Switching cargo compartment lamps
off and on with the tailgate open
GWarning!
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the cargo
compartment opening when closing the
tailgate. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
GWarning!
Make sure the tailgate is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
! To prevent the vehicle battery from being
discharged, switch off the cargo
compartment lamps if the tailgate should
remain open for a longer period of time.
Switching off
XOpen the tailgate (Y page 61).XPress door lock : down in direction of
arrow until it engages.
! Do not close the tailgate if the lock is
engaged in down position. The lock could
otherwise be damaged.
When locking the tailgate, it is important
that the door lock be in the same original
position as shown in the illustration.
To return door lock : to its original
position, press lock cylinder ;.
Switching onXPress lock cylinder ; to activate the cargo
compartment lamps again.
The cargo compartment lamps will come
on.
Wipers
Notes
! Do not operate the wipers when the
windshield/rear window is dry. Dust that
accumulates on a windshield/rear window
might scratch the glass and/or damage the
wiper blades when wiping occurs on a dry
windshield/rear window. If it is necessary
to operate the wipers in dry weather
conditions, always operate the wipers with
washer fluid.
Combination switch
:Single wipeWiping with washer fluid;Switching on windshield wipersXSwitch on the ignition.
Windshield wipers
Switching on/off
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carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals
still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
GWarning!
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
Starting the engine
GWarning!
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas (such
as a garage) which are not properly ventilated.
If you think that exhaust gas fumes are
entering the vehicle while driving, have the
cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times.
Automatic transmission
Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission
jPark position with gear selector lever lockkReverse geariNeutral positionhDrive position
For more information, see “Automatic
transmission” (Y page 87).
XMake sure the automatic transmission is in
park position P.
Starting
XDo not depress the accelerator pedal.XTurn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 3 (Y page 62) and release it.
The engine starts automatically.
Starting difficulties
! Remember that extended starting
attempts can drain the battery.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the starter switch.
In this case, the steering is locked.
XTo unlock, remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch and reinsert.
The engine does not start. You can hear
the starter.
There could be a malfunction in the engine
electronics or in the fuel supply system.
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RTurn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 0 and remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch.
RTake the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving.
Parking brake
GWarning!
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to lock
up. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. In addition, the vehicle’s
brake lights do not light up when the parking
brake is engaged.
GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it with
you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could
release the parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of park position
P, either of which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
XReleasing: Pull up slightly on parking brake
lever : and press release button ;.
XPush parking brake lever : down to its
original position.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the brake warning lamp
$ (USA only) or J (Canada only) in
the instrument cluster goes out.
XEngaging: Pull up parking brake lever :
firmly.
When the engine is running, the brake
warning lamp $ (USA only) or J
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
comes on.
Turning off the engine
GWarning!
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the engine
not running, there is no power assistance for
the brake and steering systems. In this case,
it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is
necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.
XShift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
XEngage the parking brake.
iAlways engage the parking brake in
addition to shifting the automatic
transmission into park position P.
When parked on an incline, also turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
XTurn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 0.
XRemove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
The SmartKey can only be removed from the
starter switch with the automatic
transmission in park position P.
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Automatic transmission
Introduction
For information on driving with an automatic
transmission, see “Driving and parking”
(Y page 82).
GWarning!
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals
still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
! Allow the engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature has
been reached.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces.
This may cause serious damage to the
engine and the drivetrain which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the
catalytic converter to heat up more quickly
to operating temperature.
Gear selector lever
Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission
jPark position with gear selector lever lockkReverse geariNeutral positionhDrive positionGWarning!
It is dangerous to shift the automatic
transmission out of park position P or neutral
position N if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
! Only shift the automatic transmission into
reverse gear R or park position P when the
vehicle is stopped. Otherwise the
automatic transmission could be damaged.
iShifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P is only possible with the
brake pedal depressed.
Only depressing the brake pedal releases
the gear selector lever lock.
iThe current gear selector lever position
corresponds with the current transmission
position.
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EffectANeutral position
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When the
brakes are released, the vehicle can
be moved freely (pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the
transmission, never shift the
automatic transmission into neutral
position N while driving.
Exceptions:
RIf the ESP® is deactivated or
malfunctioning, shift the
automatic transmission into
neutral position N if the vehicle is
in danger of skidding.
RShift the automatic transmission
into neutral position N if you have
to shift the transfer case.
! Coasting the vehicle, or driving
for any other reason with the
automatic transmission in neutral
position N can result in
transmission damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
7Drive position
The automatic transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears are
available.
Driving tips
Kickdown
Use the kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
automatic transmission shifts into a lower
gear.
Working on the vehicleGWarning!
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise
the vehicle could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury.
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range, see “One-touch gearshifting”
(Y page 90).
The current gear range appears in the
multifunction display.
:Gear range indicator
! If the transfer case is in off-road position
LOW, the automatic transmission will not
shift up automatically, even when the
engine has reached the speed limit for that
gear. There is a risk of damaging the
engine.
It is very important to make sure the
permissible engine speed is not exceeded.
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XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting.XRestart the engine.XShift the automatic transmission into drive
position D (for second gear) or reverse gear
R.
XHave the automatic transmission checked
at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Transfer case
For more information on off-road driving, see
“Off-road driving” (Y page 179).
Transfer case position
HHIGH
Road position
LLOW
Off-road position
This position is intended for
driving off-road and step
gradients.
The automatic transmission
will not upshift
automatically to the next
higher gear range when
driving at the rpm limit.
The transfer case supports
the engine’s driving force
(approximately 1/2 speed).
Output is therefore
increased.
NNeutral
No power is transmitted
from the engine to the drive
axle.
Switching transfer case
The transfer case switch is located on the
lower part of the center console.
Transfer case switch
Current transfer case indicator : appears in
the multifunction display.
GWarning!
Always wait until the procedure of shifting
from HIGH to LOW – and from LOW to HIGH
– has been entirely completed. During this
procedure do not turn off the engine or shift
the automatic transmission into another gear.
If you do not wait until the shifting procedure
has been entirely completed then it might not
be correctly performed. The transfer case
might be in neutral, thus interrupting the
transfer of power between the engine and the
drive axle.
The vehicle is then freely movable, even if a
gear has been selected, and could
unintentionally be set into motion –
particularly on up – or downhill grades. This
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switches in sequential order (center, rear,
front) (Y page 94). When the transfer case
(center) differential is locked, half of the
engine’s power is automatically distributed to
the front wheels and half to the rear wheels.
When the rear differential is locked, power
going to the rear wheels is equally distributed,
so that both rear wheels turn at the same
speed and torque. Please be aware that
engaging the differential locks will
significantly reduce the steering ability of the
vehicle.
For your safety and the safety of others and
to prevent damage to the vehicle, the
differential locks must not be engaged when
driving on paved roads. It is important to
understand that during on-road/paved
driving, differentials are absolutely necessary
for providing the essential control and
steering ability of the vehicle. The differential
locks, therefore, must not be engaged when
driving on paved roads and should only be
used to the extent necessary to negotiate off-
road conditions which cannot be handled by
the systems (the 4-ETS, the ESP®, and the
manual switch position “LOW” of transfer
case) this vehicle comes equipped with.
Switching differential locks on and off
The switches are located on the upper part of
the center console.
:Transfer case (center) differential lock;Rear axle differential lock=Front differential lock?Engagement indicator lamps (yellow)AFunction indicator lamps (red)
The differential locks can only be switched on
in the sequence :, ;, =.
Switching differential locks on
! To avoid damage to the transfer case and
differential locks:
REngage the differential locks only at low
speed (walking speed, not more than
5 mph [8 km/h]).
RDo not engage the differential locks if the
driving wheels are spinning due to lack
of traction.
RDo not engage the differential locks on
paved roads.
Transfer case differential lock
XPress switch :.
Yellow engagement indicator lamp ? for
the transfer case differential lock comes
on.
The ESP® warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster comes on.
When the differential lock engagement
operation has been completed, the red
function indicator lamp A comes on.
The message ABS not available
differential locked appears in the
multifunction display.
The ESP® warning lamp d and the !
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster come
on.
Once the transfer case differential lock is
switched on, you can now, if needed, switch
on rear axle differential lock ;, or switch on
rear axle differential lock ; and front
differential lock =.
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The following functions are available:
RChecking tire inflation pressure with the
Advanced TPMS (Y page 157)
RCalling up digital speedometer or outside
temperature (Y page 100)
RCalling up maintenance service indicator
display (Y page 186)
RChecking engine oil level (Y page 150)
Calling up digital speedometer or
outside temperature
You can select whether the digital
speedometer or the outside temperature
appears in the multifunction display
(Y page 105).
GWarning!
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
XPress button & or * repeatedly until
the digital speedometer or the outside
temperature appears in the multifunction
display.
Digital speedometer
Outside temperature
Audio/DVD menu
The functions in the Audio/DVD menu
operate the audio or video equipment which
you have currently switched on.
The following functions are available:
RSelecting radio station (Y page 100)
ROperating audio devices/audio media
(Y page 101)
ROperating video DVD (Y page 101)
If no audio equipment is currently switched
on, the message AUDIO Off appears in the
multifunction display.
Selecting radio station
The HD Radio with SIRIUS Satellite Radio is
treated as a radio application.
For more information on HD Radio with
SIRIUS Satellite Radio, refer to separate
COMAND system operating instructions.
Additional optional satellite radio equipment
and a subscription to satellite radio service
provider are required for satellite radio
operation. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for details and availability for
your vehicle.
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