Page 21 of 457

20 Introduction
Vehicle data recording
Information regarding electronic
recording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid system,
may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others
for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes
with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee
in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency
for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or
as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted
via that system.
Page 57 of 457

56 Getting started
Driving
After a cold start, the transmission shifts at
a higher engine revolution. This allows the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature earlier.
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 245).
For information on off-road driving, see
“Off-road driving” (
page 253).
Switching on headlamps
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
Exterior lamp switch
1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
The low beam headlamp indicator
lampB in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 26).
iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages and the locking
knobs drop down.
The automatic door lock feature can be deacti-
vated (
page 155).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
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 loss of control.
Warning!G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector
lever out ofP or N if the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not
firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!Do not run cold engine at high engine speed.
Running a cold engine at high engine speed may
shorten the service life of the engine.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
Page 71 of 457

70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Air bags
Warning!G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal
impacts (front air bags), or side impacts
(window curtain air bags). However, no
system available today can completely elim-
inate injuries and fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in
the vehicle. The dust might cause some tem-
porary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!G
The service life of the passenger front air
bag extends to the date indicated on the
label located on the driver side B pillar. To
provide continued reliability after that date,
they should be inspected at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center at that
time and replaced when necessary.
Warning!G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body
(
page 50).
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:
Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.
Page 134 of 457

133 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1. The control system
enables you to
call up information about your vehicle
change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control
system to find out when your vehicle is
next due for maintenance service, to set
the language for messages in the instru-
ment cluster display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
3Transfer case indicator
4Current gear selector lever
position/gear range
5Status indicator (clock)
6Status indicator (outside temperature
or digital speedometer)
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(
page 136).
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
Page 138 of 457
137 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1Menu2Menu3Menu4
Standard displayAudioNAVVehicle status message
memory1
1The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.
(page 140)(page 141)(page 144)(page 144)
Commands/submenu
Trip- and main odometerSelecting radio stationRoute guidance instructions,
current direction traveledCalling up malfunction
messages, warning messages,
and system status messages
stored in memory
Checking tire inflation
pressureSelecting satellite radio
station* (USA only)
Calling up digital speedometer
or outside temperatureOperating CD player
Calling up maintenance
service indicator
Checking engine oil level
iThe headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within the
system and are not necessarily identical to those
shown in the control system displays.The first function displayed in each menu will
automatically show you which part of the system
you are in.
Page 141 of 457
140 Controls in detail
Control system
Standard display menu
In the standard display, the main odometer
and the trip odometer appear in the multi-
function display.
Standard display
1Trip odometer
2Main odometerIf you see another display instead of the
standard display:
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display.
Press buttonk orj to select
the functions in the standard display
menu.
The following functions are available:Calling up digital speedometer or
outside temperature
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the digital speedometer or the
outside temperature appears in the
multifunction display.
Digital speedometer
FunctionPage
Checking tire inflation pressure288
Calling up digital speedometer or
outside temperature140
Calling up maintenance service
indicator313
Checking engine oil level270
Page 143 of 457

142 Controls in detail
Control system
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until a station or the desired stored
station is found.
The station search depends on the
selected setting in the
Vehicle
submenu, see “Selecting audio search
function” (
page 155).
Pressing buttonk orj will
either start a frequency scan or select
the next stored radio station.Selecting satellite radio station*
(USA only)
The satellite radio is treated as a radio
application.
Select satellite radio with the
corresponding soft key on the
COMAND system.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the currently tuned station
appears in the multifunction display.
1SAT mode or preset number
(
SAT0through SAT9)
2Channel name or number
Press buttonjork repeatedly
until the desired channel is found.
iYou can only store new stations using the
corresponding feature on the radio. Refer to
separate COMAND system operating
instructions. You can also operate the radio in
the usual manner.
iAdditional optional satellite radio equipment
and a subscription to satellite radio service
provider are required for satellite radio opera-
tion. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center for details and availability for
your vehicle.
For more information, refer to separate
COMAND system operating instructions.
iSatellite radio service may be unavailable or
interrupted from time to time for a variety of
reasons, such as environmental or topographic
conditions and other things beyond the service
provider’s or our control. Service might also not
be available in certain places (e.g. in tunnels,
parking garages, or within or next to buildings) or
near other technologies.
Page 217 of 457

216 Controls in detail
Useful features
Locking and unlocking the glove box
separately
You can lock the glove box separately, e.g.
when the vehicle is in the shop for service.
Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (
page 370).
Insert the mechanical key into the
glove box lock.
Turn the mechanical key to position2
to lock the glove box.
Turn the mechanical key to position1
to unlock the glove box.
Storage compartments/telephone*
tray below armrest
A flat storage/telephone* tray with a
deeper storage compartment underneath
is located below the armrest cover. Both
can be opened separately.1Button to open storage/telephone*
tray
2Button to open storage compartment
1Unlocking the glove box
2Locking the glove box
iThe glove box can only be locked or
unlocked with the mechanical key.
iThe contact plate for various mobile phone
cradles* (
page 228), the Roadside Assistance
button• (
page 232) and the Information
button¡ (
page 233) are located in the
storage/telephone* tray.