420 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. This
service includes:
Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.
Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“MB SummerFit” to a premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 569).
Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started
even at low ambient temperatures.
Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and The Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, ESP
®,
4-ETS, and EBP in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
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421 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:
Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations
(
page 555).
Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.
Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will be glad to advise you on this
subject.
Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
Do not use snow chains on the spare
wheel (
page 558).
Warning!G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive use
snow chains on rear tires only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clearance
for snow chains. To help avoid serious damage to
your vehicle or tires, use of snow chains is not
permissible with the spare wheel.
!Vehicles with ADS*:
When driving with snow chains, do not select
SPORT mode (
page 279).
iWhen driving with snow chains, you may
wish to deactivate the ESP® (page 105)
before setting the vehicle in motion. This will
improve the vehicle’s traction.
164.boo Seite 421 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12
432 Operation
Vehicle care
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.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
lukewarm 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 and the power
tilt/sliding sunroof* or rear panorama roof 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
corrosion 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.
164.boo Seite 432 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12
433 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
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
Use a soft bristle brush or a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of
excessive dirt.Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.
!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
surface.
!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
surface.
!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.
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434 Operation
Vehicle care
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.Leather upholstery*
Please not that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject to
a natural aging process. Leather
upholstery may also react to certain
ambient influences such as high humidity
or high temperature by showing wrinkles
for example.
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.MB Tex upholstery
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto a soft, lint-free cloth and
apply with light pressure for cleaning
the upholstery.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
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
deployment of the front side impact air
bags
deployment of the rear side impact air
bags*
activation of the active head restraints
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for availability.
!To avoid damage to leather upholstery:
Wipe with light pressure only.
Do not clean with abrasive cleaning agents
such as scouring milk or powder.
Do not soak the leather upholstery.
As leather is a natural product, it could
otherwise harden or become porous.
Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside should
not become wet.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.
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437 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp comes on while
the engine is running.The self-diagnosis has not yet
been completed yet.The display will clear after driving a short
distance at a vehicle speed of above
12 mph (20 km/h).
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and an
acoustic warning sounds.You are driving with the
parking brake set.Release the parking brake
(
page 59).
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle in a safe location or as soon as
it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 67).
Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Warning!G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks.
164.boo Seite 437 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12
438 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
-
v
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving. In
addition, the yellow ABS mal-
function indicator lamp, and
the yellow ESP
® warning lamp
come on and an acoustic warn-
ing sounds.
The Electronic Brake Propor-
tioning (EBP) has switched off
due to a malfunction.
The ABS, the BAS, and the
ESP
® are also switched off.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
164.boo Seite 438 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12
440 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
?(USA only)
±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.A 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 374).
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.
Vehicles with diesel engine:
Your fuel tank is empty.After refueling start, turn off and
restart the engine three or four times in
succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.
lThe red distance warning lamp comes on
while driving and you hear a warning sound.You are gaining too rapidly on
the vehicle ahead of you.Apply the brakes immediately.
Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver to
avoid hitting an obstacle.
The Distronic* has recognized
a stationary obstacle on your
probable line of travel.
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