
!
To clean the window interior, do not use a
dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners con-
taining solvents. Do not touch the inside of the
front, rear or side windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
!
Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!
The vehicle should not be parked for an ex-
tended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased corro-
sion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Non-approved wheel cleaners may also damage
the wheel paint if the car is not driven after
cleaning. Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it is parked
after cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle
for several minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire
Care and Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
products, take care not to spray them on the
brake disks.
Warning!
G
Do not use cleaners or cockpit care sprays
containing solvents to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.
339 Operation
Vehicle care
Hard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.
Headliner and shelf below rear window
Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
!
Do not use oil, wax or scouring agents on
these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!
The seat belts must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat
belts at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.
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.
Warning!
G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of the active head restraints. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability.
342 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the igni-
tion, have the respective bulb checked and
replaced if necessary.Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS, EBP, ESP
® and
PRE-SAFE
® are also switched off (see messages
in multifunction display).
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning, other
systems such as the Parktronic system*, Dis-
tronic*, navigation system*, or the automatic
transmission may also be malfunctioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 356).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below 10 volts.
The ABS has switched off.
The battery may not be sufficiently charged.
When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again and
the ABS indicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and
battery checked.
356 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Vehicle status messages in the multi-function 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 141) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the
multifunction display in red color.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (
page 26) or
buttonj, k, è orÿ on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button or buttonj,
k, è orÿ on the multifunction
steering wheel. They are then stored in the
vehicle status message memory
(
page 153). Remember that clearing a
message will only make the message
disappear. Clearing a message will not
correct the condition that caused the mes-
sage to appear.
Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated,
addressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz 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.
358 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Text messagesDisplay message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
ABS
ABS, ESP
inoperative
See Operator’s Man.
ABS, ESP
® as well as PRE-SAFE
® have
switched off due to a malfunction.
BAS is also switched off.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS, BAS, ESP
® and
PRE-SAFE
® available.
Continue driving with added caution. Wheels
will lock during hard braking, reducing steering
capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
ABS
ABS, ESP
unavailable
See Operator’s Man.
ABS, ESP
® as well as PRE-SAFE
® are not
available due to a malfunction. BAS is also
switched off. The system’s self-diagnosis
may not be completed yet.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without ABS, BAS, ESP® and
PRE-SAFE
® available.
Drive a short distance with gentle turns above
a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h).
The message disappears when ABS, BAS, ESP
®
and PRE-SAFE
® are again available.
If the message does not disappear:
Continue driving with added caution. Wheels
will lock during hard braking, reducing steering
capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
361 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Distronic
currently unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
Distronic* is deactivated because the
functionality is impaired by external in-
terferences, e.g. high-frequency sources
such as too stations, speed measuring
systems etc.
Leave the area of the external interference.
Activate Distronic* again (
page 223) when
the message
DISTRONIC available
again ap-
pears.
Distronic* is deactivated because the
Distronic* sensor has not sensed any
other vehicles or objects, e.g. road sign
or such, for a long time.
Activate Distronic* again (
page 223) when
the message
DISTRONIC available
again ap-
pears.
ESP
inoperative
See Operator’s Man.
The ESP
® as well as BAS and PRE-SAFE
®
have detected a malfunction and
switched off.
The ABS may not be operational.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS, BAS, ESP
®
and PRE-SAFE
® available.
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
!
When synchronizing the ESP
®, make sure
you can turn the steering wheel in both direc-
tions as far as it will go without the wheels hitting
any objects, e.g. a road curb.