
soon as the window is clear. It only switches
itself off automatically after a few minutes.
If the battery voltage is too low, the rear win-
dow heating may switch off.
Problems with the rear window heating The rear window heating has switched off
prematurely or cannot be activated.
X Switch off any consumers that are not
required, e.g. reading lamps or interior
lighting.
When the battery is sufficiently charged,
the rear window heating can be activated
again. Activating/deactivating air-recircula-
tion mode
G
WARNING
Only switch over to air-recirculation mode
briefly at low outside temperatures. Other-
wise, the windows could mist up, thus impair-
ing visibility and endangering yourselfa nd
others. This may prevent you from observing
the traffic conditions, thereby causing an
accident.
You can deactivate the flo woffresh air if
unpleasant odours are entering the vehicle
from outside. The air already inside the vehi-
cle will then be recirculated.
The operation of air-recirculation mode is the
same for all control panels.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To activate: press theebutton.
The indicator lamp in the ebutton lights
up.
i Air-recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically at high outside temperatures.
When air-recirculation mode is activated
automatically, the indicator lamp in the
e button is not lit. Outside air is added after about 30
minutes.
X To switch off: press theebutton.
The indicator lamp in the ebutton goes
out.
i Air-recirculation mode deactivates auto-
matically:
R after approximately five minutes at out-
side temperatures below approximately
5 †
R after approximately five minutes if the
cooling with air dehumidificatio nfunc-
tion 12
is switched off
R after approximately 30 minutes at out-
side temperatures above approximately
5 † Convenience opening/closing using
the air-recirculation button
G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
between the side window and the door frame
as the side windows are opened and closed.
Make sure that all object sand body parts are
clear of the side windows when they are being
opened or closed .You or the objects could be
drawn in or become trapped between the side
window and the door frame as the window
moves. If there is arisk of entrapment, oper-
ate the Wswitch to move the side window
in the opposite direction.
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as the panorama sliding sunroof is opened
and closed. If there is a risk of entrapment,
operate the 3switch to move the pano-
rama sliding sunroof in the opposite direction.
X Convenience closing feature: press and
hold the ebutton until the side win-
12 Only with THERMATIC/THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control. Operating the climate control system
121Climate control Z

dows and the panorama sliding sunroof are
closed.
The indicator lamp in the
ebutton lights
up. Air-recirculation mode is activated.
X Convenience opening feature: press and
hold the ebutton until the side win-
dows and the panorama sliding sunroof
have opened. The side windows and the
panorama sliding sunroof move back to
their original position.
The indicator lamp in the ebutton goes
out. Air-recirculation mode is deactivated.
i If you open the side windows or the pan-
orama sliding sunroof manually after clos-
ing with the convenience closing feature,
they will remain in this position when
opened using the convenience opening fea-
ture. Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
The residual heat function is only available
with THERMOTRONIC automatic climate con-
trol.
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the station-
ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the temperature that has
been set.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
i It is possible that the residual heat func-
tion may be activated automatically an hour
after the key has been removed. The vehi-
cle is then ventilated for 30 minutes to dry
the air-conditioning system. X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove it.
X To activate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton lights
up.
X To switch off: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton goes
out.
i Residual heat is deactivated automati-
cally:
R after about 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R if the coolant temperature is too low Adjusting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air
vents. This could cause burns or frostbite to
bare skin in the immediate vicinity of the
vents. Keep bare skin away from these air
outlets. If necessary, direct the airflow away
to a different area of the vehicle interior.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet between the windscreen
and the bonnet free of blockages, such as
ice, snow or leaves.
R never cover the vents or ventilation grilles
in the vehicle interior.
i You can move the adjuster sfor the air
vents vertically or horizontally, to set the
direction of the airflow.
i Optimal climate control function is ach-
ieved by opening the air vents fully and set-
ting the adjusters to the middle position. 122
Adjusting the air ventsClimate control

Setting the centre air vents
X
To open the centre air vent: turn the
adjuster in one of centre air vents :anti-
clockwise.
X To close the centre air vent: turn the
adjuster in one of centre air vents :clock-
wise until it engages. Setting the side air vents
:
Side window demister vent
; Side air vent
X To open aside air vent: turn the adjuster
in side air vent ;anti-clockwise.
X To close aside air vent: turn the adjuster
in side air vent ;clockwise until it
engages. Setting the rear-compartment air
vents
:
Rear-compartment air vent, left
; Rear-compartment air vent, right
= Rear-compartment air vent thumbwheel
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel =up or
down. Adjusting the air vents
123Climate control Z

roads. Otherwise, you could damage the
drive train. Keyp
ositions g
To remove the key
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windscreen wipers
2 Ignitio n(power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 To start the engine
Vehicles with manual transmission: the
steering is locked when the key is taken out
of the ignition lock.
i If the key does not belong to the vehicle,
it can still be turned in the ignition lock.
However, the ignition will not be switched
on. The engine cannot be started. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Never leave the engine running in enclosed
spaces. The exhaust gases contain carbon
monoxide. Inhaling exhaust fumes consti-
tutes a health hazard and could lead to loss
of consciousness or even death.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
i Vehicles with apetrol engine: the
engine runs at a highe rengine speed during a cold start so that the catalytic converter
can reach operating temperature more
quickly. In this case, the sound of the
engine may be different.
Manual transmission X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Shift to neutral N.
i You can only start the engine when the
clutch pedal is fully depressed.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
Transmission positio ndisplay Pis shown in
the multifunction display.
i When the transmission is in position N,
you can also start the engine with the brake
pedal depressed.
Starting procedure X
To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 127) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
X To start adiesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 127).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrumen tcluster lights up.
X When the %preglow indicator lamp
goes out, tur nthe key to position 3
(Y page 127) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: you can also use the touch-start func-
tion. To do this, turn the key to position 3
(Y page 127) and release it immediately.
The engine then starts automatically. Driving
127Driving and parking Z

Pulling away
Manual transmission !
Change gear in good time and avoid spin-
ning the wheels. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the vehicle.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Release the electric parking brake
(Y page 145).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Slowly release the clutch pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
i Follow the shift recommendations in the
multifunction display for an economical
driving style (Y page 134).
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away.T he locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock-
ing feature (Y page 203).
Automatic transmission i
It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then can
the parking lock be deactivated. If the
brake pedal is not depressed, the DIRECT
SELECT lever can still be operated, but the
parking lock remains engaged.
i At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 †, you can only shift out of park posi-
tion Pinto another transmission position
when the engine is running.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R. X
Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 145) is
automatically released.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away.T he locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock-
ing feature (Y page 203).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Pulling away with a trailer To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster remains on.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release lever :.
The electric parking brake is released. 128
DrivingDriving and parking

Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The engine does not
start. The HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 162) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 154).
X Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
X Turn the key back to position 0in the ignition lock before
attempting to start the engine again.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 127). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge display shows
0. The fuel tank is empty.
X
Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 283).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X
Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. 132
DrivingDriving and parking

Do not place several floormats on top of one
another.
G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery roa dsurface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident. G
WARNING
The clutch may overheat if you hold the vehi-
cle stationary on uphill gradients by depress-
ing the accelerato rpedal. If the clutch does
overheat, a warning tones ounds and a display
message is shown in the multifunction dis-
play. The frictional connection of the clutch
may then be interrupted. The vehicle may roll
away.A s a result, you could cause an acci-
dent.
You will only be able to continue you journey
once the clutch has cooled down and the dis-
play message in the multifunction display has
disappeared.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary
on uphill gradients by
R depressing the brake pedal
or
R activating the HOLD function
or
R engaging the electric parking brake
i Bear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission
is interrupted when the engine is switched
off. Therefore, to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, shift the automatic transmis-
sion to park position Pand apply the elec-
tric parking brake when the engine is
switched off and the vehicle is stationary. DIRECTS
ELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions The DIRECT SELECT leve
ris on the right of the
steering column. j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current trans-
mission position P,R, Nor Dappears in the
transmission position display
(Y page 135) in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive
program appearint
he multifunction display. :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
i The arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which transmis-
sion positions you can change using the
DIRECT SELECT lever. Automatic transmission
135Driving and parking Z

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer shifts into all of
the gears.
Reverse gear can no
longer be engaged. The transmission is in emergency mode.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and smoking are therefore prohibited when
handling fuels.
Switch off the engine before refuelling. G
WARNING
Avoid contact with fuels.
It is hazardous to your health if your skin
comes into direct contact with fuels or you
breathe in fuel vapours. G
WARNING
Do not use petrol to refuel a diesel tank.N ever
mix diesel with petrol. Doing so could damage
the fuel system and the engine. The vehicle
could also catch fire.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a petrol engine. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel result in damage
to the fuel system and the engine. !
Do not switch on the ignition if you acci-
dentally refuel with the wrong fuel. Other-
wise, the fuel will enter the fuel lines. Notify
a qualified specialist workshop and have
the fuel tank and fuel lines drained com-
pletely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
Further information on fuel and on fuel grades
can be found in the "Fuel" section
(Y page 312). Refuelling
141Driving and parking Z