Crossing obstacles
! Obstacles can damage the vehicle
underbody or suspension components. If
possible use the assistance of a second
person outside the vehicle to scout the
path you intend to take and check for
adequate ground clearance when you cross
obstacles with your vehicle. The person
assisting you outside the vehicle should
always be a safe distance away from the
vehicle and positioned so that he or she
cannot get hurt in case of any unexpected
vehicle movement.
After off-road driving or crossing obstacles,
inspect vehicle for any damage, especially
vehicle underbody and suspension
components. Failure to do so can adversely
affect the vehicle’s future performance,
including increased chance of an accident.
When driving over tree stumps, big rocks and
other obstacles, observe the following rules:
RComply with the warnings (Y page 184) and
rules for off-road driving (Y page 185).
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift automatic transmission into gear
range 1 (Y page 92).
RCheck the vehicle clearance before
crossing obstacles.
RCross obstacles (e.g. tree stumps or big
rocks) very slowly by aiming one of the front
wheels at the center of the obstacle, and
repeat same with the rear wheel.
! Special attention is needed when you
cross obstacles on a steep incline.
The vehicle could slide sideways as a result
of its possible slanted position which in turn
may result in the vehicle tipping or rolling
over.
Driving on sand
GWarning!
Do not reduce the tire inflation pressure
before driving through sand. However, if you
do so, remember to correct the tire inflation
pressure before continuing your trip. Driving
with reduced tire inflation pressure increases
the risk of losing control of the vehicle and
rolling over.
When driving on sand, observe the following
rules:RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift automatic transmission into a gear
range that is appropriate for the terrain.
RIn sandy soil, drive at a steady speed as
conditions permit. This helps overcome the
vehicle rolling resistance and reduce the
likelihood of the vehicle sinking into the
ground.
RDrive in tracks of other vehicles if they are
not too deep and you have sufficient
clearance.
Ruts
A number of off-road tracks or other byways
have deep ruts which can cause the
underbody to come in contact with the
ground.
! Check that the ruts are not too deep and
your vehicle’s clearance is sufficient.
Otherwise:
Ryour vehicle may be damaged
Rthe underbody of the vehicle may come
in contact with the ground and you may
get stuck
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RAvoid high engine speeds.
R Comply with the warnings (Y page 184) and
rules for off-road driving ( Y page 185).
R Shift automatic transmission into gear
range 1 (Y page 92).
R Drive next to the ruts rather than through
them if at all possible.
R If the ruts are too deep to drive in, drive with
one side of the vehicle on the grassy center
strip if the route permits.
Returning from off-road driving GWarning!
Never drive on pavement with activated
differential locks. Engaged front axle
differential locks limits ability to move around
curves.
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possible
damage to your vehicle has occurred, you
should turn on the hazard warning flashers,
carefully slow down, and drive with caution to
an area which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or
tire dealer for repairs.
Off-road driving increases strain on the
vehicle.
We recommend that you inspect the vehicle
for possible damage after each off-road trip.
Recognizing any damage and a subsequent
timely repair reduces the chance of a possible
breakdown or accident later on.
Proceed as follows:
R Switch the transfer case to position HIGH
( Y page 93).
R Switch differential locks off ( Y page 95).
R Clean all exterior lamps and check for
possible damage.
R Clean the front and rear license plate.
R Remove excessive dirt from tires, wheels,
wheel housings, and underbody.
For instance, after driving in mud, clean the
radiator, chassis, engine, brakes, and
wheels from extreme dirt using a strong jet
of water.
R Check tires for possible damage.
R Inspect vehicle underbody, oil pan, brake
hoses, etc., as well as vehicle underbody
for possible damage.
R Check for brush or branches caught in the
underbody.
! Brush or branches could increase the
possibility of a fire, as well as cut fuel and/
or brake lines, puncture rubber bellows of
the axles or drive shafts.
R After continued operation in mud, sand,
water or other dirty conditions clean the
brake discs, wheels, brake pads and check
and clean axle joints.
R Conduct a brake test.
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
transmitters
Safety notes
GWarning!
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
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use abrasives, solvents or cleaners that
contain solvents.
Cleaning the Rear Parking Assist
system sensors
Rear Parking Assist system sensors are
located in the rear bumper.
XOnly clean Rear Parking Assist system
sensors : by hand.
XUse a mild vehicle wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water and a soft, non-
scratching cloth to clean Rear Parking
Assist system sensors : on the bumper.
! Applying strong pressure may damage
the sensor covers.
Cleaning the rear view camera lens
XOnly use clean water and a soft, non-
scratching cloth to clean rear view camera
lens :.
Be careful not to apply wax to rear view
camera lens : when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using the
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo with
plenty of water.
! Do not clean the camera and the area
around the camera
Rwith a high-pressure cleaner
Rwith a dry cloth and strong pressure
Rwith aggressive cleaning agents
You could otherwise damage the camera.
Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
GWarning!
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch before
cleaning the windshield and/or the wiper
blades. Otherwise, the wiper motor could
suddenly turn on and cause injury.
! Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts.
They could tear.
XFold the wiper arms forward until they snap
into place.
XClean the windshield and the wiper blade
inserts with a clean cloth and mild
detergent solution.
XUse a soft, clean cloth and a mild window
cleaning solution on all outside and inside
glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is
recommended.
! Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey
in the starter switch.
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
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seat belts at temperatures above 176‡
(80†) or in direct sunlight.GWarning!
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.
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
discolored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration will
be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Please note 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.
XWipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with Mercedes-
Benz approved Leather Care.
! To avoid damage to leather upholstery:
R Wipe with light pressure only.
R Do not clean with abrasive cleaning
agents such as scouring milk or powder.
R Do not soak the leather upholstery.
As leather is a natural product, it could
otherwise harden or become porous.
R Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside
should not become wet.
Wood trims
XOnly use water and a damp cloth to clean
wood trims in your vehicle.! Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.
Chrome-plated exhaust tip
Regular cleaning and care of chrome-plated
exhaust tips will help to maintain their shine
and the classy appearance.
XUse Mercedes-Benz approved Chrome
Polishing Paste each time the vehicle has
been washed, especially during the winter.
! Do not use alkaline cleaners such as
wheel cleaners as they could cause
corrosion.
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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 105) 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 98) 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 105). 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.
GWarning!
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.
GWarning!
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 204) and
symbol messages ( Y page 208).
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Safety systemsDisplay messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsGTele Aid
Inoperativ
eOne or more main functions of the Tele Aid system are
malfunctioning.XHave the Tele Aid system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Driving systems
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions©Transfer
Case
Service
RequiredThe transfer case is malfunctioning.XDo not switch the transfer case on.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.©TC Shift
Procedure
CanceledThe shift process in the transfer case was canceled because
of a malfunction.XRepeat the shift process ( Y page 93).©TC Shift
Conditions
Not
FulfilledYou have not met the shift conditions for a selection process
in the transfer case.XRepeat the shift process ( Y page 93).©TC In
NeutralNo gear has been selected in the transfer case, it is in
Neutral .XEngage transfer case to gear position HIGH or LOW
( Y page 93).GWarning!
If the transfer case is in Neutral, the park
position P of the automatic transmission will
not hold the vehicle. The parking brake must
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LampsDisplay messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsbReverse
Lamp RightThe right backup lamp is malfunctioning.XReplace the bulb as soon as possible ( Y page 233).bBrake
Lamp Left
or
Brake
Lamp RightThe left or right brake lamp is malfunctioning.XReplace the bulb as soon as possible ( Y page 233).b3rd Brake
LampThe high-mounted brake lamp is malfunctioning. This
message will only appear if all LEDs have stopped working.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.bFront
Foglamp
Left
or
Front
Foglamp
RightThe left or right front fog lamp is malfunctioning.XReplace the bulb as soon as possible ( Y page 233).bFront
Left Side
Marker
Lamp
or
Front
Right
Side
Marker
Lamp The front left side or right side marker lamp is malfunctioning.XReplace the bulb as soon as possible ( Y page 233).Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display215Practical hints463_AKB; 3; 35, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-16T20:59:56+02:00 - Seite 215Z
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsbParking
Lamp
Front
Left
Auxiliary
Bulb On
or
Parking
Lamp
Front
Right
Auxiliary
Bulb OnThe left or right front parking lamp is malfunctioning. A
substitute bulb is being used.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.bHigh Beam
Left
or
High Beam
RightThe left or right high-beam lamp is malfunctioning.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.bLicense
Plate
Lamp, Left
or
License
Plate
Lamp,
RightThe left or right license plate lamp is malfunctioning.XReplace the bulb as soon as possible ( Y page 233).bAUTO-
Light
Inoperativ
eThe light sensor is malfunctioning. The headlamps come on
automatically.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
To switch off the headlamps (U.S. vehicles only):
XIn the control system, set daytime running lamp mode to
manual ( Y page 109).XSwitch off the headlamps using the exterior lamp switch
( Y page 74).bLow Beam
Left
or
Low Beam
RightThe left or right low-beam lamp is malfunctioning.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.216Vehicle status messages in the multifunction displayPractical hints
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