351 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 smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.Parking
!When driving 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 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 dam-
age to the vehicle drivetrain as a result of
vehicle movement, before turning off the en-
gine and leaving the vehicle always:
Keep right foot on brake pedal.
Firmly depress parking brake pedal.
Shift the automatic transmission to
positionP.
Slowly release brake pedal.
When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch, or press the
start/stop button (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*).
Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* and lock vehicle when
leaving.
360 Operation
At the gas station
Refueling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* automatically
locks/unlocks the fuel filler flap.
Turn off the engine
by turning the SmartKey to
position0 (
page 39). Remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
by pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button (
page 41).
Open the driver’s door (with the
driver’s door open, starter switch is
now in position 0, same as
SmartKey removed from starter
switch).
Briefly push on fuel filler flap at the
position indicated the arrow.
The fuel filler flap opens slightly.
Warning!G
Gasoline and diesel fuels are highly flamma-
ble and poisonous. They burn violently and
can cause serious injury.
Never allow sparks, flame or smoking mate-
rials near gasoline or diesel fuel!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline or diesel
fuel, avoid inhaling fumes and skin or cloth-
ing contact, extinguish all smoking materi-
als.
Direct skin contact with gasoline or diesel
fuels and the inhalation of gasoline or diesel
fuel vapors can damage your health.
Warning!G
Do not fill diesel tanks with gasoline. Do not
mix diesel fuel with gasoline. Otherwise the
fuel system and engine could be damaged.
In addition, the vehicle could catch fire.
!Damage resulting from mixing gasoline with
diesel fuel is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
!Diesel engine: When filling the diesel fuel
tank using fuel containers, place a filling filter, a
suede cloth or a clean flannel cloth as a filter.
Otherwise, particles from the fuel container
could clog the fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system.
386 Operation
Tires and wheels
Warning!G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended.TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.
iIf a condition causing the TPMS to malfunc-
tion develops, it may take up to 10 minutes
for the system to signal a malfunction using
the TPMS telltale flashing and illumination
sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few minutes
driving if the malfunction has been corrected.
iOperating radio transmission equipment
(e.g. wireless headsets, two-way radios) in or
near the vehicle could cause the TPMS to mal-
function.
413 Operation
Vehicle care
Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a use damp cloth.Headlamps, brake lamps, tail lamps,
side markers, turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such
as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water.
!If you want the gear position to remain inN
(for example when the vehicle is pulled through
a car wash):
do not remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or, when using KEYLESS-GO*
do not turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* and open
the driver’s door
Otherwise, the transmission will shift toP and
lock the wheels, preventing the vehicle from
being pulled through a car wash.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 61). Otherwise, the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 415). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use damp
cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
Very dirty ornamental moldings of which you are
sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome cleaner.
If in doubt whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions that are
suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Window clean-
ing solutions which are not suitable may damage
the plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. There-
fore, do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners
that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the lenses.
Do not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.
415 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the Rear View Camera lens*
1Camera lens
Only use clean water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean camera
lens1.
Be careful not to apply wax to camera
lens1 when waxing the vehicle. If neces-
sary, remove the wax using the
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo
with plenty of water.Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Fold wiper arms forward until they snap
into place.
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild
window cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.
!Do not clean the camera and the area
around the camera:
with a high-pressure cleaner
with a dry cloth and high pressure
with aggressive cleaning agents
You could otherwise damage the camera.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0) before cleaning the windshield
and/or the wiper blades. Otherwise, the
wiper motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.
!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.
426 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
after starting the engine.The seat belt telltale reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts before
driving off.Fasten your seat belts.
Regardless of whether the seat belts
are fastened or not, the seat belt tell-
tale always comes on and remains lit
for 6 seconds after starting the
engine.
starting the engine.You have forgotten to fasten your seat belt.Fasten your seat belt.
The warning chime stops sounding.
still and the engine is running or
during driving.You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses the
front passenger seat as being occupied.Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
429 Practical hints
What to do if …
Warning!G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended.TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.
443 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
PShift to PYou have started the engine or
switched on the ignition with
KEYLESS-GO* and opened the
driver’s door with the automatic
transmission not set to positionP.Set the automatic transmission to
positionP.
or
Close the driver’s door
Shift to P or N
to start engineYou have attempted to start the
engine with the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button while the auto-
matic transmission was set to
positionR orD.Set the automatic transmission to
positionP orN.
Make sure the brake pedal is depressed
when attempting to start the engine with
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button.
Only shift to
Park when vehicle
is stationaryYou have tried to shift the transmis-
sion into position P using the gear
selector lever although the vehicle is
still in motion.Stop the vehicle.