3. Turn the ignition off.
WARNING: Do not park your vehicle in Neutral, it may move
unexpectedly and injure someone. Use 1 (First) gear and set
the parking brake fully.
Removing the key
Turn the ignition off, push the
release lever (located above the
ignition), then turn the key toward
you and remove the key.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow, it may be rocked out by
shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a minute or damage to the
transmission and tires may occur, or the engine may overheat.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
WARNING: For important information regarding safe operation
of this type of vehicle, see Preparing to drive your vehicle in
this chapter.
Four–wheel drive (4WD) supplies power to all four wheels. 4WD should
not be operated on dry pavement; driveline damage may occur.
If equipped with the Electronic Shift 4WD System, and 4WD Low
is selected while the vehicle is moving above 3 mph (5 km/h), the
4WD system will not engage. This is normal and should be no
reason for concern.Refer toShifting to/from 4WD Lowfor proper
operation.
P
U
S
H
2008 B-Series(mbs)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
161
2. On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, place the
transmission in N (Neutral); on vehicles equipped with a manual
transmission, depress the clutch.
3. Move the 4WD control to the desired position.
•If shifting into 4L (4WD Low), wait for the 4WD LOW light in the
instrument cluster to turnonindicating the shift is complete.
•If shifting out of 4L (4WD Low), wait for the 4WD LOW light in the
instrument cluster to turnoffindicating the shift is complete.
Driving off-road with 4WD
Your vehicle is specially equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and has operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
How your vehicle differs from other vehicles
Trucks and utility vehicles can differ from some other vehicles. Your
vehicle may be higher to allow it to travel over rough terrain without
getting hung up or damaging underbody components.
The differences that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle
differently than an ordinary passenger car.
Maintain steering wheel control at all times, especially in rough terrain.
Since sudden changes in terrain can result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel from the outside. Do not
grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage from concealed objects such as
rocks and stumps.
You should either know the terrain or examine maps of the area before
driving. Map out your route before driving in the area. To maintain
steering and braking control of your vehicle, you must have all four
wheels on the ground and they must be rolling, not sliding or spinning.
Basic operating principles
•Do not use 4WD on dry, hard surfaced roads. Doing so will produce
excessive noise, increase tire wear and may damage drive components.
4WD modes are only intended for consistently slippery or loose
surfaces.
•Drive slower in strong crosswinds which can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
•Be extremely careful when driving on pavement made slippery by
loose sand, water, gravel, snow or ice.
2008 B-Series(mbs)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
163
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement
•If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement, slow down, but
avoid severe brake application, ease the vehicle back onto the
pavement only after reducing your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the road surface.
•It may be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow
down gradually before returning to the pavement. You may lose
control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too
sharply or abruptly.
•It often may be less risky to strike small objects, such as highway
reflectors, with minor damage to your vehicle rather than attempt a
sudden return to the pavement which could cause the vehicle to slide
sideways out of control or roll over. Remember, your safety and the
safety of others should be your primary concern.
WARNING: Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as
utility and four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles are not designed for cornering at speeds as high
as passenger cars any more than low-slung sports cars are
designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt maneuvers in
these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck it may be rocked out by shifting from forward and
reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady pattern. Press lightly
on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
WARNING: Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
2008 B-Series(mbs)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
164
Emergency maneuvers
•In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving” your vehicle, i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency. Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover
and/or personal injury. Use all available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
WARNING: Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as
utility and four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles are not designed for cornering at speeds as high
as passenger cars any more than low-slung sports cars are
designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt maneuvers in
these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
•If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Do not reduce the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
Note:The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) indicator light may
illuminate depending on how much air is released from your tires and/or
how long you drive the vehicle under these conditions
Mud and water
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake
capability may be limited.
2008 B-Series(mbs)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
165
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer to theMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiessection of this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
authorized dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle.
2008 B-Series(mbs)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
247
wiper blades ............................209
Clock adjust
AM/FM Stereo ...........................20
AM/FM stereo CD .....................21
Premium AM/FM stereo
CD6/MP3 ...................................28
Clutch
fluid ..........................................252
operation while driving ..........159
recommended shift speeds ....160
Console ........................................54
Coolant
checking and adding ..............234
refill capacities ........................239
specifications ..........................259
Cruise control
(see Speed control) ....................57
Customer
Assistance ..................195–196, 198
D
Daytime running lamps
(see Lamps) ................................43
Dipstick
engine oil .................................226
Driveline universal joint and
slip yoke ....................................256
Driving under special
conditions ..................161, 164, 166
mud ..........................................165
sand .........................................165
snow and ice ...........................167
through water .................165, 167
E
Emergencies, roadside
jump-starting ..........................189Emergency Flashers .................168
Emission control system ..........248
Engine ........................................263
cleaning ...................................207
coolant .....................................234
idle speed control ...................232
lubrication specifications .......259
service points ..................222–224
starting after a collision .........168
Engine block heater .................150
Engine oil ..................................226
checking and adding ..............226
dipstick ....................................226
filter, specifications ................230
recommendations ...................230
specifications ..........................259
Event data recording ....................6
Exhaust fumes ..........................149
F
Foglamps .....................................42
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles .......161
driving off road .......................163
electronic shift ........................162
indicator light .........................162
preparing to drive your
vehicle .....................................155
Fuel ............................................240
calculating fuel economy .......245
cap ...........................................242
choosing the right fuel ...........243
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................247
detergent in fuel .....................243
filling your vehicle
with fuel ..................240, 242, 245
filter, specifications ................240
fuel pump shut-off switch .....168
improving fuel economy ........245
2008 B-Series(mbs)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
269