2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV traction control

6
Distance recorder
see Total distance recorder
see Trip meter
Distance warning system (Vehi-
cles with Distronic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..62
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Distronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Cleaning the sensors . . . . . . . . . . .247
Cove r.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Display message . . . . . .257, 258, 264
Driving tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Door
Automatic locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Display message . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Emergency unlocking . . . . . . . . . . .302
Opening (from the inside) . . . . . . . .71
Door control panel
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Drinks holder
see Cup holder
Driver's airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Driver's door Unlocking (KEYLESS GO) . . . . . . . . .71
Driver's seat position . . . . . . . . . . . ..96
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Driving safety system . . . . . . . . . . . ..58
ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Adaptive brake lamps . . . . . . . . . . .59BAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.59
Distance warning system (vehi-
cles with Distronic) . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
EBV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
ESP ®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Driving system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
4MATIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Distronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Level control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Parktroni c.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Rear axle level control . . . . . . . . . .151
Reversing camera . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Speedtronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Driving tip
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Distronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Driving on wet road s.. . . . . . . . ..234
Fording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
DVD audio
Operation (on-board computer) . . .126
DVD video
Operation (on-board computer) . . .127 E
Easy-entry/exit feature Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Easy-entry feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..89
3rd row of seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Easy-exit feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
3rd row of seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
EASY-PACK tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..73
EBV (electronic brake-power distri-
bution) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Display message . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266
Electrical/electronic equipment
Retrofitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .339
Electronic brake-power distribution
see EBV
Electronic Stability Program
see ESP ®
Electronic Traction Support see ETS
e mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .339
Emergency key element Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
Emergency locking
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Emergency release
Fuel filler fla p.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Emergency running mode
Automatic transmission . . . . . . . . .292 Index
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Driving safety sys
tems 61
ETS (Electronic Traction Support) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side.
Traction control remains active when you
deactivate ESP ®
. G
Risk of accident
Traction control cannot reduce the risk of
an accident if you drive too fast. Traction
control cannot override the laws of physics.
i If heavy demands are made on the brakes,
traction control switches off automatically
for a brief period so that the brakes do not
heat up even further. The vwarning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up if
traction control is not engaging for this rea-
son. The message ABS, ESP unavailable
see Owner's Manual also appears in the
multi-function display.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running. It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. Spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. 1
To deactivate/activate ESP ®
X To deactivate: press button1.
The v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster is continuously lit when the engine
is running, ESP ®
is deactivated or not avail-
able due to a malfunction. There is an
increased risk of your vehicle skidding in
certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style
to suit prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. Safety
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Transmission
117
R
the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
R an increase in traction. This improves the
driving stability of the vehicle on slippery
road surfaces, for example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. The vehicle is driven at lower
engine speeds and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
Gearshift program Sis characterised by the
following:
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later.
Driving tips Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration. X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Trailer towing
X Drive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
X Shift down to shift range 3or 2depending
on the incline of the uphill or downhill gra-
dient (Y page 115), even if cruise control is
activated. DIRECT SELECT steering wheel gear-
shift buttons
You can restrict or derestrict the shift range
using the DIRECT SELECT steering wheel
gearshift buttons. 1
Left-hand button: to restrict the shift
range
2 Right-hand button: to derestrict the shift
range
i When the automatic transmission is in
position P,Nor R, you cannot shift gears
using the DIRECT SELECT steering wheel
gearshift buttons.
Derestricting the shift range X
Press right-hand button 2on the steering
wheel.
The shift range is derestricted
(Y page 115). The automatic transmission
shifts up to the next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to accel- Controls
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On-board computer
134
X
Press the æorç button to select the
Vehicle submenu.
X Press the jbutton to select Display
when ignition off.
X Press the æorç button to select
Interior motion sensor, Tow-away
protection orMiles/km.
X Press the j,èorÿ button to
select a different display.
Activating/deactivating the automatic
door locking feature The
Automatic door locking feature
allows you to set whether your vehicle will
lock centrally from a speed of about
15 km/h upwards.
i For more information on automatic lock-
ing, (Y page 75).
X Press èor· to select the Set-
tings menu.
X Press the jbutton to call up the selec-
tion of submenus.
X Press æorç to select the Vehicle
submenu.
X Press jto select Automatic door
locking . X
Press æorç to switch the Auto-
matic door locking feature on or off.
X Press the j,èorÿ button to
select a different display.
Selecting the switch-on time for the
auxiliary heating* This function is only available if the vehicle
has an auxiliary heating system.
The
Auxiliary heating function allows you
to select three switch-on times. You can set
the exact switch-on time using the other func-
tions in the Heatersubmenu.
You can switch off the auxiliary heating by
using the remote control or the auxiliary heat-
ing button on the centre console.
The auxiliary heating is switched off automat-
ically after 50 minutes. This time can be
changed. To do this, visit a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes are produced when the aux-
iliary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You
should therefore switch off the auxiliary heating in confined spaces without an
extraction system, e.g. a garage.
G
Risk of fire
When operating the auxiliary heating, parts
of the vehicle may become very hot, and
highly inflammable material such as fuels
could be ignited. Operating the auxiliary
heating is thus prohibited at filling stations
or when your vehicle is being refuelled. You
must therefore switch off the auxiliary heat-
ing at filling stations.
You can call up the Auxiliary heating.
function directly.
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press the button for the auxiliary heating on
the centre console (Y page 174).
or
X Press the èor· button to select the
Settings menu.
X Press the jbutton to call up the selec-
tion of submenus.
X Press the æorç button to select the
Heater submenu.
X Press the jbutton to select Auxiliary
heating . Controls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 140 Driving systems
Overview of driving systems
The vehicle's driving systems are described
on the following pages:
R Cruise control, Distronic* and Speedtronic,
which are used to control the speed of the
vehicle
R The rear axle level control*, which regu-
lates the vehicle level at the rear axle
R AIRMATIC package*, consisting of level
control* for individual adjustment of
ground clearance and ADS* (Adaptive
Damping System), for individual adjust-
ment of suspension tuning
R 4*MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive), for
optimum traction
R Parktronic*, which assists you in parking
and manoeuvring
R Reversing camera*, which assists you
when parking and manoeuvring
The ABS, BAS, ESP ®
, EBV vehicle safety sys-
tems and the distance warning system* are
described in the "Safety" section
(Y page 58). Cruise control
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1,2or 3in good time. By
doing so you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. G
Risk of accident
Cruise control cannot take account of road
and traffic conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when cruise control is activated.
Cruise control is only an aid designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's speed and for braking in good
time.
G
Risk of accident
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do
not allow you to maintain a constant
speed (e.g. heavy traffic or winding
roads). You could otherwise cause an
accident.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerat-
ing could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to
fog, heavy rain or snow
Cruise control lever You can operate cruise control and variable
Speedtronic with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R
LIM indicator lamp off:
Cruise control is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
Variable Speedtronic is selected. Controls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 154
appears in the multi-function display for
approximately five seconds, e.g. : Example display for vehicles with the AIRMATIC
package* and compass*
The vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
way level if you drive faster than 40 km/h at
raised level.
Highway level 1
Button
2 Indicator lamp X
Make sure that the doors are closed.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 2is lit:
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2flashes. The vehicle is
lowered to highway level.
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g. : Example display for vehicles with the AIRMATIC
package* and compass*
If you press the
è,·,korj
button on the multi-function steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, indi-
cator lamp 2goes out. A message appears in the multi-function display for approxi-
mately five seconds, e.g. : Example display for vehicles with the AIRMATIC
package* and compass*
The vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
way level if you drive faster than 40 km/h at
raised level. It is automatically raised to high-
way level if you drive slower than 60 km/h at
high-speed level. 4MATIC* (permanent four-wheel
drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
ETS, it improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to insuffi-
cient grip. G
Risk of accident
4MATIC cannot reduce the risk of an acci-
dent if you drive too fast. Controls
* optional
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Air conditioning
174 moves. If there is a risk of entrapment,
press the :button again. Press the but-
ton for stopping, opening or closing the side
window in the opposite direction as appro-
priate.
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped when you open or close the sliding/
tilting sunroof*/panorama sliding sun-
roof*. If there is a risk of entrapment, press
the : button again. Press the button for
stopping, opening or closing the sliding/
tilting sunroof*/panorama sliding sun-
roof *in the opposite direction as appropri-
ate.
X Convenience closing: press and hold
the : button until the side windows and
the sliding/tilting sunroof*/panorama
sliding sunroof* have closed.
The indicator lamp in the :button
comes on. Air-recirculation mode is activa-
ted.
X Convenience opening: press and hold
the : button until the side windows and
the sliding/tilting sunroof*/panorama sliding sunroof* have reached their original
position.
The indicator lamp in the
:button goes
out. Air-recirculation mode is deactivated.
i If you open the side windows or the slid-
ing/tilting sunroof* or panorama sliding
sunroof* manually after closing using the
convenience closing feature, it will remain
in this position when opened using the con-
venience opening feature. Switching the residual heat on/off
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the station-
ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the set interior temperature.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the "residual heat" function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed. X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove it.
X To switch on: press the9button.
The indicator lamp in the 9button lights
up.
X To deactivate: press the9button.
The indicator lamp in the 9button goes
out.
i The residual heat automatically switches
off after around 30 minutes or if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the battery voltage drops Auxiliary heating/ventilation*
G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes are produced when the aux-
iliary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You
should therefore switch off the auxiliary
heating in confined spaces without an
extraction system, e.g. a garage. G
Risk of fire
When operating the auxiliary heating, parts
of the vehicle may become very hot, and Controls
* optional
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Troubleshooting
282 Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
v
3
- The yellow ESP
®
warning
lamp, the red brake sys-
tem warning lamp and the
yellow ABS warning lamp
light up while the engine is
running. You will also hear
a warning tone. G
Risk of accident
The electronic brake force distri-
bution (EBV) is faulty. Therefore,
ABS, Brake Assist, ESP ®
and PRE-
SAFE ®
are, for example, no lon-
ger available. The brake system
continues to function normally,
but without electronic support.
The wheels could therefore lock
if you brake hard, for example. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. v
The yellow ESP ®
warning
lamp flashes while the
vehicle is in motion. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
, ABS or traction control has
intervened because at least one
wheel has reached its grip limit
and is threatening to spin or lock.
Cruise control or Distronic* is
deactivated. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when pull-
ing away.
X Release the accelerator pedal while you are driving.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: ( Ypage 61). v
The yellow ESP ®
warning
lamp is lit while the engine
is running. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
is deactivated. ESP ®
will
not stabilise the vehicle if it starts
to skid or if a wheel starts to spin. X
Reactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: ( Ypage 61).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions. Practical advice
* optional
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