Observe the following guidelines when using
snow chains:
R
Use
of snow chains is not permissible with
all wheel/tire combinations ( Y page 291).
R Use snow chains in pairs and on rear
wheels only. Follow the manufacturer’s
mounting instructions.
! If snow chains are mounted to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the body
or axle components. The tires or the vehicle
could be damaged as a result.
R Only use snow chains that are approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Any authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center will be glad to advise you on
this subject.
R Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check local
and state laws before installing snow
chains.
R Do not use snow chains on the spare wheel.
i When driving with snow chains, you may
wish to switch off the ESP ®
(Y page 59)
before setting the vehicle in motion. This
will improve the vehicle’s traction. Winter driving instructions
G
Warning!
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) gases may enter vehicle interior
resulting in unconsciousness and death.
To
assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind. G
Warning!
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. G
Warning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result
in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt
acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, shift
the automatic transmission to neutral
position N. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.
i For information on driving with snow
chains, see “Snow chains” ( Y page 208).
Road salts and chemicals can adversely
affect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce the
normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically when
traveling at length on salt-strewn roads can
bring road-salt-impaired braking efficiency
back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven on
salt-treated roads, the braking efficiency
should be tested as soon as possible after
driving is resumed. G
Warning!
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers. Winter driving
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X
Reduce vehicle speed.
X Avoid track grooves in the road.
X Apply brakes cautiously. Standing water
! Do not drive through flooded areas.
Before
driving through water, determine its
depth.
If you must drive through standing water,
drive slowly to prevent water from entering
the passenger compartment or the engine
compartment. Water in these areas could
cause damage to electrical components or
wiring of the engine or transmission, or
could result in water being ingested by the
engine through the air intake causing
severe internal engine damage. Any such
damage is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. Driving abroad
If
you plan to drive the vehicle outside the U.S.
or Canada, you should request dealer
network information for your destination from
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Control and operation of radio
transmitter
Safety notes G
Warning!
Please do not forget that your primary
responsibility
is to drive the vehicle. A driver’s
attention to the road must always be his/her
primary focus when driving. For your safety
and the safety of others, we recommend that
you pull over to a safe location and stop
before placing or taking a telephone call.
If you choose to use the telephone 12
while
driving, please use the hands-free device and only use the telephone when road, weather
and traffic conditions permit. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile telephone while driving a vehicle.
Only operate the COMAND
12
(Cockpit
Management and Data System) if road,
weather and traffic conditions permit.
Otherwise, you may not be able to observe
traffic
conditions and could endanger yourself
and others.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second. Emission control
Certain systems of the engine serve to keep
the toxic components of the exhaust gases
within permissible limits required by law.
These systems will function properly only
when
maintained strictly according to factory
specifications. Any adjustments on the
engine should, therefore, be carried out only
by qualified Mercedes-Benz Center
authorized technicians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered in
any way. Moreover, the specified service
procedures must be carried out regularly
according to Mercedes-Benz servicing
requirements. For details refer to the
Maintenance Booklet. G
Warning!
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
12 Observe all legal requirements. Driving instructions
213
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vehicle’s doors or windows when cleaning the
inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not
designed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always
lock away cleaning products and keep
them out of reach of children.
! When cleaning the vehicle, do not use
scouring agents. Never apply strong force
and only use a soft, wet cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface to be cleaned.
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external
influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the vehicle
underbody and cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme
and varying climatic conditions, but also by:
R Air pollution
R Road salt
R Tar
R Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately remove:
R Grease and oil
R Fuel
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Bird droppings
R Insects
R Tree resins etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above
adverse influences. More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:
R
near the ocean
R in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)
R during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time
for stone chipping or other damage. Any
damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody of
the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thorough
check is a washing of the underbody followed
by a thorough inspection. Damaged areas
need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory
with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of the
vehicle. Post-production treatment is neither
necessary nor recommended by Mercedes-
Benz because of the possibility of
incompatibility between materials used in the
production process and others applied later.
We have selected vehicle-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and which
always reflect the latest technology. You can
obtain Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care
products at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the vehicle-care products recommended
here. In such cases it is best to seek aid at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references to
Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care
products. 216
Vehicle care
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X
Push the front edge of the luggage box in
direction of arrows under the cover of the
trunk sill.
X Press the fastening clips onto the fastening
bolts until they lock into place. Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display
Notes
Warning and malfunction messages appear in
the multifunction display located in the
instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messages
are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in this
Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the Vehicle status message
memory menu in the control system
(Y page 117) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the
multifunction display in red color.
Certain messages of high priority cannot be
cleared from the multifunction display using
the reset button (Y page 109) or button
&, *, U or V on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Other messages of high priority and
messages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display using the reset button or button
&, *,
U or V on the multifunction steering
wheel. They are then stored in the Vehicle
status message memory menu
(Y page 117). Remember that clearing a
message will only make the message
disappear. Clearing a message will not
correct the condition that caused the
message to appear. G
Warning!
All categories of messages contain important
information which should be taken note of
and, where a malfunction is indicated,
addressed as soon as possible at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair the condition noted may
cause damage not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty, or result in property
damage or personal injury. G
Warning!
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps
R malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible.
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may appear.
For your convenience the messages are
divided into text messages ( Y page 229) and
symbol messages ( Y page 238).228
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X Solutions If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front
passenger seat again. Depending on the front passenger
classification sensed by the OCS, the
04
indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. G
Warning!
If the 04 indicator lamp remains out even after performing the above corrective
steps, do not have any children 12 years old and under and other small individuals use the front
passenger seat until the system has been repaired. Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
231
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsFront
Passenger
Airbag
Disabled
See
Operator’s
Manual USA only:
The
front passenger front air bag is deactivated while driving
even though an adult or someone larger than a small
individual is occupying the front passenger seat. Forces
acting on the seat may make the system sense a decrease in
weight.
X Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Have the front passenger vacate the seat and exit the
vehicle.
X Adjust the seat height to a higher position (Y page 78).
X Make sure no objects which apply forces to the seat are
present
(e.g. objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged
underneath, behind or around the seat). Such forces may
cause the system to sense that an occupant of a lesser
weight than actually present is on the front passenger seat.
X Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door
and switch on the ignition.
Monitor the 04 indicator lamp in the center
console (Y page 44) and the multifunction display in the
instrument cluster
(Y page 28) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,
R the 04 indicator lamp in the center console
should illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that
the OCS (Y page 41) has deactivated the front passenger
front air bag.
R the message Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See
Operator’s Manual or the message Front Passenger
Airbag Disabled See Operator’s Manual should not
appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is
unoccupied. Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to
complete the necessary check cycles and to make sure
neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front
passenger seat again. Depending on the front passenger
classification sensed by the OCS, the 04
indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. 232
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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G
Warning!
If the 04 indicator lamp remains illuminated with an adult occupant on the front
passenger seat even after performing the above corrective steps, do not have any passenger use
the front passenger seat until the system has been repaired.
Driving systems Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsCruise
Control
And
SPEEDTRONI
C Inoperativ
e The cruise control is malfunctioning.
X
Have the cruise control checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Cruise
Control - - - MPH One of the activation conditions for cruise control has not
been
fulfilled. You may have attempted to set a speed below
20 mph (30 km/h).
X Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) if the situation allows
and set the speed.
X Check the activation conditions for cruise control
(Y page 128). DISTRONIC - - - MPH One of the activation conditions for Distronic has not been
fulfilled. You may have attempted to set a speed below
20 mph (30 km/h)
.
X Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) if the situation allows
and set the speed.
X Check the activation conditions for Distronic
(Y page 133). DISTRONIC Inoperativ
e The Distronic or the display are malfunctioning.
X
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible. DISTRONIC Override You have accelerated. The Distronic has switched off.
X
Stop accelerating. Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsDISTRONIC Currently
Unavailabl
e
See
Operator’s
Manual Distronic is deactivated because:
R
The Distronic cover in the radiator grille is dirty.
R The functionality is impaired by heavy precipitation or fog.
R The system is overheated.
X If necessary, clean the Distronic cover in the area of the
radiator grille
(Y page 219).
X If necessary, wait until the system has cooled down.
X Restart the vehicle.
Distronic becomes operational again without the engine being
restarted when
R dirt on the radiator grille has fallen off while driving (e.g.
slush or snow)
R the system recognizes full sensor availability (due to
lessening rain or the road surface drying)
R the message in the multifunction display disappears
R the speed last stored flashes in the display for 5 seconds
You can then operate Distronic as usual again. DISTRONIC Currently
Unavailabl
e
See
Operator’s
Manual Distronic is deactivated because the functionality is impaired
by external interferences, e.g. high-frequency sources such
as toll stations, speed measuring systems etc.
X
Leave the area of the external interference.
X Activate Distronic again (Y
page 133) when the message in
the multifunction display disappears. Distronic is deactivated because the Distronic sensor has not
sensed any other vehicles or objects, e.g. road sign or such,
for a long time.
X
Activate Distronic again (Y
page 133) when the message in
the multifunction display disappears. G
Warning!
Distronic cannot take weather conditions into
account.
Switch off Distronic or do not turn it
on if the sensor is dirty or visibility is
diminished as a result of snow, rain or fog. The
distance control may be impaired even before the system is able to detect a dirty sensor. The
message
DISTRONIC Currently
Unavailable
See Operator’s Manual will
be displayed in the multifunction display and
Distronic will be turned off. 234
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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