Contents
Oxidation catalyst
(diesel engine).............................. 349
Emission control .......................... 350
Coolant temperature .................... 350
At the gas station .............................. 352
Refueling ...................................... 352
Check regularly and before a
long trip........................................ 354
Engine compartment ......................... 356
Hood ............................................ 356
Engine oil ..................................... 358
Transmission fluid level ................ 360
Coolant level ................................ 360
Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system* ....................................... 362
Tires and wheels ................................ 363
Important guidelines .................... 363
Tire care and maintenance........... 364
Direction of rotation ..................... 365
Loading the vehicle ...................... 366
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 371
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 373
Tire labeling.................................. 384
Load identification ....................... 388DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) .............................................. 388
Maximum tire load ........................ 390
Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 390
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 391
Tire ply material ............................ 393
Tire and loading terminology......... 393
Rotating tires ................................ 396
Winter driving ..................................... 398
Winter tires ................................... 398
Snow chains.................................. 399
Maintenance....................................... 400
Maintenance service indicator
message ....................................... 400
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 402
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 402
Vehicle care........................................ 403
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 403
Practical hints.................................. 413
What to do if … ................................... 414
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 414
Lamp in center console ................ 425
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 427
Where will I find ...? ............................ 467
First aid kit.................................... 467
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 467
Spare wheel .................................. 471
Unlocking / locking in an emergency .. 474
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 474
Locking the vehicle ....................... 475
Fuel filler flap ................................ 475
Resetting activated head restraints.... 477
Vehicles without Rear Seat
Entertainment Package................. 477
Vehicles with Rear Seat
Entertainment Package*............... 478
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 479
Replacing bulbs .................................. 480
Bulbs............................................. 480
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 483
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 487
Contents
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 489
Front wiper blades ....................... 489
Rear wiper blade .......................... 490
Flat tire .............................................. 492
Preparing the vehicle.................... 492
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 493
Bleeding the fuel system
(diesel engine only) ............................ 502
Battery ............................................... 503
Disconnecting, removing,
reinstalling and reconnecting
the battery.................................... 505
Charging the battery .................... 510
Jump starting ..................................... 511
Towing the vehicle ............................. 513
Installing towing eye bolt.............. 515
Stranded vehicle .......................... 517
Fuses ................................................. 518
Fuse box in engine compartment . 519
Fuse box in cargo compartment ... 519
Fuse box in passenger
compartment................................ 520
Emergency engine shut-down ...... 520
Technical data................................. 521
Parts service ...................................... 522
Warranty coverage............................. 523
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 523
Identification labels ........................... 524
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 526
R 320 CDI 4MATIC ....................... 526
R 350, R 350 4MATIC,
R 550 4MATIC .............................. 526
Engine................................................ 527
Rims and tires.................................... 529
Same size tires ............................. 530
Spare wheel ................................. 532
Electrical system ............................... 533
Main Dimensions ............................... 534
Weights.............................................. 535Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 536
Capacities .................................... 536
Engine oils ................................... 538
Engine oil additives ...................... 538
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 538
Brake fluid.................................... 539
Premium unleaded gasoline
(gasoline engine).......................... 539
Fuel requirements ........................ 540
Gasoline additives
(gasoline engine).......................... 540
Coolants ...................................... 541
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*......... 544
Index................................................. 545
23 At a glance
Exterior view
ItemPage
1Tailgate119
Power tailgate*119
Cargo compartment
Loading instructions
Cargo tie-down rings
Hooks
Expanding
Cover blind
Cargo net*
289
290
291
292
299
301
Vehicle tool kit467
Spare wheel471
2Rear window defroster207
3Rear lamps481
4Fuel filler flap352
Refueling352
Fuel353,
540
ItemPage
5Exterior rear view mirrors
Adjusting48
Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors*203
Power folding*204
6Towing eye bolt467
Installing towing eye bolt515
7Tires and wheels363,
529
Checking tire inflation
pressure373
General information363
Flat tire492
Spare wheel471
8Hood
Opening356
Engine oil358
Coolant360
ItemPage
9Windshield wipers59
Wiper blades, replacing489
Wiper blades, cleaning409
aWindshield
Cleaning with wiper fluid61
Cleaning409
bPower tilt/sliding sunroof*248
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel*252
cDoors
Locking and unlocking110
Opening and closing118
Locking/unlocking in an
emergency474
dFront lamps480
eHeadlamp cleaning system*203
161 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1Menu2Menu3Menu4Menu5
Standard displayAUDIONAV*AIRMATIC*/CompassDISTRONIC*
(page 164)(page 165)(page 167)(page 168)(page 262)
Commands/submenus
Trip- and main odometerSelecting radio stationRoute guidance
instructions, current
direction traveledAIRMATIC*Status and settings
Checking tire inflation
pressureSelecting satellite radio
station*Compass
Checking coolant
temperatureOperating CD player
Calling up digital
speedometer or outside
temperature
Calling up maintenance
service indicator
iThe headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within thesystem and are not necessarily identical to those
shown in the control system displays. The first function displayed in each menu will automati-
cally show you which part of the system you are
in.
164 Controls in detail
Control system
Standard display menu
In the standard display, the main odometer
and the trip odometer appear in the multi-
function display.
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
If you see another display, press
buttonè orÿ repeatedly until
the standard display appears.
Press buttonkorj to select
the functions in the standard display
menu.The following functions are available:Checking coolant temperature
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the coolant temperature appears
in the multifunction display.
FunctionPage
Checking tire inflation pressure373
Checking coolant temperature164
Calling up digital speedometer or
outside temperature165
Calling up maintenance service
indicator402
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 which can occur
just by opening the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
326 Controls in detail
Useful features
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. For
services such as labor and/or towing,
charges may apply. Refer to the Roadside
Assistance Manual for more information.
The following is only available in the USA:
Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable.Information button¡
The Information button¡ is located
below the center armrest cover.
1Information button¡
Open the telephone* tray
(
page 306).
Press and hold button1 (for longer
than 2 seconds).
A call to the Customer Assistance
Center will be initiated. The button will
flash while the call is in progress. The
message
Connecting Call will appear
in the multifunction display.
iThe indicator lamp on the Roadside
Assistance button• remains illuminated in
red for approximately 10 seconds during the
system self-check after switching on the ignition
(together with the SOS button and the
Information button¡).
See system self-check (
page 323) if the indi-
cator lamp does not come on in red or stays on
longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp on the Roadside Assistance
button• is flashing continuously and there
was no voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate a Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network was not available).
The message
Call Failed appears in the
multifunction display.
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated
using thet button on the multifunction
steering wheel or the END button on the
COMAND system headunit.
339 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent,
depends on driving habits and operating
conditions.
To save fuel you should:
Keep tires at the recommended
inflation pressures.
Remove unnecessary loads.
Remove carriers when not in use.
Allow engine to warm up under low
load use.
Avoid frequent acceleration and
deceleration.
Have all maintenance work performed
at the intervals specified in the
Maintenance Booklet and as required
by the Maintenance System. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by
driving in cold weather, in stop-and-go
traffic, on short trips and in hilly area.
Drinking and drivingPedals
Warning!G
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs
and driving are a very dangerous combina-
tion. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident are greatly increased when you
drink or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Warning!G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedal’s range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure the pedals still have
sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneu-
vers, the objects could get caught between
the pedals. You could then no longer brake
or accelerate. This could lead to accidents
and injury.
344 Operation
Driving instructions
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), at which
point the tire is considered worn and
should be replaced.
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subjected to high loads (e.g. high
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient temper-
atures).
For more information, see “Tires and
wheels” (
page 363).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.
Warning!G
Although the applicable federal motor
vehicle safety laws consider a tire to be
worn when the treadwear indicators (TWI)
become visible at approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recommend that you
do not allow your tires to wear down to
that level. As tread depth approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion properties on
a wet road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Warning!G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Warning!G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.