Page 366 of 570
365 Operation
Engine compartment
The hood lock release lever is located in
the driver’s footwell.
1Hood lock release lever
Pull release lever1 downwards.
The hood is unlocked. Handle2 pro-
trudes slightly from the radiator grille.
If not, lift the hood slightly.2Handle for opening the hood
Press and hold handle2.
The hood is unlocked.
Pull up on the hood in direction of
arrow and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
Warning!G
Vehicles with diesel engine:
The engine is equipped with a high-voltage
electronic control unit for the injection
system. Because of the high voltage it is
dangerous to touch any components of the
injection system (injectors, electrical wires)
with the engine running
while starting the engine
when the ignition is switched on
!To avoid damage to the windshield wipers or
hood, never open the hood if the wiper arms are
folded forward away from the windshield.
Page 367 of 570
366 Operation
Engine compartment
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.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Increased oil consumption
can occur when
the vehicle is new
the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.Checking engine oil level with the
control system (R 500 only)
When checking the oil level
the vehicle must be parked on level
ground
with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off
with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the
multifunction display, do the following:
Switch on the ignition (page 39).
The standard display (
page 166)
should appear in the multifunction
display.
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hand or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure the hood is securely engaged be-
fore driving. Do not continue driving if the
hood can no longer engage after an accident
for example. The hood could otherwise
come loose while the vehicle is in motion
and injure you and/or others.
iDo not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies.
Using special additives not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may cause damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available at
any Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Page 369 of 570
368 Operation
Engine compartment
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 459).Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (except R 500)
When checking the oil level
the vehicle must be parked on level
ground
with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off
with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle also must
have been stationary for at least
5 minutes with the engine turned off1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Open the hood (page 364).
Pull out oil dipstick1.
Wipe oil dipstick 1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark 3 (min.) and upper mark 2
(max.) of the oil dipstick.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and/or
catalytic converter (gasoline engine) or the
oxidation catalyst (diesel engine) not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Page 371 of 570
370 Operation
Engine compartment
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Technical data” section (
page 538) and
(
page 540).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center check the automatic trans-
mission.Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine or
emission control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Warning!G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:
Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.
Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.
Page 457 of 570
456 Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operation conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Observe the coolant temperature in the
multifunction display (
page 166).
If the temperature rises again:
Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
immediately.
Warning!G
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked
into the engine compartment to catch fire.
You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C).
Doing so may cause serious damage which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Page 461 of 570
460 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
c You are driving with one or more
doors open.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as
soon as it is safe to do so.
Close the doors.
A Gas cap is openA loss of pressure has been
detected in the fuel system. The
fuel cap may not be closed
properly or the fuel system may
be leaky.Check the fuel cap (page 360).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
aYou are driving with the hood or
the tailgate open.Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as
soon as it is safe to do so in a safe
location.
Close the hood (page 364) or the
tailgate (
page 125).
You are trying to lock the vehicle
with the KEYLESS-GO* function
with a door or the tailgate open.Close all doors and/or the tailgate
(
page 125).
Page 488 of 570
487 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Replacing bulbs for front lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a
front lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM (
page 146).
Open the hood (page 364).
Halogen headlamps
1Low beam/high beam headlamp cover2Bulb socket for turn signal lamp
2Bulb socket for turn signal lamp
3Bulb socket for low beam headlamp
4Bulb socket for high beam headlampLow beam headlamp bulbs
Turn cover 1 counterclockwise.
Remove cover 1.
Turn bulb socket 3 counterclockwise.
Pull bulb socket 3 out of the head-
lamp housing.
Pull the low beam bulb out of bulb
socket 3.
Insert the new low beam bulb into bulb
socket 3.
Insert bulb socket 3 into the head-
lamp housing.
Turn bulb socket 3 clockwise until it
engages.
Place cover 1 on the opening in the
headlamp housing.
Turn cover 1 clockwise until it
engages.
Page 495 of 570
494 Practical hints
Replacing wiper blades
Front wiper blades
Removing
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Make sure the vehicle’s on-board
electronics have status0
(
page 41).
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
engage.
1Wiper blade
2Tab
3Wiper arm
Press tabs2 together.
Tilt wiper blade 1 away from wiper
arm 3.
Take off wiper blade 1 in direction of
arrow.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove the SmartKey from starter switch
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0) before replacing a wiper blade.
Otherwise the motor could suddenly turn on
and cause injury.
Warning!G
Wiper blades are components that are sub-
ject to wear and tear. Change the wiper
blades twice a year, preferably in the spring
and fall. Otherwise the windows will not be
properly wiped. As a result, you may not be
able to observe surrounding traffic condi-
tions and could cause an accident.
!Never open the hood when the wiper arms
are folded forward.
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.
Do not allow the wiper arms to contact the wind-
shield glass without a wiper blade inserted.
Make sure the wiper blades are properly in-
stalled. Improperly installed wiper blades may
cause windshield damage.
For your convenience, we recommend that you
have this work carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.
