
Storing positions into memory
XAdjust the seats.XOn the driver’s side, also adjust the
steering wheel and exterior rear view
mirrors to the desired positions.
XPress memory button M once and within
3 seconds press memory position button
1, 2 or 3.
When the settings are stored to the
selected position, an acknowledgement
signal sounds.
Recalling positions from memory
XPress and hold desired memory position
button 1, 2 or 3 until the seat has moved
to the stored position completely. On the
driver’s side, also wait for the steering
wheel and exterior rear view mirrors to
move to the stored position.
iReleasing the memory position button
stops movement to the stored positions
immediately.
Lighting
Notes
iIf you drive in countries with left-hand
driving, you must have the headlamps
modified for symmetrical low beams.
Relevant information can be obtained at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iVehicles equipped with active Bi-Xenon
headlamps:
The active Bi-Xenon headlamps increase
usable illumination over conventional
headlamps because they follow the
curvature of the road ahead. The beams of
the active Bi-Xenon headlamps shift to
either side according to the vehicle’s
steering angle and speed.
Exterior lamp switch
1 WStanding lamps, left2 XStanding lamps, right3 $Off
Daytime running lamp mode
4 ÃAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
5 TParking lamps66 LLow-beam headlamps or high-beam
headlamps
7 RVehicles without front fog lamps:
Rear fog lamp
7 NVehicles with front fog lamps: Front
fog lamps
8 RVehicles with front fog lamps: Rear
fog lamp6When the parking lamps are on, the tail lamps, the license plate lamps, the side marker lamps, and theinstrument cluster illumination are also on.
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Vehicles with front fog lampsXSwitching on front fog lamps: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to first stop.
The green indicator lamp N in the
exterior lamp switch comes on.
XSwitching on rear fog lamp: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to second stop.
The rear fog lamp, the front fog lamps, the
green and the yellow indicator lamp R
in the exterior lamp switch come on.
XSwitching off front fog lamps/rear fog
lamp: Push in the exterior lamp switch to
its stop.
Vehicles without front fog lamps
XSwitching on rear fog lamp: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to its stop.
The rear fog lamp and the yellow indicator
lamp R in the exterior lamp switch
come on.
XSwitching off rear fog lamp: Push in the
exterior lamp switch to its stop.
Locator lighting and night security
illumination
Locator lighting and night security
illumination are described in the “Control
system” section, see “Switching locator
lighting on or off” (Y page 136) and
“Switching night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed shut-off feature) on or
off” (Y page 137).
Combination switch
Turn signals
XPress the combination switch in direction
of arrow ; or ?.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp ! or # in the instrument
cluster flashes.
The combination switch resets automatically
after major steering wheel movements.
iTo signal minor directional changes such
as changing lanes, press the combination
switch only to point of resistance and
release. The corresponding turn signal
lamps will flash three times.
High beam
XTurn the exterior lamp switch to position
L (Y page 97).
XSwitching on: Push the combination
switch in direction of arrow :.
The high-beam headlamp indicator lamp
K in the instrument cluster comes on.
XSwitching off: Pull the combination switch
in direction of arrow = to its original
position.
iAlso note the information on high-beam
headlamps with activated automatic
headlamp mode (Y page 98) or the daytime
running lamp mode (Y page 99).
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Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting the automatic
transmission directly between drive position
D and reverse gear R can help free a vehicle
stuck in mud or snow. The engine control
system of this vehicle electronically limits
directly shifting the automatic transmission
between drive position D and reverse gear R
to very low speeds, i.e. approximately 5 mph
(9 km/h). To shift the automatic transmission
directly between drive position D and reverse
gear R, move the gear selector lever up or
down past the resistance point.
Working on the vehicle
GWarning!
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.
Towing a trailer
XWhen you tow a trailer, shift into a lower
gear range manually if the automatic
transmission hunts between gears on
inclines.
A lower gear range and reduction of speed
reduces the potential to overload or to
overheat the engine.
For more information on trailer towing, see
“Trailer towing” (Y page 269).
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range, see “One-touch gearshifting”
(Y page 118).
The current gear range appears in the
multifunction display.:Gear range indicator Effect=With this selection you can use the
braking effect of the engine.
5Allows the use of the engine’s
braking effect when driving
Ron steep downgrades
Rin mountainous regions
Runder extreme operating
conditions
4For maximum use of the engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.
One-touch gearshifting
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range using the steering wheel gearshift
control.
Steering wheel gearshift control
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iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control when the automatic
transmission is in park position P, neutral
position N, or reverse gear R.
Limiting gear range GWarning!
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.
XBriefly pull left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
i To avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting, the automatic transmission
will not shift into a lower gear if the engine’s
maximum speed would be exceeded.
Extending gear range
XBriefly pull right gearshift control ;.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next higher gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
i If you press on the accelerator pedal
when the engine has reached the
revolution limit of the current gear range,
the automatic transmission will upshift
beyond any gear range limit selected.
Canceling gear range limit
XPull and hold right gearshift control ; until
the gear range indicator disappears from
the multifunction display.
The automatic transmission will shift from
the current gear range directly into drive
position D.Shifting into optimal gear range XPull and hold left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will select the
gear range suited for optimal acceleration
and deceleration automatically. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
Emergency operation (limp-home
mode)
If vehicle acceleration becomes less
responsive or sluggish or the automatic
transmission no longer shifts, the automatic
transmission is most likely operating in limp-
home (emergency operation) mode. In this
mode only second gear and reverse gear R
can be selected.
XStop the vehicle in a safe location.XShift the automatic transmission into park
position P.XTurn off the engine.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
The vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive
(4MATIC). Both the front and rear axles are
powered at all times when the vehicle is being
operated.
! Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not
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and rear axle differential to improve vehicle
traction.
The center differential compensates for
differences in wheel rotation between the
front and rear axle.
The rear axle differential compensates
differences between the rear wheels.
i At the front axles, the 4-ETS system
compensates for any traction problems.
For more information on off-road driving, see
“Off-road driving” ( Y page 262).
A few words about differentials and
differential locks
When a vehicle negotiates a turn, wheels on
the outside of the curve must travel farther
and rotate faster than the inside wheels. The
differential, the operation of a set of gears
that allows the powered wheels in a vehicle
to turn at different speeds, makes this
essential function possible.
The drawback is that the differential also
sends most of the engine’s power to the
wheel with the least load or strain on it. For
example, if one of a vehicle’s powered wheels
sits on a patch of snow and spins because
there is no traction, all of the engine’s power
will go to that wheel because the power will
take the path of least resistance. Meanwhile,
the opposite wheel, sitting on dry pavement
where it could get enough grip to start the
vehicle moving, sits idle because it receives
no power.
The 4-ETS addresses this problem and
provides for good control and steering ability
by automatically slowing the slipping wheel
and thus increasing the power to the other
non-slipping drive wheels to get the vehicle
moving. The ESP ®
and the 4-ETS in this
vehicle feature such intelligent limited-slip
differential technology, ideally suited for on-
road and light off-road driving. Transfer case
position LOW (Y page 120) also enhances off-
road driving capabilities.
More extreme off-road conditions may call for
another solution, engaging a differential lock
or preventing the differential from operating
altogether. This vehicle comes with two
differential locks: transfer case (center) and
rear. Each can be engaged simply by
operating the rotary switch located on the
center console ( Y page 123). When the
transfer case (center) differential is locked,
the combined (or average) speed of the front
wheels is identical to the combined rear
wheel speed. When the rear differential is
locked, both rear wheels turn at the same
speed, independent of the individual 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
transfer case in LOW RANGE mode) this
vehicle comes equipped with.
Switching differential locks
! If the differential locks are engaged,
accelerate gently when setting the vehicle
in motion.
Only operate the vehicle on a single axle
dynamometer if the axle not being driven is
jacked up or the associated propeller shaft
is disconnected.
Otherwise the transmission could be
damaged.
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iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit
ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also
be adjusted automatically when you switch
on the vehicle’s exterior lamps.
iWith the exterior lighting switched on, the
brightness of the switches in the center
console will also be adjusted when using
button : or =.
Resetting trip odometer
XMake sure you are viewing the standard
display (Y page 128) in the multifunction
display.
XPress and hold the reset button in the
instrument cluster (Y page 124) until the
trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer
(Y page 29) denotes excessive engine speed.
! Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds,
as it may result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply is
interrupted if the engine is operated within
the red marking.
Control system
Introduction
The control system is activated as soon as the
starter switch is in position 1 (Y page 80).
The control system enables you to call up
information about your vehicle and to change
vehicle settings.
For example, you can use the control system
to find out when your vehicle is next due for
maintenance service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster display,
and much more.
GWarning!
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
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.
The control system relays information to the
multifunction display.
Multifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display and
the settings in the control system are
controlled by using the buttons on the
multifunction steering wheel.
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:Multifunction display;Press button~to end a call
to reject an incoming call6to answer a call
to dial 10
to redial 10Press buttonW
Xto select submenus in the
Settings menu
to set values
to set the volumePress button?to turn Voice Control System
on 11
, see separate operating
instructions=Press buttonV
Uto select next or previous menuPress button briefly&
*to move within a menu
Within Audio/DVD menu to
select previous or next track,
scene or stored station
Within Telephone menu to
switch to the phone book and
select a name or numberPress and hold button&
*Within Audio/DVD menu to
select previous or next track
with quick search or to select
previous or next station in
station list or wave band
Within Telephone menu to
start the quick search in the
phone bookPress buttonAto turn Voice Control System
off 11
, see separate operating
instructions
Depending on the selected menu, pressing
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel will alter what appears in the
multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunction
display is arranged in menus and
accompanying functions and submenus.
The individual functions are then found within
the relevant menu (radio or CD operations
under Audio/DVD menu, for example).
These functions serve to call up relevant
information or to customize the settings for
your vehicle.
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being
arranged in a circular pattern.
XPress button V or U repeatedly to
pass through each menu one after the
other.XPress button * or & repeatedly to
pass through each function display, one
after the other, in the current menu.
In the Settings menu, instead of functions,
you will find a number of submenus for calling
up and changing settings. For instructions on
using these submenus, see “Settings menu”
( Y page 132).
10
Function only available in telephone menu.
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XMove the selection marker with button
W or X to the Vehicle submenu.
XPress button & or * repeatedly until
the message Automatic Door Locking
appears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
XPress button W or X to switch the
automatic central locking On or Off.
Comfort submenu
Access the Comfort submenu via the
Settings menu.
The following functions are available:
RActivating easy-entry/exit feature
(Y page 139)
RActivating/deactivating the seat belt
adjustment feature (Y page 139)
RSwitching fold-in function for exterior rear
view mirrors on or off (Y page 140)
Activating easy-entry/exit feature
Use this function to activate and deactivate
the easy-entry/exit feature (Y page 92).
GWarning!
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel when the easy-entry/exit feature is
activated.
To stop steering wheel movement do one of
the following:
RMove steering wheel adjustment stalk.
RPress one of the memory position buttons.
RPress memory button M.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
XPress button V or U repeatedly until
the Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
XPress button &.XMove the selection marker with button
W or X to the Comfort submenu.
XPress button & or * repeatedly until
the message Easy-entry Function
appears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
XPress button W or X to activate (On)
or deactivate (Off) the easy-entry/exit
feature.
Activating/deactivating seat belt
adjustment feature
Use this feature to set the seat belts to be
adjusted automatically with the driver’s or
front passenger seat belt fastened and the
starter switch in position 2.
For more information on the seat belt
adjustment feature, see (Y page 51).
XPress button V or U repeatedly until
the Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
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